Transcending the Nine Heavens

Baisha Ferry.

The waves of Baisha River were soaring and raging right in front of them. The ferry was more than ten thousand feet wide. It was one of the places where the water flow was relatively slow.

At the ferry, a group of people in yellow robes were rushing back and forth. Those were people who served the Huang family. There was another group wearing black. They served the Xiao family.

The two families were in conflict at the moment, and they often battled. But at this ferry, they kept clear of each other. Seeing a large group of customers approaching, two in yellow and two in black stood to greet them at the same time.

“Are you going to cross the river?” The middle-aged man in yellow looked at the five people in front, and 130 or so horses and 15 large carriages behind.

Either one of the two families wouldn’t be able to transport all of them across the river. It was merely a small ferry here… The four looked at one another, and an idea came to them: cooperate.

“Rubbish! If we aren’t crossing the river, do you think we will come to this remote place to pick a son-in-law?”

“Sir… it is best for you to think before speaking,” the leader of Xiao family said coldly.

Wan Renjie laughed out loud. He raised a hand, and with a slap, that person of Xiao family had already been hit and fallen onto the ground. “Little bastard! Think your ass!”

Clanging sounds were heard. Everyone from the Huang clan and the Xiao clan pulled out their daggers.

Wan Renjie folded his arms and laughed coldly. Cheng Duying and Bao Buhuan also laughed wickedly and walked forward, “What’s the matter? Do you mean to fight?”

Seeing that something bad was about to happen, Chu Yang hurriedly jumped out of the carriage.

At that moment, Divine Doctor Chu’s heart was full of regrets.

Bringing these three brothers with him was really like bringing three huge troubles. So long as those three followed him, even if there was no trouble, they would still find some troubles.

These were three fellows who could not stand any peace.

Besides their respect, care, and some fear towards Chu Yang, they only loved and cared for Chu Le’er… As for others, they didn’t care for anyone at all…

They had come to ask for a boat to take them across the river, yet within a few sentences, it became a matter for killing.

“Umm, everyone, please don’t be angry,” Chu Yang was all handsome in black robe. He stepped out of the carriage, and everyone’s eyes lit up.

Chu Yang clasped his hands behind his back, put up the air of a high-born gentleman and chuckled. “Everybody, we are all on the same side. Please don’t misunderstand us.” When he talked, his eyes were raised up slightly to look at everyone at eye level, and his smile was warm yet lofty.

“This gentleman is…” The man of Huang clan looked at Chu Yang in amazement and confusion.

“My surname is Chu,” Chu Yang said calmly, “Has the illness of Young Master Huang Liu Xia… recovered?”

“It’s Divine Doctor Chu!” The man of Huang clan suddenly became extremely respectful, and he knelt down as he held his sword. “I didn’t know that you were coming. I’m Huang Dadao.”

Chu Yang was also stunned.

He did not imagine that he would be treated with such courtesies by the Huang clan.

“What Divine Doctor Chu…” The man in black got up from the ground and said angrily, “Come…”

“Wait! Brother Xiao,” Huang Dadao hurriedly jumped over, pulled the other to the side and said a few words in his ears. The man in black still looked unhappy. After Huang Dadao said a few more words, he finally nodded reluctantly.

He waved his hand and took the man in black away.

Huang Dadao came over very respectfully, “Divine Doctor Chu, I’ve also rented the boats from the Xiao clan, but to carry over all these things, I’m afraid we’ll have to go twice…”

Chu Yang said, “No problem, we shall go twice. Huang Dadao, take a look at these horses. Are there any that you like? It doesn’t matter if you want a few more.”

Huang Dadao was shocked and said, “I don’t dare to do that.”

What method Huang Dadao used or what price he paid couldn’t be known, but all the boats of Xiao family approached them. Everyone worked together and dragged the horses, together with the carriages, onto the big boats.

There were only forty or so horses, and five or six carriages left at the side.

“We won’t need all these anymore!” Chu Yang waved his large hand, saying, “Huang Dadao, you probably won’t charge us for escorting us over. You can divide all these with the brothers here.”

Unable to decline Chu Yang’s offer, Huang Dadao could only accept it.

The big boats pulled the anchors and sailed into the river.

Chu Yang and others stood on the second floor of the deck. They looked over the railings and saw the water flowing endlessly into the distance, and waves surging all the way into the vastness.

Instantly, everyone felt much more comfortable.

Chu Le’er lay within Chu Yang’s arms as she looked at the sky and water melting into one in the distance. Her beautiful hair was blown all around by the cold winds on the river. Her eyes narrowed as if she was thinking of something. After a long time, she said in a soft voice, “Big brother, my father… he has to spend all his days in such a messy martial world… traveling on such waves, amidst dangerous mountains and waters, just to look for medicines for me…”

Her voice was low and soft but full of feelings.

Chu Yang sighed in his heart and said, “That’s why you have to get better soon. Once you get better, the pain and suffering of third uncle will all be gone.”

Chu Le’er nodded hard.

Chu Yang said quietly as he looked at the sky and water, “Big brother, did you see it?”

Wan Renjie asked blankly, “See what?”

Chu Yang said, “The water comes and goes, always surging. It can’t be stopped by anything. With its natural might, it can destroy anything. Even if mountains and rocks stop it for a time, they can’t stop it for long… Isn’t this just like martial arts? So long as one has the strength, he will be able to overcome all obstacles no matter how difficult it is to surmount them. This is because he has nothing to worry about.”

Wan Renjie was silent for a moment before he said, “What does fourth brother mean?”

Chu Yang said, “The three of you have just had your cultivation improved, so you can’t follow me around. If I’m around, you’ll have something on your mind, and so you won’t be able to raise your spiritual cultivation to reach the Supreme level. Only when you leave me to traverse the endless world any way you like, will you be able to understand how a Supreme Martial Artist should think and the essence of the Supreme level.”

The three were all silent.

Bao Buhuan said, “But how can we rest assured should fourth brother go onto the road alone? We should at least escort you to your destination.”

Chu Yang smiled. “Since when is life ever free of danger? Three brothers, if you really want to protect me, then the only way would be to protect me until I die of old age…”

All three were silent once more.

“Besides, there is Brother Wei Wuyan together with me, so I won’t be in any danger,” Chu Yang said calmly, “When spring comes next year, I will show up at the Medicine Banquet of Zhu Ge clan.”

“The Medicine Banquet.” The three shuddered.

“If this is the case, after we leave the Huang clan, we will part with fourth brother. Next spring, we shall meet again at Zhu Ge clan’s place.”

“Great.” Chu Yang smiled.

“Then… you must take good care of Le’er.” Wan Renjie looked at Chu Le’er, seemingly unwilling to part with her.

“Rest assured.” Chu Yang patted his shoulder.

Nobody spoke any more but only stood facing the wind.

The big boat rode the wind and waves and kept moving forward.

After a long time, a slight chill seemed to come from the surface of the river.

“So cold!” Chu Le’er shrank into Chu Yang’s arms.

“This is only autumn, how can it be so cold? It was merely cool just now…” Chu Yang said, confused.

“Divine Doctor Chu, be careful. Some experts are crossing the river!” The shout of Huang Dadao came from below.

When Chu Yang raised his head to look again, he realized that the expression of Wei Wuyan and others had darkened, their eyes watching the water below.

It was getting chiller and chiller now.

Chu Yang took a breath and used pure yang cultivation to protect Chu Le’er.

Right at this moment, a clear voice seemed to be called from a very faraway place, “Freeze 3,000 miles with ice!”

The voice came from so far away that it was impossible to see where the speaker was.

But right at that moment, there was a sudden change.

The thick white fog suddenly rose from the river surface which stretched for dozens of miles.

“That’s powerful!” exclaimed Wei Wuyan.

Right under the eyes of everyone, the water in the whole river actually made some cracking noises, and it flowed slower and slower. In a moment’s time, the whole river actually froze from bottom to top into one huge ice block!

And the boats of Chu Yang and others were frozen right in the middle of the river.

The wind was still cool from autumn and carried the warmth of the Sun, but underneath their feet was actually miles of glaciers!

Not far away, the river water still showed the shape surging waves just now, but it already became solid and lifelike ice sculptures.

Everyone gasped in surprise.

“Someone has used some mysterious martial arts to freeze the whole river in an instant!” Wei Wuyan’s face turned pale, and he asked, “Who… possesses such great power?!”

At this moment, everyone had the same thoughts as Wei Wuyan: Who is this person? Is this even a person after all?

“Look over there!” Wan Renjie suddenly screamed as he pointed a finger out, and his eyes almost popped out of his eye sockets.

Chu Yang turned to look, and his eyes couldn’t help but bulge out as well.

A faint figure in white was slowly sliding across the surface of the river. Moving waves which had already solidified into ice supported the body of the person, as he glided over from the distance as if he were ice-skating. As he glided, he was also doing some actions with his hands.

The person looked as if he was traveling at a slow and elegant pace, but was in fact traveling very fast: only in an instant, he had already appeared in front of everyone.

Chu Yang looked and saw that this figure was actually a handsome young man in white. His black hair fluttered in the wind. His brows were sharp like swords and his eyes were bright like stars. His complexion was pale, and there was a faint smile between his lips. He was elegant in an outstanding manner.

He glided all the way, as both his hands waved, and following his gestures, blood-red shadows jumped out of the river surface and into his hands, disappearing in an instant.

Within thousands of feet long distance, there were countless red shadows approaching him, but all of them disappeared into the hands of this person.

“This person is gathering Boneless Blood Fish from the Baisha River: it is said that this type of fish is unique in Baisha River. It is a pure Yin type of fish and can help drastically with the cultivation of cold energy for women… These fish are hidden deep beneath the river and are extremely hard to capture, as once you alarm them and they escape into the mire, you can never find them again… I wouldn’t have imagined that this person actually gathers them in this manner… Looking at the way he does it, he’s gathering no fewer than 10 million fish in one shot. This is indeed far too extravagant…”

Wei Wuyan took a breath and said with some fear.