The Path Toward Heaven

Chapter 514: Who are You? What about Us?

Chapter 514: Who are You? What about Us?


Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio


The Grandmaster and the highly achieved swordsmen of the Hanging-Bell Sect had all


gone to that small courtyard in an attempt to capture Jing Jiu.


But, Jing Jiu was in Near-Star Building seven miles away at the moment.


Ada had finally demonstrated his special talent as a cat. He hung upside down under


the eave as he held an evidently uncommon bell in his mouth, making sure it wouldn’t


give off a sound.


Though this scene looked a bit ridiculous, it was actually quite hazardous. Save for Ada,


who was a Princ.i.p.al Guard in the Heavenly Arrival State, what kind of cat could hold the


life bell of the Grandmaster in their mouth as if it were merely a mouse?!


The breeze arose in Near-Star Building as Jing Jiu glided like a band of smoke in the


building at a high speed. He was looking for the control center of the formation at an


unimaginable pace.


The Sect Master Chen didn’t know where the control center of the formation was; the


Grandmaster was the only one who knew this secret. She had relied on this secret to


control the Hanging-Bell Sect for several decades after his son died.


After a long while, Jing Jiu stopped short and looked at a flower pot in front of the


window.


The flower pot was made of ceramic, in which an exceedingly precious three-night


cereus was planted.


Hanging upside down under the eave, Ada’s saliva dripped uncontrollably onto his own


body because he had held that bell in his mouth for a long time; he had reached the


point of being fed up a long time ago. Seeing Jing Jiu gaze at the three-night cereus in


stupor, Ada wondered resentfully how Jing Jiu could choose such a critical moment to


take a fancy to a pot of flowers when he was suffering so badly.


What Ada didn’t know was that Jing Jiu suddenly felt this flower was a bit strange.


Soon after, he remembered those precious ceramic wares destined to break in the


Manor of State Duke Lu.


He pulled the precious three-night cereus out with his hand and tossed it onto the floor.


Seeing this, Ada’s mouth opened agape in surprise, almost dropping the bell in his


mouth before he sucked it back in.


Thinking that the bell was covered in his own saliva, Ada revealed an indignant


expression in his eyes.


Jing Jiu picked up the flower pot, emptied the soil in it, and lifted it up toward the


sunlight. He nodded satisfactorily after checking it thoroughly.


Ada was even more bewildered now, wondering if this flower pot was the control center


of the formation.


However, even though this flower pot looked like an enlarged bell, was it truly the


control center?




The waves formed on Morning Lake without the aid of the wind; the pine waves on the


mountain were also making a whistling sound.


The Great Formation of the mountain gate had been dismantled.


The formation of wind-bell on that small island was also dismantled as a result.


The control center of the formation was discovered and s.n.a.t.c.hed by someone.


The Hanging-Bell Sect didn’t think this was a funny thing.


Yet, the Cultivation pract.i.tioners of various sects were not in the mood to comfort the


Hanging-Bell Sect. They called up their colleagues and friends and flew away from


Morning Lake.


The figures of flying and running could be seen everywhere in the buildings by the


lakeside. The Hanging-Bell Sect was in chaos; it seemed that an internal turbulence


would ensue.


Looking at Near-Star Building, Jing Jiu remarked, “She didn’t kill you as I expected,


meaning she is not completely senile.”


“Why were you so certain that she wouldn’t kill me?” He Zhan asked.


The Grandmaster hadn’t liked the Fruit Formation Temple, and she disliked He Zhan


even more. Though He b.u.mu and the Cultivation pract.i.tioners of various sects were


present, the Grandmaster could still kill He Zhan if she wanted to. The situation was


dicey nonetheless.


“I calculated it,” replied Jing Jiu.


He had also calculated that He Zhan was at the Hanging-Bell Sect.


Two elders of the Hanging-Bell Sect were killed two days ago at almost the same time.


Jing Jiu had only killed one of them, so who was the other killer?


That a.s.sa.s.sin also had a peculiar movement, traveling invisibly like a ghost. It occurred


to Jing Jiu that he must be He Zhan.


Back in the Royal Palace of the Zhao State, He Zhan had learned a mysterious and


peculiar skill from that old eunuch Hong.


There was an upper limit for the Cultivation state in the Illusionary Realm of the Green


Sky Mirror; but it didn’t mean that the magic method the people developed in there was


in a low state. On the contrary, when those magic methods were employed in Chaotian,


their true power could be fully realized.


After returning to the real world, He Zhan’s Cultivation state had improved very fast, and


his actual fighting prowess had also become truly strong.


Jing Jiu figured that three and half of the five most promising young Cultivation


pract.i.tioners were on Green Mountain, and another half at the One-Cottage House,


save for He Zhan and Su Ziye. As long as they could all survive, Green Mountain would


still be in charge two hundred years later.


He Zhan suddenly said, “I don’t understand why the Grandmaster had suddenly


changed her mind and acted against the Sect Master Chen.”


“The Center Sect must have promised her something,” returned Jing Jiu.


He Zhan pressed doubtfully, “But, shouldn’t the Grandmaster wait until the Cloud-


Dream opens their mountains?”


Jing Jiu said, “The problem is, she can’t live past this year.”


This was the information learned by the Curtain Rollers after trying to do so for a long


time.


It would be easier to understand why the Grandmaster was so anxious after learning


this information and why she didn’t even take the Green Mountain Sect seriously.


What could be more dreadful than the end of one’s life in this world?


Morning Lake was not peaceful in the darkness of the night. The two camps of the


Hanging-Bell Sect were contending with each other. The battles on a small scale would


occur once in a while, but they were soon suppressed. It was evident that the camp


supporting the Sect Master Chen was gaining the up-hand in the struggle.


“You people should leave now. It is better that Green Mountain doesn’t get involved


directly.”


He Zhan continued, “Let us deal with the aftermath.”


By saying this, He Zhan had actually regarded himself as a member of the Hanging-Bell


Sect.


Jing Jiu thought that Sese would be irresistible for a regular man, even if she were


merely half as attractive as her mother.


Even though He Zhan was not a regular man, but the disciple experiencing the mortal


world at the Fruit Formation Temple, it seemed that he would be trapped in the mortal


world.


With this thought in his mind, Jing Jiu turned around and headed to the deep part of the


Eastern Ridge.


“Who on earth are you?” He Zhan suddenly asked after him.


Jing Jiu halted his steps.


The whole of Cultivation circle was guessing his ident.i.ty after the turmoil of the West


Ocean.


This had been going on for two years.


Many people knew that Jing Jiu was not present when the battle of the West Ocean


started.


He had suddenly appeared on the sword boat as that sword light illuminated heaven


and earth.


Most importantly, when Zhuo Rusui summoned the main swords of various peaks to


compose the formation against Nan Qü, the Lone Sword showed up!


If the Great Grandmaster of the Foggy Island, Nan Qü, hadn’t died that day, the G.o.dly


Swordsman of West Ocean hadn’t been exiled, the Immortal Taiping hadn’t shown up,


and many other events hadn’t happened, the presence of the Lone Sword would have


definitely caused sensational unrest.


Even though n.o.body had discussed it at the time, many theories were offered


afterwards.


The Lone Sword was the main sword of Liangw.a.n.g Peak, which had ascended along


with the Immortal Jing Yang; why did it suddenly appear in the human world?


Many people had learned that the Lone Sword was in the hands of Liu s.h.i.+sui.


And everybody knew the relations.h.i.+p between Liu s.h.i.+sui and Jing Jiu.


As such, suspicions began to form regarding Jing Jiu’s ident.i.ty.


Over the last two years, the Cultivation circle had come up with innumerable theories


about Jing Jiu’s origin and ident.i.ty.


The Green Mountain disciples were no exception.


Looking at the back of Jing Jiu, He Zhan said, “I’ve gone back to the nunnery once, and


learned that it was you who had brought my auntie back, hadn’t you?”


Jing Jiu uttered “hmm”.


He Zhan demanded, “Who on earth are you then?”


The four of them back at the Baotong Zen Temple and Bai Zao had guessed Guo


Dong’s ident.i.ty.


As He Zhan had more contacts with the Water-Moon Nunnery, he was more certain of


the conclusion.


It was Jing Jiu who had brought back the severely wounded Guo Dong; what was the


relations.h.i.+p between the two of them then?


After a moment of hesitation, He Zhan asked, “Are you really the b.a.s.t.a.r.d son of the


Immortal Jing Yang?”


This was the most popular conjecture circulating in the Cultivation world.


Jing Jiu turned around and looked at He Zhan, while uttering an “hmm”.


Then anther “hmm”.


He didn’t get upset or wanted to ask He Zhan “Do you have a death wish”. He was truly


surprised that people would come up with such an idea.


He Zhan said with a smile, “I think it’s the most sensible conjecture.”


“No,” Jing Jiu said.


He Zhan asked confusingly, “What is the matter with the Lone Sword then?”


“I’d just like to remind you,” said Jing Jiu. “Liu s.h.i.+sui and Liu Ci have the same family


name.”


He Zhan uttered “ahh” in surprise, and seemed to have a handle on the matter.


Jing Jiu turned around and left.


He Zhan didn’t discuss the scheme plotted by Tong Yan and Su Ziye at the West Ocean


with him.


And Jing Jiu didn’t talk to him about the conversation he had with Bu Qiuxiao in Zhaoge


City.


The mortal affairs were pointless to begin with. It wasn’t always better to know the truth.


The mountains in the Eastern Ridge were all connected; they looked like the scenery in


a pot. It was magnificent to look at.


Arriving under a pine tree on a peak top, Jing Jiu turned around and looked in the


direction of where he had come from.


Morning Lake looked like a small mirror, and the lights in Near-Star Building looked like


a firefly.


Ada crawled out of Jing Jiu’s sleeve and climbed proficiently to his head, squatting on it.


His line of sight fell onto the distant lakeside of Morning Lake. His spiritual awareness


asked, “Don’t you worry that something bad might happen by walking away?”


Jing Jiu uttered “hmm”.


Ada didn’t quite understand it.


“Even though we stole the control center and gave it to that beauty Chen in secret, the


Grandmaster must have other hidden magic treasures. If the two camps fought against


each other, more people would die.”


“Jing Shu will give up,” Jing Jiu said.


Ada opened his eyes wide.


“Jing Shu? Is this the name of that Grandmaster? Why are you so certain?”


“It’s because I know what she wants,” said Jing Jiu.


Glancing at Jing Jiu once, Ada wondered how Jing Jiu knew her, when Jing Jiu met her,


why he himself didn’t know about it, and if Nan w.a.n.g knew about it.


Jing Jiu added, “When she was still a young girl.”




The turmoil by Morning Lake had gradually been settled.


The Cultivation pract.i.tioners of various sects had left a while ago by taking advantage of


the chaos.


The lights in the Near-Star Building were bright. The building looked like a huge lantern


in the darkness before dawn; it was a bit blinding.


n.o.body but three women was in Near-Star Building.


Sese knelt before the bed, saying nothing.


Her eyes were slightly red, meaning she had cried earlier. But she appeared calm and


composed right now; in fact, she looked a bit nonchalant.


The Woman Chen sat in a wheelchair with a blanket on her lap, so her legs broken off


from the knees were not visible.


Though she had encountered such a tragedy, she still wore an amiable countenance,


not a trace resentment to be seen in her eyes.


Looking at the Grandmaster on the bed, she asked, “Mother, have you had a good time


in the last few days?”


“Of course not,” snapped the Grandmaster. “I have always done things incomplete all


my life, and liked to have a chance of going back. It looks like I was wrong.”


She looked at Sese and continued, “It’s also your fault. Women are always helping


other families.”


Sese was unconvinced, as she exclaimed, “Aren’t you the same? You were not born


with the family name De.”


“You’re right,” the Grandmaster said. “I haven’t done anything for my family at the Mirror


Sect since I married your grandpa. I’m afraid that you will be the same. How can I not


worry about the future of our Hanging-Bell Sect?”


The Sect Master Chen returned softly, “In this case, why are you still concerned about


me, your daughter-in-law?”


The Grandmaster said to her expressionlessly, “No matter how much I didn’t like you, I


had tolerated you all this time since you treated my son very well. But he is dead now. I


believe you will remarry based on your temperament.”


The Sect Master Chen said with a faint smile, “Your daughter-in-law has done well in


Cultivation. I might be able to live a few hundred years more. It would be hard for me to


live this long without somebody accompanying me. To say nothing of the remarriage, I


at least need to have a partner.”


The Grandmaster demanded while staring into her eyes, “In this case, will the Hanging-


Bell Sect still belong to the De family a few hundred years from now? How can I let you


stay at our sect?”


“Sese will be at the sect by then. You don’t have to worry about these trivial matters,”


said the Sect Master Chen, in an effort to comfort the Grandmaster.


The Grandmaster glanced at her icily before she turned to Sese and said, “Speaking of


you, I tried to find a husband who would join our sect for you, but you were unwilling to


do so. You’re determined to marry that monk instead. Can monks take off their robes


and come back to the secular world? Can he join our sect after marrying you?”


Sese pursed her lips, saying nothing.


The Sect Master Chen urged, “It’s late. Mother, you should get some rest.”


Getting rest, in this case, was more than sleeping for a night; it meant that the


Grandmaster would have to live in this building from now on. What the Sect Master


Chen attempted to convey was clear enough; though the Grandmaster tried to murder


the mother and daughter, they didn’t wish to do the same to the Grandmaster. However,


she had to stay in the building and wait for her final death, which would be soon


anyway.


Yet, the odd thing was that the Grandmaster hadn’t done anything drastic until the last


moment.


Even though she was weak and old, she was still the one with the highest Cultivation


state and most profound prowess at the Hanging-Bell Sect.


If she chose to strike with all her strength, the final outcome would be hard to fathom.


Sese pushed the wheelchair heading toward the outside of the building.


“The Center Sect will open their mountains soon. How will you deal with them then?” the


Grandmaster suddenly asked.


The Sect Master Chen said, “If you are still alive by then, I’ll ask you to finish yourself


off. Actually, you shouldn’t be concerned about this matter at all.”


“Do you think the Center Sect will let the matter go?” the Grandmaster demanded


sharply.


The Sect Master Chen curled up the corners of her mouth as she said, “With the help of


Young Master Jing Jiu, your daughter-in-law is not afraid of them.”


The Grandmaster couldn’t maintain a calm and nonchalant countenance anymore. She


heaved herself up on the bed and shouted angrily, “You’re such a d.a.m.ned l.u.s.tful


woman. I should have torn you apart back then!”