The Path Toward Heaven

This disciple, named Lin Yinglang, was Liu’s classmate the A Class, taught by Gu Han and favored by Liangwang Peak.

It wasn’t clear offhand if his challenge to Liu Shisui just now was arranged by Liangwang Peak or simply because he envied the attention Liu Shisui was given.

“Brother Lin, please.”

Liu Shisui cupped both of his fists, his flying sword hovering in front of his hands; this was the courtesy of a level sword.

He was surprised by Lin’s aggressive challenge at first, but soon calmed down, not a hint of nervousness showing on his face.

Just like the evaluation given by Jing Jiu years ago, Liu Shisui was smart and kind, having a dogged and relentless personality, something unusual for his age.

Such a young man would seldom be affected by an outside influence, and this had to do with t the so-called quality of staying close to your heart.

Liu Shisui and Lin Yinglang were standing about thirty feet apart.

The stream water was flowing between the cracks in the rocks as they made faint trickling sounds.

The distance of thirty feet was right within the attacking range of the Perfect Preservation State.

Standing by the cliff’s edge with her eyes wide open, the young girl of the Hanging-Bell Sect looked downward, wondering who would win the bout?

The answer came very quickly. The sword fight of Green Mountain Sect finishes just as quickly as it starts.

Two white lines appeared on the streaming water.

Two flashes of sword light brightened the cliff walls before suddenly disappearing .

The Liu’s flying sword halted in front of Lin Yinglang, three inches away from between the eyebrows.

Lin Yinglang’s flying stopped in front of Liu Shisui, but it about a foot away.

It looked like the two flying swords had stopped at the same time, yet the difference was obvious in the eyes of those highly advanced swordsmen up on the cliffs.

Liu’s sword was quicker than his opponent’s by a second.

In our daily existence, a second is only the moment of blinking an eye, the warm tea still warm, the candle still remaining the same length.

But during the sword fight, a second is enough to determine the winner and the loser; it was enough it to determine life and death.

Moreover, Liu’s sword was much closer to Lin Yinglang than Lin Yinliang’s was to his opponent.
…
…

“Is it over?” asked the young girl of from the Hanging-Bell Sect, her eyes wide open as she look upon scene in the stream.

She often saw her Brothers and Sisters in their sect practicing sparring; if both sides had similar states, they could spar for a long time, even from dawn till sunset, still no winner being claimed.

Yet, the combat between two disciples of the Green Mountain Sect was so simple and quick, without comparison, and…it looked really boring.

“The Green Mountain Sect doesn’t care about the superficial aspects of the sword work, only caring about the speed and power of the flying sword. The various sword styles in the nine peaks merely use different methods to implement the speed and power; the style, when used in the battles, often deals a single strike to kill the opponent, so it is extremely dangerous. That’s why fewer people have dared to bother them,” the young woman said.

“In so doing, would it be easy to hurt each other by accident? How do they usually practice their sword work?” the young girl asked.

“You are right. Thus, the peers of Green Mountain Sect are seldom engaged in any combat, and the rare combats have to be supervised closely by the masters; besides, they are prohibited from their swords to each other’s bodies, instead pointing to a spot on the right side of the opponent, except during the Inherited Sword Competition and Sword Contests,” said the young woman.

“If they are not practicing sword work involving real combat, how can they improve their sword skills while in combat,” asked the young girl with a confused expression.

“That is why the Green Mountain Sect has a place like Liangwang Peak,” said the young woman, her expression turning slightly cold.

“Ah, I know the Liangwang Peak. A Sister told me that there is a group of unsympathetic and detached weirdos over there…” said the young girl.

The young woman changed the topic with a slight smile, saying, “You shouldn’t think sword work is uninteresting. If that were you standing in the stream, could you have dodged Liu Shisui’s sword?”

Thinking of the soundless flying sword, the young girl hummed twice, saying, “Even if I can’t dodge it, so long as I could arrange the Soul-Bell Formation in advance, how could his sword break through?”

“If you two are chatting or drinking at a few tables, and he suddenly wielded his sword, do you think you still have time to arrange your formation,” asked the young woman.

Thinking of the scene described by the Senior Master, she suddenly felt a chill; biting her teeth, she said, “Then I stay further away from him; his flying sword can attack from a distance of thirty feet at most…I would simply arrange the Soul-Bell Formation thirty feet–no, sixty feet away from him, waiting for his flying sword to attack, and by then, I would have used the heavenly and earthly energy to kill him directly!”

The young woman smiled without saying another word, though thought, if your opponent was a disciple of the Green Mountain Sect, one who had reached the State of Inherited Will, capable of killing opponents from three hundred yards, what would you do then? Moreover, the swordsmen of the Green Mountain Sect with the State of Broken Sea could kill their opponents from ten miles away, how would you protect yourself? What if the other party had obtained State of Heavenly Arrival?

Would you hide every day underground or in a turtle’s shell, or live in the sunless Formation all the time?

Thinking of the three most famous swordsmen in the Cultivation circle who had suffered a great deal, she subconsciously looked at the place surrounded by thick clouds where the Sect Master was, feeling vaguely petrified.
Conversations like this one occurred between a senior and a junior of Hanging–Bell Sect in many locations.

Though the participating disciples were still low in their state achievement, witnessing the sword fights of Green Mountain Sect was helpful for the other disciples, as far as their Cultivation was concerned, and the visiting guests from other sects didn’t want to miss the opportunity to learn something, discussing and explaining in a low voice the seemingly simple flying sword combat that had happened earlier.

…
…

Standing on the rock in the stream, Liu Shisui remained silent.

Surrounded by cheers and attention, he couldn’t help but be in a somewhat unusual mood, and he subconsciously looked at a spot.

Jing Jiu smiled at him, sitting on the green rock.

Liu Shisui thought of something and turned away, feeling a bit anxious.

Though Lin Yinglang lost the fight, his performance was still outstanding, his flying sword steady and powerful.

A master of Shiyue Peak sent an invitation to him, and Lin accepted it. It was at this time that Liangwang Peak remained silent, their intention unclear.

The destination for Liu Shisui would be decided next.

It suddenly became quiet among the cliffs, and for a long time, there was no talking to be heard.

The young girl of Hanging-Bell Sect felt curious and said, “Isn’t he the one with natural Dao quality? How come nobody wants him? I mean, he doesn’t look so handsome with a blackish face, did win!”

“You foolish child! It’s not that he isn’t wanted; it’s that too many people want him,” said her senior master with a laugh.

Eventually Liu Shisui would go to Liangwang Peak, but it was also important to know what identity he was going to join Liangwang Peak with.

In order to acquire this disciple with natural Dao quality, many exchanges and discussions had been taking place behind closed doors among the nine peaks, each having their own strategy.

Qingrong Peak suggested a year ago to bring Liu in the nine peaks, and even though that failed, the good will was already been known.

The Shangde Peak used a different strategy, going the opposite route and directly looking into Liu…They were making arrangements in advance this way.

Yet, Liu Shisui had already learned the “Yumen Breathing Method” before coming to the sect.

That was the personal method of the Sect Master.

As expected, a clean and gentle voice came out from the deep end of the clouds.

“Liu Shisui, are you willing to learn sword work with the Elder Bai?”

Was this the voice of the Sect Master?

This was what Many disciples and visiting guests were wondering.

The Sect Master took Zhuo Rusui as his personal disciple and refused to take any more disciples.

Bai Rujing was an Elder of Tianguang Peak, who had obtained the State of the Broken Sea. Learning with such an achieved swordsman was of course a great opportunity.

The peaks had guessed it a year ago, but until hearing these words, they were pretty much sure Liu Shisui was a pawn placed in advance by the Sect Master.

The crowd remained silent, be it due to disappointment or something else.

Liu Shisui looked at the cliffs.

Gu Han nodded his head slightly.

“This disciple is willing,” Liu Shisui said.

Afterwards, he rode his sword into the clouds where the personal disciples of Tianguang Peak received him.

“Learning with Senior Master Bai for a year and laying down the solid foundation will prepare him for experiencing outside adventures soon enough,” said Guo Nanshan.

“Shisui won’t fail your expectation, Big Brother,” said Gu Han.

Whether Elder Bai would let Liu Shisui join Liangwang Peak wasn’t something they needed to worry about.

Who didn’t want to join Liangwang Peak? The masters couldn’t stop it, simply because it was the rule.

…
…

The number of the disciples waiting by the stream for selection grew smaller and smaller.

Yunxing Peak, Shiyue Peak, Qingrong Peak, Xilai Peak all selected a few disciples they had already liked, and even Shangde Peak got two disciples with some potential; yet the once-popular Bihu Peak had now become unpopular, their contest for certain disciples failing several times and the disciples selecting other sects, and everybody knew it had something to do with that previous incident. However, three disciples gave ordinary performances and failed to be selected by any peak, so they had to wait for the next Inherited Sword Competition, that or give up completely and go to a peak working as a caretaker.

Jing Jiu noticed Liu Shisui glancing at Gu Han once before he accepted.

He thought the scene was…somewhat interesting.

“What has happened between you and him?” asked Zhao Layue.

“I didn’t know you cared about such matters,” said Jing Jiu.

“People, like Peak Guards, all have some sort of curiosity,” said Zhao Layue.

“I am also curious about which peak you’re about to choose: Qingrong or Shiyue?” asked Jing Jiu.

“What about you? Why don’t you go out,” asked Zhao Layue.

Jing Jiu asked with a smile, “You knew I am going to inherit the sword?”

“It’s impossible for a lazy person like you to waste time,” Zhao said.

Generally speaking, if a person is said to be lazy, it means that person likes to waste time.

When she said Jing Jiu was lazy, she thought he didn’t want to waste time.

It was an interesting understanding.

“I don’t like to be gazed at either,” said Zhao Layue.

They had chatted about this topic on the day of the first snowstorm.

“But as you said, it’s impossible for the clouds to block the sun all the time; the sun is there; who wouldn’t look at it?” Looking at the profile of Jing Jiu’s face, Zhao continued, “So when it’s time to stand out, you have to.”

“What you said is right, but if you don’t want to be gazed at, there is in fact another way,” said Jing Jiu.

“And what would that method be,” asked Zhao Layue.

“To become a true sun,” Jing Jiu said, “The sunlight hurts the eyes, so fewer people would dare to stare directly at us.”

Having said that, he stood up and walked toward the stream.

The disciples by the stream didn’t know what he was going to do, and a commotion began.

The Elder of Shiyue Peak, in charge of the Inherited Sword Competition, was confused, asking, “Hey, young man! What are you doing?”

“To inherit the sword, of course,” Jing Jiu said, equally confused.

The Elder of Shiyue Peak turned the registration book to the last page and found his name there.

The uproar occurred by the stream.

Xue Yong’e suddenly stood up, pointing to Jing Jiu, but he eventually held back what he was about to say.

Sister Yushan covered her mouth with her hands.

The youth Yuan showed a perplexed expression, thinking, Is Brother Jing was going to do it again?