Transcending the Nine Heavens

“Is this... is this the inner core of this beast? But... a Spirit Beast’s core is always inside its head, right? Then how’s it inside its stomach?” Chu Yang thought. Suddenly, he became dizzy and his body trembled violently. Apparently, the poisonous flood dragon was tumbling to flee...

This poisonous flood dragon had never thought that swallowing this unknown living creature would cause continuous explosions inside its stomach.

These chain-explosions had blown-up most of its internal flesh and blood. This had left behind a vacant space on its inside. However, it still hadn’t died even after receiving such a fatal injury. It was disarrayed. It frantically scurried about in the water, and rapidly tumbled-around.

It had spiralled numerous times underwater in an instant; he had made a mess in this underwater world.

And then, its five hundred feet long body ascended; as if a hidden dragon scuttling to the heaven.

The minced meat and blood effused-out of its mouth as it frantically struggled to flee for its life... Its two pearl-like eyes had already given-up hope and appeared bleak... yet it still rushed upwards. It hadn’t even gone two hundred feet when it suddenly lost its life.

Its rise halted just when its gigantic body was on the verge of appearing out of the water surface. It started to sink down with a ‘whooshing’ sound; its two round eyes opened wide.

However, its great strength and body still spurred up a current. This current caused a turbulence which surged straight upwards...

Yin Wu Tian had been sulking for half the night.

He had heard King Level Master Jun’s demonic howls for a while earlier. However, there had been no sound of activity thereafter.

Yin Wu Tian had figured that something was fishy. [Has this guy gone off to find the Nine Joints Lotus Root this late in the night? Is this some kind of a joke?]

[There is no one to lend him a hand. He can’t possibly do this on his own!]

He looked like a helpless little white chicken soaked in water; he didn’t know what to do since it was the middle of the night.

Even a little sound of activity hadn’t been heard since the last time he had heard the King Level Master Jun’s yells. The water surface was extremely serene. Yin Wu Tian was somewhat worried in his heart...

Yin Wu Tian couldn’t breathe underwater. He could only stay in the water for less than half an hour even with his King Level cultivation. This wasn’t largely related to the depths of one’s martial skill — a human being must breathe.

However, King Level Master Jun had been under water for an hour.

Yin Wu Tian had started to panic.

[Motherf*ck! What if this boastful guy has drowned himself to death?]

...A King Level Master’s death in such serene waters would tantamount to a big joke; in fact, it was impossible. However, Yin Wu Tian had no choice but to think along those lines now.

It was impossible for King Level Master Jun to be alive since he hadn’t surfaced for an hour... unless he had turned into a fish.

Therefore, Yin Wu Tian hurried to his find him, [Prime Minister Diwu Qing Rou had made it strictly clear to be hospitable, and guard King Level Master Jun. This can have an effect on our relations with the Middle Three Heavens’ bamboo people!]

[I find him repulsive. However, no one will hold a grudge against me if I give him a cold shoulder. But if I let him die... who knows how grave the consequences could be?]

Yin Wu Tian waited for a while. But then he anxiously shouted and called his men when he didn’t hear any activity. They all arrived at the lakeside to look for him.

They looked around every water plant; searched everywhere. But they didn’t find him.

Yin Wu Tian was searching around foolishly. [Many people have been waiting on the shore, but they haven’t seen this Master come out. But... how can a big, grown person dive into a lake and disappear?]

Yin Wu Tian wanted to cry, but no tears came out; he burned with anxiety. He moved several boats and everyone climbed the boats. They were asked to look everywhere on the water surface. Moreover, he issued an order, [Pay attention! If there’s a corpse floating on the lake’s surface... you must pull over and take a look...]

As far as Fourth Master Yin was concerned, [This King Level Master Jun has certainly drowned and turned into a water-ghost...]

Then, someone suddenly shouted, “King Level Master, something is happening in the lake’s centre!”

He needn’t have said it since Yin Wu Tian also saw it because this activity wasn’t a minor one. — The serene water surface suddenly churned up. The water surged outwards like a huge fountain with a ‘whooshing’ sound, and went almost ten feet higher than the water’s surface.

Yin Wu Tian used his feet and martial elemental energy to pedal the small boat forward. His boat almost rocketed forward to catch up with that fountain.

But the water surface suddenly subsided by the time he caught up with it. Yin Wu Tian had no other option but to harness the small boat and linger around that area. Soon, another fountain rose nearby. Yin Wu Tian rushed to catch up with it, but it subsided again...

Yin Wu Tian felt like it was a huge struggle after going all around several times.

[This... what’s going on here?]

Yin Wu Tian was becoming more and more confused. However, he suddenly felt the water surface under his foot rising frantically. This spiralling water current had an unimaginable force. He couldn’t help but turn pale with fright; it was too late to hide it his fear.

A massive and powerful water-current suddenly dashed upward like a furious underwater dragon.

Yin Wu Tian was caught off-guard, and the boat carrying him and his men was bumped — it went rocketing upwards. The boat rose up in the sky and ruptured with an explosion. Then, the water current directly hit Yin Wu Tian’s butt and he let out a strange cry. He lay flat on that wave of water as it went 300 feet into the sky...

And then, that water fountain suddenly subsided. The Fourth Master Yin halted mid-air... only to remain stagnated there for a short while... and then fell down the very next instant.

Fourth Master Yin shouted in a strange manner since he had practically been numbed after getting hit by this water current. In fact, he couldn’t even move. However, he was still conscious. He looked down at his own reflection in the water surface. His face looked like large flat bread and kept growing bigger and bigger until he fell face down into the water.

Splash!

The water droplets were sent flying.

Fourth Master Yin fell on the water surface and was badly battered. He broke his nose, and it started to bleed. He ingested a lot of water with a ‘gurgling’ sound. But his body’s ability to move was finally reinstated a bit. He somehow came to the water-surface and shouted in a miserable tone, “Help ah... ”

Everyone was petrified...

Soon, they got hold of Yin Wu Tian and rescued him back to the boat. They encircled him to inspect, [what just happened?]

Someone discovered something unusual just as they started to inspect the surroundings and cried out in alarm, “Look! What is this thing?”

They saw the grotesque carcass of a small snake on the water’s surface... everyone looked at each other in dismay.

These people had had generations of experience, but no one had ever seen an odd snake.

“Pick a few good swimmers and go into the water to investigate.” Yin Wu Tian said as he rubbed his stomach. He continuously threw-up water as he issued his command.

Meanwhile, Chu Yang was examining his harvest underwater.

The poisonous flood dragon wouldn’t have exhausted itself to death if it hadn’t used-up its remaining strength as it had rushed to the surface. It had already lost its life force, and was sinking down to the depths of the region. Its gigantic body was spread horizontally underwater; it was a magnificent sight.

Chu Yang’s entire body was covered in blood. He used the sword as support as he crawled to the poisonous flood dragon’s mouth and finally climbed out. He couldn’t help but heave a cold sigh as he looked at its massive body.

[Extremely... huge!]

[5000 kg... perhaps even heavier!]

It had been alive for countless years. This ferocious beast’s body was covered with treasures. Would Chu Yang have shown any kindness?

First he spun his long-sword with no trace of politeness, and dug-out its pearl-shaped eyeballs.

He wiped the bloodstains off the external surface, and revealed the two enormous snow-white pearls. They issued milky-white radiance. They were perfectly round, and big like a large bowl.

[Such a big pearl!] Chu Yang made a bet [perhaps there are only these two in the entire Nine Heavens Continent.]

“Poisonous dragon’s eyes...” Sword Spirit sighed and said, “Surprisingly, they turn out to be the yin and yang dragon eyes of the poisonous flood dragon. They are indeed priceless treasures.”

“En? What benefits do these dragon eyes of the poisonous flood dragon have?” Chu Yang modestly asked.

“The benefits aren’t much. However, these yin and yang poisonous flood dragon eyes can be considered as priceless pearls! Furthermore, there is an advantage... due to the fact that these poisonous flood dragon’s eyes complement each other... So long as they gather together... they can make an antidote for a large number of poisons. The poison would be changed into a non-toxic solution!” the Sword Spirit insipidly said.

“Changed into non-toxic solution?” Chu Yang’s eyes gleamed.

“It has many more uses, but you need to go about slowly. I can only say that this item is an absolute treasure; so don’t misuse it!” the Sword Spirit said.

“Of course,” Chu Yang took one pearl, and put it in the Nine Tribulations Space. He kept the other one on the poisonous flood dragon’s body in order to illuminate it. He spat on his own hands and lifted his sword. It fiercely fell on the poisonous flood dragon’s head.

The poisonous flood dragon’s outer skin was supposed to be sturdy in Chu Yang’s knowledge. Therefore, he had used his full strength since he feared that his sword might fail to slice through its head.

Who could have imagined that the sword would slice through its head with a swishing sound, and would divide it into two parts?! Chu Yang had exerted himself too fiercely physically. And so, his body staggered.

“Hey, how’s it so soft? Why isn’t it as sturdy as earlier?” Chu Yang cried out in surprise.

“It has already lost its life-force; obviously it would be soft. You thought that it is still invulnerable?” the Sword Spirit spoke in disdain. He couldn’t understand why Chu Yang was making a fuss about nothing, “Like for example... the skin is tight for the time one is alive. But their skin loosens up once they turn into a corpse since it has already lost its life-force. Then why can’t the same happen to an aquatic animal?”

“F*ck! You call this as analogy?!” Chu Yang was silent for a while; a little depressed too. He had planned to make good use of this poisonous flood dragon’s huge body. Moreover, its scales were very sturdy. He could take many pieces for himself, and still make armours for his brothers. It could’ve certainly provided some extra assurance on their lives...

Chu Yang had started to plan this ever since the Nine Tribulations Sword attack had failed to break its scales. He hadn’t anticipated that his wish would go in vain...

There was a fist-sized shiny crystal inside the poisonous flood dragon’s head. It was triangular in shape. Its three corners were very sharp, and there was an oval in the centre.

“This is the inner core of the poisonous flood dragon.” Sword Spirit said, “This kind of inner core can’t even be found in the Upper Three Heavens. Moreover, it can assist in practising martial arts... specially the supple property of water. If someone were to find out about this inner core... they would perhaps smash your head to snatch it. Preserve it carefully. Don’t allow the Nine Tribulations Swords to gobble it. I have a premonition that this poisonous flood dragon’s inner core will give you an advantage that you can’t even imagine by the time you reach the Upper Three heavens.”

The Sword Spirit smiled in a mysterious manner.

“En? This is the inner-core? Then what is this?” Chu Yang asked as he took out the pearl he had banged his head against inside the poisonous flood dragon’s stomach.

“This... is a priceless treasure!” Sword Spirit sighed, “It’s a pity that your present cultivation level is very low. You can’t use it yet.” He said in a somewhat envious tone, “This... has the concentration of the pure world essence.”

“So that’s how it is.” Chu Yang was already baffled as to why he felt a massive amount of spirit energy from it, but couldn’t even absorb a little bit of it.

Chu Yang then travelled, and arrived in front of that short wall. That rare pearl was still embedded in it.

“Night pearl! A pure night pearl!” The Sword Spirit said in one breath, “If this pearl is auctioned in the Upper Three Heavens — one can possibly buy a city in the Lower Three Heavens with that money!”

He gave a mischievous laughter, “As for the Middle Three Heavens and Lower Three Heavens... no one can afford it.”

Contrary to what one might expect — Chu Yang didn’t even take a good look at the treasure that could fetch him a serious amount wealth. He just took it down, and tossed it into the Nine Tribulations Space. He was just about to cross the wall. Suddenly, the wall ruptured and disappeared among the bubbles and foam with a ‘bang’.

A burst of dazzling white light appeared where the wall had been. A burst of demonic energy surged up violently... as if pleasantly surprised to reunite after a long time.

A shiny sword fragment emerged in an awe-inspiring manner!