Transcending the Nine Heavens

Chu Yang nodded and leaned against the chair lazily. “However, what I need to remind you of is… It has already been close to a month since the Lan Clan was destroyed. Even if the other Super Clans haven’t gotten the news in the first few days and couldn’t react in time, they must already know by now.”Mo Tianji nodded. “That has occurred to me a long time ago.”

“Ever since the third day, I’ve been making preparations to guard against the Zhuge Clan who is the closest to this place in proximity. And since the tenth day, I’ve been making preparations to guard against the other Super Clans. However, though they might have already put some plans into action, there were no especially obvious reactions from them.”

Smiling, Mo Tianji went on. “Since there wasn’t much of a reaction from them, then I might as well be even louder and more obvious about it here…”

Musing, Chu Yang replied, “Tianji, your reconstruction of Mother City can be said to have taken shape by now. However, have you thought about how it’s going to be a catastrophe when the other Super Clans make their way here after we leave… This city that you’ve poured so much effort into and only just built will turn into a pile of rubble within a second.”

“That’s exactly why we must leave.”

Mo Tianji smiled with great assurance. “Because this timing is seriously too good.”

“The timing is too good?” Chu Yang’s brows drew together, somewhat puzzled.

Mo Tianji laughed and replied, “Come with me.”

As he spoke, he pulled Chu Yang into a tent. When Chu Yang entered the tent, he noticed that there was actually a simulation mock setup on the floor.

“This is the Upper Three Heavens power distribution map that I made after constantly gathering information and buying a map from the law-enforcement officers during this period of time.”

With a loud smack, Mo Tianji plastered a large piece of paper onto the wall.

Then, he grabbed a brush and swiftly made a few marks on the paper according to the mock setup on the ground.

“Putting aside the law-enforcement officers for now, this is the distribution of the Nine Super Clans. At present, this is where we are.” Mo Tianji lifted the brush and drew a circle at the bottommost area. “Beside us is the Zhuge Clan.”

“Right now, all the Super Clans are on their way to gather in the northwest…” He drew a few arrows with the brush.

“The Nine Heavens passageways were unlocked at this point.”

“And after they were unlocked, the Lan Clan was destroyed!”

Mo Tianji drew a few vague shapes with the brush and made the arrows a bit clearer. Then, he looked at Chu Yang with a smile. “What have you thought of?”

Chu Yang self-professed to also be one who was exceptionally clever, but in this instant, he was rather doubtful.

“The Nine Super Clans are openly and publicly out to destroy the Li Clan. And right at this point, we destroyed the Lan Clan in one fell swoop!” Mo Tianji went on. “What’s more, the opening of the Nine Heavens is the work of the Nine Tribulations Sword Master… In the case of the destruction of the Lan Clan, they are not aware that Tan Tan has already left. Thus, they can only firmly believe that this was thanks to our own strength.”

“That then gives people a misconception — The Nine Tribulations Sword Master and Nine Tribulations are already very powerful! This is the first point.”

“Secondly, the destruction of the Lan Clan must be the work of the Nine Tribulations!”

“Thirdly, why did the Nine Tribulations take action against them? And why did they wipe out the Lan Clan in such a hurry before doing anything else? After all, the passageway has only reopened for a few days when the Lan Clan met with their demise. Why is that?”

“The Lan Clan couldn’t have offended the Nine Tribulations to the point of irreconciliation the moment they came up…”

“Therefore, at this point, there will definitely be people who suspect whether the reason behind the Nine Tribulations being in such a hurry has anything to do with the Li Clan’s dire straits? Attacking something that the enemy is sure to want to save in order to relieve the Li Clan of their predicament?”

When Mo Tianji reached this part, he drew a question mark on the paper.

Realization dawned upon Chu Yang. However, there were still some doubts in his mind, so he continued to listen to Mo Tianji quietly.

“There will definitely be people who will think of this. We don’t need that many of such people, just one is enough to cause great waves and currents in the joint army of the eight Super Clans! In that case, what they would conclude from this is — Ah, just how important is the Li Clan to the Nine Tribulations!”

Mo Tianji went on with a smile. “The moment they derive this mindset, coupled with how they think that the Nine Tribulations are strong enough to actually destroy the entire Lan Clan… If you were from the eight Super Clans, would you choose to destroy the Li Clan who is one of the Nine Tribulations or clash head-on with the Nine Tribulations?”

With any hesitation, Chu Yang replied, “Of course I would destroy the Li Clan while the Nine Tribulations haven’t assembled! Hurting one’s ten fingers is not comparable to breaking off one!”

“Exactly!” Mo Tianji clapped and smiled. “Therefore, it must be very exciting in the northwest right now!”

“And I, after successfully taking down the Lan Clan, had immediately rebuilt the city. Although it wasn’t my original intent, it gives people a certain misconception — The Nine Tribulations intend to set up their base in the Lan Clan’s territory and stand against the eight Super Clans!”

“Therefore, at the moment, they will not do anything to us.”

Chu Yang nodded. “If they wait until the point where we ourselves think that the base has become very solid and sturdy… that’s when they will tie us down to this place?”

“Exactly.” Mo Tianji nodded. “Only then will they convene here to carry out a mass attack and destroy the base along with us! But… that will need to wait until they’ve taken care of the Li Clan!”

“For a hundred thousand years, the rumor has never changed — When the Nine Tribulations come together as one, they are invincible! Therefore, before they succeed in killing Li Xiongtu, they definitely won’t have the confidence that they can take all of us down in one fell swoop. Should they allow Li Xiongtu to meet up with us, they’ll be unable to eat or sleep…” Mo Tianji’s lips curled up into a mocking smile.

“For a hundred thousand years, the rumor has never changed — When the Nine Tribulations come together as one, they are invincible! Therefore, before they succeed in killing Li Xiongtu, they definitely won’t have the confidence that they can take all of us down in one fell swoop. Should they allow Li Xiongtu to meet up with us, they’ll be unable to eat or sleep…” Mo Tianji’s lips curled up into a mocking smile.

Because Li Xiongtu, whom the law-enforcement officers and the Nine Super Clans firmly believed to be ‘one of the Nine Tribulations’, was not part of the Nine Tribulations at all!

Chu Yang suddenly felt rather awestruck — It was only now that one could see bit by bit just how terrifying this prearranged move called Li Xiongtu that Mo Tianji got him to set up back then was.

As the plan moved forward step by step, the importance and fearsomeness of this prearranged move became more and more apparent.

As if he could tell what Chu Yang was thinking, Mo Tianji said, “As for whether Li Xiongtu’s identity will be exposed, I’ve never been worried about it… Once someone is suspected of something like this, it can only get worse the more one tries to deny it. Even if Li Xiongtu had known the truth right from the start and denied it right from the beginning, no one will believe him. The safest and most secure way is to kill him!”

“And as long as the Li Clan has the slightest bit of suspicion about this, they will not allow anyone to kill Li Xiongtu so easily!”

“As this situation intensifies, even if the Li Clan only had a slight suspicion in the beginning, it has already become a 100 percent belief by now! The same goes for the other clans — Uncertain in the beginning but absolutely sure about Li Xiongtu now! Therefore, their fight to the death has been destined since the very moment you gifted medicine to the unconscious Li Xiongtu back then!”

“This is not a scheme; this is human nature!”

“Since they didn’t take devastating action against this newly reconstructed Mother City right away, within the foreseeable future, it is not possible for the city to suffer a large-scale attack! Therefore, they will keep a very close eye on the happenings here but will not take big actions.”

Mo Tianji smiled with complete confidence and spoke with great assurance.

“If we leave now, on the contrary, they will not dare to do anything to our property… Firstly, if the property is destroyed, we will never come back anymore. When that happens, who would have the confidence to capture and kill the Nine Tribulations whose whereabouts are so hard to grasp?”

“Secondly, should they take action against this city after we leave, it will instead provoke endless revenge from us that will never stop until one of us is dead… Even though all the clans wish to lure us out with such a method, none of them wishes to be the first target of our wrath! The Lan Clan is precisely a warning and lesson for them!”

Mo Tianji went on. “Thus, it is the safest for us to leave now, as well as the most low-key. It’ll be more convenient for us to carry out the next step of our plan.”

Chu Yang nodded slowly.

“However, if we want to leave, we’ll need follow-up measures here… Should anyone make use of it, the consequences would be unthinkable,” said Chu Yang.

“The drugs that I asked from you the other day have all been put into use.” Mo Tianji smiled slightly. “The central figures from the few clans originally affiliated to the Lan Clan have all taken a pill each. I told them that they’ll need to consume the antidote for this poison once a year. Otherwise… Hurhur, if they don’t govern the city well…”

Chu Yang didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. “But that drug isn’t that potent at all…”

Mo Tianji chuckled sneakily. “But within the time frame of a year, that poison is impossible to get rid of. Any kind of check-up would show poison symptoms… Who would dare to defy me?”

“In this aspect, human nature is such that people would rather play safe and be safe than sorry!”

With a chuckle, Mo Tianji went on. “I remember capturing a molester once. All I did was feed him a mud pill and then tell him that this drug is called the 12-Hour Life And Death Pill, and that he was sure to die within a day.”

“That fellow wailed in agony and begged for mercy for a whole day and night. He died after close to a day. The symptoms he exhibited when he died were the same as someone who was poisoned… But I’m the only one who knew that he wasn’t poisoned at all! Not even in the slightest!”

Chu Yang could only give a resigned smile. It seemed like Mo Tianji was just about the only person who was capable of carrying out such a cruel experiment. Even though the target of the experiment was a wicked molester, when one thought about this… it still made chills run down one’s spine.

“Therefore, they won’t dare to defy me!” Mo Tianji smiled steadily. “I have absolute confidence in this aspect!”

Chu Yang was speechless to the max.

Mo Tianji’s way of making use of human nature to handle these matters had practically attained the acme of perfection.

However, this time around, the basis for his actions was finally different — It had turned into protecting the people living here and not simply making use of them…

Chu Yang was rather comforted by this.

“Next, when we leave this place, we should leave in an open and aboveboard manner. The brothers are all wearing their usual masks. Leaving from the front door is the same as sending a message to the eight Super Clans — We have already left this place.”

Mo Tianji said, “Once we leave, we’ll find a secluded corner and change our appearance, go our separate ways and then, reconvene at the headquarters of the Zhuge Clan, Tianji City!”

When he mentioned the words ‘Tianji City’, Mo Tianji’s expression was rather strange.

“Surely you can’t be thinking of messing with the Zhuge Clan again while we’re at it?” Chu Yang got a fright.

Mo Tianji gave him an easy smile. “Where are we going to get the strength to also take down the Zhuge Clan now? Don’t worry, I know what I’m doing. We’re just going to harass the Zhuge Clan on a grand scale… but we want to give them a sense of urgency… and let the Super Clans feel the Nine Tribulations’ determination. This way, building on top of this, the actions they choose to take would be adjusted based on preconceived notions that have been entrenched in their minds. And what I want is the setup after their adjustments… Because it would definitely be wrong. As long as they have gone wrong, it would definitely be advantageous to us!”

Chu Yang was silent for a brief moment. Then, he finally exhaled a long breath of air. “Your enemies are truly… too unlucky…”