nIgenerally don’t like being led by the nose by another like that. However, this time I had no other choice but to act according to Senior Chu’s plans. While I am taking a loss, it’s still a happy one. Senior Chu made such an all-encompassing move. From a no-name with just the shirt on your back, you made such a position for yourself with your own bare hands. Moreover, your tactics clearly stated that Senior Chu would be no one’s subject. You have given me no choice but to collaborate with you on our national military affairs!”

nTie Bu Tian reluctantly smiled, “Senior Chu was able to create such a circumstance alone. Clever, precise planning, seasoned grasp of the situation… You really made me admire you greatly! The two words talented person are truly suited for Senior Chu.”

nChu Yang squinted and laughed, “Such words of praise, I am always happy to receive them, the more the better.”

nThe negotiation period was now over. Plus, Tie Bu Tian had already conceded, so Chu Yang naturally wanted to create a friendlier atmosphere.

nChu Yang’s comment caught Tie Bu Tian by surprise. He was not able to hold back a giggle. And as if remembering something, he hastily wiped the edge of his mouth and smiled, “Senior Chu is really funny.”

nWithin this moment, Chu Yang shivered. He almost wanted to run away!

nThe prince…! What prince? Can a woman be called a prince? More like a princess?

nTie Bu Tian was clearly a man, but he just acted one hundred percent girly! That smile, those eyes… Chu Yang’s eyes widened as the edge of mouth twitched.

nOh heavens…!

nYou let me go against fate, go against history… But now you want me to collaborate with this gay guy?

nChu Yang convulsed internally. He thought to himself: No wonder this guy cultivated Icy Heart Jade Bone Saintly Technique. If a gay guy like that did not cultivate it… that would be a waste…

nOnce Tie Bu Tian finished pretending to wipe his mouth and once again emitted an all-encompassing aura, Chu Yang fell his hair stood on ends. The whole world was spinning.

n“Senior Chu? Senior Chu?” Tie Bu Tian was concerned when he saw Chu Yang in his petrified condition.

n“Uh… uh…” Chu Yang came to. Sweat was pouring down his forehead… He was thinking about having to collaborate with such a person for at least two more years. Suddenly, Chu Yang felt his future was dark and his life was full of tragedies…

n“Senior Chu, with the current state of Iron Cloud Nation, if Senior Chu was in charge, where would you begin?” Tie Bu Tian smiled and asked seriously, as if he did not notice Chu Yang’s mood changes.

n“Yes, this… I need a moment to think about it.” Chu Yang put one hand on his forehead, pretending to be deep in thought. In truth, he did not need to think about it at all; it was just that previous scene had caused him to be too shaken up.

n“If you want to eliminate the foreign invasion, you need to first deal with internal pacification.” Chu Yang placed all of his efforts into activating Nine Tribulations Transcending the Nine Heavens Technique to suppress the troublesome thoughts.

nIf you want to eliminate the foreign invasion, you need to first deal with internal pacification… Tie Bu Tian could not help but shiver when he heard these words. Why did these words sound so familiar? The first time he heard these words, there was a great change in the royal court. The second time he heard them, three million soldiers became dried bones in the battlefield… The third time he heard them was when the royal court was convening. At that time, Royal Uncle Tie Long Cheng raised his saber and sorted out the officials all at once, creating a river of blood!

nToday, Chu Yang came here, and his first priority was these words.

nCould there be another period of wind and rain of blood?

n“Yes, that is right.” Tie Bu Tian smiled and said, “But the problem is… the foreign invasion might be in the open, but internal turmoil is hidden.”

n“They just need to be screened.” Chu Yang smiled confidently.

n“What if I give Senior Chu total control of this process?” Tie Bu Tian smiled as he formally submitted a collaboration request.

n“Still not enough!” Chu Yang shook his head.

n“Not enough?”

n“I hear that Your Highness created a Bu Tian Pavilion?” Chu Yang asked casually, “If we are to collaborate, we should trust each other. I want Bu Tian Pavilion!”

nTie Bu Tian looked at him coldly. His cold gaze continued for a while as he remained motionless.

nAfter a long time, Tie Bu Tian stood up. He clasped his hands behind his back and slowly walked to the gazebo’s railing. His eyes followed the twinkling water in the afternoon light. A gentle wind glided over the lake and made his white robe flutter.

n“Before I was eleven, I was an innocent child, loved by my father and mother… As for my six older sisters, they treated me like a treasure… I was carefree… The world was beautiful.” At this moment, Tie Bu Tian’s back was facing Chu Yang. His eyes were starting to become hazy, but his voice was just as calm as before.

n“When I was born, my father was really sad. He banned all talks of my birth. Back then, I did not understand why.”

n“One year, father put on his golden armor and went to war! In my eyes, he looked like a god of war, unbreakable, undefeatable! But in less than half a year, my world crashed down! My father was carried home, dying.”

n“When my mother came to take care of him, he suddenly became angry and killed her with his sword! He single-handedly killed his beloved wife!” Two streams of tears rolled down Tie Bu Tian’s cheeks.

nChu Yang looked up in surprise. He was startled by what he just heard. Why did this emperor of Iron Cloud Nation kill his wife?

n“After that, father suddenly became lucid. He ordered all of my six sisters and their families killed! Then he ordered Second Uncle and his troops from the battlefield to come back and attack the palace, killing everyone! That day, inside of the imperial city, blood formed a river. Everyone thought Second Uncle was usurping the throne; it was not until later that they found out it was not the case.”

n“After that, father held my hand, and said these words before falling into a coma.” Tie Bu Tian stood erect, but his quiet voice was trembling. He continued with a firm but pained voice, “From now on you are called Tie Bu Tian! The sky (Tian) of Iron Cloud Nation has collapsed, but I hope you could help repair (Bu) it. You need to always remember: to rule a nation, you have to be cruel! If you have the cruelty to kill the enemies, you also must have the cruelty to kill yourself!”

n“After he finished talking, father held second uncle’s hand and simply said ‘I am entrusting him to you.’ And father immediately became unconscious…”

nChu Yang frowned and silently thought: This story of Tie Bu Tian has many unclear details. But one thing was for sure; when the emperor killed his wife and daughters, his mind was lucid! People say fierce tigers do not eat their young; why did he have to do that?

nChu Yang had the feeling that there was some great secret in this whole story!

nTie Bu Tian took a deep breath and continued, “I hated father, hated him for killing all of my family! Second Uncle was extremely strict with me. He announced to everyone that I was the prince of Iron Cloud, and once I grew up, I would be Iron Cloud’s ruler. And from that time on, Second Uncle invited countless masters to teach me about many things. Each day, there were at least ten masters waiting for me. Each day, I could only sleep for an hour. Even when I am eating and drinking, there was someone in front of me, teaching me. Whenever I slacked off a bit, Second Uncle would give me a beating. At that time, out of three hundred sixty-five days, there were at least three hundred days when I was black and blue. Second Uncle’s strictness toward me surpassed that of the most difficult teacher in the world!”

nTie Bu Tian said lightly, “I went to see father often. Even though he had moments where he was awake, he would insist on killing himself at those times. And after he was prevented from doing so, he would quietly cry… Year after year, he would hold on to my mother and sisters’ name plaques with tears running down his face. He usually cried until he became unconscious. His body also became weaker by the day…”

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