Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio
The Eastern Barren Territory’s eyes were all focused on the countless people who walked out of the Donghua Clan. However, instead of the College, they went towards the Qin Dynasty imperial city. After that, there was news that Qian Shanmu, the genius talent of the Donghua Clan, had gone to the imperial city to propose to Princess Qin Mengruo. The Qin Dynasty agreed.
All of the Eastern Barren Territory was shaken by this news. Even though the top forces had felt this day would come when they were at the palace, they didn’t expect it would come so quickly.
The Donghua Clan had proposed before the fiasco with the Noble was solved. Everyone obviously knew what this meant—an even more powerful force was about to be born.
The Qin Dynasty, Donghua Clan, and College made up the three points of the heart of the Eastern Barren Territory. Now, the first two were united and the spear was pointed towards the College now.
This was not all. More important news spread afterward.
Qian Shanmu and Qin Mengruo’s wedding was set to be the first day of the next year. To celebrate the marriage, the Qin Dynasty and Donghua Clan would build a holy land together. It would be located in the Chaoge City in the heart of the Eastern Barren Territory. It would be a college. In this college, the teachers would be the strong cultivators of the Qin Dynasty and Donghua Clan. The students could choose freely to enter either or neither of the forces.
This news really shook everyone. They vaguely felt that a storm was about to sweep across the Eastern Barren Territory. There were many colleges but the first that everyone thought of when hearing that word was the Eastern Barren College. It was a sacred land for cultivation.
Now, the Qin Dynasty and Donghua Clan would build a new college together. The significance went without saying.
It finally dawned on the forces. They vaguely understood everything that had happened in the Qin Imperial City.
The Qin Dynasty and Donghua Clan had purposely repressed the College and tried to destroy the legendary reputation of the Cottage. It was foreshadowing this. Unfortunately, it didn’t succeed. Otherwise, the Cottage getting humiliated would definitely create more excitement for this announcement and cause even bigger waves. Even so, the news still shook up the Eastern Barren Territory.
The Qin Dynasty and Donghua Clan announced that the college would be constructed within three months. After that, it would start enrolling students. The opening ceremony would be held on the first day of the next year. It was the same day as Qian Shanmu and Qin Mengruo’s wedding, which would also be held in Chaoge City.
There was even more. The Qin Dynasty and Donghua Clan continued on to announce that all top forces could participate. They invited the forces to establish the college together and make it the unrivaled holy land for cultivation. Their disciples could also study in the college and have friendly competitions.
This stirred up the various top forces. They all wondered if they should join.
If the Qin Dynasty and Donghua Clan were successful, they may truly threaten the Eastern Barren College’s status. They may even replace it.
All the headlines threw the Eastern Barren Territory into a frenzy. For so many years, all the top talents would choose the College as their first choice. Furthermore, something like the Cottage existed.
Last year, many great geniuses had appeared in the Ancient Barren World—Ye Futian, Yu Sheng, and Xiao Wuji. The first two joined the Cottage while Xiao Wuji joined the College. The Cottage was part of the College.
The three of them had all become disciples of the College. Clearly, the Qin Dynasty and Donghua Clan didn’t like this. If this trend continued and the College had the ambition to take over, they could call up all their disciples and it would be terrifying.
The only reason why the College hadn’t instilled any such fear now was because it wasn’t like a clan. However, the Sword Saint and the Sword Saint Mountain existed. It acted like a warning bell. If something happened to the Cottage, the Sword Saint would definitely get involved. If more people like him existed and were called upon by the College, they could possibly take over the entire Eastern Barren Territory.
Many disciples of the Qin Dynasty and Donghua Clan walked towards all directions, seemingly headed to the various top forces. Not long ago, a similar scene had happened when at the ceremony for the Qin Dynasty’s crown prince. What was it for now? Many people already had premonitions.
…
While the world was being shaken up, the Cottage was like in another world. It didn’t care about the mundane matters. Inside the small hut in the bamboo forest, a group sat on the ground. There was a clean piece of cloth on the ground. A fragrant odor came from it, making one drool. Cultivators didn’t need to eat every day. Meals were unimportant. However, it was important in the Cottage. Eating was also cultivation.
“I’m so hungry,” Yi Xiaoshi muttered. “Second Sister, can we eat now?”
“Xiaoshi, you’re so fat. Don’t eat that much,” Second Senior Sister advised. Yi Xiaoshi nodded. It seemed that she still cared about him and didn’t want him to get fat.
“Junior, eat more.” Second Senior Sister moved her chopsticks first and got meat for Ye Futian.
Yi Xiaoshi blinked. He’d been happy for nothing…
“Thank you, Senior Sister. You should eat more too,” Ye Futian said, his eyes bright.
“No, I’m fat and can’t eat too much.” Second Senior Sister smiled.
“No way. Your figure is flawless. If you go down the mountain, so many girls will be jealous,” Ye Futian said. “During the trip, I heard that the top three beauties of the Eastern Barren Territory are Qin Mengruo, Chu Yaoyao, and Hua Qingqing. I saw two of them but they’re not as pretty as you. If you go down the mountain, you’ll definitely steal their spotlight.”
Xue Ye, Luo Fan, and Yi Xiaoshi were dumbfounded at these words. They looked side to side and then started eating quietly. You had to be born with this talent. They could only worship him.
Zhuge Hui’s smile grew even more brilliant. At this time, Gu Dongliu got some food for her. “You like eating this so stop talking.”
Zhuge Hui glanced at him, her smile still there, but she ignored him. The other disciples were used to this.
“Senior Sister Xing’er, you eat more too.” Ye Futian got some food for Beitang Xing’er.
Beitang Xing’er smiled sweetly. “Thank you, Junior.”
Xue Ye and the others had a feeling that their status would get even lower, completely destroyed by their junior.
“Second Senior Sister, Third Senior Brother, did you hear what happened down there?” Yi Xiaoshi asked.
“What?” Gu Dongliu asked.
“The marriage between the Qin Dynasty and Donghua Clan,” Yi Xiaoshi replied. “They’ll also build a college in Chaoge City.”
“I know.” Gu Dongliu nodded lightly and didn’t continue. Yi Xiaoshi was speechless. Perhaps to Gu Dongliu, only Zhuge Hui was important.
Apparently, this news had stirred up waves in the outside world. It caused a commotion even in the other mountains of the College. Only the Cottage was like in their own world.
“Earlier, Qin Yu said some things to me, basically wanting to ally with the Cottage or College,” Luo Fan said. “I rejected him. They’d probably been planning this already.”
“Big ambitions but small scale,” Gu Dongliu commented.
“Yes. After all, not everyone is as idealistic as our teacher.” Luo Fan chuckled. Ye Futian glanced at him. Luo Fan had mentioned the teacher’s ideal.
What ideal could he have?
Third Senior Brother had said that the other’s scale was too small. Then what was the teacher’s like?
As they were chatting, a group arrived below Book Mountain. They looked up the steps that led to the mountain. The College and Cottage were situated there. One of the people walked up to the steps and called, “The Qin Dynasty and Donghua Clan are here to visit the College.”
The voice traveled up the steps and landed on the Book Mountain, inside the College. All the students were shaken. The Qin Dynasty and Donghua Clan had come to visit. The alliance between these two top forces had caused such an uproar and now, they’d come to visit personally.
No one on the Book Mountain replied. The group waited quietly below the steps. They could vaguely see many students on the other end of the steps, looking down.
Then a voice said, “Welcome.”
“We are here for two things and will leave as soon as we finish. We won’t go up to disturb you all,” the strong cultivator said. His voice resounded in the air and echoed through the mountain.
“First,” the man began, “Princess Qin Mengruo of the Qin Dynasty will hold her wedding in Chaoge City on the first day of year 10002. On that day, the Dongqin College will also hold its opening ceremony. We will invite all top forces to attend that day and witness the start of a glorious era. We are here now to invite the Eastern Barren College.”
The new college would be named the Dongqin College, with “dong” meaning “eastern.” The name seemed to come from the Donghua Clan and Qin Dynasty but was also a jab at the Eastern Barren College’s name.
“Okay, we will attend,” the voice up above said.
“Secondly, Lu Nantian of the Donghua Clan will challenge Gu Dongliu of the Cottage on that day in the Chaoge City,” the man spoke again.
This time, countless hearts trembled. This was even more newsworthy than the wedding. Lu Nantian of the Donghua Clan would challenge Gu Dongliu of the Cottage. They were both definite talents of the Eastern Barren Territory, respected and worshipped by many. They were both top figures now and stood where many looked up to.
They would soon fight each other.
Merely this news was enough to shake up the Eastern Barren Territory.
“Will Gu Dongliu of the Cottage accept this challenge?” The soundwaves rolled and swept through the sky towards the top of Book Mountain.
Even the disciples of the College shuddered inwardly. Countless eyes turned to the Cottage. That part of the mountain seemed extremely serene. But then, a voice cut through the serenity and traveled down.
“Okay.”
The voice only uttered one word. The Cottage accepted!