Chapter 216 - 125: Each With Their Own Scheme

Chapter 216: Chapter 125: Each With Their Own Scheme

"Oh?" Yang Bijie was taken aback by his words and pressed, "Attaining a Primordial Spirit—is that similar to a Grotto Heaven Master?"

Seeing his ignorance, Xuzhuang didn’t feel he had misspoken. He answered calmly, "A Primordial Spirit True Man achieves long life and lasting vision. Perhaps it is similar to a Grotto Heaven Master."

"Worthy of Daochen... Zhenren." Yang Bijie muttered to himself, then said with a smile, "Fellow Daoist, you may not know this, but back when Daochen Zhenren was still around, a Zhenren from my Dragon Image Sect intended to take him as a disciple and pass down our Grotto Heaven method. Unexpectedly, Daochen Zhenren said he had his own Heaven-Reaching Dao and had no desire for a heterodox path."

"Such a thing happened?" Xuzhuang hadn’t expected Daochen Zhenren to have such a history with the Dragon Image Sect. He asked, "Did Senior Brother Daochen ever get to observe the Grotto Heaven method?"

Yang Bijie shook his head and said, "He did not."

Xuzhuang said thoughtfully, "So that’s how it is."

With Daochen Zhenren as a common link, the atmosphere immediately warmed. After a long chat, Xuzhuang fully understood the past interactions between the Dragon Image Sect and Daochen Zhenren, and he gained a clearer picture of the situation in the Celestial Waterfall Realm. Meanwhile, Yang Bijie also took the opportunity to learn a bit from Xuzhuang about the Profound Yellow Realm—or rather, the situation outside the Celestial Waterfall Realm.

He wanted to fish for more information, but Xuzhuang, though he didn’t feel there was anything that couldn’t be revealed, had no desire for further deep conversation. Instead, he changed the subject, asking, "Fellow Daoist, your repeated invitations must be about the Celestial Waterfall Dharma Assembly, correct?"

Seeing Xuzhuang bring up the main topic, Yang Bijie’s expression also turned serious. "Indeed," he said.

Xuzhuang nodded slightly and asked, "I wonder what Fellow Daoist’s thoughts are?"

Yang Bijie took a sip of tea and spoke slowly, "Decades ago, I sent Wan Zhan to negotiate with you, Fellow Daoist. You said that as long as my Dragon Image Sect lends you the Grotto Heaven method to peruse, you will act on our behalf against Venerable Chu River."

"I wonder if this offer still stands?"

Xuzhuang also picked up his teacup, smiling. "Naturally, it still stands. However..."

"Hm?" Yang Bijie frowned slightly and said bluntly, "Please speak freely, Fellow Daoist."

"I am very curious," Xuzhuang said. "No matter how you look at it, your esteemed sect is a major sect with a Grotto Heaven. Can a mere Chu River truly cause your sect such distress?"

Hearing this, Yang Bijie sighed softly. "If it were just Chu River alone, it truly wouldn’t have come to this. Although Chu River is at the Nascent Soul Third Layer, I am no pushover. And with the protective magic treasures passed down by our Ancestor Grandmaster, I wouldn’t necessarily lose to him."

It was within Xuzhuang’s expectations that the Dragon Image Sect had inherited magic treasures. But then Yang Bijie continued, "Fellow Daoist, you must know of the Celestial Permanence Sect, one of the Five Domains Great Sects, right?"

Xuzhuang nodded. Yang Bijie said, "The Divine Flow Sect, or rather, the one behind Chu River, is actually the Celestial Permanence Sect. They are the ones providing support. That is the fundamental reason for my worries."

Xuzhuang said thoughtfully, "Your sect and the Celestial Permanence Sect are both lineages of Earth Immortal Ancestor Grandmasters. Even if not as close as brothers, you share a common origin. Why would the Celestial Permanence Sect support an outsider in coveting this position?"

Yang Bijie shook his head. "There is something you don’t know, Fellow Daoist. The Tianheng Zhenren, like my sect’s own Zhenren, has already passed away."

"Oh?" A glint flashed in Xuzhuang’s eyes. He suddenly understood many of the key points, though he still needed Yang Bijie to fill in the finer details.

Yang Bijie continued, "But unlike my Dragon Image Sect, which is currently suffering a generational gap, the Celestial Permanence Sect has both Jiang Chengzi and He Haojun, who have successively cultivated to the Nascent Soul Third Layer..."

"I see." As Yang Bijie explained, Xuzhuang came to understand the matter. His mind raced, and he suddenly thought, ’If that’s the case... the plan can be changed.’

Yang Bijie sighed. "So, while my Dragon Image Sect has a certain degree of confidence in dealing with Chu River, after him, there’s still Jiang Chengzi... or He Haojun. Both follow the Daoist methods of the Celestial Permanence Sect and have achieved the peak of the Nascent Soul realm. Even if they can’t bring a magic treasure to break through our gates, they are still extremely troublesome."

"Therefore, if you, Fellow Daoist, can truly act as the vanguard for the Dragon Image Sect and deal with Venerable Chu River, I can then focus all my efforts on dealing with Jiang Chengzi or He Haojun. For that, lending you the Grotto Heaven method is not out of the question."

Having said this, Yang Bijie stared at Xuzhuang with piercing eyes.

"You have a great deal of trust in me, Fellow Daoist," Xuzhuang said with a carefree smile.

Yang Bijie said, "Have you forgotten, Fellow Daoist? I have also witnessed Venerable Dao Chen’s splendor. You and Venerable Dao Chen are both geniuses of a kind this realm can scarcely imagine. Of course, I trust you."

Hearing this, Xuzhuang smiled and said, "I’m afraid you have no choice but to trust me."

Yang Bijie could only offer a bitter smile.

Xuzhuang took a sip of tea on his own, voiced his appreciation for it, and placed the cup back on the small table before saying, "Rest assured, Fellow Daoist. I can indeed take care of Chu River for your esteemed sect."

Yang Bijie did not look pleased to hear this. Instead, his expression grew grave as he asked, "It seems you have more to say, Fellow Daoist?"

Seeing this, Xuzhuang couldn’t help but be taken aback. He waved his hand and said, "There’s no need to worry, Fellow Daoist. I am not one to raise the price on the spot."

Only then did Yang Bijie breathe a sigh of relief. "Then, I wonder what other guidance you have for me, Fellow Daoist?"

Xuzhuang nodded slightly and said slowly, "What if I were to say that regardless of whether it is Jiang Chengzi or He Haojun who breaks through the gates and joins the Divine Flow Sect..."

"...I can take care of them for your esteemed sect as well?"

Yang Bijie’s gaze turned sharp. He didn’t rush to question it, but instead pondered, "Then what are your esteemed sect’s conditions?"

A thought stirred in Xuzhuang’s mind. He knew Yang Bijie had mistaken his words for the official stance of the Tai Su Orthodox Sect. ’That’s fine too,’ he thought, ’it saves me the trouble of arguing about whether I’m capable of it or not.’ He gave a slight smile and said, "The Celestial Permanence Sect has already proven itself to be faithless and unjust. Your esteemed sect need no longer feel bound by any past sentiment."

Yang Bijie’s heart shook. He heard Xuzhuang say coolly, "I hope that the Dragon Image Sect will support the True Form Temple in replacing the Celestial Permanence Sect."

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