Death… and me

"You mean… tonight?" Chu Yang gave him a piercing stare.

"I can read Imperial Star Technique…" Diwu Qing Rou smiled, "The Emperor Star is dazzling the entire world at present, and it’s basing itself on Iron Cloud’s side. This means that Iron Cloud will come out victorious no matter how long the war continues. I can’t change the providence even if I have incredible abilities."

The tip of Chu Yang’s eyebrows moved as he looked at Diwu Qing Rou in astonishment. He hadn’t expected the opposite party to be this honest. He said, "Have you seen the final outcome?"

"Yes." Diwu Qing Rou put on a deep smile, "That’s why I have come here!"

Chu Yang smiled back.

[Indeed, Diwu Qing Rou would’ve never come here if the victory were in his hands!]

"State your condition." Chu Yang spoke in a relaxed manner.

"Now… you’re also aware that this stuff called ‘fate energy’ is illusory, but it’s extremely important for a clan. Moreover, the Zhuge Clan isn’t the only one that needs fate energy…" Diwu Qing Rou’s smile revealed a profound meaning, "… My Diwu Clan needs fate energy as well!"

"Fate energy…" Chu Yang pondered for a second. Then, he honestly confessed, "But, I don’t understand the stuff you’re talking about in its entirety…"

"You don’t need to understand — I do!" Diwu Qing Rou smiled gently.

The noise of battle slowly started to reduce on the outside. It seemed like the enemy troops had started to retreat. However, Chu Yang didn’t bother about it; Diwu Qing Rou didn’t seem to care either. In fact, he was alone in the enemy camp… surrounded by hundreds of thousands of troops… but, he wasn’t least bit worried…

Some time passed-by. Chu Yang smiled indifferently and said, "What you said sounds right, but… to believe that things will happen in absolute accordance to what you said… I can’t help but worry because I don’t trust you!" His eyes were intently watching Diwu Qing Rou. He smiled and continued, "Unless you can give me a good-enough reason so that I can rest assured."

"I’m here to give you that exact reason." Diwu Qing Rou calmly explained, "Fate energy is very important. And, Zhuge Clan wants to extract fate energy by pumping it out of Great Zhao… but… Great Zhao wouldn’t exist after this war ends!"

He let out a profound laugh and continued, "Therefore, Zhuge Clan won’t have the fate energy they wish to extract…"

Chu Yang nodded, but his brain was constantly at work, and was rapidly processing a myriad of thoughts.

"So, the Zhuge Clan will be in trouble when Nine Tribulations Sword’s Master ascends to the Upper Three Heavens this time." Diwu Qing Rou smiled.

"I don’t understand…" Chu Yang shook his head. He seemed confused as he asked, "The Zhuge Clan doesn’t necessarily have to face this ‘misfortune’ when Nine Tribulations Sword’s Master ascends to the Upper Three Heavens, right? If these clans are modest and become friends with the Master of Nine Tribulations Sword… and don’t provoke him… as long as they don’t interfere with his work and mind their own business… he won’t necessarily need to go out of his way to destroy the super-clans, right?"

"Ha ha ha…" Diwu Qing Rou couldn’t help but laugh out loud, "Minister Chu, judging from what you’ve just said… one can say that… you are a man of great integrity even though you possess such superior wisdom and don’t shy away from using strange and sinister means!"

"Eh…" Chu Yang touched his nose in embarrassment. He genuinely didn’t know what Diwu Qing Rou had meant by that…

"The Nine Heavens reshuffle each time the Nine Tribulations Sword’s Master is born!" Diwu Qing Rou solemnly said, "But, why this reshuffle? This is the heaven’s means to put things in order!"

"But, why reshuffle?" Chu Yang was following him closely; so, he asked. He faintly felt something about this topic… but, it was vague. So, he took advantage of this opportunity to ask the question in order to get to the bottom of it.

"Why does a nation’s dynasty change?" Diwu Qing Rou asked a rhetorical question. Then, he himself replied, "That’s because the former dynasty is so rotten that it has to be eliminated. The same applies to the Nine Heavens as well!"

Chu Yang nodded, "I agree with this point. Any clan that has monopolized power and enjoyed dominance for ten thousand years will certainly breed many malignant tumors. And, these malignant tumors are often deadly."

"Indeed, this is the reason." Diwu Qing Rou deeply nodded.

"The Nine Tribulations Sword’s Master won’t take the initiative to provoke the Zhuge Clan, but… the Zhuge Clan will provoke him for sure…! Something will surely happen without their knowledge of it… regardless of the clan's repeated attempts to stay out of trouble. Moreover, the Nine Tribulations Sword’s Master won’t accept any kind of peace settlement once this mishap occurs. And, these contradictions will continue to intensify. The Zhuge Clan will eventually find out that the opposite party was none other the Nine Tribulations Sword’s Master. But, the situation would’ve intensified to such an extent that… even the divine intervention won’t be able to restore it."

Diwu Qing Rou smiled deeply and said, "This is the predestined fate; this is the destiny! And, the Nine Tribulations Sword’s Master is the very origin of this predestined fate. Therefore, it stays by his side at all times, and doesn’t separate from him… no matter what happens. He doesn’t ever have to stir-up trouble, but the troubles will automatically find him!"

Diwu Qing Rou’s gaze turned profound, "Even if he is at home sleeping — someone will come to rock his house, and force him to take revenge. He would try to look for justice and get an explanation, but this explanation is often never peaceful. So, he will have to resort to force when that happens… and then, people would die. And, the issue will continue to get bigger and bigger once people start to die."

Diwu Qing Rou put on a mysterious smile and asked, "Do you know why?"

"I don’t." Chu Yang replied in honesty.

"It's called ‘inexorable fate’ in the Nine Heavens Continent. It corresponds to the term ‘tribulation’ in the name of Nine Tribulations Sword." Diwu Qing Rou chucked, "But, it is called the 'center effect' in the astrology. And, the Nine Tribulations Sword’s Master is at the center of everything.

"Let’s treat the Nine Heavens Continent as a stage for drama. And, the Nine Tribulations Sword’s Master becomes the main character!" Diwu Qing Rou’s cold eyes flashed and released a sharp light as he continued in a sinister and vicious tone, "However, the path of the protagonist is never free of problems!"

"So, that’s how it is!" Chu Yang deeply nodded and said, "So, in the end… all of this can be described by this one term which is… ‘providence’, right?"

Diwu Qing Rou laughed heartily, "Exactly!"

His sharp eyes glanced at Wu Qian Qian, and a mysterious smile appeared on his face as he said, "Minister Chu, for example… if you were the Nine Tribulations Sword’s Master… you were at home and didn’t do anything to any clan. You didn’t offend anyone, but suddenly… here comes a young ruffian… a lecher who lives for sex. And one day, he comes, ties up an outstanding beauty like Miss Wu, and takes her away… I would like to ask you — will you let him off?"

He didn’t wait for Chu Yang’s reply, and continued further, "Assume that this young ruffian has the backing of one of the nine super-clans, and his father is at the helm of the clan — will you let him off?"

Chu Yang was stunned for a moment. But then, he firmly replied, "How can I forgive that f*ker so easily?"

Wu Qian Qian’s face turned red.

"Right? This is exactly what you call ‘fate’!" Diwu Qing Rou explained in a calm manner, "The ordinary people call it ‘fate’. And, they can only accept their fate. But, the fate that manifests in the case of the Nine Tribulations Sword’s Master is called ‘inexorable fate’! The inexorable fate of that young ruffian’s clan…"

The so-called ‘condition’ that Diwu Qing Rou wanted to talk about had merely been mentioned in the conversation, but it hadn’t yet been elaborated because Chu Yang had branched-off the discussion in a different direction. However, Diwu Qing Rou wasn’t in a rush; nor was he irritated. He was doing his best to dispel Chu Yang’s doubts instead…

This was very strange…

Diwu Qing Rou had patience and foresight… yet he shouldn’t have to be so patient with Chu Yang.

"I see… so the Nine Heavens basically revolve around the Nine Tribulations Sword." Chu Yang took a long deep breath, "Or, to put it simply — the providence exists to bring about the change of rule in the Nine Heavens. And, that’s why the Nine Tribulations Sword is revered in the Nine Heavens!"

"Yes!" Diwu Qing Rou solemnly and respectfully replied.

They didn’t speak again for a long time.

"How do you wish to cooperate?" Chu Yang asked. He brought this up on his own accord, and this could be considered as ‘returning the favor’ against Diwu Qing Rou’s acts of sharing this information.

"My heart was set on this matter when I came to the Lower Three Heavens. So, I secretly studied the ‘fate energy shift’ channel, and built a small one myself…" Diwu Qing Rou smiled and continued, "It was small, but the entirety of the Diwu Clan’s supplies — which they had been saving-up for the last 10,000 years — got consumed in one shot!"

"Oh?" Chu Yang raised his eyebrows.

"We obviously wouldn’t dare to compete with the Zhuge Clan over the Great Zhao’s fate energy. I had thought that Iron Cloud’s noble imperial energy would still somewhat remain even if it loses in the war. But, its noble imperial energy would slowly start to dissipate in the world. However, the Zhuge Clan obviously wouldn’t be interested in the leftover fate energy of the losing side. Such being the case… it would transform into a cheap bargain for my Diwu Clan! Moreover, a small array formation like this one won’t impact my lifespan much — only 30 years… and, I can easily afford to pay with 30 years of my lifespan."

Diwu Qing Rou continued, "Therefore… it will be amazing for the survival of my Diwu Clan if Iron Cloud wins… Of course, I will have to first escape from the wrath of the Zhuge Clan for failing in the mission… then comes the rest."

"I see…" Chu Yang gasped. [It’s hard to imagine that Diwu Qing Rou had been secretly working on such a move during those years.]

[This guy always keeps a way out for himself… regardless of what situation he’s in!]

"However, I will be in imminent peril if that happens." Diwu Qing Rou laughed bitterly, "That’s because I was only going to collect the residual fate energy. It was obviously just a casual arrangement. However… it seems that the Iron Cloud is going to win this war! This… is tantamount to the providence playing a merciless game with me. If my Diwu Clan really absorbs the fate energy of Iron Cloud by the time the Nine Tribulations Sword’s Master arrives to dominate the Nine Heavens… that is when I – Diwu Qing Rou – will dissipate between heaven and earth!

"And, this originates from the fact that I had originally planted a small array! So, the end result is – the arrival of good fortune is always beyond expectation for a person!" Diwu Qing Rou faced towards the sky, and heaved a deep sigh.

Chu Yang was suddenly caught off-guard by this. He had been admiring Diwu Qing Rou’s mysterious mechanisms and unpredictable methods a moment ago. But, he didn’t know that it would evolve into this in an instant…

"I would gladly give-up my life if I can make my Diwu Clan last forever…" Diwu Qing Rou solemnly spoke-up, "But, I had truly arranged the array in a hurry… because for the fate energy to form – in-particular this type of fate energy… whose production depends on the rise and fall of a nation – it is required that blood and vital energy shoot up to the sky!"

"Blood and vital energy shoot up to the sky?" Chu Yang’s face was as expressionless as a deadpan. He though in his heart, [It’s no wonder that Diwu Qing Rou launched the war in such a blunt manner. So, that’s how it is…]

"However, you must’ve guesses that something was off after the way I openly attacked… and then shadily retreat. In fact, you must’ve seen the flaw. So, you won’t fall into my trap." Diwu Qing Rou insipidly said.

"As the matter stands — a decisive battle may not happen! And, the fate energy won’t be enough if I retreat because the Great Zhao will become frail day-after-day, while the Iron Cloud will start to shine like the midday sun. It will slowly flourish in the beginning, and reach the peak of its power. Then, it will get eroded with the progression of time. However, there will be no production of people’s fighting spirit or fate energy…"

"Therefore, I need a decisive battle!" Diwu Qing Rou slowly clenched his teeth and said, "…8 million people invested entirely in a decisive battle of extermination! Then… you must defeat me in this decisive battle!"