Hua Jieyu saw Ye Futian going further and further away, tears in her eyes. She then turned around to the Black Wind Condor and said, "Are you going to get in my way too?"
The bird lowered its head and said, "I'm sorry, boss' orders."
"So are you saying it's alright for you to ignore mine instead?" Hua Jieyu stared at the bird coldly.
The Black Wind Condor shook its head. The bird was stuck in the middle of nowhere. It did not dare go against his master's orders, yet it dared not offend his master's girl. It was a pitiful scene to look at. However, it knew that its master did all that for the sake of his girl, and so it chose to keep getting in her way.
Seeing how the Black Wind Condor insisted on not letting her pass, Hua Jieyu turned her eyes faraway and asked softly, "Hey, am I useless and a good for nothing?"
The Black Wind Condor shook its head. It too had such a feeling when it was around its master. However, the bird progressed far faster than any other demonic beast. It had now comprehended rules of the wind. Just so long as its master kept progressing, it would benefit from it as well.
"Take me with you. I'll just watch everything from afar," Hua Jieyu said while staring at the bird. The Black Wind Condor turned its head, figuring out what to do, before it eventually nodded. If its master were to punish it for it, then so be it, it thought.
Ye Futian and the others continued moving forward. Zhuge Mingyue then said, "You know what Jieyu's thoughts are. Why did you need to go that far?"
"Second Sister, the very reason Third Brother left that breakup letter behind was so that you didn't end up getting into all this. But you were stubborn enough to refuse, and he had to go all the way up to Crouching Dragon Mountain because of it. Although I know doing this would change nothing, this trip is an extremely perilous one, and I'm still rather reluctant," Ye Futian said.
"I get it." Zhuge Mingyue ruffled Ye Futian's hair. They were still a young couple in their twenties. If Ye Futian was reluctant to let her go, Hua Jieyu would have been just as reluctant.
In actuality, however, what he did back changed nothing, and Zhuge Mingyue could only sigh over what happened.
The fate shared by both siblings in training was uncannily similar.
The Holy Zhi Palace was within sight after passing one floating island after another. Ye Futian and the others finally saw the grand, regal core island. It was the place where he fought in the Law Battles all those years ago. Mighty ones from all corners were there, and they seemed to be waiting for something—him.
Countless eyes turned in Ye Futian's direction. Zhuge Qingfeng and Yuan Hong escorted him. Despite knowing that he would have ended up dead, the young man in his twenties insisted on making the trip nonetheless.
A noble standing in front of all the top class figures from all over Barren State.
Liu Chan, Sage Tianxing, and all the others were standing at the sky stairwell of the palace as they cast their gaze on Ye Futian. The one who had been a student of the Holy Zhi Palace, a young man with peerless talents who ranked number one on Law Rank and was allowed entrance to the Sage Hall. However, it was indeed a pity that it all came to this.
"Futian," someone shouted. Ye Futian turned head at the voice and saw Chen Yuan, Mu Chuan, Long Ao, and Gu Yunxi's father all standing there. Ye Futian looked at them and said, "Headmaster, what are you doing here?"
"Just to have a look," Chen Yuan smiled and said.
Ye Futian turned his eyes to the others. Many came that day. Huang Xi of the Sovereign family, You Chi of Alchemy City, Xu Shang of Tingxue House, and he heard that there were many from all over the Barren State showing up at the palace just so that he would have a better chance at what he intended to do. He had never anticipated the ones ranked high on the Barren State to come. He felt rather remorseful at the moment. He, a noble, making all those top-class figures ranked on the Barren Sky Ranking wait at the Holy Zhi Palace.
Of course, other than those on the Barren Sky Ranking who were friendly with him, there were also those who were practically his enemies, such as Yan Wuji of Sword Saint Villa, the Godly Spear of Nantian of Nantian House, Di Kai of Emperor family, the leader of Sacred Fire Sect and the others. With the mighty ones of the Holy Zhi Palace and the group from Zhisheng Cliffs considered, even if they were to be many of his seniors willing to help him, it still fell rather short.
"Futain!" Yet another shouted his name. He turned his eyes in another direction and saw a stout, tanned figure who bared his torso walking out from the palace. It was none other than his teacher, Sage Douzhan.
"Teacher," Ye Futian shouted.
"Douzhan, get back here." Liu Chan could not help but stand out and intervene. Things were as complicated as they possibly could have been. Is Sage Douzhan trying to get himself on Ye Futian's side, standing out like this? If he were to join the fray as a Lord of Battle Sage Palace, what would his stance even mean in all of this?
"The Holy Zhi Palace does not interfere with squabbles outside and is only there to pass on the teachings of old. Today, I'm standing here as Ye Futian's teacher, not as Lord of Battle Sage Palace," Sage Douzhan replied. It was him who allowed Ye Futian to head for the Zhuge family. Ye Futian stopped the engagement, yet he had also planted the seeds of what was happening on this very day. It had been something that Sage Douzhan had totally unexpected.
However, per his words, as he let Ye Futian off that day despite knowing well that the Holy Zhi Palace was doing it all for the sake of having a saint emerge, they were not doing it the right way. His student did nothing wrong, and as such, he stood with the side that was doing the right thing.
Liu Chan's expression turned awfully ugly. Kong Yao, who was standing with those from Zhisheng Cliffs, simply smirked coldly. Very good indeed. He wanted to see how many would stand against Zhisheng Cliffs.
"Futian, why are you here at the Holy Zhi Palace today?" Sage Douzhan asked.
"I'm here to make things right," Ye Futian answered.
"How?" Sage Douzhan asked.
"I interfered in the engagement between Bai Luli and my Second Sister back at Crouching Dragon Mountain, and I got expelled for it. It was the will of the Holy Zhi Palace to have Bai Luli become a saint. As such, everything the Holy Zhi Palace did was to assist Bai Luli, and I acknowledge that." Ye Futian then elaborated further, looking at Liu Chan, "Third Brother once said that it was easy to prove what happened back in Yu State, whether it was my Third Brother or Zhan Xiao who killed all those sages. I believe the palace knew deep down. As such, why is the Palace standing on the side of Zhisheng Cliffs and taking my Third Brother? Why do they want to take me, an expelled student of the Holy Zhi Palace?"
"Is there any meaning to saying all this?" Liu Chan looked at Ye Futian.
There was nothing words were able to able to do anymore.
"Of course." Ye Futian looked at Liu Chan and said, "I want to hear from the Assistant Palace Lord personally, whether the Holy Zhi Palace had been doing the right thing all this while."
"Your Third Brother said the same thing when he came to the Holy Zhi Palace. However, I'm free of guilt, and so is the palace as a whole." Liu Chan looked at Ye Futian. He admired Gu Dongliu and Ye Futian, but it was one thing to admire and another thing altogether to say who was right or wrong. He did not think he had done anything wrong. It was simply that fate had been cruel to all of them.
"Free of guilt, eh?" Ye Futian smiled. "Nice for you to say that you are free of guilt. The very reason why you insist so adamantly on the righteousness of your actions was because of Bai Luli's potential for sainthood. What you have been doing was all for his sake—to have a saint among us—and as such, you found yourself free of guilt. In that case, I have one last request. If you still feel yourself to be free of guilt, I will then surrender myself to whatever is installed for me. If you still remember the beliefs you've held on to so adamantly, I'd then like to see if you'd really see it through."
"And what would that be?" Liu Chan looked at Ye Futian and asked.
"The expelled student of the Holy Zhi Palace is here to challenge Bai Luli." Ye Futian uttered every single word clearly and slowly. Many who were present felt their eyes frozen in place. Not even the top-class figures ranked on the Barren Sky Ranking were able to react sensibly as they looked at Ye Futian.
So this was what Zhuge Qingfeng was talking about when he said Ye Futian wanted to prove something? To challenge Bai Luli But Ye Futian is just a noble. How is he going to do that? Bai Luli's unparalleled talents among his peers aside, his Upper-Level Sage Plane is already something that Ye Futian is unable to surpass.
This is just ridiculous.
Even the big shots who admired Ye Futian's talents felt that he was spewing nonsense.
The City Lord of White Cloud City glared at Ye Futian coldly. Him, challenging my son, Bai Luli? What kind of a joke is this?
Sage Douzhan too looked at Ye Futian, feeling rather puzzled.
"This is a joke, isn't it?" Sage Tianxing said coldly, "Ye Futian, is there any meaning to all of this?"
Challenge Bai Luli? Liu Chan too looked at Ye Futian without saying anything. That request was indeed a ridiculous one.
"Do you all find it funny?" Ye Futian turned to address those who were present and added, "If I was able to kill Zhan Xiao, why can't I challenge Bai Luli?"
Zhan Xiao was of the same plane as Bai Luli.
Countless eyes stared at him as he finished talking.
Did Ye Futian just say that he was the one who killed Zhan Xiao?
"You said it was you who killed Zhan Xiao?" Liu Chan stared at Ye Futian.
"Indeed," Ye Futian said. "Third Brother wanted to save me, so he knocked me ou, wanting to have me leave the Barren State. He then came to the Holy Zhi Palace alone. I was the one killed Zhan Xiao."
"So that was what happened?" Zhuge Qingfeng and Zhuge Mingyue felt rather relieved as they finally knew what actually happened.
The great figures in the air felt rather shocked, yet Ye Futian did not seem like he was lying. But then again, how was this possible?
"Big words you spew there," Kong Yao said coldly. Zhan Xiao was a Son of Zhisheng Cliffs and there was no way he could have been killed by Ye Futian, a noble. It was an utter insult to Zhisheng Cliffs.
Ye Futian looked up at Kong Yao before rising up slowly. He then melded his spiritual will with his surroundings. A formless hurricane whipped around violently in this air.
"Wind," Ye Futian uttered a word. The ferocious gale then went about rampaging in the air like a dragon.
"Power of rules." Many found their jaws agape.
"Fire," Ye Futian uttered yet another word. Power of rules of fire was unleashed, turning the air around scorching hot.
"Wha…" Many shivered deep down.
"Thunder," Ye Futian uttered yet another word, bringing about rules of Lightning to work.
Ye Futian's body was still seen rising up. Stars shone and glittered, then wrapped around his body.
"Rules of the stars," Ye Futian continued. Many felt their hearts about to pop out of their chests as they stared at Ye Futian.
A Grade One Noble brought many power of rules to bear. Furthermore, all of them were matured.
"Space. Freeze," Ye Futian said yet again, and all of the great figures felt the power of space rules bore upon them, surprisingly feeling their bodies stiffen in the air. The entire space felt as if everything was about to freeze.
That is the rules of space!
"This…" Their hearts pumped excitedly. All of the great figures on the Barren Sky Ranking felt riled up inside over someone their junior unleashing their powers. It was not enough to just unleash the power of rules of respective elements. Ye Futian had even gone on to develop comprehension of rules of stars and the extremely high rules of space.
"Number one below the Saint Plane of Zhisheng Cliffs." Ye Futian turned his eyes at Kong Yao and said coldly, "Do you know anything about talent whatsoever?"