Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio
Ye Futian naturally knew what Zhuge Qingfeng meant. Although as far as he was concerned the Upper and Lower Worlds were connected, this was not an obstacle for him.
The Nine States was no longer a suitable place for him to cultivate. In the future he would have to often cultivate in the Upper Worlds. He would probably have very little time to return to the Nine States. He would have to leave the palace’s affairs to others to handle.
“Uncle, you have now started on the Divine Path. The Barren State is free from danger now, and five palaces stand in its five domains to preach the way of cultivation. I have left the Master in charge of the Holy Zhi Palace, with Grandfather Ape to assist him. There are also several Palace Lords garrisoned there. It doesn’t matter if I’m there or not,” said Ye Futian with a smile.
Five Saints had come into the world. Today, the Holy Zhi Palace was at the height of its power.
Everyone smiled and shook their heads. Palace Lord Ye Futian had always been a hands-off leader. He was the symbol of the palace, a totemic figure for them. But the palace’s affairs were left to others to handle, and Ye Futian rarely took an active role in its day to day affairs.
“Who are you planning to bring with you this time?” asked You Chi.
“We’ll see who’s willing to come,” answered Ye Futian.
“You have us garrisoned here, but you also need some Saints by your side.” You Chi was a little uneasy. The Upper Realms were much stronger and more responsible than the Nine States.
Within the Nine States, Ye Futian was the Lord of one of the holy lands of the Barren State. There, everyone had to abide by certain rules. But in the Upper Realms it was different.
Moreover, there were so many cultivators in the Upper Realms. Many of the top holy lands had more than a few Saints. Given that, if Ye Futian only brought a few Sages with him, that would be cause for concern.
“Saint Jiang is naturally not going. He will stay in the palace and continue to stick to his beliefs. It may be a long time. I will go ask Yaya,” said Ye Futian.
Everyone nodded. If Yaya went with him they could relax a little.
After all, Yaya was the inheritor of the Sword Saint of the Void. Not only was she already very strong, she would continue to grow stronger and reach her former peak. Even in the Upper Realms there were few rivals for her.
In the past the Sword Saint of the Void had been without equal in the Nine States, and his name had shaken both realms.
Ye Futian went to where Yaya was staying. He seemed a bit anxious. After all, after hearing the news about Jieyu he naturally wanted to go faster.
However, he would not be that safe in the Upper Realms. At Jiutian Temple he had defeated the Jueying Sword Saint’s cherished disciple Pei Qianying, and his opponent had been a cultivator of Lihen Heaven. That had been witnessed by Xia Qingyuan, so no one dared to move against him. But if he spent a long time cultivating in the Upper Worlds he did not know what would happen.
When Ye Futian came to see Yaya, her eyes were closed in cultivation. The Village Chief had come with him.
She opened her eyes and stared deeply at him. Complicated emotions played across her face.
The memories of cultivating in both worlds melded together. Souls mingled, influencing each other.
Before she had transformed, everything that had happened in Tombkeeper Village had shocked her soul greatly. These events had also branded Ye Futian’s soul. Even though she was now the Sword Saint of the Void, the memories could not be erased.
“I’m going to the Upper Realms to cultivate,” said Ye Futian.
Yaya stared at him and said nothing.
Seeing her cold expression, Ye Futian smiled. “Take care of yourself, Yaya.”
On saying this, he turned to leave. In the end he did not say what he had come to say.
His friendship towards her had already been repaid. She had helped him break the Great Zhou Sacred Dynasty and kill the Great Zhou Sacred King. He still thought of her as a sister, but she was different than before. She was now guided by the will of the Sword Saint of the Void, and he had no right to ask her for anything.
As for the Village Chief, he would naturally follow Yaya.
After he left, Ye Futian thought for a while. Someone else came to mind, someone who might be suitable for him to choose.
Ye Futian came to Lapis Lazuli Palace and came across Glass Saint still standing there in deep meditation.
She seemed detached from the world. As she stood there like that, her whole aura seemed non-existent.
“Have you decided where to go?” asked Ye Futian.
Glass Saint looked over at him. Her beautiful face held a cold and lonely expression, like a winter’s moon. There was not a trace of emotion.
“If not, why don’t you come with me to the Upper Realms? Maybe you’ll find a path for yourself there,” he said to her.
She looked at him in the same way for a while, then said, “Fine.”
She did not vacillate at all, agreeing with him directly.
This made a strange look come over Ye Futian’s face. He looked long and hard at Glass Saint. He had no way to know what she was thinking. Nowadays she kept a distance between her and everyone else, making her cold and beautiful.
“I’ll let you know when we’re leaving.” Ye Futian did not say too much, leaving her with that one last sentence.
Afterwards, Ye Futian called together the various Palace Lords to confirm a few matters dealing with the palace’s resources and the requirements of the core disciples.
At the same time, he confirmed who would be coming with him.
This time the older generation would not go, especially those who had been with him all along.
Three days later, many cultivators from the palace came to the main stairway to Holy Sage Pavilion. They knew that Lord Ye Futian was going to the Upper Realms to cultivate.
Although he could come back whenever he wanted, he still would not come for a long time.
He would keep his status as Palace Lord of the Holy Zhi Palace, since he could not be replaced. After all, in the Nine States Ye Futian’s name was still the symbol of the Barren State.
One day, when the Holy Zhi Palace stood at the peak of the Nine States, he could pass down the title.
Ye Futian stood upon the steps. All the cultivators of the palace had come to see him off.
Beside him were those who would go with him.
Among them, the Cottage disciples were obviously there. This time Xue Ye was not going, but would stay in the Barren State instead. Little Grass was still young, and he planned to accompany her until she grew up. After all, they had no foundation in the Upper Realms. If Ye Futian and the others could establish a stable foundation in the Upper Realms, he may bring Little Grass there sometime in the future.
Beitang Xing’er would go with them. She had not cultivated to a high level, but she always followed Second Sister.
When her Master had brought her back to the Cottage, Third Brother had gotten revenge for her, and Second Sister had taken care of her as she grew up. Thus, she was closest to Zhuge Mingyue and Gu Dongliu. She had spent the past few years with the Zhuge clan. She would go wherever they went.
As for Sword Saint, Zhuge Mingyue, Gu Dongliu, Luo Fan, and Yi Xiaoshi, nothing more need be said.
Besides the people from the Cottage, Yu Sheng, Ye Wuchen, Huang Jiuge, Yuan Zhan, Xu Que, Zui Qianchou, Phoenix, Yun Shuisheng, and Loulan Xue were all naturally going. The people from the older generation would not go, but their juniors would all follow Ye Futian from birth until death.
The road ahead might be dangerous, but it would be full of opportunity. They had all had the opportunity to prove their holiness. Following Ye Futian, their juniors would never have a chance to go farther.
“Don’t leave me too far behind, ” said Xue Ye with a smile.
Little Grass pulled on Ye Futian’s sleeve. “Don’t forget to come and see me, Uncle Ye.”
“Of course. You be good now, Little Grass.” Ye Futian patted the little girl’s head.
“Mmm.” Little Grass nodded.
“I’m ready brother. When do we leave?” came a voice. Ye Futian looked up and saw a slender figure walking over, her body full of the vigor of youth. It was Long Ling’er.
“When did I say I was bringing you?” Ye Futian was stunned.
“Is there something wrong with me? You don’t care about me anymore…” Long Ling’er’s eyes turned red. Her acting made everyone stare at her with mouth and eyes wide open.
But Ye Futian did not blame her. This girl had been a little devil ever since she was a child.
“What do Aunt and Uncle Long have to say about this?” Ye Futian asked dumbfoundedly.
“That means you agree!” Long Ling’er suddenly smiled. She pulled Ye Futian’ arm and looked back at Long Ao and Mrs. Long, saying, “You see, mother and father? Brother Futian agreed. You said that if he agreed you had no objections.”
“…..” Ye Futian stared at her dumbfounded.
Mrs. Long shook her head and smiled ruefully. “Futian, I must trouble you to look after this girl.”
“Alright.” Ye Futian did not know whether to laugh or cry. This girl was a menace.
Everyone came to see them off one by one. Glass Saint came as well and stood there quietly. Everyone glanced at the beautiful Saint. She was completely different than before. Her character had transformed.
Ye Futian swept his gaze over everyone, then slowly rose into the sky.
“Let’s go,” he said, and they all set out.
“Farewell, Palace Lord.” Everyone bowed as they called this out. Their voices reverberated between heaven and earth. They looked up and watched Ye Futian leave.
Ye Futian rose up into the sky, but he seemed to sense something. He was stunned when he saw what was in front of them.
He saw a huge floating sword coming towards them. A woman stood upon it, her long hair flowing in the wind. The Village Chief stood calmly behind her.
Besides them were also Qin Zhuang and Ying.
The Village Chief smiled at Ye Futian, and he and the others climbed aboard the sword. The sword flew off into the distance.
Three Saints were with him, as well as forces who were unmatched below the Saint level. Even in the Upper Realms this battle array would form a Saint level force.
The guardians of the Sky Stairwell roundly berated those who had come from the Lower Realm. When they first saw this group of different level cultivators coming up the Sky Stairwell at the same time, the weak among them did not even dare to act against them. Helping them along was simply against the rules.
But what could they say?
The Sage army that guarded Heaven’s Gate was swept through, and they could not stop them.
A group of figures climbed up the Sky Stairwell, still cursing the group of b*stards who was rushing up.
“Commander, should we send a report?” one of them did not want to accept this, and wished to complain.
“Go do it yourself.” The commander was the same one as last time. He replied indifferently. Lodge a complaint? Besides the fact that he would lose face by doing this, Ye Futian’s trip to the Upper Realm had been suggested by the higher ups. What was there to complain about?
