The Legend of Futian Chapter 2964 - The Strongest Cultivator in The World?

“Heavenly Emperor!” the Tianshens called out in unison.

The assembled crowd watched in shock as the Tianshens arrived to offer their deep respects to the Heavenly Emperor. Silence fell over the entirety of Qingzhou Academy. The young students gazed upward, paralyzed with awe at the legendary figures filling the sky, all of whom had descended specifically to honor the Heavenly Emperor.

Who exactly was this Heavenly Emperor?

The eyes of every Tianshen were fixed upon Qingzhou Academy, specifically focusing on the spot where Ye Futian stood.

Could it actually be Brother Ye?

The hearts of the youths began to race. Was it possible that Brother Ye, the man who seemed to love telling tall tales, was truly the Heavenly Emperor?

Even the cultivators from the Cao clan were struck with confusion. They stood frozen, staring blankly at the scene unfolding before them.

Only moments ago, Ye Futian had shouted "I am back" toward the heavens. Immediately after, radiant divine lights had cascaded from the sky, followed by the arrival of the Tianshens to pay him a visit.

Brilliant divine rays continued to bathe the city as more Tianshens arrived. Among the newcomers were cultivators from the Devil World. Upon spotting Yu Sheng, they bowed low and announced, “Greetings, Devil Emperor.”

“Greetings, Devil Emperor,” echoed many other Great Emperors as they followed suit. Yu Sheng was the protector of this realm. Throughout the years Ye Futian had been gone, it was Yu Sheng who had shielded the world against the forces of the Empyrean and the Heaven Realm.

“Devil Emperor!” Cao Yuan gasped.

His complexion turned ghostly pale. He remembered with horror how he had just addressed Yu Sheng with such contempt, demanding to know his identity.

Yu Sheng ignored the formal greetings. He simply moved to stand silently behind Ye Futian. This was the same position the two brothers had occupied at Qingzhou Academy many years ago.

“Master!” Fang Cun, Tie Tou, and Ye Futian’s other two disciples dropped from the clouds and landed within the academy grounds. They were visibly moved by the return of their teacher.

The sight of Great Emperors and Tianshens calling Ye Futian "Master" left the onlookers breathless.

“Hmm.” Ye Futian nodded with a faint smile. He looked over the assembled Tianshens and asked, “Has everyone been well?”

“We have waited long for your return,” Lord Chen replied. The Great Emperors of the Ziwei Imperial Palace all bowed toward Ye Futian. Lord Chen whispered, “At last, the day has arrived.”

“I appreciate your dedication,” Ye Futian said. He then turned his gaze toward The Buddha and said, “The Buddha.”

“On behalf of every buddha in the World of Buddhism, I welcome the Heavenly Emperor’s return,” The Buddha stated while bowing deeply. Although he was technically Ye Futian's senior, the latter had earned his eternal respect by merging with the Heavenly Path during the great war. Ye Futian had offered his own life to preserve the world, an act that demanded respect from everyone, regardless of rank. The Buddha was no exception.

“Greetings, Heavenly Emperor,” the various buddhas chanted, their voices filled with genuine reverence.

“Gu Dongliu and the Heavenly Mandate Court welcome the Heavenly Emperor back.” Gu Dongliu spoke with a solemn tone, bowing from his position in the sky.

“Donghuang Diyuan and the Divine Prefecture welcome the Heavenly Emperor’s return.”

One after another, the leaders of every major faction offered their greetings. Their combined voices shook the very foundations of the world.

The residents of Qingzhou City were overwhelmed, their senses numbed by the sheer magnitude of the event. What were they even looking at?

The members of the Cao clan felt their legs give way, collapsing to the ground in terror. Cao Yuan’s body shook uncontrollably with fear.

Ye Futian, the Heavenly Emperor, was being worshipped by the Tianshens themselves.

The youths of Qingzhou City realized their Master had not been bragging. He had once claimed his disciple could become the universe and breathe thunder; it was now clear he hadn't been exaggerating at all.

“Brother Ye wasn't boasting either,” they whispered, watching the scene in a daze.

“Is this a dream?” one youth murmured.

“It seems far too real for a dream,” another answered.

“I always felt Brother Ye was someone special.” The young girl who had always believed in him wiped away tears of happiness. He wasn't just special; he was the Heavenly Emperor.

Rumble. A crushing aura descended as a rift tore through the sky. A dark, menacing vortex formed above the area, revealing the Heaven Realm through the opening. The forces of the Heaven Realm appeared, led by a figure seated upon the divine throne of the Heaven Court. He looked down with supreme arrogance, appearing like a god who governed all existence.

The citizens of Qingzhou felt their hearts stop. Who was this? The man felt like the sovereign of the Nine Heavens, his God’s might pressing down on the space below. Seated on his throne and surrounded by followers, he was clearly a being of terrifying power.

“I am surprised you managed to return to the living,” Ji Wudao said, looking down at Ye Futian. His gaze was sharp enough to pierce through the void, and his voice carried a hint of genuine astonishment.

Ye Futian looked up at Ji Wudao. He was fully aware of Ji Wudao’s actions during his absence—how he had slain Lady Qin and the Book Deity to seize control of the Heaven Realm. Yet, he also knew Ji Wudao had refrained from mindless slaughter and had helped defend the world from the Empyrean. There was still a fragment of justice in him.

“Ji Wudao, what is your ultimate aim?” Ye Futian questioned.

The man on the throne was Ji Wudao!

The people and students of Qingzhou Academy were stunned to hear the name. Even in their secluded city, the name Ji Wudao was legendary.

He was known as the most powerful cultivator in existence.

The youths of the academy often joked about becoming the next Ji Wudao. Now, that mythic figure was right in front of them.

Even more shocking, he was an old acquaintance of Brother Ye.

“My aim?” Ji Wudao repeated the question softly. He smiled and continued, “As for seeking the Dao and reaching immortality, I have already succeeded. I am eternal now, existing alongside the cosmos and shining with the sun and moon. Perhaps my only remaining goal is an obsession. I want her to see that I am superior to you.”

“Is it worth it?” Ye Futian sighed.

Then, he declared, “I shall strip away your Path of the Emperor. You are hereby exiled from the Imperial Realm to live as a common cultivator.”

Ye Futian spoke with a calm indifference, as if he were merely stating a simple fact. However, those in the academy felt their souls tremble. He was talking to Ji Wudao, the strongest man alive.

Ye Futian intended to sever his Path of the Emperor?

Who else in the world would dare to make such a claim?

Ji Wudao stood up from his throne, his eyes burning with fury. He looked at Ye Futian, and instantly, the Jiutian Divine Swords rained down. Countless Swords of the Heavenly Emperor, saturated with God’s might, tore through the atmosphere toward Qingzhou City.

Ye Futian merely looked at the approaching blades. With that single glance, the swords shattered into dust, vanishing completely.

“It appears you are even more formidable than when you were the Heavenly Path,” Ji Wudao remarked. “However, you failed to finish off the Human Ancestor. As he tried to flee, I consumed him. I refined his essence to perfect myself. I am now the undisputed strongest in this world.”

Ji Wudao stepped forward and shouted, “Even if you are the Heavenly Path, I can still crush you!”

His arrogant voice boomed through the sky.

He reached out with his hand, creating a terrifying black hole that expanded at an incredible rate. Within seconds, the void's power gripped the entire region, causing the world to shake.

Rumble. Even those far away in the Nine States could feel the suffocating aura of the black hole. It felt as though the entire planet was about to be torn apart and swallowed whole.

“If you have become the Heavenly Path, then I will simply devour the heavens!” Ji Wudao roared. Divine light erupted from the black hole, surging into the clouds as the world trembled.

The masses watched in horror. This was the peak of power—Ji Wudao.

Black bolts of lightning tore across the sky, making even the Heavenly Path seem to quiver.

Ye Futian looked up. By his will alone, everything suddenly froze—the lethal black lightning and the massive vortex stopped in their tracks.

“Time and space, diverge.”

Following Ye Futian’s command, Ji Wudao’s offensive was pushed into a separate dimension, disconnected from reality. Both time and space were warped.

Ye Futian then pointed a finger. A single streak of light flew toward the black hole, followed by a blinding flash. Suddenly, the world returned to a state of absolute silence. Both time and space collapsed and were wiped away.

Ji Wudao stared in disbelief. When the dimensions stabilized, his destructive power had been completely erased. His Dao had been broken.

Ptui… Ji Wudao let out a choked sound and coughed up a spray of blood. His face turned ashen as his aura began to rapidly fade away.

“Ji Wudao, you are banished from the Imperial Realm forever,” Ye Futian decreed. His words carried the absolute authority of the heavens.

The people of Qingzhou City looked up at the sky in silence. The supreme ruler of the Heaven Realm, the most powerful man in the world, had seen his Path of the Emperor destroyed by a single finger.