Stranger Danger

Chapter 530: Why Don’t You Kill Yourself

Ye Qing wasn’t going to let such an excellent opportunity slip through his grasp, but he had just taken a step when suddenly, his instincts screamed at him about danger. It felt as if something bad would happen if he tried to kill the bastards.

Despite this, Ye Qing didn’t stop in his tracks. Instead, he kept pace with Xue Hanshan from a certain distance.

Although he didn’t know why he suddenly felt this way, the sense of danger was as loud as it was familiar. It was almost as if this wasn’t the first time he had gone through such an experience.

Was this why he had allowed Xue Hanshan’s group back at Longevity Village? Although the old man was a late-stage Spirit Master, he was far weaker than he should be due to his old age and declining health. It should’ve been fairly easy for him to kill the old man, and yet he hadn’t. Ye Qing didn't think that it was because he had suddenly found the saint that was inside him all along either. Therefore, it had to be some sort of danger.

While Ye Qing was pondering, the Life Leech was sitting on top of Xue Hanshan’s head and flailing its beard about like an oddly-shaped patch of dark cloud. It was also glaring at Ye Qing. It was none other than Ye Qing, of course.

As Ye Qing had predicted, he lost his ability to see the Life Leech as soon as he left Longevity Village. If the Stranger attacked him now, there was a high chance he wouldn’t even notice anything amiss. Luckily for Ye Qing, the Life Leech didn’t do so despite remembering him as clearly as day. He was the bastard who had nearly killed his host back at Longevity Village after all, and now he was going to pull the same shit a second time. The hell was wrong with this guy?

The main reason the Life Leech didn’t attack Ye Qing was because of the Purple Sun Trueflame, of course. Ye Qing might have forgotten about it, but the Life Leech hadn’t forgotten about him or the pain he had inflicted upon it during their brief clash. Once bitten, twice shy was true even for Strangers.

Ye Qing reckoned from Xue Hanshan’s expression and emotion that he had no idea that something inexplicably dangerous was attached to his body either. Otherwise, he wouldn’t strain himself and run away like his life depended on it.

Not wanting to waste his energy on Xue Hanshan, Ye Qing let out a cold chuckle and threatened, “You’ve already lost your hands, Lord Xue. Surely you don’t want to lose your legs as well?”

Xue Hanshan abruptly stopped in his tracks, sighed, and turned back to face Ye Qing. “Fine. You got me. What do you want?”

He could tell that his chance of escaping Ye Qing was exactly zero, and the young man hadn’t killed him immediately. Sensing that there was still a chance he might survive this, he decided to stand his ground and see if he could negotiate an out.

Who would willingly choose death if life was an option?

“Excuse me? It’s not what I want. It’s you. You’re the one who chose to shut the doors and windows on yourself, aren’t you?” Ye Qing clasped his hands behind his back and countered.

While ignoring the horrific pain eating away at the broken stumps where his limbs once were, Xue Hanshan replied bitterly, “I am in the wrong here. I am willing to offer you and the Reverend my sincerest apologies!”

“Apologies?” Ye Qing chuckled. “If the grudges of this world can be swept clean with a simple ‘sorry’, then there wouldn’t be violence and slaughter in this world, would there? What do you think, Lord Xue?”

“Right,” Xue Hanshan replied curtly while a sheen of cold sweat broke out of his forehead. It was impossible to say if the sweat was caused by pain, fear, or both.

“The good news, I don’t like killing people. The bad news, I loathe trouble. So what do you think I should do, Lord Xue?” Ye Qing asked while shooting Xue Hanshan a toothy grin.

How the fuck would I know? Xue Hanshan thought grumpily in his head but replied carefully and respectfully, “What do you suggest, warrior?”

“You’re leaving it up to me?” Ye Qing pretended to think for a few breaths before clapping his hands. “I got an idea! Why don’t you kill yourself? This way, I won’t need to bloody my hands, and no trouble would befall me! Don’t you agree?”

You don’t like to kill, so you’re going to make your victims kill themselves? What kind of dogshit logic is that?

A shudder coursed through Xue Hanshanm and his complexion grew paler. “Please be serious, warrior.”

“Does it look like I’m joking?” Ye Qing cranked up the wattage of his smile, but all Xue Hanshan could feel was cold malice. Xue Hanshan began trembling despite his will, and all sorts of emotions flitted in his eyes: ferocity, anger, helplessness.

In the end though, it all turned into surrender. “I’m willing to do anything so long as you let me live, warrior.”

Thoughts of resisting or bringing Ye Qing to the grave with him had crossed his mind, but his desire to live ground it all into dust.

He had just entered Longevity Village, and unless he was gravely mistaken, he now had a long, long life ahead of him. That was why he didn’t want to die, and the only way for him to survive this situation was to bow his head and beg.

“Will you really do anything I ask you to do, Lord Xue?” Ye Qing asked.

Xue Hanshan nodded obediently despite the bitterness in his heart. He didn’t dare to show even a sliver of his emotions on his face.

“I see... what should I make you do, I wonder?” Ye Qing rubbed his nose as he watched Xue Hanshan with a smile that didn’t reach his eyes.

Xue Hanshan felt his scalp turning numb, and his hair standing on end out of sheer terror. Such was his fear that even the pain felt duller than before.

“I got it!” Ye Qing snapped his fingers and said, “From now on, you will not trouble the Temple of Divination in any way. What do you think?”

“W-What?” Xue Hanshan looked up in astonishment.

I was ready to become your slave, and that is your demand?

“What, you don’t accept?” Ye Qing raised his eyebrows.

“I accept! I accept!” Xue Hanshan snapped back to reality and replied as quickly as he could. He would have to be insane not to accept such a simple demand.

“Heh...” Ye Qing let out a chuckle but changed his tone suddenly. “Tell me something, Lord Xue. Do you think my request is difficult or easy to fulfill?”

“Er...” Xue Hanshan’s heart immediately leaped to his throat again. What now? What is he planning?

He hesitated for a moment before answering obediently, “It’s easy.”

“If you think it’s easy, then you wouldn’t mind me making another request, right Lord Xue?” Ye Qing asked.

“Not... not at all!” Xue Hanshan felt like going insane. The young man might have a youthful appearance, but his personality and behavior proved to be very flexible and difficult to grasp. It was identical to the disciples of the Dark Ways he interacted with in the past, if not worse.

“Don’t worry, my second request is just as simple as the first. All I want—” Ye Qing purposely paused for a few seconds before finally saying, “—is for you to keep today’s matter a secret. As you already know, I don’t like trouble.”

“I swear on my heart demon that no one else will learn about what happened today. If I break my oath, may I die a horrible death,” Xue Hanshan immediately swore an oath.

“You’re a smart man, Lord Xue. Do you know why I like interacting with smart people, Lord Xue?” Ye Qing asked suddenly.

“N-No? Why’s that?” Xue Hanshan didn’t know where Ye Qing was going with this.

“Because a smart person wouldn’t try to get smart. They wouldn’t try to pull something when the person they’re watching out for turns their backs on them.” Ye Qing’s grin widened devilishly. “I hope you’re a real smart man, Lord Xue. I hope you won’t shut the doors and windows on yourself a second time.”

“I won’t! I swear I won’t break my promises!” Lord Xue replied in a hurry. If it wasn’t for the fact that he didn’t have arms right now, he would have raised both of them to show how on board he was.

In fact, he had considered placating Ye Qing to survive this predicament and plotting his revenge in the future. But now, he had discarded those thoughts completely.

Even if the young man wasn’t the disciple of a major sect of the Dark Ways or the heir of an old monster or something, he had more than proven that he wasn’t someone to be trifled with.

That was why he made up his mind to do exactly as the young man commanded and stay as far away from the Temple of Divination—no, from Bei You City as possible. There was no reason to take any risks considering the circumstances.

“Good. I believe in you, Lord Xue. As for your subordinates, you may deal with them as you please, but I expect you to handle this perfectly, understand? If you disappoint me...” Ye qing threatened.

Xue Hanshan swore again, “Don’t worry, warrior. I promise that their mouths would be zipped one way or another.”

“Good.” Ye Qing nodded in satisfaction before waving him away. “It’s getting late, so go home and catch some rest, Lord Xue. You’ve already lost your arms, and I’m sure you wouldn’t want to lose your life as well. I won’t be seeing you off.”

“Of course. Goodbye, warrior.” Xue Hanshan heaved a huge sigh of relief and gave Ye Qing a deep bow. Then, he turned around and walked away without looking back.