The Legend of Futian

The people of Starry School all had their eyes fixed on the figures emerging from the void. Two sages that stood guard by Ye Futian’s side quipped, “So it seems like Yang Ding of the Blazing Sun School has resorted to such methods?”

Yang Ding was the headmaster of the Blazing Sun School.

Although they were still figures of Sage level staying behind the school to hold down the fort while mighty ones of Starry School went bargaining with Nine Cloud Palace, the intruders from Blazing Sun School made it clear that they would leave with what they came for, and they came prepared.

“Ye Futian of Starry School killed a student of Blazing Sun School. There should be no problem of us taking him into custody. If all of you have no intention to cooperate, we will be forced to make a statement,” one of the intruders said.

“I will leave with you,” Ye Futian said, looking calm as he did so. If Blazing Sun School wanted to take him away, there was simply no way that they would leave empty-handed. He had to leave with them even if he did not want to. There was no use fighting in right there and then as there was no stopping these intruders.

“No.” Yu Sheng clenched his fists, looking at the figure in the void with angry eyes.

“Just wait for me here,” Ye Futian lowered his voice and said. He leaped into the void as soon as he was done.

The intruders from Blazing Sun School left with him without causing any further ruckus, seeing as how he was willing to cooperate.

Many within Starry School looked up at the void, seeing the intruders from Blazing Sun School as a bunch of bullies.

Blazing Sun School, like Starry School, was one of the three great schools in the Divine Sky City. It was built on the eastside of the city close to the mountains. The entire school seemed to emanate a Scorching Intent. Blazing Sun School was most abundant in fire elemental Spiritual Qi. It was like the place had actually inherited the fires of the sun.

Ye Futian was brought straight to a tall temple within Blazing Sun School. The rays of the sun shone on the old temple, making it seemed like the entire place was surrounded by fire. A figure was seen sitting on a sun chair in front of the temple—the headmaster of Blazing Sun School, Yang Ding. Mighty ones were seen at his flank, and both were important figures of the school.

“Greetings to you, seniors,” Ye Futian said as he bowed.

“Ye Futian, you killed Shang Yunfeng, a student of Blazing Sun School. What do you propose we do with you?” someone from the side asked.

Ye Futian turned his eyes to look at the one who asked, then answered, “When misfortune befalls any students of the three great schools out on pilgrimage, would any of the schools make such a fuss?”

“We naturally wouldn’t, but you are the Son of Starry School. Thus we can’t just treat this like some mishap.”

“Shang Yunfeng wasn’t strong enough to keep himself alive, and he ended up dead by my hands when out training and fighting for resources. If things like that needed figures like headmasters to get involved, the three schools would be at each other’s throats all the time. Why do you think you need to ask about this? Please just be forthright with your intentions of bringing me here,” Ye Futian said.

Both sides were clear that the death of Shang Yunfeng was but an excuse to get Ye Futian to Blazing Sun School.

“The martial arts battlefield was the sacred ground of the three great schools, run under the authority of the three great schools. How were you able to bring down the place? What did you find in the Divine Palace of the martial arts battlefield?” Yang Ding’s eyes fell onto Ye Futian, and he asked without bothering for context.

The very reason why Chen Yuan would confer the title of the Son onto Ye Futian and go to lengths to protect him, even waging a war against Nine Cloud Palace, was all because of what took place in the martial arts battlefield. It was only natural for him to want to find out what happened.

“I dare not speak lightly on the matter.” Ye Futian bowed.

“You think you are allowed to keep it to yourself?” Yang Ding shot back in a very direct manner, causing Ye Futian to wear a bitter smile on his face.

“If my words proved offensive to any of you, my seniors, please do forgive me.” Ye Futian cupped his hands slightly. “Madame Long looked for me and told me someone was investigating me after the incident on the martial arts battlefield. I knew I wasn’t able to keep things under wraps, and the truth would have been exposed. I wanted to bail, yet she gave me a choice after finding out the truth. She claimed the sages of the three schools were all important figures of impressive bearings and would have had immense tolerance for faults of others. As her clan, the West Mountain Dragon Clan, shares a very good working relationship with Starry School, she recommended me to Headmaster Chen.”

Those who were present heard his words seriously and thought his cunning to be something to be reckoned with. He had, after all, showered immense praise on the sages of all three schools, and they could not help but wonder if it was simply a ploy to make it difficult for them to move against him? Regardless, the sage level figures were immensely interested as to what kind of surreal encounters happened to him.

“I went through one obstacle after another in the martial arts battlefield, and finally stepped foot onto the ninth floor, taking out many martial arts spirits as I went. When I made it to the divine temple, I saw the founding saint of the three schools.” Ye Futian’s tone turned serious, and everyone who heard him wore exceptionally solemn expressions. They had not expected the Son to have such heaven-shaking luck to be able to meet the ancient saint.

“The saints left an undying will which was sealed within the battlefield. The very reason he left a divine path was to find one who would inherit his will. He bestowed his lineage to me after hearing about the schools of today, and ordered me to walk the divine path and leave the lineage behind for the three schools. Should it be possible, I was also to reunite the three schools as one, to serve as the master of all three schools, and reclaim the glory of day’s past.”

Ye Futian elaborated as he fixed his eyes on Yang Ding. Everyone present was shaken to the core of their being. Some even stood up to gaze at Ye Futian.

The saint passed down his lineage to him, Ye Futian? And he made him the master of all three schools?

Wasn’t that the same as having all of them call him ‘master’?

“That is ridiculous,” someone retorted in a cold manner, suspecting that Ye Futian was deliberately bluffing.

“I dare not lie to all of you.” Ye Futian continued, “If I hadn’t acquired the recommendation from Madame Long, I would not dare step foot into Starry School. If what I just said was a lie, Headmaster Chen would not have conferred me the title of the Son and held a grand ceremony to do so. I’m certain all seniors here realize that the Son was a hallowed disciple of the Divine Path, a student of the ancient Saint.”

Everyone’s eyes lit up, and they began to find what Ye Futian said to be true. The young man had calm eyes, looked at ease, not perturbed in the slightest as he spoke.

“What kind of lineage are we talking about here?” Yang Ding asked. Ye Futian had claimed that if he were to walk the Divine Path, he would leave his lineage behind to the three schools.

“Please see for yourselves,” Ye Futian answered. His surroundings shone with intense brilliance as he finished speaking as if he was showered in divine light. Beams of light lit up and illuminated the entire ancient temple. Three beams of divine light appeared and celestial bodies hung up high above their heads. The light of the saint rained down upon them. All eyes were dazzled as they fixed their gaze on Ye Futian.

Three beams of divine light and the silhouette of the saint was shown. The three beams represented the sun, the moon, and the stars respectively, which in turn represented the three schools of today.

“The three divine lights were left behind by the founding saint of the three schools himself, and he ordered me to inherit the three schools. When I walk the Divine Path, I will inherit the three lineages of the contemporary Divine Path. If I become a saint in the future, there will be no need for me to leave the three divine lights behind. I will simply follow the words of the saint and pass them down to the three schools respectively. As to whether the three schools would be reunited as one, I will leave that to all of you; I will not force my opinion on anyone.

“However, as I was bestowed with the task by the ancient saint, it is only natural for me to do my best and have all three lineages represented by the three divine lights left behind in Divine Sky City,” Ye Futian said plainly as if he was telling the truth.

In actuality, while he did inherit the three beams of divine light, there were no words left behind by the saint. That part was all made-up: leaving behind the lineages in the three schools and all. The part where he was to be made the master of the schools was especially so.

However, it was apparent that Blazing Sun School had taken out of jealousy for Starry School taking him, and did not want to see him grow. It was only natural for him to tell them that despite his status as the Son of Starry School, he was noted by the saint to belong to all three schools, and he would also take care of Blazing Sun School and Bright Moon School equally as well.

Doing so would not only alleviate the tensions and grievances between the schools but would also make it seem like they were interconnected.

Everyone present pondered what they had just heard. While Ye Futian had pretty much bluffed his way through the whole ordeal, what happened at the Divine Palace— the three beams of divine light and his status as the Son conferred by Chen Yuan himself—made it all seem irrefutably sound. It was as if every word he spoke was the truth and nothing else.

“If that was the case, why did you not make it clear before? On the day of Conferring of the Son, you rampaged and injured students from both Blazing Sun School and Bright Moon School,” Yang Ding said, refusing to simply buy Ye Futian’s story at face value.

“Even if I had made myself clear about such things, I had no certainty of how everyone would have dealt with me. It was a grave matter concerning the lineage of the Divine Path. I dared not simply utter such things everywhere I went. If I had not been brought here today, I would have chosen to wait until I was capable enough to ensure my own safety before making such statements.” Ye Futian smiled bitterly before continuing, “As to what happened that day, it was a test Headmaster Chen gave me to measure my talents. If I did not display talent strong enough to overwhelm all present, there would not have been a day where I was conferred the Son of Starry School, as I was certain that I would have simply ended up dead at the hands of the students of all three schools.”

Yang Ding nodded, finding no fault in the words of Ye Futian.

“Sir, the Divine Lights marked the lineage of the Saint. Ye Futian is of Arcana Plane, and having someone in such a plane being enlightened in the will of the Saint is an utter waste. If the one to be enlightened in the will of the Saint was you instead, sir, the breakthroughs achieved would have been unimaginable,” someone suggested.

Ye Futian’s eyes jumped. It was the lineage of the Saint after all, and that meant it was something very tempting. Not many would have behaved like Headmaster Chen regarding something like that. Furthermore, what happened right at that moment was different from the day when he met Headmaster Chen. He was brought before the headmaster by recommendations from Madame Long and the Gu Clan. Today, he was instead brought there by force, and it was only natural for them to be on guard.

“The three Divine Lights were meant to be passed down to three respective schools by the saint. I was simply a caretaker for the moment. If you, sir, wish to be enlightened in the Divine Light of the Sun, it would be natural for me to keep it for you at the moment. However, the divine light is directly concerned with the lineage of the Divine Path. When you are done being enlightened with it, may I ask that you hand it back to me until the day I finally walk the Divine Path? Before it stays with Blazing Sun School permanently?” Ye Futian asked in a sensible manner.

He would have handed it all the same if they tried to take it by force. It was a wiser choice to willingly hand it over himself. He was careful with his words, proposing that both parties getting enlightened together and mentioning the Divine Light of the Sun only, deflecting any suspicion they might have had of him.

However, everyone present was aware of what Ye Futian was trying to pull, and they were able to see that he was a sensible one. He was also one who was careful enough with his words to avoid sounding deceitful in any way.

“The saint has bestowed his lineage on you. Wouldn’t what you propose now be an affront to his will?” Yang Ding asked while looking at him.

“I was simply proposing that we share this enlightenment together. How would that be an affront to anything? Besides, if it is convenient for you, I’m willing to reside within Blazing Sun School for the time being and study the intricacies with you. Your cultivation is strong and I would gain a lot studying under you. Wouldn’t that be wonderful?” Ye Futian said as he cupped his hands.

“What if Chen Yuan shows up wanting to take you back?” someone asked.

“I would then advise Headmaster Chen to return. Headmaster Chen knows of the lineage and will understand,” Ye Futian said.

“Well then, let’s have it your way.” Yang Ding nodded. “I will train with you. Should you run into any problem, I would be there to guide you.”

Everyone present gazed at Ye Futian with dazzled eyes as they heard their headmaster’s words. What a cunning fellow indeed!