Ye Futian and Yu Sheng continued on their merry way. They traveled through a barren area where demon beasts roamed from time to time. However, there was not another person to be seen.
On the Black Wind Eagle, Yu Sheng asked, "Do you know what 'fate' is?"
Ye Futian nodded his head. "Fate is similar to the power of 'will'. That beast was able to assimilate into the wind. It probably has a strong will of the wind that it acquired in some hidden ancient plane within the Ancient Barren World. Or maybe he ate something special to gain this power and in the Ancient Barren World, this type of power transformed into fate. Once this fate grows to a certain point, it might be able to go through some changes, resulting in noble fate. A person who acquires noble fate had the potential to become a strong Noble Plane cultivator. This process probably depends on how well you can grasp the concepts." Ye Futian hypothesized as such because he had once felt the power of will. This felt similar.
"You can see the fate of that beast?" asked Yu Sheng.
"As long as it reveals these types of powers, it's easy to tell.." Ye Futian smiled. The Black Wind Eagle continued forward. Every now and then, they would leave behind fire and the sweet smells of barbequed meat.
On their journey, the good food never stopped. The fate within their bodies was collecting and growing. Ye Futian and Yu Sheng discovered that it was possible to incorporate this fate into their own powers, increasing their abilities.
Half a month later, Ye Futian and Yu Sheng finally saw other human beings. They were hunting on these barren lands. Not too far ahead, the ground was shaking. Ye Futian looked over and saw a crazed Demon Bear running around. The beast was completely white. The ground it walked across frosted over.
"Yu Sheng!" called Ye Futian. Yu Sheng understood right away. He bolted toward the Demon Bear with the hammer in his hand. The demon beast lifted its head. Its eyes blazed with anger. It roared loudly and Yu Sheng was covered in a layer of frost. He was going to be sealed in ice. An icy cold force of will exploded from the Demon Bear.
Golden armor appeared on Yu Sheng's body and with both hands, he waved around a giant hammer. The power from this action broke through the ice seal and the force charged at the beast. It was as if the demon beast could feel that Yu Sheng did not have much energy because it lifted into the air abruptly and tried to attack him with full force.
There was a loud noise followed by a heart-wrenching scream from the Demon Bear. Its large body then fell from the skies and crashed into the ground.
"That's going to be another big meal," said Ye Futian with shining eyes. The power of fire in his body gathered and a moment later, dinner was served.
A line of figures approached from afar and stopped in the air above Ye Futian
Among the group, there were three males and two females. They were all fairly young. The two females looked very similar and although they each gave off an different vibe, they were both extremely beautiful.
"Pardon me but we have been chasing after that Ice Bear for quite a while and were also the ones who incapacitated the beast," said a young man.
Yu Sheng looked over him emotionlessly.
"Within the four seas, all men are brothers. Come eat with us." Ye Futian nonchalantly invited the group to join in on their meal.
The five exchanged looks of concern. They were unclear of Ye Futian and Yu Sheng's abilities. They all nodded and seated themselves on the ground.
"Are the two of you also from Qianmeng City?" asked the young man.
"Qianmeng City?" Ye Futian's eyes lit up. It seemed like they were nearing the city. The two of them had spent these past days in barren land and were bored out of their minds.
"You guys don't know?" asked one girl on the side.
Ye Futian looked over at her and replied, "No, we don't. We entered the Ancient Barren Land not too long ago and have been traveling through the deserted land. We have yet to reach a city. Is Qianmeng a city nearby?"
"Are you guys from the Hundred Lands?" the other girl asked.
"Yeah," Ye Futian nodded. It seemed these people had reached the city before they could, but that was normal. After all, the Black Wind Eagle was not very fast and they made many detours. The two of them had also stopped to hunt demon beasts along the way. It was only natural that their speed was slower than others.
Seeing Ye Futian nod his head, the three youths finally let down their guard. So, they're natives of the Hundred Lands.
The Hundred Lands was located at the border of the Eastern Barren Territory. The youths had heard that the door to the Ancient Barren World had just opened to them not too long ago.
"Since you guys are from the Hundred Lands, you must not know much about the Ancient Barren World," said one of the young men. He then bent down to chow down on the barbequed meat. There was no need to hold back anymore. There was a hint of arrogance in his tone of voice.
"That's true. So, please take care of us in the future," Ye Futian chuckled. "My name is Ye Futian and this is my brother from another mother, Yu Sheng," he introduced
Ye Futian's smile made him look as harmless as a baby. Although the17n-year-old was now much more mature, he had yet to evolve completely. He was still partly that same immature, happy-go-lucky boy he used to be.
"My name is Ruo Yu and this is my older sister, Ruo Qiu," said one of the girls. Her sweet smile gave her a gentle, loving vibe while her sister looked to be more on the cold and distant side.
"Very nice," said a young man. He smiled lightly but did not introduce himself. One of his friends followed, "You both look so young. To be able into the Ancient Barren World from the Hundred Lands, you guys must have some outstanding gifts."
"Our gifts are nothing out of the ordinary. We're only in the Nine-Star Glory Plane," Ye Futian answered matter-of-factly.
"Brother Ye, you must be joking. The highest level of cultivation among our group is a fourth level Dharma Plane and we were still unable to stop that beast."
"We had our own beast to help in its capture. Besides, the Demon Bear was already hurt. We were barely able to defeat it ourselves," replied Ye Futian.
The group looked over at the Black Wind Eagle and nodded. All of them continued to feast as they chatted and very quickly, Ye Futian was able to gather information as well as get a feel for each of them.
Wang Jue, fourth level Dharma Plane, had the highest level of cultivation among the group
Gu Cheng was in the third level Dharma Plane
Gu Jiang, second level Dharma Plane, was Gu Cheng's younger brother
Ruo Qiu was also second level, while Ruo Yu was in the first level
The five of them had the same powerful force backing them. Wang Jue was steady, the Gu brothers were a little arrogant, Ruo Qiu was aloof, and Ruo Yu was very friendly and uncalculating. Most of the information Ye Futian acquired was thanks to her
They all came from a city not far from where they were: Qianmeng City.
The Demon Bear was devoured and settled nicely in the stomachs of the seven youths. As the group of five was preparing to depart, Ruo Yu asked, "Are you guys going to Qianmeng City? Want to go together?"
"Alright." Ye Futian nodded in agreement. There was still a lot he wanted to find out.
"Have a lot of people from the Hundred Lands arrived at Qianmeng City?" asked Ye Futian, mounted on the Black Wind Eagle. The group had made their way into the skies.
"Quite a few. There has been quite some commotion in the city," answered Gu Jiang. "Ye Futian, the people from the Hundred Lands all arrived in Qianmeng City in large groups. You guys didn't ally with great powers?"
"It's embarrassing to talk about it. We were abandoned by our group because of our low levels of cultivation," Ye Futian answered sadly.
"So that's why. Well, you guys were able to travel so far without becoming a meal for demon beasts, you should already count yourselves lucky," laughed Gu Jiang.
"You guys sure have guts, entering the Ancient Barren World in the Glory Plane," Ruo Yu chuckled and flew closer to land on the Black Wind Eagle.
"The Ancient Barren World opened and many people came. It was only natural that we would also want to give it a try ourselves. We're not fighting for anything with anyone, so it shouldn't be too dangerous, right?" said Ye Futian.
Ruo Yu nodded lightly, "There are a couple ways to acquire fate: demon beasts, some rare plants have hidden fate, and the many relics in the Ancient Barren World. You can acquire fate in these ways, but the most direct way would be to steal it. You guys are of such a low level of cultivation, plus you guys don't possess much fate within, so naturally, no one would try to steal from you two."
"Stealing is also a way?" asked Ye Futian.
The rest of the Qianmeng group looked at Ye Futian and had a laugh. They were indeed natives from the Hundred Lands. They didn't even know how to acquire fate.
"Of course! Use your own fate to swallow that of others. With the aid of fate, powerful cultivators can defeat others and order them to release their own fates to be absorbed by the stronger force. People who are truly cruel will simply kill their opponents to take their fate," explained Ruo Yu. She looked at Ye Futian. "You don't even know this?"
There was now a sparkle in Ye Futian's eyes. It seemed he finally understood how Emperor Luo stole the fate of the original Nandou emperor all those years ago. He was sly, stealing all of the emperor's fate
It was no longer a mystery why Emperor Ye tried to persuade Ye Futian not to enter the Ancient Barren World at a low level of cultivation. In here, people at the lower level of cultivation were prey for the others. They were at the mercy of everyone else. Even if they managed to acquire fate, in the end, it was only going to benefit those who were more powerful.
They continued forward until finally, Ye Futian was able to catch his first glimpse of the city. More and more people came into view
The city ahead was not very big. It could not even compare with the Cangye Kingdom's imperial city, but the beauty was in its simplicity. It was a city of the Ancient Barren World after all. The people who came here were after fate. Everything they did was for the sake of cultivation.
"This is Qianmeng City," said Ruo Yu as she looked ahead. "This city was made by our fellow Qianmeng citizens as a meeting point in the Ancient Barren World. Entering the Ancient Barren World from the Qianmeng area, we are able to arrive directly in this historic city."
Ye Futian already knew this, even on the way here. The Qianmeng area was similar to the Hundred Lands in the sense that they also had many family clans, but the difference was, their clans were stronger and more powerful. All their clans had a common leader who controlled all of Qianmeng as well as their entrance to the Ancient Barren World.
In the outside world, in order to get from the Hundred Lands to the center of the Eastern Barren Territory, you must pass through the Qianmeng area
The group entered the city. In the air with them were demon beasts all around. Among them were some very rare powerful demons. Compared to them, the Black Wind Eagle did indeed look very ordinary.
The ancient Qianmeng City consisted of people in all different planes. People of power from the Qianmeng area would enter the Ancient Barren World for practice even if they were not in the upper-level Dharma Planes
After some time, the group of youths arrived at an inn. Many people were gathered in the lobby, drinking, and chatting.
"You're back," a young man said to Ruo Qiu and the others.
"Senior Brother Yan," greeted Ruo Qiu. The others followed suit. The young man nodded in acknowledgment. Then, his eyes fell on Ye Futian and Yu Sheng. "Who are they?" he asked.
"They're from the Hundred Lands. We met them on the way and since we were all headed here, we served as their guide," answered Ruo Qiu.
"The Hundred Lands?" The young man lifted his brows and followed by saying, "Don't just bring any back here in the future."
"Then, I'll make them leave," said Ruo Qiu.
"No need. I'll let it go this time." The young man shook his head then said, "We'll head to the Cang Mountain Relic together tomorrow."
A look crossed Ruo Qiu's face but she only nodded her head. The young man walked away from the group.
Ye Futian stood quietly in the back and observed the whole scene. He had a weird expression in his eyes. Seems like we treated them to a meal of bear meat for no reason. Ruo Qiu's words made things very obvious. There was not a single hint of gratitude!
On the Black Wind Eagle, Yu Sheng asked, "Do you know what 'fate' is?"
Ye Futian nodded his head. "Fate is similar to the power of 'will'. That beast was able to assimilate into the wind. It probably has a strong will of the wind that it acquired in some hidden ancient plane within the Ancient Barren World. Or maybe he ate something special to gain this power and in the Ancient Barren World, this type of power transformed into fate. Once this fate grows to a certain point, it might be able to go through some changes, resulting in noble fate. A person who acquires noble fate had the potential to become a strong Noble Plane cultivator. This process probably depends on how well you can grasp the concepts." Ye Futian hypothesized as such because he had once felt the power of will. This felt similar.
"You can see the fate of that beast?" asked Yu Sheng.
"As long as it reveals these types of powers, it's easy to tell.." Ye Futian smiled. The Black Wind Eagle continued forward. Every now and then, they would leave behind fire and the sweet smells of barbequed meat.
On their journey, the good food never stopped. The fate within their bodies was collecting and growing. Ye Futian and Yu Sheng discovered that it was possible to incorporate this fate into their own powers, increasing their abilities.
Half a month later, Ye Futian and Yu Sheng finally saw other human beings. They were hunting on these barren lands. Not too far ahead, the ground was shaking. Ye Futian looked over and saw a crazed Demon Bear running around. The beast was completely white. The ground it walked across frosted over.
"Yu Sheng!" called Ye Futian. Yu Sheng understood right away. He bolted toward the Demon Bear with the hammer in his hand. The demon beast lifted its head. Its eyes blazed with anger. It roared loudly and Yu Sheng was covered in a layer of frost. He was going to be sealed in ice. An icy cold force of will exploded from the Demon Bear.
Golden armor appeared on Yu Sheng's body and with both hands, he waved around a giant hammer. The power from this action broke through the ice seal and the force charged at the beast. It was as if the demon beast could feel that Yu Sheng did not have much energy because it lifted into the air abruptly and tried to attack him with full force.
There was a loud noise followed by a heart-wrenching scream from the Demon Bear. Its large body then fell from the skies and crashed into the ground.
"That's going to be another big meal," said Ye Futian with shining eyes. The power of fire in his body gathered and a moment later, dinner was served.
A line of figures approached from afar and stopped in the air above Ye Futian
Among the group, there were three males and two females. They were all fairly young. The two females looked very similar and although they each gave off an different vibe, they were both extremely beautiful.
"Pardon me but we have been chasing after that Ice Bear for quite a while and were also the ones who incapacitated the beast," said a young man.
Yu Sheng looked over him emotionlessly.
"Within the four seas, all men are brothers. Come eat with us." Ye Futian nonchalantly invited the group to join in on their meal.
The five exchanged looks of concern. They were unclear of Ye Futian and Yu Sheng's abilities. They all nodded and seated themselves on the ground.
"Are the two of you also from Qianmeng City?" asked the young man.
"Qianmeng City?" Ye Futian's eyes lit up. It seemed like they were nearing the city. The two of them had spent these past days in barren land and were bored out of their minds.
"You guys don't know?" asked one girl on the side.
Ye Futian looked over at her and replied, "No, we don't. We entered the Ancient Barren Land not too long ago and have been traveling through the deserted land. We have yet to reach a city. Is Qianmeng a city nearby?"
"Are you guys from the Hundred Lands?" the other girl asked.
"Yeah," Ye Futian nodded. It seemed these people had reached the city before they could, but that was normal. After all, the Black Wind Eagle was not very fast and they made many detours. The two of them had also stopped to hunt demon beasts along the way. It was only natural that their speed was slower than others.
Seeing Ye Futian nod his head, the three youths finally let down their guard. So, they're natives of the Hundred Lands.
The Hundred Lands was located at the border of the Eastern Barren Territory. The youths had heard that the door to the Ancient Barren World had just opened to them not too long ago.
"Since you guys are from the Hundred Lands, you must not know much about the Ancient Barren World," said one of the young men. He then bent down to chow down on the barbequed meat. There was no need to hold back anymore. There was a hint of arrogance in his tone of voice.
"That's true. So, please take care of us in the future," Ye Futian chuckled. "My name is Ye Futian and this is my brother from another mother, Yu Sheng," he introduced
Ye Futian's smile made him look as harmless as a baby. Although the17n-year-old was now much more mature, he had yet to evolve completely. He was still partly that same immature, happy-go-lucky boy he used to be.
"My name is Ruo Yu and this is my older sister, Ruo Qiu," said one of the girls. Her sweet smile gave her a gentle, loving vibe while her sister looked to be more on the cold and distant side.
"Very nice," said a young man. He smiled lightly but did not introduce himself. One of his friends followed, "You both look so young. To be able into the Ancient Barren World from the Hundred Lands, you guys must have some outstanding gifts."
"Our gifts are nothing out of the ordinary. We're only in the Nine-Star Glory Plane," Ye Futian answered matter-of-factly.
"Brother Ye, you must be joking. The highest level of cultivation among our group is a fourth level Dharma Plane and we were still unable to stop that beast."
"We had our own beast to help in its capture. Besides, the Demon Bear was already hurt. We were barely able to defeat it ourselves," replied Ye Futian.
The group looked over at the Black Wind Eagle and nodded. All of them continued to feast as they chatted and very quickly, Ye Futian was able to gather information as well as get a feel for each of them.
Wang Jue, fourth level Dharma Plane, had the highest level of cultivation among the group
Gu Cheng was in the third level Dharma Plane
Gu Jiang, second level Dharma Plane, was Gu Cheng's younger brother
Ruo Qiu was also second level, while Ruo Yu was in the first level
The five of them had the same powerful force backing them. Wang Jue was steady, the Gu brothers were a little arrogant, Ruo Qiu was aloof, and Ruo Yu was very friendly and uncalculating. Most of the information Ye Futian acquired was thanks to her
They all came from a city not far from where they were: Qianmeng City.
The Demon Bear was devoured and settled nicely in the stomachs of the seven youths. As the group of five was preparing to depart, Ruo Yu asked, "Are you guys going to Qianmeng City? Want to go together?"
"Alright." Ye Futian nodded in agreement. There was still a lot he wanted to find out.
"Have a lot of people from the Hundred Lands arrived at Qianmeng City?" asked Ye Futian, mounted on the Black Wind Eagle. The group had made their way into the skies.
"Quite a few. There has been quite some commotion in the city," answered Gu Jiang. "Ye Futian, the people from the Hundred Lands all arrived in Qianmeng City in large groups. You guys didn't ally with great powers?"
"It's embarrassing to talk about it. We were abandoned by our group because of our low levels of cultivation," Ye Futian answered sadly.
"So that's why. Well, you guys were able to travel so far without becoming a meal for demon beasts, you should already count yourselves lucky," laughed Gu Jiang.
"You guys sure have guts, entering the Ancient Barren World in the Glory Plane," Ruo Yu chuckled and flew closer to land on the Black Wind Eagle.
"The Ancient Barren World opened and many people came. It was only natural that we would also want to give it a try ourselves. We're not fighting for anything with anyone, so it shouldn't be too dangerous, right?" said Ye Futian.
Ruo Yu nodded lightly, "There are a couple ways to acquire fate: demon beasts, some rare plants have hidden fate, and the many relics in the Ancient Barren World. You can acquire fate in these ways, but the most direct way would be to steal it. You guys are of such a low level of cultivation, plus you guys don't possess much fate within, so naturally, no one would try to steal from you two."
"Stealing is also a way?" asked Ye Futian.
The rest of the Qianmeng group looked at Ye Futian and had a laugh. They were indeed natives from the Hundred Lands. They didn't even know how to acquire fate.
"Of course! Use your own fate to swallow that of others. With the aid of fate, powerful cultivators can defeat others and order them to release their own fates to be absorbed by the stronger force. People who are truly cruel will simply kill their opponents to take their fate," explained Ruo Yu. She looked at Ye Futian. "You don't even know this?"
There was now a sparkle in Ye Futian's eyes. It seemed he finally understood how Emperor Luo stole the fate of the original Nandou emperor all those years ago. He was sly, stealing all of the emperor's fate
It was no longer a mystery why Emperor Ye tried to persuade Ye Futian not to enter the Ancient Barren World at a low level of cultivation. In here, people at the lower level of cultivation were prey for the others. They were at the mercy of everyone else. Even if they managed to acquire fate, in the end, it was only going to benefit those who were more powerful.
They continued forward until finally, Ye Futian was able to catch his first glimpse of the city. More and more people came into view
The city ahead was not very big. It could not even compare with the Cangye Kingdom's imperial city, but the beauty was in its simplicity. It was a city of the Ancient Barren World after all. The people who came here were after fate. Everything they did was for the sake of cultivation.
"This is Qianmeng City," said Ruo Yu as she looked ahead. "This city was made by our fellow Qianmeng citizens as a meeting point in the Ancient Barren World. Entering the Ancient Barren World from the Qianmeng area, we are able to arrive directly in this historic city."
Ye Futian already knew this, even on the way here. The Qianmeng area was similar to the Hundred Lands in the sense that they also had many family clans, but the difference was, their clans were stronger and more powerful. All their clans had a common leader who controlled all of Qianmeng as well as their entrance to the Ancient Barren World.
In the outside world, in order to get from the Hundred Lands to the center of the Eastern Barren Territory, you must pass through the Qianmeng area
The group entered the city. In the air with them were demon beasts all around. Among them were some very rare powerful demons. Compared to them, the Black Wind Eagle did indeed look very ordinary.
The ancient Qianmeng City consisted of people in all different planes. People of power from the Qianmeng area would enter the Ancient Barren World for practice even if they were not in the upper-level Dharma Planes
After some time, the group of youths arrived at an inn. Many people were gathered in the lobby, drinking, and chatting.
"You're back," a young man said to Ruo Qiu and the others.
"Senior Brother Yan," greeted Ruo Qiu. The others followed suit. The young man nodded in acknowledgment. Then, his eyes fell on Ye Futian and Yu Sheng. "Who are they?" he asked.
"They're from the Hundred Lands. We met them on the way and since we were all headed here, we served as their guide," answered Ruo Qiu.
"The Hundred Lands?" The young man lifted his brows and followed by saying, "Don't just bring any back here in the future."
"Then, I'll make them leave," said Ruo Qiu.
"No need. I'll let it go this time." The young man shook his head then said, "We'll head to the Cang Mountain Relic together tomorrow."
A look crossed Ruo Qiu's face but she only nodded her head. The young man walked away from the group.
Ye Futian stood quietly in the back and observed the whole scene. He had a weird expression in his eyes. Seems like we treated them to a meal of bear meat for no reason. Ruo Qiu's words made things very obvious. There was not a single hint of gratitude!