Chapter 620: Outside the Window

In one hundred years, Zhao Layue had broken through three Cultivation states, reached the upper state of the Broken Sea and became a truly powerful swordsman. As such, some subtle and significant changes occurred on Green Mountain; as these changes had accumulated overtime, a revolution would take place in the near future.

Yuan Qijing was in Zhaoge City, and Fang Jingtian became the person with the highest status among the nine peaks of Green Mountain. Over the years, he had been taking care of the affairs of Green Mountain in an impartial and orderly manner, winning a great deal of praise from the others. He raised the request of selecting a new sect master after a long preparation for it. His suggestion gained support from many elders and disciples, but it also met objections from many people.

The Green Mountain disciples remembered that a grandmaster of theirs was still sleeping in Zhaoge City.

Who would still believe Fang Jingtian’s claim that Jing Jiu was not the Grandmaster Jing Yang but the All in One Sword devil?

If this was a fact that the Young Zen Master and Lian Sanyue had even accepted, who could be in a better position to doubt it.

Zhao Layue was behind closed doors, and Gu Qing was in Zhaoge City; so Shenmo Peak couldn’t raise objection to the request. Unexpectedly, the strongest objection came from Tianguang Peak; Zhuo Rusui even came out from behind closed doors for the matter.

Facing the objections from a great many people, Fang Jingtian stayed quite composed. He didn’t suppress others’ opinions by force, but rather he offered a sufficient reason for his request.

Regardless of whether Jing Jiu was the Immortal Jing Yang or the All in One Sword devil, the Green Mountain Sect would have no acting sect master as long as he was sleeping in Zhaoge City.

The Green Mountain Sect needed a new sect master, no matter whether the new sect master would be Fang Jingtian or the Immortal Guangyuan, or anybody else.

The Green Mountain Sect hadn’t had an acting sect master for one hundred years, and Yuan Qijing guarded the royal palace alone; the peaks had been taking care of their own affairs separately. This was really a problem for the sect. Even Zhuo Rusui, who was often very unreasonable, couldn’t find a reason to object to Fang Jingtian’s request now.

But the problem was about how the new sect master should be selected.

The elders and disciples of Shiyue Peak brought out the sect rules stacking up like a small mound and started reading them, in hopes of finding the terms favorable to the Immortal Guangyuan.

Elder Mo Chi sighed in tandem while gazing at the chair on the top of Tianguang Peak, and failed to say anything.

Shangde Peak remained reticent.

The disciples of Liangwang Peak and the sword practitioners of the peaks were all on their way back to Green Mountain.

The decision would be made during the Sword Trial on Green Mountain in early spring next year.

…

…

Having listened to the report from Yuan Qü, Zhao Layue asked, “Where is Gu Qing?”

Yuan Qü replied, “Big Brother Gu Qing is in Zhaoge City governing the state. Fang Jingtian tried a few times to call him back, but he didn’t respond to him.”

“What he did is the right thing,” said Zhao Layue.

Yuan Qü continued, “Ping Yongjia and the Drifter had suddenly disappeared about eighty years ago, and their whereabouts are not known; however, the Yong Zen Master sent a message to tell us not to worry.”

Zhao Layue could vaguely guess where those two younger ones went. “What are Tong Yan’s thoughts on this?” she asked.

Yuan Qü answered, “Big Brother Tong Yan showed his allegiance when our sect attacked Cloud-Dream Mountain. Though the Center Sect didn’t say anything about it, they must have issued an order to kill him in secret. As such, he went back to the hermit peaks after having come back. I haven’t seen him for a long time.”

“Is Zhuo Rusui still behind closed doors?” asked Zhao Layue.

Yuan Qü replied, “Big Brother Zhuo started staying behind closed doors three years after you; I am guessing he won’t be coming out anytime soon.”

After a moment of pause, Zhao Layue asked, “How is he doing there?”

This was something she cared about the most, and it was her last question.

Yuan Qü said, “The Immortal Sect Master is still sleeping. In the beginning, the Young Zen Master had guarded him for ten years; then the Chief Nun of the Water-Moon Nunnery had guarded him for ten years; then Bu Qiuxiao for ten years. Senior Master Guangyuan went there and guarded him for ten years after he broke through the Heavenly Arrival State. They have been taking turns to guard him over the years.”

“Whose turn is it now?” asked Zhao Layue.

Yuan Qü replied, “Bu Qiuxiao.”

Zhao Layue thought Liu Shisui must also be there; so she gave up on the idea of going to Zhaoge City immediately herself.

Besides their respect and personal relationship with the Immortal Jing Yang, the Fruit Formation Temple, the Water-Moon Nunnery and the One-Cottage House displayed their attitude to the Center Sect by guarding Jing Jiu. Such an intimidation was the only way of keeping peace in the world.

But most of all, Yuan Qijing was still alive.

It was said that the royal palace in Zhaoge City had no need to activate the formation to decrease the temperature during the hot summer days; it was because the snowflakes were falling down endlessly in that side hall.

Zhao Layue remembered clearly that Jing Jiu had told her that Yuan Qijing and Liu Ci had only a few decades left to live.

When they talked about this, she and Jing Jiu stood right here at the edge of the cliff on Shenmo Peak.

It occurred more than one hundred years ago.

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Normally, Yuan Qijing would have died a long time ago; so why was he still alive?

…

…

It was early autumn. The coal stove was brought into a palace hall.

The weather in Zhaoge City was much colder than the south; but it shouldn’t be so cold. However, the palace servant girls and eunuchs were accustomed to it.

It was because Yuan Qijing was in the royal palace.

The palace halls had their own formations, so they could easily keep the temperature as warm as spring all year long; but the master of this palace hall liked the natural weather and enjoyed the atmosphere of sitting by the stove even more.

The Royal Concubine Hu had been the Royal Dowager for a hundred years now. Yet, she still had a naïve and attractive appearance, looking like a young woman. “When will you go back to Green Mountain?” she asked Gu Qing.

“I’m not going back yet,” said Gu Qing.

Everybody knew that the Royal Dowager and the Master Governor of the State were steadfast allies, and such a relationship had sustained for more than one hundred years. Yet, these two still appeared distant; they seemed to be aloof, to say nothing of being intimate.

They always stood a hundred feet away when they spoke to each other. If they were regular folks, they probably wouldn’t be able to hear what the other person said.

The scene was a bit odd.

The palace servant girls and eunuchs had changed many times over; and all of them were aware that this had been the way the Royal Dowager and the Master Governor of the State acted.

A palace servant girl brought tea to them and retreated out of the palace hall.

The Royal Concubine Hu looked at him and said worriedly, “If Fang Jingtian became the new sect master and ordered you to go back, you would have no choice but to obey him.”

“Yes,” said Gu Qing.

The Royal Concubine Hu suddenly thought of something and said with a faint smile, “Hence you and Zhen Tao plan to become the Cultivation partners before spring of next year.”

The Chief Nun of the Water-Moon Nunnery had finally broken through the Heavenly Arrival State a few years ago and became an important figure in the Cultivation circle.

If Gu Qing and Zhen Tao could become the Cultivation partners, coupled with the special relationship between Shenmo Peak and the Water-Moon Nunnery, he would gain a powerful outside ally.

Under the circumstances, Fang Jingtian wouldn’t be able to harm him so easily even if Fang became the sect master of Green Mountain.

It would also be very helpful many years later when Gu Qing was to contend with Zhuo Rusui or anybody else for the position of the sect master of Green Mountain.

“Timing is indeed a consideration.”

Gu Qing didn’t deny what she said, continuing, “But that is only one aspect. The other aspect is that I really like Zhen Tao.”

“Men are always so practical; they never take liking part into consideration,” the Royal Concubine Hu said dryly while looking at Gu Qing.

“Royal Dowager, please be careful with your words,” returned Gu Qing calmly.

“I’m sorry that I’ve overstated it. I take it back.”

The Royal Concubine Hu leaned against the head of the bed, looking at the outside through the window.

Gu Qing also looked at the outside through the window.

It was deathly quiet in the palace hall.

The scene was quite abnormal.

They were staring at the outside through the window quietly.

And it was evident that there was nothing to see outside the window.

It lasted a long time.

The Royal Concubine Hu demanded, “Are you going to abandon me like this?”

Gu Qing spun his head around.

The setting sun shone on the wall where the window was and on her face.

The sunlight didn’t make her look more attractive.

Her eyes were a bit red.

The tears were swimming in her eyes.