Transcending the Nine Heavens
chapter-123

“There is another method; it’s just a little… inhumane, a way to humiliate him… but I am not sure if it would yield any results…” One of the shadows softly suggested.

“If it’s inhumane and you’re not even sure if it would yield any results, then why must you humiliate a good man still?” Chu Yang coldly cut him off.

“Don’t say anymore…” Tie Bu Tian also frowned and said definitively. His words seemed to have come out the same time Chu Yang spoke.

The two shadows stepped back without any protests.

“Blurghhhhh…” Looking at the horror in the cell, Tie Bu Tian could not control his disgust and made a retching sound. He waved his hand and said, “Minister Chu is right; let him die with some dignity. We still have many ways to deal with Diwu Qing Rou… torturing and forcing a confession is not what we want to do anyway; we don’t need to insult a good man like that…”

“Kill him? It’s such a waste!” Chu Yang said in disagreement. Even just keeping him as bait, Tang Xin Sheng would still be very valuable.

“Just kill him…” Tie Bu Tian sighed, “Should a man like this be forced to suffer humiliation? There are things we can still accomplish even after his death. The key is how we plan everything; we have no need to torture him anymore…”

“If that is Your Majesty’s decision, I will give him mercy…” Chu Yang nodded. He pulled out a dagger and slowly approached Tang Xin Sheng… He had wanted to free Tang Xin Sheng from his suffering as well, but kept him alive until now for his plan… Now that Tie Bu Tian had given the word, Chu Yang no longer insisted…

Looking at Tang Xin Sheng, Chu Yang asked softly, “Why didn’t you kill yourself?”

Even though Tang Xin Sheng could not talk, his eyes never lost their proud look.

Without an answer, Chu Yang already understood. A person who was proud to the bones would rather suffer the tortures of the enemies than killing himself.

No matter what, they would never end their lives with their own hands!

Chu Yang nodded. He raised his hand and stabbed cleanly through the heart. Then he said in a low voice, “Goodbye! Let’s be opponents in the next life!”

Tang Xin Sheng’s eyes showed a look of gratitude. Then he let out a calm smile, and for some strange reason, he was able to speak, “Diwu… finally has a rival… I only regret that… I am no longer able to see this…”

His head tilted to the side, and he died. As his body laid on the ground, tortured and disfigured, it unexpectedly recovered its normal look. There was even a hint of warmth and calmness.

Chu Yang sighed; even though he did not want to humiliate a hero, but killing Tang Xin Sheng like this, he was not sure if it was good or bad… Keeping him alive was more beneficial.

“Good man. Official Tang, I should not use you as a pawn…” Tie Bu Tian looked at Tang Xin Sheng’s body and said with a heavy heart, “If there is a next life, I hope we can become emperor and subject!”

Chu Yang was shocked; he could recognize that these words were from the bottom of Tie Bu Tian’s heart.

A good man like that was worthy of everyone’s respect… but Tie Bu Tian’s words were extraordinary. That one phrase had shown that Tie Bu Tian was still a little weaker than Diwu Qing Rou.

He was still not a powerful, cold-hearted tactician! First, he allowed Tang Xin Sheng to die freely; now, he was even showing regrets… Even though killing people was cruel, for Tang Xin Sheng’s situation, it was a good thing. To admire talent was a good thing, but carrying that same mentality for the enemy was equivalent to digging your own grave!

Such a mindset was fine for an ordinary person… but for a ruler of a weak country in a time of war to carry this mentality was truly worrisome.

“Don’t worry, our enemies, no matter how great or heroic, will be killed if they must be killed…” Tie Bu Tian smiled; sensing Chu Yang’s thought, he explained, “There is no mercy in my heart, but with a respectable enemy, we should show our respect!”

Chu Yang smiled and said, “Yes, and I thought Your Majesty did not want to pay out on our bet…” Chu Yang thought that perhaps this was Tie Bu Tian’s personal appeal; he and Diwu Qing Rou were different people after all.

“Ah… hahaha…” Of course, Tie Bu Tian knew that Chu Yang wanted to help him unwind a little. He smiled and said, “Don’t worry Minister Chu, I will keep my word.”

He spoke as he walked out, “Secretly bury Tang Xin Sheng; do not reveal this to anyone…”

Waiting outside were Cheng Zi Ang and Chen Yu Tong who immediately followed his order.

Tie Bu Tian remained silent as they walked over some distance. Then he suddenly turned and asked Chu Yang, “Now that Tang Xin Sheng is dead, his family…?”

Chu Yang remained silent for a while before answering, “I am guessing that Tang Xin Sheng’s current family might not be his real family. People like him would not do something as stupid as leaving his family like that. If there are still people in his home, they are not his real family…”

Tie Bu Tian nodded and said, “Yes, investigate!”

Not long after, spies came back with information that Tang Xin Sheng’s family was still at home.

“Minister Chu, what do you think?” With a searching gaze, Tie Bu Tian consulted Chu Yang.

Chu Yang sighed and said, “They can’t die yet. We must keep a tight lid on Tang Xin Sheng’s death… Regardless of whether they are fake or real, we must keep them there. If Diwu Qing Rou sends people to get them, we must keep them there at all costs. If that cannot be done, then we must kill them. And if no one comes, then they are definitely fake… At that time, I will see them.

Tie Bu Tian walked a few more steps, and deeply breathed in the cool air… The brutal scene inside the cell was difficult to deal with for a prince who had been living a sheltered life. It had been very good that he was able to hold it together like this.

A little while later, he turned to look at Chu Yang, “Minister Chu, if we reveal that Tang Xin Sheng is in our hands, would Diwu Qing Rou send people to rescue him?”

Chu Yang laughed loudly. Tie Bu Tian had finally returned to normal; he was not weak like earlier anymore. And the first thing he thought about after recovering was using this situation to attack his opponent.

“We need to release this news; whether Diwu Qing Rou would rescue him is uncertain… But there is no doubt that Tang Xin Sheng is a key character in Diwu Qing Rou’s plans…” Chu Yang smiled, and immediately sighed, “Unfortunately, he is already dead…”

Tie Bu Tian leisurely took two steps and said, “There is news from the border; Diwu Qing Rou had given orders for five military corps in northern Great Zhao to advance by a hundred miles. They are now in the position to confront our soldiers…”

“Because of this, Uncle Long Cheng will ride to the front line tomorrow afternoon…” Tie Bu Tian said pensively, “Diwu Qing Rou had remained inactive until now. And he suddenly mobilized five military corps… Does this have anything to do with Tang Xin Sheng…?”

Chu Yang was stunned; he suddenly remembered the note Diwu Qing Rou sent to Tang Xin Sheng.

That rushed handwriting… Could Diwu Qing Rou have mobilized the corps because of Tang Xin Sheng?

Chu Yang’s mind was in shock; if this is the case, my plans have great hopes for success.

Even Tie Bu Tian does not know that I intercepted Diwu Qing Rou’s secret note. And yet he brought this up; while there was a doubt in his tone, he seemed almost sure.

So Tie Bu Tian is also able to see through this!

Looking at Chu Yang, Tie Bu Tian asked as if he had already thought about it beforehand, “Minister Chu seems to have some trouble? Do you want me to send two people to protect you? The enemies have countless martial masters; we cannot afford to be careless…”

“No need.” Chu Yang protested immediately; a conflicting look appeared in his eyes.

He really wanted to comply, but when Tie Bu Tian said two people, he already knew who they were. In this current chaos, if he had Tie Bu Tian’s kind of protection, he would easily survive any danger; at least, things would not be as dangerous as before.

However, Chu Yang knew well that Tie Bu Tian’s safety was even more important than his own! If the person Diwu Qing Rou sent discovered that Tie Bu Tian’s bodyguards were with him, then Tie Bu Tian would run into immediate danger.

There was another important reason: the mind of a powerful person!

If he accepted protection, then he would have the mindset of a person under protection and lose his fearless spirit! This would lead to having inner demons when reaching the peak of cultivation!

No matter how powerful the enemies were, he must continue to advance forward! If he did not have the courage to face danger… then there was no hope left!

The mind of a powerful person: never be afraid!

Chu Yang slightly smiled conceitedly. The life and death situation in front of him was of no consequence! The road to becoming powerful was filled with life and death situations at every step. Should he depend on Tie Bu Tian every time?

Tie Bu Tian looked at Chu Yang as he was glowing with the desire to test his sword on the entire world… He discovered a ray of splendor, and lightly sighed without saying anything else.

Tie Bu Tian did not leave long before Wu Qian Qian brought a piece of paper out from King of Hell Chu’s room. Everyone who saw trembled in terror.

Who is he dealing with this time?

“There are names of some families written here…” Wu Qian Qian handed the paper to Cheng Zi Ang and said, “The minister ordered that no matter what tactics you use or how much force, you must overpower all of them. But don’t rush and don’t alert them beforehand.”

The moment Cheng Zi Ang looked, his face wrinkled like a bitter melon.

There were a dozen names on the paper as well as a few clans. It made Cheng Zi Ang dizzy… Was the power of more than forty people of Fierce Blood Hall capable of completing this mission?

“In this mission, Heavenly Secret Hall will work in conjunction with Fierce Blood Hall.” Wu Qian Qian continued… this immediately made a smiling Chen Yu Tong who was sitting on the side pale.

Cheng Zi Ang and Chen Yu Tong looked at each other and simultaneously sighed. People on the same boat really have the same mind…

These names were of all the people who provided references for Tang Xin Sheng’s identity. More precisely, they were his people. They were all neatly gathered on one piece of paper by Chu Yang.

“In addition, Minister Chu wants Hall Leader Chen to give him the things he asked for…” After she finished talking, Wu Qian Qian left.

Chen Yu Tong froze for a second. Immediately after, he ran straight into Heavenly Secrets Hall as if he was on fire. He breathlessly said, “Hey hey! Did you gather everything I told you? Quickly bring them all out…”

A moment later, Chen Yu Tong brought out a thick stack of documents and smiled as he knocked on Chu Yang’s door.

“Minister, haha…, Minister, haha…” Chen Yu Tong smiled nervously.

Looking at him, Wu Qian Qian could not help but laugh.

“How many…?” Chu Yang asked without bothering to look up.

“Thirty-seven total… haha…” Chen Yu Tong forced a smile as he wiped the sweat off his forehead.

“Tang Xin Sheng was an official for a decade and there were only this many petitions and everyday notes in the house…?” Even though the mask had completely covered Chu Yang’s expressions, his voice suddenly became cold.