Death… and me

Chu Yang could sense that the atmosphere around him had changed. He smiled awkwardly and said, "I wasn't referring to you!"

Manager Gao looked around, confused. He thought, "You weren't speaking to me? Is there anyone else around here apart from me? This kid is really not normal…"

"Ah, I have fallen into the hands of a nutcase!" The exhausted hostage exclaimed as he lay on the ground. He rolled his eyes and sighed dejectedly, "All my life I've dreamt of being a hero and spending my whole life traversing under the heavens, doing great things that will shake both heaven and earth… Yet I have made the mistake of falling into the hands of this lunatic today. What bad luck I must have!"

"You're the lunatic!" Chu Yang shouted as he rolled his eyes. All of a sudden, he was in shock. He thought, "What? Why does this narcissistic attitude seem so familiar? Have I contracted Tan Tan's virtue?"

At this time, the four surviving guards approached them. Their martial brothers had been slain by the hostage's men, hence their gazes were especially unfriendly.

"You guys should go away! I don't wish to be disturbed." The hostage bellowed, "How dare you bother me; do you have a death wish?"

He was extremely arrogant for a hostage.

Du Shi Qing took a step out from the carriage and his countenance appeared somewhat calm. He then gave Chu Yang a nod and said, "Chu Yang! We're so lucky to have you!"

He paused for a moment and continued emotionally, "If it weren't for you, I'm afraid that my body would be left here. Regardless of all the favors that I've done for you before, we are even now!"

Du Shi Qing smiled, "There is no need for you to feel burdened anymore. There should be no mention of debts since a doctor's job is to save lives. Today, you were the true savior."

Suddenly, Chu Yang was filled with admiration. If Du Shi Qing could say such words to him, he must indeed have been worthy of the title 'Top Divine Doctor'. Chu Yang replied, "Senior Du Is too kind! What I've done are just a part of my own actions. You should not break our previous agreements just because of this."

"Of course not!" Du Shi Qing nodded and smiled, "Our safety is determined by the safety and the protection of the identity of this person. It is most important to look at the bigger picture."

The hostage grunted and exclaimed, "I know that you guys wouldn't dare!"

Upon finishing his words, he turned back and stared at Chu Yang sharply, "Hey, damn kid! Why did you go after me of all people?"

Chu Yang smiled and said, "That's because you are the most important. If I had caught someone else, would the others have retreated?"

The hostage let out a loud laugh. He revealed a heroic aura that could not be contained by the mask. He asked, "What puzzles me the most is that you knew that I was the most important person."

"That is something that I should not reveal to you. However, I will break this rule just this once since you seem like an adequately nice person."

Chu Yang thought for a moment, before tilting his head and smiled, "I figured it out because your men had placed you in a very important position."

"My men and I eat and drink as one. We enter battles together and I always strive to be a good role model for all my soldiers… How can you proclaim that I was placed in a special position? This is utter nonsense!"

"While you may behave that way, your soldiers most certainly do not think that way." Chu Yang said emotionlessly, "An army cannot work without a general. However, that general would become an obstacle for that army if he constantly strives to be a good role model for his soldiers in every aspect possible. In fact, he might be the army's biggest failure!"

He looked at the man mockingly and continued, "Even though that general may think that he is doing a good job, however, what he doesn't know is that his actions are bound to be the very thing that will send his army to its doom."

The man became pensive and asked, "So what would be the perfect middle ground?"

"A leader that always strives to set a good example for his soldiers will never become a successful one. Nevertheless, he would most definitely fail if he were to simply give orders from the back seat. A fine balance must be struck." Chu Yang said casually, "I have neither experience in being a general nor leading soldiers, thus I have no clue where that balance is and I am unable to give you any advice."

In an instant, the man was awestruck. He raised his brows as he thought carefully. After pondering for a long time, he looked up and said sincerely, "I will heed your words"!

Chu Yang was extremely interested in finding out more about this guy that he had just captured. Although he appeared crude at first glance, he was actually shrewd. Moreover, eight of his underlings were Martial Masters even though he was only a Martial Warrior.

While this was only a difference of one level, it was an insurmountable gap in skill.

It was definitely special for someone to be able to lead men that were of a higher cultivation than oneself!

He was honorable… It could be seen that his rank in the army must have been extremely high.

There were not likely to be many of such leaders in Iron Cloud Nation. Hence, he must live!

As he had this thought, Chu Yang let out a sigh and looked at the bodies of the guards on the floor. He turned to look at the agony on the faces of those that were still barely alive. Even with the enemy in captivity, they appeared helpless as they could barely move!

It could be said that this was beyond their power for it was now a conflict between two countries!

Nevertheless, Chu Yang couldn't help but feel disdainful. Currently, he was an outside as the two countries were of little concern to him. While Du Shi Qing was a good man, his journey had a direct effect on Chu Yang's efforts in inverting his fate. Tie Shi Cheng's illness had a direct effect on Iron Cloud Nation's fate. If Iron Cloud Nation were to fall, the fate of Beyond the Heavens Section would be dire as well.

If Beyond the Heavens Section were to fall, his master and martial brothers would die as well. Mo Qing Wu would not be so lucky as to be spared her life as well. Chu Yang could not support Du Shi Qing despite him being a good person.

These assassins were not necessarily bad people but their path just happened to coincide with Chu Yang's. There was no way that he could end their lives!

However, Chu Yang would definitely not spare this hostage's life if he were to place himself in the shoes of the guards who had survived. He would not have any regard for promises made and neither would he have any qualms about messing up the bigger picture.

Four martial brothers were slain. How could one call himself a man without taking revenge?

However, the four guards stood in anguish. They did not take any action even though they were unrestrained.

Chu Yang despised such gutless people. He couldn't help but look down on these four guards despite the fact that this was the promise made to the assassins.

After looking around, Chu Yang sat down and crossed his legs. It was of utmost importance to recover his strength immediately!

Chu Yang took a deep breath and attempted to activate the remaining energy from his dantian. Unexpectedly, his dantian had been emptied. The only energy that he managed to gather was from his meridians. It was so insignificant and pathetic!

As there was no other way, Chu Yang decided to use the Nine Tribulations: Transcending the Nine Heavens Technique to recover his energy for the first time ever. He had no reservations since he was no longer in Beyond the Heavens Section.

In his previous life, although he had practiced the Nine Tribulations: Transcending the Nine Heavens Technique, there was one thing that he could not comprehend. This technique could clearly help him advance in his cultivation levels at a faster pace. However, what side did it belong to? Was it pure or evil? After all, it was a very peculiar technique…

As he saw that Chu Yang was trying to recover his energy, Manager Gao abandoned his thought of speaking with him. Instead, he decided to sit beside him and assist him in this process. However, he suddenly opened his eyes widely for he could not believe what he was seeing.

"Motherf*****! This cannot be true! He just sat down for such a short period of time, how could he have entered his meditative state so quickly?" He thought to himself.

Looking at Chu Yang's seemingly glistening countenance, Manager Gao rubbed his eyes in disbelief.

He thought, "Meditate, clear the mind, gather thoughts, draw energy from the dantian, and filter it through the meridians. One could only enter the meditative state after going through the steps for many rounds. This had always been the case and no one was ever exempted from it. I have been a Great Master for a few decades. Could my experience be considered lacking even though I have not broken through the Revered status?"

All his life, Manager Gao had always abided by this set of rules. Moreover, it was especially difficult to enact those steps after sustaining injuries.

How could this person enter his meditative state immediately after setting his buttocks down on the ground?

Manager Gao's eyes widened as he suddenly felt that his old beliefs had been shattered.

Slowly, Chu Yang brought the leftover energy in the meridians to his dantian. Thereafter, he used the Nine Tribulations: Transcending the Nine Heavens Technique to slowly move the energy from the meridians to his entire body.

Unexpectedly, the pointed end of Nine Tribulations Sword pierced out from inside his dantian. It became such a formidable force that guided the energy as if a general was leading his troops into battle. All obstacles ahead had essentially dissolved into smoke!