Chapter 226: The Qin Dynasty’s Invitation
Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio
“Wow.” Ye Futian was a bit impressed by his third senior brother who could eat demon kings and use dragon tendons as instrument strings. As for the invitation from the College to participate in the trial, they didn’t have time.
“The Cottage is so busy. We don’t have time to participate in those boring things. Right, junior?” Third Brother smiled at Ye Futian.
“Yeah, you’re right.” Ye Futian nodded, thinking, whatever you say, brother.
As for whether the Cottage was busy or not, it didn’t matter. Outsiders would not know.
“Xue Ye,” Gu Dongliu called.
“Yes?” Xue Ye replied while transcribing.
“Stop for now,” Gu Dongliu said. “Bring the junior to the Book Cave. Yu Sheng, stay here.”
“Okay.” Feeling saved, Xue Ye put down his pen and walked to Ye Futian’s side. “Junior, come with me.”
Ye Futian nodded, wondering what the Book Cave was.
Xue Ye brought Ye Futian to another cave in the Cottage and entered it. The cave was very deep. The path went straight inside and suddenly became spacious. There seemed to be dazzling light in the distance.
A golden path appeared on the ground. Countless runes pulsed.
“Follow my steps carefully and don’t take the wrong step,” Xue Ye warned. There was a flash under his feet. Ye Futian followed his every step cautiously.
After that path, they arrived at the center of the cavern. Endless dazzling light fell upon them. Ye Futian looked up and was deeply shocked.
As if they were in the middle of the mountain, the cavern was hundreds of meters tall. The sides had been carved into bookshelves. Innumerable books were pressed against each other in the walls. The library from the Donghai Academy that Ye Futian had once studied in was nothing compared to this. The Book Cave was practically a sea of books. How did the Cottage collect all these books?
“Junior, there are all types of books here. The teacher doesn’t teach and you have to learn by yourself. Do what you must,” Xue Ye said.
“How do you read all this?” Ye Futian mumbled.
Hearing this, Xue Ye almost cried. He looked at the books and sighed. “You’d need hundreds of years to transcribe all of these!”
Ye Futian froze. He looked at Xue Ye and asked, “Fourth Brother, are you transcribing the books here?”
“Don’t talk about it.” Xue Ye sighed tragically.
“Second Sister seems really powerful. Does she have a high plane?” Ye Futian was curious. With her one look, the fourth and fifth brothers instantly grew obedient.
“I don’t what her plane is but I know Third Brother’s plane is really high. If you say no to Second Sister…” Xue Ye said sadly. He glanced at Ye Futian, eyes saying, Do you get it?
Ye Futian nodded. He understood.
Third Brother could make the Nobles of the Qin Dynasty and Donghua Clan scurry away with a sentence. Ye Futian could only pity his fourth brother.
“What about you? What plane are you?” Ye Futian asked.
“I’m really low, only mid-level Noble Plane,” Xue Ye said with low self-esteem.
“I…” Ye Futian broke off. He wouldn’t finish his sentence.
It was impossible to imagine a Noble obediently copying books and acting submissive before Second Sister. He felt sick.
“Is Fifth Brother a Noble too?” he asked weakly.
“Of course.” Xue Ye nodded. Ye Futian felt even sicker as he imagined Fifth Brother cooking. Was he really a Noble?
“Don’t give up. You’ll be a Noble soon. Take a look around. I’m leaving now.” Xue Ye patted Ye Futian comfortingly and walked out.
“Fourth Brother, you, uh…don’t give up. You’ll finish copying the books sooner or later,” Ye Futian called to Xue Ye’s back. The poor guy tripped and almost fell.
“You’re right.” He didn’t turn around and seemed to have squeezed these words out his mouth, telling himself to not mind what a kid says.
After Xue Ye left, Ye Futian looked around the Book Cave and muttered to himself, “How many years would it take to read it all?”
Let alone copy it all.
Ye Futian gazed at the sea of books. The countless books seemed to have been organized into detailed groups. Every genre was available.
He saw that one place was carved with the word “guqin” so he went over and started looking from the bottom.
First were the basics of the guqin. It included every note, key, and then from simple to advanced pieces. Ye Futian jumped around and saw many powerful techniques at the back.
He read for a long while. Outside, night fell and a beautiful figure walked in. It was Beitang Xing’er.
“Sister Xing’er,” Ye Futian called. He put his book down with a smile.
“Your guqin is done and I brought dinner. Second Sister told me to bring it,” Beitang Xing’er said, smiling.
“Thank you.” Ye Futian felt warm inside. His two senior sisters treated him so well. Seeing how nice Second Sister was, he was sure there must be some misunderstanding that caused the brothers to be so scared.
“No problem. I’ll read too,” Beitang Xing’er replied gently. Ye Futian nodded and started shoveling food into his mouth. This was demon king and dragon meat, after all.
“Slow down and drink some soup. It’s made from a king python.” Beitang Xing’er giggled at Ye Futian’s actions.
“Okay.” While eating, Ye Futian said, “Sister Xing’er, not only are you beautiful, your heart is beautiful too.”
“Shut up.” Beitang Xing’er blushed. She was younger than Ye Futian, after all, and couldn’t stand his teasing.
“I’m serious. I don’t know who’ll be lucky enough to marry you in the future. I’m even getting jealous,” Ye Futian kept saying.
Beitang Xing’er grew redder and said, “I’m ignoring you now.”
With that, she ran to the other to read.
Ye Futian chuckled. He quickly finished the meal and started reading again.
He didn’t step out the cavern for the following few days. Every day, Beitang Xing’er would promptly bring the meal over, making Ye Futian feel a bit bad. However, she didn’t seem to mind and always smiled innocently.
Without realizing, countless months passed. Ye Futian spent all those months in the Book Cave.
One day, Ye Futian was practicing martial arts at the Ancient Peak Cliff. His body contained boundless power. He’d been eating dragon meat and drinking python soup every day and accumulated much strength. He wanted to release it all.
When he practiced the techniques inherited from Emperor Ye Qing, his body was like a dragon. His blood bubbled and roars sounded continuously. At the moment, he was practicing a fist routine. Each punch seemed to contain a dragon’s roar. Power swept through the sky with extreme power reverberating.
After a long while, there was a huge boom in his body. Endless power broke out, transforming into a terrifying martial arts conception.
He’d entered the Fourth-level Dharma Plane.
Ye Futian practiced the routine again and walked to the edge of the cliff. There was a guqin there. He faced the cliff and sat down cross-legged. Graceful music soon streamed out.
The notes that sounded were quiet and peaceful. They seemed to blend with nature and transform into a breeze that blew past his clothes and grass. They also transformed into sunlight, shining down and warming the earth.
Instead of playing a piece he’d learned, he just improvised according to his mood. Music that matched the artistic conception was the best.
His Spiritual Energy pulsed with the music and spread outward, farther and farther. He felt the breeze, the sunlight, and the peaceful warmth.
Without realizing, his Spiritual Energy also broke past the limit and plane.
In reality, Ye Futian could have leveled up much earlier if he hadn’t spent all his time reading. Today was just a natural process.
The music stopped gradually and there was a chuckle. “I didn’t think that our junior’s attainment in musical sorcery is so high.”
Ye Futian looked up and saw two fairy-like figures. “Second Sister, Sister Xing’er, when did you come?” he asked, standing up.
“I was attracted by your music,” Zhuge Hui said. “They’re only simple notes but they fit the artistic conception so well they became one. It seems that the Cottage will produce another musical grandmaster.”
“You flatter me,” Ye Futian smiled shyly.
“Let’s go,” Zhuge Hui said.
Ye Futian picked up his guqin and walked over. “How’s Yu Sheng?” he asked.
“Don’t worry, he’s very talented. Your third brother is helping him cultivate,” Zhuge Hui said.
Ye Futian nodded. Yu Sheng’s talent went without saying.
When they returned to Second Sister’s home, they saw Yi Xiaoshi who said, “Second Sister, the Qin Dynasty visits. Will you meet them?”
“The Qin Dynasty?” Zhuge Hui arched an eyebrow and asked, “Did they say why?”
“Yes.” Yi Xiaoshi nodded. “They claim that the Qin Dynasty will soon confer the title of crown prince and invites all forces to attend. They invited the College but also came just to visit the Cottage. They hope the Cottage can attend too.”
Zhuge Hui’s eyes glinted. The Qin Dynasty was one of the Eastern Barren Territory’s top three forces. In addition, it was a kingdom and had very strong central power. The College was powerful but it was different from a kingdom.
If the Qin Dynasty chose their crown prince, this would decide the future structure of the Eastern Barren Territory. It was indeed something significant. Inviting the Cottage after inviting the College was also showing respect to the Cottage.
“Who wishes to go?” Zhuge Hui glanced at them.
“Me.” Fourth Brother raised his hand.
“Sister, I’ll go.” Fifth Brother didn’t want to lose.
“I want to go too,” Yi Xiaoshi said weakly.
Ye Futian made a face while Zhuge Hui grinned. “What, you all want to escape from me?”
“No, that’s not what we mean. It’s just that they invited us but you and Third Brother definitely won’t go. Since we can’t lose face, only I can go,” Xue Ye said shamelessly.
“That makes sense.” Zhuge Hui smiled and nodded. “Luofan, bring the junior with.”
Luofan froze and quickly became overjoyed. “Thank you, Senior Sister.”