The Legend of Futian

The Sword Clan of the Gale was one of the five holy lands of the County of Yan. Jian Kuangren, the clan leader, was a saint at the pinnacle of the first level of Saint Plane. It was said that his way of the sword was filled with pride and unruliness.

The Sword Clan of the Gale was considered the weakest out of the five holy lands of the County of Yan. Of course, that was also the reason Ye Futian chose to set up shop within Liuyue City—a place ruled by the Sword Clan of the Gale—in the first place. Even if he were to get on the bad side of a sword saint of the first level of Saint Plane, he would not have been taken down right away without any way of fighting back.

Although he pretended to be extremely arrogant, he nonetheless had to be cautious while operating within the Dali Dynasty. He had been a champion of the people and went around doing good deeds ever since he entered the Dali Dynasty. All whom he killed were people who deserved it, so there were little faults others could have found with him.

Ye Futian met Jian Kuangren at the palace of the Sword Clan of the Gale on a mountain, who was also known as the Sword Saint of Fierce Wind. Nie Yun and that woman walked to the sides of Jian Kuangren, and there were many students of the Sword Clan of the Gale below him. All of them looked at Ye Futian. So this is the guy who defeated Brother Nie Yun with just one attack then, they thought.

Ye Futian gauged the Sword Saint of Fierce Wind. He was tall and imposing. He emanated sharpness of the sword throughout his being as he fixed his eyes on Ye Futian.

“I’m the Seventh Swordsman, senior. It is an honor to meet you,” Ye Futian bowed and said. Jiang Kuangren did not say anything. He emanated formless pressure while his eyes were locked onto Ye Futian, finding the man before him exuding a demonic charm, yet lacked the tension exhibited by many when they faced saints.

There were many cities found in the County of Yan, and cultivators were aplenty, yet there were only 18 saints found in the county. All of the sword saints were revered by many. It was the Lower Worlds after all. Regardless of how superbly talented one might have been, all would have paid due respect to a saint when they saw one. However, Jian Kuangren was unable to sense any such respect from Ye Futian. Even that bow of his seemed nonchalant.

There was no way he would have known that Ye Futian was a Palace Lord of a holy land. The saints who served him were all powerful enough to raze the County of Yan in its entirety, so there was no way he would have behaved like conventional cultivators.

“You don’t seem too concerned with saints,” the Sword Saint of Fierce Wind said to Ye Futian.

“As a member of the later generation, it is only natural that I respect my seniors and elders. However, one’s training precedes all. Is there a need for cultivators of the sword to be too concerned with propriety?” Ye Futian answered.

Pressure continued to be emanated from the Sword Saint of Fierce Wind as he continued to stare at Ye Futian. The man was indeed how he was rumored to be—insolently prideful.

“One’s training precedes all, eh? It seems like you have absolute confidence in being able to break into Saint Plane.” The Sword Saint of Fierce Wind continued, “I have heard that you claim that there are hardly any swordsman who could have you deal a second attack, no?”

“He didn’t even bother with the Nine Counties of Dali Dynasty, let alone the County of Yan,” the woman at the saint’s side quipped.

Ye Futian took a look at the woman and said, “If you invited me here to interrogate me, then it’s best that I leave.” He cupped his hands and got ready to leave as soon as he finished his sentence.

“If you’re so confident in your way of the sword, then I suppose you’d be interested in fighting the geniuses throughout the Nine Counties of Dali Dynasty. The dynasty is now recruiting people from all over the Nine Counties. If you’re so confident about yourself, you should test yourself at the event.” The Sword Saint of Fierce Wind seemed rather calm as he spoke to Ye Futian.

“Where should I head to?” Ye Futian asked.

“The people throughout the Nine Counties are gathering at Liwang City.” The Sword Saint of Fierce Wind continued, “If you’re of supreme talents, you could train in the Upper Worlds right away. There might be cultivators coming from the Upper Worlds of Dali Dynasty this time. If you’re truly that powerful, perhaps you might be able to achieve fame and glory with a single step even. Does that interest you enough?”

“Not interested.” Ye Futian answered plainly, “So you’re saying that there is a competition of martial arts at the Lower Worlds, then?”

“Perhaps.” The Sword Saint of Fierce Wind nodded and looked slightly amused. He said that he was uninterested, eh?

“Just how many cultivators throughout the Nine Counties of Dali Dynasty are worthy of having me draw my sword?” Ye Futian said plainly, “Such competitions sound boring. As for training at the Upper Worlds, I’d be able to head there any time the sword is in my hands. As for fame and glory, that sounds even more boring. What I seek is none other than the supreme way of the sword. If I were after fame and glory, I wouldn’t have spent decades polishing my art and have emerged only recently.”

“Supreme way of the sword, is it? Interesting.” The Sword Saint of Fierce Wind looked increasingly amused with Ye Futian. He then said, “Cultivators of the sword do indeed need to have little concerns with fame and glory, devoting themselves single-mindedly instead, in tempering their minds of the sword. It seems like you have a high state of mind. It is no wonder that you were able to achieve this much. But, even if you’re interested in polishing your art and think that few throughout the Nine Counties are worthy of making you draw your sword, then there is all the more reason you should head to the Upper Worlds to train, don’t you think?”

“Indeed.” Ye Futian nodded.

“In that case, let’s travel together. I’m curious about your way of the sword. If you think that few throughout the Nine Counties are worthy of making you draw your sword, then how about you wait until you find someone who can make you do so?”

“Very well, I shall travel with you, senior.” Ye Futian nodded. That was his goal, after all. It would have been easier for him to add another layer to his identity by being among the ones from holy lands, instead of just one guy appearing out of nowhere.

“Huanxue, find him somewhere where he can train,” the Sword Saint of Fierce Wind said to the woman beside him.

“I…” The woman was dumbfounded. “I refuse.” The woman was the biological daughter of the Sword Saint of Fierce Wind. She would not have dared to take such an attitude, refusing what the Sword Saint of Fierce Wind told her. She had had a taste of Ye Futian’s arrogance, and now, even before her father, Ye Futian continued to behave insolently. Despite his superb talent, she had no desire to get too involved with him.

“It seems that you’re not ready to travel with us on this trip, then?” the Sword Saint of Fierce Wind said plainly. The woman glared at her father, feeling exasperated as she said to Ye Futian, “Come with me.” She only brought Ye Futian away after that. No one was able to fathom why the clan leader was so polite with that insolent swordsman. While it was true that he had talent, the clan leader was a sword saint, and there was simply no need for him to be so polite.

“You’re dismissed.” The Sword Saint of Fierce Wind then waved at the people, who then left. Nie Yun was still around, looking at the Sword Saint of Fierce Wind as he asked, “Are you that appreciative of this Seventh Swordsman, teacher?”

“That kid has the will of the way about him.” The Sword Saint of Fierce Wind did not look at Nie Yun, casting his gaze faraway as he continued, “There are indeed few below Saint Plane in all of the County of Yan capable of matching him in a fight, let alone you. If he were compared to those throughout all of Dali Dynasty, there are but a handful of people capable of matching him.” He heard from Nie Yun that the man came from the Mountain of Hidden Swords. That place was indeed a pure land of training of those who were steeped in the art of the sword. He spent decades polishing his art and only emerged after 30 years of age. If he had indeed turned out to be such, then that man’s mind of the sword was undoubtedly pure, any hardly matched whose aptitude for the way of the sword in the County of Yan. There were few swordsmen throughout the County of Yan capable of learning that much all on their own, after all.

“In that case, why not take him in as a student of the clan instead, teacher?” Nie Yun asked.

“If he was able to come this far all on his own, there is no way the Sword Clan of the Gale will be able to keep him around. He belongs to the Upper Worlds of Dali Dynasty. I have my agenda of having him travel with us. The Sword Clan of the Gale had been the weakest holy land of the sword throughout the County of Yan for many years. If there is one swordsman in our midst who proves capable of shining brightly through Dali Dynasty and overwhelming those from other holy lands of the County of Yan, it’d feel rather satisfying nonetheless.” The Sword Saint of Fierce Wind smiled as he said so. It was not that much of an agenda. One could have said it was only something saints would have found amusing.

“And yeah, don’t tell your sister about this,” the Sword Saint of Fierce Wind said.

“Why would that be?” Nie Yun asked in puzzlement.

“There is a need to give her some shock. The greater the shock, the greater her gain would be in tempering his state of mind.” The Sword Saint of Fierce Wind then turned around smiling, leaving the place.

His daughter, Huanxue, escorted Ye Futian to a compound of the clan and said, “Stay here and train. The Sword Clan of the Gale is a holy land of the sword, and there are many forbidden areas. Don’t loiter around elsewhere if you’re not training.”

“Thank you.” Ye Futian walked straight ahead into the compound and did not bother to take another look at the woman. He had no doubt saw through her attitude and did not bother. They were hardly acquaintances, after all. The woman was scarcely surprised about Ye Futian’s attitude as well. She then turned around and left.

…

The mighty ones from the Sword Clan of the Gale departed several days later. Their sword will filled the place as they headed faraway.

Ye Futian was naturally with them on the trip as well. However, their destination was not Liwang City. They were heading to Yandu City, which was where the sheriff of the County of Yan was found.

All Nine Counties of Dali Dynasty had their respective sheriffs, reigning supreme over the own counties. Even holy lands were subjected to their rule. Mighty ones were found everywhere in County King’s Residence in Yandu City at the moment, seemingly waiting to receive something or someone. The sheriffs were known as kings of counties as well.

The King of the County of Yan sat upright on his chair. Many mighty ones lined his flanks, waiting in silence. That day was the day he had set to meet with those from holy lands throughout the County of Yan. They were to gather there and head to Liwang City together.

“Who among the cultivators of the County of Yan will reign supreme in this trip to Liwang City?” the King of the County asked as he addressed the crowd. He naturally knew that it was an extremely rare chance as the event was concerned with the Upper Worlds of Dali Dynasty selecting genius cultivators. As the King of the County of Yan, he naturally hoped that there were few more geniuses selected. It would have reflected well on him, after all.

“There is no doubt that the two princesses will make it,” someone below quipped, and all turned their eyes at the two women beside the King of the County. The two women were gorgeous, and what was even more shocking was that the two of them looked identical. It was as if they were copies of each other. The two princesses of the County of Yan were twins and shared a telepathic link. They trained in the way of the sword together and possessed superb talents.

“Li Hanxing of the Ziwei Sword Clan,” one of the princesses uttered.

“Kai Huang of the Juque Sword Clan,” the other one said.

Everyone nodded. Both the Ziwei Sword Clan and the Juque Sword Clan were the most powerful of the two holy lands of the sword in the County of Yan. The two figures mentioned by the princesses were the strongest students studying in those places, and they were among the strongest to be found below Saint Plane in the County of Yan. If there were anyone from the County of Yan who could make it, then those two would definitely be among those people.

The King of the County looked up faraway and heard brimming laughter. “Thank you, Princess, for thinking so highly of that brat of a student of mine.”

Powerful sword aura was sensed from far away. Two sword clans came together, yet they were clearly separated. They were none other than the Ziwei Sword Clan and the Juque Sword Clan.

The King of the County smiled as he rose to receive them. The mighty ones from the two sword clans landed and cupped their hands at the King of the County. Cultivators from the Crimson Phoenix Sword Clan and the Sword Clan of the Storm arrived shortly after as well. The place was vivacious.

The Sword Clan of the Gale was the last to arrive, and Ye Futian was with them.