The Path Toward Heaven

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State Duke Lu told Jing Jiu more about Tong Yan.

The relationship between the Center Sect and the royal family had always been close. As State Duke Lu was in charge of the Taichang Temple, it was natural that he knew more about these sorts of secrets than others.

Jing Jiu listened quietly. At this point he had finally understood why that young man was always so proud and aloof, with that disgusting look.

He reached out his hand, picked up the teacup and had a few sips. Then, he coughed twice.

“What on earth is wrong with you?”

The worried expression on State Duke Lu’s face grew even more noticeable.

The Cultivation practitioners didn’t usually get sick. Even though the tea was kind of cold, it shouldn’t have been able to cause coughing regardless of how cold it was.

All of Zhaoge City had learned of the happenings outside the old plum garden.

State Duke Lu knew that Jing Jiu was present at the scene. And Jing Jiu asked about Tong Yan. So, he couldn’t help but wonder if Jing Jiu had been attacked by someone in an underhanded manner.

“I met Tian Jingren in the old plum garden,” Jing Jiu said.

State Duke Lu knew about this meeting; so he was stumped, wondering what had happened?!

“He wanted to kill me.”

Jing Jiu didn’t elaborate on what Tian Jingren had exactly done to him.

The purpose of implanting that episode of the heavenly awareness in his body was most likely to uncover his secrets.

Yet, this method had already threatened his very existence. If the implanting were successful, his life and death would have been controlled by Tian Jingren.

In that case, Tian Jingren actually wanted to kill him.

State Duke Lu’s expression had changed dramatically. The wrinkles on his face had opened up like a large flower, not because of a happy cause, but due to a solemn thought.

He was shocked and was at a loss at the same time, wondering why the grandmaster Tian Jingren would have done such a thing to Jing Jiu.

“If he won’t leave the old plum garden tonight, his attempt of killing me is an internal affair of the Green Mountain Sect.”

Upon hearing this, State Duke Lu realized that he should send someone to keep an eye on the old plum garden instantly.

So Jing Jiu didn’t have to do anything.

State Duke Lu said with a worried tone, “If it’s the internal affair of the Green Mountain Sect, I’m afraid it would be hard for me to investigate the matter.”

“No need for investigation. It’s Fang Jingtian,” said Jing Jiu.

State Duke Lu was shocked again, feeling heavy in his heart.

Fang Jingtian was the Xilai peak master of the Green Mountain Sect, an important figure in the Broken Sea State.

Jing Jiu told him the name straightforwardly, which was a sign of absolute trust.

This trust also represented his self-confidence.

He was certain that the Lu family would not betray him.

Or dared not?

But why?

Many years ago, when State Duke Lu had inherited this secret from his father, he started mulling this question over.

He hadn’t thought it through yet until that moment. However, he kept telling himself—this was a good thing, to prevent him from thinking too much.

“It’s hard to deal with Tian Jingren.”

State Duke Lu didn’t downplay the difficult situation he was in.

There were twenty-seven state dukes in the human imperial court. Though State Duke Lu always kept a low-key profile, and he was one of the most powerful, he still couldn’t do anything about Tian Jingren.

Tian Jingren was a grandmaster in reading destiny, and was respected by the public, and the White-Deer Institute was even more popular; moreover, he was a friend and half-master of Godly Swordsman of Western Ocean.

There was no point of mentioning that his coming to Zhaoge City was an invitation by the Emperor himself.

Upon hearing this, Jing Jiu felt somewhat surprised, asking, “Why?”

State Duke Lu didn’t answer the question directly, but said, “The invitation to Tian Jingren was sent out right after having sent one for the Young Zen Master.”

Jing Jiu finally understood at that time, asking, “What does the Emperor want to find out?”

State Duke Lu was hesitant, as he said in a whisper, “I dare not guess.”

“Who came from the Water-Moon Nunnery?” Jing Jiu asked.

There were many Cultivation sects in the land; and many achieved masters of the old generation were good at analysis and calculations; but the most famous among them were the Water-Moon Nunnery and the Fruit Formation Temple.

All of the Cultivation practitioners had desired to obtain the words on the sticks or evaluations on the zithers from the Water-Moon Nunnery and the Fruit Formation Temple before the appearance of Tian Jingren.

“The Master of the Nunnery is behind closed doors, so she didn’t come.”

State Duke Lu said, “The one who came is very mysterious. I don’t know who she is even now.”

After a moment of silence, Jing Jiu asked, “Does he want to know how long he will live?”

State Duke Lu didn’t dare to respond.

The Emperor had personally invited the Young Zen Master of the Fruit Formation Temple and Tian Jingren, and also intended to invite the Water-Moon Nunnery Master. What on earth did he want to find out based on their calculations?

Even though he was the most powerful human being in the land, with an unfathomable Cultivation state, he still had to face these questions at the final stages of his life, as long as he couldn’t ascend.

Before death called on them, some emperors relied on taking the so-called magic pills in an attempt to live forever, whereas some gave up completely and enjoyed life as much as they could.

As this Emperor was an intelligent ruler, his aim to learn the length of his life span was obviously a bid to be given the opportunity to arrange affairs for the imperial court and the whole of mankind after he was gone.

“I would like to enter the imperial palace,” Jing Jiu said suddenly.

It meant that State Duke Lu had to arrange the trip for him.

State Duke Lu was quite surprised but didn’t say anything. “When?” he asked.

“Now,” Jing Jiu replied while getting up.

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In the dead of night, it would be impossible for anyone to enter the imperial palace on a whim, not even for those favored courtiers in the imperial court.

Yet, State Duke Lu could do such a thing. It was because he often had to deal with the imperial palace for the affairs of the Taichang Temple; more importantly, State Duke Lu had been trusted greatly by the previous and present emperors.

No matter how low a profile he kept all these years, both the chancellors in the imperial court and those in the imperial palace had already figured out his importance.

As the side-door to the imperial palace was silently opened, State Duke Lu entered it along with a young man wearing a conical hat.

Though this scene had been seen by many, both the guards and the eunuchs who happened to pass by all turned away in unison, pretending to have not seen anything.

All of those who lived in the imperial palace didn’t want to be taken as someone who was interested in the royal affairs, or worse, to be regarded as someone who looked into the Emperor’s intents.

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A patch of cloud flew over from the south, blocking the starlight. It was pitch black in the imperial palace, so the lights in the grand hall appeared especially bright.

Standing on the stone steps in front of the grand hall, State Duke Lu narrowed his eyes slightly, observing his surroundings like a hawk. His gaze had finally been attracted by his own long shadow.

He didn’t expect that the Emperor would have actually agreed to meet Jing Jiu, and in the grand hall.

As well known, Jing Jiu’s exterior identity was a regular disciple of the Green Mountain

Sect; but why?

He looked at his own shadow and pondered in silence, and the corners of his mouth had gradually risen, displaying a faint smile.

His father had told him many years ago about the thing that worried the State Duke Manor House the most, the shadow. It looked like he thought of it too much.

His father was right.

The will of the Emperor and the will of the wooden board holder were the same.

It was fairly quiet in the grand hall; and the conversation couldn’t be heard from outside.

Once in a while, the sounds of coughing could be heard, they would be Jing Jiu’s.

And occasionally, the sounds of laughing could be heard, they would be the Emperor’s.

Not long afterwards, Jing Jiu walked out as the door of the grand hall was opened.

State Duke Lu didn’t know what Jing Jiu and the Emperor had talked about, and he didn’t ask either. He walked with Jing Jiu toward the outside of the imperial palace.

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Back in the manor house, Jing Jiu laughed inwardly when he saw a mountain-like pile of books, which were all about Go Chess.

He picked up a book at will to read. Based on the high quality of the book, he didn’t think his “big brother” in the front yard could find it; so it should be State Duke Lu’s doing.

Jing Jiu boiled a teapot of green tea, took out the bamboo chair and sat down on it. Then he started reading the book.

A drizzling rain fell again, knocking on the windows. It was most suitable to fall asleep while reading those boring chess books, along with the sound of raindrops.

Yet, Jing Jiu didn’t sleep, and he had finally read all the chess books as the sunlight shone again; to which he had received the news he was waiting for.