Transcending the Nine Heavens

Xue Leihan blinked. "Even more confused by ten thousand times? Even more than that?"

Chu Yang moaned. "Big Bro, who are those two?"

Xue Leihan didn't know whether to laugh or cry. "Do you think that I dared to ask?"

Chu Yang grabbed his wine cup. Downing three cups of wine in succession, he drowned his sorrows in wine.

Sorrows or not aside, let's drink before we talk. This wine is hard to come by!

Xue Leihan shook his head with a smile. He looked into the distance leisurely, a look of yearning in his eyes. "When can I ever reach that kind of level…"

Chu Yang pursed his lips and said, "Your current level is already 100,000 miles away from my dream. To think you actually still want more!"

Xue Leihan laughed.

He picked up the wine jar and refilled Chu Yang's cup before filling his own. The wine jar was very petite; it looked like it could only store two cups' worth of wine. However, it had already dispensed a whole thirty cups by now and seemed as though it could still store an infinite amount.

"Brother Chu, surely you won't suspect me of playing you for a fool anymore?" asked Xue Leihan with a smile.

"Not anymore. " Chu Yang continued dejectedly, "Of course, neither will I suspect those two all-powerful experts of it. With their level of cultivation, if they came specially to play me for a fool… and even did so 120,000 years in advance… Then that will truly be my highest and most prestigious honor."

"Who do you think you are! Them especially playing you for a fool?" Xue Leihan scoffed. "They aren't even interested in playing me."

"What kind of interest?" Chu Yang widened his eyes seriously and asked very gravely, "Interest? Or sexual interest1? Play you like how?"

Some scenes unsuitable to be seen suddenly appeared in his mind… Chu Yang narrowed his eyes.

"Get lost!" Xue Leihan bellowed furiously.

Looking at that obscene look on Chu Yang's face, he really wished he could splice this fellow into shreds of flesh flying through the sky…

"Actually, I'm not concerned about these things at all." Chu Yang said leisurely, "I don't have that much of a long-term plan. My habit is to consider the next step when I take one step. However, when I have neither taken this one step nor have I steadied myself, I will not dwell on things that are too far off in the future."

He continued seriously, "When one thinks too far ahead, one will become afraid. When one is afraid, we will involuntarily fear what is to come. And once we do, we will never be able to reach our goals for our whole life!"

Xue Leihan fell into silence. "That makes sense."

"Therefore, you telling me about those two people and the origin of the Nine Tribulations Sword, I treat as just a mere story." A big-hearted Chu Yang said, "I've heard it and I've remembered it. That's all it is and that's all it shall be."

Xue Leihan smiled at him. "This is the you I know. What I admire the most about you is your sense of big-heartedness. Perhaps you think of it as a kind of big-heartedness but to me, it is instead a kind of vicious drive."

Chu Yang nodded. "Perhaps so. I am not as vicious and short-tempered as I was in my past life. That sense of savagery and grudging has gradually gone away… But I myself can feel that it didn't disappear; it has merely concealed itself deep inside."

"While people's hearts don't change, it can be concealed," said Chu Yang.

"As long as your heart doesn't change, it is enough." Xue Leihan smiled and continued, "To be honest, the reason why I have chosen this moment to appear is also because of how lost you were earlier."

"Just like how you had been sighing about human nature, so did I. However, there is but one sentence —'People's hearts can be condemned; people's hearts can be edified.' This saying remains as words of wisdom."

Xue Leihan went on, "In the ancient times of this continent, people were all as such; no one was poor, no one was rich. At that time, everyone helped each other. When we finally reached a dividing line, the difference between the strong and the weak appeared and so did the gap between the rich and the poor. When the rich started to oppress the poor, sovereignty was formed. And with the formation of sovereignty, a long period where there was more order in the world ensued."

"All the way till now, the strong became stronger while the weak became weaker. As such, comparisons arose. The hearts of people were originally pure; but driven by greed, it has become what it is now. However, the reason why the world became like this is also that it had been driven by a trend of events that bore no resistance. Therefore, in such circumstances, we cannot edify them, because edifying is no longer of any use."

Xue Leihan said dispassionately, "In such situations, an iron-fisted legal system is necessary!"

"Legal system? Law-enforcement officers?" Chu Yang was startled.

"Exactly." Xue Leihan went on, "The law-enforcement officers of present have already degenerated and they are still enforcing laws based on the benchmark from 90,000 years ago. This is no longer suitable for current times."

A contemplative Chu Yang replied, "Yes, legal systems should also follow the changes and development in the world and adapt accordingly."

"Chaotic times require severe penalties!" Xue Leihan went on, "When the time of chaos passes and a period of rest and recuperation is given, they can be relaxed. But once the world gets on track, they need to be even more severe."

Chu Yang frowned and mused over what he said.

"You have deep feelings for this continent. The empire in the Lower Three Heavens was single-handedly built by you; the clans in the Middle Three Heavens were single-handedly put into order by you; and now, the law and order of the Upper Three Heavens also need you to re-organize it."

Xue Leihan said, "That is why I specially chose this timing to give you a reminder."

He gave him a warm smile. "The difference between our levels of cultivation is like heaven and earth but I treat you as a friend."

"Friendship is regardless of cultivation." Chu Yang said calmly, "You have sincerity and so do I."

"If you didn't, you would not see me here today," replied Xue Leihan quietly.

Heavy snow continued to fall from the sky.

For a long time, neither of them spoke.

But both of them knew that this conversation was already over. The upcoming conversation was what was most important to Chu Yang instead.

Xue Leihan let the snowflakes fall at will onto his face but didn't allow them to melt. "I love snow the most… Chu Yang, I know you have a lot of doubts in your mind."

He smiled and said, "I need to go back after today. Therefore, you can ask whatever you wish to ask now."

Chu Yang nodded. "Indeed, there are too many things I wish to ask. My first question is — Are the generations of Nine Tribulations alive or dead? Does the Nine Tribulations Nourishing the Heavens truly exist?"

Xue Leihan's countenance turned grim. When he heard that Chu Yang's very first question was already about that, he couldn't help but adopt a serious attitude. He contemplated for a moment before he said, "The Nine Tribulations are still alive!"

Chu Yang urged him. "Then where are they now?"

Xue Leihan had a complex look on his face. "In extraterrestrial grounds, in preparation to battle the Extraterrestrial Demons!"

Chu Yang heaved a deep and heavy sigh.

The ties among the Nine Tribulations could move the Heavens! If even those heroes were to die and in such a tragic manner, Chu Yang would never feel peace in his heart.

Now, he could finally breathe a sigh of relief.

"As for the Nine Tribulations Nourishing the Heavens, it is the very last selection process. Those who possess stray thoughts among the Nine Tribulations will be eliminated in that round!"

Xue Leihan said softly, "As such, the Nine Tribulations are not complete."

Chu Yang nodded in silence. He thought of the Dharma Supreme, as well as Wu Juecheng.

"In that case, the Nine Tribulations Nourishing the Heavens is but a joke? In actuality, it is not necessary at all?" Chu Yang asked somewhat bitterly.

"Nourishing the Heavens is just an excuse. Every ten thousand years is one round of stability for the continent. All the areas that collapse will be reinstated after ten thousand years have passed." Xue Leihan answered dispassionately.

"An excuse…" Chu Yang smiled bitterly. Such an excuse had entrapped so many heroes over the past 90,000 years and placed them in endless carnage and bloodbath…

"Yes, an excuse!" Xue Leihan raised his head and looked toward the skies. He went on calmly, "Our goal is to defend these starry skies and prevent the Extraterrestrial Demons from getting their way! Otherwise, not only will the Nine Heavens continent be reduced to nothing, but these starry skies spanning a radius of billions of miles will also be caught in endless misery and suffering! The Nine Heavens continent is only a most important selection ground — To select the most outstanding talents to head to extraterrestrial grounds for the final showdown with the Extraterrestrial Demons!"

Chu Yang heaved a deep sigh.

For a moment there, he felt the boundless vastness of the world and a sense of loss filled him. He didn't know where he should be going anymore.

This was an enormous hoax, yet it was such that no one could bring themselves to begrudge it!

"Even if there weren't such an excuse, the pugilistic world remains as what it is; there will never be an end to the carnage in it!" Xue Leihan said in desolation, "Therefore, there is no need to dwell on this matter."

"Indeed," said Chu Yang with a long sigh. "But how can I not dwell on it… My brothers and I… We're all in this tribulation."

Xue Leihan smiled at him.

"The third question — Since all the generations of the Nine Tribulations are already in the extraterrestrial grounds in preparation for the final showdown with the Extraterrestrial Demons, where did all the generations of the Nine Tribulations Sword Master go?" asked Chu Yang.

Xue Leihan gazed at him quietly. For a long while, he did not speak.

Chu Yang did not urge him either. He just watched him quietly.

"Other than the first generation of the Nine Tribulations Sword Master, all the other generations… have perished. With their physical bodies, they opened the passage of reincarnation and unsealed the gates to extraterrestrial grounds; their bones as the walls, flesh as the path, blood as the guide and soul as the blue heavens, so that they could send their brothers to extraterrestrial grounds to battle the Extraterrestrial Demons. To nurture my brothers and reconstruct their physical bodies as one that is immortal and immune; to fulfill my brothers' wishes and allow them to command the winds and the earth in extraterrestrial grounds and create everlasting achievements; to give my brothers the same glory and splendor as the universe and let them enjoy the highest prestige and honor!"

Xue Leihan spoke gravely.

A tremendous tremor went through Chu Yang's heart. He lowered his head at once, tears brimming in his eyes!

I knew it; how could heartless and cruel people ever become the Nine Tribulations Sword Master! I knew it; there had to be something up in here! I knew it; there must be a huge reason for all that!

I knew it…

But I absolutely didn't expect it to be such a tragic reason!

"If so, why did every Nine Tribulations Sword Master break their brothers' hearts so cruelly and mercilessly at the end…" asked Chu Yang in a low voice. His voice was soft and weak; he was afraid that if he were any louder, he might start sobbing.

Such heroes!

Such great men!

Perishing… in order to fulfill their brothers.

"The journey through the passage of reincarnation to extraterrestrial grounds requires a great deal of grudge to protect them. If not, they will be reduced to dust by the strong gales." Xue Leihan took a deep breath. "Sadness and hateful grudges are all necessary. The crueler it is, the better. The more grudgeful their hearts are, the safer they will be!"

"The Nine Tribulations Sword Master possesses the ability to use the Nine Tribulations Sword to break through reincarnation and unlock the seal to extraterrestrial grounds. However, when the Nine Tribulations Sword Master falls short of his final requirements, he will have to face such a choice."

"The first choice — Sacrifice his brothers and fulfill himself. With the flesh, blood and souls of his nine brothers as a guide, they are merged as one. And through the use of the powerful grudges and combined souls of the Nine Tribulations, he can open the passage to extraterrestrial grounds and send himself over. And there, he can command at will the extraterrestrial grounds and battle the Extraterrestrial Demons!"

"The second choice is to sacrifice himself and let his nine brothers go through the passage as they carry for life their grudge and hatred toward him, while he perishes and bears for eternity this bad name and everlasting sorrow, and his soul shattered."

Xue Leihan said quietly, "I am very comforted to know that seven Nine Tribulations Sword Masters all chose to sacrifice themselves."