Chapter 1782 Reciprocity
Ye Futian settled down in the Divine Palace and planned to cultivate there for a while until the crisis passed.
Ye Futian was housed in one of the palaces. Two familiar faces came to visit him at the moment. They were Li Daozi and Li Xun, a pair of brothers who had conflicts with Ye Futian in the past.
Both Li Daozi and Li Xun were descendants of the Divine Sword Li Family. The clan lord of the Divine Sword Li Family fought desperately to help a few promising youngsters to escape and save their lives. These young people came to the Divine Palace, where the enemies couldn't hunt them anymore.
Furthermore, the enemies' goal was never to wipe out the entire Divine Sword Li Family. Perhaps they felt it beneath them to exterminate the whole family. After all, they still cared about their reputation, and it was not beneficial for the Golden Divine Nation to rule the Higher Heavens Realm later if they pushed too far.
Ye Futian was at a loss for words when he saw Li Daozi and Li Xun walking toward him. He didn't know how to console them. Despite their dispute in the past, Ye Futian and the Li brothers also developed a friendship with each other. The brothers were pretty good cultivators back in the days. Ye Futian certainly didn't hold grudges against them.
"How are you doing?" Ye Futian asked.
"What can we do even if we're not doing well? We probably can't avenge the murder of our families in the future, let alone now." Li Daozi sighed to himself. Deep down, he knew that the Golden Divine Nation was not the only enemy. The top forces from the Divine Prefecture were also involved.
Under such circumstances, how strong did they have to become in order to get even with their families' murderers?
They felt crushed and disheartened at the thought of the slim chance of taking vengeance.
"You don't sound like a swordsman in training. Swordsmanship values indomitable spirit and unquenchable hope. How can you abandon yourselves to despair just because the future is uncertain?" Ye Futian continued, "Moreover, nothing is impossible in this world."
Li Daozi and Li Xun nodded, yet their expressions were still gloomy. The tragedy that happened to their family was a huge blow for both of them. They were filled with anger and pain while felt completely powerless.
"Thank you very much," Li Daozi expressed his appreciation. By staying in the Divine Palace, Ye Futian showed to them that he was willing to support the Divine Palace wholeheartedly. Otherwise, it was hard to say if the Divine Palace could survive this calamity.
"It's quite unnecessary if you meant to thank me for coming to the Divine Palace. I once cultivated in the Ancestral Lands of the Divine Palace after all," Ye Futian replied with a smile. Li Daozi was stunned for a moment then nodded slightly. Ye Futian was right. Even Li Daozi had never entered the Ancestral Lands of the Divine Palace.
Ye Futian was virtually a descendant of the Divine Palace.
"Let's talk about something else. Did the Divine Capital of Xiling intervene when your family was in trouble?" Ye Futian asked.
"Yes, they did." Li Daozi's eyes were ice cold. He nodded and said, "Old Demon Luo was there himself. According to seniors in our family, the Divine Capital of Xiling was particularly keen and eager when Gai Cang invited all the forces to go to the Golden Divine Nation to discuss the strategy. The Divine Capital of Xiling probably set its heart on destroying the Divine Palace a long time ago."
"You're right," Ye Futian nodded and said. "Old Demon Luo wants to benefit from the chaos. He has to show his enthusiasm as he already picked a side. But it seems like Old Demon Luo forgot something."
"What?" Li Xun asked.
"His Divine Capital of Xiling doesn't have any legendary cultivator as well." Ye Futian spoke slowly. "Besides, Old Demon Xiling may be cunning and despicable, but I'm not some kind-hearted person either."
"Do you mean..." A strange look flashed across Li Xun's face. It looked as though he understood something from Ye Futian's words.
"Old Demon Luo is so full of himself. The Divine Capital of Xiling won't be able to see their future no matter how the situation changes in the coming times." A hint of hatred gleamed in Ye Futian's eyes. He continued, "The Divine Capital of Xiling attacked the Divine Sword Li Family for some made-up excuse while they offended me for real back in the days. Not only that, they tried to kill me."
Li Daozi and Li Xun exchanged a look and clenched their fists firmly. How could they not fully understand Ye Futian's meaning by now?
Ye Futian wanted to attack the Divine Capital of Xiling in advance.
He said he was not some kind-hearted person either.
"Lord Taixuan was generous enough to let it go in the past. But it seems like Old Demon Luo himself is becoming forgetful too," Ye Futian said in a low voice. "Let's go talk to the Palace Lord."
"Good." Li Daozi nodded in agreement. Ye Futian would practically take revenge for the Divine Sword Li Family if he decided to strike the Divine Capital of Xiling first.
Beyond that, it could also serve as a deterrent.
Didn't the Golden Divine Nation slaughter the Divine Sword Li Family as a means to deter the forces in the Higher Heavens Realm? Now, Ye Futian planned to return the favor.
The Divine Capital of Xiling couldn't possibly know everything that happened in the Divine Palace. Cultivators who stayed in the Divine Palace at the moment were all willing to go through the trials and tribulations together with the Divine Palace.
At this time, Old Demon Luo, back in the Divine Capital of Xiling, was still indulging himself in a daydream about carving up the Higher Heavens Realm after their victory.
Although Old Demon Luo knew that the Golden Divine Nation always looked down upon the Divine Capital of Xiling because of the great disparity of power between them, he didn't mind at all as long as he could get a slice of the pie. All he needed to do was to follow the prevailing trend.
Right now, the prevailing trend was to destroy the Divine Palace.
He had no problem conforming to it.
At the moment, many powerful cultivators were gathering in the Old Demon Xiling's palace in the Divine Capital of Xiling. All of them were key figures of the Divine Capital of Xiling.
"Father, wouldn't we live under their thumb if we leave for the Golden Divine Nation like this?" Luo Youming, Old Demon Luo's son, asked. He didn't quite understand Old Demon Luo's decision.
"Do you think we wouldn't live under their thumb if we don't go?" Old Demon Luo glanced at his son and answered in a cold voice, "We don't have a place in the current Higher Heavens Realm anymore. All we can do right now is to fight for our survival. So what if we live under the roof of the Golden Divine Nation? We can't complain too much when we side with them. They don't like the whining and grumbling. Nevertheless, you should still remember to cultivate studiously. The future of the Divine Capital is still on your shoulders."
"If that's the case, why should we go?" Luo Youming continued to ask.
"The situation nowadays hasn't sharply deteriorated yet. Can you guarantee the Divine Palace won't charge at us as soon as the war between them and the Golden Divine Nation breaks out?" Old Demon Luo said, "It's a delicate situation right now. The Golden Divine Nation hasn't made it clear that they're after the Divine Palace. But everyone understands what they have in mind. Apparently, the Divine Palace knows it too since they are evacuating their disciples already. The Divine Capital of Xiling will not be safe anymore once the Golden Divine Nation brings its intention into the open. Who can make sure that the Divine Palace won't launch a desperate counterattack and take us out first?"
Old Demon Luo obviously had been making long-term plans. Nonetheless, he was only taking preventive measures. In his mind, the Divine Palace was so magnanimous that they probably wouldn't attack the Divine Capital of Xiling even after the Golden Divine Nation declared war against them, let alone beforehand.
Having said that, he still decided to leave for their safety in case anything should happen.
Just now, Old Demon Luo raised his head and looked at the sky. A brilliant golden light shone from the sky where a man came into sight like a god. He was from the Golden Divine Nation.
Old Demon Luo stared into the void and wondered. Why did someone from the Golden Divine Nation come to the Divine Capital of Xiling right now?
"Ye Futian went to the Shangxiao Divine Palace and is going to cultivate in the Divine Palace," the incoming person said loudly, "There was a major Power of the Great Path of Space fluctuating in the Shangxiao Divine Palace before I came here. I'm afraid that the cultivators from the Heavenly Mandate Academy just arrived at the Shangxiao Divine Palace. You should be careful."
Old Demon Luo frowned slightly upon hearing the news. Ye Futian already went to the Divine Palace?
It looked like Ye Futian was going to intervene in the conflict directly.
In addition, Ye Futian and other cultivators from the Heavenly Mandate Academy indeed posed a serious threat to the Divine Capital of Xiling.
Apparently, he made the right decision. They had to evacuate for now.
"Let's go," Old Demon Luo ordered forcefully. Before his voice faded away, however, they heard someone from far away speaking: "Old Demon Luo, where are you going?"
Old Demon Luo's face stiffened. He sensed that a lot of powerful cultivators were coming to the Divine Capital of Xiling one after the other.
The overwhelming might of the Great Path pressed down upon them from the sky. In an instant, a large group of people appeared and stood in different directions in midair. The person who spoke was Lord Taixuan.
Old Demon Luo's expression grew somber immediately. He looked at Lord Taixuan and asked coldly, "We're honored by your presence. What can we do for you?"
"You led the cultivators of the Divine Capital of Xiling and made a sneak attack on me in the Taixuan Mountain on the day when I achieved the breakthrough. Do you remember it?" Lord Taixuan asked in a resounding voice. Old Demon Luo remembered it, of course. He thought Lord Taixuan let it out of account since it had been so long ago, and Lord Taixuan never brought it up.
Lord Taixuan indeed had no intention of fussing about it before. But he came to the Divine Capital of Xiling and raked up the past again.
Both Lord Taixuan and Old Demon Luo understood it was only an excuse. Yet it was a lethal one.
Lord Taixuan was not the only one who came to the Divine Capital of Xiling on this day. Many extraordinary cultivators from the Heavenly Mandate Realm were here, including several Demon Lords of the Demon God Clan and people from the Xiao clan and the Dou tribe. They obviously assembled such a lineup to demolish the Divine Capital of Xiling.
Countless people on the ground raised their heads to look at the sky, hearts pounding in their chests.
Did Lord Taixuan come here to collect the debt?
"What about the others? I have never met the rest of you, right?" Old Demon Luo glanced at them and asked.
"You probably remember me." Ye Futian sat on a Giant Peng Bird in the sky, looked at Old Demon Luo, and said, "The Divine Capital of Xiling tried multiple times to take my life. All of these people are here to demand an explanation on my behalf."
"Lord Taixuan, the Divine Capital of Xiling is currently an ally of the Golden Divine Nation. Furthermore, the forces in the Higher Heavens Realm have formed an alliance to deal with the trouble from the Outer Realms. I hope Lord Taixuan not to intervene in the affairs of the Higher Heavens Realm," said the cultivator from the Golden Divine Nation.
"Is the Golden Divine Nation telling me that I'm not allowed to hold Old Demon Luo accountable for attempting to kill me in the past?" Lord Taixuan cast a quick look at the cultivator from the Golden Divine Nation and said, "This matter doesn't concern you. Of course, it's your decision if you want to help the Divine Capital of Xiling because you consider them your ally. You and I will be enemies going forward."
The cultivator from the Golden Divine Nation looked exceptionally grim.
"I haven't mentioned how the Golden Divine Nation attempted to assassinate me. I advise you not to involve yourself in our grudge against the Divine Capital of Xiling," said Ye Futian. They had enough reasons to attack the Divine Capital of Xiling.
If the Divine Capital of Xiling could slaughter the Divine Sword Li Family, why couldn't Ye Futian and Lord Taixuan exterminate the Divine Capital of Xiling as a deterrence?
Besides, Ye Futian had been upset at the Divine Capital of Xiling for a long time. This was an excellent opportunity to wipe them off the map and preclude the possibility of any future trouble.
"The battle of the Taixuan Mountain is not over yet. Old Demon Luo, let me see if you have made any progress since then." Lord Taixuan stepped forward as his terrifying energy permeated the air.