Chapter 56: The Might of the Nine Supremes. I’ll Help You!
Translator: Whatsyourissue Editor: ICheah
“Young master, the goods have arrived,” Lao Mei said.
“Very well, pull them into the warehouse.” Yun Yang nodded his head.
Lao Mei smiled.
Fang Mofei was standing outside as well. He had recovered a significant amount of his health now. Although he still could not do much, it was not too taxing for him to help Lao Mei in some household matters. At his current recovery rate, he would need just over a month at most to recuperate fully. Fang Mofei was happily contented with his current state of affairs.
With the injuries he had sustained, he should have been bedridden for at least a year and suffer damage to his cultivation base. However, not only did his recovery time shrink to a month, his foundation energy had already been recovered just by being here.
Yun Yang thought about it as he entered the secret chamber.
Li Changqiu was still tied up inside. Seeing Yun Yang enter, his gaze shone but he did not speak. However, he did not swear out loud either; his impression of Yun Yang was one of respect. It was, after all, Yun Yang’s deception that had achieved such a great effect!
“Elder Li, I’m very sorry I can’t remove your restraints.” Yun Yang poured and fed Li Changqiu a cup of water immediately after he came in, speaking in apologetic tones.
“I bet you wouldn’t dare to either.” Li Changqiu chuckled and said, “I have no intention of leaving anyway. If you give me a clean death when the time comes, I would be more than happy.”
Yun Yang smiled humorlessly and said, “There is still no news from my superior yet, Elder Li will have to wait a bit more.”
Li Changqiu sighed and said, “I understand.” He then looked at Yun Yang, not saying anything despite looking like there was something just at the tip of his tongue.
Yun Yang took in a deep breath and said, “The operation against the Manor of Sirius has been carried out now. I received news that the Manor of Sirius has been uprooted.”
“Great!” Li Changqiu’s spirits were lifted as he said cheerfully, “What happened to Chu Tianlang?”
Yun Yang smiled, “Elder Li’s wish will soon come true. Chu Tianlang has been captured alive, he’s being sent over right this moment. When I have finished questioning him, Elder Li can meet the master of the Manor of Sirius.”
Li Changqiu chortled with pleasure. “Chu Tianlang dared betray me, he never would have thought that his day would come as well. Although he has ratted me out, his lifetime’s efforts and his life itself would still be buried by mine! What gratifying revenge this is!”
Yun Yang smiled and said, “I’ll report to the superior about Elder Li’s cooperation and plead with them to let you stay alive.” He continued sincerely, “I can’t guarantee that I can succeed. Still, I am very hopeful that Elder Li will be allowed to live.”
Li Changqiu looked at Yun Yang in amusement. “Aren’t you afraid that I would exact my revenge on you if I were to live?”
Yun Yang smiled faintly and said truthfully, “I am afraid… but I value your life more.”
Li Changqiu heaved a long sigh, and said in a low voice, “I won’t be able to stay alive… Even if the Concourse of the Underworld doesn’t kill me, the Four Seasons Tower will. I am a dead man walking.”
Yun Yang sighed identical sighs and said sympathetically, “Is there no other way? Can’t you hide your name and conceal your identity?”
“No one in this world can escape once the Four Seasons Tower’s begins a hunt. No one!” Li Changqiu observed quietly.
Yun Yang had no words to say to that.
Is the Four Seasons Tower that powerful and mysterious?
He forced a smile as he said, “At least, we can still chat now. Elder Li, there’s something which I really do not understand. I hope Elder Li can enlighten me.”
Li Changqiu replied, “What is it?” Obviously, Yun Yang’s special treatment had melted some of the ice in Li Changqiu’s heart, as his levels of cooperation began to increase.
Yun Yang then continued, “According to what I know, the ambush on the Nine Supremes at Tianxuan Cliff much earlier was the doing of the Four Seasons Tower, and it started from Tiantang City. I’m very puzzled about this.”
Li Changqiu kept silent, not saying a word.
Yun Yang paid him no mind and he continued as if speaking to himself, “Logically, the Nine Supremes are powerful but they are still men; they rank, perhaps similarly to a mere military general of a nation. Although they could fight through thousands of troops and be the decisive factor in victories of wars, their cultivation base would never be any greater or more outstanding when placed in the martial arts world.”
Li Changqiu remained silent for a long while before saying, “You’re wrong in this. You don’t know what is the most frightening thing about the Nine Supremes.”
Yun Yang questioned, “Oh?”
Li Changqiu explained himself, “The Nine Supremes’ abilities are indeed not terribly great. If we’re looking only at mystical Qi, everyone one of them can only be rated as mediocre. Even the eldest of the Nine Supremes was only a fifth peak in mystical Qi; they wouldn’t be able to withstand a direct hit.”
“You’re right. Although a fifth peak in mystical Qi is already an expert, it is still nothing in the eyes of a real expert, true?” Yun Yang said in confusion.
“But the Nine Supremes still have other strengths… If that sort of strength grows, there is where the real threat is.” Li Changqiu sighed. “The Nine Heavens Demesne isn’t a place to produce experts of the martial arts world anyway. The might of the Nine Supremes lies not within how powerful they are, but in the peculiar forces that belong to each of the Nine Supremes themselves. These bizarre abilities are what is truly frightening about them!”
“I’m sorry, I still don’t get it.” Yun Yang scratched his head.
“From what has been observed in the battles the Nine Supremes were involved in, their current prowess would only add to the enemy’s confusion, raising hell so that the enemy could not coordinate their troops nor formations. Once the Nine Supremes attacked, Supreme Earth’s ability to manipulate earth – he could change the form of earth under the enemy’s feet, perhaps collapsing them, or raising the earth up high, even upturning it - while useless in the fights that took place in the martial arts world, could be fatal when two opposite troops are faced against each other!” Li Changqiu explained.
“That is remarkable.” Yun Yang said.
“In addition, both Supreme Flame and Supreme Water share the same characteristics. What would happen if the military camp suddenly catches fire? Or the food supply routes were robbed and completely burned down? Perhaps a flood would appear and swamp the military base, putting the enemy is deep trouble.”
“It’s the same for the others. Supreme Wind could support any of them, perhaps Supreme Flame had cast fire but the direction of the wind was deterring him; Supreme Wind could change this and have the wind blow the other way… how big of an effect would that be?”
“As for Supreme Thunder, the ability to manipulate lightning and thunder and put them to use on the battlefield? This is what is so frightening about the Nine Supremes in their war strategies. They could decide the fate of millions of troops, their life and death or victory and defeat. But if they fought alone in the martial arts world, they probably wouldn’t have as big a reputation as they did, do you understand?”
“And the mightiest part about the Nine Supremes is their veil of mystery! No one knew the Nine Supremes’ real identities or faces; even among themselves! This is their most formidable aspect.”
“If the Nine Supremes grew, even their mystical Qi cultivation base would be higher. Think about it; which military troop of any nation in this world could be the opponent of Empire of Yutang?”
Yun Yang then asked, “But surely this couldn’t be the reason for the Four Seasons Tower to take on the Nine Supremes? As mighty as they were, they aren’t much of a threat to the Four Seasons Tower.”
Li Changqiu replied, pondering deeply, “I don’t know what reason it could be either. But since they’ve done it, there has to be a reason.”
Yun Yang was slightly disappointed. He could not get much information from Li Changqiu either. What level must one be in order to be qualified to know this secret?
“But in ambushing the Nine Supremes, Elder Li’s side must be one of the crucial links,” Yun Yang began to spin his deceptions again.
“Crucial link? Perhaps not!” Li Changqiu chuckled with genuine mirth. “We’ve only supplied some intelligence in the Nine Supremes’ case, and those definitely aren’t anything of great importance.”
“Intelligence?” Yun Yang laughed and said, “It’s not an easy feat to discover intelligence about the Nine Supremes either.”
Li Changqiu then snorted coldly, “That’s under Chu Tianlang. God knows where he got the information from, that’s why that jerk has always been unwilling to submit to me. That bastard whose son was born without *asshole!”
Under Chu Tianlang?
Yun Yang squinted his eyes and smiled. “I will make Chu Tianlang talk.”
Li Changqiu wore a cruel smile as he said, “If you can’t get anything out of him, come tell me. I will teach you a few interrogation techniques. Even if he’s made of steel, he will tell you whatever it is that you want!”
Yun Yang smiled, “I must come ask for Elder Li’s advice then.”
Li Changqiu chortled as if already seeing Yun Yang use his methods to torture Chu Tianlang.
…
In another secret chamber, Chu Tianlang slowly regained consciousness.
As he opened his eyes, his first impression was that he was already safe.
However…
What is this on me? Why am I tied up? These mystical beast tendons had him trussed against a wide pole. Even his cultivation base had been locked.
Is this a joke?
Aren’t they on my side? They’ve saved me, they must be on my side…
Chu Tianlang was disoriented, momentarily uncertain of what was transpiring around him.
“Is there anyone there?” Chu Tianlang asked aloud.
Just as his words floated out into the air, he realized that his voice was raspy and rough, as if his throat had been torn.
After calling out twice, footsteps came from the outside. Right then, a young man in a purple robe with features like jade entered, Under the dim oil lamp, the face of this young man in purple had Chu Tianlang feeling like he was looking at Adonis.
He was immediately enraged, “Who are you? Why am I here?”
Yun Yang smiled an odd smile. “Who am I? Chu Tianlang, is this how you should talk to your saving grace? If it weren’t for me, you would’ve long fallen into the Ximen family’s hands. You’re actually questioning me now?”
Chu Tianlang was bewildered. “You saved me?”
“Who else!” Yun Yang snorted angrily. “Did you lose your memory? You can’t recall anything?”
Chu Tianlang said angrily, “If you have saved me, why did you tie me up?”
“How was I supposed to treat your wounds if I didn’t tie you up?” Yun Yang replied angrily, “You behaved exactly like when you’re f*cking conscious, tossing here and turning there with so much strength. If I didn’t tie you up and lock your cultivation base, was I supposed to wait until you tormented yourself to death?”
Chu Tianlang was abashed.
He had struggled hard when he was unconscious? He looked at the wounds on his body, they were indeed bandaged. He could not help but be apologetic. “I see, I am sorry. Can you untie me now then? My limbs are uncomfortable.”
“Uncomfortable? There are more… uncomfortable times in store for you.,” Yun Yang said smiling.