Death… and me

Chu Yang had used his agility skill to cover his whole journey very quickly. Moreover, the number of battle he had fought this month wasn't too many. He had used most of his time in collecting herbs and consolidating his cultivation.

It was because Chu Yang had discovered that there were a lot of ice-attribute elixirs in this Northern Wilderness. Moreover, no one had excavated them! So, this was like a natural storehouse of medicinal herbs.

There were one or more elixirs in every few miles under the mysterious ice. These elixirs couldn't be seen from the outside! Therefore, no one besides Chu Yang had dug here in this region!

Consequently, Chu Yang had been obtaining a pot full every day during this period of time. Chu Yang had quickly collected a lot of precious treasures from underground using his fastest speed!

The Sword Point of Nine Tribulation Sword had 'detection' ability. But, Chu Yang was slow at collecting the things that the Sword Point pointed at using its ability. So, Chu Yang could only collect half of them. No. It could be said that what he had collected was even less than half of the stuff detected by the Sword Point…

The most surprising thing for Chu Yang was that he had also dug out a piece of star-shaped substance from under the mysterious ice. This was a good material that had never appeared in this continent. Even Sword Spirit also clicked his tongue in wonder after Chu Yang put it into the Nine Tribulations Space. He fiddled with it several times, but couldn't make out what it was…

Chu Yang bathed into the Soul Quenching Spring once in every three days.

It had been exactly one month today. So, it was the end of the first phase.

Sword Edge and Sword Spine of the Nine Tribulations Sword also flew out from the Soul Quenching Spring, and entered into Chu Yang's Dantian. Only Sword Point remained soaking inside. It had stayed to make up for losses incurred while helping Chu Yang in detecting the elixirs of late…

Sword Spirit had also completed the phase of bathing into the Soul Quenching Spring. So, he would have to wait till Chu Yang had risen to Monarch Level before he could quench his soul again. Then, he would be able to soak with Chu Yang again…

Chu Yang clearly felt that the three segments of the Nine Tribulations Sword had already changed a little. In fact, it seemed as if their spiritual intelligence was increasing, and was getting more and more sufficient. It was even more effortless and efficient to use them.

The murderous aura and evil presence of Sword Edge and Sword Spine had increased significantly! It seemed that the sharpness that had remained buried for ten-thousand years had been restored after soaking into the Soul Quenching Spring. In fact, it seemed that it had completely awakened…

The Sword Spirit's body had become no different from that of an actual person! In fact, Chu Yang would sometimes curiously touch him to feel it. However, his hand wouldn't go through the void in Sword Spirit as it used to. Instead, he would be left with a strange sense of realness now.

Sword Spirit was extremely pleased with his current situation. He would laugh every day, and wouldn't shut up. The Nine Tribulations Space was also filled with various resources. It had Vitality Spring, Soul Quenching Spring, Mysterious Ice Jade Ointment, Mysterious Yang Jade Essence, countless Mysterious Jade Ice Crystal, and Mysterious Yang Jade. It also had Jade Snow Spirit Ginseng, and 'Sea of Fire Purple Crystal Spirit Mushroom'. Moreover, it had the countless elixirs that Chu Yang had obtained from under the Mysterious Ice…

There were countless of rare metals and forging materials as well…

Sword Spirit would count all of them every day like a scrooge. And then, he would smile in satisfaction. [This guy has collected so many things here… Even the previous eight Masters of the Nine Tribulations Sword hadn't obtained all these…]

[This kid is a freak!] Sword Spirit looked at Chu Yang, and silently said in his heart.

Chu Yang swiftly flew and reached to the place that Tan Tan had informed him about…

He had barely arrived here…

…

Tan Tan was angry right now. But, he had his hands bound, and he was unable to do anything!

It was because this place seemed to be a natural battle array. So, it seemed that a novice like Tan Tan wouldn't be able to do anything without anyone's guidance if he were to go inside.

Tan Tan had been there for two consecutive days. So, Tan Tan was hungry, and his legs had gone limp. But, there was still no soul in sight…

The blame was on his strange physical constitution. This guy was unable to eat normal food. In fact, he didn't feel like eating even if he would starve to death. Moreover, his consumption of spirit beast inner core had also increased… it had increased from three per meal to four per meal!

This was even more tragic!

He had been starving for two days in a row now. So, how could he keep going on?

Tan Tan leant on a boulder in daze on the third day. He looked around with his shiny eyes, and they clearly belied his longing for a spirit beast to pass from here… In fact, it wouldn't have mattered if it was a ninth grade spirit beast… Tan Tan would've bravely fought a decisive fight with no thought of personal safety to take its inner core.

But, there was none — not even a third grade spirit beast was around!

It was finally night time, and Tan Tan didn't even have the strength to cuss.

That hateful thief finally showed up at this time. He looked at Tan Tan with a wily expression from afar. He had a look of pride and 'thrill after revenge' on his face.

This guy was Rui Bu Tong!

Moreover, this natural battle array in the Northern Wilderness belonged to the masters – Stealing God and Thieving Ghost. It was said that the two masters had accidently entered here in the past. Then, they had obtained a rare secret book from here. Moreover, they had practiced here, and had then returned to the Middle Three Heavens to become famous in the Jianghu.

Even the name 'Stealing God and Thieving Ghost' comes from this.

However, the masters must return to this place once in every two years. But, they had brought Rui Bu Tong with them this time. After all, they wanted to make their darling disciple upgrade his strength.

Rui Bu Tong was also depressed. It had been several months since he had arrived here. He had been incessantly making preparations. And, he had been incessantly enhancing his condition. Moreover, he was waiting for the right time to open the seal so that he could upgrade his strength.

However, who would have imagined that he would come out of the battle array that day, and would be captured and ferociously beaten up? And, the one beating him would be a ninth grade King Level Expert?!

This beating had made Rui Bu Tong so miserable that he was unable to speak anything. He had almost made preparations to make adjustments to his body, but he had got beaten up instead. This had obviously interrupted matters. So, the aura within his body was now in a great mess!

[You want to beat me up? Fine! Then, get over with it, ok? Anyways, I won't be getting internal injuries or I wouldn't be able to make adjustments for several days.] But, who knew that the guy who had just beaten him would ask for directions right after beating him?

Wasn't his demeanour abusive?

Therefore, Rui Bu Tong had conveniently pointed towards a direction. Then, he had taken advantage of the time when this fool was delightfully walking away. And, he had then taken advantage of the crisis for personal gain. He acted as a petty thief, and stole the belongings on Tan Tan's body.

[I can't beat you. But, I can make you lose a fortune!] Rui Bu Tong hatefully thought.

However, Rui Bu Ting discovered that he had made a fortune once he had robbed that guy!

He had become very rich!

There were inner cores of fourth grade and higher spirit beasts inside. Moreover, there were more than a thousand of them! [This is such a great fortune…]

However, the next thing was even stranger for Rui Bu Tong: [This guy hasn't brought food with him? Moreover… it seems that he doesn't eat food?]

[Does he want to starve himself to death here?] Rui Bu Tong thought this, and felt strange.

[Crap! Such a man exists on this earth? He's indeed the number-one fool in the world.]

There were no high grade spirit beasts in this place at present. But, there were some ordinary snow-rabbit, snow-chicken, snow-sheep etc. So, it was unbelievable for Rui Bu Tong that a ninth grade King Level Expert was genuinely starving to death despite having so many things to eat around him.

Rui Bu Tong could only sigh after he had confirmed this thing. [This world is full of strange mysteries…]

Rui Bu Tong came out from behind the stone when he saw that this fellow was hungry and powerless. "Hey! Why don't you eat anything? Are you dumb?"

Tan Tan's vision had blurred due to hunger. He heard these words, and became very angry. But, he didn't retort. Instead, he weakly cussed, "You're dumb! Motherfu*ker, wouldn't I have eaten if there was food around? Do you think that I am as brain-dead as you are?"

He opened his eyes wide after he said this, and he saw this man's face. Then, he suddenly became angry and shouted, "So, it's you! Bastard, give me back my bag!"

Rui Bu Tong shrank his neck. He found that this guy to be increasingly amusing. [His legs have gone limp due to hunger. And, this guy still dares to show his power to me?]

"I won't give it back. What will you do?" Rui Bu Tong snorted. He had noticed that this guy hadn't come over. So, he had become bolder in his heart.

"You won't give it back…?" Tan Tan retorted, "This is obviously my stuff. Why wouldn't you give it back?"

Rui Bu Tong revealed his whole body from behind the boulder. Then, he sat on the stone and put a leg over the other. Then, he replied in an instant, "Yes. This stuff belonged to you when it was in your hands. But… it is in my hands now. So, it has become mine!"

He sulkily looked at Tan Tan, "You said that this stuff is yours. Do you have any proof of it? You call out to them. And, I will give them to you if they reply!"

Tan Tan almost blew his top, "Bastard! These are non-living things. So, how can they reply? Do you think that they breathe and talk nonsense like you do?"

"Then, you can't prove that these things are yours." Rui Bu Tong burst into loud laughter. He took out the bag and swung it. Then, he again stuffed the bag into his bosom.

Tan Tan became very angry. He fiercely stood up. Then, he pounced over to him like lightning with a 'shua' sound.

However, Rui Bu Tong was from the true lineage of the Stealing God and Thieving Ghost. So, his agility skills were quick and skilful. Moreover, Tan Tan was hungry. So, he had chased after Rui Bu Tong with a weakened vitality.

Rui Bu Tong's body whirled, and he went more than a hundred feet away. Then, he mischievously laughed.

"Idiot! I will return this bag to you, but only if you kneel down in front of Lord Rui and kowtow three times on the ground. You must also say that 'I made a mistake'; three time at that!" Rui Bu Tong proudly laughed.

"Stop your fu*king nonsense! I will never kneel down in my life!" Tan Tan was very angry.

Tan Tan looked up and deeply sighed due to anger, "It is hard to imagine that I – the most handsome man in the world… smart and carefree, and extremely beautiful man – would suffer such an insult in this Northern Wilderness!"

"What…?" Rui Bu Tong suddenly tumbled and fell to the ground. He then lifted his head from the snowy ground, and looked towards the extremely ugly Tan Tan in disbelief. It could be said that nothing about this statement seemed correct to Rui Bu Tong. He stammered, "You? You're the most handsome man in the world? You're a smart and carefree, and extremely beautiful man?"

"What?!" Tan Tan raised his head, "Do you think that this Sir Tan isn't handsome?" Sir Tan had obviously forgotten that he had been hungry while taking about the matter of being ugly and beautiful. After all, starving to death was a trivial thing to him. But, reputation was the most important one! [Who wouldn't dare to call me a 'handsome' man?]

"Wa ha ha ha ha…" Rui Bu Tong uttered a loud cry. He laughed so hard that tears nearly came out of his eyes. [Such an ugly man dares to say that he is the most handsome in the world!]

[This was comical on a whole new level!]

However, Rui Bu Tong was suddenly met with a shock, "What are you surnamed? Sir Tan…? What Sir Tan?"

Rui Bu Tong recalled. [Big Brother Chu's junior martial brother is named Tan Tan… Moreover, his nature is also quite… narcissistic. He too shamelessly shows off his good looks.] He had heard this name countless times when he was Chu Yang. So, it could be said that it was a well-known name for him.

Rui Bu Tong had heard that this ugly and extremely narcissist guy say that he was surnamed Tan. So, he couldn't help but feel far from good. [He wouldn't be the junior martial brother of Big Brother Chu, right?]

"This Sir doesn't change his name or surname in any condition! My given name is Tan, and my surname is Tan. The most handsome man in the world! The carefree and smart Tan Tan who is mentioned in the legends! That is me! I am the most handsome man in the world, carefree and smart Tan Tan as given in the legends!" Tan Tan straightened his neck and loudly stated. His face even filled with arrogance as he said this. He looked disdainfully out of the corner of his eyes, and even managed to strike a proud pose. In fact, he didn't look like a man who had been starving for three days!

"It is you for real!" Rui Bu Tong jumped up in fright. He suddenly felt embarrassed.

[Shit! It's Big Brother Chu's junior martial brother!]

[What do I do now…]

Rui Bu Tong scratched his head, and repeated these words while scowling miserably, "It is you for real."

"Do you recognize me?" It was Tan Tan's turn to be surprised. "You have also heard my famous name as a handsome and carefree man?" he shook his head and suddenly became proud of himself, "I'm a real legend. Even the savages of this Northern Wilderness have heard of my famous name!"

…