Chapter 972: Enemies at One’s Gates
Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio
All eyes were on the young man who was hovering in the air at the Holy Zhi Palace.
From that battle onwards, no one would have dared bully the Holy Zhi Palace and any students from that holy land.
Ye Futian had brought the Holy Zhi Palace to lengths and achievements that the holy land of the Barren State had never seen before in all those he had been in charge. Be it the Nine State Forum or the skirmish at the imperial mausoleum, the Barren State had emerged victorious over all other holy lands of the Nine States. He came to possess the Halberd of Space and Time, a divine implement left behind by the Ocean King and ranked third on the Divine Implements Ranking. He had led them to victory against the Great Zhou Sacred Dynasty and had reduced Zhisheng Cliffs to a mere shadow of its former form. He had also killed four major figures ranked highon the Sage Ranking all by himself.
There was no one throughout the Nine States who did not know Ye Futian and the Holy Zhi Palace of the Barren State.
As such, while the current state where seven holy lands throughout the Nine States intended to ally themselves in an attempt to destroy the Holy Zhi Palace was indeed a disaster, but it was nonetheless also an achievement that the people of the Holy Zhi Palace were proud of as well.
Seven major holy lands needed to ally themselves in order to take on the Holy Zhi Palace in present. There was simply no holy land that dared challenge the Holy Zhi Palace all on their own.
Will battle rose and Ye Futian gazed at the faces in the air and continued, “I heard that there are some within the Holy Zhi Palace who claim that we would be safe so long as we hand over Jiuge. While it is true that the crisis could be averted if we would just hand Jiuge over, but if someone were to demand Huang Jiuge from the Holy Zhi Palace, then there would be people demanding me to hand over someone else from the Holy Zhi Palace in the future. Unless the Holy Zhi Palace is fine with being at the bottom end of holy lands throughout the Nine States, any talk would be futile given how we’re not even daring enough to fight for what is ours. If I’m unable to protect even just Huang Jiuge alone, then I wouldn’t be qualified to protect the holy land that had been around for ages.”
Ye Futian scanned everyone present and his voice roused his audience to high spirits. “I shall be fighting in this matter at the very forefront at any given moment. The battle fought today shall be fought in the Holy Zhi Palace’s honor.”
Countless students of the Holy Zhi Palace felt their heart burning.
“For the Holy Zhi Palace,” the Sword Demon, lord of the Sword Palace said in a brimming voice.
“For the Holy Zhi Palace,” the Sword Saint said solemnly.
“For the Holy Zhi Palace.” Voices were heard here and there.
“For the Holy Zhi Palace…” Countless voices were heard from the sky. It was the only voice that reverberated throughout the entire Holy Zhi Palace. Morale had never been so high.
Among the crowd, the Sword was seen sitting solemnly, guarding the area all on his own; Yuan Hong led an army garrisoning another area; Qin Zhuang and the other eight swordsmen sitting on the ground in formation; Hua Jieyu, Yu Sheng, Ye Wuchen and the others standing by, as well as the Palace Lord’s brothers and sisters in training.
There was also Liu Zixuan, who had just joined the ranks of the Holy Zhi Palace. Her eyes were fixed on the silhouette in the air. He knew that the handsome figure was something god-like and worthy of worship in that holy land of the Barren State.
There were Goddess Die and Great Teacher Xu from the Nine State College. Even they were inspired due to standing among the crowd and experiencing the heat from all the others around them. Goddess Die’s eyes reddened somewhat and said, “It’s truly my honor to be able to join this fight.”
Xu Chehan stared at the sky. While it was true that the figure above was a bit of a douche, he was nonetheless very charming at the moment. If it had not been for the fact that he was already married, Little Butterfly would have earned herself a good husband if she were to marry him. It would have at least been better than to have her following Xu Chehan.
Ye Futian went on with medicine tests throughout the days. While the entire course of 81 days was not completed, but it was nonetheless considered a success for being able to get so far.
Little Butterfly’s teacher said that if Ye Futian was able to make it through the first day, then they shall help Ye Futian out.
As such, even though Xu Chehan had no liking for Ye Futian, he would have still joined the fight. But then again, even if his teacher did not give such an order, there was still no way he would have sat by and do nothing if Little Butterfly intended to fight.
Demonic beasts circled around in the air and their eyes looked faraway. In the Holy Sage Pavilion, there were matrixes protecting those below Sage Plane. However, many in the air gazed at the silhouettes appearing above the Holy Sage Pavilion and everyone understood, that the upcoming battle was one that would have decided the fate of the Holy Zhi Palace.
If the Holy Zhi Palace were to emerge victorious, few would have been able to shake Ye Futian in the future. He was nigh-invincible at Sage Plane, and if a saint of the Nine States intended to kill him when he became a saint one day, it would not have been easy as well.
The Holy Zhi Palace stood as long as Ye Futian stood.
If the Holy Zhi Palace were to lose, there would have been no holy lands left in the Barren State, and things would have looked bleaker than it used to be.
Demonic beasts howled high up in the air and terrifying might was sensed from faraway. Although few were able to extend their spiritual powers that far, but they felt the immense pressure coming their way. The pressure of the army preceded the army itself.
“They’re here.”
Many quipped deep down and Ye Futian’s eyes looked faraway ahead. The deep eyes seemed to be able to penetrate the space and formless current ebbed in the air, growing increasingly powerful and the demonic beasts circling in the air continued to howl. They were very restless and Ye Futian was able to feel what they were feeling clearly. Even demonic beast at the pinnacle of Sage Plane felt so as well.
They were about to face a 60 thousand-strong army, and things would have no longer been like how it was back in the imperial mausoleum, where there were only a handful of top notch figures from a myriad of holy lands.
Eventually, brilliant shimmer was seen. Saint Ji and the mighty ones from the Hall of Holy Light reached first before everyone else, stopping outside the Holy Zhi Palace and stood high above the air, as if they were a celestial army.
The howl of the phoenix was heard as well and bright flames were seen burning in the sky. The Zhou Sacred King and Zhou Yanwang, both saints, arrived as well as the Golden Phoenix Army. Their numbers were comparatively few, as many mighty ones were held back by the people of the Lapis Lazuli Holy Temple.
Saint Xihua arrived shortly after. All three of the saints of the Xihua Sacred Mountain were there. Their numbers were the greatest among the three forces.
Vast, powerful might was felt in another direction. The people of the Holy Zhi Palace turned around and found an allied force consisted of three armies from the Endless Ocean arrived, boosting the greatest number.
The Ocean State was situated at the Endless Ocean. Their area was vast and cultivators aplenty. Countless islands were controlled by the three holy lands of the Ocean State. One could have only imagined how vast such an allied army would have been as they blocked out the sky.
While spirits remained high among the ones from the Holy Zhi Palace, but they were unable to help but shudder nonetheless, after sensing the solid, undeniable might of the invaders.
Doom! Golden light of the Buddha shimmered from faraway, ringing in the air. Many turned to look at that direction and found a powerful ancient Buddha-like figure running in the air.
“Is Vajra Region getting themselves into this as well?” Saint Ji said coldly. The monks of the Vajra Region had been coming alongside them before, and it was obvious that the monks were not on their side. The lord of the Vajra Region advised them back in the imperial mausoleum to let their enemies go after all.
“108 warrior monks from the Vajra Region has come seeking the path of enlightenment.” A voice was heard rumbling in the air. The dazzling light of the Buddha got increasingly close to the Holy Zhi Palace. Ye Futian saw them heading towards the Holy Zhi Palace before descending to the ground at the same time. Many students of the Holy Zhi Palace was getting ready to fight, but Ye Futian waved and prevented them from activating the matrixes.
Boom. A loud rumble was heard as dust was sent flying. 108 warrior monks seemed to have coalesced into a single Buddha as they stacked on top of one another. The monks stepped on the shoulders of each other. The higher the levels, the fewer the monks seen standing. Only one monk stood at the very top. He was dressed in a kasaya garb and looked very young. Despite being a monk, he looked very handsome and his eyes seemed to possess some mystical powers capable of seeing through people’s minds.
He was seen closing his hands together and chanted a string of Buddhist chants at Ye Futian.
Yu Sheng stood up and stepped forward, bowing slightly to the monk at the very top, appearing very respectful.
The one before them was the leader of the 108 warrior monks of Vajra Region.
“Brother Tianxin,” Yu Sheng called.
Ye Futian heard Yu Sheng’s voice and took a look at the monk, before nodding and addressing him, “Master Tianxin.”
“Palace Lord Ye,” the monk returned the gesture to Ye Futian. Everyone from the Holy Zhi Palace turned their eyes at the monk and they came to admire him somewhat.
Number three on the Sage Ranking of the Sage and Saint Rankings of the Nine States—Monk Tianxin of the Vajra Region. He did not participate in the previous Orthodoxy Battles, or he might have became a saint over a decade ago.
It was said throughout the Nine States that Monk Tianxin had no intentions of borrowing any external implements and wanted to come to enlightenment on his own. He was ranked third only because he did not participate in the last Orthodoxy Battles, while Ji Ya, who went about beating people up, went all the way to be ranked second. Many people held the belief that the powers of Monk Tianxin of the Vajra Region easily rivaled that of Ji Ya.
“Yu Sheng, many of our younger brothers claimed to want to ask for guidance from you, and thus we came all the way here,” Monk Tianxin smiled as he replied to Yu Sheng.
“We shall have all the time in the world to do so after this battle,” Yu Sheng said as he looked at the monks of the Vajra Region.
“As pompous as always,” some monk quipped.
“Be careful, Yu Sheng. I’m not going to go easy on you this time,” someone else said as well.
“Very well, we shall fight to our hearts’ content after this.” Yu Sheng nodded.
“Tianxin, are you seeking enlightenment or death?” Ji Ya’s eyes were seen glaring at them from afar, at the Hall of Holy Light’s direction. His murderous intent was sharp and unmistakable.
Tianxin turned around to look at Ji Ya, who continued, “If you’re seeking enlightenment, go elsewhere. If you’re seeking death, feel free to stay.”
Tianxin looked at him and close his hands. The light of the Buddha shimmered all over him and he said, “Your senses are corrupted and shall need Buddhist methods to cleanse them.”
“How do we go about that, big brother?” Monks from beneath asked.
“Through expiating the soul,” Monk Tianxin answered.
“Mercy.” The monk beneath nodded.
Ji Ya’s eyes were incredibly cold. The number two and number three on the Sage Ranking seemed to be at each other’s throats before the army began fighting.
Powerful aura was sensed from faraway. Saint Ji and Saint Xihua wore cold expressions. They knew the mighty ones from the Yue clan were three as well.
With the mighty ones from the six holy lands about to raze the Holy Zhi Palace, the Yue clan at the rear would have been able to mess up the army’s formations once the fighting commenced.
Saintly might flooded the place at the moment. Two figures were seen descending at the Holy Zhi Palace’s direction. It was Saint Xia and Saint Li, leading mighty ones from both the Xia clan and the Nine State College.
“We’re here to watch,” Saint Xia said. Their silhouette came before the Holy Sage Pavilion and said, “This is where the Holy Zhi Palace’s nobles are. Please don’t attack in this direction.”
“Saint Li, how about a game of chess?” Saint Xia said to Saint Li.
“Sure.” Saint Li nodded and they both set up the game high above the Holy Sage Pavilion. Students of the Xia clan and the Nine State College were behind them.
Lin Shubai and Tong He, extremely renowned students of the Nine State College were there as well. Their eyes were on the battlefield. When the battle was over, the Sage and Saint Rankings would have been rearranged.
They were not alone. Many throughout the Nine States were standing by to watch the battle from far away, not daring to get too close.
A figure dressed in white descended quietly at the Holy Zhi Palace’s direction from the sky.
Many eyes looked at the figure and even Ye Futian was rather startled to see him.
The Sword Demon, Sage Daozang, You Chi, Zhuge Qingfeng and many others looked at him. They were all very familiar to Bai Luli.
Bai Luli simply watched the armies about while saying nothing.
“Welcome back to the Holy Zhi Palace,” Ye Futian looked at him and said. Since Bai Luli was willing to fight for the Holy Zhi Palace, Ye Futian had no intentions of being petty with him over what happened in the past.