The Path Toward Heaven

Gazing at the scene in front of the stone pagoda in the courtyard, Zhuo Rusui felt a

complex of emotions.

Those green leaves seemed to fall onto Gu Qing’s body; they were, in fact, slightly

separated from his clothes, about the breadth of a few pages.

This was a sign that his sword will would leave his body and his sword ghost would form

soon, indicating that Gu Qing was on the threshold of the middle state of the Free

Travel; he should be able to break through the state in twenty or thirty days.

Zhuo Rusui and Zhao Layue had entered the middle state of the Free Travel many

years ago, and were both in the process of breaking through the upper state of the Free

Travel. Their Cultivation state was way ahead of Gu Qing’s, but Zhuo Rusui still

marveled at the pace at which Gu Qing improved his Cultivation.

Even though the spiritual wills spilled from the meditation room when Jing Jiu and the

Young Zen Master discussed the Dao could help Gu Qing in some degree, it was

eventually the individual that played the critical role in Cultivation.

Zhuo Rusui was aware that Gu Qing had been the sword attendant of Big Brother Guo

Nanshan and was Gu Han’s blood younger brother. He had an outstanding talent in

Cultivation and became the favorite trainee on Liangwang Peak. Yet, regardless of how

talented Gu Qing was in Cultivation, Gu Qing couldn’t be more talented than himself,

and Gu Qing had no special traits in comparison to other talented disciples of

Liangwang Peak. Moreover, Gu Qing had been busy taking care of the affairs on

Shenmo Peak and had stayed in Zhaoge City teaching Prince Jing Yao, and recently,

he had been busy helping Jing Jiu take care of the sect affairs…

Under such circumstances, his progress of Cultivation was not affected that much. How

did he do it?

Gazing at the fallen leaves, which actually didn’t fall onto Gu Qing, Zhuo Rusui suddenly

came up with a notion.

In order to defeat Jing Jiu at the Inherited Sword Competition many years ago, Gu Qing

employed the sword style of the Six-Dragon and was punished according to the sect

rules afterwards; his Cultivation was forced to halt for three years.

Gu Qing had borrowed his lodge on Shenmo Peak during those three years. He cut

down the trees to make a hut for himself, lived among the monkeys, and then became

the personal principle of Jing Jiu.

His transformation should have started at that moment, Zhuo Rusui thought.

Zhuo Rusui felt under some sort of pressure; he decided to practice the sword more and

sleep less from this very moment on.

He walked to the front of the stone pagoda and sat down at a spot not far from Gu Qing,

cultivating with his eyes closed.

Seeing this, Zhao Layue didn’t make any comment, but a worried expression could be

seen in her eyes.

Ada stood up and snuggled against her in an attempt to comfort her, as he thought that

there was no point in worrying about it and that it was normal since Liu Ci and Yuan

Qijing had done so before.

…

…

Jing Jiu and the Young Zen Master were reading the books in the meditation room.

Zhao Layue, Zhuo Rusui and Gu Qing were cultivating in the courtyard.

Ada was sleeping.

Monk Dachang was sweeping the ground.

Time elapsed slowly in such a routine and repetitive manner.

The summer reached its middle stage and then approached its end. The wind rose

again.

The wind had nothing to do with the pages of the books turning over by themselves that

day; it was the first sign of the forthcoming autumn.

Zhao Layue stood up and headed toward the outside of the Tranquil Garden.

Ada opened his eyes and leapt into the courtyard with a meow. He tapped the stone

pagoda with his toes noiselessly and landed squarely in her bosom.

Zhuo Rusui opened his eyes and looked in the direction of Zhao Layue.

“I’d like to go out and have a walk,” said Zhao Layue.

After some thought, Zhuo Rusui stood up and shook the fallen leaves off him, saying,

“Me too.”

The two of them was on the verge of breaking through the upper state of the Free

Travel; they were actually right on the threshold, and just one step away from entering

the state.

Yet, the last step was always the most difficult part of Cultivation.

Even though they were of natural Dao quality and had extraordinary talent in Cultivation,

they still needed a great deal of work and time to break through a state. More

importantly, they needed an opportunity and catalyst at the critical moment.

They, nevertheless, were the normal geniuses, unlike Jing Jiu, who could break through

the states while lying on the bamboo chair or taking a bath in Blue Lake.

After having sat in the Tranquil Garden for twenty some days, they still couldn’t find the

opportunity and catalyst they needed; it might be helpful to take a walk in heaven and

earth to seek for necessary intuitions.

Before leaving the Tranquil Garden, Zhuo Rusui caught a glimpse of Gu Qing and found

that Gu Qing was still meditating. He couldn’t help but feel baffled, wondering why he

cultivated so diligently.

Zhao Layue said, “He has been busy taking care of the peak, and now sect affairs; he

didn’t have enough time for his own Cultivation, so he cherishes this opportunity very

much.”

Hearing this, Zhuo Rusui felt sympathetic for Gu Qing.

The two of them left the Tranquil Garden and walked about among the temple halls.

Zhuo Rusui remarked, “The Cultivation practitioners should be preoccupied with

Cultivation. Young Brother Gu Qing is truly too busy.”

“Being a sect master is a hard work to begin with,” said Zhao Layue.

Ada craned his head and shot a glance at her.

“Does Young Senior Master Zhao intend to persuade me to give up?” Zhuo Rusui

demanded. “It’s impossible. I have no objection to Young Senior Master being the sect

master because his position was given by my Master; but who knows what will happen

in the future?”

“But you’re not like Guo Nanshan; why do you insist on this matter?” pressed Zhao

Layue.

Zhuo Rusui replied with a small smile, “It’s because I’m more talented and younger than

Big Brother Nanshan, and I’ll have a better chance; more importantly, I have a close

relationship with the Sect Master.”

If it were somebody else who made the remark, it would be regarded as boastful and

disgusting behavior; but it was acceptable and even admirable when Zhuo Rusui said it.

Looking at this junior, Ada displayed an appreciative expression in his eyes.

Zhao Layue said nothing more.

“Young Senior Master Zhao, do you hold a grudge against me because I had beaten

you back at the Sword Trial?”

Zhuo Rusui went on with a helpless expression on his face, “What can I do to make you

feel better?”

He was fully aware that nobody had more influence on the Sect Master than Zhao

Layue even though she kept a low profile on Shenmo Peak over the years. If he wished

to establish a closer relationship with the Sect Master, or at least have a similar position

as Gu Qing, he had better acquire the favor of this Young Senior Master Zhao; it would

be more effective than killing more people for the Sect Master and eating more dinners

on Shenmo Peak with them.

Thinking of the Sword Trial, he felt a bit regretful, wondering why he didn’t wait for two

more years behind closed doors.

“You didn’t actually have the ability to defeat me; why would I hold a grudge against

you?” returned Zhao Layue.

Hearing this, Zhuo Rusui forgot about winning her favor, saying, “You had suppressed

the Thoughtless Sword; but how did you know I didn’t have something concealed also?”

Zhao Layue said expressionlessly, “If you had concealed something, you wouldn’t have

said all this nonsense in the first place.”

As they carried on their sensible and not-so-sensible conversation, the two of them

came to the middle section of the Fruit Formation Temple. There was a grand hall up

ahead.

A few days later, a special “plum meeting” would take place in this grand hall; all the

Cultivation sects in Chaotian would take part in it.

It was unclear how the Green Mountain Sect would deal with the forcible confrontation

of the Center Sect.

As they passed the pagoda forest, they found a quiet meditation room by it; the voice of

recited scripts could be heard in the distance, sounding like music and making the

listeners feel rather peaceful.

“Is this the White Mountain meditation room?” asked Zhuo Rusui, his eyes narrowed.

The Immortal Taiping had stayed there for many years.

Thinking of the turmoil incited by the Grandmaster, Zhuo Rusui felt a bit appalled, but he

also felt somewhat proud.

Many Green Mountain disciples probably felt similarly. Whatever he had done,

regardless of how evil it was, it was something that happened over three hundred years

ago. Few people had witnessed it with their own eyes anyway.

The sensation of beauty and awe would occur only when one was far away from the

object or the person. Yet, Zhao Layue didn’t have the same sensation as Zhuo Rusui.

It was because she could often observe the figures like Jing Jiu in a close distance; and

she had pursued the Immortal Taiping in person.

During the battle of the Fruit Formation Temple, she started the pursuit from the

Tranquil Garden to that lonely peak; then she went to the Great Marsh. She had taken

the risk to break through the state during the pursuit.

To think about it deeply, it was indeed an outstanding and dangerous event. However,

few people in this world knew about it.

When they left the pagoda forest and came before the kitchen of the front temple, Zhao

Layue said, “The Young Mysterious Dark Master had worked here as a cook for a few

years.”

Zhuo Rusui felt sentimental, as he thought that the king of the deviant sects opted to

work as a cook here, that the late emperor opted to stay here in secret, and that the

Grandmaster had been the Chief Monk here.

The Fruit Formation Temple was indeed a marvelous place.

By now Zhuo Rusui realized that Zhao Layue came here specifically for taking a look at

these places, asking, “Senior Master, what have you perceived?”

“What was the catalyst for you last time when you broke through the state?” asked Zhao

Layue.

“When I was killing people in the Illusionary Realm of the Green Sky Mirror,” Zhuo Rusui

replied.

Zhao Layue said, “Me too.”

Zhuo Rusui thought they were indeed the peers of the same generation.

Speaking of fighting against others and gaining the catalyst, it would be more effective

to fight against a strong swordsman, because it was more challenging mentally and

could induce more of a deep understanding.

Zhao Layue seldom had the opportunity to fight against strong swordsmen since she

met Jing Jiu. She had gained more understanding when she pursued the Immortal

Taiping.

The purpose of her leaving the Tranquil Garden today was to review what she had

experienced that day and seek for the catalyst to break through the state.

The two of them walked out of the Fruit Formation Temple and arrived in that vegetable

garden. The place was in ruins since it hadn’t been taken care of by anybody for many

years. The rooms in the house were covered in dust, and some of the furniture had

broken down due to the rotten wood in them.

Liu Shisui lived here back then. After he heard her sword sound, he caught up to her

without hesitation. Then the two of them pursued the foe together.

Zhao Layue went to the kitchen and found nothing worthy of eating; the liquid in the

pickle pot had already dried up, and the radish and kidney beans were decayed. It was

not safe to eat them.

“Are you hungry?” Zhuo Rusui asked.

Zhao Layue said, “All we eat in the temple are carrots and cabbage. I’m craving for

some meat.”

Zhuo Rusui felt surprised slightly to hear what she said; but he then thought that Young

Senior Master Zhao was indeed a peer of the same generation and what she said was

so lighthearted.

The two of them rode on the swords and left the vegetable garden.

No town was nearby the Fruit Formation Temple, which meant no hotpot could be found

in the surrounding areas. It was improper to go to the villages and eat there, and so the

two of them decided to barbecue some bear paws and tiger meat. The deep mountains

were the best place to find the vicious animals like bears and tigers. It happened that

the place to which Zhao Layue headed was located in the deep mountains.

It was the sheer precipice on the eastern side of that mountain, where she had

successfully broken through the state back then; later, she fought together with Liu

Shisui and injured the Immortal Taiping.

It was then that the Thoughtless Sword suddenly began to quiver slightly.

Zhuo Rusui also sensed a sword will of Green Mountain that was pure and sharp to the

extreme.

The two of them looked down at the foot of the precipice.

They saw a mountain stream, by which there was a patch of forest.

…

…

As Zhao Layue and Zhuo Rusui were looking for the pickles in the vegetable garden,

Xiao He, who was an expert in making the pickles, was washing her face in the stream.

She and Liu Shisui had left the Thousand Mile Windy Corridor more than ten days ago,

and they were close to the Fruit Formation Temple now. Xiao He was in a cheerful

mood since she would be able to come back to the vegetable garden where she had

spent many peaceful years.

In the next moment, her good mood was disturbed by those human Cultivation

practitioners who had suddenly appeared.

“You, a vixen of the Old Ones, dare show yourself in broad daylight. Do you think

nobody in our orthodox sects can deal with you?!”

The speaker was an elder of the Kunlun Sect, possessing a profound energy.

A dozen disciples of the Kunlun Sect stood close together, watching the bank of the

stream cautiously.

An old monk stood at the upstream, his expression grim.

Hearing what that elder of the Kunlun Sect said, Xiao He had a hint of lethal intent

flashing in her eyes.

Liu Shisui walked out of the forest and demanded while staring at those people, “What

do you intend to do?”

The elder of the Kunlun Sect was Chen Wen. He was the leader of the group to

participate in the meeting of the Fruit Formation Temple, in a high Cultivation state.

He knew the identity of Liu Shisui. “You should be locked in the Sword Jail of Green

Mountain right now,” he said nonchalantly. “Well, it’s not a big deal for Green Mountain

to release you in secret since they even dared let go of that demon, Taiping. But that’s

your own affair, and I don’t wish to get involved in it. However, you shouldn’t protect this

devil vixen; otherwise, you shouldn’t blame us for not warning you beforehand.”

“Do you know the relationship between us and the sect master of Green Mountain?!”

Xiao He exclaimed coldly, while raising her willow-like brows slightly.

“Are you talking about Jing Jiu? It’s a joke that the almighty Green Mountain Sect had

selected a little child to be their sect master.”

The elder of the Kunlun Sect, Chen Wen, continued while staring into Liu Shisui’s eyes,

“And you, as a disciple of the One-Cottage House, one who would even try and protect

this devil vixen who had done many misdeeds. What has the house master Bu taught

you?”

Having heard this, Liu Shisui knew that there was no point in arguing with him. He

signaled for Xiao He to stand behind him, and said to Chen Wen, “Go ahead.”

Those disciples of the Kunlun Sect were startled at first, but they felt it preposterous

after understanding what Liu Shisui meant, and laughed out uncontrollably.

Liu Shisui acted like a mad man in their eyes, eyes full of mockery and pity.