The Sage figure had attacked Ye Futian and disabled his cultivation. How could he not be furious? But Yang Ding and Gong Kui seemed to have been tricked by Ye Futian too.
"Chief Chen, how are the investigations about the person who leaked Jin Yunxiao's news?" Ye Futian asked. They all knew that someone must be behind all this. He guessed that it would have something to do with the Blazing Sun School. Otherwise, they wouldn't come to catch him in the Starry School.
"The one who told Wang Yuqing was a student of the Starry School. He has a simple background and only said it after being bribed. We can't find the source," the chief said. "However, it must have been the two major clans of the Blazing Sun School."
"Clans?" Ye Futian's eyes flashed.
"Yes." Chen Yuan nodded. "The Top Three Schools are competitors, but Yang Ding shouldn't attack you so cruelly. He would never wish to declare war. It's catastrophic for the Blazing Sun School too. Just like the Starry School, they have two main clans—the Chen Clan and the Liu Clan. If the Divine Sky City turns to chaos, the Top Three Schools are at war, and the Nine Cloud Palace is thrown in as well, who will benefit the most?"
"The clans," Ye Futian said.
"Yes. Each clan wants to increase their influence and has a strong voice in each school. But the Top Three Schools are still the most important in the eastern Barren State. Some people aren't satisfied and want to replace them. They want to rule the Top Three Schools. Each clan only has some power in the schools.
"Once there's war, the schools would be the most involved and be hurt the worst. The people within the schools would also fight, but they would have their clans behind them. When the schools are weakened, the clans could enter the Top Three Schools and get more power or even control them directly."
Chen Yuan continued, "That day, the Blazing Sun School had come to arrest someone. Thus, the mastermind must be from that school. Yang Ding wanted the inheritance you have, so he was used. Of course, he must have guessed this, but he was willing because of the inheritance. He has it now, doesn't he?"
Ye Futian nodded. To figure out the mastermind, one must see who benefited the most from the chaos. Chief Chen must be right.
"The Chen Clan's leader is more ambitious and intense. The Liu Clan is calmer in comparison. Thus, it's more possible that the Chen Clan is responsible." Chen Yuan's expression was cold. Ye Futian thought of the martial arts battlefield. Chen Wang and Long Mu had reached the end, but he'd beaten them both. Chen Wang must be angry.
"Chief, since I'm alright, you can move on. Don't fall into their trap. We can settle this in the future," Ye Futian urged. He wanted to get them to pay, but he would bear it for the big picture.
Chen Yuan looked to Ye Futian and said, "But our relationship has already worsened and the Nine Cloud Palace is thrown into the mix too. Since you're okay and their plan had failed, they would try again."
Some things would have a sequel after the first time.
"Chief, you can announce that I'm dead," Ye Futian said.
Chen Yuan looked surprised. "You prepare to leave?"
"Yes." Ye Futian nodded. "I'd planned to challenge myself outside the Divine Sky City after I reach the Noble Plane. But since there are these changes, I want to go earlier. I have the Polearm of Divine Destruction now and can protect myself. You can protect me here, but I'm afraid there will be many restrictions. It's not suitable for cultivation."
"Exploring is indeed a better choice. I'd planned on arranging it for you, but I didn't think it would be like this," Chen Yuan said. "Are you sure you want to be announced dead?"
"I want to extinguish their divine light. Yang Ding and Gong Kui will suspect me. Announcing my death now would be a good explanation. Of course, I still need a few days. I want to see more of their cultivation. I want to cultivate in isolation for a while too."
"Alright." Chen Yuan nodded. "Since you decided, let's do it."
…
Months passed. There was less and less news about him. Gradually, no one mentioned him. One day, Yang Ding, chief of the Blazing Sun School, was cultivating in the yard. He cast the divine light he'd comprehended. The solar divine light was extremely brilliant. It seemed to contain a Holy Road. But the divine light quickly dimmed.
Yang Ding's eyes flew open. Looking up at the sky, he saw the Saint's image darken and disappear. At the same time, the sunlight that filled the sky also disappeared, extinguishing completely.
"What's going on?" Yang Ding's expression changed. His spiritual mind filled the space but couldn't find any bit of abnormality in the sky. However, the divine light just disappeared like that.
He furrowed his brows, expression turning cold. Did Ye Futian do something when giving him the divine light? But if that was true, why did Ye Futian let him comprehend for so long instead of extinguishing his divine light earlier? That didn't make sense.
A similar scene happened at the Bright Moon School. Gong Kui was furious. He'd just gotten a deep understanding of the divine light, but then it extinguished just like that. It was as if it never existed. He also suspected Ye Futian, but like Yang Ding, it didn't make sense to him.
After their divine lights extinguished, Chen Yuan from the Starry School announced Ye Futian's death. Many students were floored at the news.
The pride that could defeat the entire generation had died?
The Son's pavilion had been locked all these days. Before, people had been curious, but they gradually forgot as time passed. Few mentioned the locked Son's pavilion. People would mention it very occasionally, but no one thought that this brilliant figure would die like this.
Gu Yunxi was walking in the Starry School. When she heard the news, she completely blanked. Her face turned white as paper and she tumbled. Her body trembled; her mind was blank.
"Yunxi." Her good friend supported her from the side.
A clear tear rolled down from her eyes as she mumbled, "Impossible. I don't believe it."
"Yunxi, the chief announced it himself," the girl murmured. She was Gu Yunxi's best friend and naturally knew about her thoughts. The princess of the Gu Clan had always looked up to Ye Futian. She used to visit the Celestial Pavilion a lot and often played Ye Futian's songs while cultivating.
Gu Yunxi bit her lips hard, making it bleed. She thought of how amazing Ye Futian had been when she first Ye Futian play in the music workshop. She'd thought that Ye Futian would be a master at musical sorcery. But when she met him at the West Court, she saw that he was so young and handsome. She became interested in him then.
Afterward, Ye Futian became more and more extraordinary. Finally, he became the Son of the Starry School. He walked out from the crowd in the divine robe, attracting everyone's gazes. He was so brilliant and stood atop everyone.
That figure was ingrained in her heart. The more she thought of him, the deeper he sank.
Of course, she knew that Ye Futian had a girlfriend, so she didn't have any wishes. She was happy just to see him sometimes. She never thought that he would die one day.
"Yunxi, don't be so sad," her friend soothed.
"I want to go see." Gu Yunxi suddenly started running towards the Son's pavilion.
"Yunxi." The girl followed, also running in that direction.
Also in the Starry School, Wang Yuqing trembled as well when she received the news. She lowered her head, speechless and feeling extremely sad.
Long Mu froze in his spot when he found out. How could Ye Futian die like this?
Everyone in the Starry School had many thoughts. The one who'd been expected to surpass Long Yitian had died halfway through. He'd been attacked by someone in the Sage Plane.
A figure shot into the sky at that time, going into the distance.
"It's Chief Chen. Where's he going?" Many people looked up. Chen Yuan charged into the distance in anger.
After some time, news arrived that Chen Yuan had landed in the Blazing Sun School and fought intensely with Yang Ding. The sky and ground had cracked. The repaired Blazing Sun School collapsed once again, reduced to rubble.
The battle had been shocking. Both chiefs were hurt before Chen Yuan left in anger.
Yang Ding was furious. He wanted to rush to the Starry School, but he'd felt Chen Yuan's anger. He knew that if he really went, no one would be able to bear the consequences, so he just let that bastard vent.
The news shocked everyone when it spread through the city.
In the West Court, Long Ling'er cried when she heard that Ye Futian had died. She rushed to her mother to go visit the school. She didn't want to believe it.
Madame Long brought her because she was also doubtful. Had Ye Futian really died?
During this time, only Chen Yuan had entered the Son's pavilion. Only he knew about Ye Futian's situation. Did he want to fool everyone to protect Ye Futian?
After Madame Long arrived, she learned that Chen Yuan had cremated Ye Futian. His ashes were put in a box and given to Ye Futian's friends. People saw it with their own eyes.
The Blazing Sun School and Bright Moon School also sent people over. Clearly, they were doubtful too, especially Yang Ding and Gong Kui. Why did the divine light disappear when he died? Had the Saint tied the divine lights to Ye Futian's life so that they extinguished when he died? If not, there would be no other explanation. It seemed that they could only believe this.
Many people sighed in lamentation. Never in this main city of the eastern Barren City had the death of an Arcana Plane figure caused such a commotion!