Death… and me

1373 The Hilt of The Nine Tribulations Sword

“Get all of them to scram! I say, Little Ye, if I hear all this noise again during my cultivation… Don’t blame me for not showing you courtesy,” said Ning Tianya pompously, on account of his seniority.

“Understood!” A repressed Ye Chenchen answered. Turning his head back viciously, he tried to suppress his anger as he snapped, “Hurry and get the hell back! I’ll settle the score with all of you when we get back!”

This wasn’t just settling scores anymore; in this instant, Ye Chenchen had even the intention to swallow them alive!

He was filled with utmost repression.

I’m already so old! Can all of you! Can all of you… not embarrass me like this…

Stepping forward, he dealt each of them a palm strike each and allowed these fellows to regain some capacity to move. Then, Ye Chenchen kicked Ye Zui on his bottom. “Get lost! If you dare to show up at the foot of Pagoda Mountain again, I’ll destroy your cultivation!”

Ye Zui fled in a sorry plight, bringing his men with him as he did so.

“Elder Ning, thank you for showing mercy. If there’s nothing else, I’ll head back now.” Ye Chenchen held his fists out and bid farewell. He had already made up his mind.

It was pretty much since nine thousand years ago that he had stopped concerning himself with clan matters. But now, it looked like there was a real need to clean things up.

This Ye Clan, a clan that behaved like this, had made even himself feel estranged from it…

“Wait, there’s one more thing I want to remind you of.” Ning Tianya watched him solemnly, his eyes cold and sinister. “Little Ye, this great-great-grandson of yours… This number one successor to the Ye Clan… Don’t you feel that there’s something very abnormal about him?”

Ye Chenchen was utterly confused. “Abnormal?”

Ning Tianya replied solemnly, “He’s practicing demonic arts!”

“Demonic arts? What dem…” Just as Ye Chenchen uttered a somewhat confused murmur, his expression suddenly changed drastically. “Elder Ning, what you mean is…”

Ning Tianya nodded dispassionately. “Exactly what you’re thinking of! You can verify it yourself when you get back… On account of your father, I’ll give you a pointer this time.”

Ye Chenchen was completely drenched in cold sweat instantly. Bowing all the way down, he said with absolute sincerity and some belated fear, “Thank you very much, Elder Ning!”

He had to thank him.

If Ning Tianya hadn’t told him but someone else instead… Ye Chenchen could guarantee that within the span of a month, the Ye Clan would be completely erased from this continent!

The demonic arts!

This was a threat far greater than what the Nine Tribulations Sword Master posed.

Most people weren’t aware of the demonic arts, but how could those who were already beyond the level of a seventh-grade or eighth-grade Supreme Martial Artist and had gained the right to be privy to confidential secrets not know of it? Among the law-enforcement officers… Would the Dharma Supreme etc not know of it?

With a somber expression, Ye Chenchen flew off and left.

Ning Tianya also breathed a sigh of relief.

The Ye Clan definitely wouldn’t dare to come to the Pagoda Mountain anymore. Ye Chenchen would also keep Ye Zui on a tight leash, so Chu Yang shouldn’t face any more issues. In that case, he should now prepare to head to the Lower Three Heavens…

Turning back, Ning Tianya glanced behind him. He murmured, “The sixth fragment of the Nine Tribulations Sword… He’s almost there… Chu Yang, do not mistreat my disciple…”

With a flash, he suddenly vanished, leaving behind no trace of himself.

…

Chu Yang had already entered the cave.

The cave looked very shallow from the outside, as though one could see right to the end with just one glance.

But after entering, one would realize that this cave was unexpectedly long and winding. It actually seemed as if one would never reach the end.

After walking in over a hundred feet, a corner where Chu Yang could turn entered his sight. At the corner, to his surprise, he noticed a piece of paper being held in place with a jade pendant.

“xx day, xx month, xx year — I accidentally entered this cave. Having lost all hope, I can only leave this world. My lover met with a calamity while I myself suffered injustice. I had wished to kill the villain, but there is nothing I can do! Alas! Never mind, I shall see the end of my life in this cave then.”

Even though Chu Yang didn’t recognize the handwriting, he realized after reading the content. This must have been left behind by Lang Yilang when he had entered this cave the first time.

For some reason, he didn’t remove it but left it here all this time.

But Chu Yang’s thoughts then came around — If he were Lang Yilang, he probably wouldn’t have removed it either. He would have left it here as a sort of testimony to remind himself of the goal he should work toward…

Sighing, Chu Yang applied force and the jade pendant and paper disintegrated together. “Since your feud has been resolved, then let’s allow this sense of persistence to dissipate…”

As he walked further in, the aura of Purple Crystals became richer and richer. After a good two hours…

When he turned the last corner, Chu Yang was astounded!

The dazzling color of Purple Crystals that entered his eyes without warning almost blinded him. Everywhere that he could see was pretty much completely a world made of Purple Crystals.

The entire interior of this enormous cave was formed by one gigantic piece of whole Purple Crystal!

Purple light shone and dazzled throughout the entire cave.

And this was merely the entrance to the Purple Crystal cave!

About twenty feet in, a mark could be seen clearly, as though someone had moved about in that area over the years. The Purple Crystal on the ground there had already been somewhat smoothened.

Lang Yilang must have cultivated his Purple Crystal Hand here.

The Nine Tribulations Sword trembled as it urged Chu Yang to go further in.

Stepping forward, Chu Yang walked deeper in. After another few hundred feet, he sensed that there seemed to be some kind of barrier ahead that was preventing people from entering. A cloud of purple light, dense and shiny, had solidified and sealed the entrance to the cave at this point.

Chu Yang walked up to it. He reached out and gave it a push, only to realize that his hand seemed to have sunk into a spread of sticky goo. A wave of energy surged intensely toward the outside. Chu Yang summoned up all his strength, yet he was still thrown out violently by this sticky goo’s power.

He was thrown back a hundred feet!

This place was indeed not somewhere that a regular person could enter.

Rather than being alarmed, Chu Yang was instead delighted at being driven back. He raised his arm and a tiny sword gradually took form in the middle of his palm. A crystal clear sword hum suddenly emitted from it.

The Nine Tribulations Sword was right at hand!

The Nine Tribulations Sword in its true form.

Chu Yang slowly walked forward. The tip of the Nine Tribulations Sword slowly pierced the spread of sticky goo. All of a sudden, the entire sword lit up.

Wisps of an unknown substance seemed to be entering the body of the sword, while wisps of something were also gushing out of the Nine Tribulations Sword and into the surrounding fog.

Just like two old friends who hadn’t seen each other in ages had finally reunited and were greeting each other warmly.

“Have you eaten?”

“Yes, I have. Have you?”

“Yes, I have eaten too.”

“That’s great, we’ve both eaten…”

At least, that was the kind of bizarre feeling Chu Yang was having right now.

Then, after they greeted each other like that… That cloud of translucent and mysterious purple fog suddenly disappeared. Just like a door that had originally been tightly sealed, after going through a few lines of unbelievably empty and nonsensical civilities, suddenly opened and went, “Please come in!”.

Even Chu Yang found this incredibly ridiculous.

The Nine Tribulations Sword was already swooping forward. Chu Yang followed closely after.

After entering, Chu Yang discovered that the cave walls here had become Purple Crystal Cores. Purple Crystal Cores lay closely side by side, connected as one to form a cave…

Chu Yang marveled at it as he took step after step forward. After walking several hundred feet, the place turned into a whole span of Purple Crystal Jade Essence!

This body of Purple Crystal Jade Essence easily spanned several hundred feet as it extended inwards.

After walking in further, true to his expectations, what appeared next were Souls of Purple Crystal indeed.

The Sword Spirit was still leading the way in front excitedly.

Chu Yang had a ridiculous feeling in his mind — Could there be Holy Crystals and Divine Crystals in here too?

Alas, the Nine Tribulations Sword came to a stop at the root area of the Souls of Purple Crystal.

Chu Yang slowly walked over, only to see a peculiar flower deep within the cave. The flower was completely formed by Purple Crystal aura. In the middle, something lay quietly on top.

A sword hilt!

The sword hilt rested in the eye of the flower, quiet and unmoving. However, it leisurely gave off an imposing aura, as though it had everything firmly in its grasp.

The aura emanated in a very composed and very steady manner.

The first five fragments of the Nine Tribulations Sword started to tremble with excitement. The sword intent left the body of the sword and weaved about in mid-air in excitement.

In the world of his subconsciousness.

The Sword Spirit commented with some surprise, “So the sixth fragment of the Nine Tribulations Sword is the hilt this time!”

A composed Chu Yang replied, “Looks like it.”

In his mind, however, he thought of the text written in the Nine Tribulations Sword principle verse.

The hilt of the Nine Tribulations Sword. The handle of the sword was where the source of all attacks of the sword was controlled.

The hilt of the Nine Tribulations Sword was divided into two sides — Yin and Yang — and possessed both elements of the universe!

Chu Yang looked over to see that even though the sword hilt was the same color throughout, one side of it was rather shiny while the other was rather dark.

But of course, when held in the hand, this was not noticeable at all.

The first five fragments of the sword started to become restless at the same time. The sword hilt started to slowly rise from the flower of fog. It moved slowly and leisurely, yet it gave people a kind of feeling that was unbelievably composed and confident.

The next moment, the sword tip, edge, spine, crossguard and tang dived over at the same time!

Clang, clang, clang, clang, clang!

Every part settled in its respective position!

After a dazzling flash of light, a sword nearing completion appeared right before Chu Yang! In his eyes, this sword was already complete.

If something must be said to be missing, then it would be the sword pommel.

That is the tip of the sword hilt, also known as the sword knob.

Other than that, it was basically already perfect and lacking nothing. Chu Yang couldn’t help but be puzzled — The Nine Tribulations Sword should consist of nine fragments. In that case, what could the other two fragments be?

A sword close to completion reappeared in front of Chu Yang.

It emanated a warm and friendly intent.

With a smile, Chu Yang reached out. The sword hilt seemed to hesitate for a moment before it cautiously landed in his palm.

The sword intent came whizzing over, entangling itself around it.

With some uncertainty and caution, the sword hilt shook slightly in Chu Yang’s palm.

A warm smile appeared on Chu Yang’s face and he opened his heart and soul to it. The first five fragments of the Nine Tribulations Sword were encouraging it, or perhaps waiting and looking forward…

The next moment, the sword hilt gave a very light tremor.

Then, the Nine Tribulations Sword let out a clang and the minuscule gaps that had originally existed between each part and the next completely disappeared!

The entire sword was as crystal clear as water, and as composed and steady as a mountain. The body of the sword shone brightly, as though wind and clouds were surging.

Chu Yang’s heart suddenly felt a little more assured. Yes, assured. The kind of feeling as though one had something that he could really rely on and a strong sense of security.

At the same time, his mind suddenly blurred and trembled. Before he even realized, he had entered the Nine Tribulations Space.

Only to see that the current Nine Tribulations Space, compared to just a moment before, had expanded by not just ten but a hundred times! Purple aura permeated every inch of space. In an empty area, the Sword Spirit wielded the sword, displaying move after move of profound wisdom.

They were the sword moves of the sixth fragment of the Nine Tribulations Sword!

“I hold the decisive power over one’s life in my hand; the heavens are on the brink of collapse when my fingers close. Wind and clouds gather when the nine tribulations disperse; blood splatters like ink beyond the Nine Heavens!”