511: Chapter 71 Struggle_2 511: Chapter 71 Struggle_2 “…”
Xie Xuanyi’s expression became solemn.
In the previous great era, on the Heavenly Pride List, there was no mention of Chen Chong!
When I visited Li Kingdom to challenge swordsmen and sought duels everywhere, I never heard of anyone named Chen Chong!
Is this guy…
deliberately avoiding me because he knows he has no hope of winning the top spot?
“It won’t be long before Chen Chong breaks through to the next realm.”
Qian San sighed and slowly said, “Looking at this trend, among the Ten Heroes of the World, he is bound to claim a spot…
There is something I am unsure if it is appropriate to say.”
Xie Xuanyi chuckled: “Feel free to speak.”
“In the last great era, heroes were as plentiful as fish crossing a river…
Little Xie Mountain Master’s master, the Xuan Yi Sword Immortal, had unrivaled elegance and was the leader of all, beyond any doubt.”
Qian San paused, murmured: “However, with the downfall of the North Sea, the fortune and grace of the former Sword Dao Leader seem to have gradually shifted to Chen Chong.
Chen Chong is now the lord of the Three States Iron Cavalry, the youngest Shangzhu Country in the history of Li Kingdom, with nothing left to be bestowed or rewarded…”
Xie Xuanyi fell silent.
Nothing left to be bestowed or rewarded.
This indeed resembled how I was in the past.
“I’ve heard that Xuanwei Island possesses the ‘Star Shifting’ technique.
Unfortunately, despite risking my life for Nalan Xuance over the years, I’ve never really earned his full trust…” Qian San gave a self-deprecating smile, “I’m not afraid of making Little Xie Mountain Master laugh, but I’ve suspected that Nalan Xuance used some evil technique to transplant the fortune of Xuan Yi Sword Immortal onto Chen Chong, creating this new exceptional hero.”
“The fortune of the world is like a vast river, endlessly flowing.”
Xie Xuanyi laughed: “Even if Xie Xuanyi once led the pack unbeatably, there will always be newer generations who will rise and replace him…
Likewise, while Chen Chong is formidable now, it’s uncertain if he can stop the emerging talents and young upstarts.”
“Little Xie Mountain Master has such insights?”
Qian San was surprised, sighing with emotion: “Truly worthy of being a disciple of the Xuan Yi Sword Immortal and a new leader among the heavenly proud.
I underestimated your perspective.”
He had thought that Xie Zhen, as Xie Xuanyi’s disciple, would be very sensitive to such talk.
Unexpectedly, Xie Zhen didn’t mind at all.
“But…”
Qian San curiously asked: “Little Xie Mountain Master, why did you inquire about those two?”
“The Li Kingdom is currently unstable, and I’m sure Brother Qian is well aware…
Chen Chong and Nalan Xuance are joining forces in ‘Destroying Buddha.'”
Xie Xuanyi raised an eyebrow and looked out the window.
The Purple Green Treasure Ship was about to dock.
The diplomatic delegation’s monks were busy moving crates of scriptures and leading out fine horses.
“I see.”
Qian San nodded; though he was a secret agent placed by Chen Jingxuan, having just returned from Li Kingdom, he wasn’t quite familiar with recent happenings in Great Chu and had maintained a low profile to avoid the Imperial City Department’s surveillance, not having had a chance to interact with the delegation…
Now Qian San understood.
He lowered his voice and slowly said: “Do you know why Nalan Xuance and Chen Chong have teamed up against Fan Yin Temple?”
“Why?”
When Xie Xuanyi asked that question, Miao Zhen hadn’t clarified.
“The King of Li Kingdom is not long for this world.”
Qian San spoke lightly: “In recent years, he has stayed behind the scenes, neglecting state affairs, with only a very few long-serving maids allowed to see him, surviving barely on Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures…
This king has many children, and the instability of the royal power arises from this.”
The King of Li Kingdom, once a formidable ruler, competed with Great Chu for a century.
Unfortunately.
Time spares no one.
Even those with overwhelming power cannot escape the cycle of life and death.
“Your meaning is…”
Xie Xuanyi felt a chill in his heart.
“This King has apparently been selecting the new ‘Crown Prince’ over these years.”
Qian San said sarcastically, “Actually, the current state of Li Kingdom shouldn’t have been so turbulent…
Nalan Xuance has assisted the Crown Prince of Li for many years.
The Crown Prince’s position is solid and his influence is growing; logically, he should be succeeding the throne smoothly.
However, in recent years, the King suddenly began to favor the youngest Ninth Prince, and this Ninth Prince just happens to have an indissoluble bond with Fan Yin Temple.”
Xie Xuanyi, who usually paid little attention to the politics of Li Kingdom, had not thought in this direction.
But Qian San pointed out this relationship with a single statement.
“In this world, there is never a struggle without reason…”
Qian San spoke lightly, “Destroying Buddha is about fighting for power.
The reason Nalan Xuance and Chen Chong stand together is because they have always been firm supporters of the Crown Prince of Li.”
Xie Xuanyi lowered his eyelids.
So that was it…
There were some things Miao Zhen didn’t tell him.
The reason Chen Chong and Nalan Xuance wanted to “Destroy Buddha” was because Fan Yin Temple stood against them.
Had it not been for Qian San pointing this out, he might still be kept in the dark about the struggle between the Crown Prince and the Ninth Prince…
Xie Xuanyi raised his head: “What exactly is the relationship between this Ninth Prince and Fan Yin Temple?”
“The Ninth Prince once met with the Zen Master.”
Qian San said only this.
Xie Xuanyi was somewhat dumbfounded: “That’s it?
Nothing more?”
“Nothing more.”
Qian San gave a wry smile, saying, “It sounds absurd, but if you think about it, it’s actually quite reasonable.
For nearly a hundred years, so many have wanted to meet the Zen Master, who always declined visitors under the pretext of ‘inconvenience’.
Yet, he chose to meet the Ninth Prince at a time of turmoil in Li Kingdom.
Isn’t that enough to prove their relationship?”
“And after that, the King of Li began to favor, or even ‘dote excessively’ on the Ninth Prince.”
Qian San sighed deeply, “From this point on, no matter how you explain it, it’s futile.
Everyone believes that Fan Yin Temple has placed their bets in this struggle; they chose the Ninth Prince…”
This is the struggle for imperial power…
The world is not just black and white, but once the struggle begins, there are only two colors.
Enemies, Friends.
An enemy’s friend, is an enemy.
There was no need for Qian San to say more; Xie Xuanyi could guess that faced with the world’s suspicions, the Ninth Prince would not explain a single word.
In such a situation, Fan Yin Temple cannot explain either.
No one knows the thoughts of the Zen Master, nor does anyone have the authority to interpret his thoughts.
Xie Xuanyi asked, “Brother Qian, working for Nalan Xuance in Fangyuan Square, do you have any more detailed intelligence?”
“Truly, no more.”
Qian San shook his head earnestly, saying, “Although Fangyuan Square is well-connected, some places are ultimately impenetrable.
Like Da Sui Sword Palace, or like Fan Yin Temple.
Over these years, Nalan Xuance has also wanted to clarify the relationship between the Ninth Prince and the Buddhist community, but he has investigated for a long time without uncovering anything.”
“This matter…
is a bit beyond my understanding…”
Xie Xuanyi rubbed his temples, expressing his annoyance: “It’s merely a fight for power; even if the Ninth Prince is on good terms with Fan Yin Temple, why does Nalan Xuance need to go to the extent of risking provoking the Zen Master and extensively planning to Destroy Buddha?”
“The best way to seize power is to directly eliminate the opposition.”
Qian San raised an eyebrow and chuckled, “About seven or eight years ago, I heard that Nalan Xuance once tried to personally move against and directly kill the Ninth Prince…
But now the Ninth Prince is still alive and well, which shows that the assassination ultimately failed.”
“I do not know what happened…”
“Since then, the Master of Xuanwei Island has been madly targeting Fan Yin Temple.”
“The spies from Fangyuan Square of Li Kingdom, more than thirty percent, have been dispatched and stationed near Li Country’s Buddhist Temples…”
“The distribution of the Buddhist community, maps excluding the main sect of Fan Yin Temple, have all been drawn.”
Qian San lamented, “After all, the opponent is Buddhism, possessing a thousand years of accumulated heritage; Nalan Xuance alone is far from enough.
However, through years of groundwork, Chen Chong has finally succeeded in rising to the position of Three States Iron Cavalry Lord.
Currently, as Yuan Province is in turmoil, it seems that Nalan Xuance’s ‘Destroying Buddha’ plan is soon to be put into action…”