Some people in Aoyama had always suspected that Jing Jiu came from the Guocheng Temple.
The first time was after the Inherited Sword Competition, when Jing Jiu and Zhao Layue ascended the Shenmo Peak, which attracted the suspicion of the Shanghai Peak.
But at the time, more people thought that the Shanghai Peak had told a joke that wasn't funny after hundreds of years.
It wasn't until the Sword Trial that Jing Jiu revealed the sword lights when he defeated Gu Han, that many peak masters began to speculate in shock.
This time, some people began to believe this theory. At least, Jing Jiu had some connection with the Guocheng Temple.
After the chess tournament of the Plum Meeting, this theory became even more convincing. Even Nan Wang wondered if he should ask the Sect Master to send a letter to the Guocheng Temple in private to ask about it.
It was because Jing Jiu's calculation ability on the Go board was so powerful that it was unimaginable.
Many people wondered if it was possible that the Two-Mind Connection of the Guocheng Temple had helped him predict Tong Yan's every move in advance.
Most importantly, when this theory began to spread in the Cultivation circle, the Guocheng Temple didn't deny it.
If all this was true, it meant that the Guocheng Temple had sent out another disciple of experiencing the mortal world after so many years, and this disciple had become the personal disciple of the Immortal Jingyang.
Many people couldn't help but wonder if Jing Jiu could become the second Broadsword King after witnessing such a legendary experience.
What they didn't know was that the important figures in the Aoyama Sect had this idea a long time ago.
Jing Jiu received more and more attention, and people were looking forward to his performance in the Cultivation tournament.
Tong Yan returned to the Cloud-Dream Mountain to stay behind closed doors, but the young swordsmen like Lo Huainan, Bai Zao, and Tong Lu would participate in the Cultivation tournament. People hoped that Jing Jiu could bring some surprises to the Cultivation tournament.
Unfortunately, it didn't take long for people's expectations to be dashed.
The Nishiyama House reported that Jing Jiu had no intention of participating in the Cultivation tournament.
Zhao Layue was the one participating in the Law Tournament at Shenmo Peak.
…
…
More than ten days after the chess tournament, it was already late in spring in Zhaoge City. It didn't rain at all, and it was even a bit hot.
Clouds floated in the azure sky and then landed on the surface of the lake. Together with the weeping willows on the lake bank and the faintly discernible flying eaves, it was a beautiful sight to behold.
The Zhao Family was a noble family in Zhaoge City, and their title of nobility was only one level lower than that of the state dukes. They had been wealthy for generations, but they had kept a low profile in the last twenty years because of that young mistress. However, they couldn't keep a low profile anymore because of the same reason. In the early spring, they spent a large amount of gold and silver to renovate the garden outside the city, making it look like a fairyland.
It was because the young mistress would return to Zhaoge City in the spring, and it was stated clearly in the letter that she would bring a colleague as a guest.
What kind of status did the Young Miss have? What kind of status did her fellow disciples have that even she had to invite? Without the fairyland scenery, how could she be worthy of the two immortal masters?
The bow of the boat broke through the blue sky and white clouds on the surface of the water, drifting slowly and freely, because no one was rowing.
"The number one calligrapher is Bai Zao."
Zhao Layue sat at the bow of the boat, her hair tousling in the breeze.
Lying on the bamboo chair, Jing Jiu was surprised to hear this, wondering why it wasn't Yimaozhai.
Zhao Layue continued, "Many people didn't expect that she could defeat those scholars in Yimaozhai even though she had given up the painting that she was best at."
Jing Jiu said after some thought, "It looks like she is as smart as Tong Yan."
Zhao Layue didn't understand what he meant.
Jing Jiu said, "There has always been a saying in the Cultivation world that books are not as good as paintings in seeking the Dao, because paintings are the original form, and books need us to attach meaning to the shape. Bai Zao has given up painting for books because he has figured out that the meaning we attach to the shape is what we need to find in Cultivation. "
Zhao Layue said, "I think he was inspired when he saw you playing chess with Tong Yan the other day."
"What about you?" asked Jing Jiu.
This question was quite sudden, but Zhao Layue knew it was because Jing Jiu knew what she was thinking.
She, Bai Zao and Guo Dong were the three people who were often compared by the whole Cultivation world and even the whole land.
At this year's Plum Meeting, Guo Dong won first place in zither, and Bai Zao unexpectedly won first place in calligraphy. What about her?
The news that Zhao Layue would participate in the Plum Meeting had been sold by the Curtain Rollers a long time ago, and it had become a well-known secret in the last few days.
Zhao Layue didn't answer this question. Thinking of the most frequent questions asked by the Curtain Rollers, she asked, "Are you really a monk?"
"You know I'm not," said Jing Jiu.
Zhao Layue asked, "Then why didn't the highly achieved monks of the Guocheng Temple come out to refute the rumor?"
Jing Jiu said, "This kind of situation has happened before, because the monks also have their own selfish motives."
Zhao Layue asked confusedly, "What's in it for them?"
"This way, they can protect the true successor of experiencing the mortal world. And the further I can advance, the better it will be for the reputation of the Guocheng Temple."
Jing Jiu didn't want to continue this topic, so he asked directly, "How are you going to fight in the Cultivation tournament?"
Zhao Layue said, "I'll just fight. Or do you have any experience?"
Jing Jiu said, "I'm not good at these things, and I believe you should be better than me."
…
…
Jing Jiu left without having dinner.
Zhao Layue wasn't surprised. He didn't eat much in the first place.
He had eaten many hotpot meals during the journey of tens of thousands of miles, but he only used the clear broth to cook a few leaves of vegetables to eat, and most of the time he just watched.
What surprised her was that Jing Jiu said he had to leave because he had something to do. How could a lazy person like him have something to do?
And he didn't tell her what it was.
But it was fine. Zhao Layue also had something to do, and she didn't want him to know about it.
"Please come here."
She said to the pavilion in the middle of the lake.
A moment later, a girl in white appeared in the pavilion. She bowed to Zhao Layue and said, "Shui Yue Nunnery, Mo Xi, pays her respects to the Peak Master."
Looking at this girl whom she had met once, Zhao Layue asked, "What's the matter?"
Mo Xi lowered her head, so her expression couldn't be seen clearly. "Big Sister Guo Dong wants to meet you in the Mingcui Valley three days later," she said softly.
Zhao Layue arched her eyebrows.
It was evident that Guo Dong wanted to meet her alone.
Zhao Layue wasn't surprised, because she had sensed Guo Dong's gaze on her at the Cold Platform of the Plum Meeting and on the Chess Board Mountain.
The emotions in those gazes were quite interesting, containing concern, curiosity, and scrutiny, but no hostility.
"Okay."
Zhao Layue agreed to her request.
She didn't want Jing Jiu to know about it.
It was because Guo Dong was the personal disciple of Lian Sanyue.
…
…
In an inconspicuous small pub in Zhaoge City.
The customers in the pub were still discussing the chess game on the Chess Board Mountain a few days ago.
Shi Fengchen took a sip of the slightly sour yellow wine and said, "Zhao Layue will die in three days."
A skinny old man sat across from him, stupefied as he put a pine kernel into his mouth, showing no reaction.
The name of this old man was Liang Xingcheng, an inconspicuous regular official in Zhaoge City. Few people knew that he was a distant brother of the Royal Teacher Liang, and their relationship was not that distant.
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