The Legend of Futian Chapter 3 - Three Planes in a Day

Backed by the towering Mount Tianyao, Qingzhou Academy covered a vast expanse of land. Even those within the outer sect were granted their own private residences on the grounds.

Returning to the outer sect living quarters, Ye Futian stepped into his courtyard with Yu Sheng following silently behind him.

“Yu Sheng, I’m thinking of giving up,” he said softly, coming to a sudden halt.

“Your talent remains extraordinary, even if the Mandate has not yet stirred.” Yu Sheng gazed at the youth. When Ye Futian previously claimed to be a Mandate Sorcerer, the world had mocked him, but Yu Sheng knew the truth was no joke.

Ye Futian was, in fact, a genuine Mandate Sorcerer.

“I am aware of that. It’s just that I’ve put in so much effort.” Ye Futian gave a pained smile. “Three years have passed. If this continues, I will truly be left in your dust. It seems I must increase my efforts.”

“Come, let us train.” Ye Futian turned toward the young man. Yu Sheng stood a head taller, his physique far more imposing than his peers, naturally radiating a powerful aura.

The pair entered the cultivation chamber within the house. Ye Futian sat cross-legged and shut his eyes instantly. A radiant airflow began to swirl around him. In this small space, the Spiritual Qi grew turbulent, surging violently toward Ye Futian. Yu Sheng watched the scene in silence. At that moment, Ye Futian resembled a terrifying vortex, devouring all the Spiritual Qi in the vicinity. Anyone else witnessing this would have been paralyzed with shock.

The frightening current of air surged through his frame, targeting his inner mind—the location of his Life Palace.

To harbor a spirit within the Life Palace, known as a Life Spirit, was the defining trait of a Mandate Sorcerer.

Deep within Ye Futian’s Life Palace stood a massive ancient tree adorned with emerald leaves, though it was surrounded by nothing but desolate earth. As the Spiritual Qi entered the palace, the tree consumed it greedily. Its vibrant green leaves rustled and swayed despite the absence of a breeze.

An illusory figure of Ye Futian manifested beneath the branches. Looking up at the majestic tree, he whispered, “I’ve fed you Spiritual Qi for three years without any change. You do nothing but take. If this persists, I will no longer provide you with the Spiritual Qi I refine.”

Having said his piece, the consciousness-formed apparition vanished. The Spiritual Qi circulating through his body stopped flowing toward the Life Palace, redirecting instead to his limbs and torso.

A massive wave of Spiritual Qi washed over him as he prepared to enter the Enhancement Plane. Suddenly, however, a powerful suction emerged, dragging the Spiritual Qi backward and forcing it back into the Life Palace.

The abrupt shift made Ye Futian tremble with fury. For three long years, he had surrendered every drop of Spiritual Qi to the Life Palace to no avail. Now, it was forcibly robbing him, preventing his own development.

The sheer frustration made Ye Futian want to lash out. Yet, the relentless energy disregarded his anger, continuing its frantic consumption. The force even began to drain the innate energy from Ye Futian’s own body. Within moments, his face turned deathly pale.

Bastard! Ye Futian cursed internally. As the Spiritual Qi rampaged into the Life Palace, his head throbbed violently. It felt as though a cataclysmic transformation was occurring within. He tried to intervene with his consciousness, but a wild force instantly shattered his mental projection.

A low growl tore from his throat. Yu Sheng stood up quickly, alarmed by the changes in Ye Futian’s body. Not only was his physical form shifting, but the surrounding Spiritual Qi was being sucked in at an incredible rate. Even the local flora began to wither and die. Yu Sheng’s eyes widened as he grasped the situation. He sat behind Ye Futian and pressed his palms against his back, immediately feeling a massive suction. Just as he suspected, it began to drain the Spiritual Qi from his own body.

Was the awakening finally happening?

……

When Ye Futian finally regained consciousness, he felt drained of all strength. Sunlight stung his eyes as he opened them; an entire night had slipped by.

“What… happened?” Ye Futian sat up, noticing the dead vegetation. Beside him sat an exhausted Yu Sheng.

Recalling the previous day’s events, Ye Futian closed his eyes and sent his mind into his Life Palace. He gasped at the sight. The once-barren wasteland now featured a moon hanging in the sky, illuminating a vast landscape of mountains and rivers. The ancient tree, his Life Spirit, stood taller and more vibrant than ever, saturated with Spiritual Qi.

The World Tree. Ye Futian’s mental projection appeared under the branches once more. Had his old man been telling the truth?

His father had claimed their ancestors were Mandate Sorcerers who defied the heavens. The World Tree could supposedly claim the spirit of anything in existence. Though the lineage had dimmed, Ye Futian was the sole heir to this primal power.

Is Freedom Meditation actually effective? Ye Futian recalled the mantras he had recited since childhood. Excited, he began to chant them under his breath. He reached a state of deep focus, his thoughts expanding until it felt as though he was soaring between heaven and earth.

Suddenly, a thick fog of Spiritual Qi appeared in his mind’s eye. Within that mist, he could discern various colors—the purest forms of elemental Spiritual Qi. Each hue represented a different element.

Fire. Ye Futian focused on the glowing red essence. It was fire-element Spiritual Qi. The World Tree Life Spirit immediately adopted a crimson glow, a breathtaking sight. Outside the Life Palace, fire-element Spiritual Qi began to pour into Ye Futian’s body, circulating through his organs with a fierce, burning sensation.

Wood-element. He shifted his intent to the green essence. His body was instantly flooded with wood-element Spiritual Qi, rapidly restoring the energy he had lost.

Metal, Earth, Wind, Water… Ye Futian experimented for a long time. Eventually, he stopped and opened his eyes, staring into the distance in a daze.

“Is this… for real?” He looked at his hands, stunned.

“It’s absolutely real! You are a Full-Attribute Sorcerer.” Sitting behind him, Yu Sheng squeezed his fists in such excitement that his veins bulged. He stared at Ye Futian. “Even more, you are a Full-Attribute Mandate Sorcerer, capable of mastering both martial arts and divination.”

“Then, my talent is…” Ye Futian’s eyes glistened.

“It defies the Dao,” Yu Sheng finished. “There is no one like you in all of Qingzhou City.”

A wide grin spread across Ye Futian’s face. So many Elders in his clan had failed to inherit the ancestral gift, yet he had succeeded. Was this the Mandate of Heaven? A Mandate Sorcerer, acting upon the heavens' will?

“Let’s go.” Ye Futian stood up and headed for the exit.

“Where are we going?” Yu Sheng asked.

“To the back mountains,” Ye Futian replied, referring to the Mount Tianyao range behind the academy.

“Demons roam those peaks. Why go there?” Yu Sheng questioned.

“We’ll stay near the edge. Besides, why should I fear anything with you by my side?” He was already out the door. Yu Sheng followed without further protest.

Mount Tianyao was a vast, rugged mountain chain infested with demons. Its true depth was a mystery. It was said the academy was built there specifically to act as a barrier against the demons while providing a training ground for disciples.

By midday, the two had reached a cliffside boulder at the edge of the range. Looking down at the sprawling academy, Ye Futian took a deep breath.

Three years had passed. Knowing he was a Mandate Sorcerer, how could he have been content with only martial cultivation? The lack of change in his Life Spirit had hidden a deep disappointment beneath his arrogant facade. That era was over; he would now pursue his path as a supreme Mandate Sorcerer.

The midday sun beat down on him. Squinting, his eyes radiated an intense confidence. The essence of Freedom Meditation was observation and thought. Now, he focused entirely on the sun.

As he meditated on the scorching orb, the sunlight seemed to transform into physical flames that saturated his surroundings before piercing his body. The intense heat flowed through his limbs and organs, filling his entire being.

Yu Sheng watched as Ye Futian appeared to be consumed by fire. His eyes shone with joy; the sleeping dragon had finally woken up.

A crackling sound emerged as Ye Futian’s skin turned a fiery red. Under the sun’s intense heat, his physique underwent a profound transformation.

As dusk approached, Ye Futian remained enveloped in flames. A storm seemed to be raging within him, his bones popping and snapping. Only when the sun dipped below the horizon did he stop. Opening his eyes, a flicker of fire actually shot from his pupils.

“You crossed three planes in a single day,” Yu Sheng said, breathless with shock. After being held back for three years, he had exploded in an instant. By using the sun to temper his body, he had surged through the Enhancement and Venation Planes, reaching the fourth plane of Awakening: the Adamant Plane. He now possessed a body as tough as iron.

“This feels incredible,” Ye Futian whispered. A normal person would need months to reach the Adamant Plane. As a Mandate Sorcerer using Freedom Meditation to observe the solar flames, aided by his Life Spirit, he had accomplished it in mere hours.

Feeling a surge of power, he walked to an old tree on the peak. With a swift punch and a sharp crack, the sturdy tree shattered. The point of impact was scorched black.

“Even someone in the Juggernaut Plane might not survive a hit from you,” Yu Sheng remarked. Those in the Juggernaut Plane possessed massive physical strength, but Ye Futian’s single strike had clearly exceeded the normal limits of that level.