Transcending the Nine Heavens

Chu Yang nodded solemnly. “I’m aware, but even if it can only lend a small effect, I will still do it. However, this true reason that you speak of that is capable of affecting the big picture… What is it?”

Diwu Qingrou smiled and with a profound and meaningful tone, told Chu Yang, “To be honest, even if I don’t get involved in this… and the battle happens as per the current situation, they may not necessarily win, nor will you necessarily lose.”

Chu Yang gave him a passive smile. “That goes without saying, but I still wish to strive for every bit of help I can get, even if it is insignificant.”

Diwu Qingrou replied, “Indeed. However, you’ve already done me a huge favor, so this time, I won’t get to have you owe me a favor anymore.”

Chu Yang laughed and said, “You say that, but your true intention in saying so is actually to make me remember that you’re doing me a favor. Diwu, you’re too sly.”

Diwu Qingrou shook his head, a smile on his face as he replied, “It’s not that I’m sly, but rather, you think of me in too terrible a light.”

Both of them guffawed, as though in rapport.

“The Zhuge Clan has transferred a few people from the Diwu Clan over this time,” Diwu Qingrou’s eyes flickered as he continued, “When the time comes, there will be a ‘Wu’ character on them.”

Chu Yang’s eyes brightened. “Diwu, looks like I definitely have to owe you one this time.”

Diwu Qingrou let out an amused chuckle. “I have my own agenda too. After pulling you down so many times, surely I have to let you get back some eventually. Sending help during a time of distress is always preferable to adding a touch to something that is already flawless.”

“Alright! I’ll take my leave! Many thanks!” Chu Yang held his fists up in a gesture of respect and then took to the skies, his body as light as a feather. “I will remember the help you’ve given me during these troubling times!”

He could hear Diwu Qingrou’s voice drifting over from a distance. “Don’t die!”

Diwu Qingrou then became lost in his thoughts for a while before asking, “Are the transferred Diwu clansmen all ready?”

Hidden in the dark, a voice responded, “Yes.”

“The world is really in for an upheaval this time,” remarked Diwu Qingrou with a slight smile, “Should we fail, there will inevitably be hints that can be traced back to us. Once discovered, we shall follow in their footsteps and be destroyed along with them! But should we succeed, the Diwu Clan shall rise!”

“This is a gamble of colossal stakes!” Diwu Qingrou remained in the snow, sighing long and deep. “With the clan’s legacy of several tens of thousands of years, as well as everyone’s lives… at stake!”

…

Chu Yang’s form was concealed among the heavy snow as he sped the entire way. He changed more than ten directions, changing over ten different types of movement techniques, and going through ten different body shapes before he finally entered an inn somewhere.

This was where Nangong Shifeng and the rest were staying.

After entering, Chu Yang, with great urgency, hurriedly made arrangements for Nangong Shifeng and his men to withdraw at once!

The Nine Super Clans were naturally well aware that Nangong Shifeng had been gathering intel for him during this period of time. After the great battle, no matter what, they would definitely take notice of and seek revenge against Nangong Shifeng and his men… This was something that could easily be foreseen.

In fact, even now, there were already a lot of eyes watching their movements.

During this period, even though Nangong Shifeng and the others still sported the same ugly appearance whenever they were out, all of them had in fact already recovered, thanks to Chu Yang’s treatment.

They were no different from a regular person.

Chu Yang brought out a big cloth bundle of Purple Crystals and placed it on the table. Then, he brought out a few elixirs and said, “Shifeng, the war is starting soon; take your brothers and withdraw from Tianji City at once. Should we win this battle, I will make contact with you; should we be defeated, do not appear in the scene ever again. These Purple Crystals should be enough for you guys to survive. Take these elixirs with you too, they can nullify all kinds of poison in the world… I won’t say any more unnecessary things, hurry and leave the city, the earlier the better.”

A bout of agitation rose in Nangong Shifeng’s heart. He said, “How can I, Nangong Shifeng, be such a coward when Young Master Chu treats us with such loyalty? I’ll fight it out with them!”

Chu Yang patted his shoulder. “Don’t be rash. You guys’ cultivation level is not very high… It’s not worth losing your lives for nothing.”

They were only convinced after much persistent urging from Chu Yang, but all of them were already teary-eyed by then.

They had been ugly and strange their whole life with nobody ever sparing them a proper look. Chu Yang was the only one to ever treat them with sincerity. Such a feeling of being respected, being relied on, and being cared for was something that Nangong Shifeng would never forget for life.

Chu Yang also asked about Wei Wuyan and the rest, and was informed that they had long left Tianji City, their current whereabouts unknown… Only then did he set his heart at ease.

Under Chu Yang’s arrangement, Nangong Shifeng and his men cleansed off the colors on their faces. Then, they changed their appearance through disguise and went in and out several times, bringing back wine and food and placing them on the table.

The fragrance of the wine spread far from their quarters, but Nangong Shifeng and the rest who should’ve been in the inn had already vanished without a trace…

After a long time, Chu Yang finally got up and left. He went one big round and surveyed the area before he went back to the Orchard Palace.

When he returned, he went to get Rui Butong and Dong Wushang at once. The three brothers disguised themselves once more and dressed in white, they disappeared into the blizzard.

“Why are we abducting these people?” asked a somewhat puzzled Rui Butong as he glanced at the man and woman in his hands.

Chu Yang brought out a piece of paper and after taking a look, he remarked, “That fellow certainly gave me some pretty awesome stuff. These few here are all illegitimate children of eminent figures in the Zhuge Clan…”

“There is usually a sense of doting affection and guilt toward illegitimate children. Therefore, they are more likely to be able to affect their emotions,” Chu Yang said, “Hide these people well, then we’ll go and capture some other people.”

The three of them dashed back and forth in the heavy snow.

By late in the night, they had already captured over thirty people. Among them were illegitimate children of important figures in the Zhuge Clan, clandestine lovers of people of other clans, mistresses whom they were keeping outside, and a few key business contacts…

Using the two maps that Diwu Qingrou had given Chu Yang as a guide, they even broke into and looted everything from two external treasure vaults of the Zhuge Clan. They also burglarized eight stores belonging to the Zhuge Clan, taking with them everything of value.

In particular, a few people in charge of being the point of contact for vital information were also killed by the three!

Within the night, everyone in Tianji City was in a state of alarm and unease. The Zhuge Clan was practically turned upside down that night; people were fighting, investigating, their wives crying and screaming… as well as people cursing and swearing in outbursts of rage and exasperation…

“These will have an effect, but it won’t affect the big picture,” said Dong Wushang.

“Of course, we’re just doing all that we can. Spread these people’s information; no matter what, we’ll just create a mess first,” Chu Yang snickered and continued, “With the clan in a huge mess, it’s impossible for the Supreme Martial Artist experts to not be affected. Even if it’s just a bit of unease and restlessness, there’ll still be an effect nonetheless.”

“Other than that, be sure to keep the hostages in control. If they want to deal with us, it will definitely be someone from the Zhuge Clan leading the way. As long as even just one of these people within our control is a blood relative of a Zhuge Clan Supreme Martial Artist leading a team, we’ll be able to stall some time,” said Chu Yang before going on, “The big battle at the other side is something that we cannot be of any help right now with our current level of cultivation. But we must allow them to act without any reservations or fear of possible danger elsewhere.”

…

Under the efforts of Chu Yang and the others, the whole of Tianji City was filled with cries of discontent in the shortest amount of time. People were cursing and swearing everywhere these two days…

No one in Tianji City was left unaffected, be it important figures or nobodies.

The Zhuge Clan’s businesses were practically crippled. Rumors of every important figure in the clan were all over the streets…

In fact, there was even a group of people in the dark adding fuel to the flame…

A fair number of people held an emergency meeting anxiously. They went home with heavy and repressed hearts, only to be fixed into an utterly sorry plight by their wives, to the extent that some of them killed their wives in rage…

The other clans were happy to watch the show from the side initially. However, as things got increasingly out of hand in the later stages, to the point where people were so jumpy that they were practically afraid of their own shadow, and they wanted to do damage control, it had already reached a point where they couldn’t settle it in just a day or two.

This incident caused even Zhuge Hutu to become somewhat short-tempered and flustered.

Even though he was well aware that this was the enemy’s ploy, he just couldn’t control his temper…

Amidst such turmoil, the third day arrived at last!

The time of the Nine Supremacies nourishing the Heavens.

Early in the morning, the Dharma Supreme and the rest were already ready.

They gathered at the entrance of the Medicine Banquet, standing respectfully and quietly in the falling snow.

Zhuge Hutu looked terrible.

To think that there were so many disreputable and shameful deeds among the clansmen… This made Zhuge Hutu feel somewhat unable to hold his head high in front of the others…

The Dharma Supreme strolled toward them, his eyes sweeping across everyone. “Is everyone ready?”

“Yes!” the nine present said loudly in unison.

The Li Clan was not here; the Dharma Supreme had replaced their slot with one of his two main guards for the ritual.

“Good!” the Dharma Supreme went on, emotionless, “The great array will activate shortly, upon which, nine holes will appear in the sky! Everyone, you are to take these nine parts of the Heaven Nourishing Jade and send it into the holes at the same time as they appear! Use all your internal energy and seal the holes! Only when the nine holes have disappeared can you withdraw your energy!”

The Dharma Supreme continued, “I will be presiding over the array, and there are 200 Supreme Martial Artists outside to guard all of you during the ritual. You can proceed with your hearts at ease!”

“Alright!” Ye Di and the rest nodded seriously.

The Dharma Supreme exhaled deeply, his body unmoving. The next moment, he suddenly rose into the sky, floating in the air as if he didn’t weigh a thing, and slowly started to fly.

The snowflakes around him melted wherever he went. Amidst the snowy sky, his black robes were unbelievably dazzling and eye-catching!

He rose 100 feet into the air!

“Array, activate!” shouted the Dharma Supreme austerely.

Right at once, 200 experts simultaneously circulated their energy and activated the array that had long been ready in the underground.

A ray of blinding white light, easily over ten feet wide, suddenly blasted upward from the underground and shone directly onto the Dharma Supreme. When the white light reached him, a jolt ran through the Dharma Supreme’s body and his hair was blown upward, fluttering in the air. His black robes billowed fiercely as he shot up a thousand feet into the sky, as though a meteor!

Dazzling white light emitted from his body as he shouted, “The remote heavens, the boundless chill, the great oceans, and the majestic mountains; I offer my body as the Nine Tribulations and my heart of absolute loyalty to nourish the heavens!”

It was as though his voice had triggered a mysterious force in the universe. The entire world around them suddenly started to tremble, all the mountains and seas surrounding Tianji City shaking at once!

The shaking became more and more intense, gradually coming nearer and nearer from afar. Distinct ripples appeared all around them, waving and ebbing as they approached!

The Dharma Supreme shouted, “May the heavens have mercy on us! Activate the nourishing of the heavens!”

A deafening crackle of thunder resounded in the sky. It was the time of dawn and in the middle of frigid winter, and yet there was the violent rumble of thunder!

The sky filled with swirling snow turned pitch-black all of a sudden!

In this pitch-black darkness, nine round holes manifested in the sky 1,000 feet above the Dharma Supreme.