Transcending the Nine Heavens

"Such an elaborate design," Chu Yang praised in a heartfelt manner.

"This is just a small method. Brother Chu must be joking," Ou Du Xiao showed a faint smile as he took the lead to go in. A conflicted look flashed through his eyes. He was obviously aware of his clan's plan.

Ou Du Xiao didn't approve of his clan's crafty plans and schemes in all honesty. After all, Chu Yang had saved his face back then. In fact, Chu Yang had prepared an escape route for him by agreeing to extend the deadline and proposing this alternative method of debt repayment.

This was a huge favor! And, this had consequently saved the Ou Clan from facing humiliation in front of the world heroes… Regardless of whatever ulterior motive Chu Yang had behind this good deed…

Ou Du Xiao had felt very grateful at first. And, he genuinely wanted to repay Chu Yang. So, he wanted to give him 525 million worth of materials at the very least.

Ou Du Xiao returned home, and found that even the clan was in favor of Chu Yang. After all, Chu Yang had the backing of four big clans. Hence, his influence couldn't be underestimated. So, it would obviously be a great thing if the Ou Clan could have such a strong ally...

However, this situation had suddenly changed after they heard about the things that had happened at the Xie Clan! And, everyone's thoughts were altered in their entirety in the blink of an eye!

10 billion worth of fortune! Plus billions worth of stocks from the Xie Clan!

What kind of enormous wealth was this? The Ou Clan's net-worth would undeniably be the total sum of the net-worth of the Ou Clan and the Xie Clan if they could get their hands on it! This wealth could then be used to recruit forces and rope in experts. And, that would alleviate the Ou Clan's strength to a whole new level!

The Ou Clan was currently one of the top three clans in the Middle Three Heavens. So, what would going a step further imply?

It would mean that they might replace the Ao Clan, and become the number-one clan of the Middle Three Heavens!

And, what does it mean to be the number-one clan? This ranking wasn't just for name's sake. It gave more of a charisma and influence to a clan to rally supporters! More and more people would be willing to join them once they would attain the status of the number-one clan. And, the strength of the clan would become more and more stable. In fact, it wouldn't be strange if they were to make their way into the Upper Three Heavens if things would go smoothly for some time…

"Why did the Ao Clan become the number-one clan? Isn't that because they had suddenly discovered a buried treasure 200 years ago? The Ao Clan used to be similar to our Ou Clan back then. But, it had a dramatic rise after it obtained that buried treasure. What does it come to in the end? Financial resources!"

These words from an elder of the Ou Clan had aroused everyone's ambitions, "No one knows the true value of the buried treasure that the Ao Clan had found. However, the Ao Clan wouldn't have been the size it is at this time if it had exceeded a certain limit! It would've been bigger and stronger! Therefore, it can be said that the estimated worth of their treasure is only in billions; that's all!

"Therefore, it's safe to say that our wealth will be equal to that of the Ao Clan as long as we obtain the wealth that's there in King of Hell Chu's hands. In fact, we may become richer than them… After all, his wealth contains Xie Clan's treasure-stock which has been accumulated over hundreds of years! How is it any different from some buried treasure?

"Our Ou Clan will emerge as a super power in the future with the decisions we make at this moment! So, what are we waiting for? We may have to take risks, but we must do it once-and-for-all," the elder's voluminous and eloquent speech had made everyone's blood boil.

"Indeed. These four clans only seem to be supporting King of Hell Chu on a superficial level. This support is only based on their individual friendship rather than their clan's interests. And, this is worth thinking over… The Young Clan Lord of the Gu Clan has taken charge. So, he represents his entire clan now. However, the Gu Clan isn't a top clan!"

Ou Clan's Lord Ou Cheng Wu then analyzed further as he said, "And, the other supporters are merely the Second Young Masters of the Dong Clan, the Luo Clan and the Ji Clan... Ha-ha! So, killing them would be tantamount to cutting short the future troubles of the Eldest Young Masters to a certain extent. There's bound to be a backlash if the news leaks out. However, it won't be that big…

"But, who will find out that it was us if we do it in secret…?"

The members of the Ou Clan had then come to a decision, and made up their mind.

Even Ou Du Xiao's mindset had quietly begun to change at that moment.

[What's wrong with killing a bunch of nobodies to attain the supreme glory of the number-one clan? Isn't rising to the status of the number-one clan in the Middle Three Heavens bound to incur a heavy debt of blood? Isn't it bound to be based on a mountain of corpses?]

[Can getting stranded for a trivial friendship be called the behavior of a real man?]

Consequently, these men had been united under this firm mindset.

The situation had changed since Gu Du Xing and the others hadn't arrived as they had anticipated. However, this still hadn't hindered Ou Du Xiao's motivation. In fact, it had managed to arouse his murderous intention even further… [You think you will be fine if you do this? You think we won't deal with you if you do this?]

[It's simply ridiculous!]

...

Ou Du Xiao had a cordial look on his face. However, the atmosphere was chilly-cold in his heart. Chu Yang could clearly feel this, but he didn't show any reaction. In fact, the look on Chu Yang's face was even more cordial, even more genial, and even more affectionate than the one on Ou Du Xiao's…

They looked like two individual who had been friends for decades as they walked side by side. Their conversations made it seem like they were sharing the deepest secrets of their hearts. In fact, the enthusiasm they showed towards each other had nearly reached an extent where it seemed like they would only need a few more words to become sworn brothers…

A large stone room appeared in front of Chu Yang after they turned a few corners. A white light was sparkling inside. It turned out to be a jade shelf which had an array of dazzling jade boxes on it.

"Warm Jade Rack, and Divine Incense Jade Box! Brother Ou, I am genuinely stunned." Chu Yang was genuinely startled. The Warm Jade was treated as a rare treasure in the Lower Three Heavens. However, there was an entire shelf made of it in this place!

Divine Incense Jade was used in the preservation of medicinal herbs. And, it was second only to the Purple Jade in this regard. The Purple Jade could preserve herbs for thousands of years. The Divine Incense Jade couldn't preserve them for thousands of years, but it could still do so for 500 years…

In fact, it was better than white crystals and blue crystals in this regard!

Divine Incense Jade didn't have the fantastic abilities or the capacity to hold spirit energy like the white crystal and blue crystals did. However, it was regarded as the best when it came to the preservation of medicinal herbs.

"The preservation of martial treasures is entirely different from the preservation of other herbs," Ou Du Xiao explained with a sigh, "Endless financial resources had to be spent when these things had been crafted! How can one imagine the brutal and inhumane process that the clan must've gone through to have achieve the present scale? Brother Chu, you do understand the bitter-sweet aspects of life, right?"

"Indeed. That's right." Chu Yang nodded in affirmation, "The rise of a clan is bound to be through endless tears of blood, and constant perseverance. It requires the sacrifices of countless geniuses with outstanding talents over a period of hundreds of years… or even over a thousand years. Someone may fall, but the next follows and replace the fallen comrades... Sigh… But, the decline of a clan is as easy as it gets."

Ou Du Xiao sighed and said, "Yes, there are numerous powerful enemies out there in the Nine Heavens. It's hard to tell when one may end-up offending one such person and trigger the extermination of the entire clan as a result. But, that would make the countless painstaking efforts of the predecessors go in vain…"

"True," Chu Yang sighed, "However, the usual incurring root of trouble is either some 'show off young master'… or the 'insatiable greed' that ultimately brings about disaster..."

Ou Du Xiao's eyes flashed. He felt that this remark of Chu Yang's seemed quite profound in its meaning. But, why had he mentioned 'insatiable greed' at this moment?

Ou Du Xiao laughed and said, "However... there are many things one is helpless about when it comes to seeking riches and honor amidst danger. In particular, when one is unable to move forward when one wants to keep progressing towards success… In fact, one will inevitably lag behind and move back to a more distressed position if that happens. One could say that it is the same as declining if one wants to go a step further and there's no danger ahead. The helplessness of a big clan is as extreme as that of a hero's exploration. Brother Chu, we must learn from it."

Chu Yang smiled calmly and replied, "Brother Ou is very wise."

He didn't speak further. He simply waited for Ou Du Xiao to begin the introduction of the medicinal herbs. He had made that previous remark to see how Ou Du Xiao would react. And, Ou Du Xiao's response had thoroughly incited the murderous intent in Chu Yang's heart!

[It seems that you have decided to seek riches and honor amidst danger, eh? Very well! I will also have to seek... riches and honor amidst danger in that case!]

Ou Du Xiao tried to probe whether Chu Yang had figured out his intentions. However, he only saw Chu Yang warmly looking back at himself. Moreover, there was a kind and magnanimous shine in his eyes. And, Ou Du Xiao couldn't help but feel ashamed.

He quickly took two steps forward and said, "Brother Chu, please take a look at this. There's a Five Colored Jade Orchid in this first jade box. This herb grows in the profound depths of a ten-thousand feet deep valley. It doesn't receive the least bit of sunlight all year round. It acquires one color in every hundred years when it starts to grow. So, it gains 5 different colors in 500 years. And, these five colors achieve their perfect condition in another 500 years. This Five Colored Jade Orchid already has all colors. Moreover, it has also begun to acquire a jade-like appearance. It has already reached the maturity of 1500 years at the very least. Its effects are wondrous when it comes to the treatment of internal injuries. It can even dispel poison, and it's considered a wonder drug. What does Brother Chu think about it? Do you like it?"

Chu Yang looked carefully and said, "It could've been a fire-rate product if it had completely transformed into jade. This herb is certainly precious, but it hasn't matured enough. So, it won't be of any use to me."

Ou Du Xiao's smiling face turned stiff as he said, "Brother Chu, you are joking, right? It takes at least 5000 years for it to turn into jade…"

He had spoken this as he had covered the lid of this jade box. He then placed it back. After that, he skillfully opened the second jade box and said, "Brother Chu, what about this? This is the Millennium Grass Cinnabar. Furthermore, this cinnabar's body already appears bright red…"

"This herb... I would've taken it if it was a sparkling white instead of red," Chu Yang continued to belittle.

Ou Du Xiao's eyes flashed. He said in his heart, [this guy's standards are way too high. It seems like he needs some top-notch items.] Thereupon, he opened the third jade box and said, "Brother Chu, please look at this..."

Ou Du Xiao opened six jade boxes in a row. However, Chu Yang would simply shake his head and pick out a list of problems instead of pulling out money to buy those items. In fact, he'd make it very obvious that he didn't like them at all.

They were already 3 or 4 steps away from the first jade box at the moment.

Ou Du Xiao had gradually begun to somewhat lose his cool. He pulled open the seventh jade box, but he saw a bright look in Chu Yang's eyes before he could open his mouth to speak, "This is a good item." He went a step forward, and lowered his head to sniff it once. Then, he said, "Not bad, I like it…"

Ou Du Xiao finally felt happy in his heart. [Finally, there's something you like. I had nearly begun to lose confidence in my clan's secret treasures since I had been watching you shake your head this entire time…]

He hastily exploited this opportunity and said, "Brother Chu, this one was very hard to find. It had to be mined from the volcanic area. My Ou Clan had sent three King Level Experts for it..."

The two of them moved close to the jade box, and discussed fine details about the item inside. Chu Yang eventually spoke-up, "Brother Ou, its market price should be about 2 million. How about I give you 2.5 million for this?"

The wisp of a colorless and transparent thing silently fell on the ground from the back-hem of Chu Yang's black robe as he proposed the price. It meandered about a bit on the ground. In fact, it seemed as if it was alive. Then, it sneaked into the first jade box with a 'swoosh'...

...