Death… and me

"There is actually another method. However, it is a little inhumane. It is a way to humiliate him but I am not sure if this will yield any results." One of the shadows softly suggested.

"If it's inhumane and you're not even sure if that it will yield any results, then why must you humiliate a good man?" 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…" as they both looked at the horror in the cell, Tie Bu Tian could not control his disgust and made a retching sound. He then waved his hand and said, "Minister Chu is right. Let him die with some dignity. We still have many ways in which we can deal with Diwu Qing Rou. Torturing and forcing a confession is not what we will want to do anyway. We do not need to insult such a good man like that…"

"It would be such a waste to kill him!" Chu Yang said in disagreement. Even if it was just to keep him as bait, keeping Tang Xin Sheng would still be extremely valuable.

"Just kill him…" Tie Bu Tian sighed, "Should a man like him be forced to suffer such humiliation? There are still things which we will be able to accomplish after his death. The key lies in how we plan everything. There is simply no need to torture him any longer…"

"If that is what your majesty decides, I will give him mercy." Chu Yang said as he nodded. He then pulled out a dagger and slowly approached Tang Xin Sheng… He had wanted to free Tang Xin Sheng from his suffering but had 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 look of arrogance.

Even without an answer, Chu Yang understood. A proud person would rather suffer the tortures of enemies than to kill himself.

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

Chu Yang nodded. He raised his hand and stabbed him 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. He then let out a calm smile, and for some strange reason, he was able to speak, "Diwu… finally has a rival… My only regret is that… I will no longer be 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 further humiliate such a stoic individual, he still believed that keeping Tang Xin Sheng alive was far more beneficial. He was unsure if this decision to kill him was good or bad…

"Official Tang, you are a good man and I should not use you as a pawn…" Tie Bu Tian said as he looked down at Tang Xin Sheng's body and said with a heavy heart. If there is a next life, I hope that we will be able to become emperor and subject once again!"

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 went above and beyond. That single 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. It is a good thing to be able to admire talent. However to carry that same mentality towards the enemy is equivalent to digging your own grave!

A mindset like that was fine for an ordinary person. However, for a ruler of a weak country in this time of instability and war, to carry this mentality was 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 at least 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 by taking his mind off what had happened 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; But 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 continued walking for a while. 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 vulnerable 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. However, if no one comes, it is likely that they are his fake family… At that time, I will take care of things.

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

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 no longer vulnerable as he was before. Moreover, the first thing he thought about after recovering from it was using this situation to attack his opponent.

"We need to release this news; it is still uncertain whether or not Diwu Qing Rou would come to his rescue… Nevertheless, 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 a 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 has remained inactive until now. Out of the blue, 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 was 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; despite there was a doubt in his tone, he seemed almost sure.

Therefore it would be likely that Tie Bu Tian would also be 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? Would you like me to send for two people to protect you? The enemies have countless martial masters; we cannot afford to be careless…"

"There is no need." Chu Yang protested immediately; a conflicting look appeared in his eyes.

Although he wanted to comply with Tie Bu Tian's request, when he said two people, he was already aware of who they would be. Moreover, in the current situation, if he had Tie Bu Tian's kind of protection, he would have been easily been able to survive any kind of danger and things would not be as dangerous as they were before.

However, Chu Yang knew full well that Tie Bu Tian's safety was even far more important than his own! If the person Diwu Qing Rou sent discovered that Tie Bu Tian's bodyguards were with him, 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 mindset of a powerful person is never to be afraid!

Chu Yang 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. He cannot depend on Tie Bu Tian all the time!

Tie Bu Tian looked at Chu Yang who glowed with a desire to test his strength… He saw a ray of splendor and sighed slightly to himself without saying a word.

It was not after Tie Bu Tian left that Wu Qian Qian brought in a piece of paper cut from King of Hell Chu's room. Everyone who saw this began to tremble in terror.

Who is he dealing with this time?

"The names of some families are written on this slip of paper…" Wu Qian Qian said as she handed the paper to Cheng Zi Ang, "The minister has ordered that regardless of whatever tactics or force you might use, you must overpower all of them. However, do not rush or alert them beforehand."

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

On the slip of paper were a dozen of names as well as a few clans. Cheng Zi Ang was overwhelmed. Was the might of more than forty people of the Fierce Blood Hall capable of accomplishing such a mission?

"In this mission, Heavenly Secret Hall will work in conjunction with Fierce Blood Hall." Wu Qian Qian continued… this immediately made Chen Yu Tong who had been grinning from ear to ear as he sat on the side pale with dismay.

Cheng Zi Ang and Chen Yu Tong looked at each other and simultaneously sighed. People in 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 had been neatly consolidated on a list 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 though 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 from 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.