Transcending the Nine Heavens

Wu Qian Qian was left gawking all of a sudden.

[This... feels somewhat wrong ah.] She suspiciously looked at the seemingly flat chest of Tie Bu Tian. She couldn't help but grasp them in her hands… and then kneaded them...

"What?!" Wu Qian Qian then cried out in alarm, and almost sent the tent flying off.

This was a rare scene of the 'indecent offender' unexpectedly screaming in panic before the 'assaulted individual' had…

Tie Bu Tian only felt that her chest had gone numb. She couldn't prevent her whole face from turning crimson. This was summer time… so she was wearing fewer clothes...

"You are groping me!" Tie Bu Tian blushed as she retorted. She could feel that the two hands were firmly grasping and kneading her breasts.

"Ah!"

Wu Qian Qian called out in alarm, and jumped three steps back; her back was covered in cold sweat. Her face turned pale as she spoke in a stammering manner, "You, you, you... you, you, you, you, you... you, you, you…"

"What about me?" Tie Bu Tian glared at her, "Shush, someone will hear us."

"You... you are... a woman?" Wu Qian Qian finally came to her senses. Then, she lowered her voice and asked in a baffled tone.

Tie Bu Tian snorted. Then, she slowly put her hand inside her clothing, and took out a jade pendant from around her neck.

Wu Qian Qian only saw a dense layer of light fluctuate before her eyes. But, the halo of light disappeared soon enough, and left her to rub her eyes incessantly in disbelief...

[Indeed...] Wu Qian Qian groaned. In fact, she nearly fainted from the shock.

She could swear that she hadn't blinked even once, and Tie Bu Tian had been standing right there without moving an inch from the spot…

However, Tie Bu Tian had completely changed after that flashing halo of light.

His initial appearance of a handsome young man - full of vigor and heroic aura - had surprisingly turned into a...

Tie Bu Tian was still dressed up in men's clothing, but he now had cheeks as peachy corona… her luxuriant hair appeared like clouds that hung down to her now bountiful chest. Moreover, his slender waist... all of which clearly made Tie BU Tian look like a peerless beauty!

Wu Qian Qian's eyes suddenly straightened up.

Tie Bu Tian rolled her eyes, and asked with a dull light, "Saw clearly?"

Wu Qian Qian nodded… blankly at that…

She recalled that feeling from a moment ago. And, she couldn't help but sense a lingering sensation in her fingers. She unconsciously twirled her fingers, and two phrases popped up in her heart — [So big! How can they be so big?]

Wu Qian Qian looked down at her own chest, and secretly compared in her heart. She was devastated at the result, and lowered her head, [it can be said that they are equally matched based on appearance… but, hers are really big...]

"Come on..." Tie Bu Tian obviously saw her twirling her fingers, and couldn't help but blush. She took her hand, and very affectionately drew her to sit closer. Wu Qian Qian certainly wouldn't resist this time. [We are both women. What's there to be afraid of?]

Wu Qian Qian suddenly opened her eyes wide, and blurted out, "You are a woman… how can you have a wife? Why would you propose marriage to me?"

Tie Bu Tian's face flushed as she softly replied, "Yes, I'm a woman. But, I wish to marry you... this is true."

"Are you serious?" Wu Qian Qian was shocked.

Tie Bu Tian blinked. Then, she replied, "Anyway, you are not going to marry anyone in this life. So, it would be better that the two of us get together and be done with."

[The two of us get together?] Wu Qian Qian blinked her eyes as she tried her best to straighten out that mass of chaos in her heart. She suddenly recalled a legend from the past. And, this was long before the unification quest of Iron Cloud had started...

The Iron Cloud's previous emperor - Tie Shi Cheng - had suddenly gone insane before the onset of his illness, and had slaughtered the entire imperial palace … even the imperial consorts and the princesses… he hadn't let off anyone...

Wu Qian Qian was an extremely intelligent person. And, she had finally understood what was going on. She just couldn't help but heave a sigh.

Tie Bu Tian saw her face, and realized that Wu Qian Qian had guessed it correctly. Tie Bu Tian looked somewhat sad as she spoke in a low voice, "My imperial father... didn't have a son. He only had a few daughters. I... I was the youngest daughter... He must've had a premonition of sorts back then, and that's why he kept my birth a secret. That's probably why he announced to the world that… a prince was born..."

"The reason is… my master-to-be was travelling in the Iron Cloud when I was born. She saw me in the palace, and noticed that my body was good for cultivation. So, she received me as her disciple. Moreover, she gave this jade pendant to me."

"I see." Wu Qian Qian nodded her head, and seemed relieved.

As far as understanding this matter was concerned… she had indeed understood. However, she was still a bit puzzled, "But, why did you mention this now..." She wittily squinted at Tie Bu Tian, "... what are you so anxious about?"

Tie Bu Tian's face suddenly turned crimson.

Wu Qian Qian recalled herself visualizing Tie Bu Tian as an extremely dangerous man… someone she needed to be wary of. The more she thought of it… the more she found it funny. She giggled and said, "You're a very good actor. I had even begun to think that you have feelings for me..."

Tie Bu Tian's blushed as she replied, "That wasn't my intention initially..."

"He-he..." Wu Qian Qian was overjoyed. Her smile was like a flower plant dancing in the wind, "So, you're actually an Empress. You have wielded a dual gender identity your entire life... you are a very good actor. Which gender do you wish to pick out of the two?"

Tie Bu Tian couldn't bear anymore, and jumped up blushing hard. And then, she grabbed Wu Qian Qian's chest, "You little wench! You'd better not make irresponsible remarks on me again..." She had spoken this in a manly voice while she had mischievously fondled Wu Qian Qian's chest.

Wu Qian Qian's body went limp as she hurriedly patted her hand off and said, "You said you want my favor? Is it related to this?"

"Well... it's not actually. There's something else..." Tie Bu Tian mumbled as if she was afraid of speaking something.

"What?" a flower-like smile bloomed on Wu Qian Qian's face.

"Actually..." Tie Bu Tian' moved closer to Wu Qian Qian, and whispered something into her ear.

"What!?" Wu Qian Qian cried out in surprise and jumped up, "When…? How…? This is..."

"Shush." Tie Bu Tian swiftly moved her hand, and covered her mouth, "Why are you shouting my little grandma?"

Wu Qian Qian looked at her in utter shock. A good while passed like this. Then, she asked, "Whose?"

Tie Bu Tian's face turned hot red since she felt that bringing up this matter and talking about it wasn't a good idea.

"Who was it... that plucked the best flower of Iron Cloud?" Wu Qian Qian still found it somewhat inconceivable.

Tie Bu Tian mustered strength in her heart and said, "Who else can it be? It's none other than that sweetheart of yours."

"Chu Yang?" Wu Qian Qian was gob-smacked. Her complexion turned deathly pale, and her entire body began to tremble.

"Yes... but..." Tie Bu Tian heaved a long sigh, "He himself doesn't know about it…" after saying this, she explained everything that had happened that day. Tie Bu Tian had already told her this much. So, why would she possibly stop herself from sharing everything with Wu Qian Qian.

Wu Qian Qian listened, and her pale complexion slowly returned to normal, [so that's how it is... she saved him. She sacrificed her lifetime cultivation… her future prospects in martial arts… as well as a girl's most precious thing — all to save his life...]

"So… I need your help..." Tie Bu Tian finally finished explaining, and looked at Wu Qian Qian somewhat anxiously, "Honestly... I don't know what else to do to deal with this level of matter. This is just..."

"That's needless to say." Wu Qian Qian gently bit her red lip. A fierce struggle was going on in her heart at the moment. Then, a firm look appeared in her eyes, "I agree!"

[I can't be with him forever, but... I can raise his child with my own hands. Yes... that is also ... a type of a consolation… isn't it?]

Wu Qian Qian turned her head to look at Tie Bu Tian. [This peerless beauty - who stands before me - shares the same pain and misery as I do. We are in the same boat, and fellow sufferers should empathize with each other. It's just that… she is more unfortunate than me in some aspects. But, I am more unfortunate in some other aspects…]

Wu Qian Qian stared at Tie Bu Tian's belly, and a pang of jealousy suddenly flared up in her heart, [His child! This is his child!]

She recalled that night when Tie Bu Tian was very adamant on not allowing her to go. She couldn't help but think of a scenario, [if I was the one who had gone… and not Tie Bu Tian… then, this child… would have been...]

Wu Qian Qian's face turned burning hot after she thought about it. Therefore, she tried her best to prohibit herself from thinking along those lines.

"Thank you, Qian Qian!" a look of appreciation flashed in Tie Bu Tian's eyes as she spoke-up with the entirety of her soul's sincerity, "But, I just hope... that you won't let him find out about this matter."

"I understand where you're coming from..." Wu Qian Qian bit her lip and solemnly promised. This was genuinely understandable. There was some other woman in his heart… not her. Moreover, she didn't even know the identity of this woman he loved so deeply. So, what would be the point of telling him?

Make him suffer? Make him choose? Force him to take responsibility?

What a joke!

Tie Bu Tian and Wu Qian Qian were proud women. They would never use such means!

[If you do not know… then you do not know. We won't deliberately shame you into taking responsibility. They wouldn't use such means to force Chu Yang to obey since they'd find doing such a thing beneath their dignity!]

[We don't desire your love in charity. We don't want a forced marriage! We just want to beat that woman he has in his heart… fair and square!]

Tie Bu Tian sighed and said, "You must consider this matter properly. I really want you to say yes, but I don't want to force you. After all ... you might still have a future with him. You're not hopeless like me..."

Wu Qian Qian painfully shook her head and replied, "There's no need to consider that... he will feel sorry for me even if he accepts me. What's the point of being pitiful like that? I'm very satisfied with the present outcome."

Drops of tears fell down from her vacant eyes as she gently said, "I... am very satisfied..."

Tie Bu Tian deeply sighed.

Then, she picked up the jade pendant, and wore it back on her neck. A burst of dense light flashed, and the peerless beauty suddenly became the heroic youth with the aloofness of the world's greatest emperor!

"Well then. I will let the Empress do the hard work of birthing the Emperor's child in my place. Meanwhile, I shall lay the unshakable foundation of Iron Cloud!" Tie Bu Tian softly said.

Wu Qian Qian smiled and nodded. [To birth the Emperor's child in your place…? I would gladly do it in real...]

"Later, I will send people to the leader of Beyond the Heavens Sect to discuss our marriage. I will use the ritual of country's mother to take you as my wife and make you my Empress!" Tie Bu Tian solemnly said, "Beyond the Heavens Sect will henceforth become the relatives of the Imperial family. And, Beyond the Heavens Sects shall become the number-one national security sect after the Iron Cloud unifies the land! Qian Qian, what else do you want me to add?"

"I don't want anything else." Wu Qian Qian thought for a moment and replied, "Even a little reward can become an extra burden sometimes. It can even harm Beyond the Heavens Sect in the long run. After all, a martial art school isn't the imperial court."

"That's also true," Tie Bu Tian agreed.

"Also, I don't wish to give up the status of Minister Chu in Bu Tian Pavilion." Wu Qian Qian gently said, "I'm King of Hell Chu. I wish to maintain this secret."

Tie Bu Tian looked somewhat startled, and grieved from her facial expression as soon as she heard the name 'King of Hell Chu'. She nodded after a good while. Her eyes suddenly lit up as she said, "Minister Chu, well… isn't that great that you can look that way? You are my Empress on the surface. But, you are Minister Chu for Bu Tian Pavilion. And, I'm your woman… your wife... great right?"

Wu Qian Qian was stumped for words. These words had clearly indicated that Tie Bu Tian had no regrets or complains against Chu Yang in her heart! Instead, there was only love. In fact, it was hard to guess that a Monarch like this could have such hidden and deep feelings of care for someone…

Wu Qian Qian nodded her head in silence. The eyes of these two women were smiling. However, there were tragic tears hidden in those smiles...

Wu Qian Qian overcame her tears, and spoke-up with a smile, "Isn't this like... I become your wife, and you also become my wife?" Tie Bu Tian also laughed and said, "That's indeed the case."