Chapter 1342: Chapter 58: Heavenly Fate Born of Fraternal Strife
Another twenty-odd days passed, and more than ten Nascent Soul True Masters successively came to dwell in the garden estate. Because Zhang Yan’s group alone had four Nascent Soul cultivators, they drew quite a few eyes, and since they lived side by side with the others, many people took the initiative to visit and seek acquaintance.
Among them was one called Chen Shougu, who in the past had had a brief encounter with Limping Daoist. He was a humorous sort, fond of befriending fellow Daoists, and often came by to pay visits. After going back and forth a few times, he gradually became familiar with the four of them.
On this day, Limping Daoist was playing chess with Chen Shougu, while Song Chuyuan watched from the side. Just as the game had reached an engrossing point, the three suddenly felt a resonance and turned their heads in unison, seeing yet another streak of tunneling light fly in from outside and fall into a separate courtyard at the foot of the mountain.
Song Chuyuan glanced over and sighed, saying, "Another one has come. It seems that on the day of the banquet, there will be no fewer than thirty or forty people. When I used to travel about, it was rare to encounter even a single Nascent Soul cultivator, yet I did not expect to see so many peers gathered in this place today."
Chen Shougu put down his chess piece and said with a smile, "These past few days I have inquired around. These people are in fact heads of minor sects under the Southern Three Sects, and not unknowns. Those who arrived even earlier than we did all have deep entanglements with Zhongtai. Add in those assorted Loose Cultivators, and it is no wonder there are so many people. A single Dragon Pillar Assembly is enough to tug at the hearts of cultivators across the world."
Limping Daoist pondered for a moment, set down his piece, and raised his head to ask, "It is said that the eight Dragon Pillars are eight Ruined Palaces left behind by an Immortal of ancient times, but I, Tang, cannot help feeling it is not so simple. Brother Chen, do you know what exactly they are contending over?"
The Dragon Pillars had already been standing on the East Victory Continent since ten thousand years ago, yet it was only in the last several hundred years that the two sects had fought unceasingly over them, even to the point of suffering heavy casualties without giving up. He vaguely felt that what lay within was anything but ordinary.
Chen Shougu flicked the piece in his hand away, then burst into hearty laughter, saying, "Limping Tang, these past days you actually didn’t utter a single word about this matter. I had thought you’d changed your disposition, but in the end you still couldn’t hold yourself back and came to ask me."
Limping Daoist gave a bitter sigh and said, "Daoist Chen always insists on making me look foolish."
Chen Shougu said triumphantly, "If you were to ask someone else about this matter, it truly would be difficult for them. It is only that I have heard a few rumors."
By now Song Chuyuan had also become interested and showed a look of attention.
Chen Shougu’s smile withdrew a little. He cupped his hands toward the two and first offered an apology: "This matter is something I, your little brother, merely heard in passing. Once it enters the ears of you two, just take it as an anecdote for idle amusement and by no means take it as truth."
Limping Daoist slapped the table in feigned anger and said, "Stop selling off your secrets and speak quickly."
Chen Shougu cupped his hands once more and said, "This matter must begin with the Xuanyue and Zhongtai two sects. These two originally came from the same source. In those years, before that founding Patriarch achieved Ascension, he divided his own Daoist Inheritance into two parts, each to be transmitted to one disciple. Zhongtai received the Tuan Gang Secret Records, while Xuanyue obtained the Three Extensive Collection Skills. When the Dharma techniques of the two sects are compared, each sect’s Cultivation Technique has its own strengths, yet they are in truth one and the same lineage and could be said to be evenly matched. But as of today, not one person has attained the level of Daoist Cultivation that that Patriarch possessed back then. Thus both sects wish to unify the two skills into one and have contended over this without cease. Over these last several hundred years, there have been rumors that what that Patriarch cultivated in those days was itself derived from the Dragon Pillars."
Limping Daoist said in dissatisfaction, "What you’ve just said, we have all more or less heard before."
Chen Shougu waved leisurely and said, "Do not be impatient, do not be impatient, there is more to the tale."
He glanced outside, then lowered his voice and said, "It’s said that both sects have already exhausted the fortuitous opportunities left by their predecessors. Zhongtai’s Master Zheng and Xuanyue’s True Master He likewise have their lifespans gradually withering. If, before their reincarnation, no one can gain the chance to glimpse a Grotto Heaven, they will end up like those three Evil Sects of previous generations, gnawed away by other sects. To retreat is a dead end; to advance, there may yet be a single path to life. Therefore they have no choice but to stake their lives on a single gamble."
Hearing this, Song Yuan Chu believed eighty percent of it. Was this not precisely how the Corpse Pride Sect had fallen in those years? Thinking that the Zhongtai and Xuanyue sects would in the end share the same fate, a surge of delight rose in his heart.
Limping Daoist, however, did not believe it and said, "Leaving aside Xuanyue, Zhongtai has that Five Elephant White Incense Tripod to suppress their fate. How could such a lapse occur?"
Chen Shougu’s voice carried a faint trace of ridicule as he said, "Fate? If it were truly of use, how would things have come to this present state? In my view, there must have been some unknown, unspeakable upheaval."
Limping Daoist and Song Yuan Chu exchanged a glance; in their hearts they both felt that these words held some reason.
At this moment Chen Shougu suddenly smiled, swung his sleeves, and said, "No matter what, it has little to do with us. Let’s not speak of it. These past few days, during my visits, why have I not seen Sect Leader Zhang?"
Song Chuyuan said vaguely, "After the banquet comes the Dragon Pillar Battle, so Sect Leader Zhang has been behind closed doors these few days in seclusion and deep cultivation."
