Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio
On the last day of the 10011th year of the Divine Prefecture Calendar, majority of the cultivators in the Nine States would return home to have a reunion with their family.
Even in a remote area like the Tombkeeper Village, as night fell, there was a semblance of a year-end feast.
Ye Futian’s group would celebrate the end of the year in this remote village this year. At that moment, the quiet village appeared exceptionally crowded as all the families were preparing for the feast.
In one of the families in the village, the aroma of freshly-cooked food wafted out. Ye Futian and Hua Jieyu walked to the door and said, smiling, “What a nice smell.”
“Yaya, what delicious food have Uncle Zhang and Aunt Zhang made?” Ye Futian looked at the girl standing at the door and asked.
“Heh, die of gluttony.” Yaya rolled her eyes at Ye Futian as she replied. She then walked up and grabbed Hua Jieyu’s hand, saying, “Sister, dad and mom made you a lot of delicious food.”
“Hmm, it smells great already.” Hua Jieyu smiled as she replied. In this period of time, they had gotten to know the village a little better, especially Yaya’s parents and were already on good terms.
Yaya and Jieyu’s relationship was becoming more intimate, like they were biological sisters. Now, she would not want to fight Ye Futian and Yu Sheng at a moment’s notice. Of course, bickering was inevitable.
The three of them walked into the house and saw a sumptuous feast prepared on the table. A middle-aged man with rough skin was sitting there waiting for them while a lady was busy serving up dishes.
“Uncle Zhang.” Ye Futian smiled and addressed him while Hua Jieyu walked up and said, “Aunt Zhang, let me help you.”
“No need, don’t dirty your hands.” Aunt Zhang smiled and replied. How could she bear to let a Goddess-like maiden like Hua Jieyu do such chores.
Uncle Zhang and Aunt Zhang were normal people. Although they also cultivated, but their cultivation level was at the basic level. They were not even Mandate cultivators, so they would age.
Yaya lived in the village and was still young, so there were many things that she did not understand. However, how could Ye Futian not know that Uncle Zhang and Aunt Zhang were incapable of giving birth to a natural prodigy like Yaya.
“Uncle Zhang, your complexion has gotten better again.” Ye Futian smiled and commented.
“It should be the effect of the pill that you gave me previously. The pill’s effect is really strong, I feel like all my organs and meridians have rejuvenated. Futian, I should really thank you for that.” Uncle Zhang said with a happy expression. The pill was Phoenix’s, it could strengthen one’s body and improve one’s constitution. Although it was not an extremely valuable pill, it was enough for Uncle Zhang and Aunt Zhang.
“Don’t stand on ceremony, Uncle Zhang.” Ye Futian replied. “After all, I’m Yaya’s brother.”
“Don’t spout nonsense, when did I admit it?” Yaya pouted and said to Ye Futian.
“It’s been so long and you still don’t admit it?” Ye Futian looked at Yaya and replied, smiling.
“I forgot.” Yaya turned away.
“This lass.” Uncle Zhang knocked her on the head and said, “It’s your luck to have Futian to be your brother, what do you have to lose.”
“Dad, even you’re helping him.” Yaya said dejectedly.
“Your father is correct. You’re so lucky to have this happen to you.” Aunt Zhang smiled and said too. They had been observing how Ye Futian and Hua Jieyu treated Yaya the past few days, they had really treated her like a younger sister.
However, this lass was really immature to not acknowledge this brother.
Yaya pouted. Whose house were they in?
“Futian, don’t mind this lass, she’s been spoiled by the Village Chief and the villagers since young.” Aunt Zhang said.
“Of course not, she’s cute this way too.” Ye Futian said without minding too much. He then asked, “Aunt Zhang, do the Village Chief and villagers dote on Yaya a lot?”
“They’ve already spoiled her rotten. Those that are older than her all protect her like their treasure.” Aunt Zhang smiled and replied happily.
“Okay.” Ye Futian nodded and continued, “This little girl is so mischievous. She has probably brought you a lot of trouble in these 15 years?”
“You’re the one that’s a lot of trouble.” Yaya chipped in from the side with a displeased tone.
“That’s only natural. This lass is so playful, thankfully the Village Chief has always helped to keep an eye on her, asking the villagers to take care of this lass. That’s why, this lass has a good life.” Aunt Zhang’s smile was full of sincerity. As Ye Futian observed her, he smiled and nodded.
“Come, the dishes are getting cold. Futian, Jieyu, let’s eat.” Uncle Zhang pointed at the dishes on the table and said.
“Okay, let’s chat while eating.” Ye Futian nodded. On the dining table, he intentionally asked a few questions. As the sky got darker, they finished eating and Ye Futian and Hua Jieyu left the house.
Yaya came out to send them off. Hua Jieyu smiled and said, “Yaya, you can go back now.”
Yaya nodded and replied, “I’ll watch you leave.”
“Okay.” Hua Jieyu and Ye Futian turned around and walked away. In the next moment, a soft voice sounded from behind them, “Brother.”
Ye Futian’s footsteps stopped and he turned back. However, he saw a figure dart like lightning into the house and shut the door.
“This lass can also feel shy?” A gleaming smile appeared in Ye Futian’s eyes. He smiled and said, “I heard that.”
As he said that, he held Hua Jieyu’s hands and the two of them left happily.
“How was it?” Hua Jieyu transmitted her voice to Ye Futian and asked.
“Uncle Zhang and Aunt Zhang’s words were from the heart and it did not seem like they were lying. Seeing Yaya’s attitude, there should be no ulterior motive behind the Village Chief and the villagers treating her well.” Ye Futian replied, then continued, “However, there is one thing that I don’t really understand. Why does Aunt Zhang believe that Yaya was truly born by her, even though it’s impossible!”
The Freedom Meditation was extremely mysterious, with their low cultivation levels, they shouldn’t have been able to lie to him. He did not deliberately observe Uncle Zhang and Aunt Zhang, however, before he made a decision, he had hoped to make some things clear. However, he was now even more confused.
“Everyone is still waiting for us, let’s not think about it for now.” Hua Jieyu smiled and said.
“Okay.” Ye Futian nodded and the two of them reached their destination. In front of them, a group of people were seated together. They were the people from the Barren State.
It was rare for everyone to not be cultivating. After all, there was only one such day in the year, so it was a fine occasion for them to gather and have a chat.
However, there were a few people missing. After all, they had left the Barren State to train themselves, so they would not bring their family members along.
“They’re here.” The crowd saw Ye Futian and Hua Jieyu walking over and gave up two seats for them.
The two of them sat down with the rest and there was a fire in the middle. The aroma of barbecued meat wafted towards them. In Zui Qianchou’s direction, there was the smell of wine as well. No matter where the fellow went, he could make wine appear. Perhaps he had an unlimited supply of wine with him, who knows how much wine he had hidden.
At that moment, Xu Que walked forward with a dagger in his hand, slicing the barbecued meat off. In an instant, the aroma became even more fragrant. Beside him, the Black Wind Condor flapped its wings and its eyes lit up as it salivated. What a temptation to Mister Condor here.
“Here, have a drink.” Zui Qianchou took out a few wine glasses and poured out the wine for them. Next, Xu Que gave out the meat that they had gotten from the demonic beasts on the surrounding mountains.
Finally, this gave them the feeling of a year-end feast.
After all, there were some traditions that had to be fulfilled.
Ye Futian raised his wine glass and said to everyone, “After becoming the Palace Lord, I spent the first year cultivating in the Sage Hall. Now, at the end of the year, we have such a shabby celebration again. My elders, wife, brothers are all here, so I will not say anything emotional. Let’s drink.”
As he said that, Ye Futian finished his wine. The others all raised their glasses and finished their wine as well.
“If a cultivator wants to become strong, he should not be tied down to a single place. In this world, you have to lose something to gain something else, so why worry if it’s shabby.” Zhuge Qingfeng said nonchalantly. “Compared to the Palace of the past, I prefer the current Palace’s atmosphere. What does Sage Wanxiang think?”
“Indeed.” Sage Wanxiang nodded. “In the past, the Palace was a holy land. Although it did not have the strength of a holy land, it continued to call itself one and act like one. Now, it is more human-like and has more elements of discovery.”
The prophecy claimed that without destruction, there can be no construction. This was probably what it meant.
Now, the current Palace Lord Ye Futian had brought the Barren State’s citizens out. It seemed as though they were expanding and digging deeper into their potential.
“It’s too early to talk about expanding.” Ye Futian smiled and shook his head. Now, their purpose was cultivation, to become strong, to create a Saint, so that they could stand up against other holy lands.
“Every step that we have taken leaves a print. Perhaps we will not feel the process, but the accumulation of every step is extremely valuable.” The Sword Saint continued, “Little Brother, back then in the Barren State, did you ever imagine a scenario where all the Cottage’s disciples would enter the Sage Plane?”
Ye Futian reeled back and looked at his Big Brother, then turned to Zhuge Mingyue, Gu Dongliu, Xue Ye, Luo Fan and Yi Xiaoshi.
Apart from Sister Xing’er who was still in the Zhuge Family, the rest of the Cottage’s disciples were all beside him all this while and had never left.
“That’s right, in the past, in the Eastern Barren Territory, the Sage Plane was but a legend.” Ye Futian smiled and raised his glass, saying, “Big Brother, Second Sister, Third Brother… Let’s have a cheers for the Cottage. One day, the Cottage’s disciples will all be Sages and Saints.”
The Cottage’s disciples all raised their glasses. Gu Dongliu did not drink his wine, but said, “Little Brother, teacher’s expectations for you might not simply be the Saint Plane.”
“Yes.” Ye Futian looked at his Third Brother and nodded, saying, “Me too. Not just me, it goes for all the Cottage’s disciples.”
“Bravo.” Huang Jiuge smiled and said, “People always seem to set a limit for themselves, thinking that reaching a certain level denotes a legend and cannot be surpassed. Perhaps, it really might be insurmountable, but they have never tried to put in more effort to attempt to surpass that level. That is why my father once told me that only by being with the most elite people will one’s vision be different.”
The Barren State always treated the Saint Plane like a legend. Perhaps they felt that the Saint Plane was something they could never reach, but Ye Futian did not care that much. Although he was currently struggling, he still viewed the Saint Plane as part of the process and not the destination.
Sage Wanxiang looked at the group of lively figures. Ye Futian, Yu Sheng, Ye Wuchen, Hua Jieyu, Huang Jiuge, Gu Dongliu and the rest. It was as though he could see the Barren State’s future.
If they could make it past the most difficult times, perhaps the Barren State would become even stronger than he imagined.
After all, Yu Sheng had obtained first in the Nine State Forum. So, nothing was impossible.
Yuan Hong and Yuan Zhan stood silently at the side without saying anything. Occasionally, Yuan Hong would turn his gaze to Ye Futian. The Saint Plane?
Naturally, that would not be his future. He was someone who the Ape Emperor had knelt down to.
As the group drank and ate, the sky started to turn dark. The flames lit up their faces and they seemed to be a little drunk.
Perhaps it was the mood that was causing them to become drunk. After some more chatting, they started to leave and return to their abodes to rest.
When the sun rose again, it was the 10012th year of the Divine Prefecture Calendar.
In the new year, the village appeared the same as before, with the same silence. However, as the days passed, more people came to the vicinity of the village and many came in groups.
Evidently, the people from the Nine States who had received the news had started coming to the Tombkeeper Village.
One day, Ye Futian sat at the door of the house, sunbathing leisurely.
Jieyu and Yaya were not far away as well. At that moment, a group of people walked towards them with Ying at the forefront.
Ye Futian raised his head and looked at them. He saw Ying walking towards them and turned to Yaya, shouting, “Yaya.”
“Brother Ying, why have you come?” Yaya asked.
Ying’s gaze turned around and landed on Ye Futian with a cold expression. He said, “After being here for so long and not doing anything, do you agree?”
The past few days, Ye Futian had been laid back and did not agree or reject, as though nothing had happened.
He was waiting.
“I haven’t decided yet.” Ye Futian replied lazily.
“If you don’t dare to, leave while you still can.” Ying said coldly.
Ye Futian looked at the other party with a curious expression. How much did this Ying know?
“The Village Chief is looking for you.” After saying that in a frigid tone, Ying turned around and left.
“Finally, he can’t bear it anymore huh.” Ye Futian stood up as he muttered. Yaya walked forward and said, “I’ll accompany you.”
“Stay here with your sister.” Ye Futian rubbed Yaya’s head and started to leave.
After he had left, Sage Wanxiang and many others came over, as though waiting for Ye Futian to return.
Not long after, Ye Futian returned and looked at the crowd.
“How was it?” Sage Wanxiang asked. What did the Village Chief look for Ye Futian for?
Ye Futian smiled and said, “I had thought that I was a chess player in this game. However, it seems that I am but a piece in someone else’s game.”
Sage Wanxiang looked confused and Hua Jieyu also walked up and looked at him.
“So, have you come to a decision?” Sage Wanxiang asked.
Ye Futian nodded and said, “Even if I am a chess piece, I will be a piece that can affect the entire game!”
