More and more mighty ones took to the skies, blocking the sky area above Ye Futian. He still had his holy badge with him for now, which if taken, would have rendered all his previous efforts to waste.
If those top-class figures were to get their hands on the ruins, it would have been a given that they would simply keep the place for themselves instead of sharing with others. They were only willing to hand holy badges to him because he had previously shared the ruins he had cracked opened with others. It was due to that that became willing to bet on him, even though they knew the risk of them ended up losing was high.
With those top-class figures going all out to fight up in the air, they came to realize how meager their chances of winning were, which was close to zero. Some of those mighty ones packed more punch that they would have imagined.
Ning Huang moved proudly like he was a god. Clad in godlike armor and looking insurmountable, he moved slowly, yet every step carried immeasurable pressure. He lifted his foot to step on the air yet again. His one step seemed to have been stepping on the hearts of the ones around him. Many felt as if they were suffocating and went pale. More went spitting blood. Even those who have reached grade seven Noble Plane felt the heft of his steps all the same, their insides being under immense pressure and their minds filled with horror.
Boom! Ning Huang took his third step. Those in Noble Planes around him spat blood, even those who were of grade seven Noble Plane just like him. Needless to say, those of grade eight or nine suffered very badly.
There were nine grades to the Noble Plane, with grade one being the most powerful. It went without saying that the difference between different planes was even greater. Only those who were grade seven nobles like he was were able to withstand the pressure, the likes of Ning Huang emanated. Those who were of even lower planes were unable to withstand even one step of his. If Ning Huang wanted to go on a killing spree, anyone who dared even walk up to him would have died on the spot.
Seeing Ning Huang had already made his way down, Xuanyuan Bashan roared and went charging with his ax. The gleam from his weapon was intense, like he was going to split the sky itself. Xie Wuji, Qin Yin and all the others began to make their moves, blasting away with their sword auras and went for the impossibly imposing being. Those who guarded Ye Futian all wanted nothing then than to stop Ning Huang's advancement.
Ning Huang's expressions hardly flinched. He remained the being who ignored all as he made his steps downward. Protective light screens appeared around him. The flash from the ax looking like it was to split the sky was split in the middle, and the sword intent that was aimed at him menacingly was reduced to nothing.
Xuanyuan Bashan spat up blood as his body was sent flying. The earth cracked as he landed. Xie Wuji, Qin Yin and the others were not doing any better. All suffered grievous internal injuries, and they looked at Ning Huang in a despairing manner. Every single step he made seemed to be more powerful. No one would have been able to stand in front of the likes of him, and stayed there for long.
Such was the meaning of top-class geniuses—beings who were seemingly invincible even against those of the very same plane, and there seemed to be unstoppable by anyone.
Ye Futian told hold of the Polearm of Divine Destruction, and terrifying starry storms whipped up around him. Ning Huang spared him a look, before taking yet another step. Ye Futian felt like he was being stepped under a divine, giant foot, which penetrated everything. Rumbling noises were heard. His starry meteor storm was violently dispersed, and the Starry Dharma body around him cracked into million pieces.
Ning Huang remained in the air, casting his gaze at the young man like he was a god, and spoke, "An ant trying to shake the tree. You are way in over your head. Where is the holy badge?"
Ning Huang had sent men to tell Ye Futian to hand over his badge on the day itself. He would have let him have a share at opening the ruins and have him enter the Holy Zhi Palace as well. Yet, Ye Futian scoffed at the idea, wanting to open up the ruins on his own instead.
Men from the Nantian House, Mortal World, and the Sword Saint Villa all cast their eyes at Ning Huang's direction. The result hardly surprised them. It was rare enough to have Ning Huang make a move personally, and there would have been no way the likes of Ye Futian would have been able to resist him. It was indeed ants trying to shake the tree. Everything happened just as predicted.
Rumbling noises were heard again and the earth shook. The golden great ape's body was seen moving in Ye Futian's direction. It was apparent that despite being a demonic beast, it had wanted to get his hands on the holy badge to open the ruins all the same.
Yan Jiu from Sword Saint Villa took the form of a sword and zapped through the air like a bolt of lightning, making his way for Ye Futian as well.
Ning Huang was able to feel them moving. He frowned, looking at Ye Futian's direction and getting prepared to take him away, when he saw a sarcastic smirk on the young man's face. Ye Futian threw a ring at Yuan Zhan, who was running at him.
"Seems like you have a death wish," Ning Huang said coldly. He did not bother with Ye Futian and had simply turned around to move in the ring's trajectory, catching it with his hand.
Yuan Zhan arrived at the same time, and it threw its golden palm about with full intentions to kill. It seemed everything in the air shook for the moment. The golden great ape looked like it was made entirely of gold, sporting nigh-invincible offensive and defensive capacities. Yuan Zhan's palm attack clashed directly with Ning Huang's and exploded. No one came up on top of the other right there and then.
Yuan Zhan extended its other hand trying to take the ring, yet a sword aura swept by and hit right onto the ring. It was sent flying as Yan Jiu arrived at the scene. Three mighty ones, fighting over a ring.
On the other hand, Ye Futian, who had been the target of everyone's wrath just a while ago, seemed to no longer be a concern to anyone. Everyone's attention was on the ring, even though they have had no idea if the badge was indeed within the ring. Yet, given how Ye Futian threw something like that away at such timing, no one would have given up trying to snatch it.
Ye Futian broke out his flying boat and swung his legs onto the ritual implement. He moved away like a lightning bolt riding on it.
"Come look for me later," Ye Futian said to Qin Yin and the rest, before disappearing in the air with the flying boat. The two goddesses on the Mortal World warship cast their gaze at Ye Futian and looked troubled. The speed of the flying boat would have very probably exceeded even that of their air warship.
Just how was that thing flying so fast? They both felt something was off right there and then.
"Don't let him get away," someone yelled being worried that Ye Futian had simply bluffing them earlier, before chasing after him.
The three mighty ones continued fighting all the same, but the ring fell onto someone beneath them. Seeing how all three of them coming in his direction, the unlucky person threw the ring in haste and added, "That is just a normal ring."
All three of them were dumbfounded. Ning Huang lifted his hand and caught the ring, before wearing an impossibly ugly expression on his face.
They had been played.
The ring was not even one that was capable of storage. It was just a common ornament. He threw the ring at Yan Jiu, before turning around and walking away with terrifying murderous intent.
Does Ye Futian really think he can get away clean? If he wanted Ye Futian dead, the young man would have needed to die in the Holy Road. There was no way he could have survived.
Boom! Everyone felt the heavens and the earth shook. They lifted their heads and cast their gaze far away, seeing a beam of light shot straight for the clouds and reaching the heavens.
Ning Huang's murderous intent dissipated, and his eyes grew increasingly cold. He finally came to understand that the holy badge was never on Ye Futian's person. He threw a ring to catch everyone's attention, while someone took the real badge and went opening the ruins.
The booming noise heard before was a sign that the ruins were being opened. Everyone, including those high and mighty top class geniuses, was played by Ye Futian.
Qin Yin and the others were just as dumbfounded as they looked far away. They had only come to realize that the several people, who had been with him all the time, were hardly seen as of late. Yu Sheng, Ye Wuchen, and even Mu Zhiqiu; none of them were around. Only the most powerful Yi Xiaoshi remained.
Having cracked open many ruins in a strong. Everyone thought he would have gone to open the ruins on his own with the badge in his hands. It would not have made sense to pas the chance off to others, to entrust others with the task.
Yet, Ye Futian went doing so instead. He knew what everyone was thinking. When everyone thought he was totally lost and helpless in front of Ning Huang, he threw a ring out. Regardless if the badge was indeed within the ring, he knew that everyone would have gone after it. No one would have risked the chance of not confirming for themselves, an opening which he exploited to get away on the flying boat.
One streak of lightning after another zapped by. Everyone went chasing after Ye Futian, which was also the direction leading to the ruins. The location of the ruins was the first place that he went to check out: the stone forest. When he came to the stone forest, it looked different from what he had remembered. Endless flames encased the place. Horrifying fires were imprinted on the peculiar stones of the place. The horrifying flames looked pitch black, making the place seemed like an area consisted of only fire, which looked capable of burning everything to the ground.
Flaming Prison City. Ye Futian seemed to have come to understand the meaning of the city. The horrifying flames shot for the skies, looking like imposing figures looking down on the mortals scurrying about between the heavens and the earth.
Yu Sheng stood right at the center of these figures, an immeasurable amount of power flowing into his body. Ye Wuchen, Loulan Xue, Mu Zhiqiu and even the Black Wind Condor was there.
Ye Futian knew that when he had collected enough number of holy badges, the top class figures would not have let him open the ruins himself. All eyes were on him, and they would have taken the badges before he was able to open up the place. As such, he had Yu Sheng and the rest came to open the ruins instead.
The flying boat flew forward, entering the ruins' fire area. Despite having the protection of starlight about him, the currents of fire in the air seemed like they were capable of simply swallowing him up.
"How do you feel?" Ye Futian smiled at Yu Sheng in front of him.
"You should be the one to open up the place," Yu Sheng answered.
"Haven't we always been going about things share and share alike all the time?" Ye Futian asked as he smiled. He had always seen what was his, also what was Yu Sheng's.
"Yeah." Yu Sheng nodded. "What is mine is yours. So, your turn now." A beam of light was stripped from his body as he finished his sentence, making for Ye Futian. That was the something he had acquired when opening up the ruins, something that would have made him the master of the place.
When the beam of light rested on Ye Futian, the ruins gleamed in brilliant lights in an instant, falling onto him. He felt an indescribable air turned about his body at the moment.
"You need to enhance your plane, and let them know who you are," Yu Sheng looked straight and narrow as he uttered those words and looked at Ye Futian. His eyes flickered not for even a second.
Ye Wuchen and Loulan Xue did not feel weird at all, yet Mu Zhiqiu was rather moved instead. Just what is with those two? How can one just simply hand over a lineage of the ruins like this to the other?
Ye Futian smiled looking at Yu Sheng's eyes. Yu Sheng remained as he had always been. A guy so honest that he looked rather dumb, then, now and always!