Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio
Lian Yuqing stared at Ye Futian. The newcomer had been pretty arrogant back in Daozang Palace, asking to spar with Yun Feng on the platform, then went on to practically beat Yun Feng to a pulp. The damage was so bad that Yun Feng had yet to overcome the resulting emotional trauma. His mind remained very much crushed.
Ye Futian came to rank 81st since that last battle. Yun Feng, on the other hand, was eliminated from the Law Rank. He had been in a deep depression since, and his training stagnated. As Yun Feng’s senior, Lian Yuqing was very dissatisfied with Ye Futian.
While Lian Yuqing acknowledged Ye Futian’s talents and thought him to be one who would reach top three in Law Rank in the future, the new student was nonetheless little more than a junior who had just entered the Holy Zhi Palace. The newbie however, was incredibly rude and tremendously insolent. Lian Yuqing resented people with such personalities. The arrogant newbie even went so far as to say that he did not see any difference between the new students and their seniors, other than the difference in planes.
Cultivation as a whole and the increase in planes came with the increase in one’s awareness and comprehension. As a Grade One Noble, Lian Yuqing knew that very, very well. There were bound to be great differences of various sorts between those of lower planes and those of higher planes. The difference was far more vast than what Ye Futian had stated.
If one with such arrogance and exceptional talent were to become powerful, it was a certain thing that they would have turned out to be nasty people who went about doing as they fancied.
“You are quite insolent indeed,” Lian Yuqing looked at Ye Futian and said. He grew to dislike the newbie even more.
“Are you saying that none of the disciples of the Holy Zhi Palace are better than you in any way but difference in planes?” Ximen Hanjiang quipped. The way Ye Futian had put it was indeed too arrogant. Even he, the champion of the last batch, found Ye Futian insufferable. Ximen Hanjiang saw not even a single hint of humility in Ye Futian. All he saw was arrogance and rudeness.
Hua Fan’s gaze turned to Ye Futian as well. Ye Futian had never been one to follow rules right from the very beginning. Hua Fan came to know that from the very moment Ye Futian was accepted into the Holy Zhi Palace. He had not been paying much attention to the newbie at first and had only heard things about Ye Futian.
The disciples of various palaces and pavilions took an increasing interest in the champion of this very batch of newbies. There were many rumors circulating about Ye Futian in the Holy Zhi Palace. He was called pretentious, vile, horny, and shameless. It seemed that he had even behaved insolently around Yun Shuisheng in front of everyone. His reputation was quite literally in the gutter. It was not until he stepped into Daozang Palace, made peace with Yun Shuisheng, went on the battle platform and beat Yun Feng that his reputation began to take a turn for the better.
Hua Fan was finally able to see Ye Futian with his very own eyes, and everyone seemed to get to know Ye Futian in the flesh better. His flamboyant attitude, blatant disregard for rules, and even his handsome face, all seemed to speak volume about his pride and confidence.
Such people were utter geniuses. Ye Futian might have still been a low-grade Noble for the time being, but no one could guess how he would turn out if he became a sage one day.
Ye Futian cast his gaze at everyone present and said, “If the sparring sessions are simply meant for gauging each other’s strengths, there would have been nothing wrong with them. How it is done here, however, is simply an excuse for some to immerse themselves in the twisted joy of bullying those who come later. How is this even sparring?
“I participated with the intention to learn, to truly see the seniors spar against one another, and develop a comprehension about what I lack personally. I believe most newbies felt like I did. But from the battles that have taken place before, I failed to see any meaning in them.” Ye Futian went on to look at everyone present. “If all here actually believe that being oppressed equals being encouraged, why don’t you all get tortured by the elders of the place a time or two and encourage yourselves?”
“During training, disciples at the top of the Noble Plane go looking for sages to evaluate their own progress. Do they have to spell it out for you?” Lian Yuqing added plainly, “While the sparring sessions were indeed a little bit too intense, doing so allowed for seniors to demonstrate their capabilities in front of the juniors, to test themselves out and to allow juniors develop an even deeper comprehension of many things. Yet, all you were able to see was how people of higher planes trampled over those of lower planes? Or rather, as you have said before, do you think that none of the disciples of the Holy Zhi Palace are better than you in any way? That it’s just a mere difference in planes?” A tinge of anger was heard within Lian Yuqing’s words, and his usual composure was cracking.
“No matter how many times you ask, my answer remains the same. It is so indeed.” Ye Futian looked at Lian Yuqing. “Cultivation is something done in phases. One will develop some measure of comprehension when one reaches a certain plane. Cultivators themselves need to have absolute confidence in themselves or they will fail to reach for greater heights. It isn’t just me I’m talking about; I mean every single one of the new students who has been defeated today. I don’t think any one of them is inferior to anyone of you seniors. It is just a difference in planes, that is all. I believe they all feel the same.”
As soon as Ye Futian finished talking, the newbies, who had their share of getting beaten up, all turned to sport sharp looks on their faces and went on to stand tall and proud, shooting their gaze at the likes of Lian Yuqing. The sessions had all of them feeling frustrated and deeply resentful. Ye Futian had simply spoken what was on their mind on their behalf.
Lian Yuqian smirked at Ye Futian’s words and said, “What you have just said is another matter altogether. You are indeed good with words. Is this your excuse of not stepping into the platform?” Ye Futian had claimed to speak for everyone, and it was only natural that his words were taken as truths.
“Here is where you are mistaken again.” Ye Futian looked at Lian Yuqing. “You said it yourself, if such sessions were meant to have the newbies be aware of their own shortcomings, I indeed believe that there is no need for me to battle.”
Many looked rather amused at the words he just uttered. Is he admitting that he was being arrogant before?
“So you mean to…” Lian Yuqing looked at Ye Futian.
“What I meant was that I was not interested in battling before. Now, it is the opposite.” Ye Futian spared a glance at Lian Yuqing before flashing and leaping onto the Zhonggong Battle Platform beneath.
All eyes were on him at that very moment. Ye Futian bowed at everyone present and went to look up at everyone, saying, “Since this is my chance to verify what was being said about the sparring sessions, I’d like to do it my way to prove what I have just said, and to let all seniors here see what I had in mind with such sessions. Is there any senior here willing to give me time to prove my words?”
Many turned to look at Hua Fan, and he, in turn, turned to look at Ye Futian and said, “Very well.” Hua Fan wanted to see for himself how Ye Futian would go about proving anything.
Ye Futian nodded. He looked at everyone again and spoke, “My plane is low, as I’m but a Grade Eight Noble. If any of the seniors were to come spar with me, there would be no doubt that I would end up losing. Since this is a sparring session and the seniors think there is more to it than just being of a higher plane compared to the newbies, I’d like seniors who have fought the juniors before, to come spar with me.”
He cast his glance at the ones from Tianxing Pavilion as soon as he was done talking, and added, “Are you the one who fought against Yuan Zhan earlier, senior? I would like to know, in what ways are you better than me, other than being of a higher plane?”
Everyone within earshot looked bemused and came to somehow understand what he was trying to pull. This is one unbridled *sshole indeed. He went pointing out individuals and asked how they were better than he was. How is anyone supposed to answer such a question?
If the ones asked were unable to answer his question, it would have simply verified what he said before, that other than the difference in plane, they were no better than the juniors they had just bullied.
Yi Xiaoshi looked at the scene, dumbfounded, before looking rather amused. He knew that little brother of his well, after all. That little sh*t isn’t trying to prove anything about the sparring sessions. He was simply trying to find a logical excuse to exact his revenge.
Yi Xiaoshi felt very astonished, thinking that his little brother was indeed the little brother he knew—one who stood tall and proud exacting his revenge. He had not, however, expected so many to have fallen into his little brother’s trap.
That disciple of Tianxing Pavilion glared at Ye Futian with cold eyes, then said with an equally cold tone, “I specialize in martial arts attacks, blending my will into the situation of things. We can’t fight here due to our differences in planes. How are you going to prove anything?”
“Of course I can.” Ye Futian said and leaped into the air. His speed was frightening as he gathered terrifying aura about him. Overwhelming martial arts will burst from his body, the martial art statue shone the most brightly among all the eight statues, which appeared within an instant. The force gathered became increasingly powerful. Ye Futian lashed out with his hand and conjured a staff in his hand. He stepped forward and dealt a strike with the staff. The air was shaken, yet there was no stopping the growth of his aura. The force gathering about him became more terrifying, the shinning statue’s light grew increasingly bright and blinding.
Ye Futian went made consecutive attacks with his staff, and every strike felt like a thunderstorm, fearsome and unyielding. When he dealt his fifth attack, shadows of the staff were seen everywhere on the platform. The tremendous force went about pounding away at the air as the shinning statue glowed with blinding light.
He did not lash out with the sixth attack but stood in the air after dealing five blows. Many felt themselves trembling after seeing how he moved. While he was only a mere Grade Eight Noble, that force that he had just demonstrated in front of everywhere was extremely terrifying. He was, after all, the champion.
Yun Feng’s face went pale. He knew that even if he were to ask for a rematch, there was simply no way he would be able to beat Ye Futian.
Ye Futian turned to look at that Tianxing Pavilion disciple and said, “I now ask for your guidance.” He excused himself after he was done saying that.
Ye Futian’s techniques with the staff, his bearing, power of the body, and martial arts will all seemed to have blended perfectly. That Tianxing Pavilion disciple looked incredibly troubled. While his plane was indeed far higher than Ye Futian’s, and there was no doubt that his power would have been able to overwhelm what was demonstrated by Ye Futian, none of the spectators were blind. As soon as he made his move, everyone could tell who was better in terms of mastery of the art.
Ye Futian seemed to be telling everyone with his actions that that was the sparring sessions that he had in mind.
“Senior?” Ye Futian said. The person he addressed was now looking immensely troubled, as there was no way he could finish this with without making a fool of himself.
“I admit defeat,” that disciple of Tianxing Pavilion said, causing an uproar from everyone present. It was to say that other than being of higher plane, he had admitted that the art that he was best at, proved inferior compared to Ye Futian. His actions, in turn, verified what Ye Futian said before.
“What about you, senior?” Ye Futian looked at the one who had bested Ye Wuchen before, also a disciple of Tianxing Pavilion. That person looked troubled as well, as he specialized in martial arts just like the one Ye Futian challenged.
“So, even you seem to think that you only have the advantage in terms of the difference in planes,” Ye Futian quipped with a smirk at the other party’s utter silence. He went on to look at Xiang Zhiqin. “How about you?”
Xiang Zhiqin had beaten Hua Jieyu before.
“Resonance of wills, blending into spells. How will you prove your superiority?” Xiang Zhiqin glared at Ye Futian with cold eyes.
Ye Futian stood silently. Fearsome Spiritual Qi circulated about him in an instant. Many were able to feel intensely dangerous martial arts will power, and then, streaks of white flames danced in the air. The flames grew increasingly intense around him, and many were able to feel the eerie fires from above the Zhonggong Battle Platform, fires which felt incredibly cold. The fires felt as if they were capable of sucking the marrow from one’s bones, and packed tremendously devastating damage potential. Three statues glowed brightly when the fires appeared, which meant that the fires packed powers of three different elements.
When Ye Futian ceased casting the skill and stopped what he was doing, the fires remained dancing in the air, as if they were fires that were capable of burning indefinitely.
Ye Futian looked up and said to Xiang Zhiqin, “Please, your guidance.”
Xiang Zhiqin felt the power infused with the fires and was speechless. Many were shocked to their core at the scene and came to understand what Ye Futian was trying to do. He was retaliating as the champion of the battles to gain entry into the Holy Zhi Palace. He was retaliating against everyone and proving his point along the way.
It was natural that Lian Yuqing came to understand what Ye Futian was trying to do, as he glared at the newbie with cold eyes. That guy is indeed a genius like no other. Lian Yuqing felt a bad taste in his mouth admitting that, but the truth remained the truth.
“You are indeed the champion, one to emerge once every three years. I have to admit that your talents are indeed exceptional. All of them are middle-grade Nobles. While they are of higher planes, they are inferior compared to you in these areas demonstrated, and it is no surprise.” Lian Yuqing went on to add, “This hardly proves anything.”
“Well then, what did all those battles before prove?” Ye Futian looked at Lian Yuqing and continued, “I wonder what you specialize in, senior?”
Countless eyes froze as soon as he finished. Did Ye Futian just ask Lian Yuqing that? Lian Yuqing, who ranked fifth on the Law Rank?
Lian Yuqing was startled himself, before shooting back at Ye Futian with a gaze as sharp as blades, “I play the guqin. Do you?”
Ye Futian smiled and said, “I know a thing or two about that!”
