Jing Jiu drew back his line of sight, as well as Cold Cicada and Mosquito.
A white light fell down from the night sky like a lightning bolt and landed precisely in Zhao Layue's arms.
Ada meowed once, indicating that nobody had seen what had happened.
The crime of colluding with the Underworld was a serious one. Even Taiping Zhenren couldn't bear it back then, so Jing Jiu didn't want to cause any trouble.
Like the possible deal between the Zhongzhou School and the Great Priest of the Underworld, there were many things they could do, but they couldn't be seen by others.
"You guys go back first," said Jing Jiu to Zhao Layue.
The place he was going to was safe, so he didn't need to take Ada with him.
Zhao Layue knew that he was going to Shui Yue Nunnery, so she didn't say anything. She rode the Thoughtless Sword back to the Sword Boat with Ada in her arms.
Zhuo Rusui opened his eyes and glanced at her. He wanted to ask her something, but he didn't in the end.
Gu Qing, who had vaguely guessed something, was meditating at the bow of the Sword Boat while facing the rising sun; he didn't even open his eyes once.
The wind by the seashore of the East Ocean was cool and refreshing. It wasn't hot even though it was the early summer. The valley seemed to be in spring, and the peach blossoms in front of the stone steps were in full bloom.
Jing Jiu landed on the stone steps, picked a peach blossom, and knocked on the door gently.
Soon, the door of Shui Yue Nunnery was opened, revealing a lovely and clean face. She was the female disciple named Zhen Tao.
Zhen Tao's qualification to participate in the Dao Competition was taken away by Jing Jiu when they were on the Cloud-Dream Mountain, and she had witnessed the fiery battle between Jing Jiu and Zhuo Rusui, so she had a deep impression of him. Though Jing Jiu was wearing a conical hat, she still recognized him at first glance. She exclaimed in astonishment, "Jing … Sect Master?"
She was suddenly summoned by the Nunnery Master when she was doing her morning class, telling her that a distinguished guest had come and asked her to lead him into the nunnery secretly. She didn't expect it to be Jing Jiu.
Jing Jiu went straight to the quiet room.
It was the quiet room with the round window facing the lake. The trees by the lake had all been cut down.
The window was still round, the lake was still green, and the grass and trees were growing again. They had not been cut, but they added a sense of wildness and vitality.
Jing Jiu was quite satisfied; but he felt a bit dissatisfied when he looked at Guo Dong who was still sleeping soundly.
It had already been five years. The Heavenly Worm Silk had already turned into flying catkins and disappeared, but she still hadn't woken up.
Jing Jiu sat down beside her and placed the peach blossom beside her. He reached out to hold her wrist and closed his eyes to sense the condition of her body.
An hour later, he left the quiet room and went to see the Abbess under the guidance of Zhen Tao.
Passing through the roofed corridor and passing by the gray wall, he saw the small green curtain sedan and confirmed his judgment again. That Junior Sister should have left many years ago.
"How is Senior Sister?"
The Abbess of Shui Yue Nunnery had a high Cultivation state, but she hadn't cultivated for a long time, so she hadn't reached the perfect state yet.
Her pretty eyes and brows were still like those of a young girl. It seemed that she had spent a lot of time in the Cultivation state, so she didn't have to worry too much. She looked a bit like Zhen Tao.
"She should be fine, but I can vaguely sense some strange changes," said Jing Jiu.
Guo Dong had woken up much later than he had predicted, but she had cultivated the unique magic method in the world to begin with. He didn't know what kind of effect this change would have on her.
The Abbess of Shui Yue Nunnery said, "I'm a bit worried … because the flowers and plants by the lake are growing faster and faster."
This was the phenomenon caused by the gathering of the spiritual energy of heaven and earth. Normally, it was a good thing for Guo Dong who was sleeping soundly; but Jing Jiu understood what she was worried about.
Time was relative.
The Abbess of Shui Yue Nunnery suddenly said, "That Grandmaster of the Platanus Sect is dead."
Jing Jiu didn't expect to hear this news here. After a moment of silence, he said, "Jing Shu should have been mentally prepared."
Not many people had guessed his true identity, but the Abbess of Shui Yue Nunnery was a special case.
Though Guo Dong and the Chief Nun of the Nunnery didn't mention it, it didn't mean that they hadn't thought of it yet.
The Abbess of Shui Yue Nunnery said, "It's impossible to prepare for the matter of life and death."
It was because it would happen only once. Any preparation was merely a prediction, and it would never be complete, just like the proof of immortality.
Jing Jiu said, "So we shouldn't prepare as much as possible."
The Abbess of Shui Yue Nunnery said while staring into his eyes, "Everything will come to an end. Even ascension will have an end."
Jing Jiu said, "It's true in terms of cause and effect."
The Abbess of Shui Yue Nunnery said, "Who can escape from the cause and effect?"
The Abbess of Shui Yue Nunnery said, "Even if it will come to an end, it should be as late as possible. If it has a length, it should be as rich as possible."
The Abbess of Shui Yue Nunnery said, "She has paid such a high price to catch up with you. Is it meaningful?"
The Abbess of Jing Jiu said, "You're wrong. She has her own path."
In a sense, he was just a scenery on her path.
The Abbess of Shui Yue Nunnery didn't continue this topic. He made a cup of peach blossom tea and pushed it to the front of Jing Jiu, saying, "I haven't congratulated you on becoming the head of Aoyama."
Jing Jiu remembered that Gu Qing had said that the gift from the Abbess of Shui Yue Nunnery was the most generous. He took the cup of peach blossom tea and took a sip. Then he stood up and was ready to leave.
The Abbess of Shui Yue Nunnery looked at him and said, "The peach blossom tea doesn't help the peach blossom, but it can clear the heart."
Jing Jiu didn't say anything.
"I'm not a Big Brother of the Guocheng Temple, so I can use the Two-Mind Connection; but the Heaven-Human Connection can help me see some things clearly, like your lethal intent."
The Abbess of Shui Yue Nunnery asked, "Whom do you intend to kill?"
"Jing Xin," replied Jing Jiu.
The Abbess of Shui Yue Nunnery wasn't surprised to hear this answer, sighing, "Even a vicious tiger won't eat its cubs. You're still as heartless as ever."
"If she were still awake, Jing Xin would be dead a long time ago," said Jing Jiu.
After a moment of silence, the Abbess of Shui Yue Nunnery said, "I can pretend that I didn't see what had happened in the Heavenly Well."
All the major Cultivation sects were responsible for guarding the passages leading to the Underworld. As the largest passage in Chaotian, the Heavenly Well was jointly guarded by the Guocheng Temple and Shui Yue Nunnery, and the Abbess of Shui Yue Nunnery was closest to it. The amulets and formations were everywhere by the cliff edge of the Heavenly Well. It was impossible for the Abbess of Hell, a monster as large as the Commissioner of Hell and an eye-catching figure like Tong Yan not to be noticed by Shui Yue Nunnery.
Jing Jiu had predicted that he couldn't conceal this matter from Shui Yue Nunnery, but he didn't expect him to use this matter as a bargaining chip.
"Why?"
"This is the request of the Emperor."
"Okay."
"As for the matter in autumn, we will support Aoyama. Don't worry about it."
…
…
The division of forces in the Cultivation world in Chaotian was quite simple.
The forces in the north belonged to the north, and the forces in the south belonged to the south. It was almost impossible to persuade those sects to change their allegiance.
The Grandmaster of the Platanus Sect had tried it, but she failed miserably and died later.
In addition to these sects in the north and the south, the Guocheng Temple, Shui Yue Nunnery, the Dongyi Daoist Sect, the Baotong Zen Temple and other sects had always been neutral. It seemed that Yimaozhai would join the ranks of the Guocheng Temple.
After wiping out the Mysterious Dark Sect and seeing off Tong Yan, and ascertaining Shui Yue Nunnery's attitude, what Jing Jiu needed to do next was to deal with the Guocheng Temple.
It seemed that it was not too difficult to be the sect master of Aoyama.
The Sword Boat of Aoyama broke through the morning sun and landed in Moqiu along with the morning sunlight.
The two sides of the straight road leading to the Guocheng Temple in Moqiu were full of carriages and simple shacks in the fields, just like usual.
The patients and their families who came to seek medical help looked at the huge Sword Boat and thought that it was a miracle. They knelt on the ground and kowtowed.
Apart from the shock, people were more confident that the high monks of the Guocheng Temple could cure their illnesses.
The main gate of the Guocheng Temple was wide open. Hundreds of monks stood in the square in front of the temple without making a sound.
Zen Master stood at the front, while the monks of the Preaching Hall and the elders of each hall stood quietly behind him. It was an extremely grand scene.
Jing Jiu was now the sect master of Aoyama. He was completely different from the Aoyama disciple who came to listen to the Preaching Hall.
The monks of the Guocheng Temple put their palms together and bowed to Jing Jiu.
Zhao Layue, Gu Qing and Zhuo Rusui bowed to Zen Master.
Jing Jiu did not move.
Zen Master did not move either.
The wind blew the monk's robe.
The white cloth was moving as well.
It was quiet in front of the Guocheng Temple.
The morning sunlight grew brighter.
In terms of status in Chaotian, the sect master of Aoyama was a bit higher than Zen Master of the Guocheng Temple; but in terms of seniority and experience, Zen Master had a much higher status, at least on the surface.
It was a troublesome issue to decide who bowed to whom first.
The monks of the Guocheng Temple felt it odd, wondering why Zen Master behaved so solemnly that day since he was usually amiable and casual.
Zhuo Rusui and Gu Qing also felt it odd, wondering why the sect master behaved so solemnly that day since he was usually the most casual and indolent person.
In the end, neither Jing Jiu nor Zen Master bowed to each other. It was Zen Master who said "please" as he was the host.
Others couldn't sense anything, but Zhao Layue knew what was going on, wondering what the two of them were up to.
…
…
The Tranquil Garden had been destroyed a long time ago. It was rebuilt by the Imperial court, and the back temple of the Guocheng Temple was also rebuilt.
The doctor monks of the temple often exempted the patients from paying for the medicine, but they were quite generous in using the money from the Imperial court.
The stone pagoda was still in its original spot, but the ground under the pagoda was covered with moss again.
The traces of time were more obvious to the Cultivation practitioners.
Jing Jiu and Zen Master sat face to face in the meditation room at the deep end of the Tranquil Garden.
"It is said that you are the son of my old friend …"
Zen Master said while staring into Jing Jiu's eyes, "Call me 'uncle'."
Jing Jiu of course wouldn't call him 'little friend'. He hadn't forgotten that he had called him 'little friend' until now.
Everything was clear now.
Zen Master turned to look at the stone pagoda outside the window, remaining silent for a long time.
A patch of auspicious cloud suddenly appeared in the sky, and a large lotus throne could be vaguely seen in the cloud.
Zen Master disappeared from the Tranquil Garden and came to the lotus throne. Sitting on the cloud, he faced the east and gazed at the ocean.
Under the light of the morning sun, the ocean changed in countless colors.
An hour later, Zen Master returned to the Guocheng Temple. Looking at Jing Jiu's face, he fell silent again for a long time. Then he said something.
"You've chosen a pretty good face."
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