Death… and me

"Brutal?" Ao Xie Yun bitterly smiled, "Not everyone can bear this kind of brutality. Only wealthy and prominent clans with great tolerance can go through such experiences.

"Therefore, the younger generation of aristocratic clans often becomes mature sooner than that of ordinary clans.

"Chu Yang, Ao Clan has developed for over a thousand years. It has been 1,156 years to be precise. The next generation is born after every eighteen years on an average. So, there are more than seventy generations. Which descendant wouldn't have three wives and four concubines in clans with majestic status like this? Which normal man wouldn't have seven to eight children? So, it keeps on expanding like this… The population of Ao Clan would perhaps have surpassed a million long ago if these kinds of tragedies among relatives inside the clan were not to happen. Of course, wouldn't it be behemoth? But, there are now only several thousand carriers of bloodline except for our martial warriors of different surnames. Why?

"That's because the majority of our clansmen die because of their wild ambitions.

"Sharing trials and tribulations is easy, but sharing riches and honor… is very difficult. People don't know what is to be done next at the time of trials and tribulations. Everyone knows that they are in danger. And, they'll certainly be destroyed if they don't unite. Therefore, all of them have to work as one. In fact, they can only be happy and sad at the death of their elder brothers or younger brothers. And, it is normal. But, everyone wants to eat the sweetest fruit when it comes to enjoying the fruits of victory in case their struggles turn into success. It is because everyone has made sacrifices for that. No one's sacrifices are less than the other.

"Consequently, the wild ambitions and desires grow and grow until they become unable to be contained. They certainly won't step back for their offspring if not for themselves. Which parent would not want their child to become successful in life? Can those parents be willing to let the children that they've raised with so much trouble become servants or retainers of others?

"Therefore, they have to conduct massacres generation after generation after every clan is successfully established… so that the talented people flourish. Every clan first extends the butcher's knife towards their own clansmen… towards their own brothers. And then, they turn it towards their enemy. Therefore, a monarch doesn't think of opening up to new territories after he founds a country and ascends the throne. Instead, his priority is to eliminate his heroic ministers first. They just get rid of their helpers once they've outlived their usefulness… And, all of this is necessary for the development of their clan and empire!"

Ao Xie Yun fixed his eyes on Chu Yang. "This is the price to be paid for success. Moreover, it is the price to endlessly safeguard their descendants… And, it is unavoidable!"

Chu Yang thought over these words of Ao Xie Yun. He seemed to comprehend them in his heart.

Ao Xie Yun would never indulge in idle talk out of boredom at such a juncture. There was some purpose behind why he had described such 'pain in the ass' history and development of his clan.

And, Chu Yang had already guessed to some extent what Ao Xie Yun had been thinking.

"Every Clan Lord becomes physically and emotionally exhausted after they pass through this kind of cleansing. They all burn incense in prayers, and pray that their children don't have to go through such power struggle. They want them to live in harmony. But, every Clan Lord eventually loses all hope.

"Every Clan Lord who is a parent loves his children. He doesn't have the heart to deal with his sons unless it's absolutely required… Therefore, the Clan Lord can only think that he has done injustice to his children other than the successor after the successor of the Clan Lord is determined. And, he has to be increasingly strict towards this successor… He would be resentful towards this successor for failing to meet expectations.

"The other brothers would be doted on in this way. In fact, they would rely on the favors, and become arrogant. But, the successor would be painstakingly forged every day.

"The next successor of the clan would start to deal with his brothers once he has determined his position. That's because he won't be able to survive if he doesn't deal with them. Therefore… the future trouble starts with the birth of the Clan Lord's second child.

"The damage increases with increase in number of children!

"Therefore, every Clan Lord turns bloody when his position is certain, and remains the same until he has successfully attained it. So, every Clan Lord is an ambitious and ruthless character of his generation who is decisive when it comes to killing.

"The great tides wash away the sand in this way. It is enough to temper the winner's heart like iron and stone.

"My father had more than thirty brothers. But, only less than ten people are left now. Then, where did the rest of the uncles go?" Ao Xie Yun smiled. But, there was an extremely deep sorrow in his smile. "The remaining people will also follow the footsteps of those people now.

"The one who is fighting right now is my sixth uncle's trusted subordinate.

Chu Yang silently nodded, "I understand what you mean. You are reminding me that such kind of contradictions might happen among us brothers in the future, right?"

Ao Xie Yun laughed at himself, "Yes! I admire you right now. I'm also most willing to be your brother." He paused for a while, and then sincerely said, "But, it doesn't mean that my son would also admire your son after he grows up."

"They'll also go through the same struggle.

"I don't mean to drive a wedge between us, nor do I mean to speak frightening words to scare you. But, this is the cruel reality!

"Everyone wants to be the Big Brother with a large retinue. But, no one wants to be the Little Brother. Especially, our children will have our outstanding genes concentrated in them. It's impossible that they would be a bunch of ordinary people. So, they naturally won't be willing to bend or bow before someone.

"My clan is like this, and so are the other clans. Dong Wu Shang and Dong Wu Lei have deep brotherly affection for each other. Everyone knows this. But, those two brothers might have had a decisive battle sooner or later if Dong Wu Shang hadn't decided to follow you. The same is with Luo Ke Di and Luo Ke Wu. Isn't this the reason why Mo Tian Ji and Mo Tian Yun couldn't coexist?"

Ao Xie Yun looked at the two men in the battlefield, and indifferently said, "I've been roaming in the Jianghu these days. I'm also fed up of the power struggle inside my clan. But, I've been repeatedly chased these days. And, this has made me become aware of this truth.

"But, the Heavenly Armament Pavilion that you've established isn't really so. Therefore, I'm able to speak these words to you today. It's because you can avoid it. After all, all the brothers of the Heavenly Armament Pavilion have different surnames!"

Chu Yang deeply pondered for a long while, and said, "I would like to hear your wise opinion."

Ao Xie Yun said, "You're flattering me. But, it can begin from you since you're the Heavenly Armament Pavilion's leader. You can formulate a method to avoid such future trouble. You're capable of making the Heavenly Armament Pavilion genuinely rich, powerful, and formidable. In fact, you can even become the overlord!

"In other words, we brothers are together with the purpose of establishing our hegemony! But… this hegemony has nothing to do with the future generation. We are brothers, and not subordinates. But, our future generations might not continue to follow our tracks.

"They'll have to strive to establish the relationship that we brothers have. They'll have to strive for their seniority from elder to younger. You're the youngest among us. But, you've become our Big Brother. And, everyone believes it to be justified.

"Some people will inevitably die in the process if you consider this method in the long term. But, the ones who come out alive would be just like us!"

Chu Yang silently pondered for a long while, and then said, "This method is feasible, but it still isn't perfect. Also, it's too early to think about the future now. I'll definitely come up with a plan after discussing with Mo Tian Ji and the others… I'll discuss it with the rest of the brothers."

Ao Xie Yun smiled, and said, "It should be sooner rather than later… the sooner the better. It would be best for a team like ours to resolve it as soon as possible. And, I'm most relieved because of you and Mo Tian Ji. That's why I had spoken to you today!"

Chu Yang deeply nodded.

Ao Xie Yun again smiled, "Actually, this feeling to make analogy of my own clan is indescribable. I've luckily managed to explain everything even though some things didn't convey the thought. However, my purpose wasn't this. It was something else."

He deeply concentrated his attention at Dong Wu Shang in the fight, and said, "This might seem like the time of crisis, and there will be fighting involved… but there isn't any danger. You can rest assured about this."

Chu Yang looked at him with an unexpected look in his eyes, and said, "Could it be that… your clan is again conducting… the 'cleansing' that you had mentioned just now?"

"Yes. Actually, this cleansing belongs to me."

There had been agony in the corner of Ao Xie Yun's eyes since the time he had been speaking. It didn't disappear even for a moment, "I had also thought of this possibility after seeing my clansmen after so long. I was about to tell you about this. But, I hadn't expected you would've already figured it out.

"Those six people of the Ao Clan who had come out were supposed to take revenge for me." Ao Xie Yun said, "Therefore, they had first attacked the Black Devil, the Tian Clan, and the other clans. But… then they suddenly changed directions. And, they turned to attack us. This was truly incomprehensible. Then, I had finally thought it through. The news that I was still alive must've spread at that time.

"I was alive. So, it was enough reason for attacking Black Devil to them. Moreover, the clan had also made a decision. It had forced them to take a risk out of desperation. It entirely became a life and death struggle.

"Maybe, the clan had made this cleansing plan at that time." Ao Xie Yun said in disappointment and frustration, "This is our clan's tradition. It forces the ones with wild ambitions to jump out automatically. Then, they wipe him out in the name of justice…"

Chu Yang mischievously smiled, "I can imagine it."

"Therefore, you… aren't upset." Ao Xie Yun hesitated for a long while, and then said.

"I don't mind. Xie Clan also won't mind." Chu Yang calmly said, "Your Ao Clan will definitely come up with an explanation after this matter ends. Otherwise, this matter can become a great problem."

Ao Xie Yun remained silent. He exposed an ashamed look on his face.

Ao Clan had exploited Chu Yang and the others for this time's purging no matter what. Xie Clan had been almost entirely exterminated because of this matter. So, how could this matter be settled in just a few words?

Mo Tian Ji was still in the carriage. But, he had calmly been listening to their conversation on one side. He heard till here, and then he carefully looked at Ao Xie Yun's back profile. He exposed a gracious expression in his eyes.

He thought, [This Ao Xie Yun… is very farsighted! How should this matter… be preceded? What method can we use to get the best of both worlds?]

Ao Xie Yun had given a suggestion to Chu Yang. But, Chu Yang only thought for a while, and then gave up.

That's because Chu Yang felt that the future was still too far. Moreover, one mustn't be impatient about something so far in the future. It would be better to plan slowly…

However, Mo Tian Ji was a man who would always plan ahead. So, he started to rack his brain. He became worried for their future generations. So, he started to plan…

The fight between both the men had already reached to a superheated stage.

Dong Wu Shang sprang up, and repeatedly shouted out loudly. He was launching every saber-blow with a bellow. The saber was like lightning, and its sound was like thunderclap. His beard and hair all fluttered upwards in the wind. He was only attacking and not defending. His great and majestic body seemed like a deity as he closed in on his opponent step by step.

Dong Wu Shang's opponent had clearly cultivated much higher than him. However, Dong Wu Shang's unparalleled imposing aura had made the opponent gradually retreated in defeat again and again despite being evenly matched with him. He couldn't block… He couldn't even find the opportunity to withdraw from the fight. So, he had no other choice but to bear somehow. His whole body was dripping wet in sweat as if he was just fished out from water.

"Stop!" a loud sound transmitted out from the opposite troops. Then, a man's shadow suddenly flew out.

Chu Yang sneered. He brandished his sword without any hesitation. Then, a light flashed, and it turned into a rainbow!

[What harm is there in slaughtering the entire world!]

[You are telling them to stop now? Why didn't you say stop when this guy was in an advantageous situation a while ago?]

….