Stranger Danger

Chapter 568: Why Fear Death When Death Is Near?

The Taiping Heaven Sealing Banner was the Way of Taiping’s sacred treasure, and yet it was now in Xiong Kuohai’s hands. This could only mean that he was a member of the Way of Taiping.

It would certainly explain why Xiong Kuohai dared to concoct such a diabolical scheme. Sword King City and Earthfire Palace of Demons were strong, but they were no match for one of the Nine Demonic Ways, the Way of Taiping.

The Way of Taiping usually operated in southern Chu, and they rarely set foot in Northern Xinjiang. In that sense, they shared a non-aggressive relationship with each other. No one knew that Way of Taiping had really raised a faction like Endless Sand in Bei You, and now, their puppet was baring their fangs at them. They must be plotting something big for Bei You—or more accurately, the entire Northern Xinjiang.

“Shh! It’s a secret! You can’t tell it to anyone!” Xiong Kuohai put a finger to his lips and shushed them. Then, he slapped himself in the head and exclaimed with feigned realization, “Oh wait, you’re all going to die today, and dead men tell no secrets. Never mind then!”

Ji Donglei did not say anything. Huo Ruyu did not say anything. No one across the entire Blissful Peak said a thing for a moment.

After the Taiping Heaven Sealing Banner was activated, the entire Blissful Mountain was cut off from the outside world. No one inside could leave, and no one outside could enter. It was impossible to find out what was happening on Blissful Mountain right now.

Worse, the Taiping Heaven Sealing Banner was a sentient Disaster-class Strange Artifact. If Ji Donglei, Huo Ruyu and Joy Bodhisattva were in tiptop condition, then their combined power might be able to breach its restriction. But now, they were all poisoned and grievously injured. Xiong Kuohai could just stand there and do nothing, and they still wouldn’t be able to overcome the restriction.

Silence originated from fear, and fear gave way to despair. It would seem that it was their fate to die here.

“I... I don’t want to die... I don’t want to die...”

One man suddenly burst into tears and broke down completely. The flames leaking out of his pores immediately consumed him and burned him into ash.

“I... I’ll submit to you, leader Xiong! I’ll join the Endless Sand! All I ask is that you spare me!”

“I submit as well, leader Xiong!”

“Me too!”

There existed great fear between the curtains of life and death. When one person dropped to their knees and begged Xiong Kuohai for mercy, countless others succumbed to their fear and dropped to their knees as well.

“Hahahahaha!”

Xiong Kuohai laughed arrogantly and scornfully before looking at Ji Donglei, Huo Ruyu, and Joy Bodhisattva. “What about you guys? Will you surrender, or will you fight to the death?”

“Dare you accept us even if we did surrender to you?” Joy Bodhisattva finally broke her long-standing silence and asked.

“Hahaha! True.” Xiong Kuohai nodded in agreement. The three of them were Grandmasters after all. Although they were on their last legs, it was impossible to say what kind of trump card they were still hiding up their sleeves. Besides, the only acceptable outcome regarding his grand plan was total success. One single misstep, and he could end up worse than even his victims. So no, he could never allow the Grandmasters to live.

The ordinary warriors were one thing, but Ji Donglei, Huo Ruyu and Joy Bodhisattva must die.

A cruel smile spread across Xiong Kuohai’s face as he glanced at the broken warriors who were still begging for mercy. “You wish to live, yes? It’s very simple. Kill Ji Donglei, Huo Ruyu and Joy Bodhisattva, and you will live.”

“Who dares?!” Huo Ruyu yelled as soon as she heard this, her powerful aura sweeping through the area and attempting to nip the seeds of betrayal in the bud. However...

“Hahaha... I thought you people wanted to join me? To live and see another day? If you couldn’t even do this for me, then why should I oblige your wishes?”

Xiong Kuohai was in no hurry whatsoever. He looked down on the crowd like a cat would a mouse.

“They’re all grievously injured! We can surely kill them if we attack together!”

“Yeah! Let’s rush them!”

A few breaths later, several people succumbed to their impatience and raced Ji Donglei and the others with bloodshot eyes. Everyone else looked mighty tempted as well.

“Fools.”

Ji Donglei’s eyes were as cold as ice as he swung his sword diagonally. There was a blast of sword qi, and the attackers were sliced in half while they were still in the air. Lightning burned their bodies into ash long before they could even hit the floor.

The restless crowd immediately turned deathly pale as if someone had poured a bucket of ice over their heads. It was only now they recalled that Ji Donglei was the Sword Executor Elder of Sword King City and a true Grandmaster. Even at his current state, he was still much, much stronger than them. He could have killed every last one of them without breaking too much sweat, not to mention that Huo Ruyu and Joy Bodhisattva were present as well. To charge the trio would be to commit suicide.

“Fools. Do you really think Xiong Kuohai would allow you to live even if you were successful? No, he wouldn’t. Didn’t you hear what he said? Dead men tell no secrets.”

Ji Donglei swept an icy gaze across the crowd. “Therefore...”

He did not finish his sentence. Instead, he pounced toward Xiong Kuohai with Huo Ruyu and Joy Bodhisattva by his side.

“Hahaha! Well met!”

Having predicted this reaction, Xiong Kuohai let out a boisterous laughter before bending his knees a little. The ground within a hundred meters of him exploded without a sound and came together to form a dragon of sorts. The creature then charged straight toward the trio.

His attack failed to intimidate the three Grandmasters in the slightest, however. They ignored it as if it did not exist and launched various attacks at Xiong Kuohai.

“Do you see? Xiong Kuohai never planned to let us live. You can pour your heart out to him, and you’re still going to die.”

Wei Changhe, Gold Ingot and the rest of Xiong Kuohai’s allies were charging toward the three Grandmasters as well. Mistress Ruyi glanced at the warriors still kneeling on the ground and said, “There is only one way out of this, and that is to kill Xiong Kuohai.”

It was as if Mistress Ruyi’s voice possessed some sort of magical power. The despairing men and women actually rose their heads with renewed light in their eyes.

She’s using another incense!

On the ground, Ye Qing’s nose twitched a little when a new scent entered his nose. This one seemed to be capable of bewitching someone’s mind.

By now, most people had realized that Xiong Kuohai would never allow them to live. All their submission was going to earn them was death, and the knowledge drove them deep into the pits into despair. Even if Mistress Ruyi hadn’t used her incense, it would have taken little effort to convert that despair into hatred and anger; undying hatred and anger toward Xiong Kuohai.

The incense was just the spark. Their despair was what finally transformed their hesitation into determination.

As expected, one man spoke up, “She’s right. If we’re going to die anyway, then we might as well die killing that sonuvawhore.”

“Yeah. He thought he could toy with us like monkeys? I’ll kill him!”

“Better to die with honor than without. I may die, but I’m going to tear off a piece of his flesh and drink a mouthful of his blood at the very least!”

“Well said! I never liked Xiong Kuohai and Endless Sand anyway. They’re all a bunch of hypocritical pricks. If I can kill one of them, then it would be worth it. If I can kill two of them, then it would be my victory! Let’s do this!”

“KILL!”

They were all jianghu warriors. Even the most timid among them had some fire in them. At that moment, everyone who was still conscious and in control of themselves charged toward Xiong Kuohai and his allies. Even compared to the time they attacked the Buddhist Hall of Joy to save themselves, this charge was a lot more fatalistic, determined, and angry.

Xiong Kuohai easily killed or batted away those who got too close to him, but even more people replaced those people who failed. They were like moths flying relentlessly toward the flame even though they knew it would kill them.

Why fear death when death was already in front of you?