Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio
The Holy Zhi Palace was refreshed by the addition of new students. The news of the champion of this year’s Law Battle being humiliatingly crushed by Ye Futian and Yu Sheng within a mere two hours after entering the palace spread far and wide like wildfire.
The prestige of being the champion of the Law Battle had originally been unspeakable. Even though they might have suffered some oppression or bullying due to being a lower plane, none had ever suffered what Ximen Gu had been through—getting trashed after being there for just two hours.
Ximen Gu was then ridiculed as the most pitiful champion of the Law Battle in the history of the Holy Zhi Palace.
Many felt rather excited at the news, as both Ye Futian and Yu Sheng had not been seen in action for two whole years. Many wondered if their first battle after all that time to teach Ximen Gu a lesson would earn them the wrath of Ximen Hanjiang, the one who ranked first on the Law Rank. Everyone thought it would be interesting if Ximen Hanjiang were to avenge Ximen Gu.
Were Ye Futian and Yu Sheng trying to provoke Ximen Hanjiang? Their action of trashing Ximen Gu was a sign saying they gave no face to the champion of the Law Rank, Ximen Hanjiang. Ximen Hanjiang eyed his brother while they were in the Holy Sage Pavilion. His eyes looked rather cold doing so. Other than Ximen Hanjiang, there were also other students of the Holy Sage Pavilion present, such as Bai Ze and Zhuge Xing.
“Him again.” Bai Ze’s eyes flashed with murderous intent. If anyone was said to hate Ye Futian the most, it would have been none other than Bai Ze.
“We were preparing to welcome Ximen Gu, we never thought…” Zhuge Xing said as he saw Ximen Gu lying there in a bloody mess. “He really showed no mercy at all; just as arrogant and reckless as he has always been.”
“Brother, crush him,” Ximen yelled as he looked at his older brother.
“You, shut up!” Ximen Hanjiang berated him coldly. “You dare pick fights with the Law Rank disciples of the latest batch as soon as you get in the palace? Did you really think you were invincible just because you’re number one?”
He knew how terrifying Ye Futian was. Ye Futian had been a Grade Eight Noble all those years before, but he displayed immense talent like none other. While he did not actually fight with anyone, there was no doubt about his talents, be it martial arts, sorcery, or music. All were immeasurably superb. It was anyone’s guess how powerful he had gotten now that he had become a Grade Four Noble.
Ximen Gu’s picking a fight with Ye Futian as soon as he got into the palace was little different from trying to make a death wish come true.
“I said little more than two lines. I never knew those two could have been so vicious.” Ximen Gu’s eyes were practically filled with hatred.
“Two lines, you said?” Ximen Hanjiang retorted coldly. “You deliberately insulted a girl, and you didn’t see that to be an act to provoke him? You said you wanted to know how powerful the champion of the last batch was, and now you know. Tell me, how does it feel?”
Ximen Gu was speechless. He had meant to provoke Futian after all.
“Let what happened this time to be a lesson for you. Put your pride aside from here on out when you’re in the palace, and be diligent in your training,” Ximen Hanjiang said coldly. Ximen Gu’s knuckles went white. So that’s it?
“Take him to rest,” Ximen Hanjiang said to someone around him, and Ximen Gu was carried away from where he lied.
Ximen Hanjiang looked in the direction of Battle Sage Palace. While there was no doubt that Ximen Gu was indeed the one at fault, it was also true that Ye Futian went too far.
“Brother Ximen, are we going to just let this slide?” Bai Ze asked as he looked at Ximen Hanjiang.
“Since he is already at such a level now, it’ll only be a matter of time before we clash. He probably won’t miss this year’s sparring sessions,” Ximen Hanjiang said calmly. His main objective at the moment was to make it into the ranks of saints, as he was already at the pinnacle of Noble Plane.
The fact that Ximen Hanjiang was not nominated by the Sage Palace was an obvious indication to him, saying that he, despite being the one ranked first on the Law Rank, was not someone of exceptional caliber like Hua Fan of the previous generation. He failed to prove himself worthy of entering the Sage Palace.
No one else said much after that, but Zhuge Xing quipped, “Alchemy City is inviting forces from all over Barren State to witness their ceremony. Are any of you, seniors, interested in going?”
“I’m preparing to train behind closed doors. As such, I won’t be going. In the case of all of you, however, this would prove a great chance for you to train and get exposed, as mighty ones of all kinds will gather in Alchemy City,” Ximen Hanjiang said. The Holy Zhi Palace was a comprehensive, self-sufficient place in itself. Most nobles simply trained within the palace and rarely made contact with the outside world. However, if an opportunity presented itself, the Holy Zhi Palace’s members were free to venture outside.
Alchemy City was highly renowned and held an important status in the Barren State. The city never participated in the Holy Zhi Palace’s selections, and the city served as the symbol of the southwestern region of Barren State.
Many nodded lightly. The trip to Alchemy City this time was indeed seen as one worth making. Mighty ones from all sorts of places in the Barren State, other than the Holy Zhi Palace and the Ice Temple in the southernmost regions, would probably gather in Alchemy City.
The members of the Holy Zhi Palace felt rather disappointed, however, that the predicted fight between Ximen Hanjiang and Ye Futian was not going to happen. They had, after all, been anticipating a clash of the titans. However, the news that Alchemy City was about to hold the Alchemy Conference, spread out from the palaces and pavilions, taking the entire Holy Zhi Palace by storm.
Ye Futian knew of the news through the mouth of Sage Douzhan.
“Alchemy Conference?” Ye Futian eyed Sage Douzhan in the temple.
“Indeed. The Alchemy Conference is the largest Armorer Competition in Alchemy City, and everyone below the Sage Plane is invited to the event. It is held only once in ten years. Forces from all over the Barren State are invited by Alchemy City, and the Holy Zhi Palace is, of course, among the ones invited. However, as Alchemy City never bothered participating in the Holy Zhi Palace’s selection processes, the elders of the Holy Zhi Palace saw no need to give them face. You people, however, are free to visit them,” Sage Douzhan said.
“I’m not an armorer. What is the use of me attending the event?” Ye Futian said, showing that he had little interest in it.
“The Armorer Competition will be a gathering of mighty ones from all over the Barren State. You have been training in the Holy Zhi Palace for more than three years. Don’t you want to go outside and have a look at things?” Sage Douzhan smiled as he said, finding it impressive that despite Ye Futian’s youth, he was hardly bothered by loneliness.
“Do you wish for me to go, teacher?” Ye Futian asked Sage Douzhan.
“I do indeed.” Sage Douzhan nodded.
“I will make the trip then,” Ye Futian answered with a smile.
“Very well.” Sage Douzhan smiled. “The act of cultivation through the refinement of one’s body is a lifelong process. This isn’t to say that one stops developing their physical body upon becoming a sage. Rather, the higher you go, the steeper the requirements will be on your body. By then, even the resources the Holy Zhi Palace are able to provide will not necessarily fulfill your needs. Furthermore, it isn’t possible for you to just keep staying in the Holy Zhi Palace. Alchemy City has the finest armorers in all of the Barren State. You will be able to find powerful body-refining implements in Alchemy City, and so, it will do you good to make friendly relations with the people of Alchemy City.” It was obvious at that point that Sage Douzhan had other intentions. Ye Futian felt rather speechless at his teacher’s blatant intentions and plans for Alchemy City.
“Teacher, I heard that the city lord of Alchemy City is ranked eighth on the Barren Sky Ranking. But why is it that Alchemy City has such a prestigious status in Barren State?” Ye Futian asked out of curiosity.
“First of all, that would be attributed to their prowess as armorers. Forces everywhere probably have needs that can only be fulfilled by the city. Second, it would probably due to the city itself housing many super ritual implements. While the city lord of that place might only be ranked eighth on Barren Sky Ranking, the additional kick provided by ritual implements might have just made them someone few dare touch. Needless to say, no one dares invade the city’s territory. Alchemy City is where it is today due to all of those reasons,” Sage Douzhan elaborated.
“I can find holy ritual implements there?” Ye Futian’s eyes sparkled with an unusual sheen. There had been saints throughout the Barren State, and the three great schools were of the lineage of a saint. The Holy Zhi Palace’s Sage Palace was probably no exception.
“You will indeed.” Sage Douzhan nodded.
Ye Futian came to understand why Alchemy City’s status was so prestigious.
“Besides, as Alchemy City has invited the Holy Zhi Palace to participate in the event, all six palaces and pavilions have informed their students about it. Many of our students will probably head there,” Sage Douzhan added.
“Alright.” Ye Futian nodded. “I’ll ask around and see if anyone wants to make the trip with me.”
“Yes, you should,” Sage Douzhan said.
The news of the Armorer Competition from Alchemy City spread far and wide in the Holy Zhi Palace. Many came asking about Ye Futian, and the news of Ye Futian’s participation of the event soon reached everyone’s ears.
Many mighty ones gathered at the Battle Sage Palace that day. Ye Futian, Yu Sheng, Ye Wuchen, Yi Xiaoshi, Yuan Zhan, Xu Que, and Zui Qianchou were all present. The silhouette of three girls made their way through the air, and everyone’s eyes sparkled. All three were top class beauties, and they were none other than the three beauties from Daozang Palace: Hua Jieyu, Yun Shuisheng, and Phoenix. With the exception of Xiang Zhiqin, three out of the four were present.
“So, it seems like Sister Yun and Phoenix will be going to Alchemy City as well,” Hua Jieyu said with a smile to Ye Futian. As fellow students of Sage Daozang, it was natural that all three of them had become familiar with each other over the past three years.
“Welcome,” Ye Futian said with a smile. While he and Yun Shuisheng had a rocky start, their feud was long over. Yun Shuisheng was still unable to break into Sage Plane even after working at it for two years, and it was only natural that she had wanted to go outside for a bit.
“Wait up, Brother Ye.” A few more figures were seen coming through the air; it was Zhong Li and the others, fellow students who entered the Holy Zhi Palace with Ye Futian. All of them had been helped by Ye Futian one way or another in their training over the past two years, and they all gathered at Battle Sage Palace.
“Are you going, Zhong Li?” Ye Futian asked.
“Yes, indeed. My place is near Alchemy City, and I’m rather familiar with the area,” Zhong Li answered with a smile. Zhong Li came from the Zhong clan of the Separation Road, which was near Alchemy City.
“Let’s head out together then,” Ye Futian answered with a smile. Ye Futian was among the ones of the lower rank in their current party. He was the one with the lowest plane when he entered as a Grade Nine Noble. Three years had passed and he became a Grade Four Noble, but the others were training as well. There were Grade Three Nobles among them, and the stronger ones had even become Grade Two Nobles. Yun Shuisheng had been at the pinnacle of the Noble Plane all that while.
The party was indeed a fearsome one, as many hailed from top forces from all over Barren State. They leaped into the air and quickly vanished into the clouds.
Sage Douzhan and Sage Jingang stood looking in Battle Sage Palace after they left. Sage Jingang was seen with a smile, saying, “That batch from three years has indeed become quite formidable. This time, it’s no longer the Holy Sage Pavilion being the center of things, but Ye Futian. That guy really has a way with things.”
Ye Futian was the one with the lowest plane among his party; however, the current way things went spoke volume of his natural prowess and talent, as well as his charisma.
“Ximen Hanjiang is far from capable of such feats. He lacks the decisive advantage which allows him to make those of the same batch submit to him. Hua Fan, however, accomplished something like that. Ye Futian will probably succeed Hua Fan. Maybe he will someday become like Bai Luli—a symbol of one whole generation in the Holy Zhi Palace,” Sage Douzhan elaborated with a smile.
