Transcending the Nine Heavens

Looking at Pavilion Master Cheng kneeling on the ground with his arms around the man’s leg and sobbing with his face full of tears and mucus as though a child, the masses turned into stone!

Their mouths hung wide open and they felt like their eyes were bulging out of their sockets.

Eyeballs bounced about all over the ground.

Who was Pavilion Master Cheng?

He was the Pavilion Master of Bu Tian Pavilion, an organization that stood independent of the empire’s administration! Supervising all the court officials in this world! He could be said to be beneath only one man and above everyone else! Even the courageous and skillful General Tie Longcheng, Royal Uncle Tie, had to treat him with courtesy.

Pavilion Master Cheng wasn’t this fawning or ingratiating even when he was facing the current Emperor, much less kneeling on the ground and crying his eyes out like a child like this…

Just who exactly was this young man?

The two door guards’ eyes were widened so much that the corners were close to splitting.

Oh my god, just what kind of unbelievable figure is this person? To think I… actually slammed the door on him earlier…

Chu Yang, with a resigned expression, said in a low voice, “C’mon, get up, you’re a terrible sight.”

“I’m not getting up! I won’t!” Pavilion Master Cheng howled as he continued to bawl. His voice was choked with sobs and he was in extreme grief. “Huhuhu… I’m not getting up even if I die…”

Everyone became even more petrified.

A thud resounded — It was an elderly court official. Unable to withstand the overwhelming shock, blood rushed to his brain and his heart stopped beating for a moment. His eyes rolled up and he collapsed to the ground just like that…

At once, the surroundings went into a state of confusion. People hastily came over to bring the elderly man away for treatment…

Because of the sudden chaos at the gates, a skinny figure came rushing out like lightning. “What’s going on?” It was the other Pavilion Master of Bu Tian Pavilion — Chen Yutong, Pavilion Master Chen!

When Pavilion Master Chen dashed out, the first thing that entered his sight was Pavilion Master Cheng kneeling in front of someone and bawling his eyes out. When he took a good look, his eyes immediately widened. He rubbed his eyes again and again. Then, he shook his head from side to side forcefully before he turned and smashed his head against the wall. With a deafening boom, he crashed out a hole in the wall. Then, he finally turned and stared at that young man in a dazed stupor…

As he stared at him, his eyes brimmed with tears.

Then, he held his head with both hands and burst into loud wracking sobs.

This series of actions was as if someone had suddenly suffered major epilepsy or gone into extreme hysteria.

Then, with his eyes filled with tears, he charged over and dropped to his knees. He hugged the young man’s other leg and started to wail. “Minist~~ My lord! My lord! You’re back, you’re backkkkkk…”

A strange sound escaped from everyone; and once again, someone couldn’t take it anymore and fainted.

The two guards at the gates felt weak all over. They slid down the door pillars as though two piles of mud, their eyes blank and cold sweat all over their foreheads.

God! I really gotta go see a doctor now… Have I been scared silly today?

“Get up!” With a frown, Chu Yang said, “I came here secretly this time. If you do this…”

The moment he heard that, Cheng Zi-ang jumped to his feet immediately. He bellowed, “Men! Detain everyone here! Don’t even let a single strand of fur from a rat escape !”

With a great whoosh, hundreds of Bu Tian Pavilion martial artists immediately formed a large encirclement and seized everyone within.

“Throw them into the courtyard! Including yourselves, nobody is allowed to come out!” With a flourish of his arm, Cheng Zi-ang instructed, “Executioners, stand by! If necessary, silence everyone here!”

Everyone got a huge fright at once.

Even Chu Yang got a fright. “Wait, it’s not that serious.”

“Then just keep them under detention first!” Cheng Zi-ang immediately rescinded his order.

After that, together with Chen Yutong, the two of them respectfully bent over and escorted Chu Yang into the building as though he was a buddha. They were bent over so much that their foreheads were practically touching the ground.

Chen Yutong, who was last in line, asked the two door guards in a low voice, “What did this guest say earlier?”

One of the guards was so shaken that his forehead was covered in perspiration; even his eyes were staring somewhat in bewilderment. He stammered, “He, he, he… He said his family name is Chu and his name is Chu Yang. He requested for an audience with the two Pavilion Masters.”

Chen Yutong nodded. With a wave, he instructed, “Seize these two men! Hold them in custody! Without my orders, they are not to be released!”

Since the Lord Minister had said that his whereabouts must be kept under wraps, not one bit of news must get out. If necessary, these thousand-odd people… would have to be silenced…

“I’m innocent… Pavilion Master…” The two guards dropped to their knees in panic and begged for mercy. However, a few soldiers had already come over. They tied them up and dragged them away to be locked up.

With a wave, Chen Yutong summoned over the guards who were here to take over the shift. “If any news of what happened today leak out, the two of you can kill your whole family and then kill yourselves too.”

The two new guards were frightened out of their minds.

What the f*ck, it’s not even time for us to change shifts yet when you got us here to take over. We were still feeling pretty bummed out about it but now you’re telling us such a thing… What exactly happened today? Aren’t the things he’s saying kinda overkill…

Peace resumed in front of the Bu Tian Pavilion gates.

Within Bu Tian Pavilion, the three men who had reunited after a long time were rather emotional. Chu Yang only managed to get these two old subordinates of his to stop crying after tremendous efforts.

The three of them chatted for a long time. Both Chen Yutong and Cheng Zi-ang had so much to tell him.

After a long while, while acting as if he had suddenly thought of something, Chu Yang finally brought up the main topic. “I heard that His Majesty has an heir now? A crown prince?”

Cheng Zi-ang replied enthusiastically, “Yes, it’s a crown prince! His name is Tie Yang. The little crown prince is really clever; he’s so smart and so adorable. Looks like our Iron Cloud is going to have another wise ruler!”

“Tie Yang…” As Chu Yang repeated the name in a murmur, he became even more certain.

However, this name didn’t seem to bode well. It seemed like Tie Butian was actually thinking of keeping their son in Iron Cloud?

Chu Yang mused over this.

“What a shame that Her Majesty, the Empress… sigh, after she gave birth to the crown prince, she… passed away… Sigh.” Cheng Zi-ang and Chen Yutong knew Wu Qianqian, of course.

They were also keenly aware that Miss Qianqian was in love with Minister Chu back then, though he did not accept her feelings the whole time. Bringing this up now, they also had to speak with some caution…

Chu Yang sighed. “Indeed, what a shame.”

Both of them felt that Minister Chu’s reaction was a little too calm.

However, this was ultimately their own private matters. Besides, Wu Qianqian was already the Empress and had already passed away… It didn’t seem appropriate to bring it up anymore.

After a long chat, from various aspects and hints, Chu Yang finally ascertained something — Tie Butian indeed had no intention of acknowledging him nor had any plans of letting their son acknowledge his family ancestors…

This infuriated Minister Chu to no end!

“This damn bitch!” Chu Yang banged the table and gritted his teeth as he cursed. “Watch how I’m going to make her pay!”

Cheng Zi-ang and Chen Yutong exchanged a look, both confused and bewildered. It seemed like they had been talking about His Majesty the entire time… Why was Minister Chu suddenly cursing about a ‘damn bitch’?

Who was this… damn bitch?

Cheng Zi-ang asked gingerly, “Dare I ask the Minister, who is this… err, damn bitch?”

“What goddamn business is it of yours?” Chu Yang exhaled a pent-up frustrated breath, his temper flaring. “Back to the two of you; after I left, how much has your cultivation improved? Hmm?”

Obviously, someone was preparing to change his frustration-venting target.

We’re dead, we’re dead…

Both of them moaned and groaned inwardly.

“Go and practice!” Minister Chu flipped the table with a kick. “Look at how lazy the two of you have become! The lard on your bodies can practically feed an entire garrison! Go and run a hundred laps around Bu Tian Pavilion with a rock weighing 500 kilograms on your backs each!”

“Ah?!” The faces of the two Pavilion Masters fell horribly.

After his return and the long-awaited reunion, it was immediately time to… undergo physical punishment.

Sporting pitiful expressions, the two Pavilion Masters went off to receive their punishment.

What followed was an extremely weird scene that could scare the jaws off everyone in Bu Tian Pavilion — The two Pavilion Masters who usually led a comfortable and indulgent lifestyle were each carrying a huge rock the size of a small hill on their backs and jogging as perspiration dripped off them like showers of rain, plodding along like cattle…

One lap after another…

At night, Cheng Zi-ang prepared a sumptuous banquet to welcome Chu Yang. After pondering over the matter for the entire afternoon, Chu Yang’s head was already aching yet he still didn’t have any solution. He sat at the banquet with a thunderous face.

The hearts of the two thumped uncontrollably as they sat with him cautiously.

“Old Chen… Why don’t you drink a bit less… It’s your turn to go for morning court assembly tomorrow morning.” Cheng Zi-ang reminded Chen Yutong.

“It’s fine, now that the Minister is back, I must drink with him even if I have to risk being beheaded by His Majesty!” Chen Yutong pressed against his lower back and replied very vivaciously.

“What? Morning court assembly?” asked a startled Chu Yang as he turned to look at them.

“Yes.”

“Since when did Bu Tian Pavilion start going for morning court assemblies too?” Chu Yang’s brows furrowed.

“…” The two Pavilion Masters looked at each other, both feeling that this question was rather difficult to answer.

“His Majesty will be at the morning court assembly too?” asked a frowning Chu Yang.

“Of course His Majesty will be there.” Cheng Zi-ang was rather bewildered by the Minister’s words. If His Majesty weren’t there, would it still be a morning court assembly?

“Hmm… That’s fantastic.” Chu Yang nodded with a smile. “Chen Yutong, you can drink in peace. I’ll go for tomorrow’s morning court assembly instead!”

“You?” The countenances of the two Lord Pavilion Masters immediately became very interesting. Then, it suddenly hit them. “Lord Minister is intending to give His Majesty a surprise?”

Chu Yang smiled brightly at them. “Yes, a surprise! I’m going to give His Majesty a very huge, enormous surprise!!”

Minister Chu placed extra emphasis on the word ‘surprise’. In fact, even his expression was somewhat sinister…

Cheng Zi-ang and Chen Yutong felt rather unsettled inwardly. Surely the Lord Minister didn’t come back to assassinate the Emperor, right… By right, this really shouldn’t be?

The two of them took a good look at him, only to see that other than a sense of sinisterness on the Lord Minister’s face, there was actually a hint of obscenity in his smile…

Shivers ran down their spines. They exchanged a look of mutual understanding with each other and buried their faces in wine and food.

The old adage — Thou shalt not talk whilst eating; thou shalt not speak in thy sleep.

In the wee hours before dawn.

Chu Yang, dressed in black inner robes and black outer robes and covered in the stench of alcohol, put on the traditional mask of Bu Tian Pavilion and entered a palanquin carried by eight people! As the carriers huffed and puffed, he headed gloriously to the morning court assembly.

Morning court assemblies were held in the Great Tian Yang Hall. It was said that His Majesty had changed the morning court assembly venue to this place after he ascended the throne. When Chu Yang heard the name of the place, he was slightly pacified.

When he reached the Hall, court officials were already waiting around in groups.

Chu Yang let out a cough and walked in, his gait unrestrained and majestic. An overpowering stench of alcohol followed after him.

All the court officials in the hall stared at him. But this was the Pavilion Master of Bu Tian Pavilion! Who dared to say anything?

After a moment, the sound of guards of honor approaching could be heard. Followed by the melodic sound of wood and string instruments, a piercing voice declared loudly, “His Majesty has arrived!~~~”

Everyone hurried forward to receive him. Chu Yang lifted his head to see yellow-robed guards of honor slowly approach from afar. On the imperial chariot, a person dressed in golden yellow robes and with a crown on his head was nearing them. His face was handsome and his eyes serene and awe-inspiring, naturally carrying with him the incomparable aura of one who dominated the world!

The world was in his palm and the universe in his heart; the wind and clouds were within his grasp and the nation within his chest!

A ruler descending upon the world!

The emperor of a new generation — Tie Butian!