The Path Toward Heaven

Though Jing Jiu and Zhuo Rusui had fought in the valley and were not on friendly terms, they were still from the same sect; so they had to work as a team in the Illusionary Realm of the Cloud-Dream.

This was probably one of the reasons why the Immortal Sect Master Liu agreed to let Jing Jiu represent the Water-Moon Nunnery to participate in the competition, so the two of the strongest young swordsmen of Green Mountain could work together so that they might have a chance of defeating the Center Sect.

Zhuo Rusui didn’t become the next one to pass the test, because the crowd in the building had their confidence boosted up after they found that even He Zhan’s answer was acceptable; they all raised their hands.

The Green Girl looked at one person and asked, “What does three plus sixty equal?”

That person said after some thought, “One year.”

It was obvious that he was confident with his answer, so he glanced at the crowd proudly.

His answer was similar to He Zhan’s; but if he answered three hundred and sixty, he would be considered copying He Zhan’s answer. As a result, he made a little modification to the answer.

There are approximately three hundred and sixty days in a year.

The crowd thought about it, and found the answer was quite sensible.

Unexpectedly, the Green Girl said, “Wrong. The answer should be sixty three.”

Even if the answer was wrong, how could she come up with this answer?!

The puzzled expressions showed on their faces, as they all wondered why this answer was expected.

That person paused in bewilderment, and then demanded, “Why? You have to give us an explanation.”

The Green Girl shot him a glance and said, “It’s because you are too ugly, and I don’t like you; so I don’t want you to enter. That’s all.”

That person was of course unconvinced. He shouted excitedly while waving his arms to protest against his unfair treatment.

Bai Zao stood by the side, and didn’t interfere.

A lethal intent flashed in the Green Girl’s tender eyes. Thousands of hands emerged from behind her and struck down forcefully.

A boom as loud as the thunder echoed in the valley.

That man disappeared from the building right away. As he reappeared, he had returned to the middle of the Huiyin Valley, and was knocked into a cliff wall, unconscious.

The crowd was all apprehensive with pale faces.

“Next!” the Green Girl yelled.

By now the disciples had figured that this spirit of the Green Sky Mirror didn’t follow any rules regarding asking questions and judging the answers; it seemed that it all depended on her mood at the time.

Having witnessed the tragic end of that participant, the crowd in the building fell silent. Nobody raised hand for a long time. Zhuo Rusui’s eyelids drooped again.

Tong Yan came out, after he had already remembered the habitual movements and clothes and decorations of all the participants.

The crowd was curious, and also cautious. The Green Sky Mirror was the magic treasure of the Center Sect; would the Green Girl unfairly ask him an easy question?

A Go board appeared in front of Tong Yan. Did she want him to play Go? The crowd was unsettled, thinking that she wanted to play Go with Tong Yan, and it was obviously an easy task for Tong Yan.

Six black Go pieces and six white Go pieces were placed on the board. They were not placed separately, but piled up. It seemed that the pile of these Go pieces could collapse when being blown by a gentle wind.

The Green Girl landed on the board. She displayed an eager expression on her face as she said, “I can’t win if we play Go. Let’s play the marble flicking game.”

Tong Yan was startled. He realized that she was the little girl who played with him when he was young.

Back then he thought that she was a demon spirit on the Cloud-Dream Mountain, so he didn’t dare tell his Master and Mistress about it. But unexpectedly, she turned out to be the spirit of the Green Sky Mirror.

…

…

As a white Go piece fell down, Tong Yan won in this marble flicking game.

The crowd could tell that this game was actually quite complicated even though it looked easy.

It was a very difficult task to knock off the piled Go pieces one at a time; it required the Cultivation practitioner to have extraordinary skill in controlling the force and targeting each Go piece accurately.

Moreover, his opponent was the spirit of the Green Sky Mirror.

The Green Girl squatted on the Go board and watched Tong Yan execute his last flick. She stood up disappointedly, and said, “Okay, you won again.”

Tong Yan won the game by a small margin; so he felt a bit nervous in the end. He took a look at the little girl, turned around and walked to the rear of the building.

Zhuo Rusui took the opportunity to walk to the Go board. He said with drooped eyelids, “I’d like to play the marble flicking game as well.”

The Green Girl was somewhat frustrated at the moment, but her curiosity was piqued when she saw someone who was even more frustrated than she. “Why are you so disheartened?” she asked.

Zhuo Rusui answered, “I didn’t sleep well last night.”

The Green Girl thought that he wouldn’t have a bright future as he was so nervous about the competition, saying, “Okay, my question is…”

Zhuo Rusui said in a weary tone, “I thought I already answered your question.”

It was quiet in the building.

The Green Girl finally understood what he meant after a pause. She showed a startled expression and said, “You meant my question about why you are so disheartened?!”

“Of course,” Zhuo Rusui said matter-of-factly.

The other disciples couldn’t help but wonder what had happened to the Green Mountain Sect lately.

The Green Girl was speechless, but she found that he was right that he had already answered her question. She said in defeat, “I have to admit that you are very sharp. Go ahead and enter then.”

Zhuo Rusui sauntered toward the rear of the building.

The Green Girl flew up from the Go board and rose in midair. Seeing the scene, her frustrated mood got even worse. She thought to herself that she would give the next competitor a hard time to avenge her earlier defeat.

Jing Jiu walked over.

The Green Girl was frozen midair when she saw his face. She forgot about flapping her wings and drifted back down to the Go board.

As she came back to her senses, she asked softly with a red face, “What…is your name?”

“Jing Jiu.”

“What a good name it is.”

Jing Jiu had passed the test.

There was an uproar in the building.

Bai Zao couldn’t help but smile helplessly, and walked forward.

…

…

It was the deep end of the cliff wall in the Huiyin Valley at the back of the building. There was a stony cave on the top of the cliff wall that looked like a sky well.

Jing Jiu didn’t like this kind of place, though that didn’t show on his face.

The sunlight streamed down from the stony cave, shining on the ground.

A Bronze Formation of five hundred square feet was set up on the ground.

It could be regarded as a large mirror if one ignored the lines and cracks on it.

The large Bronze Mirror exuded an indescribable energy. The energy was ten-thousand times lighter than the faintest perfume, but it could be smelled plainly, or be sensed. It was extremely fresh. It seemed that anyone who smelled it would feel their body had gotten lighter. The energy was similar to when the Green Girl waved her sleeve.

The amazing thing was that anybody would perceive from such a faint odor a strong smell, much stronger than that of milk and alcohol.

This should be the Green Sky Mirror.

Jing Jiu looked at the surroundings and found there were twenty six futons in the cave.

There was a thin thread underneath each futon leading to the Green Sky Mirror.

If one observed it closely, they would find that those thin threads were actually the rivers with all sorts of boats on them.

On the boats were the boatmen, merchants, young ladies watching the scenery while holding up the curtain, a woman nursing her child with bared breasts. They were not alive even though they were life-like; it was evident that these humans were not real.

All of those who had entered earlier were meditating with closed eyes, and so was Zuo Rusui.

The faint energy they smelled earlier must be a sliver of the fairy energy leaking from the Green Sky Mirror. To cultivate in the fairy energy was something desired by every Cultivation practitioner.

Jing Jiu shot the disciple of the No-Mercy Sect a glance and sat down on a futon he chose randomly. He drew some air into his nose by bringing his palms to his nose; he inhaled the air and ascertained that it was the true fairy energy.

The Green Sky Mirror was the heavenly treasure, and it was also called the magic treasure of the fairy immortals, though it had never left this world. Accordingly, it shouldn’t have such energy.

Was it possible that the Fairy Book of Longevity had been always in the Green Sky Mirror, or in the Illusionary Realm of Cloud-Dream?

That was probably why his Big Brother couldn’t find it.

Thinking of all this, Jing Jiu’s unsettled feeling became more obvious, and it grew even worse.

More participants came to the cave one after the other.

Bai Zao, Que Niang of the Mirror Sect, the Scholar Xi of the One-Cottage House, and that scholarly disciple of the Kunlun Sect had all passed the test.

They were all stunned when they saw the Green Sky Mirror, and then they sat down to meditate as quickly as they could.

Bai Zao didn’t act this way. It was evident that Tong Yan hadn’t come here before, but Bai Zao was quite familiar with the place.

As the only daughter of the Center Sect Master, she indeed had a special status on the Cloud-Dream Mountain. It seemed that she had tremendous experience of cultivating here or even in the Illusionary Realm.

As all twenty six futons were seated, the Green Girl flew in and clapped her hands.

A gust of wind rose in the Green Sky Mirror as thousands of residual hands moved together.

The group woke up from their meditation. They looked at each other, and found the expressions in each others’ eyes were more determined. They had already perceived improved energy after meditating a short time in the fairy energy leaked from the Green Sky Mirror. It could be imagined that one would gain a great deal of benefit if they could obtain the Fairy Book of Longevity.

Nobody wanted to give up on this opportunity.

“Later the Green Sky Mirror will lead you into the Illusionary Realm of the Cloud-Dream. It is a bit dark there in the beginning, but don’t be scared.”

The Green Girl flew up with the wind, and disappeared after getting out of the cave.

The group felt a bit relaxed. They started looking around.

The combat in the Illusionary Realm of Cloud-Dream would not be like that on a duel arena where two opponents fought against each other, and it would be a one-against-all or all-against-all combat. As such, they had to make some plans before entering the realm. Though two of the disciples of the Center Sect had been eliminated by the spirit of the Green Sky Mirror, they still had a few powerful swordsmen, like Bai Zao and Tong Yan; and Bai Qianjun was even more formidable. To ensure a chance to survive till the end of the competition, they needed to form an alliance with the disciples of other sects to deal with these Center Sect disciples first.

The Green Mountain Sect was naturally the best candidate for the alliance; many gazes fell on Jing Jiu, but later…moved away.

Though he was very strong, he was also very lazy; most of all, he had a complicated relationship with Bai Zao.

Those gazes then fell on Zhuo Rusui.

Zhuo Rusui lowered his head with drooped eyelids.

There was no way they could communicate with him, as their eyes couldn’t even meet each other.

Their gazes had no choice but to move away.

The gazes were moving around in the cave. Though soundless, it was quite demanding and urgent for these disciples.

…

…

The Green Girl flew higher and higher. She broke through the clouds and fog and arrived at the high elevation of the sky.

There was a stone platform by the edge of the cliff. A dozen figures could be vaguely seen in the thick fog.

Gathered here were the Center Sect Master, the Immortal Tan, the Green Mountain Sect Master, the Immortal Liu, the One-Cottage House Master, Bu Qiuxiao, the Principal Justice of the Fruit Formation Temple, Monk Duhai, the Kunlun Sect Master, and the Great Marsh Master.

“A dozen disciples might encounter mishaps after entering the Green Sky Mirror since their Cultivation state is not steady and their Dao Heart is not strong enough; so I have kept them outside the mirror.”

The transparent wings flapped lightly, making the fog rise like a smoke. The Green Girl looked like a beautiful and seductive demon in the smoke. Seeing her, the onlookers might think they were in a dream or were delusional.

“Another person should be the offspring of the Bloody Demon Church. He joined our sect at a young age. I left a mark on his body. You can make the decision regarding what to do with him yourself.”

“Thank you!” The klutzy voice of the Immortal Tan’s burst out in the fog.

The Green Girl nodded slightly and turned around, disappearing in the fog.

A moment later.

She appeared on a peak top.

There was no platform on it, but there was a railing by the cliff’s edge.

The Immortal Bai stood by the railing. Her whole body exuded a cold intent, as if she was a snowy mountain.

The Green Girl flew to her rear.

The Immortal Bai didn’t turned around, as she asked, “Have you noticed anything?”

“Jing Jiu is not his real name,” the Green Girl said.

…

…

The Green Sky Mirror was indeed a large mirror.

One could straighten their cloth and hat when facing a mirror; and nobody could tell a lie in front of a mirror.

It was because nobody could conceal their true appearance.

Without any doubt, the Green Sky Mirror was the most amazing mirror in the world. Though it wouldn’t be able to tell who the most beautiful person was, it could definitely tell who was lying.

She was the spirit of the Green Sky Mirror, so she became the first barrier for the Dao Competition. The questions she raised seemed to be tedious, but they all had a deep meaning.

Zhuo Rusui was very cautious about the question, so he found a way to evade it.

Jing Jiu hadn’t thought of all this. Judging by the emotion of reaction on the Green Girl’s face at the time, everybody thought that she raised the question in a natural manner.

And the question was so simple, what secret could the answer reveal?

Jing Jiu was indeed his name.

“But the incredible thing is that he didn’t lie. I’m not sure what the matter is.”

Having said this, the Green Girl didn’t say anything further.

The Immortal Bai fell silent for a long time.

Seeing her back figure, the Green Girl felt a bit nervous.

For some reason, she felt some of the energy on Jing Jiu was quite familiar; as a result, she felt close to him, as if she found someone of her own kind.

Yet, she didn’t tell the Immortal Bai about this discovery.

This was the first time she had lied to the Immortal Bai, or concealed something from her.

What the Green Girl didn’t know was that she hadn’t truly arrived in the human world until that moment.

“Let’s start then,” said the Immortal Bai.

The Green Girl reached out her hand into the sky and took down the Heavenly Retrieval Orb.

The entire Cloud-Dream Mountain noticed that the light screen in the sky had suddenly vanished. The people outside the valley discussed vehemently about it as well.

The fairy music could be heard vaguely in the deep end of the clouds.

The twenty six competitors by the Green Sky Mirror could all hear the distant fairy music.

Though the music was very far away, it somehow seemed to be within the earshot.

They closed their eyes slowly, and entered a dark world.

The Green Girl held the Heavenly Retrieval Orb in one of her hands and set it in the middle of the Green Sky Mirror.

The Heavenly Retrieval Orb sank gradually.

It was like the setting sun descended to the ocean.

…

…

In the sky over the Cloud-Dream Mountain, the disappearing light screen emerged again.

The Cultivation practitioners couldn’t help discussing about it again when they saw the light screen.

Would the light screen display the scenes in the Illusionary Realm of Cloud-Dream?

There was nothing but a black picture on the light screen at the moment.

It was like a black cloth covering the real sky.

A glowing dot suddenly appeared in the darkness.

And then the glowing dot grew larger and larger until it became a round sphere, exuding endless light and heat.

The sun broke through the invisible barrier and emerged in the sky, illuminating the space and land in the surrounding areas.

The world woke up.

There were the snowlands, the mountain ranges, the snow peaks, the oceans in this world.

And the fertile fields, the villages, and the cities.

There were cattle and sheep in the villages and residents in the cities.

The temples were located in the suburbs of the cities, and the eunuchs were in the palaces.

Everything here was so familiar; it was no different from Chaotian.

A barrage of cries could be heard in a palace.

The Empress died from a hazardous labor. The Emperor was so sad that he was on the verge of passing out from weeping too much.

It was chaotic in the palace. The newly born prince was not attended to by anybody; his body still had the blood stains.

In the next moment, the infant opened his eyes.

His eyes were like the ocean; they looked peaceful and clean, but they were actually very deep and expansive, as if they had innumerable violent storms and waves hidden inside them.

A moment later, all the expressions in his eyes had faded away; it was the peacefulness and a bit tiredness left in his eyes in the end.

The feeling he had now was the same as when he woke up again in the stone cave many years ago.

It was truly annoying.