The Path Toward Heaven

As the disciples outside the hall were ordered to leave, it became quieter inside the hall.

Now that the news had already spread out and couldn’t be retracted, what needed to be done was to carry it out.

Many gazes fell on Chi Yan again, and then followed his sight to fall on the Three-Foot Sword in the front.

The Three-Foot Sword exuded a faint intent of coldness

The Sword Justice Yuan Qijing was listening to the Peak Meeting from Shangde Peak.

Chi Yan pulled back his gaze and glanced at Liu Shisui with a complicated look in his eyes.

“Liu Shisui, having refused to defend himself, will be brought to the Sword Jail waiting for further interrogation; that vixen will be driven out of the mountain gate.”

The group knew this was Yuan Qijing’s decision, and kept silent; but some of them couldn’t help but look at Jing Jiu again.

Jing Jiu still didn’t appear to have any intention of opening his mouth to say anything.

Zhao Layue stared into Chi Yan’s eyes and said, “I have different opinion on the matter of the vixen.”

She didn’t look at Jing Jiu before speaking out.

She hadn’t been able to stand it for a while now.

Chi Yan said without any change of expression, “Peak Master Zhao, please speak.”

Zhao Layue said, “Even if it’s inappropriate for the Green Mountain to take that vixen on as a disciple, why must she be driven out of the mountain? Shenmo Peak is willing to keep her on the peak as a guest.”

Chi Yan was taken aback, and then said, “This arrangement seems improper.”

Zhao Layue countered, “Why is it improper? The disciple of an outside peak, Gu Qing, had lived on Shenmo Peak for two years as a guest.”

Many people knew about this.

The former sword servant of Liangwang Peak had suddenly become the guest looking after Shenmo Peak and then the principal disciple of the peak.

“No such sect rules allowing this exist; otherwise, any peak would be able to take some devil men of the deviant sects and protect them on the mountain.”

Fang Jingtian’s voice bellowed out.

Zhao Layue wheeled around and stared at him, saying, “Back then, the Immortal Jing Yang had discussed the Dao with Young Zen Master on Shenmo Peak for one hundred days; according to what you have just said, what they did was against the rules as well.”

“But, the vixen is not Young Zen Master, and you…” Fang Jingtian said to Zhao Layue as he paused and shot a glance at Jing Jiu intentionally, “…are not Senior Master Jing Yang either.”

Zhao Layue stared at Fang Jingtian, her thick and strenuous inky eyebrows arched slightly, resembling two swords ready to take off.

“It is concluded then.”

Jing Jiu stood up from the chair.

…

…

Jing Jiu looked at the place where the representatives of Tianguang Peak were, asking, “Who has said that?”

It grew even quieter now in the grand hall.

A moment later, Elder Bai Rujing answered with a gloomy expression, “It was me. What’s the matter?”

Jing Jiu glared at him and then turned around, walking toward the outside of the hall.

Many people witnessed this scene.

And many of them had also remembered the scene of Zhao Layue staring at Fang Jingtian.

Fang Jingtian and Bai Rujing were both in the Broken Sea State, why didn’t Jing Jiu and Zhao Layue show any caution when dealing with them?

Zhao Layue followed Jing Jiu toward the outside of the hall, and they soon passed by Liu Shisui.

Liu Shisui was very calm at the moment, thinking that Jing Jiu should be able to solve all the problems even if he didn’t know what to do right now.

Yet, he glanced at Jing Jiu nonetheless, and it seemed that he had something to say to Jing Jiu.

Jing Jiu understood his intention.

Don’t worry about me, but Xiao He has to stay alive.

Though the Old Ones were destroyed, there were still many of their assassins hiding somewhere.

If Xiao He were expelled from the Green Mountain and became a helpless individual, it would be impossible for the remaining members of the Old Ones not to take opportunity of to this traitor.

In other words, she would die for sure after leaving Green Mountain.

Jing Jiu didn’t say anything or halt his footsteps.

Liu Shisui understood Jing Jiu’s intention, taking back his gaze, feeling calmer.

…

…

In the small cabin in the forest on Shenmo Peak, Xiao He was collecting her personal items.

She had stayed here for only a few days, so she didn’t have many items as luggage. It didn’t take her long to finish collecting the items, and she even washed that iron kettle.

“Well, I’ve only been here a few days, and Liu Shisui isn’t even here; so why do I feel dejected to leave here?”

As Xiao He walked to the door, she turned around and looked at the shabby room, thinking about this issue.

Was it the monkeys’ screams or the quietness? No matter which, it gave her a tremendous sense of safety.

Her great fear of Jing Jiu was partly responsible for her feeling safe here. It seemed that Jing Jiu could protect all the beings among the peaks, including herself, as long as he was on the peak top.

“What are you thinking? You are only a vixen, not even as worthy as those monkeys.”

Xiao He let loose a wry smile and turned around to push open the cabin door.

Gu Qing was waiting outside. He took over her luggage and said, “I’ll walk you out of the mountain.”

…

…

There were many paths between the Green Mountain and the outside world, but most of them were forbidden by the Green Mountain Formation, with only four mountain gates available for passing through.

Zhao Layue, Jing Jiu and Liu Shisui were all the external disciples of the South-Pine Pavilion, so the people of Shenmo Peak were used to going out of the mountain from there.

The closest town to the South-Pine Pavilion was Cloudy Town.

It was the early autumn. The forests were given beauty by the leaves changing colors, and the clouds and fog looked like cotton. This was the best season for enjoying the sceneries in Cloudy Town. A great many visitors filled the streets, with throngs of people moving up and down everywhere.

Gu Qing walked Xiao He to the street of Cloudy Town. The usual scenario would have been Xiao He walking forward by herself and vanishing in the crowd.

But Xiao He didn’t walk forward by herself. She looked up at Gu Qing, her eyes full of worry and fear. And she wanted to say something, but didn’t.

Gu Qing knew she was showing her true feelings this time. “I’ll take you wherever you want to go safely,” he said to her after some thought.

After a long moment of silence, Xiao He summoned enough courage to ask, “May I stay here?”

“Why?” Gu Qing pressed.

Xiao He said, “This is still the territory of the Green Mountain, so it should be safer here; and…I’d like to wait for him.”

Gu Qing looked at her quietly, as he tried to make sure which part of her statement was true.

Xiao He said, “You shouldn’t misunderstand me. It’s hard to tell how much affection I have for him, but we have been together for so long and I’m used to being with him, not to mention…I’m scared.

Gu Qing suddenly laughed, saying, “Okay. I’ll stay with you for ten days to wait for him.”

Xiao He was startled, but she found Gu Qing’s smile had a hint of honesty that wasn’t borne out of courtesy or custom.

Gu Qing led her to one end of the street and entered a crowded restaurant after jostling through throngs of people on the street.

It was rather quiet on the top floor, utterly different from the noisy downstairs.

The private room was delicately furnished. Though no luxury items could be found in this room, every inch of it was arranged thoughtfully.

Xiao He had a restaurant in Haizhou City herself, so she knew how much this private room would cost, feeling startled.

“This restaurant was bought up by my family a few years ago.”

Gu Qing motioned for her to sit down, saying, “This was Senior Master Zhao’s idea.”

The situation reminded Xiao He of Liu Shisui eating across from her in the restaurant of Haizhou City as she remained silent with her head lowered.

The vixens didn’t believe in true affection.

Even though Gu Qing had advised her about sincerity the first day when she came to Shenmo Peak, she still couldn’t accept it; and she couldn’t understand how that royal concubine had done it in the royal palace.

All she knew was that she felt stress-free when being with Liu Shisui; was that feeling a form of reliance?

As she lifted her head, she found the person sitting across from her was Gu Qing, rather than Liu Shisui.

Gu Qing was looking at her with a smile, saying nothing.

Somehow, she felt the smile on Gu Qing’s face suddenly looked disgusting.