Death… and me

The two Supreme Level Experts couldn't dare to stay any longer. After all, they were afraid that perhaps their old and weary bodies would've been taken away by their apprentice, and would've then been given to someone else…

[I have to go back and start the teaching her. How can I give my treasures to outsiders? Moreover, this boy is particularly full of dirty tricks. So, I certainly can't give them to him…]

Bu Liu Qing and Ning Tian Ya hurriedly bade goodbye to everyone. Mo Qing Wu also waved and bade goodbye to Gu Du Xing and the others. Glistening teardrops started to twinkle in the eyes of the little girl as they started to leave. However, Bu Liu Qing hurriedly held Mo Qing Wu and sped along to leave first. Ning Tian Ya closely caught up with them. In fact, he didn't dare to stay an inch far away from them. After all, he feared that Bu Liu Qing would snatch the apprentice for himself if he were a step late…

Their silhouettes had disappeared. But, Mo Qing Wu's loud voice still transmitted in the mid-air, "Elder Brother Chu Yang, wait for me… I will come back to protect you…"

Chu Yang still had a smile on his face. He looked into the emptiness in front of him, and gently waved his hand.

He felt more emptiness in his heart. He felt a sense of loss… And, he felt a reluctance to part with her. But, he didn't express any of it. He just faintly smiled with a warm and determined look in his eyes.

[Qing Wu, I will wait for you!]

[You don't know this… But, I've been waiting for you my whole life!]

[Qing Wu, I've finally reversed your destiny! I finally feel relieved about your destiny since these Supreme Level Experts have taken you away!]

[This life is going to be different now!]

"They will probably go to the Mo Clan." Ji Mo wiped his eyes and laughed. He wanted to show that he didn't feel the pain of parting with her… and that he was strong. But, this laugh sounded like a ferocious scream that had come from a duck; it was unpleasant to hear.

It could be assumed that everyone would've teased him if it were some other time. But, they didn't laugh at him at this instance. Instead, they only nodded in silence.

The little girl who loved to laugh and loved to talk wasn't at their side anymore. They certainly weren't habitual of this setting.

It was impossible for Mo Qing Wu to go on a trip without settling the quarrel with the Mo Clan. First, she would go back and bid goodbye to everyone. And, she would also take her Dreaming of a Gentle Dance Saber with her.

Chu Yang indifferently spoke-up after a long time has passed, "We should also leave. There are so many things that are waiting for us in this Northern Wilderness."

Everyone complied with him. They then turned around, and started with their journey. There was an unusual silence among everyone along the way. Ji Mo and Luo Ke Di would always be doing comedy on normal days. However, they were also silent… to an extent that it was frightening!

"Big Brother, I want to do extra practice." Ji Mo had walked out far away when he turned his head and looked back at Chu Yang. He then spoke-up in a desperate manner.

"Extra practice…?" Chu Yang wrinkled his brows.

"Yes. I also want to do extra practice!" Luo Ke Di also joined in.

"Others look down upon me. In fact, those Supreme Level Experts said that we don't have a future…" Ji Mo gritted his teeth and said, "I will fight for a bright future, and I will show everyone that even the Supreme Level Experts can be wrong."

"Right!" Luo Ke Di added. The pupils of his eyes filled with blood as he said, "A man must strive for vindication! I'm afraid there would be no hope left for us if such harsh criticism doesn't make us work hard."

Chu Yang sighed and said, "Then, you need to be mentally prepared for this. This isn't the kind of decision you can make in the heat of the moment! This decision of yours will certainly endanger your lives… Moreover, we won't be able to help you two in those situations!"

"Yes! I have thought it through!" Determination flickered in Ji Mo's eyes. "I will either die of torment in this life… or I will become a Supreme Expert!"

"Me too!" Lou Ke Di also spoke-up with determination.

"Very well!" A cold light glittered in Chu Yang's eyes. He said, "You two have made a decision. So, you can't back down now! Also, you don't need to wait for tomorrow. You will start your training today! In fact… right now!

"This Great Northern Wilderness is our battlefield! Go nuts and kill them all… show me what you got!" A killing intention flashed in Chu Yang's eyes. "No matter if it's any man… no matter if it's any spirit beast! Remember that you won't get our help in any fight from now on. You will face a life and death experience many times… But, stay alive and you will upgrade… or you will die!

"Gu Du Xing, Dong Wu Shang! You must remember that you're not allowed to rescue Ji Mo and Luo Ke Di even if they are to die in front of you!"

Chu Yang harshly stated, "A man must face his battles alone!"

"Yes!" the four of them revealed a look of determination in their eyes.

How can one rely on the others' help if they are to walk on the road to becoming a powerhouse?

They silently rushed out for a moment. Then, they suddenly saw a dense crowd in front of them. It was a group of Dark Bamboo experts, and it was being headed by two individuals. These two people were Young Master Yu and Jun Xi Zhu.

"Where is Little Wu?" Jun Xi Zhu swept her eyes around, and noticed that a person was missing. So, she couldn't help but enquire.

"She was taken away by her masters," Chu Yang was somewhat dispirited and downcast as he said, "She has acknowledged Bu Liu Qing and Ning Tian Ya as her masters."

"Sss~~~" Jun Xi Zhu sucked in cold air. "She has paid respects to two Supreme Experts at the same time?"

She pondered in her heart, [Is it possible that the spiritual power that was left behind to preserve Little Wu's Three Yin Meridians belonged to those two Supreme Experts?]

This possibility seemed the most plausible explanation of facts as she considered things carefully. She couldn't help but feel happy in her heart. [Luckily, I didn't have any ideas about exploiting that little girl. Ahm ahm ahem, I would've been done for if I had sent her home… After all, she's with two Supreme Level Experts now!]

"Chu Yang, we have been waiting for you to discuss some important matters." Young Master Yu insipidly said, "We have obtained the blood essence and inner core of ninth grade spirit beasts. So, Lady Jun and I must begin our closed door practice. But, it could take a while for us this time."

"Oh?" Chu Yang had an expression of doubt in his eyes.

"All transfer of Dark Bamboo's authority will lie hidden in the dark once we go into seclusion. Ah Lu will undertake the task of full power management! I have also passed an order to the subordinates of Dark Bamboo. So, none of them are allowed to stir up trouble in our absence."

Young Master Yu looked at Chu Yang with a faintly ambiguous smile as he spoke-up in a very meaningful tone, "We two won't be disturbing you for a while in the Middle Three Heavens."

The sound of these words went into Chu Yang's ear; they were sharp and clear.

He moved back two steps after he had said this. Then, he loudly said, "Wait for me to come out. And, I will again start training them for you!"

Young Master Yu and Jun Xi Zhu took a step back as he was done talking. Then, they bade goodbye to Chu Yang and the others. After that, they sped along the way with their men, and didn't look back. They had soon disappeared from the line of Chu Yang and the others' sight.

Things had happened so fast, and had concluded in such a straightforward manner. It was somewhat too much to take-in for Gu Du Xing and the others. [Does this mean… that the most powerful underworld organisation of the Middle Three Heavens is going to take a break from society for a short period of time?]

[There has already been a lot of chaos in the Middle Three Heavens. How would it not be more chaotic in a situation wherein the Dark Bamboo isn't around?]

"Chaos is good! Heroes rise when the world is in chaos!" Dong Wu Shang snorted and said, "So, let's fight to our heart's content!"

"Right. One can simply kill to their hearts' content during these days!" Gu Du Xing let out a loud cry, and a heroic aura flew upwards. He then said, "Our Heavenly Armament Pavilion must show it's brilliance since the Dark Bamboo isn't operating!"

The five brothers looked at each other, and they were smiling in an understanding manner. They then took out their Heavenly Armament Pavilion masks from their bosoms!

There was a lot of chaos in the Northern Wilderness over the next several days. All those who had come here were each other's enemies by default. The extermination of one team was inevitable if two of them ran into each other…

There was no need for a reason to explain this!

However, the Heavenly Armament Pavilion had caused a terrifying turmoil in its wake during the past few days. They had again displayed the brilliant prestige and ambition of this organization!

Several strange and masked people would go on trips in the Northern Wilderness. And, they would kill people to plunder their possessions. In fact, there was nothing that they didn't do.

Sometimes, two persons would come together. Sometimes, only a single person from the gang would come. Sometimes, they would appear in a group of four or five. They would come howling, and would leave howling. Whoever would run into them… would only see one outcome – they would be robbed, killed, or crippled!

They were moody and totally unreasonable. They had become the headache for the experts of Middle Three Heavens who had come here to look for ninth grade spirit beasts and hunt for the blood of the spirit beast. These masked men had slowly gained a reputation… However, it was a notorious reputation.

Chu Yang sped along the way in the face of wind and snow. His sword flashed. He cut open the throat of an expert in his front. And, the person vanished without a trace along with the sword-light.

It was the seventh day since his brothers had separated to gain battle experience!

Chu Yang had continuously followed the directions of the Nine Tribulations Sword during these seven days, and had sought for elixirs and rare treasures. He would often arrive to certain places, and would find that he was the first one to have arrived there. However, that didn't mean that he didn't come across battles at times!

Almost no one could be his match considering his current cultivation and the sharp edge of the Nine Tribulation Sword! However, Chu Yang would immediately turn around and flee if he would run into one or two Emperor Level Experts since he would be no match for them.

His agility skill was unparalleled. So, he basically didn't have to worry if an expert below ninth grade Emperor Level chased after him.

Besides, he had also the 'killing machine' Sword Spirit ready all the time. So, it wouldn't matter if the other person managed to catch up with him. Sword Spirit would attack and kill the pursuer!

Consequently, Minister Chu would be left satisfied with the good stuff he would receive on his journey. He was going with the flow…

In fact, he shouldn't be called Minister Chu any longer. He should be called 'Great Lord Chu'!

The only thing that had displeased the Great Lord Chu was that he was yet to find the soul fragment of Sword Spirit.

However, how could he let go of the main purpose he had come here with? Therefore, he had continued to look for it…

Gu Du Xing and Dong Wu Shang had intentionally increased their practicing time during these days. But, they had decreased their fighting time instead. After all, they had come to realize the limitations of their sword and saber.

However, Luo Ke Di and Ji Mo had increased their fighting time recklessly! In fact, they looked like two insane tigers. They would toss challenges everywhere they went… without the slightest hesitation. They would go plundering wherever they went. And, they would get riddled with scars every day. They would have countless of moments when they'd swing between life and death every day. But, they had slowly become self-disciplined. Moreover, they had become increasingly tenacious!

Both of them had firmly remembered Chu Yang's words – [You'd be able to become a powerhouse only after you've survived a hundred deaths!]

Heavenly Armament Pavilion! This ominous name became infamous henceforth!

Chu Yang had picked an ice-cold spirit fruit from under the layer of ice a moment ago. Suddenly, the sound of fluttering of clothes came from the outside. Chu Yang's spirit roused up, [Has another fat sheep come to be looted?]

He quietly looked out to see. He saw that those people were wearing black robes and shady golden masks. It was an eerie and frightening bunch of people. However, that unique aura made Chu Yang's killing intention rise. [People of Black Devil Organization!]

He saw that they were trying to find some hiding place. It seemed as if they wanted to ambush someone…

Chu Yang pondered whether to take the shot or not. However, that was when the voices of two people were heard along with the whistling sound of the wind. Chu Yang was startled. Then, a mysterious light of excitement emitted out from his eyes! And, the blood in his whole body started to boil.

"Master… Where has that bastard Chu Yang gone? It has been so long. How haven't we been able to find him…" this sound had resembled the squeaky voice of a duck mixed with the howl of a wolf. But, there was a somewhat thick sense of 'shock' in this voice!

Chu Yang heard this voice, and immediately understood who it was. But, he remained puzzled after much thought. [The matter that leaves you dissatisfied and complaining doesn't require you act 'shocked' you know. So, why do you sound so…'shocked'?]

…