Death… and me

"I was besieged not long after that matter. And, my old brother got seriously injured while helping me. Even his clan nearly got destroyed…" Young Master Yu appeared to be lost in recollection as he continued, "This piece of Purple Crystal Jade Essence is no treasure. But, I have put it here because… I have looked around the entire Nine Heavens, and no one has ever helped me except for that person in these many years!

"So, I have put it here to keep it as a sign of our friendship," Young Master Yu slowly said.

"I see." Chu Yang’s throat had become dry. He felt that he wouldn’t be able to speak anything else today. So, he struggled and could let out only one sentence from his mouth –‘I see’.

It was too unexpected!

It was too… surprising!

It was… too, too, too… coincidental!

The face of this guy made him seem very young. In fact, he didn’t look more than thirty years old. So, it was unexpected and unimaginable that he had lived for an unknown number of years… [Dammit! A grandson…?]

[Does it mean that this guy is from the generation of my Great-Grandpa?]

"Um… Brother Yu…" Chu Yang forced a smile.

"What?" Young Master Yu looked him. He was somewhat puzzled, "Do you want this?"

"No, no, no… Brother Yu… Ahm Ahm… Brother Yu… Brother Yu…" Chu Yang said ‘Brother Yu’ several times. He thought, [Dammit! Calling him ‘Brother Yu’ is already too much… but, I am calling him Young Master Yu so many times. But, I’m a little more compelled to call him Grandpa Yu now. Fu*k me! What’s wrong with me…]

"What’s the matter?" Young Master Yu was puzzled.

"Ahm ahm… Brother Yu, I meant to say… Brother Yu, have you never gone back to look for your brother in so many years?" Chu Yang asked with pauses.

"I want to go back and take a look… but, my present cultivation is still not good enough." Young Master Yu heaved a deep sigh, "I’m afraid that my return will implicate my old brother and bring destruction to his family. So, I can’t dare to go back!

"I have changed my appearance many a times over these past years. And, I’ve been going into hiding in the Middle Three Heavens because of that. But, I don’t want them to get involved in dangerous matters because of me! How would it be easy for them to deal with one of the ruling clans of the Upper Three Heavens, ah…" Young Master Yu was somewhat disappointed and frustrated.

"Those dominating clans would certainly want to get their hands on this secret if they found out that I was crippled to that extent and still managed to recover…! And, just in case they found that I was with that man back then… then… he he…"

"Oh… I see how it is!" Chu Yang understood this point very clearly. Young Master Yu had always been so carefree and self-centered. So, it was hard to imagine that he actually cared for others. In fact, it was nearly impossible to think that his thoughts were full of meticulous care.

"Unfortunately, I could never meet my old brother since these past years. I really miss him in my heart." Young Master Yu went on a mental journey after he said this.

"We should look at the third treasure," Chu Yang heard Young Master Yu saying ‘my old brother’, and he felt a shiver down his spine. He touched his nose in a somewhat uncomfortable manner. [You think that I will let you make me feel uncomfortable? No way…]

The Sword Spirit burst into loud laughter inside Chu Yang’s mind even though he was very depressed in reality.

"This is the third treasure!" Young Master Yu looked at the third lotus flower. There was a piece of white snowflake. He then said with warmth in his voice, "But, I can’t give you this thing… even if you want it. I must keep it since this thing is very useful for me. I will jump up to the Supreme Level in one fell swoop with the help of this thing once I arrive at the bottleneck to enter the Supreme Level!"

He deeply looked at the white snowflake and said, "This is a piece of Soaring to the Skies Snow. It has only one function, and that is to help break through!"

"That’s okay…" Chu Yang spread out his hands, "Tell me what’s next since you won’t give it to me…"

Chu Yang wasn’t interested in this Soaring to the Skies Snow. That was because… This thing would only become useful when he’d arrive at the bottleneck to the Supreme Level. And, there was still a lot of time for his cultivation to reach that high. Moreover, this item was preserved here with Young Master Yu. In fact, this item might perhaps get fused into his body before there would be enough time to transfer it into the Nine Tribulations Space if it were to fall into his hands.

[Moreover, this thing can help a ninth grade Saint Level Expert to break through to Supreme Level. How much energy does it contain? I’m afraid that the Sword Spirit won’t even get enough time to extract power from it, and my body will explode in the process…]

[And, I will become the first one to die of greed in the history of Nine Tribulations Sword’s Masters if that happens…]

"The fourth treasure is actually the gift I have prepared for you." Young Master Yu said with a smile, "This is Sun and Moon Ointment!" he smiled and said, "I had originally promised you a Purple Jade Core. But, I don’t have that thing here. So, I could give you the Purple Crystal Jade Essence in place of that. It isn’t the most valuable item in my hidden treasure-house even though it is far more valuable than the Purple Crystal Core. But, I realized that I would hate to part with it when I came to think of it. I can’t give it to you because… my sentiments are attached to it."

Young Master Yu looked at the Purple Crystal Jade Essence with eyes full of deep sentiments. Then, he slowly said, "Therefore, I am willing to give you a big bargain. I will give you this Sun and Moon Ointment instead."

"Then… I will gladly take you up on your offer." Chu Yang forced a smile. This big favor that had fallen from the heavens… had left him to feel smashed, confused, and disoriented.

Sun and Moon Ointment! The Nine Tribulations Sword somersaulted in the Dantian from excitement!

"Well, you can also consider it as a repayment for allowing me to keep the Mysterious Jade Ice Crystal and the Mysterious Yang Jade," Young Master Yu smiled and said, "Your account will certainly be balanced with this. The combined value of the Mysterious Jade Ice Crystal and the Mysterious Yang Jade can’t be compared with that of the Sun and Moon Ointment. But, the Sun and Moon Ointment is useless to me. Well, these are two different things nevertheless. However, the fact is that I urgently needed these two items, and I can’t find them anywhere!"

He laughed out loud and said, "A man can buy a loaf of steamed-bread in-exchange of a thousand pound of gold in the times of starvation. It totally depends on what situation one is in at that time! A thousand pound of gold can’t buy life. But, a steamed-bread can save a life. This is the fact."

He tilted his head and looked at Chu Yang, "You tell me… is it worth it to trade gold for steamed-bread?"

"More than worth it!" Chu Yang calmly smiled and replied, "I got a great deal today… regardless of the situation."

"The Purple Crystal Jade Essence was acquired by me. But, the other four treasures in my hidden treasure-house are my family property… They’ve been here since I was born," Young Master Yu laughed out loud, "My ancestors have left these things behind as gifts for me. And, I’m giving one to you now. I just hope that their departed souls won’t crawl up from their graves to teach me a lesson!"

He took the Sun and Moon Ointment as he said this, and handed it over to Chu Yang. He seemed very unaffected even though he was giving away this valuable treasure. In fact, he didn’t seem to have any willingness of keeping it. Instead, it seemed as if he was throwing away garbage.

Chu Yang also smiled and said, "I will gladly accept it in that case." He received the Sun and Moon Ointment.

As the name suggests, the Sun and Moon Ointment is formed when the essence of the sun and the moon intersect in one place. It condenses for gods know how many years. Then, a fantastic energy is formed with the fusion of the true fire of the sun, and the true energy of the moon.

It was as soft as cotton, and as light as air. This thing was particularly useful for the swords and sabers. A sword would be nourished with warmth and blood even if a little of it was wiped on it. It would produce the wisdom of the Heavenly Armament Spirit. It was a long process, but it had a unique function that nothing could replace!

The difference between having a weapon with ordinary spirit wisdom… and having the wisdom of Heavenly Armament Spirit… was simply incomparable!

Moreover, a weapon smeared with the Sun and Moon Ointment would possess a ‘memory recall’ ability. So, the weapon would always automatically restore itself to its best state… no matter how much damage it suffered.

However, the Nine Tribulations Sword lacked this very ability! So, the Nine Tribulations Sword it would also become a weapon with Heavenly Armament Spirit Wisdom if it was merged with the Sun and Moon Ointment. Then, it would also possess this ability!

And, it could never be destroyed after that!

The Sword Spirit inhaled a deep breath in his Dantian. Then, he muttered, "It is indeed a great occurrence… none of the previous masters of the Nine Tribulations Sword have obtained this great item. But, this is the era of this boy now. This boy is obtaining all the things, and he’s breaking the previous records…"

"I have already paid as per the commitment. And, it also seems that you’re very satisfied." Young Master Yu smiled and said, "Now, it’s time to repay the gambling debt."

"Heavenly Orchid! Heavenly Orchid! Heavenly Orchid, ah! Heavenly Orchid!" the Sword Spirit crazily yelled in Chu Yang’s mind.

"Um, actually… there is something." Chu Yang took a deep breath. He had diligently spoken this under the Sword Spirit’s pressure. He then tried to probe out, "Your Heavenly Orchid… is very useful to me! I don’t know… whether Brother Yu would be willing to give it to me?"

Chu Yang had thought for a very longtime. Several thoughts had revolved in his mind. Then, he had finally chosen to get straight to the point. So, he had stated his purpose very directly. He knew that he would be the one to suffer a loss if he tried to play tricks on someone like Young Master Yu.

"The Heavenly Orchid?" Young Master Yu suddenly turned around and looked at Chu Yang’s face with a sharp look, "Do you want the Heavenly Orchid?"

"Yes." Chu Yang looked him in the eyes and nodded without hesitation.

"You know about the Heavenly Orchid. So, you must also know that this Heavenly Orchid has grown for ninety-thousand years!" Young Master Yu looked closely at him, "And, a ninety-thousand-years-old Heavenly Orchid is extremely poisonous! So, it is of no use to you. What would you do with it?"

"I can’t tell you… what I will do with it." Chu Yang calmly replied, "But, I want it for sure. And, it is very useful to me!"

Young Master Yu sneered and said, "I had promised you the Purple Crystal Core, and gave you Sun and Moon Ointment in its place! You gave me a Yin and Yang Jade Pair, and I gave you the entire stock of White Crystal Ore! King of Hell Chu, I don’t owe anything to you anymore. So, why should I give you the Heavenly Orchid?"

"Is there anything you need? I will have a trade with you if I can produce what you need in-exchange!" Chu Yang framed the words very carefully.

"Ha ha ha… what do I need?" Young Master Yu suddenly let out a shrill laughter. The laughter echoed in this sealed place for a very long time.

He glared at Chu Yang with coldly sparkling eyes after he was done laughing. He then said, "I just told you so many things. But, do you know my origin? Do you know the history of this icy peak? Do you know… the history of this Heavenly Orchid?"

"I don’t know."

"You don’t know anything. Yet, you are asking me for the Heavenly Orchid?" Young Master Yu burst into loud laughter.

"An ignorant man is scared of nothing! I have dared to ask since I don’t know." Chu Yang insipidly said, "Perhaps I wouldn’t have dared to open my mouth if I had heard the things you’ve said. And Brother Yu, the sound of your laughter was so loud that it made my ears hurt."

A light flashed in Young Master Yu’s eyes as he snorted. He had obviously noticed the hint that was present in Chu Yang’s statement – ‘the sound of your laughter was so loud that it made my ears hurt’.

"Ninety-thousand years ago… that matchless and extraordinary man had integrated the Nine Heavens. However, it exterminated five races as a result!" A mysterious light flashed in Young Master Yu’s eyes as he said, "The crisis was approaching a certain race that was on this icy mountain-peak ninety-thousand years ago. So, that race used their whole strength to preserve the heritage of their race in this icy mountain-peak. They did this so that their lineage doesn’t go extinct! The treasures that are present here… are the remains from ninety-thousand years ago. This plant of Heavenly Orchid used to be a young plant ninety-thousand years ago!"

He heavily said, "However, I… was still an embryo in this space ninety-thousand years ago! I didn’t have any other person of my race to rely on. But, I relied upon the strength of this heritage and went through the time period of ninety-thousand years until I finally incarnated as a person!"

…