Chapter 158 - 96: Shenliu’s Ambition, Grotto Heaven Dao (Part 2)

Chapter 158: Chapter 96: Shenliu’s Ambition, Grotto Heaven Dao (Part 2)

"Oh?" Xuzhuang asked. "What is the Celestial Waterfall Dharma Assembly, and what rules did it establish?"

Daoist Zhang replied, "The Celestial Waterfall Dharma Assembly is a grand convention held once every three hundred years to worship the Earth Immortal Ancestor Grandmaster. It’s also where the rankings of the sects are decided. No one is permitted to attack another sect unless it is decreed by the Assembly. This has always been the rule upheld by the Five Domains Great Sects."

Xuzhuang frowned. "So there are rules like that."

The Earth Immortal Ancestor Grandmaster was, according to legend, an Immortal from ancient times who spread his teachings throughout the Celestial Waterfall Realm. He is now the Ancestor Grandmaster revered by all of the Five Domains Great Sects.

Xuzhuang had made a point to learn this after arriving at the True Form Temple. This realm was radically different from the Profound Yellow Realm. Here, the goal after reaching the Nascent Soul stage wasn’t to transcend the Life and Death Profound Gate and achieve a Primordial Spirit, but to merge with a Grotto Heaven and become a ’Master Dongt’.

A Master Dongt also enjoyed a long life and had to overcome three calamities. In terms of standing, there seemed to be no difference from a Primordial Spirit True Man. However, there was one aspect the Primordial Spirit Dao apparently could not match.

Specifically, merging with a Grotto Heaven didn’t require one to achieve a Top-grade Golden Core. As long as a cultivator perfected their Nascent Soul, they had a chance to inherit one of the Grotto Heavens left behind by the Earth Immortal Ancestor Grandmaster and become a Zhenren. For this reason, the cultivation atmosphere in the Celestial Waterfall Realm was completely different from the Profound Yellow Realm; cultivators lacked the motivation to pursue a Top-grade Golden Core.

As for whether the Divine Techniques and methods of a Master Dongt were stronger or weaker than those of a Primordial Spirit True Man, Xuzhuang didn’t know. However, he had learned from the Daoist Scriptures that a Master Dongt seemed to be confined by their Grotto Heaven, only able to let their manifested body roam. In Xuzhuang’s opinion, this paled in comparison to a Primordial Spirit True Man, who was free and unfettered, able to journey across the Star River.

That being said, the reason the Earth Immortal Ancestor Grandmaster was revered by the Five Domains Great Sects was that they had inherited the five Grotto Heavens he left behind. This was the fundamental reason they could dominate the five Great Celestial Waterfalls and maintain their rule. Each of the Five Domains Great Sects had a Master Dongt presiding over it, so their authority was something no sect from outside the five domains dared to defy.

As Daoist Zhang continued his explanation, Xuzhuang gained a deeper understanding of the Celestial Waterfall Dharma Assembly.

Celestial Waterfalls varied in size, and thus their spiritual qi was also of different grades. It was only natural for the sects of the Celestial Waterfall Realm to compete for the larger waterfalls.

The Five Domains Great Sects were firmly entrenched, but the sects beneath them were always subject to cycles of prosperity and decline. This led to the creation of the assembly for ranking the sects. The rules were exceedingly simple: winners took control of a Celestial Waterfall, while losers retreated to smaller prefectures and counties, or were even wiped out.

For the cultivators of the Celestial Waterfall Realm, who didn’t pursue top-grade cores or focus on developing their mental fortitude, such straightforward struggles weren’t considered overly cruel. In fact, it was a state of affairs the Five Domains Great Sects were happy to see. Besides, such conflicts between sects were always accompanied by a litany of high-sounding accusations—

"Your sect is in decline and your disciples are few. You can no longer manage the prosperity of a province or a prefecture, nor can you bless its people. Your virtue is no longer worthy of your station. Naturally, you must cede your Celestial Waterfall to one more deserving."

Clearly, the True Form Temple was now headed down this same path. Even with Xuzhuang’s arrival, if they couldn’t survive the Celestial Waterfall Dharma Assembly, True Form Temple was fated to retreat to a lesser region, or even be destroyed.

"In that case, once the Celestial Waterfall Dharma Assembly begins, I’m afraid the Divine Flow Sect will no longer be able to restrain its ambition," Xuzhuang mused. "But would the Dragon Image Sect tolerate the Divine Flow Sect brazenly annexing Yunlan Province?"

The Dragon Image Sect was one of the Five Domains Great Sects and the ruling sect of the Dragon Image Domain, which bordered both Yunlan and Canglan Provinces. The relationship between the provinces and the sect could, at best, be described as one of vassalage.

Daoist Zhang gave a bitter smile. "The Dragon Image Sect can barely protect itself these days. I’m afraid the Divine Flow Sect’s ambition might not even be limited to the sixteen provinces."

Xuzhuang was stunned. "Doesn’t the Dragon Image Sect have a Master Dongt? How can the Divine Flow Sect possibly compare?"

Daoist Zhang said, "You may not know this, Martial Uncle, but the Dragon Image Sect’s Master Dongt fell a hundred years ago!"

"What?" Xuzhuang was shocked. This was not the kind of information he could have found in the True Form Temple’s collection of books.

Daoist Zhang sighed. "These days, there isn’t even anyone in the Dragon Image Sect who has reached the Nascent Soul Third Layer. A few Venerables are just barely holding things together..."

’No wonder the Divine Flow Sect is so arrogant.’ Xuzhuang’s mind raced as he pieced everything together. The Celestial Waterfall Dharma Assembly was approaching, yet the Dragon Image Sect was in a precarious state. Venerable Chu River would surely make a desperate bid to rise into the ranks of the Five Domains Great Sects, seizing the opportunity to become a Master Dongt.

’As for what the other four great sects might think... if I were Venerable Chu River, I wouldn’t have time to care about that either.’

’Besides, who’s to say one of the other Great Sects isn’t secretly backing the Divine Flow Sect?’

At this thought, Xuzhuang suddenly froze and couldn’t help but ask, "Martial Nephew, how many years until the Celestial Waterfall Dharma Assembly?"

Daoist Zhang replied, "It is less than forty-nine years until the next Celestial Waterfall Dharma Assembly."

’Forty-nine years... Forty-nine years...’ Xuzhuang’s heart began to pound like a drum. ’Forty-nine years is more than enough time for me to form my Nascent Soul. If I can do it within thirty, I can even return to my home sect to cultivate in the Heaven-Opening Realm. My progress would be meteoric...’

’With my foundation and my confidence, as long as I succeed, I have no doubt I could contend with the likes of Venerable Chu River or any other Nascent Soul Third Layer expert.’

’If I could lead True Form Temple to replace one of the Five Domains Great Sects, wouldn’t I be able to glimpse the path of a Master Dongt?’

’The Primordial Spirit Dao is so arduous, yet the path to becoming a Master Dongt seems within arm’s reach...’

’But can the Grotto Heaven Dao truly compare to the Primordial Spirit Dao?’

"Martial Uncle?" A worried expression had crossed Daoist Zhang’s face ever since he mentioned the Celestial Waterfall Dharma Assembly. Seeing Xuzhuang staring blankly, his anxiety grew. He quickly asked, "Martial Uncle, do you have a plan?"

Xuzhuang collected himself. Seeing the look on Daoist Zhang’s face, he said reassuringly, "Forty-nine years is enough time for me to form my Nascent Soul. I will personally handle things at the Celestial Waterfall Dharma Assembly. You need not worry, Martial Nephew."

"Really?" Daoist Zhang’s spirits lifted. "If you form a Nascent Soul, Martial Uncle, then our True Form Temple won’t need to fear losing its foundation in Yunlan Province!"

Xuzhuang didn’t mention his other thoughts. He just nodded and asked, "When is this Young Master Chu Wei supposed to arrive?"

Daoist Zhang replied, "The invitation mentioned a three-day grace period, so he should arrive tomorrow."

"Good," Xuzhuang said. "Tomorrow, you and I will receive him together, Martial Nephew. We’ll see what he’s truly after by paying our temple a visit."

Daoist Zhang said, overjoyed, "Then we’ll be relying on you, Martial Uncle."

Xuzhuang gave a slight nod and rose to his feet. "I’ll return to my cave residence to rest. Send for me tomorrow."

Daoist Zhang scrambled to his feet to see him off, but Xuzhuang waved a hand dismissively and exited the hall. With a single leap, his body stirred a gale that scattered the clouds and mist. An instant later, he landed on the peak where his cave residence was located.

As Xuzhuang descended, the gale forced the green woods on the peak to bend low, nearly to their breaking point. With a frown, Xuzhuang retracted his Magical Power, and only then did the wind disperse.

Xuzhuang knew his mind was in turmoil. He entered his cave residence and sat down, his expression turning grave.

No one could know of the fierce internal battle that had been raging in Xuzhuang’s mind since he was in the Hall of Councilors. For the first time, his conviction in the path he had always followed was beginning to waver.

Alarmed by this realization, Xuzhuang quickly manifested his Heart Sword, instantly severing the stray thoughts.

Of course, the Heart Sword was not a panacea. The next moment, chaotic thoughts arose in his mind once more. But Xuzhuang’s will was firm; his Heart Sword moved without pause, cutting them all down again.

Xuzhuang closed his eyes and calmed himself. His Heart Sword swung relentlessly as he recited scriptures to regulate his state of mind. After reinforcing his resolve several times, he finally opened his eyes and mused, ’The path of a Master Dongt isn’t something I can’t pursue, but it must be treated as a lesson from another mountain. I absolutely must not be seduced by it.’

As he thought this, Xuzhuang knew that no matter what, the idea of the Grotto Heaven path had already planted a seed in his mind.

The human heart was just that fickle. When Xuzhuang first arrived in this realm and learned of the Grotto Heaven path from the Daoist Scriptures, he hadn’t been moved. He had even idly compared the strengths and weaknesses of a Master Dongt versus a Primordial Spirit True Man. Even knowing how simple the Grotto Heaven path was, he hadn’t entertained any improper thoughts.

But now that the Grotto Heaven path was laid out before him, seemingly ripe for the picking, Xuzhuang couldn’t help but feel his resolve waver slightly.

No wonder the Primordial Spirit Dao was so arduous. Everyone knew the principles of upholding one’s Dao-heart and perceiving one’s true nature, but putting them into practice was another matter entirely—one fraught with a thousand difficulties.

Xuzhuang let out a long sigh, flicked his sleeves, and rose. Without disturbing Xue Yuren, he returned to the main chamber he had chosen for himself for the first time. He sat on the couch and closed his eyes. He didn’t appear to be cultivating; it was as if he were merely meditating to restore his spirit, or perhaps he had simply fallen into a deep sleep.