Transcending the Nine Heavens

Chu Yang mused over his question. “If I were from the Xiao Clan, I would use the enemy’s own trick against them and set up an inescapable trap in the mine right where the dragon and phoenix claws are. Of course, security would also need to be reinforced on the outside. Then, I’ll use these reinforced security measures to desensitize the enemy and get them to step into the trap before killing them!”Mo Tianji smiled in response. “Yes, that’s why we must slow down our speed when traveling there. Firstly, this gives Duxing and Ji Mo time to scout the area. Secondly, this allows the Xiao Clan to finish setting up their trap before we get there. Then, we’ll keep them on their toes for a day and a night. On the third night, we’ll create a disturbance to let them know that we’ve already reached and are about to step into their trap. At the point where they think that we’re about to act, we’ll destroy the Xiao Clan’s basecamp directly!”

Chu Yang’s eyes lit up. “Brilliant plan!”

Mo Tianji smiled deviously. “This plan shall hinge wholly on whether that traitor fulfills her duty well or not…”

Chu Yang started laughing silently.

Considering how much Wei hated his guts, it would be strange if she didn’t!

…

Ji Mo and Gu Duxing journeyed ahead.

During this entire way there, Ji Mo had been restrained by Gu Duxing so well that he was extremely obedient, doing whatever he was told. But even so, he was still beaten up a whole of eight times.

“You useless thing! What an embarrassment to me you are!” said Second Brother Gu.

“I don’t blame you for playing pranks on my wedding night, nor am I hitting you because of other people. I’m just hitting you for failing to live up to expectations!”

“Even Rui Butong has already become a fifth-grade Supreme Martial Artist, yet you’re just second-grade! And only mid-level at that!” Gu Duxing was terribly furious.

Ji Mo hung his head, his face full of shame.

Gu Duxing had the right to say such a thing. Despite Rui Butong being a fifth-grade Supreme Martial Artist while Gu Duxing was only a third-grade one, he managed to thoroughly abuse Rui Butong while everyone was watching!

If it had been Ji Mo instead… He would probably have lasted only half a breath’s time…

Although Gu Duxing scolded and hit Ji Mo, among all the brothers, he was actually the closest to Ji Mo.

This repeated spate of scoldings and beatings was also due to a sense of having expected better from him that had been pushed to the limit.

Ji Mo gave him a pained smile. “Second Brother, you’ve also noticed it. I also feel that among the brothers, Little Wolf and I are still a little too lousy.” He heaved a deep sigh. “In terms of aptitude, the two of us are a little poorer right from the start.”

“Now, both Boss and Second Brother are Sword Supremacies, while Dong Wushang is a Saber Supremacy. Mo Tianji is a man of god-like foresight and amazing ingenuity; Rui Butong possesses the Phoenix bloodline, while Ao Xieyun possesses the Dragon bloodline. Although Xie Danqiong doesn’t have any special bloodline, once his viburnum flowers are out, even you and Dong Wushang have to be on guard. In fact, both of you will even need to step back and keep a good distance.”

“So it’s just me and Little Wolf…” Ji Mo was rather dejected. “Our aptitude isn’t great right from the start. Neither do we possess special bloodlines, much less exceptional specialties…”

“Second Brother Gu, you should also be aware that some time back, in order to practice his skill techniques, Little Wolf actually got himself all bloody from cuts and wounds. In fact, he had practiced so hard that he passed out.”

“Little brother here also wishes he could use every single cell in himself to practice… but this is about talent! Talent!” Ji Mo sighed to the high heavens. “The two of us… I know this about him while he also knows this about me. Both of us haven’t gotten any sleep for half a year…”

“We try so desperately and push ourselves to the limit, yet we can barely keep up with the end of the brothers’ trail, and then break through with Boss’ help…”

Ji Mo hung his head, dejected and despondent. In a tone rarely heard from him, he said, “Second Brother, when all of us cultivate together, while all of you improve by ten feet, I can only shift forward a couple of feet… When everyone rests, Little Wolf and I would secretly get up, both of us massaging each other for a short while to relax before we start again. Putting in all our time and all our energy… Because of this, Luo Kedi doesn’t even bother thinking about marriage matters anymore… Yet we’re still unable to keep up. Sometimes, I really want to die…”

Before he even finished, he had already suffered a vicious kick to his butt immediately. Gu Duxing’s livid voice could be heard. “You want to die? Fine… If you want to die, then hurry up and die while I’m watching! Stop dawdling!”

Ji Mo’s lips pressed tightly together. There were actually tears shining in his eyes. After a long while, he suddenly dropped onto the ground and broke into loud wrenching sobs.

Tears also shone in Gu Duxing’s eyes but he pressed his lips tightly shut instead, forcing himself not to comfort him.

Consolation during such moments would only cause one to become even weaker.

The most arduous part of a man’s mental growth could only be overcome by himself!

Ji Mo’s sobs were very heartbroken and very repressed.

A young hero and a born genius, Ji Mo could be said to be the idol of all teenagers in the world. At just twenty-one years old, he was already a second-grade Supreme Martial Artist and part of the Nine Tribulations!

Such a level of cultivation made him the object of idolization, no matter where he was.

But it was solely among his own brothers that this wasn’t true!

Compared to his brothers, he was very weak!

Ji Mo was also a proud and lofty person. How could he possibly be able to accept this!

Holding these emotions back all the way till now, he could no longer keep it in anymore!

“I’m so useless. I feel like I can only act as a clown among the brothers…” Ji Mo let out loud wracking sobs.

With a frosty expression, Gu Duxing, dressed head to toe in black, stood in front of him. He watched him cry, not even budging an inch as he did so.

After a long while, Ji Mo’s sobs finally started to quieten.

“Done crying yet?” asked Gu Duxing coldly.

Ji Mo wiped his tears as he sniffled. “It’s not like I want to cry!”

“So you’re also aware that this is very shameful?” Gu Duxing snickered.

“Damn it, how about you give it a go yourself?” Ji Mo flew into a rage.

Gu Duxing snorted. Then, he slowly said, “When we left, Boss secretly told me something. He wanted me to pass you the message.”

“What message?” Ji Mo panicked.

“Boss said… If you cry, then I am to tell you. Like now, you have indeed cried.” A hint of a smile appeared on Gu Duxing’s cold and stiff corners of his lips. “You useless thing!”

Ji Mo’s breathing turned ragged and heavy. “Spit it out, what did Boss say?”

“Boss said… As long as you can hang in there and brave through your inner demons, if you can continue to improve… You should know that when one truly metamorphoses into a powerful expert, the boundary between immortal and mortal exists at the stage of sixth-grade Supreme Martial Artist!” Gu Duxing grinned at him. “Do you know what the boundary between immortal and mortal is?”

Ji Mo started trembling all over. Even his lips were shivering.

“At the point of crossing that boundary, everyone would have a chance to change themselves!” Gu Duxing smiled. “We can’t change anymore, but Little Wolf and you can. Not just that, it’s only the two of you who can do it! Because… both of you have a template while we don’t.”

“But in order to seize that opportunity, you need to know about it in advance and be mentally prepared for it. You’ll also need to withstand all the pressure and get to that point. Only then would it work! If you can’t reach that point yourself, nobody will be able to help you.”

Ji Mo started shivering all over. “Really?”

“Absolutely!” Gu Duxing chuckled. “Have you ever heard a false word from Boss?”

“No!” answered Ji Mo firmly. Then, he became so excited that his entire face turned red. He clenched his fists tightly. “I will definitely cross the boundary between immortal and mortal!”

It was only after that that he started complaining in dissatisfaction. “I say, Second Brother Gu, how could you? To think you actually kept such a piece of good news from me the entire way.”

Gu Duxing raised his eyebrows. “Boss was the one who told me to do it. You can go back and settle the score with him instead!”

Ji Mo’s entire body relaxed and he felt as if his life was full of hope again. Chuckling sneakily, he replied, “Do you goddamn think I’m dumb!”

Gu Duxing burst into laughter.

This sort of qualitative metamorphosis from the core of one’s being naturally didn’t exist in the boundary between immortal and mortal. However, Chu Yang had already made up his mind that he would definitely let Ji Mo and Luo Kedi undergo this metamorphosis at the core when that time came!

Otherwise, these two brothers of his would be crushed by the other brothers’ excellence sooner or later. Chu Yang saw this clearly and Mo Tianji understood this in his heart, while Ji Mo and Luo Kedi themselves were also well aware.

Thus, Chu Yang had already made foolproof preparations.

Even Gu Duxing didn’t know of this.

Neither did Chu Yang plan to let other people know.

He had no plans of letting them know even after the metamorphosis, only letting Ji Mo and Luo Kedi think that this was the result of their own hard work…

Smiling, Gu Duxing said, “I’m only in charge of telling you. As for your other half, Luo Kedi… I’ll leave it to you.”

Ji Mo was so excited that he did a somersault. Gnashing his teeth, he said, “I’ll definitely let that fellow go from one end of hell to the other end of heaven… I even cried today… Damn, does he think that he can get to know this piece of news without crying or making a fuss? Dream on! Wahahaha…”

There was excited malice in Ji Mo’s eyes. Obviously, he was already looking forward to how he would ‘take care’ of Luo Kedi…

Gu Duxing exhaled a long relaxed breath.

…

At Aspen Valley.

As the name indicated, the place was filled with wide expanses of white poplar trees that stood tall and straight, reaching high into the skies. Each tree was so thick that it needed five to six men to wrap around it. They were like giants standing upright in the entire valley. Within several hundred miles, not even a tree of other species was in sight.

On the opposite, however, was a dense forest of Chinese sycamore trees. They stood tall and straight as well, each of them even thicker than the white poplar trees. At the top of the sycamore trees, several black bird nests formed naturally by the tree leaves could be seen resting one after another.

Ancient legends went that planting sycamore trees would attract phoenixes.

Thus, these bird nests that formed naturally on these sycamore trees were known as phoenix nests!

Right now, Gu Duxing and Ji Mo were crouching quietly in an enormous ‘phoenix nest’.

Looking out from their vantage point, a couple of miles away was exactly where the gigantic mine was!

At this moment, there were people going in and out of it.

This was also exactly where the legendary land of Dragon and Phoenix Bringing Prosperity was.

“Do you sense anything??” asked Ji Mo quietly in a telepathic message. “No,” answered Gu Duxing. He said impassively, “I can only sense that there are experts aplenty here. Security is very tight and… there’s a vague energy source that seems… like it’s being stimulated. If my guess is right, it is likely the power of the dragon and phoenix. Judging from this, the dragon and phoenix remains should still be here.”

Ji Mo took a breath. “I’m thinking of going down to take a look.”

“No, you can’t!” Gu Duxing got a fright. “It’s too risky! There are too many experts here. Even if I were to go down, I would probably end up only sending myself to death’s door… Don’t be rash!”

Turning to him, Ji Mo said seriously, “That’s precisely why I want to go down. I keep feeling like this place is a gigantic trap… And one that’s specially set up for us brothers! As the ones sent here in advance, if we don’t scout properly, I’m afraid the brothers would suffer a huge disadvantage when they get here.”

Gu Duxing sank into contemplation for a while before he replied, “Since that’s the case, I’ll go. You wait here.”

“It’s not that I’m looking down on you; you’re certainly stronger than me, but in this aspect, even if you, Gu Duxing, are sticking right behind my ass, you wouldn’t be able to detect the stink even if I fart!” Ji Mo said disdainfully, “Besides, If I get caught… You’ll be faster than me in whatever you do outside here… It’s more convenient that way. If you get caught, there might really be nothing I can do about it at all…”

Gu Duxing thought about it silently for a while. At last, he said, “Be careful!”

Ji Mo raised his eyebrows. “Of course! I’m still waiting for the boundary between immortal and mortal.”

Then, he leaned over and whispered a whole slew of things into Gu Duxing’s ear. Gu Duxing’s eyes flew open. “Can… can this really work??”

Ji Mo was full of confidence. “Rest assured, I’m Mo Tianji at this moment… My plan is definitely flawless!”

Gu Duxing was dumbstruck and speechless.