The Legend of Futian

Luo Fan listened to what Ye Futian said and smirked, clapping his little brother’s shoulder. He said, “We’re family after all, aren’t we? Isn’t this for our second sister’s sake, eh?”

“Really?” Zhuge Mingyue smiled sheepishly at Luo Fan, which made him shudder as he smiled. Holding his head high, he said, “Indeed.”

“Don’t bother about him, little brother,” Zhuge Mingyue said, looking at the flames. While Ye Futian had recently become rather rich, the flames were of such a level that they were really going to cost him.

“Could you be more biased, sister?” Luo Fan said with a glum face.

“Now you know,” Zhuge Mingyue said with a smile as she looked at the dejected expression on Luo Fan’s face. Ye Futian, however, smiled and asked, “What is the price for these flames, senior?”

“This is not to be traded using sacred spirit stones. It can only be exchanged for something of equal value, like the Pinnacle of Holiness of Nirvana-level training methods, ritual implements, and the like,” the elder who guarded the flames said. Ye Futian smiled, thinking about how this was supposed to have been an easier day. Even if he’d been able to pay for the flames using sacred spirit stones, it still would have been difficult.

“What do you think about these sword arts?” Ye Futian sent a holy will from his brow over to the elder. The illustration of the Sword of Kasyapa entered the elder’s mind. The elder looked at it for a bit and then said, “The arts look fine. However, it’s not something truly unique. I assume that you use it for trading quite often, so this won’t do.”

The Sword of Kasyapa was considered the best sword arts that could be found in Dali. It was considered a very high grade even in Crimson Dragon Realm. As far as barter was concerned, its value should have been adequate.

“I’m afraid you are wrong, senior. The sword art was of top-notch Holiness of Nirvana indeed. While it isn’t something unique and could be found elsewhere, I could say the same thing about the Consuming Flames of the Way. I’m sure seniors who are trained in such arts could have created it again and again,” Ye Futian said.

“You saw the grade of the Consuming Flames of the Way yourself—extreme Holiness of Nirvana level. It was crafted by a mighty cultivator at the very pinnacle of Holiness of Nirvana level, requiring quite a bit of spiritual power to craft it. Do you think someone of such a level would have crafted flames like that over and over again to sell? Furthermore, what if others managed to figure out its workings?” The elder continued, “The higher the level of the Flames of the Way is, the harder it is to come across. I need a training method of the same level to exchange for it. Otherwise, it’d be better for you to look elsewhere, sir.”

Ye Futian felt rather speechless as he looked at the forceful elder. He knew that what he’d said was the truth, but the trade depended on whose needs were stronger. The elder was not in a hurry to sell it off, and others wanted to trade him for it. Unless there was a high demand for the product, the elder wouldn’t have dared to negotiate in such a manner. If Ye Futian were to set up a shop selling methods of such levels, he would be asking for at least as much as the elder.

With that thought, Ye Futian seemed to have chanced upon a way of getting rich.

However, on his plane, if he simply traded Holiness of Nirvana level methods without a care, he might as well be painting a target on his back.

Why would there be a need to trade if one could just take what they wanted by force?

After all, the Crimson Dragon Realm was a largely lawless place.

“Alright, we’ll just go elsewhere,” Luo Fan said, clearly frustrated.

“What do you think about this method then, senior?” Xia Qingyuan interjected from the side. She then sent holy will into the elder’s mind. The elder nodded and said, “You could take the flames for two methods.”

“That will do.” Xia Qingyuan took out the method she’d used and looked at Ye Futian, who then took out a manual copy of the Sword of Kasyapa and handed it to the elder. The elder checked the goods and then nodded, handing the furnace to Ye Futian. He said, “The furnace itself is one the top of the line containers of flames. It would have melted under the powers of the Flames of the Way a long time ago otherwise. You people are getting quite a bargain here.”

Ye Futian took the furnace and handed it to Luo Fan before turning to Xia Qingyuan. He said, “Thank you, princess. I still have other methods with me though.”

There were many methods to be found in the Golden Hall of the Lotus in Emperor Xia’s Palace, but the truly top of the line ones were kept in private collections by the royal palace. Even if he were to have seen them, there was no way he could have traded with them. However, if Xia Qingyuan were to do so, then it naturally would not be a problem.

“Never mind. It’s all the same,” Xia Qingyuan said plainly. The elder looked at the two of them and speculated about their identities.

Princess?

But then again, all kinds of people could be found in Crimson Dragon City. The place was the biggest and greatest city in the Crimson Dragon Region after all.

Luo Fan took a look at Ye Futian, impressed by his little brother’s capabilities. They were far above his own abilities.

He sure couldn’t measure up to him.

“Ye Futian,” someone called out. Ye Futian turned and saw someone familiar.

He quickly recalled who the man was. It was the man who had fought Yu Sheng, Wuchen, and the others in the Battle of the Sleeping Dragon—Zhuo Xu of the Black Flames clan. He was a native of Crimson Dragon City.

Zhuo Xu took a look at Ye Wuchen. Those who had lost to him in the past had since become saints at the Battle of the Crimson River.

Ye Futian nodded with a smile, not wanting to engage him in conversation. Zhuo Xu then took one look at the flames that Luo Fan was putting away. In truth, Zhuo Xu had always wanted the Consuming Flames of the Way. He wanted to consume it to strengthen his flames. However, his family wouldn’t grant him two top-notch methods to exchange for it. Their Flames of the Way were powerful to begin with, so they were reluctant to cover such expenditures.

“Ye Futian, Lord of Qianye City?” Many turned to look at Ye Futian curiously. After the battle between Li City and Qianye City, as well as the Battle of the Crimson River, the city lord of Qianye had gained quite some renown. Of course, his renown paled in comparison to that of Yu Sheng, who had practically steered the direction of the entire Battle of the Crimson River.

A battle between two cities was a big event involving two imperial realms. However, the attention attracted by such battles could not compare with the Battle of the Crimson River. That battle had enabled the winner to enter the Regional Palace. Plus, the Battle of the Crimson River had been fought in the Crimson Dragon City.

“We’ll take a look elsewhere,” Ye Futian said as he walked out of the Tower of Heavenly Flames.

However, there were still many people around who had come out to take a look at him. Some were heard saying, “Ye Futian was bickering with Xing Kai back at the Battle of the Crimson River. It was quite a pity that they didn’t end up fighting each other.”

“Yu Sheng’s talents were unparalleled. He seemed to listen to this guy a lot. How would Ye Futian compare to a devil like Yu Sheng?” Many talked about this. Many cultivators on Heavenly Flames Avenue turned to look at Ye Futian as well.

Xing Kai of the Ancient Imperial City was extremely renowned, even in Crimson Dragon City.

Xing Kai would become a renowned figure in the Crimson Dragon Realm in the future.

Furthermore, the Ninth Servant, the city lord of Ancient Imperial City, was also a legendary figure. He was lauded as the number-one city lord outside of Crimson Dragon City.

Ye Futian did not bother with what the people around him were saying. People of renowned clans were commonly seen in a place like Crimson Dragon City. For instance, Zhuo Xu was a descendant of a Renhuang, yet people had stopped paying him any attention soon enough.

“Are you looking for Flames of the Way, my friend?” someone asked, causing Ye Futian to turn around. An old man was setting up a street stall in the middle of the busy Heavenly Flames Avenue, making him stand out of the crowd.

The old man’s aura appeared to be very weak. The grades of flames he was selling in his stall were all of the very low grades. No one walking about was paying him any attention.

Ye Futian smiled and nodded, saying, “I’m indeed looking for Flames of the Way. Why do you ask, sir?”

“I have some here.” the old man said, beckoning Ye Futian’s party over to his stall.

Ye Futian took one look at the flames in the old man’s stall. They were like comparing gold and dirt when he thought of the quality flames being sold at the Tower of Heavenly Flames. There was no need to compare them at all.

However, Ye Futian nonetheless walked up to the old man and said, “The levels of these flames are rather low. They would be of little use for my friend’s training.”

“I do have higher level ones if that’s what you’re looking for, but I don’t know if you’d dare to take them,” the old man said to Ye Futian with a smile.

Ye Futian looked at the old man and noticed how alert and cautious his eyes were. Although the old man looked frail and had little aura to speak of, Ye Futian was able to tell that the old man was very adept at concealing his true abilities.

He had been quietly sitting there before with no one bothering him. He had not been trying to bother anyone either. Ye Futian wondered why the old man had decided to call out to him.

“If the prices are good, I don’t mind taking them,” Ye Futian said.

“You can have them for free.” The old man flashed a beaming smile. His teeth were rather yellow and somewhat unsightly.

Ye Futian looked even more puzzled.

Free?

There were a lot of situations where free things turned out to be things turned out to cost the most. They often required payment in other forms.

“What conditions do you have then, sir?” Ye Futian asked.

“I have none.” The old man shook his head.

Ye Futian felt rather puzzled. He was unable to read the old man.

“That was why I asked if you would dare to take them!” the old man said somewhat aggressively.

“I don’t dabble with what I know nothing about,” Ye Futian said, bowing to the old man. “I shall take my leave.”

The old man looked very mysterious. Ye Futian thought that it would best to exercise caution in a place like Jianmu City.

“Are you sure you don’t want it?” a voice with a terrifying aura cried out all of a sudden, sweeping all over the Heavenly Flames Avenue. Its scorching will made everyone turn around in an instant.

Ye Futian was no exception. He saw the old man holding a ball of Flames of the Way which glittered brilliantly. They contrasted with the rays of the sun above in mystical ways. The Three-Legged Golden Ravens in the sky over Jianmu City cried.

The old man put the flames away in just an instant, smiling at Ye Futian. He said, “I’m giving them away to you. Do you dare to take them?”

“Renhuang Flames of the Way.” Ye Futian stared at the old man and then looked around the avenue. Countless pairs of eyes had turned toward him in an instant. The old man whom no one had bothered with before had suddenly attracted the attention of everyone in the area.

That Flames of the Way were being given away for free.

The eyes of countless people were burning brilliantly, Ye Futian included. However, flames of such levels would be difficult to hold onto.

It was no surprise that the old man had asked him if he dared to take it.

What he was unable to fathom was why the old man was trying to give the flames to him for free.

There was no way that they knew each other.

“I’ll take it,” Ye Futian said. If that old man said that he was willing to give Renhuang level flames away, then it would be up to Ye Futian to choose how to deal with it. If he was unable to keep it around, he would simply sell it.

He walked up decisively, the people around him following him, concerned that the old man was up to no good.

However, that old man simply chucked the flames into the furnace and handed it over to Ye Futian, who accepted them right away. He then looked at the old man and said, “Since you’ve said you’re giving it to me, then it’s up to me to decide what to do with it, right?”

“Of course, I wouldn’t hold it against if you just gave it someone else. So long as you’re willing to take them from me, that is.” The old man looked at Ye Futian with a beaming smile. That look gave Ye Futian a bad feeling.

The old man waved and put the entire stall away before disappearing in a flash.

Many formidable auras turned in Ye Futian’s direction as soon as the old man left. Ye Futian frowned and thought that the flames would indeed be difficult to hold on to.