“Everyone, welcome,” Ye Futian said loudly. His voice reverberated throughout the space. Outside the Heavenly Mandate Academy, several cultivators from various top forces gradually made their way into the academy after they heard his words. They gathered at the main hall.
Ye Futian scanned the crowd. There were quite a few familiar faces from some forces of the Shangqing Domain. Zhou Muhuang, the vice chief of Domain Chief’s Manor, and Princess Zhou Lingxi had come too.
Zhou Muhuang looked at Ye Futian, who stood in front of the main hall. He felt that he was fortune’s fool. In the past, he intended to recruit Ye Futian when the Shangqing Domain Chief’s Manor gathered all the talented cultivators. He wanted to keep Ye Futian under the control of the Domain Chief’s Manor so that Ye Futian would be under his command. At that time, Ye Futian was but a Renhuang with extraordinary talent.
However, judging from the current situation, Ye Futian’s status was no longer beneath his status as the vice chief of the Shangqing Domain Chief’s Manor.
Furthermore, Ye Futian was superior to him.
After all, the manor itself was the only force under the direct command of the Shangqing Domain Chief’s Manor. On the other hand, the Heavenly Mandate Academy, led by Ye Futian, controlled all the forces in the Original Realm. The Ziwei Segmentum was under his command too. Besides that, all the cultivators from Four Corner Village were willing to follow him. Combining all these forces, it was obvious that Ye Futian was leading a superpower.
Moreover, Ye Futian was supported by the mysterious master. Hence, Ye Futian’s current status was above that of Zhou Muhuang. When Zhou Muhuang visited the Heavenly Mandate Academy, he needed to wait for the host’s approval before he could pay his tribute.
Aside from him, all the cultivators from the various top forces of the Divine Prefecture also needed to wait for the approval of Ye Futian to enter the academy this time. No one dared to barge into the place without an invitation.
Not long ago, Ye Futian and his team killed many powerful cultivators from the Demon Cloud, including Mo Ke and the Great Elder of the clan. Even Zhou Muhuang—the ruler of Shangqing Domain Chief’s Manor—did not dare to comment much on this matter. Now, most likely, nobody in the Divine Prefecture could command Ye Futian.
Not to mention that the matter involved personal vengeance. Outsiders had no stance in the vendetta between the Demon Cloud and Blind Tie.
“All of you have traveled far to visit the Heavenly Mandate Academy. Please excuse me for not welcoming all of you sooner,” Ye Futian said to everyone while bowing slightly. He was polite, and he spoke humbly. However, his humble speech also made people feel distant.
Zhou Lingxi, who stood beside Zhou Muhuang, lamented internally. Back then, the Domain Chief’s Manor intended to use her to keep Ye Futian around. However, he did not show the slightest interest in her at all. If the Domain Chief’s Manor had been more sincere in making friends with Ye Futian, then they would have at least been on good terms with him now.
If that were the case, it would most likely not be a problem for their manor to want to cultivate in the starry cultivation court. After all, the ancient royal family of Duan was already cultivating there at the moment.
“Renhuang Ye, you’re too kind. We’ve come to ask for a favor,” said a top figure. Their attitude toward Ye Futian now had changed completely. Even the giant-level cultivators spoke courteously and dared not act imprudently. After all, Ye Futian now possessed the power to determine whether the giant-level figures lived or died.
“Oh?” Ye Futian raised his brows slightly and asked, “What matter is Senior referring to?”
He was clearly asking an obvious question.
Everyone knew that Ye Futian was well aware of their purpose for coming here.
“We wish to have access to the starry cultivation court for cultivation,” said the giant-level figure. “Right now, Renhuang Ye has taken charge of the starry cultivation court and can borrow the power of the Will of the Great Emperor. If you would allow the cultivators from the Divine Prefecture to cultivate there, the overall abilities of the Divine Prefecture would improve. Your contribution would be significant. Of course, we’ll not use the starry cultivation court for free. We will pay an equivalent price in exchange for such access. Renhuang Ye can also name a price. How about it?”
Ye Futian smiled at the other party and said, “Senior, have you opened up the holy land of cultivation of your clan or force to the other forces from the outside world and the Divine Prefecture? I am sure that the members of the other forces will also be willing to pay to do so.”
Currently, the starry cultivation court was under his control. It was considered to be his personal holy land of cultivation. Why would he allow others to cultivate in it?
Ye Futian was not so selfless.
He had also allowed all the forces to use the starry cultivation court back during the battle of the Heavenly Mandate Academy. As long as the forces were willing to join the battle and fight for the Heavenly Mandate Academy, they would be permitted to cultivate there at any time. However, none of the major forces were willing to stand out for them. Conversely, they were greedily eyeing the starry cultivation court. All of them wanted to add insult to injury. By killing him and destroying the Heavenly Mandate Academy, they would naturally obtain the teachings of Great Emperor Ziwei and the starry cultivation court.
Now that the situation had changed, they wanted permission to cultivate in the starry cultivation court. Wasn’t this too easy?
The giant-level figure continued, “I understand where Renhuang Ye is coming from. This is indeed a great request. All of us are part of the Divine Prefecture. Now that turmoil is imminent, improving the abilities of the forces of the Divine Prefecture to combat the invasion of outside forces will be considered a great contribution by Renhuang Ye. Moreover, all of us are willing to pay a high price in exchange for such access.” The other members also nodded in agreement.
“In the future, if Renhuang Ye requires any assistance, you will only need to issue the command. The cultivators of the various forces of the Divine Prefecture will willingly provide aid. Wouldn’t that be perfect?” someone else added, promising these things.
However, if such a time truly came, whether or not the other party would lend their aid remained unclear.
Ye Futian smiled. Were they pressuring him to act for the greater good of the Divine Prefecture?
“All right,” replied Ye Futian. When he thought about this, he actually nodded his head and agreed. This stunned the various cultivators. Some of them gave Ye Futian suspicious looks. Ye Futian seemed to have agreed too easily. Although this was their original goal, they never imagined that Ye Futian would agree so readily.
Things were likely not as they seemed.
As expected, Ye Futian looked at them with a smile and continued saying, “Since everyone has requested it, I will naturally not have any objection against the suggestion. Everything is for the sake of the Divine Prefecture. However, the Original Realm is also part of the Divine Prefecture. Since everyone has the same goal in mind, I’m sure all of you have heard of what happened recently. A force from the Dark World is committing massacres in the Original Realm. They have lost their humanity. I am determined to cast the Dark World out of the Original Realm. Are Seniors willing to follow me and wage war against the Dark World?”
After Ye Futian said that, he scanned the crowd and concluded, “This is for the greater good of the Divine Prefecture.”
The cultivators were stunned when they heard Ye Futian’s words. Then, all of them fell silent. For the greater good of the Divine Prefecture?
They were definitely not righteous; they were merely serving their own interests.
The forces of the Dark World were very powerful. Currently, more and more top forces from the Dark World were descending upon the Original Realm. If the cultivators immediately declared war on them, it would be a matter of life or death. It would no longer be as simple as paying a high fee. The price might be their own lives.
Hence, no one dared to agree to this so easily. After all, from the last battle, they knew that the Dark Court was cautious of Ye Futian. If the forces from the Divine Prefecture were to go on the initiative and declare war, the cultivators of the Dark World would most likely deal with them first.
“What’s the matter? The forces of the Dark World are so cruel. Seniors, don’t all of you want to expel them from our lands?” Ye Futian continued pressuring them. His manner was imposing. Zhou Muhuang clearly sensed that the current Ye Futian was different from what he was before!
