Death… and me

Zhuge Chang Feng's body shook. His face had turned ashen.

He had met only two swords of his opponent. He continuously spat out blood. His body had turned so weak that he couldn't take it anymore. He looked at the corpses all around, and mourned in his heart as if he would die.

He hadn't thought that this mission would turn out to be so unfortunate.

He had captured the awakened being with great difficulty. But, he hadn't thought that the awakened being would be so powerful after awakening.

Then, the awakened being had again returned to his original state. But then, another anomaly had appeared.

And, more than three-hundred experts on his side had been beheaded neatly by only four or five sword moves.

He knew as he looked at the situation that he wouldn't be able to escape death.

"You… who are you?" Zhuge Chang Feng didn't have any thoughts to resist. The enemy whom he had ridiculed was clearly a high grade Saint Level Expert. And, Zhuge Chang Feng was only a second grade Monarch Level Expert. So, how would he fight the enemy?

He couldn't run away even if he wanted to.

He only regretted now, [Why did I have to rush for this mission when it was being issued. Why did have to fight over it so firmly? Wouldn't someone else have had to face this bad luck if I had stepped back a little?]

He was hateful at the same time… He was hateful towards Diwu Qing Rou who had strongly recommended him. [That bastard from the slave clan! Would I have come to this rotting situation if he hadn't recommended me so vigorously?]

[Fancy that I had been so thankful and grateful to him. I had even given him many gifts before I had left… So, it was all just a big trap!]

Zhuge Chang Feng remembered the words that Diwu Qing Rou had spoken at the time when he had recommended him, and the roots of his teeth itched.

Diwu Qing Rou had said at that time, [Great Elder, this man at your service thinks that this matter must be handled cautiously… The person to be sent can't be too strong. But, their strength mustn't be low as well… It must be in the middle. So, this man at your service thinks that Zhuge Chang Feng would be a perfect fit!]

Zhuge Chang Feng had heard what Diwu Qing Rou had said.

He had been fascinated in his heart at that time. He had thought that what Diwu Qing Rou was saying was very logical. So, he had also nodded strongly in approval.

Then, the Great Elder had asked, [Why do you say that?]

Diwu Qing Rou had replied, [This servant has thoroughly considered it. It is said that the awakened being has never appeared in tens of thousands of years. Moreover, there have been no rumors of any awakened being.]

[So, this matter is indeed false, and needs investigation.]

[However, let's say that this information is true… Then, our clan won't suffer any major loss if the awakened being turns out to be formidable and we lose. On the other hand, Zhuge Chang Feng would be enough to deal with him if his strength is ordinary. After all, it is in the Middle Three Heavens.]

[So, Diwu Qing Rou had had a reasonable and sensible consideration of the big picture. Therefore, the honorable Great Elder had finally yielded in front of him, and I had finally gotten this 'cushy job'…]

Zhuge Chang Feng couldn't help but want to cry as he thought of this.

He remembered that Diwu Qing Rou had especially come to him and explained after the clan conference had ended, [I had to be expedient at that time. Otherwise, Brother Chang Feng… you most likely might not have been able to get this opportunity.]

[He had said this to me, and we both had treated each other with absolute sincerity. I had called him brother, and had asked if I could invite him to drink with me. Then, I had even sent that bastard twenty pieces of purple crystals…]

[I had been blind… I had gotten deceived and confused…]

[Boohoo…]

[It's a pity that I can't go back. Otherwise, the first thing that I would do after going back is to peel off Diwu Qing Ruo's skin and pluck out his sinews. Then, I would let him dry in the sun on the entrance of the clan…]

This was perhaps Zhuge Chang Feng's last wish.

It was because Sword Spirit didn't answer his question. He instead lifted his sword!

Swoosh!

Blood gushed out from the cavity of his neck with a gurgling sound…

Two sword-blows had fallen on the last two Monarch Level Experts of the Zhuge Clan. And, they both had immediately turned into two corpses.

Sword Spirit bellowed since he was aggrieved. He then returned to the Nine Tribulations Space whilst seething with anger. Simultaneously, he racked his brain, and pondered. [How can I help Chu Yang restore the lost spiritual power in such a short time before recovering the fourth fragment of the Nine Tribulations Sword?]

[But, the spiritual power is equal to the life force. What good method can be there be to recover it?] The more Sword Spirit thought, the stronger his headache became. The more he thought, the more sullen he became. He was at a loss. He couldn't help but endlessly jabber one cuss word in the space –'motherfu*ker'.

Meanwhile, Chu Yang's body swayed, and he sat down on the ground.

He only felt chaos in his brain. He felt an indescribable pain… He felt as if that pain had reached into the depths of his soul. He couldn't help but shake his head. However, he felt an increasing headache.

Everything before his eyes seemed blurry. So, he had to close his eyes.

A long while passed… Chu Yang had gradually recovered to some extent. So, he stood up whilst staggering. Then, he turned around, and weakly asked, "You all… are you alright?"

Gu Du Xing opened his eyes wide, and stared at him. He uttered in disbelief, "Big… Big Brother?!" Then, he took a step forward whilst stumbling and swaying as if he was drunk. He then sat down on the ground. He had happened to sit on a broken piece of a saber. But, he didn't feel any pain. He only kept on looking at Chu Yang with his mouth wide open. He then foolishly chuckled…

Second Master Gu was so shocked that he had become muddle-headed…

Gu Du Xing had felt this black-clothed man to be familiar since the moment this man had arrived in the battlefield. He had known that Chu Yang was hiding nearby. But, he hadn't dared to think that this man could be Chu Yang. It was because the difference between the cultivation of this man and Chu Yang was… too big!

This black-clothed man was at least a Saint Level Expert!

Dong Wu Shang and Ji Mo also became damn startled. They felt as if their eyes would pop out of their heads and fall on the ground.

[This… how is this possible? This person is… Big Brother?]

They were thunderstruck! They both started blankly.

This was even more shocking than the fact that Tan Tan had changed into a formidable being. The fact that a black-clothed man had suddenly appeared and killed everyone was hundred times more shocking than that!

Luo Ke Di opened his mouth. He was about to speak… or so to say cry out in alarm. However, he opened his mouth so wide that his jaw dislocated with a cracking sound. He loudly screamed… He issued a hissing sound from his mouth, and tears flowed out his eyes in pain.

However, he couldn't help but feel shocked in his heart even in this painful condition. He said with his dislocated jaw, "Is! Is ee inpossial… Aar… ew… ig… rother? Is ee fukin…"

Chu Yang weakly and dispiritedly looked at these guys. He then weakly said in anger, "Just come over and support me already… I can't move anymore…"

He fell down while saying this.

It seemed that Chu Yang would become enormously worn and torn whenever Sword Spirit would take charge of his body. He would become completely exhausted every time. But, they needed to deal with Monarch Level Experts this time. So, Sword Spirit had set into action and gone all out in violent anger and sullenness. However, Chu Yang's body couldn't completely bear this kind of outbreak.

The damage that his spirit had received couldn't be compared to any wound on his meridians.

Chu Yang had become completely exhausted after Sword Spirit had left his body. In fact, he had collapsed. He didn't even have the strength to move a finger at this moment. However, the pain that he was feeling due to the damage in his spirit was even more unendurable.

Gu Du Xing came to his senses, and hurriedly came over to support Chu Yang. Then, he looked for a flat area, and lay Chu Yang there.

The brothers then gathered around Chu Yang. They felt as if they were dreaming.

Luo Ke Di finally remembered, and adjusted his dislocated jaw. However, he was still lisping a bit, "Big blother… big blother… you you… My heavin… My earth… dammit… It's truly you…"

Chu Yang wasn't in a good mood. He rolled his eyes, and said, "Is it you if not me?!"

Luo Ke Di was startled by this.

"Shut up!" Dong Wu Shang turned around, and thundered at Luo Ke Di. Then, he again turned around, and looked at Chu Yang. He revealed a look of worry in his eyes, "Big Brother, you… are you alright?"

Ao Xie Yun and Xie Dan Qiong were standing on one side. Their complexions became serious as soon as Dong Wu Shang said these words.

[Alright?]

[Can Chu Yang be called 'alright' judging by his appearance? Almost ninety-percent of his life energy has been exhausted!]

[Everyone is well aware of Chu Yang's cultivation. He has suddenly erupted with such formidable power. So, it is certain that he has used some secret method. And, this kind of secret method generally can't be used without harming oneself. A person's spiritual power would get harmed if their vitality was insufficient to power a secret method. It's because only these two power sources could incite such a secret method.]

[Moreover, it is generally true that — the greater the might of the secret method, the greater the loss!]

[Chu Yang has displayed such tremendous strength. So, it can be well-imagined what kind of injuries he must've received and how huge a price he must have paid.]

The corners of Gu Du Xing's, Dong Wu Shang's, and the others' eyes became moist as they thought this. Xie Dan Qiong and Ao Xie Yun also had tears in their eyes at this moment.

Everybody had known that Chu Yang had been hiding in the forest. However, Chu Yang couldn't come out. And, they didn't want him to come out. After all, he would've been able to escape without any damage if only he had remained calm.

Moreover, none of the brothers would've blamed him. After all, he would've died if he had come out at that time.

So, how could they blame him?

In fact, they had been hoping and praying to the heaven and the earth that Chu Yang didn't get impulsive.

However, Chu Yang had been impulsive in the end…

Ji Mo and Luo Ke Di finally came to their senses. They looked at the weak Chu Yang, and their noses became sour. They suddenly turned around, and squatted down on the ground at the same time by chance.

A long while passed. Then, Ji Mo sadly cried out, "Boohoo… I… I'm not dead… boohoo…"

Everyone's nose became sour. They all almost burst into tears.

Ji Mo had rushed over for thousands of miles. He had come all alone. He had come to live and die alongside his brother while facing the powerful enemy. So, how could he fear death…? How could he cry tears of joy because he hadn't died?

Then, why were these tears flowing? For whom was he crying…? Everyone obviously knew this… He was just unable to suppress the emotions that were stirring up in his heart. So, he had used this lame 'I'm not dead' reason to camouflage the fact that he was truly sad for his Big Brother. He was trying to hide his real emotions…

Chu Yang groaned. He then weakly said, "Everyone, step aside. I want to take a look at Tan Tan…"

The yellow anomaly around Tan Tan still hadn't disappeared. It was still shining…

Xie Dan Feng had been clinging to him to guard him with her weak body. She wasn't even blinking her eyes…

Chu Yang looked at Tan Tan's complexion. He gradually felt a little bit relieved, and slightly closed his eyes. He didn't have enough time to see his own injuries at this moment.

He observed his state, and couldn't help but sigh in his heart.

[My strength will probably recover soon. The pain of spirit will also subside soon. But… the damaged part of my soul is gone.]

[Almost one-fourth of that boundless nebula-like thing in the sea of my consciousness has vanished!]

[I would soon be battle-ready without any issue. But, it is impossible to obtain the fourth fragment of the Nine Tribulations Sword now.]

[As Sword Spirit had said… it was indeed hard to avoid the loss of soul!]

[But… how will I be able to control the fourth fragment of the Nine Tribulations Sword when it appears?]

…