Chapter 138: Barren Ancient World
Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio
Around the battle platform, countless eyes watched Luo Junlin in the air. They didn’t know how powerful the Royal Xuan Temple was but it was clear from Emperor Luo and Luo Junlin’s attitude.
The Royal Xuan Temple was a force far above the Nandou Nation.
Crown Prince Luo Junlin was favored by the Royal Xuan Temple and was accepted as a disciple. He was definitely an unparalleled talent of the Nandou Nation now.
“Congratulations, Your Highness, congratulations, Crown Prince.” Minister Hua stood up now and bowed to the emperor and Luo Junlin. Many other Nandou nobles also stood up to bow. Gradually, the attendees of the Tingfeng Banquet all followed. The sight was as majestic as tidal waves crashing.
Amongst the crowd, the people from the Donghai Academy’s School of the Emperor Star and Nandou clan were stunned, especially the latter. They knew more about the Eastern Barren Territory and knew what this meant. Their ancestor had died in the Barren Ancient World.
Many of the younger generation looked to the crown prince with envy and respect. However, Lin Xiyue looked at Ye Futian instead. The crown prince seemed to have joined the powerful clan from the outside world. Its power was above a kingdom’s. Would the brilliant and handsome youth be able to counter him?
The emperors of the three nations and the other talents watched this scene quietly. The emperors finally realized the true reason why Emperor Luo invited them.
Emperor Luo waved at them all. He smiled and said, “Receiving this news during the Tingfeng Banquet is truly a celebratory matter. I will greatly reward the most talented of this year’s banquet. Let’s continue now.”
“Thank you, Your Majesty.” Everyone smiled. The Tingfeng Banquet continued.
“The crown prince will cultivate in the Royal Xuan Temple and has the noble will. He must become a Noble in a few years,” Minister Hua said, smiling. Emperor Luo was happy to hear this but the other emperors knew that Minister Hua was just kissing up to him. Luo Junlin was already at the peak of the Dharma Plane but there was still the Arcana Plane after that. Entering the Noble Plane in a few years was a fool’s dream.
However, he had received the noble will in the Barren Ancient World and would cultivate in the Royal Xuan Temple. Becoming a Noble figure was just a matter of time.
“Congratulations, Brother Luo,” the emperors of Yunchu and Yan commended. They were jealous but they still had to say something. Once Luo Junlin became a Noble, there would be two figures of the Noble Plane in the Nandou Nation. In addition, Luo Junlin could reach a higher plane in the Royal Xuan Temple. They couldn’t become rivals with the Nandou Nation’s royal family.
“Thank you.” Emperor Luo chuckled and looked over at Emperor Ye. “Emperor Ye, what do you think?” he asked with a smile.
“You’re quite lucky.” Emperor Ye smiled casually. He was thinking that if Ye Futian was also at the pinnacle of the Dharma Plane, he would sacrifice his own chance to send Ye Futian into the Barren Ancient World. He might be able to win an opportunity for the youth. However, Ye Futian’s cultivation was too weak. It would be hard to establish himself in the Barren Ancient World, no matter how talented he was.
“Lucky?” Emperor Luo sneered and said, “I suggest Emperor Ye reconsider his actions. Perhaps I can overlook the rejection from before.” As he spoke, he glanced at Ye Futian. He obviously wanted to force Emperor Ye to hand him over.
“If you believe in Luo Junlin so much, why must you always ask me for the boy?” Emperor Ye asked, looking at Luo Junlin. “Or are you unconfident in him, thinking that he’s not comparable to Ye Futian?”
“Nonsense.” Emperor Luo scoffed. “If you insist, then just wait and see.”
Luo Junlin glanced at Emperor Ye. Then his gaze fell upon Ye Futian, disdain filling his eyes. Ye Futian didn’t care about Luo Junlin’s gaze. He wasn’t familiar with the Royal Xuan Temple. Whether Luo Junlin joined them or not, he wasn’t a threat to Ye Futian yet so why did it matter? It would just be harder to kill him in the future.
Right now, Ye Futian was thinking of something else. It had been so familiar when Luo Junlin released his noble will earlier.
That day at the brink between life and death in the Donghai City, the emperor’s will had appeared in him, giving him the Imperial Tactics. When he used to Imperial Tactics afterward, the emperor will would appear. Was this similar to the noble will that Luo Junlin had?
“Unbelievable,” Zuo Qianfan said from beside Ye Futian. “The Nandou Nation will most likely have two Nobles.”
“There’s still a while,” Hua Zhixin said softly.
“Better to be safe than sorry. If that day really comes, Cangye will be in trouble.” Zuo Qianfan glanced at Ye Futian and asked, “Don’t you all have any thoughts?”
No one replied but many looked at Ye Futian. All they received was Yu Sheng’s indifferent reply. “It’s just in the future. At that time, wouldn’t we have improved as well? You think someone like you can be a genius?”
“Presumptuous,” Zuo Qianfan replied coldly. “Don’t you know what the noble will signifies?”
“It’s just a plane in cultivation. Is it very powerful?” Yu Sheng stared at him.
The people of the Fenghua Rank all looked at him and saw that there was no fear in his eyes. They seemed to become re-acquainted with Yu Sheng through this. Was the Noble Plane just another plane for this guy? To many, a noble represented the emperor—an unmatchable talent.
Zuo Qianfan studied Yu Sheng and then laughed. He was foolishly arrogant.
Emperor Ye was attracted by their argument. He gazed at Yu Sheng’s unrelenting eyes and chuckled. “Yu Sheng is right. The Noble Plane is just another plane in cultivation. You are all on the Fenghua Rank. Don’t you have the intention of entering the Noble Plane?”
Seeing that Emperor Ye was speaking up for Yu Sheng, Zuo Qianfan had no way of replying. Though Emperor Ye wasn’t wrong, Zuo Qianfan knew that it wasn’t that easy to enter the Noble Plane. Not only did it require high talent, one also needed the noble fate and noble will. This was impossible for the majority of people.
“Your Majesty, where did those people come from? What is the Barren Ancient World?” Hua Zhixin asked now. Her father hadn’t told her about this before.
“Since you’ve seen them today, I shall tell you,” Emperor Ye said after hearing Hua Zhixin’s question. Everyone from the Cangye Kingdom looked at him full of curiosity.
“Both the Cangye Kingdom and Nandou Nation are part of the Eastern Barren Territory but that is not all. The territory is boundless. Even as an emperor, I still don’t know just how vast the territory is. Apparently, there are hundreds of nations in the region we live in. It is known as the Hundred Lands of the Eastern Barren Territory, stretching an immense amount of land. However, this is not the center of the territory.”
Emperor Ye continued slowly, “The center of the Eastern Barren Territory contains countless extremely powerful forces. Those of the Noble Plane can become kings and emperors in the Hundred Lands. However, in the central region, there may be countless Nobles in the stronger forces. There are even more top forces. The Royal Xuan Temple that came earlier is a very famous one in the Eastern Barren Territory.”
Everyone was stunned. The outside world was far larger than they’d imagined. The Hundred Lands was just a small part of the Eastern Barren Territory. They finally understood the hidden meaning behind Luo Junlin’s words yesterday.
“Is the Barren Ancient World a secret place for trials?” Lin Yueyao asked.
“No.” Emperor Ye shook his head. “It’s the so-called trial for the people of the Hundred Lands. In actuality, the Barren Ancient World is the true arupavacara. It is the place of fate and the birthplace of Nobles. Since the beginning of history, the people of the Hundred Lands must enter the Barren Ancient World to take the noble fate in order to enter the Noble Plane. This allows the noble will to be born in one’s body for the breakthrough.
“The fate that goes against destiny has created countless rare objects, even rare demons. Many of the top forces in the Eastern Barren Territory establish clans in the Barren Ancient World. After countless years, it has become just like the outside world. There are clans and kingdoms with the cityscape.”
“Why have we never heard of this type of place?” Lin Yueyao asked softly.
“The people of the Hundred Lands can’t enter the Barren Ancient World freely. Only Nobles have the chance. Furthermore, the Barren Ancient World has an upper and lower realm. The upper realm is known as the Noble Path for people of the Hundred Lands. The lower realm can only be entered by people under the Arcana Plane. To us, entering the Barren Ancient World is very difficult but Emperor Luo gave his chance to Luo Junlin. He brought his son into the lower realm and Luo Junlin returned with the fate.”
Everyone listened earnestly. They had a general idea about the Barren Ancient World and was a bit shocked.
Ye Futian listened quietly too. He suddenly remembered something. In the Cangye Kingdom’s palace, the imperial advisor had said that he went out for the trial with the Nandou emperor. The current Emperor Luo had attacked the emperor of the Nandou Nation and stole his fate. Had they gone to the Barren Ancient World?
He had a feeling it was very possible. Emperor Luo had changed his fate in the Barren Ancient World. Thus, he tried to send his son there to do the same.
Now, Luo Junlin had succeeded. He entered the Barren Ancient World and received the noble fate. He was valued highly by the strong cultivators of the Royal Xuan Temple and was accepted as a disciple.
“Other than that, there is another path in the Barren Ancient World,” Emperor Ye said. “It leads to all directions in the Eastern Barren Territory. The big clans guard these critical entrances. Cultivate well and when you all reach the peak of the Dharma Plane, I may consider sending you to the Barren Ancient World. All the top talents and various forces are there. Though I’ve never been there, I’m sure it’s an incredible little world.” Emperor Ye chuckled.
The Tingfeng Banquet continued. The Nandou Nation’s citizens were excited. As more and more geniuses appeared, cheers sounded frequently. However, the prides of the Cangye Kingdom seemed distracted.
They’d always thought that they were the prides living in the center of the kingdom. Now, they suddenly discovered that there was an even more incredible world out there. They were shaken and really wanted to witness the small world filled with the talents of the Eastern Barren Territory!