There were still two more months before the end of year 10005 of the Divine Prefecture Calendar. Much time had passed after the news of Ye Futian’s death. After causing an uproar, the Divine Sky City finally forgot about it.
Time could bury everything. No matter how excellent someone was, once fallen, they would still be forgotten in the river of time. Long Yitian had caused such a commotion with his death, but he was also buried in history. Ye Futian wasn’t an exception. Fewer and fewer people mentioned him in the city.
Many things had happened recently too. The Top Three Schools’ relationship worsened and they often had conflicts. Some students even died in the fights. After the Jin Clan separated from the Divine Sky City, they started arranging things. They sent their best disciples to the other forces of the Barren State.
The Barren State was too big. The clans of the Divine Sky City could control the east, but they weren’t the top forces in the vast Barren State. Not even the Top Three Schools could be counted as the top. Places like the Holy Zhi Palace were the forces truly at the peak of the Barren State and were holy lands of cultivation.
And those in the Barren Sky Ranking were those who could truly influence the entire Barren State. Long Yitian was the only one from the Divine Sky City to have entered that ranking. Even then, he’d been at the bottom. Evidently, the ranking was very powerful. Other than abilities, it also looked at one’s combat ability, talent, potential, and more.
Recently, two pieces of news reached the Divine Sky City. The first was that someone had challenged the young city lord of White Cloud City who was in top ten of the ranking. It seemed to have been a scholar with amazing talent and combat ability. He had just entered the Sage Plane.
The result wasn’t unexpected. How could the young city lord at the top ten of the ranking lose? But this kind of challenge was still interesting for people. People gossiped that the man had challenged the young city lord because of the Zhuge Clan’s daughter.
Speaking of the Zhuge Clan’s daughter, there was news that she’d entered the Sage Plane. Apparently, she had accepted a sister who was even prettier than herself. She was also a Divine Spiritual Sorcerer with the title of Ultimate Sorcerer. Countless people were won over by her, including many top talents from top forces. However, the news wasn’t very detailed when it reached the Divine Sky City. The Barren State was huge and the Zhuge Clan was too far away from the city. The news could reach them because it involved a top figure and clan of the Barren State, namely the young city lord of the White Cloud City and the Zhuge Clan.
Of course, the most exciting news was that the Holy Road to the Holy Zhi Palace would be opened next year.
The Holy Zhi Palace was the most brilliant place of cultivation in the entire Barren State. They only accepted disciples once every three years. The trial was very simple; it was known as the Holy Road.
Each time they accepted disciples, they would attract the attention of the entire Barren State. The vast land would practically shake. This kind of force naturally wouldn’t accept disciples like the other forces. It was extremely largescale.
The nine Holy Roads spread throughout every region of the Barren State. At the beginning of the next year, a big show would be unveiled.
Outside the Starry Pavilion in the Starry School, Gu Hanshan found Chen Yuan. “Chief Chen,” he said, “did Ye Futian really die?”
“Why are you asking?” Chen Yuan asked. Countless months had passed. He didn’t know why Gu Hanshan had run over to bring this up.
“People are discussing the Holy Road recently. I suddenly wondered if the school was trying to fool people and have Ye Futian go through the Holy Road to cultivate at the Holy Zhi Palace?” Gu Hanshan asked.
After news of Ye Futian’s death, his friends had disappeared too. It was completely logical to suspect Chen Yuan. Did he worry that Ye Futian would be in danger so he was sent away in this manner?
“You started doubting because of this?” Chen Yuan asked.
“There’s a personal matter. My daughter is very depressed these days. When she protected Ye Futian from the Noble’s assassination in the Celestial Pavilion, I realized that the girl likes him. She stopped being happy after news of Ye Futian’s death. Thus, I hope that he’s still alive and came just to ask you.”
“Actually, I don’t wish he goes on the Holy Road. I hope that he would inherit the Top Three Schools.” Chen Yuan gazed towards the Starry School with dazed eyes. He seemed to mumble to himself, “But I knew that as long as somewhere like the Holy Zhi Palace existed, the Top Three Schools would only be a temporary stay. Once the Holy Road opened, many disciples would want to try. I wouldn’t be able to stop them. This is the tragedy of the Top Three Schools. It’s also something I’ve been trying to change.”
Gu Hanshan understood. When somewhere like the Holy Zhi Palace existed, even if there was someone brilliant in the Top Three Schools, they would still leave. The Top Three Schools couldn’t even protest. They needed to support their students in their endeavors because the Holy Zhi Palace was a more advanced place. How could one stop them?
If they supported the students, they could still maintain a friendly relationship after the students entered the Holy Zhi Palace. They’d come from the Top Three Schools, after all. Could they oppose their students from trying it out? And so what if they succeeded? Could the Top Three Schools kill a disciple of the Holy Zhi Palace?
The Sage figures of the Top Three Schools wanted their juniors to be more accomplished, but this method was a bit sad.
Chen Yuan wanted to change this, so he made Ye Futian into a Son. He wanted to create a Saint.
“I understand. Thank you, Chief Chen.” Gu Hanshan smiled and bid farewell. Chen Yuan hadn’t said it aloud, but he knew the answer.
Long robe flapping in the wind, Chen Yuan gazed at the glamorous Starry School, his eyes a bit lost. At the beginning of the new year, another batch of talents would leave to challenge themselves on the Holy Road.
At the Nine Cloud Palace, Jin Chengfeng stood before the splendid palace. There was a group of youths standing below the steps. They were the best of Nine Cloud Palace.
“This year, we suffered unprecedented humiliation. We’ve also sent many people during these months to challenge themselves in other places. But you were all kept here. Do you know why?” Jin Chengfeng asked.
“For the Holy Road.” Jin Yunlang’s eyes were sharp. He’d entered the Noble Plane recently. The people here were all in the lower-Noble Plane. The lower three levels of the Noble Plane were the lower-Noble Plane.
“Correct. For the Holy Road.” Jin Chengfeng’s eyes were sharper. “The Holy Road opens once every three years. Only those in the lower-Noble Plane and lower have the chance to try it and succeed. Your plane is the most suitable.”
Those in the Arcana Plane basically wouldn’t have the chance to succeed. It was only an exercise for them.
One could also see that the Holy Zhi Palace took in disciples at the beginning of the Noble Plane. They wouldn’t have to worry about the foundation, because those who could succeed were all the stars of the Barren State. They would all have good foundations and know their talents. The Holy Zhi Palace wouldn’t have to teach them from nothing.
Of course, only the Holy Zhi Palace had this capital.
“The masters of the Holy Zhi Palace are all Sages. There is no exception. There are countless Noble prides. Many of the best figures of the younger generation all have divine path inheritances. Now that the Nine Cloud Palace was humiliated by the Starry School, I hope that one of you will be able to cultivate at the Holy Zhi Palace. For these last two months, cultivate in isolation. Prepare for the Holy Road at the beginning of the next year.”
Jin Chengfeng felt urgent. As a top clan in the Divine Sky City, nothing would change in the short term, but if there were no strong descendants, they would still fall.
“Yes.” Everyone nodded, eyes sharp. They were descendants of a top clan in the Divine Sky City, but they weren’t significant in the entire Barren State. They had no special rights and the Holy Zhi Palace wouldn’t make exceptions for them. The only option was to step onto the Holy Road.
West Court, Dragon Clan Long Mu seemed to have something on his mind. Instead of cultivating at school, he came to the West Court.
“Is Ling’er still not feeling better?” he asked a servant.
“She’s the same as before. She often loses her temper,” the servant replied wryly. When she first arrived at the West Court, the miss would often throw tantrums. Later, Ye Futian changed her. After he died, she went back to normal.
“Mu’er, ignore that girl.” A beautiful woman walked over. It was Madame Long.
“Auntie,” Long Mu greeted her.
“I heard that you wanted to try the Holy Road to prepare for three years later?” Madame Long asked.
“Yes.” Long Mu nodded. He knew that there would be no hope this time. But three years later, he would be at the most advantageous plane.
“The Holy Road is dangerous. There may be chances, but it’s the most dangerous trial path in the Barren State. Many people die. Everyone on the road is of the same generation. There are no rules or seniors, so killing is common. It will be very dangerous for you to enter with your current plane.”
Madame Long was clear that all the geniuses of the Barren State would be gathered on the Holy Road. It would be a huge event. Long Mu wasn’t even at the pinnacle of the Arcana Plane. He could face great risks.
“I’ll have weapons with me and I’ll be careful. I won’t let myself be in too much danger,” Long Mu said. “After all, my goal isn’t the Holy Zhi Palace. I’m just going to get a feeling and challenge myself.”
“Since you’ve decided, I won’t say anything else. Cultivate well.” Madame Long nodded. Trying out the Holy Road was probably the dream of everyone in Long Mu’s generation!