The Legend of Futian

Yun Hao glared at Yuan Hong upon hearing the ape telling him to get lost. He was still a mighty one ranked on Barren Sky Ranking, yet Yuan Hong dared berate him.

“Yuan Hong, I will warn you once again. This is White Cloud City, and nobody from the Barren State dares to come mess around here,” Yun Hao said with a threatening tone. If Yuan Hong dared mess around in White Cloud City, then White Cloud City would have also invade Taihang Mountain at a later date. There were few throughout the Barren State capable of enduring the wrath of the City Lord of White Cloud City.

“That is where you are wrong. I’m not here in White Cloud City to mess around. I’m here to kill someone,” Yuan Hong answered with a forceful tone. He extended his palm right after he was done talking. A Sky-piercing Staff made of gold appeared in his huge hands. He took one step forward and an extremely refined might permeated the space around them. The winds howled and the clouds turned, as the entire estate was being encased in the overbearing might.

Bam. Yuan Hong took another forceful step forward, which seemed to be imbued with super-powerful martial arts will. Countless of the Gongsun Clan fell flat on the ground. No one was allowed to escape. A regal, divine silhouette of a golden great ape appeared in all of their minds, which remained in their heads regardless if they were looking at it or not. Such was the might of the top-notch sage.

“Yun Hao, are you sure you want to get in my way?” A strong wave of sound traversed the air and shook everything in its path. It was a might so powerful that even those far outside the estate were able to feel it. None dared go anyway near the estate, and all of them simply took to watch the events unfold from afar.

An illusory shadow of a great ape seemed to have appeared in the sky. It blocked out the sky as its vast shadow encased everything in it as if it was something made out of pure will. Yun Hao, at that very moment, was able to feel the truly terrible might of figures ranked high on the Barren Sky Ranking. He felt utterly helpless against Yuan Hong.

The staff in the ape’s hand was lifted up high with terrible might. The shadow of the great ape seemed to have lifted its staff as well, synchronizing with his movements. It was some special ability of Yuan Hong himself.

Yun Hao burst his aura in a crazed manner. Gongsun Jing, who was standing behind him, went utterly pale as he looked at the sky. If that staff was brought down on their heads, it would pack enough force to raze the Gongsun Clan estate.

“Yuan Hong, you have gone too far.” A terrifying aura was sensed from afar. The skies changed in an instant, and the vicinity became grey. It seemed as if a pair of great grey eyes appeared, gaining control of the entire space like a pair of formless hands. That incredibly huge shadow with a staff seemed to be hindered by that formless power.

“Huh…” Yun Hao felt the pressure on him lessen considerably. He let out a breath of stale air and relaxed for a bit. He came to know the terrifying might of that pressure when he was facing Yuan Hong. It was fortunate that the City Lord showed up at the nick of time.

The might that permeated the sky belonged to none other than the City Lord himself. It was a power unleashed by the Eye of Devastation. The same spell, when used by the City Lord, was several orders of magnitude more powerful than it had been when used by Bai Luli.

A terribly imposing figure dressed in white appeared in the air above the Gongsun Clan estate. The City Lord took his steps and was overflowing with terrible authority. He was practically clad in the powerful aura of one of the few top-notch figures. He addressed Yuan Hong who stood before him with cold eyes, “I care not for your affairs at Taiahng Mountain. This is White Cloud City, and I will not tolerate any disrespectful acts here.”

Gongsun Jing sighed a breath of relief as well. He was drenched in sweat all over. Being faced with an imminent threat of death, even sages would have felt fear. He had no doubt that if the City Lord had not shown up, Yuan Hong would have crushed them right there and then. Those wretched beasts from Taihang Mountain, what business do they have with me killing Ye Futian?

The two figures squared off against each other in the air. One ranked fourth on Barren Sky Ranking while the other ranked 18th. It had been quite a while since such a battle happened in the Barren State.

A formless gale blew across the air. Yuan Hong’s golden eyes were set straight at Bai Gu as he said coldly, “I told you, I’m coming to White Cloud City to kill the Gongsun Clan today. Are you trying to cover for them by standing in my way?”

“I’m telling you one more time. This is White Cloud City. If you think I’m going to cover them, very well then. What if I do?” Bai Gu responded sternly. He was still a figure ranked fourth on the Barren Sky Ranking, and there was hardly anyone in the Barren State he took notice of.

Yuan Hong is threatening me? What a joke.

The assassination attempt on Ye Futian had nothing to do with him, but the case with Gu Dongliu ruining the marriage arrangement in the Zhuge family estate had everything to do with Ye Futian. However, it was nowhere serious enough that Bai Gu deemed Ye Futian to be one he had to eliminate. If he had actually had gone all the way to plan an assassination attempt on a noble like Ye Futian, that would have truly been a joke. If he had wanted to kill Ye Futian, all he had to do was simply slap the young man across the face. Bai Gu’s status was such that assassinating Ye Futian was utterly beneath him. However, since the Gongsun Clan had joined White Cloud City, it was only natural that they became Bai Gu’s men. Yuan Hong asked if Bai Gu intended to cover the Gongsun Clan, but there was hardly anything anyone could have done if Bai Gu actually did so.

“Your name has been the talk of legends, City Lord of White Cloud City. I, Yuan Hong, will find out for myself how powerful the one ranked fourth on the Barren Sky Ranking actually is.” Yuan Hong’s words sent shivers down the spines of everyone within earshot. Even Yun Hao and Gongsun Jing felt themselves trembling inside. Yuan Hong of Taihang Mountain actually dared move against the City Lord of White Cloud City. It was something utterly insane.

“So be it,” the City Lord glared at Yuan Hong as he said plainly. It was only three words, yet the pressure behind those three words was extremely intense. Bai Gu also wanted to see for himself how powerful the golden great ape of Taihang Mountain, said to be invincible in battle, truly was.

“This is spectacular. I never expected to be able to see this up close.” A boisterous laughing voice was heard. Several silhouettes were found at the side. Everyone turned their eyes in that direction. There were some among them who were not familiar faces, but to those who actually knew who those people were, their hearts trembled.

You Chi, the City Lord of Alchemy City, appeared in White Cloud City.

Both White Cloud City and Alchemy City served as major symbols of the western regions of the Barren State. Both were true landmarks of the region, and at that moment, Bai Gu, ranked fourth on Barren Sky Ranking, and You Chi, ranked eighth, were found at the same time in the same place.

Bai Gu and Yuan Hong did not find his appearance to be surprising, as they obviously were able to sense him. They were of the same plane—Sage Plane—and it was only natural that they were able to sense each other’s presence. Yet, Gongsun Jing’s face changed. He had, after all, come all the way from Alchemy City to join White Cloud City.

“You Chi, I assume that you’re not here in White Cloud City just for the show?” Bai Gu asked.

“Of course not,” You Chi said plainly. “I came for the Gongsun clan.”

“You want to meddle with that assassination attempt?” Bai Gu asked as he frowned. “Just because the victim is a junior of your son-in-law?”

Gongsun Jing’s face went pale. You Chi wants in on this as well?

“My business here actually has little to do with Ye Futian.” You Chi said, “It’s just that back when Ye Futian and Gongsun Ye fought, I was the one bore witness and hosted the fight. Everyone there saw it, including your son, Bai Luli. Now that the Gongsun Clan wants revenge, they’re practically throwing dirt on my face.”

He was being reserved with his words, but he needed not spell it all out for Bai Gu. Gongsun clan did more than just that: they had come to join White Cloud City before they planned the assassination, and that embarrassed You Chi even further.

“So?” Bai Gu asked.

“So, I’m here to ask you. Do you mind handing Gongsun Jing to me?” You Chi asked with a smile.

Gongsun Jing’s face went pale. You Chi had indeed come for him.

“Can’t do. He is one of my people now,” Bai Gu said casually. Gongsun Jing was already one of his men. If he had simply handed Gongsun Jing over just like that, that would have been an insult to his status as the City Lord of White Cloud City.

“I knew you would say something like that, given your temperament and all.” You Chi hardly minded. He continued with a smile, “In that case, I’ll just sit back and enjoy the show. Go on.”

Gongsun Jing felt immensely distressed. Since when did You Chi become so easy to talk to?

Bai Gu turned his attention back at Yuan Hong and said, “After you.”

Yuan Hong said nothing. He simply swung his staff, and in an instant, conjured multiple shadows of the staff in the air, yet he did not attack. The shadow of the ape in the sky swung its staff around as well. An intense might was brought to bear on everything below, and many felt unable to even stand still.

The shadows of the staffs grew increasingly intense, and it seemed to be the 81 Strikes of Heaven-traversing Staff Techniques of the apes. Multiple shadows of the staff were conjured in the air as a boundless air of terror hung above. It was just the might of the skill, yet many felt themselves crumbling under its pressure as if the sky was to be brought down on them soon.

The City Lord of White Cloud City looked up and cast his gaze high up in the air. There seemed to be pairs of formless, grey, huge hands interrupting with the flow of the might. At the same time, an incredibly huge golden shadow formed, as if an ancient god was standing between the heavens and the earth. It was a conjuration made entirely of gold, seemingly conjured out of spite against Yuan Hong. The summoned huge golden ancient god extended multiple golden arms and lashed out in the air. It was a terrifying sight to behold.

Boom. A thunderous rumble was heard. At the very next moment, the shadow of staff all over the air coalesced into one single weapon and was brought down on everything below.

In that very instant, many of the mighty ones were brought to the ground by the pressure, as if the sky itself was being brought down on them. The staff went swiftly at them in the air. The golden ancient god’s countless arms went on to grab the staff, but golden lights burst upon contact. Many of those arms crumbled and that ancient god leaped into the air and went straight for the staff. Terrifying will in the air seeped into the body of the ancient god as it burst for higher ground.

Boom! Yet another thunderous rumble was heard and the staff was brought down once more. The ancient god crumbled from top to bottom as every inch of its body burst into bits. Yet, the might of the staff was continuously weakened, gradually brought to a halt right on top of the City Lord of White Cloud City before dissipating altogether.

Buildings within the Gongsun Clan estate on the ground were reduced to ashes. Many had blood around their mouths. The one strike was far more powerful than what was dealt to the Ning clan.

“I see,” Yuan Hong said plainly. The City Lord of White Cloud City stared at Yuan Hong’s shadow. The staff had incredible force. Yuan Hong’s offensive capacity was far beyond what he had anticipated.

“We’ll meet again when the time comes. As for you all of the Gongsun Clan, you would do well to cower forever in White Cloud City, never stepping outside ever again,” Yuan Hong said as he turned around to leave. Many of the golden great apes followed. But then, You Chi called, “Yuan Hong.”

Yuan Hong halted his steps and glanced at You Chi, “What business do you have with me, City Lord You?”

“Come visit Alchemy City some time. That golden staff you conjured with Spiritual Qi, it was terrifyingly powerful, but the power it packed was limited. I can forge you a weapon-type ritual implement specifically for you,” You Chi elaborated.

The City Lord of White Cloud City sparked with sharp flashes. Is You Chi trying to mess with me here?

“Very well, I will visit Alchemy City sometime. Thank you.” Yuan Hong turned around and left with the apes of Taihang Mountain as soon as he finished. You Chi glanced at Bai Gu and said, “That’s all for me, farewell.” He then turned around and left as well.

Bai Gu, City Lord of White Cloud City, paid no heed to You Chi. As such, You Chi deemed it unnecessary for him to pay much heed to Bai Gu.

Yuan Hong naturally understood that if Bai Gu, the one ranked fourth on Barren Sky Ranking, insisted on intervening, there was little else he could have done. However, Yuan Hong demonstrated his thoughts and attitude by showing up. He would have killed if he could, but even if he was unable to do so, he was sending a message to all in Barren State: anyone who dared move against Ye Futian had better remember the fact that the Gongsun Clan was reduced to having to spend the rest of their days in fear.

You Chi understood it all the same, but it was unthinkable for him to simply wage a war against the City Lord of White Cloud City. Both of them were top-notch figures in the Barren State, and it would have been bad for them to simply go for each other’s throats because of Gongsun Jing. However, he needed to make his stance on the matter clear, nonetheless. The Gongsun Clan had deserted Alchemy City for White Cloud City and tired to assassinate Ye Futian. All that they did was seen as a severe slight against him, and he was compelled to make sure Gongsun Jing remembered that, or else everyone would think they could have their way with You Chi as they pleased.

The forging of a weapon for Yuan Hong was a show of force. If you, City Lord of White Cloud City, insists on covering for Gongsun Clan and will not show me any face, there is little I can do about that. But, I need not give face to you as well. He was interested to see if the City Lord of White Cloud City found Gongsun jing worth keeping around, and he wanted Gongsun Jing himself as well as the entire Barren State to see that.

You Chi and Yuan Hong both left White Cloud City. The demonic beasts of Taihang Mountain withdrew as they left behind rumble on the ground t, but White Cloud City was far from quiet. It was especially so for the Gongsun Clan. Gongsun Jing’s face was ashen at that point. He began to have regrets, pondering if it had been worth it to try to assassinate Ye Futian simply because he had not been able to hold himself back. He never thought that not only did the attempt ended in failure, but it had also even kicked up such a great fuss with powerful figures. The Taihang Mountain forces went out of their way for him and You Chi visited White Cloud City personally for him. What would happen to Gongsun Clan from here on out? Were they really going to just cower in White Cloud City forever?