Chapter 524: The Future of Green Mountain
Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio
The people, no matter whether they were on the top of Tianguang Peak or on their
swords in the night sky, were all stunned after witnessing this scene.
How could an elder like Bai Rujing in the upper state of the Broken Sea be defeated by Jing Jiu who was in the middle state of the Free Travel?
And he had been holding that cat the entire time!
Looking at Jing Jiu in the chair, they felt a bit bewildered, as they thought this incident was even more unbelievable than the fact that Jing Jiu became the sect master.
Even Zhao Layue and Gu Qing, both of whom believed in Jing Jiu unconditionally, couldn’t believe their own eyes.
Nan Wang, who hadn’t left the top of Tianguang Peak, asked Jing Jiu astonishingly, “When did you break the Sea?”
The disciples of Green Mountain would usually use “breaking through” or “enter” to describe the progress of states; but entering the Broken Sea State was an exception.
Since there was a “Broken” in the state, they would simply say “break the sea”, to be more efficient.
This habit had commenced more than six hundred years ago.
“A few days ago,” replied Jing Jiu.
The Immortal Guangyuan heard the reply as he was flying back to the peak top. He couldn’t help but let out a bitter smile; but his sensation of shock had instead abated.
He had said earlier that Jing Jiu was unqualified to be the sect master because his Cultivation state was too low. He didn’t expect Jing Jiu to be in the Broken Sea State already. Though Jing Jiu was still a few stages away from himself, he was nevertheless in the same state now. If someone in the Broken Sea State was unqualified to become the sect master, he might have to go to the hermit peaks and wouldn’t come out until he broke through the Heavenly Arrival State.
More importantly, Jing Jiu was still very young.
Even Nan Wang and the Immortal Guangyuan felt astonished, to say nothing of those elders and regular disciples of Green Mountain.
Jing Jiu had already entered the Broken Sea State after he came to Green Mountain and cultivated for only thirty some years!
Nobody had witnessed such a thing, nor did they hear of it. Many people didn’t even dare think about it!
People always commented that Jing Jiu might be the genius who had improved the fastest in Cultivation in the history of Green Mountain. Now they should say that Jing Jiu was the one who had done so.
Not to mention Green Mountain, he should be the practitioner who had improved the fastest in Cultivation throughout the history of Cultivation in all of Chaotian.
It was hard to find an appropriate word to describe such an unbelievable feat. All one could say was that Jing Jiu’s achievement had surpassed all the records since ancient times.
Countless astounded and admirable gazes fell on Jing Jiu.
Yet, there was another insignificant but puzzling issue.
Even if Jing Jiu had successfully broken through the state, he was merely in the initial state of the Broken Sea, still a few stages behind Elder Bai Rujing. How could Jing Jiu defeat him that easily?
“It’s so formidable when the born shapeless sword body enters the late stages of Cultivation,” the Immortal Guangyuan commented sentimentally while looking at Jing Jiu.
After the Sword Trial on Green Mountain many years ago, the peak masters stayed behind and discussed especially about Jing Jiu. Some of them suspected that he was the person experiencing the mortal world from the Fruit Formation Temple, but in the end they agreed that he should be the born shapeless sword body as told in the tales and that he should be trained with a greater care.
As a sword sect, the Green Mountain Sect didn’t know very much about the born shapeless sword body, and they knew even less about what would happen after the progress of the Cultivation states.
This evaluation had occurred a long time ago, and many people knew that Jing Jiu had a born shapeless sword body. However, nobody witnessed his strike; so they had gradually forgotten about this fact. It wasn’t until they saw the scene tonight that they had thought of the born shapeless sword body again. By this time they were so shocked that they couldn’t calm down for a long time.
Jing Jiu was already so powerful in the initial state of the Broken Sea; was it possible that he would be able to fight against someone in the Heavenly Arrival State when he improved his state a little further?
By now everybody understood why the Immortal Liu Ci would write such a Will.
He cast his sight on the future.
The Master Sword Justice didn’t want to be the sect master, because he took the future of Green Mountain into consideration.
The future of Green Mountain was Jing Jiu.
...
...
Jing Jiu knew better than anybody that he was not the born shapeless sword body, but he didn’t wish to refute the Immortal Guangyuan’s judgment.
Since nobody had seen the born shapeless sword body and the Underworld Fairy Sword, this judgment could help conceal the truth.
The personal disciples of Bai Rujing helped him stand up; but they didn’t dare leave the place with him, as they stood nervously in front of the cliff.
The Immortal Guangyuan bowed to Jing Jiu, and pleaded forgiveness on behalf of Bai Rujing.
Elder Mo Chi and other elders and disciples of Tianguang Peak did the same.
Though they were not so pleased with Bai Rujing’s behavior that day, he had lived on Tianguang Peak for a couple of hundred years. They couldn’t stand seeing him in such a dreadful condition.
In fact, all of them could tell that the Sect Master did it on purpose to punish him;
otherwise, why would the Master White Ghost howl? And why would Gu Qing make that statement?
Yet, Guo Nanshan, Gu Han and others were well aware of why Jing Jiu had done it.
It was something that had happened a great many years ago.
It was regarding Liu Shisui.
It was true. Jing Jiu had made up his mind back then; he would beat up Bai Rujing as soon as he entered the Broken Sea State.
Thinking of this, Gu Han felt a chill going through his spine, and You Silou and a few other disciples felt a bit exasperated.
The relationship between Tianguang Peak and Shenmo Peak and between Shemo Peak and Liangwang Peak was not so cozy to begin with; now that the Sect Master was so vindictive, what would happen to them in the future?
Zhuo Rusui stared at Jing Jiu, the expression in his eyes complicated.
He didn’t plead forgiveness on behalf of Bai Rujing, and he was not worried about whether Jing Jiu was vindictive or not. He had helped Jing Jiu kill many of his opponents in the Illusionary Realm of the Green Sky Mirror.
Jing Jiu was familiar with the expression in Zhuo Rusui’s eyes.
It contained the expectation, admiration, and helplessness.
More than six hundred years ago, the expressions in Liu Ci’s and Yuan Qijing’s eyes were the same after he had killed those senior masters with his Big Brother.
As he thought of Yuan Qijing, his sword arrived.
The wild grass on the top of Tianguang Peak was covered with a layer of frost.
The voice of Yuan Qijing came out from the Three-Foot Sword amid the thin snow.
“Bai Rujing has been disrespectful to the Sect Master, and will be imprisoned in the Sword Jail for three years to repent for his misbehavior.”
This was not a light punishment; but it was not a severe one either considering the Cultivation practitioners could often live for a couple of hundred years.
Jing Jiu didn’t give a response.
A moment later, the voice of Yuan Qijing came out from the Three-Foot Sword: “What do you think of it, Sect Master?”
Everybody looked at Jing Jiu.
He uttered “hmm”.
...
...
Bai Rujing was taken away by the caretakers of Shangde Peak. It was believed that he wouldn’t be locked in the worst cell even though he was imprisoned in the Sword Jail and he would be accompanied by Jian Ruoyun.
The Immortal Guangyuan had departed. The sword lights flashed in the night sky, and all the people had disappeared into their respective peaks.
Standing in front of the hut, Guo Nanshan thought of the disrupted report, wondering if he needed to continue.
As he was about to resume his report, Nan Wang came over and said to Jing Jiu, “I have something to ask you.”
The disciples of Tianguang Peak grew nervous again, wondering if something bad might happen since the Sect Master was so vindictive and the peak master of Qingrong didn’t address him as Sect Master.
Jing Jiu asked without a second thought, “What’s the matter?”
Nan Wang seldom called Liu Ci the Sect Master; it would be a respectful gesture if she called Liu Ci “Big Brother”.
After a moment of silence, she suddenly said, “It’s nothing important. Lend me Ada for a while.”
Having said this, she grabbed Ada without waiting for Jing Jiu’s permission, and stepped onto the Zither Sword, heading toward Qingrong Peak.
After being held in Nan Wang’s bosom, Ada poked his head out behind her shoulder, looking at Jing Jiu with a helpless expression.
Jing Jiu was aware that Ada was very nervous at the moment, but didn’t do anything after some thought. Jing Jiu communicated with Ada through his eyes that he believed in Ada and that Ada shouldn’t disappoint him.
The Zither Sword reflected the starlight, forming countless sword strings that were intermittently visible; the strings curved from time to time, looking like the question marks.
After being interrupted twice, Guo Nanshan lost the train of his thoughts, so he opted to tell Jing Jiu briefly about the affairs of Tianguang Peak, and asked for his commands.
Jing Jiu didn’t announce the end of the meeting right away. He glanced over the faces of the group of Tianguang Peak, and landed his gaze on Mo Chi, saying, “You’re too weak and indecisive; you can’t do it.”
Elder Mo Chi nodded, as he thought that the new sect master knew a great deal about him.
Jing Jiu took a look at Zhuo Rusui and shook his head.
Zhuo Rusui felt indignant, as he yelled, “Young Senior Master!”
Jing Jiu uttered “hmm”.
Zhuo Rusui cleared his throat and asked in a gentler voice, “Sect Master, what did you mean by shaking your head?”
Jing Jiu said, “You’re too smart; you’re not suitable for it.”
Realizing this was the reason, Zhuo Rusui didn’t feel indignant anymore, and backed into the crowd joyfully.
“I’ll let you take charge of Tianguang Peak for the time being.”
Jing Jiu said to Guo Nanshan, “But there is one thing: You have to go to Shenmo Peak to ask for my permission before Liangwang Peak does anything.”
Guo Nanshan was startled, wondering why he was picked to take charge of Tianguang Peak since there were so many senior masters on the peak, and also wondered why he had to go to Shenmo Peak to ask Jing Jiu.
Mo Chi was baffled as well, as he faltered, “Sect...Sect...Master, are you not going to stay on Tianguang...Peak?”
“I’ve never lived here. I’m not used to it,” said Jing Jiu.
He was used to living on Shangde Peak even though he disliked it, and Yuan Qijing wouldn’t agree to let Jing Jiu kick him out.
Having said that, he believed that he had nothing else to instruct. He put away the Sword of the Universe and was about to depart.
Zhao Layue called out the Thoughtless Sword and held his hand, vanishing in the night sky after turning into a red line.
Gu Qing called out his own regular flying sword that he hadn’t replaced, and caught up to them.
Yuan Qü raised his eyebrows and couldn’t help concealing his joy, as he thought that it was wonderful that Senior Master would stay on Shenmo Peak.
Ping Yongjia couldn’t figure out why Yuan Qü was so cheerful. He reached out his hand in the air as he looked at Yuan Qü with an innocent expression, because he couldn’t leave the place without his Big Brother taking him on his sword.
...
...
After returning to Shenmo Peak, Ping Yongjia had finally come back to his senses and understood why his Big Brother Yuan Qü was so joyful. His Master was the Sect Master now, but he still stayed on Shenmo Peak, meaning that the status of Shenmo Peak would be more significant from now on and they, as the disciples...”Wait a minute!”
He had finally come to his senses and felt bewildered, “What...his Master...has become the Sect Master of Green Mountain?”
He began to wonder if what had happened today was his illusion.
Was he still behind closed doors? And was the thought his own crazy idea?
He looked at Yuan Qü and Gu Qing in hopes of getting a clue from them. He found that these two big brothers of his behaved slightly differently as well.
Having calmed down from the initial ecstasy, Yuan Qü and Gu Qing were sitting at the edge of the cliff in a stupor, looking at the silvery ocean of clouds under the starlight and reflecting on something.
Ping Yongjia walked over and lay down by them. He suddenly asked after a moment of silence, “Is it counted as a winning for us without doing anything?”
“Of course. But I also feel a great deal of pressure,” said Yuan Qü. And he said earnestly after a pause, “I’ll begin to stay behind closed doors tomorrow. I don’t want to be a disgrace for the Sect Master.”
Gu Qing remained silent, as he thought that speaking of the pressure, he was under a great deal more...
No cat could be found by the edge of the cliff tonight. Cold Cicada enjoyed eating the cold marrow. It turned around with its belly facing the sky and started cultivating after it had enough of the marrow.
Gu Qing glanced at Cold Cicada, and was jealous of its condition.
...
...
Jing Jiu and Zhao Layue were in the highest manor cave on Shenmo Peak.
The starlight streamed down from the roof of the cave, shining upon them.
Kneeling by Jing Jiu’s side, Zhao Layue looked at him quietly, her distinctive black and white eyes gleaming. “Does it mean that you’ve gotten back what you lost?” she asked.
Jing Jiu said, “I’ve never been a sect master before, and I don’t want to be a sect master.”
What had happened shocked the nine peaks of Green Mountain, and it would shock the whole of Chaotian in a few days.
The three disciples of Shenmo Peak began to speak nonsense after the initial shock.
Jing Jiu was rather calm though.
It was true that he had never been a sect master, but at least he had been a master of the sect master for over three hundred years. So it was normal for him to feel nothing at the moment.
Accordingly, this was a demotion.
As such, there was nothing for him to feel excited about.
The sect master of Green Mountain had to take care of many affairs; and his words would determine someone’s life and death. This was not compatible with his temperament.
If he didn’t want to hold the sheath of the Inherited Heaven Sword in his own hands, he wouldn’t agree to this arrangement; not even if Liu Ci came back alive.
Well, it would be different if Liu Ci could come back.
Zhao Layue said, “It’s a happy event nonetheless. We can celebrate it even if it’s not the New Year’s Day.”
Jing Jiu understood what she meant. He pulled her onto his chest and patted on her back.
Zhao Layue closed her eyes while leaning against him, a contented smile showing on her face.
She took Jing Jiu being the sect master for granted; but she still felt delighted. “Did you calculate the result of today’s event?” she asked curiously.
“Gu Qing has said that one had to convince all the others to become the sect master.”
Jing Jiu went on, “I can’t convince them in my current Cultivation state, so let them select then.”
On the current Green Mountain, his true backers were Yuan Qijing and Ada.
Ada was the great grandmaster of Bihu Peak, so he could get two votes from them.
Yuan Qijing was the current master of the Dead Dog, so he could get two more votes.
Adding the vote of Shenmo Peak, he could obtain five supporting votes.
Regardless of how Bai Rujing objected, Tianguang Peak would support Liu Ci’s Will in the end, so it was another supporting vote.
“Even if you had confidence in the Master Round Turtle, there were only seven certain supporting votes.”
Thinking of this, Zhao Layue suddenly sat up straight. “You might lose today,” she said while staring at his eyes.
If one peak master of Yunxing, Xilai, Shiyue, and Qingrong opted not to support him, he might lose the position of sect master.
In the beginning, this was a possible outcome.
Jing Jiu uttered “hmm”.
“If you lost today, what would you do then?” Zhao Layue demanded.
Jing Jiu said, “I’ll go to somewhere else.”
If he were deposed from the position of the sect master after being appointed by the Will, there was nothing he could do but to leave Green Mountain. He would feel too shameful to stay here.
Though he said it nonchalantly, Zhao Layue felt a heart-wrenching sensation in her head.
She had never thought that he would opt to leave Green Mountain someday.
All of a sudden, she understood why Jing Jiu wanted to choose the method of voting for the sect master, because he was tired of everything.
After returning to Green Mountain, he had been attempting to find out those “devil men”.
He didn’t know there were so many of them until the battle of the West Ocean.
If he couldn’t obtain the support of all the peaks, his intention of quitting would come true; as a result, he wouldn’t care about the affairs of Green Mountain any longer.
He probably attempted to seek a reason to leave Green Mountain, or he attempted to give the disciples of the later generation a last chance to keep him on Green Mountain.
Thinking of this, Zhao Layue felt sad. “Are you feeling a little better?” she asked in a low voice.
Jing Jiu thought of Mo Chi who had finally challenged Bai Rujing bravely after yielding to him for hundreds of years, of Guo Nanshan and Zhuo Rusui, of Nan Wang...
It was unclear what was on Nan Wang’s mind.
Jing Jiu was worried about Ada.
Seeing his reticence, Zhao Layue turned indignant and ferocious after feeling pitiful initially. “They should be the ones to leave Green Mountain if someone had to take the leave,” she said sternly.
It was a matter of who had come here first.
“What had happened seven hundred years ago was similar to the situation tonight. My Big Brother lost, but he didn’t leave...Many people had died later.”
Jing Jiu added, “It’s enough to kill people like that for once.”
Zhao Layue understood what he meant; she fell silent.
Jing Jiu didn’t want to talk about this topic anymore. He picked up the sheath of the Inherited Heaven Sword, and said, “It’s time to come out.”
Along with the fluttering sound, a green bird flew out from it.
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