Transcending the Nine Heavens

Chu Yang suddenly remembered his gentle water philosophy of swordsmanship. If his swordsmanship was like the lake surface before him, how would it be like?

Water’s clear and colorless but after the refraction of light, it would become rainbow-colored. If his swordsmanship could integrate this natural occurrence, how would it be like?

Would his enemies not be blinded by the colors?

How would he incorporate such effects in his swordsmanship?

Chu Yang knitted his brows as he gazed intensely at the autumn lake and sunk into deep thoughts.

Ever since this thought arose in his mind, he felt that it was a coincidence and an enlightening experience. He wanted to take the opportunity to consolidate his wisdom.

Once things started to crop up, this enlightening thought would vanish and never come back.

So he ignored everything else and went into deep meditation…

He sat quietly without fidgeting. The lake rippled and the gentle lapping sounds stimulated his ears. For Chu Yang, his mind had wandered far off into the sky…

At a large tree behind him, a black-clad slender figure stood quietly and gazed at the meditating Chu Yang, her eyes softening with affection.

He was meditating in a daze while she was relishing her infatuation.

One was sitting while the other stood. Both were motionless.

If anyone were to discover such heart-warming scene… but it was a late night and passers-by were scarce.

Both of them persisted silently.

One with affection.

The other with ease.

Wu Qianqian heard a faint song “Past and Present Lives” playing by her ears and tears started welling up once again.

…

Perhaps I owed you in my previous life? That I had to meet you in this life…

Perhaps you were deeply in love with me but I didn’t cherish it…

In this life, I met you once again…

In this life, I tasted your previous life’s hardship…

My gentle affection was all for you…

While you remained indifferent with a heart of steel…

I waited in anticipation and hope…

While your hasty footsteps traveled vast distances all over the world…

I did not understand longing in my previous life, now I am paying my tribulations…

The longing and yearning made me dazed and infatuated… all because of you.

I do not know what made you so good as to make me like you without restriction…

I do not know where your affection lies but I do not hold any regrets in my heart…

After paying back my tribulations, could our ties propagate?

After paying back my tribulations, could we be together?

If we could be together, I am willing to sacrifice my life…

I will endure all hardships in this life, so that I could meet you in our next lives…

To be with you, always.

Life and death would not make us part.

…

This song was written by Wu Qianqian at the Bu Tian Pavilion after Chu Yang left at the end of the battle of the Lower Three Heavens.

She was bored and played the tune in secret. The more she played, the more depressed she felt. Her longing struck her heart deeply.

Tie Butian once heard her tune and broke down in tears though he was a strong and independent ruler…

The mysterious and melancholic tune repeated continuously in her heart.

Wu Qianqian stood in a daze in the cold night. She did not notice her black robe getting wet. She only had one person in her heart. She invested all her affection and the person was over there in deep thoughts. The distance was less than ten feet but he was not aware of her presence.

In Lower Three Heavens… inside the Iron Cloud Imperial Palace…

Tie Butian was in a yellow robe and walked authoritatively in his bedroom as he waved his hand and said, “All of you are dismissed. I’m going to rest.”

“Yes.” The palace maids bowed and streamed out consecutively.

Everyone knew that the Emperor was extremely fond of the crown prince. He did not employ a nanny and would not let the prince sleep alone. He would hug the prince every night in his sleep.

After the death of the Empress, the Emperor was heartbroken and swore to never remarry. The palace maids were in admiration and felt sorry for the Emperor.

Such a young Emperor and the dominant ruler of the Lower Three Heavens was actually a faithful person… Everyone admired him and felt regrets at the same time…

There were 3000 attractive maids in the palace and the Emperor did not take a fancy to any of them.

The little one on the imperial bed heard movements and opened his dark shiny eyes to look at Tie Butian. He immediately sat upright and gave a cute smile on his chubby face.

He tossed and struggled to stand up. While extending his chubby hands, he walked forward two steps in a bid to fall into Tie Butian’s arms. He was unsteady and his left leg tripped over his right leg, causing him to fall flat on the bed and reveal his white tender buttocks.

He lifted his head in grievance and made protesting sounds.

Tie Butian could not help laughing as his eyes were filled with tenderness.

“Yaya… yiwu…” The little one flipped over and grabbed his left leg as he lowered his head to bite his foot…

As though he was blaming his insensible foot for causing his dramatic fall…

As he was too plump to bend over, no matter how he tried, he could not reach his foot. He scoffed and flew into a rage…

“You little chubby piglet.” Tie Butian could not help bursting into laughter. After a hard day of work, all his exhaustion vanished at the sight of his son.

He took out the ‘Secret Unfathomable Phantom Jade’ pendant and placed it on the table. A peerless beauty appeared in the bedroom. Tie Butian inhaled, removed his crown and let down his hair. After removing his imperial robe, a petite and voluptuous figure appeared in the mirror.

The little one opened his eyes widely and witnessed Tie Butian’s transformation in bewilderment. He had seen this many times but he could not figure out why his father had become his mother…

Tie Butian washed her face and wiped her face as she sat on the bed. She looked into her son’s eyes. After a long time, she smiled and said, “Looks alike.”

She lifted the little one and placed him on her knees.

The little Tie Yang gazed at Tie Butian with his luminous eyes and said with hesitation, “Mother Monkey? Help Locust?”

Tie Yang had just celebrated his first year’s birthday. He could walk around albeit in a wavering manner and would fall sometimes. He could make sounds but not articulate accurately.

“It’s ‘Empress mother’! ‘Emperor father’!” Tie Butian corrected Tie Yang.

“Mother Monkey… Help Locust…” The little one blinked his eyes.

Tie Butian did not know whether to cry or laugh as she sighed and corrected Tie Yang a few times but the little one was adamant. Finally, Tie Butian gave up. She knew it was a tad bit early to educate Tie Yang. She pointed her finger on Tie Yang’s forehead and said, “Your father’s eloquent tongue can talk a dead person to life and vice versa. Why are you so foolish?”

The little one gazed innocently at Tie Butian as he muttered unintelligibly. His chubby hands grasped at her chest as he shouted excitedly, “Milk…!”

Tie Butian was amused.

She laid down, removed her clothing and hugged her son in her arms as she placed her nipple into his mouth. The little one started sucking in a hurry.

Tie Butian lied down as she enjoyed the closeness with her son. Her mind started to wander off.

The current world was peaceful and the Lower Three Heavens were without problems. Her official work also dwindled. During her free time, she would think about the chaotic times.

It was only a short while and it seemed like a lifetime.

Chu Yang… you, are you good?

Our son, is one year old… do you know that? His face, eyes, eyebrows, nose and mouth… looks like they were copied directly from your face. Every time I see him, I will think of you… You are that muddle-headed and heartless cad!

You would never have guessed that I am a woman.

You thought after your glorious feats, you could leave and be carefree. However, you would never have thought that you had left behind worries and it would be the greatest worries of your lifetime!

Not only you had a woman but also a son!

If you knew about this, what would you do?

Tie Butian pondered as her lips smiled in a sweet bitterness. She sighed without knowing why.

Her palm tapped the back of her son gently while her mind wandered to the little forested path at Beyond The Heavens, in the horse carriage…

Chu Yang was like a wild beast while I gritted my teeth and endured…

One was ignorant while the other was anxiously trying to save a life…

In my life, I had fantasized about the wedding night many times… but it happened in a hurry. The chastity that I had kept for nineteen years was taken away in such an uncouth way… When I recalled the incident, I was still apprehensive about the ripping pain…

If Chu Yang did not return, then… that painful experience would slip into my heart and become my life’s regret?

As Tie Butian thought, she felt a series of ripping pain in her heart and tears started welling up in her eyes.

Chu Yang, you had schemes and methods to control the world. You control the elements just by turning your palm. You controlled countless armies and traveled the world with ease. You teased death and dictate the fate of a nation. You are the real man! You are a hero!

But… you were silly. You thought we were using each other and my trust in you was part of the scheme. You always thought my good intentions were the unscrupulous measures of a ruler…

Hehe… have you seen a ruler putting her life on the line for her subject?

Have you seen a ruler and her subject… having unreserved rapport and trust?

I am here raising your son, sacrificing my precious youth and thinking of you. But when you were on your carefree travels, did you think of me?

Even if you thought of me, you would only recall a cold, solemn and unscrupulous ruler… Hehehe…

Tie Butian smiled in bitterness as hot tears slipped down and dripped on the fast asleep Tie Yang.

In the still of the night, the child was deeply asleep in his mother’s arms.

The faint moonlight slipped through the windows and Tie Butian gazed in a daze at the hazy moonlight as she thought: Even just for a second… did you think of me?

If you thought of me, even if it was an abrupt moment, even if you thought of me as a cold ruler, you would have thought about me…

When the tears fell at this instance, there was no master or ruler. Only a broken but fiercely strong woman’s heart that had no regrets.

It was regrettable that my hero had let me down while I suffer the tumultuous feelings in my heart.

Chu Yang! Did you miss me?