The Eight Gods' Past, the Hypocrisy of the Righteous Path

"Cough, cough! Ptooey! What's that smell...?" As the thick smoke slowly cleared, Cangsong emerged from it, constantly patting down his clothes for fear that something had stuck to them.

Cangsong waved a hand, and the smoke vanished in an instant. Seeing how exhausted Qin Yi looked, Cangsong said irritably, "Not bad, kid. Really not bad."

"At least, considering your age and your current strength, you can already stand shoulder to shoulder with those so-called geniuses of the Central Province."

Qin Yi swallowed a pill to replenish some of his spiritual power, then walked over to Cangsong and asked in puzzlement, "Grandmaster, although books say that the Central Province gathers the Spiritual Qi of the entire continent and that cultivators there are blessed with exceptional advantages, I still don't understand. Is the gap between our four regions and the Central Province really that great?"

Cangsong looked up at the blue sky, seeming to recall something. Then he sighed and walked toward the bamboo grove, with Qin Yi hurrying after him. Cangsong had set out a table and chairs deep in the grove beforehand. After sitting down and pouring himself a cup of wine, he beckoned Qin Yi over to sit.

After savoring a sip of fine wine, Cangsong spoke at a leisurely pace. "I'm in a good mood today, so I'll tell you about the gap between us and the Central Province."

"You should know that this continent is divided into five regions. The Central Province lies at the center, while the four regions to its east, west, south, and north surround it. The Central Province is at the very heart of the continent, where the Principles of heaven and earth are more complete, so the cultivators there are a step ahead of everyone else from birth."

Cangsong glanced at Qin Yi. "As for why, what do you think of the Spiritual Qi in your bamboo grove?"

Qin Yi thought for a moment before answering, "Purple Myrtle Peak has the densest Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi in the Eight Gods Pavilion. Although my place can't compare with the mountaintop where Master cultivates, she set up a top-grade Three Talents Spirit Gathering Formation in this bamboo grove. It shouldn't be any worse than those sects in the Central Province, should it?"

Cangsong took a large gulp of wine and smiled disdainfully. "Not any worse than theirs? To tell you the truth, the concentration of Spiritual Qi here is barely comparable to the cultivation environment of inner disciples in those Central Province sects. But don't forget, you're a direct disciple of the Eight Gods Pavilion."

"The cultivation environments of those direct disciples in the Central Province-tsk, even I'm a little envious. From birth, their bodies are nourished with all manner of spiritual fruits, herbs, and pills, so their meridians are far tougher than those of ordinary people. Otherwise, they wouldn't be able to withstand the dense Spiritual Qi there at all."

Qin Yi frowned at this. It seemed he had underestimated those Central Province geniuses. He had thought he could stand shoulder to shoulder with them, but now it seemed he was still too weak.

Cangsong glanced at Qin Yi and smiled. "Only by looking up at the vastness of heaven and earth can one know how small one is. I'm telling you this today so that you'll look further ahead, rather than confining your sights to the narrow Eastern Region."

Qin Yi nodded slightly. "I understand, Grandmaster."

Cangsong waved a hand and said in a somewhat grave tone, "Judging by the power of those two moves you just used, I imagine your master passed the Buddhist body-tempering technique on to you when she took you as her disciple. Otherwise, your meridians wouldn't be able to withstand the circulation of such immense spiritual power."

Qin Yi's pupils contracted slightly. It seemed there was more to this Buddhist Vajra. He nodded and said, "Master did pass this technique on to me back then, and I've cultivated it for several years. But after hearing what you said today, Grandmaster, I imagine Master had another purpose in doing so."

"Haha!" Cangsong threw back his head and laughed twice. "That's right. You're a clever lad. Your master did have another purpose."

"Your master has great expectations for you. She has also set foot on the path I once took, but she's done far better than I did."

At this, Cangsong sighed, and his eyes grew somewhat sad. He spoke slowly. "I imagine you've already met Bai Junhao."

Cangsong looked Qin Yi straight in the eyes. Qin Yi hesitated, but admitted it nonetheless. "I have met Bai Junhao, but he has defected to the demonic path. What does he have to do with this?"

"Because he was the one who brought that cultivation method back."

Cangsong's words utterly shocked Qin Yi. "He-he brought this cultivation method back? Then why did he defect? Shouldn't that have been a great merit...?"

As Qin Yi spoke, he seemed to think of something. Bai Junhao had said that day that everyone on the righteous path was a hypocrite. Could it be...?

Cangsong set down his wine cup, seemingly recalling the past. "Back then, Xiao Qi was exceptionally gifted and went to the Central Province to gain experience at a young age. After he left, I had nothing to occupy my time, so I decided to take on disciples. Thus, I took the current grand elder, Su Mingyue, and Bai Junhao, now the left protector of the demonic path, as my disciples."

When Cangsong mentioned Bai Junhao, the corners of his mouth rose slightly, but bitterness soon appeared on his face. "Bai Junhao was a little more gifted than Mingyue. I did everything I could to nurture them, hoping they could catch up with Xiao Qi one day. Later, when their cultivation broke through to the Foundation Establishment Middle Stage, I told them about the Central Province."

"The founding patriarchs of our Eight Gods Pavilion came from the Central Province, and it was thanks to their deep foundations that our Eight Gods Pavilion was able to rise so quickly. Later, after training their successors, they returned to the Central Province. Our Eight Gods Pavilion has remained in contact with them, sending the pavilion's geniuses to the Central Province to gain experience."

"Mingyue was all right. She was hardworking and steady, and she didn't set her sights unrealistically high. But Bai Junhao was different. He was proud and arrogant, relying on his exceptional talent and craving quick results. He wanted to meet my expectations quickly, but he nearly suffered Qi Deviation. Fortunately, I stopped him in time, but his meridians were damaged."

"After his meridians were injured, he became almost possessed, poring over countless ancient texts and consulting every elder in the sect. Eventually, he learned that the Heavenly Buddha Temple's top body-tempering technique, Buddhist Vajra, could help him repair and even strengthen his meridians and rebuild his foundation. So he set his sights on the Heavenly Buddha Temple."

"Bai Junhao knew full well that I wouldn't let him act recklessly. While I was in seclusion, he issued a formal challenge to the Buddhist son of the time, staking Buddhist Vajra and my signature technique, the Nine Heavens Sword Instruction. The Buddhists also wanted my Nine Heavens Sword Instruction, so they set up an arena on the summit of Heavenly Peace Peak for the decisive battle."

"In the end, Bai Junhao defeated the Buddhist son, though he himself was gravely injured. But just after Bai Junhao obtained Buddhist Vajra and returned to the sect, word suddenly came from the Heavenly Buddha Temple that the Buddhist son had been gravely injured and crippled. At the same time, some petty people in the Eight Gods Pavilion spread word that Bai Junhao had suffered Qi Deviation."

"Just a few days later, the Heavenly Buddha Temple brought countless sects up the mountain to demand that we hand him over. They branded Bai Junhao a fiend and demanded that he be executed in public. Even though I came out of seclusion and did everything I could to dissuade them, I still underestimated those bald Buddhist donkeys. They actually incited all the other sects except the Clear Bathing Palace to join forces and put pressure on us."

"Alas..."