Death… and me

No one knew how many professional pawn shops there were in this world. Moreover, Chu Yang was just an ignorant fella trying to bait a prey. His purpose of opening the store was to attract people and increase his net worth through the sale of his weapons. Once he had achieved that purpose, he would immediately close down his shop.

Unexpectedly, there was not one business transaction ever since he opened, but someone actually came down in the middle of the night to pawn something today. Furthermore, it was such a good sword!

This all seemed too strange and unusual for Chu Yang. Could there be something fishy going on?

…

Past midnight, within Crown Prince Manor.

The sturdy stature of Wu Kuang Yun looked pitiful.

As he came to Tie Bu Tian's side and was about to speak, Tie Bu Tian had interrupted him, "There's no need to explain for I know that it was definitely you."

With his words, Wu Kuang Yun was left hanging there. He stood upright and left hanging for half the day till evening. He was a great general who was considered powerful and so formidable within Iron Cloud. In the armed forces, he was undoubtedly mighty; whilst in his subordinates' hearts, he was invincible and undefeatable. However, he was constantly wiping off cold sweat for the entire afternoon and evening.

Tie Bu Tian had been continuously endorsing documents and assigning tasks. Everyone was moving quickly, with waves of people entering and leaving the room. Wu Kuang Yun was the only person that stood like a pole in the middle of the hall, motionless.

This time, he felt really embarrassed and wished he was dead. Wu Kuang Yun looked at the pair of eyes that were watching him curiously. He felt immensely ashamed with those surprised and curious stares. He had wanted to find a hole to hide in, just like an ostrich. In particular, it felt as if those who recognized and knew him personally were watching him in the same way one would watch a monkey.

Wu Kuang Yun kept looking at Tie Bu Tian with a gaze of mercy.

Brat, do what you will, you may even chop off my head, but please don't leave me alone like this.

However, Tie Bu Tian did not even turn to look at him. They hadn't even exchanged eye contact for once. Furthermore, he didn't even try to speak to him.

Wu Kuang Yun was afraid to speak if Tie Bu Tian had not uttered a single word. This teenage crown prince's power and influence were remarkable. He achieved this through the accumulation of fame and respect over the years. Thus, Wu Kuang Yun was utterly respectful of him, rendering him extremely afraid of Tie Bu Tian.

If it were someone else, it would have been most likely that Wu Kuang Yun, a general, would have already smashed a table and swear viciously due to his notorious grumpy temper. However, he even had to control the volume of his breath in front of Tie Bu Tian.

Tie Bu Tian made a final statement, rescuing him from his situation. As he gazed upon the document on the desk, he said without looking up, "Seek the army penalty section and give yourself 100 lashes as well as a year's fine in salary. Everyone involved in this matter is to be treated as such." Without lifting his head, Tie Bu Tian looked at the documents on the table and said, "I believe that you will not attempt such mischief again. Get out."

Tie Bu Tian was composed and had not let out any fury. This made Wu Kuang Yun's heart tremble with fear since it meant that Tie Bu Tian was extremely furious. His head would probably be left hanging on a flagpole by now if Iron Cloud Nation was not in such a crisis.

Heh, if there weren't a crisis and I wasn't retarded, why would I have done such a thing?

Upon receiving Tie Bu Tian's punishments, Wu Kuang Yun felt as though he had been granted a great pardon, thanking him continuously. He turned his body and ran out of the Prince's mansion like a rabbit that was being chased by a wild dog. Finally, he let out a long breath and plopped to the ground. He sighed loudly, "My mother, I'm finally out of there. This doesn't feel much better than being beaten."

Wu Kuang Yun did not even have any thoughts of attempting mischief again. He was still able to endure a hundred lashes though it was a large number. However, it would not just be a hundred lashes if there were any more mischief in future.

Wu Kuang Yun had definitely learned a good lesson from the ancestors and would not dare to feign obedience on the surface while opposing the prince secretly and step on his toes ever again.

"Report incoming, Crown Prince. We have found the person."

"Oh? Where is he?" Tie Bu Tian was just looking at the massive pile of reports on his table. He had a long feathered pen in his right hand and quickly approved several reports.

Each report was looked at and considered carefully, though his movement was quick. He wrote sharply and addressed each report directly. His discernment made people gasp with admiration.

"Earlier today, there was a rumour that someone had lost his sanity due to sheer fright at Cloud Citadel's Main Street. Upon hearing this news, I went to have a look and saw that the person Crown Prince was looking for in the store was just its shopkeeper." The speaker's face appeared strange as if he could not hold in his laughter any longer.

"Store? Shopkeeper?" Tie Bu Tian finally could not stand it. His hand jerked a little and the brush created a smudge on the report.

It was all too unexpected that the wolf-like person could become the shopkeeper in a store at Iron Cloud Citadel.

"The store he opened is named… Heavenly Armament Pavilion!" The dark clothed man gave a description of the shop and said, "The store appears to be selling divine weapons. However, it appears to be very grand and unprecedented!"

"Divine weapons? The store was especially grand?" Tie Bu Tian's eyebrows jumped slightly as he gently put down the pen in his hand. After a short pause, he said, "I will go and have a look myself tomorrow."

"Also, rumour has it that the man was driven to insanity because he had offended the divine weapons, causing him to be punished by the heavens. However, based on my investigation, his soul must have separated from his body because he was scared witless by Chu Yang's aura, causing him to go insane!"

"Oh?" A light flashed from within Tie Bu Tian's eyes. He asked, "What kind of cultivation would one need to simply use one's aura to drive another person insane?"

"That is… very hard to say." the man hesitated for a moment, before continuing, "Generally, an expert below the level of a great martial master would definitely not be able to cause ordinary people to faint. This is because aura is something that cannot be seen by the naked eye and is non-physical. The aura of an expert can only be grasped by those at the same level. There are, however, always exceptions…"

"What exceptions?" Tie Bu Tian asked.

"If the person emitting this aura is an unrivaled murderer or a warlord who has battled for years, can murder without any thought, encumbered with blood debts and reeks of blood on both hands, it would not be surprising for them to scare someone to death just by releasing the qi into a fierce and brutal aura. This notion seems too ridiculous for a young person like Chu Yang." The dark clothed man frowned in distress. He felt that it was indeed preposterous to apply such a supposition on a youth who was only in his mid-teens. How could anyone murder without thinking at such a young age?

"Oh…" Tie Bu Tian let out a long exclamation.

"I had wanted to enter his store and investigate, but was stopped by members of the Military Ministry. The Military Ministry forbade anyone from entering Heavenly Armament Pavilion by setting up a secret blockade."

"Members of the Military Ministry?" Tie Bu Tian said while smiling. "Were they Imperial Uncle Long Cheng's men?"

"Yes." replied the man.

"It appears that Imperial Uncle will make a move soon." Tie Bu Tian smiled with ease.

"I never thought that a shop like Heavenly Armament Pavilion could make someone as reclusive and difficult to meet as Imperial Uncle Long Cheng appear. This Chu Yang must be my lucky star."

"Also, three of the seven sections of Bu Tian Pavilion within Great Zhao has suddenly lost contact with us. Prince, I'm afraid Diwu Qing Rou must have made his move."

Tie Bu Tian frowned and thought for a moment. He then slowly said, "It cannot be Diwu Qing Rou, for he is not that impatient." He did not elaborate on his conclusion and there was no further discussion on his verdict.

"Are there any other news?"

"Great Zhao has begun to mobilize its southern forces. Three army corps have started to inch towards Devil's Cry Valley. Looking at the situation, it appears that it's a move against Limitless Nation. This would have no implication to Iron Cloud."

Iron Cloud was located north of Great Zhao. Great Zhao's Southeast Army was thousands of miles away.

However, once he spoke finish, Tie Bu Tian's expression became stern. He murmured, "Southeast?" His eyes glinted and he asked again, "Southeast, three army corps?"