Transcending the Nine Heavens

Chu Yang took a deep breath. The rain water suddenly crazily poured into his opened mouth, but he endured. The muscles in his lower back suddenly contracted. Then the muscles in his buttocks and thighs also contracted. Then they fiercely bulged-up at the same time.

Chu Yang’s body had been lying down, but it suddenly floated up now. His body looked like a floating black cloud in the curtain of rain as he slowly drifted towards that roof.

This distance to cover was no less than 50 feet.

Chu Yang used this ‘super’ difficult method to advance. But he had no choice in such a desperate situation. He couldn’t afford to move a muscle. He had to cover 50 feet... as he floated in that manner.

Chu Yang had floated up to a majority of the distance. He then suddenly heard those two men who had passed by a moment ago. They were hurriedly coming back.

Chu Yang sullenly shouted in his heart. This turn of events was certainly not very encouraging, [why did these two bastards come back? I’m floating in the air, but the goal is not yet at hand. I will be discovered the moment they look up.]

[If I got spotted... forget about stealing intelligence... even escaping from this place in one piece will be like hoping for something extravagant... ]

[However, there’s no other way right now. My only option is to resign myself to my fate for now. I can’t even speed up if I want to...]

"Something’s fishy. I tell you something’s fishy here..." One of them jumped up to inspect the top of the wall. He had precisely arrived at the spot where Chu Yang had been firmly lying down moments ago.

Chu Yang closed his eyes. This person’s action had nearly scared him to the point of falling down. [How did he figure out that something was wrong?]

"What’s the matter?" The other man asked in a skeptical tone.

"I’ve been thinking since the time we passed this spot. The raindrops have been making ‘pop’ sounds ever since we’ve been patrolling along the wall. However, it had changed to ‘putt’ sounds when we crossed this spot. That is certainly not the sound of raindrops hitting the wall..." The man carefully looked at the wall and frowned.

Chu Yang secretly shouted in his heart at this terrible situation. However, his body had finally drifted over to the roof’s ridge. Then, he quietly descended behind the roof’s eaves.

His heart calmed down. He relaxed, but felt powerless throughout his body heart. He had understood that one must have an intrepid psychological prowess to be a thief. The incident a moment ago had nearly scared to death...

"It’s strange... I still hear the ‘putt’ sound..." that tall person standing under the wall said. He still hadn’t raised his head. There was a look of contemplation on his face.

"What ‘pop’ sound or ’putt’ sound are you talking about... I can hear the ‘putt’ sound coming from your body!" Another person said in an annoyed tone.

"Are you telling me that the sound I had heard was coming from your body?" The tall person skeptically asked. He suddenly realized something and said, "Yes, I got it. The raindrops make this ‘putt’ sound when they fall on the clothes of a person. It seems like I mistook you for a spy, ha ha..."

The other person snorted and cursed, "You self-centered show-off! You are the spy..."

These two people walked away chit-chatting.

Chu Yang’s body was covered in cold sweat. [Indeed, there’s a difference in the sound produced by the raindrops hitting the clothes, and the roof tiles. The surface of roof tiles is hard whereas the clothes are soft and smooth. The sounds produced are bound to be very different. If those old geezers of Jianghu were to hear... they would easily tell the difference...]

[I would’ve been surrounded by now if I were on top of Diwu Qing Rou’s study!]

[But how do I solve this problem?]

Chu Yang lay on his back, and grinded his teeth. He then softly and quietly untied his clothes. The only piece of cloth that remained on his body was a calf length shorts once was he was done stripping.

The sound of thick raindrops beating against his body and that of them beating against the tiles’ surface was now consistent.

King of Hell Chu looked at his own naked appearance and couldn’t help but sigh; [Motherf*ker; now I have to run naked to obtain intelligence...]

[Besides, my skin is also too white... it’s far more conspicuous than the black clothes ah.]

[However, there’s no other way. I’m still in the periphery. I would’ve been caught before I reached the interior areas if I had kept my clothes on.]

[Well, even though my white body will attract attention... I should be alright as long as I’m vigilant.]

Then, Minister Chu cautiously moved into action with his arms and hairy legs were fully exposed. He stealthily advanced through Diwu Qing Rou’s Prime Ministerial Palace...

He soon crossed two roofs... but he suddenly felt his grip loosening on the cloth wrapped around his waist and hips. Moreover, it was making a ‘putt’ sound in the rain. King of Hell Chu considered for a while, but then decided against taking it off. However, he tore out and threw away a large piece out of that cloth.

Chu Yang felt that things should be in order now. [The only remaining strip of cloth is as thick as a finger. It shall cover my behind. The vital parts on the front are ‘naturally’ covered. However, wouldn’t it be awkward if I have to lie down on my tummy...?]

[The raindrops hitting on my buttocks are making a ‘pop’ sound... just as tiles.]

This is too unsightly. Minister Chu smacked his lips in disappointment. He had never thought that an elegant person like him would have to assume such an unsightly form. Anyways, no one was going to see him in this dark night hoisted with such a heavy rain and strong winds...

The security of the inner quarters was tighter. Chu Yang was moving cautiously. However, he was carefully listening to the movements behind him as well. He also kept a close watch in the surrounding area.

He had already determined — [the security of Prime Minister’s Palace was strict. However, two places have the strictest security. These defensive arrangements seemed set-up in order to serve those two places!]

According to Chu Yang’s guess, these two places should be — the bedroom and study of the Prime Minister.

The wind was issuing a sad and shrill noise. The heavy rain hadn’t eased one notch, but was instead getting more and more intense. It seemed like a massive curtain of water was crashing down from above. Chu Yang grimaced in pain. His misery was simply beyond description.

He could even feel the raindrops hitting his butts. The raindrops contained a strong impact-force. Each drop would hammer the meat on his buttocks to form a concave depression, and then bounced back.

"Is this f*king rain or hail!" Chu Yang fiercely cursed in his heart.

However, this heavy rain was playing the role of an excellent ‘cover’ in this mission.

He managed to daringly burst into the most tightly secured place without facing any problems.

This place below him was one of the two most tightly secured places...

He lay quietly and still on his tummy at the rooftop. In fact, Chu Yang was very cautious, and had ceased all movements. He couldn’t sense the slightest movement or sound below the roof. He couldn’t help but sigh in his heart, [it seems that my luck is somewhat bad today. Diwu Qing Rou isn’t present inside...]

Chu Yang plaintively sighed, and then moved to another place...

This time, Chu Yang was even more cautious.

The Sword Spirit was felt strained because Chu Yang had transferred a massive amount of spiritual power over the span of this mission; a time as short as less than an hour.

In fact, Chu Yang wouldn’t have been able to arrive here this ‘leisurely’ if the Sword Spirit hadn’t stored so much of the spiritual power and medicinal efficacies in Chu Yang’s consciousness space.

This task radically surpassed anyone’s estimation.

The Sword Spirit was crazily changing the medicinal efficacies into power, and was then transporting it to the Nine Tribulations Sword. It changed into pure spiritual power after its digestion in the Nine Tribulations Sword. It would then be imported into his Dantian. It then spread throughout his meridians and helped in supporting his stealthy movements.

Maintaining this stealth-form had put a major strain on his mind. However, he was unaware that he had unknowingly completed the most important practice in his life in the process of being a spy...

It could be considered as a fool’s luck...

Chu Yang silently landed on the rooftop of Diwu Qing Rou’s study. He seemed like a thin piece of paper. Then, he immediately lay down on his tummy.

He was luckier this time. There was always an expert stationed on the rooftop of Diwu Qing Rou’s study under normal circumstances. However, this expert had gotten drenched in this unprecedented and exceptionally big rainstorm, and had left.

Moreover, the rainstorm was getting bigger and stronger. Therefore, Diwu Qing Rou had personally ordered that expert to get down and take rest. That expert had gone back to his room. He was very grateful to Prime Minister Diwu for being so considerate. However, he didn’t know that his position had been seized by an intruder...

Chu Yang was still lay on his tummy. He then mobilized the maximum possible martial power that he could without making any sounds, and then attentively listened to the conversation taking place in the study.

Diwu Qing Rou was sitting with Jing Meng Hun. They were discussing matters concerning the war.

Han Bu Chu was present on the side, and was recording everything. The more he heard Diwu Qing Rou’s strategic plans — the more admiration he felt in his heart for Diwu Qing Rou.

Diwu Qing Rou’s strategic plan included using the soldiers to form ring-like arrangements. These arrangements would be interlocked with each other; without any gap. This linkage would ensure that back-up units would quickly arrive in-place of any unit if it were to meet with an accident. This was a method of using ‘one’s own bad news as a trap against the enemy’...

Moreover, the allocation of the generals in this arrangement was in-line with their temperaments.

In fact, Diwu Qing Rou’s plans had accounted-in the Iron Cloud’s senior generals as well. He had calculated which General would go against whom, and who had the most surety of dealing with whom... It was necessary to pay attention to weaknesses in order to deal with the Generals of such stature since they could be used against them. He had mentioned these details in full.

It seemed like Diwu Qing Rou’s eyes could see the mountains and rivers in real-time. He was pointing out the role of every mountain and river in the war, and how they could be used against the enemy to put them in disadvantageous situation...

Each vital spot had at least three sets of strategic plans. The flexible adjustment of these plans was possible based on the arrangement of enemy forces. This would ensure that the main army always retained the advantageous position during the battle.

Diwu Qing Rou explained these tactics... and so on...

Not only Han Bu Chu admired him... even the intruder on the rooftop was full of admiration for the Prime Minister.

[I’ve never seen a person use their brain like this. Not only does he enjoy perfect command over his people... he also has an understanding of the enemy. And then he has a comprehensive knowledge of the terrain of the continent. And this knowledge is entirely installed in his mind...]

[He even knows... how much a mountain’s height has increased in these years, and how this information can be used to his advantage...] Diwu Qing Rou had incorporated such fine details in his tentative plan...

[This is insane ah!]

King of Hell Chu exclaimed in his heart. But, he then resumed concentrating on listening and remembering the details by heart once again. He knew that he would get this chance only once.

Diwu Qing Rou was pondering and speaking casually at the same time. Meanwhile, Han Bu Chu was recording everything that was being said. Diwu Qing Rou was in clear understanding of a profound truth — it is always best to write down something important... than to rely on just your memory.

Diwu Qing Rou’s mind was calm; his mind was in an excellent state. That is why he was being unconstrained in his imagination, and was able to think several out-of-the-box strategies. He was aware that he might forget them since the ‘inspiration is fleeting’. And it would be a huge loss if he were to forget them. Hence, he was having them recorded.

Diwu Qing Rou had confidence in his memory, and knew that it wasn’t inferior to anyone. However, he wouldn’t dare to claim that he could remember everything.

After all, these ideas were just the fruit of the ‘right’ inspirational circumstances.