Transcending the Nine Heavens

We’re finished. This was the joint thought of these three at this moment.

“King of Hell Chu, please spare us!” Golden Dragon Sect’s leader knelt with his body close to the ground. He begged and smacked himself continually. He was in so much pain that tears ran down his face. He suddenly remembered what he just said. Oh f*! What did I say? I was asking forgiveness and I called him King of Hell Chu. Motherf*, if King of Hell Chu gets annoyed, then my head would be gone for sure!

“Official Chu… Minister Chu… please have mercy…” And like that, he smacked himself hard a few more times. He did not stop until his face was swollen like a pig. Then he bowed and repeatedly banged his head on the ground until it bled.

The other two witnessed this and shook uncontrollably. They both assumed that the leader of Golden Dragon Sect knew something.

This was big; the leader of Heavenly Cloud Gate trembled like an old sow and banged his head on the floor not daring to look up. As for the leader of Magical Teachings Sect he could not show any magical power and just fell flat to the ground. With tears and snot all over his face, he cried and begged, “Official Chu, please spare my life… I am really pitiful. I have a ninety-nine years old mother, and my youngest child is not yet one-month old.”

Chu Yang was stunned, “Am I really that scary? I only said one thing!”

Cheng Zi Ang and Chen Yu Tong’s faces reddened from trying to hold down their laughter. These three bastards were three super stooges. And they called themselves leaders of their own sects.

Clearly the minister just asked one question, and it was asked very gently. Yet, the whole bunch of them convulsed and shook.

A strange sound was suddenly heard; someone was so scared he farted.

“Sit down, all of you!” King of Hell Chu was annoyed and dumbfounded at the same time. He suddenly yelled out, “If anyone can’t control himself today and soils this place, I will kill all nine generations of his family!”

Heavenly Cloud Sect’s leader, who had just let out a fart, immediately became even more nervous and tightened his muscles. Whatever that was within, presently, could not be pried out with a saber.

King of Hell Chu had now discovered that being gentle would only lead to these people thinking of the worst. It would be much more effective if he screamed and yelled.

“Go back to your seats! Anyone who begs or cries, I will kill nine generations of his family!” King of Hell Chu shouted. The group of words “kill nine generations…” had become a common phrase for King of Hell Chu. In reality, he did not know what those nine generations were…

The three immediately went back to their seats and sat perfectly straight. Their eyes looked straight at their noses, and their noses were straight down the center of their bodies. If their subordinates had seen this, their jaws would drop in surprise.

“The three of you each have a few thousand subordinates. All of them are thugs and gangsters! Every one of you is nothing but trouble for this country! I have heard that you can do everything that an official can and everything that an official cannot as well. Three big sect leaders, you are really something!”

Chu Yang shook his head and changed tactics. If they were already terrified then there was no need for him to try to coax them. It was better for him to scare them with strong words.

His words continued to make the three shake. These words of King of Hell Chu were filled with… a very strong killing aura.

“Even though I am in charge of Bu Tian Pavilion, why do I feel that my prestige is still far below all of yours in many aspects?” King of Hell Chu said with an icy tone.

“We do not dare!” The three immediately knelt down and banged their heads again.

“I didn’t think so!” King of Hell Chu sneered and became quiet. The three people were soaked; with their spirits already gone to the high heavens, they dared not move.

Even if it was Prince Tie Bu Tian of Iron Cloud Nation, they would not have been so scared. For the first time, they found out what it meant to lose your spirit from being so scared.

While Prince Tie Bu Tian was a powerful person, he knew right from wrong. As for King of Hell Chu, he was the very model of an unreasonable person.

“I originally planned to remove all of you! I have already cleansed the royal court and turned countless officials and royal family members into a pile of dry bones. Do you think I can’t clean up a bunch of thugs like you?” Chu Yang continued to intimidate them.

The three became even more terrified; their faces turned white. The eyes of Magical Teachings Sect’s leader rolled up, and he looked like he could faint right away…

“But I have always been a benevolent person, and I really don’t like killing people…” These words from King of Hell Chu’s mouth should have been a big joke to these people, but they could not bring themselves to laugh at this point.

“… So, today, I will give you a chance.” King of Hell Chu said sincerely, “But believe me, I would not mind if you turn down this opportunity.”

“We want this opportunity!” These three were not idiots. Everyone knew that turning down this opportunity meant disappearing from this world completely. If King of Hell Chu wanted to kill someone, then it did not matter if that person was ninety-nine years old or less than a month old.

Even farting would require some effort. But for King of Hell Chu to give an order to kill nine generations, no effort would be required.

“Ah…” King of Hell Chu’s countenance remained unchanged, “There are currently many strange faces in Iron Cloud Citadel. What I want are strangers who entered the citadel about half a month ago. I will be frank with you; I am looking for traitors and spies…”

“I also need information on them.” King of Hell Chu said in a grave tone, “Three days are enough?”

“Three days?” The three looked at each other.

“If you can’t find them in three days, you should flee on the night of the third day.” King of Hell Chu leaned back leisurely on his arm chair and said casually, “I don’t like to negotiate conditions or to make things complicated. What I like most are the results that I want.”

“I am not giving you anything great, but if you complete your task in three days, you can continue to live. If you do your job well, there is a good chance that we can work with each other again. You can even be a part of Bu Tian Pavilion! I will give you and your subordinates a chance at prosperity. Of course if you don’t find anything after three days…”

Chu Yang suddenly sat straight up and smiled warmly, “In eighteen years, you three will be three pages in history!” After he finished he immediately waved them off and said casually, “Goodbye!!!”

When the three gangsters walked out, they felt as if their legs had become mush. Streams of sweat poured down. Only when a cold gust of wind blew at them did they awaken from their nightmare.

The three looked at each other, and saw only fear in the others’ eyes.

But somehow, what left the deepest impression was King of Hell Chu’s promises: If you do your job well, there is a good chance that we can work with each other again. You can even be a part of Bu Tian Pavilion! I will give you and your subordinates a chance at prosperity.

King of Hell Chu threatened them so much, but they had little impression of that. What left a strong impression on them was his promises.

These were the promises of King of Hell Chu!

They were lowlifes at the very bottom of society; how could they not want to rise up? Who did not want to bring glory to their family name? Thugs… did not want to remain thugs for the rest of their lives.

Given the opportunity to succeed, no one would be more persistent than them.

Chu Yang understood this mentality well. Therefore, he would give them a few possibilities whenever he could. While he used intimidation tactics, it was not what Chu Yang had originally intended. It was all about choosing the best methodology.

In reality, of all of the Jiang Hu people in Lower Three Heavens, Middle Three Heavens, and Upper Three Heavens, who did not want to be valiant? Who was not daring? They were the ones who made the legends in the Nine Heavens.

‘Generosity is common among ruffians; ingratitude is common with scholars!’

Chu Yang felt that these words were extremely true. Those ruffians were uneducated, and they only had one simple principle: if you were good to me, I would be good to you; if you gave me three parts, I would give you everything; if you gave me a hand, I would give you my life. And if you treated me badly, insulted me, or schemed against me, you would surely die by my hands.

However, those who were well-read and had calculating minds tended to think about gains and losses. He was good to me, but would it be worth it to give my life for him? He helped me before, and he got in trouble. I am in a tough situation as well; helping him would make it tougher for me; is it worth it?

Therefore, it was more likely that people trusted others with their lives in Jiang Hu while people in the political arena tended to betray each other and set schemes against their benefactors in order to advance.

In Lower Three Heavens, there was a cautionary tale: You are traveling on a road and ran into a butcher who was injured. You saved this person and brought him to a physician. This person would be forever thankful to you and be your lifelong friend. But if the person you ran into was a scholar, it would be best to leave him be!

It was because he would not only be ungrateful, he would even shift the blame on you and say that you caused his injuries. He would think that his family situation was difficult and the culprit had already run away. So how would he find the money to take care of his injuries? You might believe you were doing a good thing, but good people often get used…

This was also a type of logic in life.

Chu Yang had no ill-feelings toward the gangsters, but he had to see if they were worthwhile. They, too, had to be able to put in an honest effort to help; there was no such thing as a free meal in this world.

It had not been an hour, but all of the thugs in Iron Cloud Citadel were already up and about. It was as if they were under the influence of aphrodisiac. Their eyes shined more than when they were looking at pretty women; they were everywhere searching for information on the strangers.

The army was searching, Bu Tian Pavilion’s spy network was searching, inspectors from the court were searching, gangsters were searching, thugs were searching, beggars were searching, wives were searching, and even children were searching.

There was a big manhunt in all of Iron Cloud Citadel.

Within a short amount of time, Bu Tian Pavilion’s spy network was flooded with information. They had to dive in and screen everything…

As for the leader, our Minister Chu sat with a book called “Innocent Dog and Rogue Pig.” He was reading and giggling every now and then.

He did not bother to pay attention to anything that was happening on the outside and remained steadfast in his “scholarly pursuit.”

Wu Qian Qian could not do anything but stare at him as she sat on the side.