The Path Toward Heaven

The organization that used the butterfly as its totem was proven to be exceedingly influential in the military, be it the two assassination attempts on Jing Jiu or the dispatching of the battleships and the methods they had employed against Jian Xilai and Cao Yuan. The officer of Internal Affairs who was sent to investigate the case at the College of Priests had both expressed their attitude and tried to intimidate.

After a moment of silence, Ran Donglou asked, “Are you from that world?”

“Have you seen the others?” returned Jing Jiu.

Ran Donglou let loose an ambiguous smile as he said slowly, “General Li.”

It was true that the Commander-in-Chief of the Federation of the Milky Way, General Li, was an ascendant from Chaotian.

“Handong heard a conversation between her mother and me by accident when she was young, grew curious about that organization, and started investigating it in secret. In truth, what she doesn’t know is that this isn’t a secret for the high echelon of the Federation.”

After glancing at the tightly closed door, Ran Donglou continued, “To become a butterfly, one has to break through the cocoon. Since there are cocoon breakers, there must be some butterflies.”

“Don’t you like these cocoon breakers?” asked Jing Jiu.

Ran Donglou offered a clear answer, “I’m on the side of the priest clan.”

“But they can kill all of you,” remarked Jing Jiu.

Even though there were many indigenous Cultivation practitioners in the Human Federation of the Milky Way who reached a very high state like Ran Donglou, they were still no match for the ascendants from Chaotian. He was fully aware of how high General Li’s Cultivation state was and that there might be some ascendants who had a still higher state. More importantly, these people had already integrated into the interplanetary civilization.

Ran Donglou gave a still clearer answer this time, “If the cocoon breakers wished to rule this world, they would need that one’s help.”

The female priest on the Main Planet had inherited the most profound tradition and had the highest Cultivation state, and she was worshiped by billions of believers in the Federation of the Milky Way. No one had the same status as hers in the Federation, which she was merely addressed as “that one”.

“Why me?” Jing Jiu prodded.

If the indigenous Cultivation practitioners in the Federation of the Milky Way don’t like the ascendants, why have they chosen him? Why did they believe in him?

“Before his departure, god claimed that a new god would come.”

Ran Donglou went on, “Now that the female priest of the Stargate believes you might be the one, why don’t I give it a try? Of course, the most important reason is that you are truly powerful.”

“Any benefit for me?” pressed Jing Jiu.

Ran Donglou asked, “Why did you decline their test?”

“It makes sense,” Jing Jiu commented.

“Giving you the right of authority was a friendly gesture on my part,” Ran Donglou said. “The deal will be something to consider later. It’s because that one hasn’t seen you yet. If she doesn’t think you’re the new god, we can only be friends in private, and my daughter will be your most loyal servant.”

Thinking of the computing skill possessed by Ran Handong, Jing Jiu didn’t object to the idea. “When will I see her?” he asked.

“Even though you’re a candidate for the new god, you still have to wait for the summon of that one.”

Ran Handong got up and added, “Don’t stay at the College of Priests any longer. You’ve killed so many of their people; you will face their vengeance.”

“It won’t happen,” said Jing Jiu.

Those cocoon breakers or the ascendants of the previous generations wouldn’t take revenge on him because of the deaths of those officers and soldiers on that battleship.

In their eyes, those soldiers of the Federation of the Milky Way were as insignificant as ants.

As for other kinds of revenge, he didn’t care about it in the least.

…

…

After they returned to the building at the College of Priests, Ran Handong didn’t leave. She started tidying the room.

“What is going on here?” demanded Zong Lizi.

“From this day on, she will be my secretary. You can let her take care of those chores.”

Jing Jiu lay on the chair, a tired expression showing on his face.

“Are you sure you’re okay?” she asked concernedly.

After they had left the Yinhai Nebula, it took the Scorching-Sun Battleship seven days to arrive on the Main Planet, during which time he spent most of his time sleeping…sleep in the truest sense.

It was a rare occasion for him.

“I’m okay,” returned Jing Jiu.

Zong Lizi pressed while staring into his eyes, “But why did you take off the hoodie?”

Jing Jiu caressed his earlobe as he said, “I felt a bit smothered.”

Seeing the movement of his fingers, Zong Lizi remarked, “You’ve never behaved like this before.”

She had noticed the slight damage on his earlobe when they were in the underground apartment; it didn’t look like it was damaged by a sharp object, but more like a tiny piece of material broke off from a stone statue.

She had asked him if he felt pain on his earlobe; he answered that he couldn’t feel any.

Since he couldn’t feel the pain, why had he been touching it lately?

The water was boiling in the iron kettle.

A faint scent of aroma came out from the kettle after a few tea leaves were thrown in it.

Zong Lizi knew that he drank tea not to taste it but simply to drink it. As such, he preferred his tea to be lighter because the color of it looked nicer.

Jing Jiu sipped the tea. He found it tasted a bit better; it was unclear whether her skill of boiling tea became better or it was because of some other reasons.

He noticed again that the line marks on the iron kettle seemed familiar. After some thought, he remembered that he had drawn some diagrams in the praying hall of the Stargate to show the female priest.

“The Teacher copied the drawings, and I asked the craftsmen on the Main Planet to make this iron kettle. But I’m not sure if the quality of the iron is the same.”

Zong Lizi called the female priest of the Stargate her Teacher. She smiled happily as she saw Jing Jiu pay attention to the iron kettle and the small stove.

Thinking of the female priest who steadfastly believed he was the new god, Jing Jiu turned to her and asked, “Did you know?”

Hearing this question, Zong Lizi grew nervous. She said softly after hesitating for a moment, “The Teacher said…you’re the new god and she asked me to serve you wholeheartedly.”

“I’m not. So you don’t have to behave so prudently; don’t get it into your head that we’re going to elope or something.”

Jing Jiu rubbed her head and went on, “It’ll be fine if you treat me like you did before.”

Her red hair became messy, looking like a chaotic poem or the Thoughtless Sword that traveled irregularly.

Treating him like before meant they would get along like they were in the underground apartment, in the hotel of the Stargate, and on Shenmo Peak.

…

…

Jing Jiu had been waiting for the summon of “that one” in the building.

Time went by slowly. It seemed to be a long time though only three days had passed.

The Main Preacher Tai Yang and the officials of the College of Priests were all aware of the reason; so they served him very carefully.

All sorts of news were passed on to Ran Handong, who then passed them to Jing Jiu.

The case of the Scorching-Sun Battleship being attacked was investigated further by military headquarters. The captain of the battleship was taken to Internal Affairs, and officers and soldiers of the battleship were transferred to a certain base.

The praying hall kept silent, so did the Ran family.

Rain fell in the early morning hours on the fourth day. A thick fog emerged in the surroundings of the College of Priests.

Standing on the balcony, the thick fog reminded Jing Jiu of Cloudy Town outside Green Mountain.

“I want to go outside to take a walk,” Jing Jiu announced suddenly.

Ran Handong stood by him like a secretary. She intended to object to the idea reflexively when she heard this; then she remembered her status, saying, “I’ll make some arrangement.”

“No need for that,” said Jing Jiu. He handed the teacup to her and turned to head toward the outside of the building.

She intended to inform the praying hall and the Ran family to arrange some security guards for his safety.

But he did not need such an arrangement.

The floating train kicked up a light draft of wind, as he led Ran Handong leaving the College of Priests and heading toward the Capital of Special District.