The Legend of Futian

The power of the furnace stayed the same, yet the light of the celestial entities behind Ye Futian gradually faded. The crazed environment gradually returned to its usual tranquil state. Zhuge Xing lifted his head to look at Ye Futian. His eyes spoke of immense embarrassment.

He had lost the battle.

Ye Futian remained in the air, looking down on Zhuge Xing. He seemed to be wearing a smirk on his face, and his expression was more arrogant than ever.

“You admit defeat?” There was a clear sarcastic smirk on his face. “I thought you were all pompous and full of yourself, and now you admit defeat fighting a grade nine noble? Zhuge Xing, is that all you’ve got?”

Zhuge Xing clenched his fists and sparks crackled around him. He was enraged and felt immense humiliation, but the fact was he lost. Countless eyes were on him, and he had never felt so embarrassed in his life.

Ye Futian was humiliating him in front of everyone.

Ye Futian turned around and walked back to his own spot, saying to Zhuge Xing, “I think it’s better that you change your name to Zhuge Buxing [1]. That should suit you better.”

Crack… That flash of lightning dimmed immediately. Ye Futian had to humiliate him further before leaving the scene. The name Ye Futian had just given him would probably make him a laughing stock for the rest of his life. When people would recall the battle of this day, the jarring nickname would definitely come to mind.

Many looked at Zhuge Xing before turning their eyes to Ye Futian. Nothing seemed to be able to stop the dark horse’s advance, and it was a dark horse that was able to overwhelm the likes of Zhuge Xing. Many expected him, at that point, to continue baffling the crowd until the very end.

It was almost a fact by then that Ye Futian had indeed grown stronger every time he fought someone stronger. The power of his Life Spirits continued to grow, as if he had been going easy in all his prior battles and never gave his all. What was demonstrated right there and then astonished everyone present.

“Zhuge Xing, wait at the side for the moment. The selection of the top ten is somewhat different from before,” the elder on the sky stairwell said. No great figures from the Holy Zhi Palace extended an invitation to Zhuge Xing. He nodded and dragged himself to the side, staying back on the battlefield.

Many wore funny looks on their faces. Is it hat the big shots in the palace will only select their disciples when clear victors and losers are determined at the very end?

Bai Ze opened his eyes slowly and shot a glance at Ye Futian. Seems like the guy has something. Let’s see how far he can go before I crush him once and for all.

Another figure was seen walking out onto the battlefield, catching the attention of many. It was a beautiful girl in rather plain clothes, Phoenix.

Phoenix turned her eyes at Xiao Junyi and said, “I challenge you.”

Phoenix specialized in Power of Life. Xiao Junyi, on the other hand, specialized in Power of Death. Both individuals bore powers that were polar opposites of one another, and it seemed that they would remain as archrivals for life because of that. Any great figures present knew that the Dark Sage and the Undying Old Man had history as well. And right there and then, their heirs met in the Holy Zhi Palace as rivals.

Xiao Junyi walked out onto the battlefield with his eyes fixed on Phoenix as he took out his flute. He began playing his tune slowly again. Wisps of death seemed to begin circling around him as he played, before turning into a current and lashing out at Phoenix. Her body was clad in a layer of sacred glimmer at the same time. The jade-colored sacred light was something capable of dispelling all evil power, preventing the current from encroaching her body.

The music from his flute was a will-based attack, but Phoenix’s mind proved to be just as adamant. An undying phoenix bathed in unending fires in her mind, standing guard firmly and burning down any spiritual attack intended to assault her mind.

“This is beautiful.” Everyone’s eyes were fixated on Phoenix, who seemed to have metamorphosed during the battle. Her regal, sacred figure made her look like a goddess.

Xiao Junyi’s specialty lied in death, which was a very potent ability capable of suppressing many, but Phoenix’s abilities proved to be the antithesis that was somehow capable of countering his abilities.

The battlefield turned scorching hot in mere moments. Wisps of fire bounced about on the battlefield, and the temperature soared. Said wisps gathered around Xiao Junyi’s body, with each and every one carried mysterious holiness to them, like undying candlelight, as they charged at Xiao Junyi.

Grey currents of death swept about his vicinity, attempting to extinguish the wisps of fire. However, the fires like candlelight burned off the currents as they got close, and went about penetrating the black mist behind him, intending to burn his body.

“Inextinguishable flames.”

“Phoenix’s Life Spirit is none other than the Undying Phoenix, something inherited from the Undying Old Man. Her flames are probably the Undying Flames. The power packed within one such fire spell is extraordinary.”

Many were shocked to the bone. A huge wisp of illusionary candlelight fire began to appear under Xiao Junyi’s feet. It grew in size and power shortly, becoming like a huge candle fire, wrapping his body within.

Xiao Junyi continued playing his flute as a pitch black silhouette of death appeared behind him, encasing him within. The pitch black shadow looked like a monster embodying death itself as it opened its huge mouth to devour the flames bit by bit. It grew in size as it went on devouring, and the black mist grew in potency, making it almost potent enough to block out the sky, before devouring the candle fire entirely. It then roared in Phoenix’s direction.

A screech of the phoenix emanated from within Phoenix. Fiery-red wings flapped about between the heavens and the earth, sprinkling Endless Fire all over the place, tainting the surroundings red. An incredibly huge shadow of the phoenix was seen across the vast battlefield, while a regal Undying Phoenix was seen right behind Phoenix herself.

The shadow of the phoenix and the death monster clashed, as if two terrifying glimmers of light were pitted against each other in the air. The death monster expanded in a crazed manner as Xiao Junyi played his flute. The huge mouth of death spread as it grew in size, intending to swallow the immortal bird whole. The entire world seemed to have turned into pitch black darkness, as it went on to engulf Phoenix.

Many shuddered at the scene. Just how fearsome can Xiao Junyi’s death abilities get?

The black mist of death blocked out all light within, devouring everything in its path. The incredibly huge immortal bird seemed to be swallowed in mere moments, and the monster’s mouth continued to make its way for Phoenix.

Phoenix did not budge from where she stood. The light of the Undying Phoenix behind her remained incredibly regal and sacred, encasing her within. The death monster finally went on to engulf her, swallowing her and her Life Spirit whole within the black mist.

“This…” The hearts of many shook. This is just too terrifying. Is Xiao Junyi some kind of grim reaper? Is Phoenix just going to get swallowed up like that?

Xiao Junyi’s tune with his flute did not stop; it picked up instead. Deathly powers roared. At that very moment, the black mist that emanated behind him and went on to engulf the entire battlefield shone with a dazzling light. Beams of holy lights pierced right through the darkness, dispelling the black mist. The Undying Phoenix screeched again as it went on to tear everything in its way apart.

The death monster roared as it struggled. Many saw wisps of dazzling fire appearing around Xiao Junyi. The shimmering lights spread and the beams cut right through the darkness. The entire battlefield was filled with roaring noises. The black mist was completely dispelled. Xiao Junyi was heard grunting as he took several steps back in the next moment. Blood was seen at the corner of his mouth.

Phoenix’s figure was seen on the battlefield again. She stood there silently while covered in sacred lights. However, she was also ensnared with wisps of death currents.

They both lost and suffered grave injuries.

“I give up.” Xiao Junyi’s expression was as calm as ever. The handsome face never seemed to show any hint of being deterred.

“I withdraw from further battles as well,” Phoenix added. Both left the battlefield to return to their own spots and sat on the floor cross-legged.

Is this a draw? There seems to be no victor here, and both gave up. So both are getting eliminated? Seven left on the field then…

Yuan Zhan went up next. His body, which seemed to be made of gold, looked ferocious as ever. He fixed his gaze at Huang Jiuge.

Yuan Zhan was challenging Huang Jiuge.

It was a given that he would not have challenged Ye Futian and Yu Sheng. Of all the other remaining ones, only Huang Jiuge’s methods of training were extremely hard and yang-based. The man packed fearsome offensive capacity, which Yuan Zhan deemed able to serve well to temper his own powers. He did not come to the Holy Zhi Palace for fame or a ranking; he came only because his old man wanted him to learn the powers from the best humans the Barren State had to offer. As such, he chose to fight the incredibly powerful Huang Jiuge.

Haughtiness appeared in Huang Jiuge’s eyes as he stepped out to face Yuan Zhan, keeping his hands behind him all the while. He remained calm and composed, even when going up against a ferocious beast like Yuan Zhan. No hint of pressure was detected from him at all. A current coursed throughout his body as he activated his powers. Dazzling lights spawned and shot up, coalescing into a regal aura demanding reverence.

They, the Sovereign family, were descendants of Renhuang. While the world by and large did not believe it to be so, the clan itself remained unfazed. Their ways of practice enabled them to bear mysterious currents within, something that was capable of compressing and converting the worldly powers into some mysterious power. The Sovereign family called such powers to be the Sovereign Aura. He remained adamant in his belief of his ancestor’s strength, and he intended to prove his point personally.

Yuan Zhan stepped forward and the earth shook. The golden body of his packed endless amount of power within. He lashed out with his hand, intending to overwhelm everything in his path with his golden palm.

Huang Jiuge made no attempt to evade the incoming attack. He leaped into the air clad in Sovereign Aura, before lashing out with his fist in return. He physically clashed with Yuan Zhan. The Sovereign Aura turned into dazzling currents as it swept out with a huge boom. None of them fell backward, and Yuan Zhan continued attacking with his huge palm, intending to turn Huang Jiuge to dust.

Huang Jiuge continued fighting adamantly. Booming noises reverberated in the air, shaking the entire place. Both individuals continued to clash with one another. The Sovereign Aura on Huang Jiuge grew increasingly powerful, and his bearing grew in response. The power of his Sovereign Aura reached a tipping point, turning into a shadow of Renhuang. The Sovereign family trained in mysterious ways, enabling them to grow stronger to match their opponent’s strength.

Yuan Zhan changed his attack method and used his 81 Strikes of Heaven-traversing Staff Techniques instead. Huang Jiuge’s Sovereign Aura responded by coalescing into a chariot and a spear, lashing out together with his fist, as if Renhuang himself was directing a massive army to overwhelm his enemies.

“Some incredible methods indeed.” Ye Futian looked troubled. It was no surprise why many expected Huang Jiuge to perform well, even deeming him to be one of the strongest among them all, along with Bai Ze.

The fathers of Bai Ze and Huang Jiuge were ranked fourth and fifth on the Barren Sky Ranking, respectively, which meant they were both of incredible lineages.

Yuan Zhan grew increasingly vicious as he failed to land an attack. He went on to use the Nine Heavenly Strikes, powers capable of splitting the earth and shattering everything in their path.

The Nine Heavenly Strikes, used by a being the size of a golden great ape packed enormous powers within. While Yuan Zhan’s level of comprehension of the art was not as deep as Ye Futian’s, it was still fearsome nonetheless.

It was only natural that Huang Jiuge was able to sense the underlying power of the techniques used as well. The chariot and the spear were shattered. He burst out of his Renhuang Life Spirit entirely, boosting his aura. The roar of the Sovereign Aura made attacks seem like Renhuang himself had descended on the mortal world. Huang Jiuge chose to continue to clash head-on with Yuan Zhan’s techniques, not giving in even an inch.

The stronger Yuan Zhan got, the stronger Huang Jiuge got. Eventually, even Yuan Zhan’s full-powered Nine Heavenly Strikes failed to bring Huang Jiuge down. Yuan Zhan was rendered completely exhausted, and Huang Jiuge went on to defeat the giant ape. Many sighed seeing the silhouette like that of a king standing proud in the air. They wondered if the final battle would be between Huang Jiuge and Bai Ze.

If those two were to clash, what would things be like? Who would come out on top?

Six were left after the battle!

[1] Buxing: xing in Chinese means okay or can do it, but bu xing indicates the opposite.