Transcending the Nine Heavens

This fight lasted for such a short time that it was over in less than half-a-quarter-of-an-hour. No. It didn't even last for less than one-third of a quarter-of-an-hour! But, this fight had been dangerous. In fact, it had been the most dangerous fight that Chu Yang and his brothers had ever fought since their debut!

Moreover, the complete strength of everyone had gotten exhausted in this fight.

Everyone had faced the risk of death innumerable times over this fight. [But, luckily, we won!]

"We won!" Gu Du Xing stood up from the ground. He exposed a bright smile on his blood-stained face.

"Won?" Dong Wu Shang, Luo Ke Di, and the others still couldn't believe these words. It seemed as if they were dreaming.

This had been a sneak attack, and a clever plan. But… these few people had withstood against a larger group of enemy. And, they had managed to prevail over them. In addition, the two enemy leaders were Emperor Level Experts!

These people felt a faint ache in their chest. They had been injured by Emperor Level Experts. So, they still harboured a feeling of terror… as if their death was near at hand. Their psyches still had a lingering fear even though their enemies had vanished in a puff of smoke…

The outcome felt like an unrealistic dream!

Dong Wu Shang's heavy Black Saber was inserted straight in the ground. And, it was sending out a chilly aura… as if it was the monarch of the world.

The people of the Ou Clan had changed into bloody liquid by now. They had rotted in this cold and gloomy atmosphere of the Chill Wind Forest. Gu Du Xing and the others slowly stood up. They then looked at the mess that they had created with their own hands. There was now silence everywhere. They only felt roughness in their throats since they were heavily gasping for breath.

"This is only the beginning. There will be more and more powerhouses in the future who will have to die because they will have offended us!" the stirred up mood of Chu Yang and the others quietened down as Chu Yang indifferently stated this.

"We have killed five Emperor Level Experts today. But, we've also escaped death very narrowly! We brothers would've died ten-times-over if we hadn't made a plan!" Chu Yang stood up. He swept his sharp gaze over his brothers. He slowly extended his hand, and then slowly clenched his fist. He then focused his attention entirely on his own fist.

After that, he slowly spoke-up in a deep and low voice, "But… there will come one day when we will make such Emperor Level Experts work under us… And, we would be able to wipe them out with the flick of a finger!"

He had spoken these last few words at an extremely slow pace. However, his speech had brimmed with self-confidence!

The brothers looked-on as Chu Yang slowly stretched out his tightly clenched fist. And, they couldn't help but feel their hearts throb in a fierce manner when they saw him fiercely flip over his fist and go downwards with pressure!

It had seemed as if he could've crushed Emperor Level Experts into pieces under the pressure of his fist!

"It will be that easy." Chu Yang turned around and exposed a cold smile. His white teeth sparkled in the dense fog.

Everyone calmly looked at him. A light flashed in their eyes. But, they didn't say a word.

Gu Du Xing slowly turned his head and looked at the six King Level Experts of the Gu Clan after a long while had passed. He then said, "I wish to follow Big Brother Chu so that I can become a member of the Heavenly Armament Pavilion. I wish to fight my way up the Nine Heavens! Does any of you wish to come along?"

The six people looked at each other. This group was led by a man named Gu Qing Feng. He took a step forward, and spoke-up in a dignified manner, "The skills of us brothers aren't that proficient. It is difficult for our cultivation to advance even by an inch! But, it is rare to have such an ambitious Young Lord. We brothers aren't hesitant, and we would love to follow you at any cost. We want to help our Young Lord in accomplishing his dreams! So, we will follow you anywhere at your command… no matter what happens!"

He bleakly smiled as he looked at the dead body of his brother that had fallen into the pool of blood. Then, he said in a deep and low voice, "An earthen jar is inseparable from the well even if it gets broken. Death is inevitable for a soldier who is fighting on the frontline! We are people of the Jianghu. We know that death awaits us at every step. But, the only unavoidable thing is that our Gu Clan is in imminent danger…"

"The Young Clan Lord wants to fight his way up the Nine Heavens. However, we brothers won't regret dying for you even if you wouldn't represent the Gu Clan, and be a part of the Heavenly Armament Pavilion instead… After all, you have the surname Gu attached to your name!"

Gu Du Xing inhaled a deep breath. But, he felt that the rims of his eyes were slightly burning. He said, "I'm the Young Clan Lord of the Gu Clan. So, I'm obviously am a man of the Gu Family! And, I will certainly make a very good reputation for the Gu Clan in the entire Nine Heavens if I'm able to make it big one day!"

The six men neatly knelt down as tears started to stream down their faces, "We want to follow the Young Clan Lord. We want to join the Heavenly Armament Pavilion. We will have no regrets even if we have to die ten-thousand-times-over!"

Gu Du Xing nodded and spoke-up, "The Heavenly Armament Pavilion is weak and small at the moment. So, it would be inappropriate to leak out our secrets and true identities… Remember this thing…"

Gu Feng Qing respectfully replied, "This is obvious! Everything has its own laws. It's not our first day in the Jianghu. So, we obviously understand… I don't know how to say this… We aren't skilled enough, but we've known the ways of hiding our true identity in the Middle Three Heavens for most of our lives. So, we are more confident than the Young Masters in this regard… And, we can take care of many such matters in the future."

Gu Du Xing nodded with satisfaction. And, the trace of a smile appeared on his cold face.

He had first used a trick to make those three unsteady people turn back. And, he had been left with only faithful and loyal people as a result. Therefore, these people were capable of making a top-notch foundational team for the Heavenly Armament Pavilion. Consequently, these brothers would be able to achieve great results with the help of these old people of Jianghu in every venture they would attempt…

Everyone discussed for a while. Then, they buried the dead King Level Expert. After that, they continued to move forwards.

"We will come back to settle this account with the Ou Clan in time." Chu Yang gazed in the direction of the Ou Clan before they left. He then slowly said after some time had passed, "The Ou Clan will cease to exist in the Middle Three Heavens in the future!"

Then, he turned around to continue-on his journey. And, he didn't look back again…

He had always been the type of man who would seek revenge for the slightest of grievance. The Ou Clan had planned to make everyone die a tragic death. And, his brothers had sustained serious injuries as a result. How could this matter not leave an imprint on Chu Yang's heart?!

Gu Du Xing had stood speechless in front of the new grave for a long while. He had a determined look on his face, and his eyes had been expressionless.

He had suddenly grabbed a little soil from the burial mound before he had left. And, he had then stuffed it in his mouth, and swallowed it down. Then, he had knelt down, and heavily knocked his head three times on the ground. He had then gotten up and strode away. However, he didn't look back after that…

[This hatred is mine!]

[I will settle this account for you!]

[I won't say anything. But, you know heartfelt regards for you if you're listening to my heart from the netherworld. I will kill every single man of the Ou Clan. And, then I will come back to this Chill Wind Forest and tell you that… It will allow your soul to rest in peace!]

Gu Du Xing didn't speak out these sentences. In fact, he didn't say a single word. But, he had taken an unshakable oath in his heart! He left with large strides. His black robe fluttered in the wind as he left the Chill Wind Forest. He looked as tall and straight as a sword from the back profile.

He had hatred and kindness in his heart!

He had the hatred to take revenge with his own hands. And, he had the kindness since he wanted to repay the favor ten-thousand times over to the King Level Expert who sacrificed his life for him…

This was Gu Du Xing's personal principle.

The Chill Wind Forest again got covered with dense fog and stagnant mist along with the departure of these people. It seemed as if the newly-added ominous souls weren't howling and sobbing in the forest. Instead, it seemed as if the soul of that hero from the Gu Clan was smiling in reluctance as he waved goodbye to his comrades…

…

Three days later… in the Ou Clan…

A teacup fell down with a 'crash' sound from Ou Cheng Wu's hand - the Clan Lord of the Ou Clan. It shattered into pieces as a result. The complexion of the Great Elder and the others became gloomy. In fact, it seemed as if something was eating them inside. Ou Du Xiao's complexion had turned deathly pale. His mouth was open, and his lips were quivering. But, he was unable to speak a word…

Six King Level Experts had come back to report, and they had carried three human-heads along with them. However, the other men who had been sent to the Chill Wind Forest to chase after the enemy hadn't returned. The informers who had returned from the Chill Wind Forest had reported — [King of Hell Chu's party of twelve men have left safe-and-sound. Everyone was full of vigor. Some had wounds on their bodies…]

The manpower that had gone to check the Chill Wind Forest had reported back — [Several traces have been found inside the Chill Wind Forest. These traces indicate that there was a fight between experts! The traces that are left behind on the scene leave one to judge that this must've been a showdown between Emperor Level Experts! Moreover, the fight must've been extremely bitter. The forest region in a range of several thousand feet in the vicinity of the battlefield has been destroyed!]

The fight was over, and it had been very desperate one. King of Hell Chu and the others were safe and sound. The Second Elder and the others hadn't returned… Therefore, any fool could guess what must've transpired there!

The Second Elder and the others must've been wiped out. Moreover, even their corpses had been destroyed. Thus, no trace had been left behind!

The Ou Clan had lost five Emperor Level Experts and twenty four King Level Experts in this battle! It could be said that fifty-percent of the Ou Clan's strength had collapsed in one day!

They used to have nine… Emperor Level Experts, ah! And, there were more than fifty King Level Experts at that time. But, more than twenty of those experts were foreign aid who had been hired with a great amount of money. So, the Experts who belonged to the Ou Clan's army were only thirty in number…

And, these people were obviously the most reliable ones. So, there was no fear that they would leak out the Clan's affairs. Therefore, they had been sent to execute this covert mission. But, what came to happen… was very unexpected…

Twenty-four King Level Experts had suddenly died!

These six King Level Experts had luckily returned alive because they hadn't gone together with the others. How could they have come out uninjured from the Chill Wind Forest if they had gone together… Perhaps, these six lives would also have been lost in vain!

The Ou Clan was in a sorrowful situation!

Ou Cheng Wu felt regret deep within his bones. Why would he have made this plan if he had known that Chu Yang and his gang had such a powerful support? In fact, the clan would've come to a clear decision before Chu Yang's arrival, and would've taken advantage of this opportunity to mend relations with the four major clans…

However, this opportunity had come with a big price! And, it had been ruined because of everyone's greed. Moreover, they were forced to sacrifice the lives of five Emperor Level Experts and twenty-four King Level Experts in the process! In addition, they had even made themselves some very formidable enemies!

This was indeed a matter of grave concern…

"It seems that there is some super-expert hidden among King of Hell Chu and the others!" The Great Elder's chest was fiercely moving up-and-down. His voice was somewhat shivering. But, he forced himself to calm down and analysed the situation calmly, "There were no casualties among these youngsters even after facing our besiege… This explains that these kids will have boundless prospects in the future! Moreover, they have the support of four major clans!

"They won't come to take revenge from us for at this time because they don't have enough strength. However… they have started to nurture enmity towards us. So, they will come for us in time!"

The Great Elder continued in a deep voice, "Therefore… we can't sit idle and wait for death! The armies of the four clans may collaborate to attack us… And, that will probably be the end of us."

"I will look for them and take revenge if they don't come here! How can I let them off so easily?" Ou Du Xiao gritted his teeth. The blue vein was throbbing on his temple.

"No matter what time it is… we must consider proper self-preservation first as a clan. Then, we can make plans to defeat the enemy! Du Xiao, you need to temper yourself for the time being! Taking revenge is important. But… there are many things which are more important than that! A moment of animalistic courage will only lead us to destruction; nothing else!"

The Great Elder coldly looked at Ou Du Xiao and said, "At present, the most important thing for us isn't taking revenge — but self-preservation! What would be the use even if you kill all of them at the cost of the Ou Clan's existence?"

Ou Du Xiao's face turned red. He said, "Yes! The Great Elder is right." He took two steps back, and said in his heart, [the people who have died were your brothers… wouldn't you scold me for being heartless if I won't show anger?]

Ou Cheng Wu's eyes lit up. He then said, "So, the Great Elder means to say…"

…