The Path Toward Heaven

Time was the fairest thing. As the hired hands at the Fruit Formation Temple went home to celebrate the New Year, the people in White Town by the edge of the distant snowland also celebrated the New Year.

It was probably because the weather grew warmer, so more pilgrims came to White Town to pray this year. It appeared a bit crowded here.

Guo Dong sat on the doorsill, listening to the noises outside. With slightly furrowed eyebrows, she took out a cucumber and had two bites of it, feeling more relaxed.

That deep voice rang out behind her, “I have melons and fruits here all year long; why don’t you eat them?”

“I was tired of eating the same stuff a long time ago,” Guo Dong said.

In the last few years, she often came to White Town to see him, and had spent the New Year’s day with him several times.

After a pause, the Broadsword King asked, “That year, you said everybody was anxious; did that also mean you?”

Guo Dong didn’t answer his question, instead changing the subject. “He Zhan said all the disciples in the nunnery were females, so he’s not willing to go there.”

“What are you going to do then?” the Broadsword King asked.

Guo Dong said, “As I remember, you told me that there weren’t any disciples experiencing the mortal world for this generation at the Fruit Formation Temple.”

“The Young Zen Master wrote a letter to confirm that Jing Jiu had nothing to do with the temple,” said the Broadsword King.

Guo Dong asked, “What do you think of He Zhan?”

“I’ll write a letter to the temple,” the Broadsword King said.

He would try his best to arrange this.

It was because her request indicated her trust in him.

…

…

Tong Lu and Su Ziye had gone to the West Ocean one after the other. The Sect Master of the No-Mercy Sect, Pei Baifa, was hiding somewhere, waiting for a proper opportunity to strike.

Only He Zhan and Tong Yan were left in the vegetable garden of the Baotong Zen Temple.

“The New Year has already arrived!”

He Zhan complained irritably, “Is she going to let me go only after the red moss is in the market?!”

Sitting by the window and looking at the chessboard, Tong Yan was thinking about the conversation they had some time ago and trying to guess the true identity of Guo Dong, so he didn’t pay attention to He Zhan’s complaint.

He Zhan walked to his side and said, “I’m held back by an elder, but why haven’t you gone back to the Cloud-Dream Mountain yet?”

Tong Yan put down the chess piece and looked through the window at the remaining snow. He stayed silent as he thought of his Young Sister on the mountain.

…

…

On the highest place of the Cloud-Dream Mountain.

The ocean of clouds outside the cliff was like the snowland.

Bai Zao pulled back her gaze and tried not to think about those experiences in the snowland as she placed the fruit plate and alcohol jar on the stone table.

The Center Sect was different from the Green Mountain Sect since they had more interactions with the mortal world, so the family tie was a little more evident on the Cloud-Dream Mountain.

Every year on New Year’s Day, the Center Sect Master couple would leave their manor cave to join their beloved daughter for a family dinner.

This was more often than not the only occasion when Bai Zao could see her parents during the year.

…

…

Still, as requested by Qingrong Peak, the Green Mountain Formation opened a gap during the first snowfall. The snowflakes glided down on the peaks.

Undisturbed, the accumulated snow on the top of Shenmo Peak didn’t melt.

As Jing Jiu walked out from the manor cave, he saw the peak covered by the silvery snow, feeling startled slightly.

All the birds had flown away and not a being was found anywhere; it was quite lonely.

He wondered if Zhao Layue and the other two had left for some reason, or they stayed behind closed doors.

Jing Jiu walked to the cliff’s edge. Seeing the tail that erected upward like a flag post in the snow, he felt like playing a prank on him, which was extremely rare in his life. He flicked his finger from some distance away.

Pah!

The snow white tail exploded, looking like the loose white thatch.

The white cat jumped out from the snow and shrieked angrily at Jing Jiu, showing his sharp teeth, as if readying to attack at any moment.

A moment later, Cold Cicada crawled out from the snow beside the white cat, trembling, and looked like it was terribly scared.

The exciting screams of the monkeys in the mountains could be heard.

Shenmo Peak became lively again.

Gu Qing and Yuan Qü walked to the window of the Daoist hall and were glad to see Jing Jiu’s profile by the cliff’s edge.

Zhao Layue arrived by riding her sword. As she saw Jing Jiu, she asked excitedly, “Is it solved?!”

She thought that he was indeed the best talent in the last thousand years within the Cultivation circle, and that it didn’t even take a winter for him to have solved the difficult issue in Cultivation.

“No,” Jing Jiu said.

Zhao Layue asked in surprise, “Why did you come out then?”

“Time’s up,” Jing Jiu Said.

Cultivation was different from studying, or love affairs; diligence and hard work wouldn’t work.

Many Cultivation practitioners didn’t understand this, or they had no other choice but to use this idea to comfort themselves.

Admitting that one’s talent was limited and exhausted was always a difficult thing to do.

This kind of practitioner would eventually become the skeleton in the manor caves, like those on the Hermit Peaks of the Green Mountain, or those at the back of the Cloud-Dream Mountain.

As far as Jing Jiu was concerned, one hundred days was the limit for considering a matter.

If one couldn’t figure out the matter within one hundred days, then it would be meaningless to spend more time thinking about it; all they did was waste time foolishly after that time period.

Under the circumstances, what one needed was to find a different path.

Zhao Layue understood it, as she asked, “Shiyue Peak or the No-Mercy Sect?”

Shiyue Peak had the magic pills and countless Cultivation books collected by the Green Mountain Sect over the years.

The No-Mercy Sect was also a major sword sect where he might be able to find relevant materials.

This was to utilize others’ resources to solve one’s own problem.

Jing Jiu shook his head.

He was quite certain by now that his sword Cultivation for this life would be different from the Green Mountain Sect and even all the sword sects in Chaotian.

He must find a brand new method, or a new path…or new sect.

Zhao Layue was worried, asking, “What should you do then?”

Jing Jiu said, “I’ll go ask a friend to help me.”

Gu Qing was startled, wondering who was qualified to teach his Master.

Zhao Layue was surprised that he even had a friend.

…

…

The old way didn’t work, and a new way was needed. This sounded simple enough; but it was actually the most difficult thing in the Cultivation circle.

The difficult part was the “new” way.

Where could Jing Jiu find the help?

It wasn’t the No-Mercy Sect, nor was it the Fruit Formation Temple. Though there were many Cultivation ways in the world, the essence was always the same: people were always the aim of Cultivation.

To start a new way, one had to set one’s vision much higher.

His friend in Alien Land could last as long as heaven and earth, so he had no need of Cultivation; as such he couldn’t help Jing Jiu. The being on the other side of the snowland was totally different from humans, so he couldn’t communicate with her.

Though the Underworld was different from the human world, the essence of their lives was basically the same.

Jing Jiu had already made up his mind before coming out from behind closed doors, saying, “I’m going to Zhaoge City.”

Zhao Layue naturally wanted to go with him, and Gu Qing and Yuan Qü also expressed their willingness to serve him on the journey; but they were all turned down by Jing Jiu.

“You three stay on the peak to work on Cultivation.”

Jing Jiu looked at Zhao Layue and said, “Don’t let Zuo Rusui surpass you.”

This was the second time he had said this.

Zhao Layue didn’t quite understand why he said that, saying, “I’m afraid that it’s not safe if you go off the mountain all by yourself.”

Few Cultivation practitioners in the world would dare attack the Green Mountain disciples.

The problem was that there was an enemy on the Green Mountain, one who had attempted several times to kill Jing Jiu.

Jing Jiu understood, and said, “I’ll take Ada with me.”

The white cat was suddenly alert, all his hair standing up, resembling a large dandelion.

He thought indignantly that there wasn’t a good reason for him to go with Jing Jiu.

Yet, Jing Jiu said one word to him, “Fight.”

The white cat’s pupils shrank suddenly, returning to normal as he meowed softly.

Jing Jiu said, “Otherwise, I’ll give you over to that one you dislike very much.”

It was obvious that the white cat was not pleased with Jing Jiu’s suggestion, but he couldn’t find a better solution; so the white cat turned his head away indignantly.

Did this mean he would go with Jing Jiu?

Zhao Layue and the other two felt surprised.

What was the meaning of this “fight” Jing Jiu had just said? Why would it have changed Master White Ghost’s attitude instantly?

Did his “fight” mean with “the soldiers in battle”?