<h4>Chapter 818: Impending Storm</h4>
<strong>Trantor: </strong>Nyoi-Bo Studio <strong>Editor: </strong>Nyoi-Bo Studio
Once news of Tombkeeper Vige’s recent allegiance spread, shock filled the Eastern State and continued to spread throughout the entirety of the Nine States.
Pce Lord Ye Futian of the Holy Zhi Pce in the Barren State had activated the Nether Sword Matrix within the Nether Sword Mound and ughtered the Chess Saint. In doing so he had gained the inheritance of the Sword Saint of the Void.
From then on, Tombkeeper Vige would be subordinate to the Barren State. The Vige Chief of Tombkeeper Vige was a saint and entered the Holy Zhi Pce as a Holy Elder so that the Barren State could now possess saints.
Ye Futian, the young leader of Barren State, left the Barren State, and in a year’s time had left his name in the memories of the Nine States while also recruiting saints for the Barren State. It was no wonder that the previous pce lord had not hesitated to sacrifice himself and protect Ye Futian in that battle so that he could inherit the position of pce lord.
There was further news that shocked Nine State. Ye Futian had openly insulted the Great Zhou Sacred King and had executed the King’s deputies in front of him for the sake of twomoners.
For this, Great Zhou Sacred King wouldunch the Sacred War.
ording to some, after Great Zhou Sacred King returned, he sent an envoy to the Xia State, where the people of Emperor Xia dwelled. To start a real Sacred War between two holynds, he would need to inform Emperor Xia. After all, Emperor Xia was the ruler of the Nine States, and all holynds within the Nine State were under his dominion.
Now that the Barren State had saints and caused such great turmoil, it was no longer the Barren State of before. Even the Great Zhou Sacred Dynasty could not have its army directly advance on the Holy Zhi Pce and eradicate it.
Despite that fact, the Great Zhou Sacred Dynasty had begun to organize its army; an invisible storm was brewing.
The Nine States had not had a Sacred War for many years. Just how devastating could this one be?
After everyone had left Tombkeeper Vige, there were some who tried to enter the Nether Sword Mound but discovered that the matrix of the Nether Sword Mound had altered to such a degree of extreme danger that they were unable to enter. Tombkeeper Vige’s migration to the Barren State seemed to indicate that the Nether Sword Mound had now lost its significance. Under such circumstances, people naturally left it alone, as there was no incentive for them to risk their lives.
...
Qi State and Jixia Holy Pce had gotten wind of the uing war. The battles at the Nine State Forum has already shocked them. Jixia Holy Pce had produced a once-in-a-century genius, Zhuge Yi, who was naturally endowed with the five elements of the saint body.
But even so, Zhuge Yi was ranked behind two people from the Nine State Forum, one of whom had already been confirmed as a spirit body. Yu Sheng was this person, and it was no wonder that at the age of 15 he was already so ingenious that he could even conquer spiritual bodies, which indicated the immensity of his power.
At this time, in a manor not far from Jixia Holy Pce, a young man in white sat quietly drinking tea, surrounded by some friends who were also discussing this matter.
“Ye Futian and Yu Sheng from the Holy Zhi Pce in the Barren State are truly rare geniuses, hard to find in a hundred years, and well known in the Nine State at such a young age. Perhaps, when Ye Futian inherited the title of pce lord, there were many who were waiting to see him make a mistake, but in just two years’ time, the Barren State has absorbed saints and cultivators of the sage ranking. If it were not for Ye Futian’s notorious challenge against the Great Zhou Sacred King, the rise of the Barren State would be unstoppable.”
“Indeed, Zhou Ya was known to be the heir to the Sacred King of the Great Zhou Sacred Dynasty and challenged Ye Futian after the Nine State Forum. Ye Futian leveraged his position as a pce lord in their exchanges with great arrogance, but in the end, Zhou Ya was at a disadvantage and had nothing to fight back with. If he was not of the sage ne and had had to participate in the Nine State Forum, then he probably would have had to fight Yu Sheng. Between the two it’s hard to tell who’s more exceptional.”
Many people praised and acknowledged that the reputation of Ye Futian and Yu Sheng were now beginning to spread to every corner of the Nine States.
“Brother Bai, it was said that you came from the Barren State and traveled in the Nine States. Did you know Ye Futian and Yu Sheng?” someone looked at the youth in white and asked. This young man was extraordinary in his stature, sitting quietly with refinement and gentility.
“I know them.” The young man nodded.
“Oh?” Everyone showed some interest and asked, “What does Brother Bai think of their talents?”
“The Nine State Forum has already proved that they are rare finds in the Nine States.” The youth appeared calm, but his heart palpitated.
In just two short years, had he already grown to this degree? It seemed that the decision made by the pce lord and the master before their deaths was the correct one.
He thought that once upon a time, he was hailed as the first genius of Barren State, the future saint of Barren State, and the seeding pce lord of the Holy Zhi Pce.
“That’s right.” Everyone smiled. On the side of the youth, a beautiful woman leaned over and poured tea for him. This woman was extremely attractive and known for her looks in the area. She smiled lightly. “You are equally talented. In time, people in the Nine States will also know your name.”
“Yes, Brother Bai is the most talented person that we have ever seen.” The person next to him smiled and continued, “What are your ns? Will you continue to stay in the Nine States?”
The young man shook his head gently and said, “I n to cultivate at Jixia Holy Pce.”
Having traveled throughout thend of the Nine State and reflected on all matters in the world, his perception was different from before.
Back in the day, he was the chosen one and the focus of all in the Barren State. His every move was scrutinized because he was being trained as a saint, and there was no room for any mistakes. On his end, he worked hard to fulfill the hopes of the elders and to be the heir of the holynd. He had perfected himself so that he was worthy of the people’s love.
But just as he had said, there was no one perfect in the world. Looking at the world from different angles, there would be discoveries of differentndscapes, so he left to experience the world in ways that might appear to be ordinary and insignificant.
Now that he hadprehended certain things, Bai decided he ought to pursue other routes, such as cultivating with those who were the best in their field.
“We will congratte Brother Bai in advance.” Everyoneughed. If an ordinary person had mentioned his intention to go to Jixia Holy Pce to cultivate, he might be ridiculed. But since he was the one who breached the subject first, given his talent, there naturally would be no problem for him to enter Jixia Holy Pce.
“I want to go with you,” the beautiful girl next to him said softly, and everyone who saw this smiled and then said their goodbyes.
The young man felt the woman’s gaze. His eyes focused somewhere far away, and his thoughts seemed to have been pulled back into the past, to a time when he once had feelings for a woman; a radiant woman whose temperament was different from his and who dared to challenge existing rules.
“I knew a woman who had captured my heart. We were betrothed when we were young, but she reneged. I didn’t hold it against her. Later, our elders once again arranged a wedding for us, but on the day of the wedding, the man she loved showed up, and they both came to me, holding hands.” The young man recalled the past and smiled.
The woman stared at him withnguor. “Have you still not let it go?”
“I have already let it go, but in my heart, there can be no more romantic feelings,” the young man said to the woman.
“It doesn’t matter, I can always keep youpany.” The woman smiled gently.
“I will hold you back,” said the youth.
“I don’t mind.” The woman shook her head.
The young man could only smile with resignation.
...
Summer State, Xia n.
The prosperous Xia n had been praised by many as the strongest force in the Nine States. Its familial branches meandered through countless regions, standing like the imperial pce within Summer State City.
The Xia n itself was like a castle. No one dared to offend this ancient and venerable family. All holynds of the Nine State had always maintained respect towards the Xia n, because the Xia n had the surname of Xia.
However, above the sprawlingplex of the Xia residence, there was a procession of shadowsing from the air with a carriage amongst them.
Many figures rose up, intending to intercept the procession, but the person in front of the carriage took out a token, and everyone immediately backed away to stand respectfully on either side.
The carriage kept going forward, heading toward the location of the Xia residence.
Right then, at the Xia residence, a line of figures levitated toward the sky in a mighty procession. The man leading exuded an air of superiority, suggesting the status of the saint ne. This was the family head of the Xia n, who led everyone to stand quietly, waiting for the arrival of the carriage.
Soon, the carriagended in front of them, and everyone looked at the figure inside the carriage. No one knew who the supervising inspector making their appearance was.
Emperor Xia had established the Nine State Guards in thend of Summer State to monitor the Nine State. But even if the Commander of the Nine State Guards himself came before Saint Xia, he was the head of the Xia n and would not need to pay his respects. So, he just stood there quietly, watching.
At this point, a figure came out of the carriage and stepped forward.
It looked to be a very handsome young man, around 20 or so, dressed in men’s clothing, but with skin was so radiant and lovely that it surpassed the luster of a woman’s. He certainly appeared more beautiful than any woman. If he were a woman dressed in a woman’s clothing, she would have been an exceptional beauty.
“A woman disguised in men’s clothing.” Saint Xia was umon, and as a cultivator of the saint ne, this kind of disguise could not escape his eyes.
Of all the supervising inspectors, there did not seem to be such a person.
Who was she?
“What will be the business for the inspector’s visit?” Saint Xia asked, but the woman did not bother to speak. Instead, she took out a token and showed it to him.
When Saint Xia saw the token, his heart jumped violently, and his mind raced quickly. He soon guessed the identity of the person.
“Kneel,” Saint Xiamanded to everyone behind him, and then started bowing to greet the guest.
Everyone from Xia n who witnessed this scene was extremely shocked inside.
What couldmand such obeisance from even their master?
What was the meaning of that token?
One after the other, they all knelt on one knee and bowed to the young man.
“No need, as you were,” the young man said. “Great Zhou Sacred King has sent words regarding his intention to start a Sacred War, so let the witness exin in detail what happened between the Great Zhou Sacred Dynasty and the Holy Zhi Pce.”
“Yes.” Saint Xia nodded and turned back to look at one person, the cultivator from Xia n who had gone through the Nine State Forum and the Nether Sword Mound. He went forward and exined the entire ordeal. After listening, the youth maintained a tranquil demeanor with no outward signs of turmoil, but a decision was made.
“Send words to the Great Zhou Sacred Dynasty and the Holy Zhi Pce of the Barren State to announce the rules of the Sacred War,” the youthmanded the people behind him.
“Yes.” Someone nodded, and suddenly, a party of cultivators levitated and departed.
The youth returned to the carriage without another word, and the group left in the mighty formation just as they hade.
Saint Xia looked at the departing figure, and there was trouble in his heart. Emperor Xia had let here to thend of Nine State as a precursor What kind of storm would this entail?