The Path Toward Heaven

For many years after the old nun who had raised He Zhan died of the old age, He Zhan was extremely sad, and went to the bank of the stream behind the nunnery to cry secretly.

It was that night that he found the thin silk in the crack of a rock by the stream.

It wasn’t until this day that he could figure out the magic power of that thin silk; but he was sure that the thin silk was a powerful magic treasure. Judging by its value, it should be more valuable than all the other things he picked up, like the dragon bones and crystals, putting together.

He regarded that thin silk as his last trump card, so he hid it from everybody, including his best friends; but how could Guo Dong know about it?

Even if the highly achieved disciples of the Water-Moon Nunnery could discover this secret using the Two-Mind Connection, but why did she even know the specific place like the “stream rock behind the nunnery”?

Tong Yan noticed the changed expression on He Zhan’s face, wondering if Guo Dong had something to do with that person.

Until now, he still couldn’t connect Guo Dong with that person.

“How was the barbecued mutton that night?” Guo Dong asked Tong Lu.

Then she asked Tong Yan, “How about the alcohol that night? If I didn’t remember it wrong’ that was the first time you got drunk.”

…

…

It was quiet again in the room.

Tong Lu and He Zhan were shocked speechless, eying each other.

The two of them and Tong Yan had all participated in the Cultivation tournament of that year’s Plum Meeting.

They and many others sat by the bonfire near the lake that night, eating the barbecued mutton and drinking the wine from a jar that seemed to have endless supply of alcohol, and they talked a lot.

Tong Yan looked at Guo Dong and asked with a solemn expression, “Are you that person?”

“That’s right. I had chosen you three, Luo Huainan and Guo Nanshan. What you have done are the things I wanted you to do.”

Guo Dong’s voice was calm and peaceful, without any redundant emotion, like a large, broad, far-reaching large river

The problem was, the young people who sat around the bonfire that night eating and drinking were comprised of almost all the talented disciples of various sects, and they could be called the future of the Cultivation world. And what they were doing was truly significant, and was related to the future of human race. What they were doing was actualizing their ideals, which was to exorcise the devils and demons, and to force those sly masters of various sects, through their immature methods, to take action to eradicate the Cloud Platform.

“This is…impossible,” Tong Lu murmured.

Tong Yan inquired, “Since you had done so much, what did you want us to do for you?”

“It’s not what I wanted,” Guo Dong said. “The dissatisfactory thoughts about the status quo and masters and the worry about the future of human race were all your own to begin with. What I did was provide a way or opportunity for you people to discover your own inner thoughts and offer some help when you were carrying out those ideas.”

After a moment of silence, Tong Yan asked, “What should we do now?”

“The Cloud Platform is destroyed, and the West Ocean Sword Sect has retreated back to the ocean. Are you satisfied with the result?”

The countenance on Tong Lu’s face had changed a bit. Su Ziye didn’t say anything, simply revealing out a faint smile. He Zhan glanced at Tong Yan and knew Tong Yan’s answer must be a negative one.

Tong Yan pressed, “What did you intend to tell us?”

Guo Dong said, “The Old Ones haven’t been totally wiped out yet, because the true behind-the-scenes mastermind is still alive.”

Before Tong Yan could respond, Tong Lu questioned sharply, “You want to harm my Master?!”

Guo Dong glanced at him, and said, “To put it more accurately, I think it’s you people who want to kill your Master.”

Tong Lu exclaimed with wide opened eyes, “Are you mad? He is my Master!”

Guo Dong looked at him silently, saying nothing.

Tong Lu lowered his head gradually and stopped talking.

Guo Dong said to Tong Yan, “I’m not good at these matters, but I give Su Ziye and Tong Lu to you, so you should have the ability to set up a scheme to kill him.”

Tong Yan felt what she had just said had some other implications, but he didn’t have enough time to think them over.

It was because this matter was too significant.

She wanted to kill the Godly Swordsman of West Ocean.

Su Ziye and Tong Lu were of course important in this matter.

The former was the young master of the Mysterious Dark Sect, who had been expelled due to the internal conflict. The Godly Swordsman of West Ocean was driven overseas and forbidden from Chaotian, so he must be eager to welcome Su Ziye in order to acquire as many deviant disciples as possible.

Tong Lu, as the favored personal disciple of the Godly Swordsman of West Ocean, would play an important role in this scheme.

Tong Yan said with slightly kneaded brows, “The Cultivation state difference is simply too great. Even if we could get in the West Ocean and be close to him, there would be no way for us to kill him.”

Guo Dong said, “What I need from you is your brain; the person responsible for killing him is somebody else.”

A man wearing a conical hat walked in from outside.

Guo Dong said, “Thanks for coming, Mister.”

That man shook his head and took off the conical hat, speaking to Tong Yan, “During the battle of the Cloud Platform, he held off the Sect Master of the Green Mountain and cut the Cloud Platform with his sword, so he must have used up a great deal of his energy. If you could let me know his precise position in five years, I should have a forty percent chance of killing him head-on within three miles with my flying sword; yet, if you could come up with better ideas, the result would be even more satisfactory.”

This was an old man, full of white hair on his head mixed with a few strands of black hair. He was blind, but had a calm and composed aura, giving out a gloomy and cold feeling to those around him.

Who would dare claim to have a forty percent chance of killing the Godly Swordsman of West Ocean head-on in this world?

Tong Yan guessed the identity of the old man, and his expression suddenly grew solemn. “Greetings, Mister Pei,” he bowed in prostration.

Even though the other three hadn’t guessed the identity of the old man, they should know his identity by hearing the name “Pei”; so they were all shocked speechless.

He was Pei Baifa, the Sect Master of the No –Mercy Sect!

Su Ziye and Tong Lu got off the bed hastily and bowed to the old man.

The respect they paid to him surpassed the distinction of Cultivation sects and the difference between orthodox and deviant camps.

It was a natural respect the Cultivation practitioners had for the figures in the Heavenly Arrival State.

“You can discuss this matter with Mister Pei.”

Guo Dong turned to Tong Yan and added, “Give the First Child Sword to Tong Lu. You should know the reason.”

Tong Yan nodded in response.

Since the West Ocean Sword Sect was the inheritance of the Foggy Island of the South Ocean, it would be appropriate for Tong Lu to use the First Child Sword. And in so doing, he would be able to win the trust of the Godly Swordsman of West Ocean when Tong Lu went back to the West Ocean.

He Zhan thought that the sword had already been his, but now he had to give it away. He looked at Guo Dong with a pitiful expression, shrugging, as he asked, “What about me?”

Guo Dong paid no attention to him and walked out of the room, ready to leave.

He Zhan clenched his teeth and chased after her. He caught up with her outside the loofah shed at the west end of the vegetable garden.

“Wait…Wait a minute. I have a question.”

He said while panting heavily, “You have to answer me today.”

Guo Dong didn’t look so anxious to leave, so He Zhan was certain that he would obtain an answer this day.

It was because she didn’t take off right away.

“What is it?” she asked.

He Zhan asked, “Why have you done all these things for me over the years?”

Guo Dong replied, “I have already explained.”

He Zhan didn’t believe her, pressing, “But, I haven’t seen you treat Tong Yan as well as me. Why didn’t you give the dragon bones to him?”

Guo Dong said, “He is the disciple of the Center Sect. There are plenty of resources on the Cloud-Dream Mountain, so I don’t have to take care of him that much.”

“Do you really think that I would believe you?” He Zhan snapped.

Guo Dong said, “It has nothing to do with me.”

He Zhan proclaimed, “If you are my mother, what is on my mind definitely has something to do with you.”

…

…

It was the late spring and almost the early summer. The loofahs were not ripe yet, but their looks were the best at this time of the season.

Hanging at the end of the vines and swinging lightly with the breeze, the loofahs looked like the items made of the green jade, as if the green fluids could seep out.

The breeze passed through the loofah vines and swept over He Zhan and Guo Dong’s faces with its cool air.

It was quiet in the loofah shed, absolutely noiseless. He Zhan’s question might be a bit too sudden and unexpected, perhaps making Guo Dong feel awkward.

He Zhan thought his question was sort of ridiculous.

Guo Dong thought this question was extremely ridiculous. “Of course not,” she denied offhandedly.

He Zhan had never thought that she was his real mother, because she was still quite young; but somehow, he still felt disappointed at the answer.

Seeing the changed look on his face, Guo Dong said, “Your mother was my younger sister.”

He Zhan widened his eyes, unable to utter a sound for a long time. In the end, he managed to speak in a trembling voice, “So, you are my auntie?!”