Transcending the Nine Heavens

"We don’t know," Chu Feiling frowned and said, "But, even if they do... their selling price would be sky-high! There’s no market for them! In the Flat Mountain Ridge, there are two big clans other than us. We can’t really take into account the other small families. These two big clans have long been our rivals. Why would they be willing to sell such precious medicine to us?"

"Right now, wars are breaking out in all corners of the Nine Heavens and conflicts are never-ending. It looks like a large mess is waiting to happen. In such a time, poisons are favored more than life-saving elixirs. Yang Yang, you’ve just arrived in the Upper Three Heavens. Don’t think about everything too simplistically."

Chu Yang said innocently, "I wasn’t being simplistic. Aren’t there big trading companies, auctions or organizations that specialize in buying and exchanging? We can use these channels in addition to searching for them by ourselves. That way, two years are definitely enough..."

Chu Feiyan smiled bitterly. "Two years are enough? I really don’t know how you came to that conclusion. Even if they are, the Chu clan doesn’t have that many purple crystals. Even if second brother, the clan master, wasn’t stingy, we don’t have a great fortune!"

Yang Ruolan nodded, "These things can’t be bought with white or blue crystals."

But Chu Feiling was considering another matter. He said, "This piece of land belongs to the Xiao clan. The big trading companies and auctions are controlled by law-enforcement. These authorities do offer jobs for blood payers. With enough purple crystals, one can give tasks to the payers from the entire Upper Three Heavens. Interested payers receive the task in exchange for remuneration."

"Blood payers?" Chu Yang asked with interest, "Who’re they?"

"In the past, the idea of blood payers was designed by law enforcement as a form of punishment. Targeting unscrupulous villains in the Nine Heavens, the enforcers implemented a bounty-style reward system. Martial experts worldwide were invited to catch and kill these villains. These experts would be rewarded if they succeeded. Since this reward was literally given in exchange for human lives and blood, the name ’blood payer’ was born."

"Over time, people realized that that system could be used for things other than killing people, like seeking revenge, finding medicine, murder, bodyguards or escorts, etc. Law-enforcement officers formed the blood-paying organization which specializes in such things."

"Many Martial Artists are unwilling to rely on others for a living, but they don’t have sufficient knowledge to set up businesses. They end up as blood payers. They make a living through the remuneration they receive. Over time, more and more were drawn to that lifestyle leading to the current state.

"Basically, blood payers are liberal and not under any jurisdiction. They decide for themselves whether they accept the task or not. Though the majority of them are hard-working," Chu Feiyan continued.

"Isn’t this nonsense?" Chu Feiling gave his younger brother a gloomy look, "If they don’t accept the task, what do they eat? What do they drink? What do they use for their cultivations? All the tasks have a base pay of one black crystal. Most tasks can be paid with purple crystals and a piece of purple crystal is enough to help a Martial Emperor double their cultivation within half a month. How could they not work hard?"

Chu Feiyan shrank his neck, "I knew that I would be scolded. It’s always been like this, even when we were young... Every single time I speak to you, no matter what I say."

"Such a fun organization!" The King of Hell Chu’s eyes shone like two light bulbs.

"Fun?" Yang Ruolan knocked his son’s head, "Doing such things is life-threatening. How dare you say that it’s fun?"

Chu Feiyan twitched his mouth to one side and thought: Sister, you don’t even know... in the eyes of the King of Hell Chu, human lives are simply fun... Nothing else! Although he’s still young, the blood that stains his young hands... I estimate that it’s a hundred times more than the number of people in the entire Chu clan... and still, you think he’s a good boy...

"No matter how we’re getting them, we need purple crystals! And plenty of them!" Chu Feiling said heavily.

"Isn’t it just a problem of purple crystals in the end?" Chu Yang smiled as if it was not a problem for him. "To earn some purple crystals within a short amount of time is a piece of cake for me. Furthermore, I’ve got fourth uncle’s help."

Chu Feiyan’s face became as wrinkled as a dried gourd. Damn it, can you stop bringing this up? Every time you do, my heart shudders...

"A piece of cake?" Chu Feiling felt the need to correct his son’s point of view, "How can purple crystals be obtained so easily? Now, many people are willing to risk their lives just for a piece of purple crystal! Do you think that purple crystals are cheap? Don’t think that the Pure Purple Jade Essence around your neck can be found everywhere!"

"I don’t think that purple crystals are cheap. I’m just saying that with my level of medical expertise, I can set up a medical center. I should be able to earn a lot of money from it," Chu Yang said calmly.

"You?" Chu Feiling sneered, "Do you think you can do anything just because you’re good at medicine? You must start by covering all the bases! Anything could happen anytime. This could inhibit your progress and bring the entire family to ruin! Do you think being good at medicine is enough? Far from it! Evil plots and conspiracies, as well as ill-intentioned people, will surely be involved... Can you even imagine that?"

"Big brother, you’re too harsh. I’ll help Yang Yang, so there shouldn’t be any problems," Chu Feiyan tried to calm Chu Feiling down as he smiled bitterly. He thought, "Plots and conspiracies? Your son is not afraid of these at all. This punk knows them too well..."

"Letting Yang Yang do his own things can avoid any conflict between him and second Brother," Chu Feiyan said knowingly and did not speak any further.

Chu Feiling and Yang Ruolan instantly understood. They both looked at Chu Yang with guilt in their eyes. Yang Ruolan said softly, "Yang Yang, good child, we’ve wronged you."

Chu Yang was stunned.

Where have I been wronged? I’ve been arranging this for so long just to get them to fight against me. Now that my efforts are going to be fruitful... why did Father and Mother start blaming themselves?

This... How did this even start?

"Ah, I’ll assume I’m being wronged then", Chu Yang thought. He immediately said bitterly, "Avoiding this conflict isn’t the sole purpose of setting up a medical center. After all, the more purple crystals we obtain, the better off we are. We have to make a collective effort for Le’er. Father only needs to help me create the medical center. As for the rest, both of you don’t need to worry about anything."

"This... is also fine," Chu Feiling and his wife glanced at each other. Both felt that Chu Yang could be too easily manipulated by their second brother and his sons. Chu Yang might as well go out to stay away from trouble.

Second elder and his sons are all not easy to deal with. Our son is honest and pure-hearted and is not one of their opponents.

Had Chu Feiyan known what the couple was thinking, he definitely would have fainted...

When everything was settled, Chu Yang relaxed and finally asked a question that had been lingering in his mind for a long time, "Mother, was there anyone around when you discovered me?"

"No," Yang Ruolan said.

"Oh," Chu Yang frowned.

"Don’t think about returning to the Middle Three Heavens," Chu Feiling said gravely, "All the paths in between the Nine Heavens have already been shut down! Even Martial Warriors cannot walk through them!"

"Ah?" Chu Yang had been thinking of doing something like that, but was shocked after hearing this news, "Why?"

Yang Ruolan sighed, "The Nine Tribulations Sword Master has now appeared. He has caused heaven and earth to change drastically!"

"Uh? The Nine Tribulations Sword Master?" Chu Yang was dumbfounded. "There’s such a thing?"

"Alas, my son, you need to be careful in the future. Try not to offend more people. This Nine Tribulations Sword Master, you cannot afford to provoke him. He’s rather... brutal and malicious..." Yang Ruolan combed the hair of her son affectionately and patiently told him about ’the brutal Nine Tribulations Sword Master’.

Chu Yang’s face blackened and he said angrily, "The Nine Tribulations Sword Master is really shitty!"

Yang Ruolan said, "Of course, of course..."

Chu Yang was speechless.

The conversation suddenly switched to another topic. Everyone all talked in unison about the Nine Tribulations Sword Master’s dreadfulness, his brutality and success and the legend behind his power...

Chu Yang smiled hollowly. He listened to them all, stupefied as if they were speaking Greek to him.

Alas, looks like this child really doesn’t know about it... In the Lower and Middle Three Heavens, who knows about how terrible the Nine Tribulations Sword Master is? The three elders sighed and felt an even stronger urge to teach Chu Yang about him...

Chu Yang spent the entire night in a state of extreme confusion, anxiety, and misery, as everyone railed against the Nine Tribulations Sword Master.

By the end, his saliva had formed a thread hanging from his chin. He was completely shocked... Nine Tribulations Sword Master, you’re so horrible!

The next morning, Chu Feiling immediately went to arrange the setting up of the medical center. Of course, it boasted the improvement of the clan’s welfare.

Chu Feiyan had already gone out to carry out an on-the-spot investigation. Since he had decided to work, he tried his utmost best. This would also affect the future of his nephew and the health of his most beloved niece...

Chu Yang rested his head on the back of his hands drowsily. He lay his back on the chair and thought about last night’s conversation: All the remedies have astronomical prices and even if you want to buy them, others may not want to sell... etc.

He grinned and muttered to himself disdainfully, "When did I say that I wanted to buy them? It’s too troublesome to spend purple crystals for such little things! If I can’t afford them, why not steal? Manipulate? Or use my wits to get them?"

Swindling, stealing, looting, robbing, digging pits... All of these methods can be used! As long as there’s a way, I’ll definitely make good use of it!

The King of Hell Chu gnashed his teeth and thought, "As for purple crystals... I’ll wait for the others to deliver them to me. Who seriously thinks that I’m going to do charity work?"

...