The Path Toward Heaven

The sword lights were flashing in the sky.

The magic methods and the formations were overlapping.

Yet, the two figures were as calm as their conversation.

The sword lights had gradually dissipated, so had the magic methods. However, none of them could suppress their opponents.

Their conversation had also reached the end; the last words were: People can walk on the opposite ends of the path toward heaven…

Jing Jiu and the Immortal Taiping stood on the opposite ends of the Inherited Heaven Sword.

The Inherited Heaven Sword had a slight change of its shape.

Normally, it was impossible for the sword to experience any change in shape, because the sheath of the Inherited Heaven Sword was carved with many complicated drawings that contained a great many formations, not to mention that the material of the sheath was made from the material of a fairy state that had been stored on the Sword Peak for tens of thousands of years; it should be able to withstand the weight of sky and contain the All in One Sword.

However, the sheath couldn’t withstand the pressure any longer.

It could be easily imagined what kind of a terrifying pressure it was when the Sword Formation of Green Mountain was pressed to the size of one hundred square feet and sustained the assaults from these two brothers.

“If you don’t let go of it, the Inherited Heaven Sword will be destroyed,” said the Immortal Taiping while staring at Jing Jiu.

Jing Jiu returned calmly, “This is my goal anyway; why would I take it out otherwise? Did you think that I would abide by the sect rules or be persuaded by Yuan Qü and Gu Qing?”

The gentle wind blew over the slightly burning grass. The awful marks on the ground looked a bit absurd, but anyone who saw the scene would feel heartbroken.

The Immortal Taiping stared at his eyes while saying, “If the Inherited Heaven Sword were destroyed, it would be the end of the Sword Formation of Green Mountain.”

“I don’t care,” said Jing Jiu.

After a long moment of silence, the Immortal Taiping said, “You’d rather destroy the Sword Formation of Green Mountain than give it to me.”

“So would you…otherwise, give the Inherited Heaven Sword to me,” retorted Jing Jiu.

The Immortal Taiping suddenly laughed out loud, his laughter echoing in the quiet hermit peaks for a long time.

“The two of us are indeed the most relentless people in this world.”

Their hands holding the sheath of the Inherited Heaven Sword were not as steady as before, starting to tremble slightly.

Both Jing Jiu and the Immortal Taiping had used up a great deal of their sword sources because they had to try their best to defeat their opponents while winning the control of the Sword Formation of Green Mountain at the same time.

Yet, neither of them let go of the sword, not even after a long time.

The Inherited Heaven Sword had changed its shape slowly in their hands, giving off a cracking sound, meaning it was breaking apart.

A flower petal in the middle of the sword had broken apart first. A small crack appeared there before it spread visibly to the other parts of the sword.

It was an increasingly faster process regardless of whether it was the collapsing of the mountains or the dropping of the sky.

Along with a terrifying rumbling sound, the carved flowers on the surface of the sheath of the Inherited Heaven Sword had broken apart, fell off and dropped onto the grass one after the other.

In the end, along with a faint noise, the Inherited Heaven Sword were torn to shreds, its pieces hovering quietly between the two hands.

The indescribable shapeless waves spread out in all directions from the spot where the Inherited Heaven Sword was.

Those were the purest and most formidable sword wills in the world.

The burned grass and the fallen wildflowers were crushed into the ground, as if they were blown by a gust of violent wind.

With a sudden change on their countenances, the elderly hermits fled to their manor caves in tandem.

The Dead Dog came in front of Ada and Fang Jingtian and looked at the shapeless waves spreading to all directions of heaven and earth, his eyes revealing a hint of sorrow and sadness.

…

…

It was said that the top of Tianguang Peak was the only spot from where a corner of the hermit peaks could be seen; in fact, all they could see was a patch of green peak rather than any specific scene.

Nobody could see the fight between Jing Jiu and the Immortal Taiping, which could make any Cultivation practitioner feel mesmerized if they could.

All of a sudden, a loud boom broke out on the top of the peak, followed by a gust of violent wind, hurling up the accumulated water in the cracks between the rocks. The strong wind headed toward the underside of the ocean of clouds before it was headed to the distance.

In fact, the strong wind and the air waves of heaven and earth had no tangible force; they were something that had brushed past everybody’s heart.

The people of Green Mountain had a sensation of heartache and uneasiness.

Many gazes fell on the spot where the strong wind started. They found the place was the stone monument on the back of the Round Turtle.

A dozen deep cracks appeared on the stone monument, the stone chips tumbling off with a rustling sound.

“What has happened?” someone exclaimed in surprise.

The Round Turtle opened his eyes slowly, a hint of exceeding pain showing in eyes that used to be as tranquil as an old well.

Looking at the hermit peaks with pain in his eyes, the Immortal Guangyuan had almost fallen down as his body swayed a little.

Nan Wang walked to the edge of the cliff pale-faced and yelled angrily while looking in the direction of the hermit peaks, “What are you two old men doing?”

More and more people had felt the change in heaven and earth.

Looking at the sky, Yuan Qü remarked blankly, “Where is the formation? Where is the Sword Formation of Green Mountain?”

The disciples of Green Mountain had been accustomed to the invisible and powerful sword will in the sky, and it made them all feel secure and genial.

Even though the Sword Formation of Green Mountain had been pressed to an extremely small size earlier, its sword will could still be felt after it came to the ground from the sky and went to the hermit peaks up until now.

Guo Nanshan’s face was very pale.

Zhuo Rusui remained calm.

And Zhao Layue was expressionless.

Then, crying could be heard among the peaks.

…

…

“Many disciples of Green Mountain must be crying at the moment. It feels like they have just lost their parents.”

Looking at the broken pieces of the Inherited Heaven Sword in his palm, the Immortal Taiping went on, “Some of them cry because they feel sad; some cry because they’re scared; and some cry because they see others do it and then feel depressed. The humans are actually quite ridiculous because they are a sort of being who knows a lot, but not enough.”

Jing Jiu tossed the broken pieces of the Inherited Heaven Sword in his hand to the ground, saying, “The Sword Formation of Green Mountain is actually not that important so long as our swordsmen are powerful enough. By the time they can understand this principle, Green Mountain will be much stronger.”

“Those who can’t understand this principle are not qualified to stay on Green Mountain,” said the Immortal Taiping.

This was actually a very simple idea. Anything that could bring strength and security to someone would be the obstacle on their path moving forward.

The instances for this were the wealth, the large manor house, the wives and kids and the warm beds, and the affection for their parents.

And yet, who would opt to give up all these so willingly?

The Immortal Taiping didn’t wish to have the Sword Formation of Green Mountain destroyed before the incident.

Jing Jiu was the only one who had made such an important and relentless decision.

“From this moment on, Green Mountain will be in peril and be liberated.”

The Immortal Taiping went on while staring into his eyes, “But you’re the one who is truly liberated.”

It was correct. Jing Jiu had no need to worry about the possibility that the Immortal Taiping would use the Sword Formation of Green Mountain to kill every mortal in the world; more importantly…the worst threat to his existence was eliminated forever.

The Inherited Heaven Sword was the most formidable foe for the All in One Sword if there was one such thing in heaven and earth.

“You’re right,” said Jing Jiu. “I’ve never felt so good since being reborn in this life.”

“I have to admit that my idea seems to have failed again. But has it occurred to you that I will be free after I’ve let go of these things, including giving up on the idea of holding this sword, the Green Mountain?”

The Immortal Taiping disappeared from the original spot after he said this with a smile.

The total transformation was akin to freedom.

Even though the Immortal Taiping didn’t complete the total transformation, his movement was still very swift and unpredictable.

Jing Jiu disappeared from the original spot as well, heading toward the sky.

He had created the Underworld Fairy Sword in the Fiend Prison many years ago; unexpectedly, it was very useful for him this time.

A flash of sword light could be seen once in a while in the sky above the hermit peaks.

Then two flashes.

A flame was produced whenever the two sword lights met.

Jing Jiu and Zhuo Rusui produced a great many flames in the night sky back when they fought on Cloud-Dream Mountain. Today the flames were not as numerous and came out less frequently in comparison. However, the flames were much brighter.

The peaks of Green Mountain looked white under the bright flames; the blue sky appeared much dimmer.

The flames caused by the encounters of two swords burst in the sky irregularly, but the flame looked spectacular when it occurred.

…

…

The huge, captivating, formidable flames had finally been seen by the crowd.

Standing on the top of Tianguang Peak and in the sky above the peak, the people looked at the distorted and seemingly unreal flames that had been deflected after passing through a transparent barrier; they were stunned speechless.

The regular disciples of Green Mountain couldn’t understand what they saw.

The swordsmen in the Broken Sea State like Guo Nanshan and Zhuo Rusui could only vaguely sense the amazing meaning hidden in those sword lights. Only the powerful figures like the Immortal Guangyuan, Nan Wang, the Immortal Tan, the Chief Nun of the Water-Moon Nunnery and the Sect Master of the Great Marsh could sense the true meaning of those flames caused by the sword lights and felt inspired.

Jing Jiu and the Immortal Taiping could be said to be the most achieved and most powerful swordsmen since ancient times.

Not to mention that one of them was the outcome of the total transformation and the other was the sword body of an unparalleled state…

Those sword lights were the results of time, years of practicing and cultivating, unmatched willpowers and supreme talent, as well as the karma.

In a sense, their abilities were beyond the range of humans.

“As far as the sword work is concerned, they have already surpassed the Immortal Daoyuan, and are similar to the level of the grandmasters from three generations previous.”

The Dead Dog mulled over this in his mind as he watched the pale sky and those amazing and spectacular flames and sword lights in the sky.

The grandmasters from three generations ago were all successful in their ascension attempts.

Ada meowed to the Dead Dog who was as big as a black mountain, asking in his mind, “Who will win between these two?”

The Dead Dog thought in his mind that the Immortal Taiping hadn’t completed the total transformation and Jing Jiu had been reborn with the aid of a devil sword, and that the spiritual body was at a disadvantage when fighting against a sword body, even though they both could travel heaven and earth freely and cover a thousand miles in an instant.

It was then that a huge flame appeared in the high sky, along with countless sword wills.

A blindingly bright red object was dropping slowly from the sky.

The Immortal Taiping had indeed lost, as expected by the Dead Dog