The Path Toward Heaven

The cocoon thread had extended further and further, drifting in mid-air. The snow cocoon had gradually rotated slowly as it was pulled by the force of the extending thread, then sped up its rotation.

More of the golden threads had been pulled out from the cocoon, spreading out in the entire cave, looking like snow ablaze under the sunlight.

In the end, all of the threads had been pulled out from the snow cocoon, showing what was inside.

Bai Zao sat cross-legged in the mid-air that was filled with the cocoon threads, and then she lowered slowly toward the ground, her eyes still closed.

On the way to the ground, she gradually opened her eyes and woke up, standing on her feet as they touched the ground.

A fresh energy exuded from her body, and then spread out in all directions along with a gentle wind, which the cocoon threads dance faster and faster in the air, until all of the threads broke off and flew away in all the directions like butterflies, vanishing without a trace.

Bai Zao walked out of the cave, her white dress fluttering, looking like a Fairy Lady.

Seeing this scene, the people outside the cave were shocked speechless.

Sensing the energy, Xiang Wanshu couldn’t help but feel very delighted, bowing to her and saying, “Congratulations, Big Sister!”

The disciples of the Center Sect all bowed to her.

The voices of congratulations could be heard by the crowd in the distance.

Bai Zao had entered the upper state of the Golden Pill!

In such a cold and brutal environment, it was a miracle she survived, let alone continued on with her Cultivation and broke through the state.

By now, Bai Zao became fully conscious, realizing what was going on around her.

Yet, she didn’t talk to Xiang Wanshu or any of her colleagues, looking out at the crowd instead.

Finally, her gaze fell on a spot outside the crowd.

The crowd parted a path for her.

At the end of this path was Jing Jiu.

…

…

Luo Huainan had died three years ago.

His story was still remembered by many people.

The story contained fighting together without unnecessary verbal communication, affection as strong as gold and rock, and a pair of young Cultivation practitioners who didn’t have time to become Cultivation partners.

Bai Zao walked toward Jing Jiu.

Xiang Wanshu and other disciples of the Center Sect were worried, following closely behind her.

The crowd moved further aside, making the path even wider now.

As Bai Zao arrived in front of Jing Jiu, she bowed with her whole body to the ground without uttering a word.

This was the humblest and most respectful courtesy.

The crowd understood what this meant without any verbal communication.

Xiang Wanshu and the disciples of the Center Sect bowed to the ground, expressing their thanks to Jing Jiu.

…

…

Because the cold fog hadn’t dispersed further and lingered in front of the cliff wall, and because a significant event occurred, this year’s Cultivation tournament of the Plum Meeting had ended at this point.

The young Cultivation practitioners didn’t express any discontent about the decision, and they got on the Cloud Boat sent by the Center Sect and left the snowland that day.

Many important figures of the Cultivation circle were waiting in the field outside White Town, including State Duke He, who had arrived the night before from Zhaoge City.

The Cloud Boat lowered to the field under countless gazes.

Jing Jiu and Bai Zao got off the boat and walked in the front of the crowd.

The two of them wore white clothing, walking in the white snowland, with White Town behind them.

Seeing this scene, State Duke He flashed a content smile, then talked to Fang Jingtian and Ren Qianzhu in a low voice, both nearby, causing a barrage of laughter.

The crowd waiting in the field cheered as they saw them approach.

All of Chaotian believed these two young people had been dead in such a cold environment after so many years, yet they had somehow survived. Their experience would indeed become legend.

The story told by Luo Huainan had already embedded the concept of Jing Jiu and Bai Zao as a couple in everyone’s mind.

Gu Qing shot Young Yuan a glance, intending to tell Yuan that Zhao Layue was his master.

Young Yuan felt quite innocent, thinking that he was Gu Qing’s master.

…

…

The courtyards in the field were mostly the same as six years ago, and they looked brand new after being cleaned using the magic method.

In a quiet courtyard, only some important figures were present. Even the disciples of the Green Mountain and the Center Sect were kept outside the courtyard.

State Duke He, Fang Jingtian and a few important figures of the Cultivation circle were in this courtyard to find out what had actually happened to Jing Jiu and Bai Zao.

Luo Huainan’s story was the starting point, of course.

Bai Zao glanced at Jing Jiu.

Jing Jiu said, “It’s not so important.”

State Duke He seemed to be in a deep thought, as he stopped asking any more questions.

The rest of the sect masters and elders of various sects were not stupid; after all, they had achieved a high Cultivation state. Though they couldn’t figure out why Bai Zao remained silent and what Jing Jiu meant by saying what he had, they thought it must have something to do with the Center Sect; so they didn’t question them any further.

“How did you survive all these years?” Monk Duhai asked concernedly.

If this question had been asked by anybody else, it would be misunderstood as a challenge, or something else, yet nobody could doubt the sincerity of Principal Justice of the Fruit Formation Temple.

Jing Jiu didn’t respond.

Bai Zao said, after looking at Jing Jiu, “When we were trapped in the cliff cave, I was badly wounded, and my Golden Pill was almost broken apart; as my life was in danger, it was Big Brother Jing Jiu who used the Sword Fire to warm the cave and taught me the magic method to induce a trance. Only today have I woken up from this trance.”

Ren Qianzhu hadn’t known the beloved daughter of their Sect Master had experienced such a misfortune until now. “What is the condition now?” he asked with a concerned expression.

“It’s fine now,” Bai Zao replied softly.

The sect masters and elders were shocked speechless, thinking the breaking of Golden Pill was a major disaster, and yet, how could she rebuild it in the extremely cold environment?

State Duke He was curious, asking, “What is this miraculous magic method?”

Once he asked the question, State Duke He realized his inquiry was inappropriate; it was because the magic methods were the biggest secrets of the Cultivation practitioners, something that was impossible to reveal. He waved his hand as an indication that Bai Zao didn’t have to answer the question.

Bai Zao used one sentence to describe their experience of trapping in the cold fog for six years, but all could imagine just how difficult and dangerous their situation had been.

Many of them looked at Jing Jiu.

The fog was so cold that he had to use his zhenyuan the entire time to keep the Sword Fire going and maintain a comfortable temperature in the cave. Usually, zhenyuan would be exhausted in a short time, but he had managed to maintain his zhenyuan for six long years!

How abundant was his zhenyuan? How strong was his will power? These were unimaginable things.

“Cultivationist Jing is indeed a special talent in the sword work of the Green Mountain Sect!” State Duke He complimented.

The rest also praised him in tandem, but they also felt a bit regretful.

In the past six years, Jing Jiu perhaps had no energy to cultivate himself since he had to use all of his energy to maintain the Sword Fire; as such, his Cultivation state was probably still the same as before.

“What is your current Cultivation state?”

The question was posed by Fang Jingtian.

Jing Jiu shot him a glance, saying, “The middle state of the Undefeated.”

These important figures felt even sorrier for him since their suspicion had been confirmed.

“Go take a rest. The Cultivation path is endless; it’s not a big deal to be delayed for six years.”

State Duke He tried to comfort Jing Jiu while patting on his shoulder.

Jing Jiu took a look at the hand on his shoulder, feeling uncomfortable because he wasn’t used to this treatment; but he didn’t say anything.

…

…

In the field outside White Town.

In the courtyard.

Sitting on the bamboo chair, Jing Jiu asked Gu Qing and Young Yuan who were standing in front of him, “Did Fang Jingtian show any peculiar behavior on the way here?”

Young Yuan felt uneasy, thinking that calling the peak master of Xilai by his name wasn’t appropriate even if Jing Jiu was the personal disciple of Senior Grandmaster Jing Yang and had the same generation; what if the colleagues in the front yard heard it?

Gu Qing didn’t have such concerns, and said, “I don’t feel so good about Senior Master Fang, but he didn’t do anything peculiar.”