Chapter 316: The Grudges of the Old

Chapter 316: The Grudges of the Old

Fang Chen walked out of the tea room under the admiring eyes of Xia Ji and followed Master Chanyuan into a meditation room.

"Benefactor Fang, you have sharp insight; you've already guessed the connection between Profound Void Temple and your ancestor," said Master Chanyuan, smiling.

Fang Chen smiled back. "Xia Ji has also guessed it, he wasn’t just asking."

Master Chanyuan nodded lightly. "Xia Ji has an excellent temperament, but unfortunately, I cannot teach him Buddhist teachings."

"Master, could you please talk about that incident?" requested Fang Chen.

"If it was anyone else, I wouldn’t tell them about it; however, you’re different. That incident happened exactly 394 years ago. I was only six years old at the time, just a novice monk who had recently scaled the mountain."

Master Chanyuan is four hundred years old?

Fang Chen felt a bit amazed. Despite being only at the Foundation Building Realm, Master Chanyuan was four hundred years old. It seemed that the end of his lifespan had not yet arrived, which explained why various forces had been eyeing this place.

"Profound Void Temple was still flourishing back then, and Buddhism was revered as the religion of the empire. The three Golden Core Realm ancestors in the temple were all national teachers of the empire. Under their leadership, the monks spread the Buddhist teachings, and every household in the Grand Qian Empire worshiped Buddha," reminisced Master Chanyuan, his eyes nostalgic.

"It was also during that time that the Fang Family produced an extraordinary talent. His cultivation talent was astonishing. He formed his first immortal vein at the age of six, reached the 12th stage of the Qi Refining Realm at thirteen, and entered the Foundation Building Realm at fifteen. Therefore, he was extremely valued by a sect and was recruited under their banner. Everyone guessed that the sect hailed from a first-tier empire."

First-tier empire? My ancestor was a disciple of a first-tier empire?

Fang Chen was surprised.

"He entered that sect at fifteen. And by the time he returned to the empire, he was already in his early thirties, and by then, he was already a Golden Core Realm powerhouse.

"Even though I have never been to a first-tier empire, I can still conclude that he must’ve been a genius among geniuses over there with his talent.

"If that incident hadn’t happened, then I’d imagine that his cultivation would’ve reached an unimaginable realm after these four hundred years." Master Chanyuan sighed. "With regards to this matter, the Profound Void Temple failed him, the Fang Family failed him, the Jue Family failed him, and the Grand Qian Empire failed him."

"Master Chanyuan, what exactly happened?" asked Fang Chen, unable to hold back his curiosity. Had his ancestor been manipulated by these factions?

I'll discuss this with Xia Ji, he’s got a knack for figuring out these types of things, thought Fang Chen.

Master Chanyuan stopped speaking and closed his eyes. He began reciting Buddhist scriptures in a low voice.

Fang Chen knew that this was Master Chanyuan’s way of bidding him farewell, so he got up to leave. However, as he reached the door, he paused.

Turning around, Fang Chen asked, "Master Chanyuan, what kind of 'other shore' did you seek back then?"

Master Chanyuan remained silent for a while without answering.

Fang Chen saw a bitter smile rise on Master Chanyuan’s lips.

"For me to reteach the Buddhist teachings and revitalize Profound Void Temple.”

***

Xia Ji had been waiting outside the courtyard for quite a long time. When he saw Fang Chen step outside the meditation room, he walked over, his eyes urging Fang Chen to spill it all out.

"It’s a bit complicated. Tell me what you think after,” Fang Chen said to Xia Ji as they walked to a nearby ancient tree.

Fang Chen recounted the story to Xia Ji.

After Fang Chen finished speaking, a serious expression appeared on Xia Ji's face. "Someone in that first-tier empire aimed to harm your ancestor, but they didn’t dare act directly. They lurked in the shadows, which meant that there was something that they feared.

"Your ancestor’s sect did not send anyone, but instead, a female cultivator appeared and massacred the Profound Void Temple." Xia Ji looked at Fang Chen. “Is there a possibility that the person who had plotted against your ancestor feared that female cultivator and the sect behind her?"

"You mean..." pondered Fang Chen,"that the one who had plotted against my ancestor was actually someone from the same sect as him?"

Xia Ji nodded slightly. "Besides that, I can't think of any other reason as to why your ancestor’s sect would go completely silent regarding this matter. The mastermind must hold a high position and have a certain degree of status. Otherwise, your ancestor would have returned to the sect instead of leaving for a remote place,” said Xia Ji. “I think that this entire situation had been bred from jealousy, and it was an attempt by that person to eliminate dissidents.”

Xia Ji assessed Fang Chen for a moment, then mouthed, "Fang Da, this happened hundreds of years ago—it’s a grudge of the old. It's best for you not to get involved. You can’t imagine how powerful these sects in first-tier empires are."Yôur favorite stories at novelhall.com