The Legend of Futian

While Liu Chan had anticipated the day to be one that would have caught the attention of many, he never expected just about all of the absolute top-class figures to be found in the Barren State to show. Even the Ice Temple had someone coming to the Holy Zhi Palace.

Of course, Liu Chan knew that majority came only to see what was about to happen. While their stances and attitudes were unknown, he knew for sure that the ones who would actually get involved were but a handful.

Sage Wanxiang was performing divination in Wanxiang Pavilion. Stars showered from above as he spun the star wheel around. He saw the grand Holy Zhi Palace caught in the middle of a storm, dark omens of devastating trouble shone and dark clouds overshadow the place. It seemed that the storm would soon be upon them, and dawn was nowhere to be found.

“Someone come here,” Sage Wanxiang shouted. One of his students walked and felt completely shaken by the image they saw. “Teacher, this is?”

“Go inform the Assistant Palace Lord that the ordeal of the Holy Zhi Palace is upon us.” Sage Wanxiang then added, “I need time to observe the stars, to wait for a sign to break the ordeal.”

The one who walked in had a very serious look on their face. Is Ye Futian’s arrival at the Holy Zhi Palace the ordeal spoken in the divination? How is this happening? What is going to happen today?

“Yes, teacher.” They nodded and left to inform Liu Chan of Holy Sage Pavilion. Liu Chan was just as shocked hearing Sage Wanxiang’s words. He was, however, puzzled as to where this ordeal was to come from.

Nothing was heard from the forces of Zhisheng Cliffs. The great force that hailed from Yu State probably had ample preparations.

What do we need to do before they will leave the Barren State alone? I never expected Sage Wanxiang to actually need to observe the stars like this. It is anyone’s guess how fearsome the signs are this time. Is a storm about to hit the Barren State today after such a long time of peace?

Liu Chan’s eyes were adamant. Whatever was to happen, he would be there to help the Holy Zhi Palace survive the ordeal, for it was his mission to do so.

In the Palace where the mighty ones of Zhisheng Cliffs were housed, Kong Yao turned his eyes to the person before him and said, “I heard Ye Futian is on his way here.”

“Not just Ye Futian. Many of the top class figures from all over the Barren State will also be here today. They may be quite a lot who want to get involved in this,” the person before him said.

Kong Yao remained calm, however, with a tinge of sarcasm on his face.

So things turned out like this? he thought. Very well, time to clean everything up in the Holy Zhi Palace once and for all. Without a saint in the Barren State for so many years, they seem to have forgotten what respect and fear are. Well then, it’s time for the forces in the Barren State to undergo a reshuffling. This place of Orthodoxy of Emperor Xia will be taken away sooner or later. All it needs for that to come true is simply a chance.

Kong Yao headed for a prison which was specifically built for Gu Dongliu, locking the man within.

“Your little brother is here,” Kong Yao said, looking at Gu Dongliu.

Gu Dongliu looked at Kong Yao and sighed to himself. So our Little Brother is still here in Barren State?

“Not just Ye Futian. Zhuge Qingfeng, Yuan Hong, and many others will come too. You may want to shoulder everything yourself, but it seems like there are many out there who actually care about you.” Kong Yao smirked sarcastically. “It’s fine how things turn out, as I want to see who dares to stand up.” He lifted his head and little and said, “Everyone, prepare to get a move on.” Many silhouettes arrived by air as soon as he finished. All of them were mighty ones from Zhisheng Cliffs. Two walked to Kong Yao’s side. Their bearing was imposing, which meant that they were incredibly fearsome people.

“Senior Kong. I heard that there are many ranked on the Barren Sky Ranking here today?” someone at his side said sarcastically. The tone was such that it seemed that the person did not care about it at all.

“Indeed.” Kong Yao nodded.

“It’s been quite a while since I last went tempering my skills in martial arts with top-class sages.” An elder beside him said in an extremely cold manner, “If someone dares move against Zhisheng Cliffs, I’m not going to hold back. I assume you won’t have any opinions about that?”

“None at all. Anyone who dares meddle in this, there will be no mercy for them,” Kong Yao said in an equally cold manner.

“Very well then.” The elder nodded. “I heard that things didn’t go so well for you when you were here last. Your opponent seemed to have used divine ritual implements. I guess this time you will be able to go at them with full force.”

“It’s a good thing to have so many mighty ones throughout the Barren State gathering here today. We’ll be able to teach them a lesson in fear and respect.” Kong Yao said with a tinge of murderous intent in his eyes, “Let’s go.”

The group left as soon as he finished his words.

Gu Dongliu sighed as he watched them leave. The trouble did not end up quelled, and it seemed that the storm was inevitable. He had been listening to the chatter in Kong Yao’s group for the past few days and knew that they brought quite a line-up this time. Zhisheng Cliffs wanted more than revenge for Zhan Xiao; they wanted to a show of force in the Barren State.

With a Son of Zhisheng Cliffs killed in the Barren State, all the other states of the nine states would have probably been looking at how events unfolded in the Barren State.

…

The outskirts of Holy Zhi Palace were filled with people. There were mighty ones to be found as far as the eye was able to see. Mighty ones from everywhere had arrived.

Liu Chan and Sage Tianxing went outside the palace and laid their eyes on all those who came.

Liu Chan turned his eyes to one direction, finding a group of a woman carrying a carriage made of ice. A lithe, alluring woman was seen sitting in that pure, flawless carriage, yet no one dared intrude the construct with their spiritual powers.

“Lord Yun, you are here,” Liu Chan greeted.

“Liu Chan, it has been a while.” A calm voice was heard from within the carriage. Many turned their eyes in her direction. She is indeed here. The most powerful woman in all of the Barren State, and the one who ranked second on the Barren Sky Ranking, just one place beneath the Lord of the entire Holy Zhi Palace.

“Shouldn’t you be training within the Ice Temple, Lord Yun? What brings you here?” Liu Chan then added, “I assume you are here to see what is about to happen to the Holy Zhi Palace?”

“My daughter was training in the Holy Zhi Palace for some years and she had seen quite a lot of progress in her training. As such, I’m here today to give my gratitude to the Holy Zhi Palace,” the woman in the carriage said. Liu Chan was caught off-guard. The daughter of the Lord of Ice Temple training in the Holy Zhi Palace? It was something that he did not even know about.

“It is our honor to have your daughter train in the palace, Lord Yun,” Liu Chan replied politely. The woman before him was ranked second on the Barren Sky Ranking and, with his senior currently recuperating from his injuries, it would have made her the most powerful being in all of the Barren State.

“Yun Shuisheng?” Sage Daozang felt something was off. One of his personal students was named Yun Shuisheng. They surname was Yun. However, people usually took their father’s surname, but it was hardly surprising for the daughter of the Lord of the Ice Temple to take her mother’s surname instead. While there were many students of excellent caliber in the Holy Zhi Palace, few fit the assumed criteria befitting the princess of Ice Temple’s caliber. With many among those that came to mind having a clear background, the only one who was left was none other than Yun Shuisheng.

“Teacher, it’s me,” a girl bowed in the Holy Zhi Palace and said. “Please forgive me for having hidden my true identity from you.”

“It doesn’t matter. The Holy Zhi Palace hardly takes the birth of those to be trained into consideration when picking students. Or rather, now that you’ve made your identity as the princess of Ice Temple clear, it’s quite flattering to have me train someone like you.” Sage Daozang said with a smile, then added, “But, I don’t think your mother, Lord Yun, is coming just to see you.”

Sage Daozang had long had doubts about all that. The timing at which Lord Yun showed up was too convenient. To his knowledge, Yun Shuisheng and Ye Futian shared a rather amicable relationship, and they had both went to Alchemy City before.

“I heard from Shuisheng that one of her friends has top-class talents and caliber, one who defeated Qin Zhong, who was known in Zhisheng Cliffs to possess the potential for sainthood. Such a person, however, was expelled from the Holy Zhi Palace and is to be taken by the palace as a present for Zhisheng Cliffs. I heard that he would show in the Holy Zhi Palace today, and so here I am out of curiosity,” Lord Yun elaborated. Liu Chan and Sage Daozang both looked in the direction of the carriage. It never came to them that Yun Shuisheng actually called the Lord of Ice Temple here.

“I assume you are all here out of curiosity, then?” Liu Chan looked at the others and asked.

No one answered. It was apparent that all who showed today had their own attitude and stance on things.

Seeing how he did not get any answer from the crowd. Liu Chan smirked coldly and said, “Well then, I look forward to how things will turn out.”

He stood on top of the Holy Zhi Palace and looked far away. Wanxiang said today would be the day when the Ordeal of the Holy Zhi Palace comes. With so many mighty ones from all over the Barren State here, I wonder what form this ordeal will take indeed.

Zhuge Qingfeng, Yuan Hong, and Ye Futian were seen arriving outside of Thousand Holy Islands. Zhuge Mingyue and Hua Jieyu came as well. Ye Futian stopped and scanned the many island cities beneath him. He would have reached the grounds of the palace itself a little further from where he was then. If he were to go any further, the possibility of him returning would be very slim.

“This is far enough. Jieyu, you can head back now,” Ye Futian turned around and said to Hua Jieyu all of a sudden.

Hua Jieyu’s eyes were frozen. She then went on to stare at him with very cold eyes. He said he would let her go with him.

“You promised me.” She remained staring at Ye Futian, her eyes filled with determination.

“I did what?” Ye Futian looked at Hua Jieyu and said, “Don’t you know that I’m better with words and flirting than anything else? That promise was nothing.”

Hua Jieyu remained staring at him without saying anything.

Ye Futian started looking frustrated and said, “You have any idea how annoying you are? Loulan Xue is indeed the better girl, obedient and knows how to take care of others and all. You’re just a stubborn bull in comparison.”

Hua Jieyu remained staring at him.

“Will you just leave?” Ye Futian’s tone turned serious.

“No way,” Hua Jieyu answered.

“How can you be so selfish?” Ye Futian’s tone became very irritated. “That day in Taihang Mountain, you cared only about yourself and you had Third Brother go to face everything himself. So what are you doing here today? You’re being awful, tagging along. You know that? Just what are you doing here? To show how noble your love is? What about your folks? What about them, huh?”

Hua Jieyu’s eyes were fixed on him as they went slightly red. She felt very guilty of what happened at Taihang Mountain. She was being selfish. She indeed betrayed Third Brother and Second Sister just so he was able to live. She was able to even betray her parents now.

But am I doing this just to show how noble my love is?

“Alright, I’ll tell you the truth, having come so far and all. You know well what kind of a person I am. I’m a ladies’ man. Unless you like fighting with other girls for my favor, I can tell you this much: I’ve been with quite a number of girls all this while, and I’m now getting increasingly sick of you. You’re good for nothing, but still, I don’t want to drag you into this mess. Stop following me.” Ye Futian then said dismissively, “All that about you being my destiny and whatnot, I say that to girls all the time, and anyone who actually believes that nonsense is stupid.”

He then went on without her!