Stranger Danger

Chapter 587: Demon Tempering Hand

“The Dark Overlord’s inheritance, eh?”

Ye Qing rubbed his chin and wondered if he should join in on the fun as well. Although he wasn’t lacking anything right now—he had all the martial arts, Strange Artifacts and even cultivation resources he currently needed to advance to the next level—and the best thing he could do right now was to keep a low profile and grow at a slow and steady pace...

This was the Dark Overlord’s inheritance that was on the line here. Sure, those who owned a Dark Overlord Token included terrifying warriors such as the Sun Sovereign and Madman Chu, and the Death Sea was a famous death zone in Bei Mo, and he probably amounted to no more but a pawn in this competition, but who could possibly give up on the Dark Overlord’s inheritance like it was nothing? This was the greatest warrior of the Spring and Autumn period back then; the so-called unrivaled champion of his time, Li Hentian.

Ye Qing would be lying if he said he wasn’t tempted. He knew full well that the chances that a pawn like him might obtain the Dark Overlord’s inheritance was next to nil, but... what if?

What if the Dark Overlord deemed him worthy?

What if he got dogshit lucky?

Who hadn’t gotten dogshit lucky at least once in their life?

Even if he failed to obtain the Dark Overlord’s inheritance in the end, the juices that slipped through the elites’ fingers would be greatly beneficial to him, right?

It was why he couldn’t quite make up his mind.

Suddenly, a voice caught his attention. “Mister Nine, I am a disciple of the Eight Ruler Sect, Jiang Baichuan. I would like to spar with you. Will you please spare me a bit of your time?”

A short silence enveloped Number One for a moment. Then, derisive jeers and boisterous laughter filled the restaurant.

Ye Qing looked down and saw a young man about eighteen to nineteen years old standing in Chu Wangsun’s way with his hands clasped together in a salute.

The young man was carrying an iron ruler around his waist. It wasn’t long, but it was pitch black in color, thick and heavy-looking. It was obviously not a toy weapon.

The young man must be new to the jianghu because he turned red with embarrassment after being teased by the crowd for just a couple of seconds. Even so, he did not change his mind and back down from his challenge.

Chu Wangsun furrowed his brow. He seemed displeased with the fact that someone was barring his way.

It was at this moment the man following behind Chu Wangsun stepped forward with a smile and said, “Our deepest apologies, young warrior, but my teacher has had a long journey and would like to catch some rest as soon as possible. Perhaps another day?”

The speaker was a brawny man in his forties. He had dark skin and an honest face that gave him the appearance of a longtime farmer.

“You heard that, kid? That’s your cue to get off the stage. Better get lost before you humiliate yourself further!”

“Yeah, who do you think you are to ask for a spar with Mister Nine himself? Just go home and drink your milk already!”

“Stop delaying Mister Nine’s rest and fuck off, boy.”

Practically everyone was taunting or jeering at the young man. It was because they could tell that his request for a spar was just a ruse to get his name out there. The young man was just an early-stage Astral Refiner, whereas Mister Nine was one of the strongest and most famous warriors of his age for a long time. A spar between them was like a spar between an adult human and an ant. Literally no one would benefit from it.

“You’re no match for me. Get out of my way!” Chu Wangsun looked up and declared indifferently.

“Hahahaha!”

Everyone in the restaurant laughed when they heard this. Etched on their faces was undisguised schadenfreude.

“I... I know I’m no match for you. I just wish to spar with you for a bit.” Jiang Baichuan’s gaze grew resentful as he gritted his teeth. “My apologies!”

He then attacked Chu Wangsun without warning.

If you won’t accept, then I’ll make you!

Jiang Baichuan appeared before Chu Wangsun in just the blink of an eye. He swung his iron ruler straight at the scholar’s head.

Chu Wangsun did not react. Instead, the man standing behind him stepped between the two and reached out to grab the iron ruler with his hand.

A hint of disdain flickered in Jiang Baichuan’s eyes. Although the Eight Ruler Sect wasn’t famous in Northern Xinjiang, the martial arts they taught weren’t weak in the slightest. Their main martial art was called the “Iron Ruler Strikes Eight Directions”, and their weapon of choice was an unorthodox weapon called the iron ruler. A master in one-inch moves and explosive power, disciples of the Eight Ruler Sect fought best when they were inches away from their opponent.

It might look like Jiang Baichuan was wielding an inferior weapon—after all, an iron ruler neither possessed the sharpness of a blade or the reach of a stick—but his explosive power could only be described as terrifying. Not even a warrior who was one cultivation level above him could block his iron ruler without breaking a bone or two, and this man was crazy enough to try and catch it with his bare hands!

In Jiang Baichuan’s opinion, the action was about as suicidal as lighting a lantern in the toilet!

He did not hold back, however. Not only was Chu Wangsun looking down on him, he had humiliated him in public as well. It was only right that he gave him a taste of his own medicine!

Unfortunately, Jiang Baichuan was destined to be disappointed. The young man had anticipated the sound of breaking bones and a burst of blood and gore, but instead, it was his iron ruler that was bent ninety degrees when it struck the brawny man’s palm.

“Ah, excuse me for using too much force.”

The brawny man smiled humbly before swiping Jiang Baichuan’s iron ruler out of his hand and straightening it. Then, he returned it to Jiang Baichua and said, “There you go.”

The young man was so stunned that he did not react even after he accepted the iron ruler.

The onlookers were just as stunned as Jiang Baichuan was, so much so that they temporarily forgot to make fun of him. Although they were jeering Jiang Baichuan, they were aware of his strength to a certain extent. Most of them wouldn’t dare to take a direct blow from the youngster, but not only did the brawny man caught the ruler with his bare hands, he even bent it a full ninety degrees, not to mention that he had snatched it right out of Jiang Baichuan’s hand like it was nothing. It was such a one-sided affair it wasn’t funny.

If even Chu Wangsun’s servant was this strong, then Chu Wangsun himself could only be many times stronger. Everyone shoved their petty schemes to the far corner of their mind at that moment.

“Tsk tsk! I never thought I would see the day the infamous Demon Refining Hand bullies a kid! I wonder how the jianghu would laugh at you when they learn about this?”

Suddenly, a ridiculing, lazy-sounding voice broke the silence. A hint of killing intent flickered in the brawny man’s eyes as he turned toward the exit.

An exceptionally beautiful man wearing pink clothes and a peach blossom flower on his head was leaning against the door frame. He was also wearing a small smirk on his face.

“Xie Taohua?!”

At the second floor, Ye Qing was smirking as well. It would seem that they quite fated with one another.

“The Demon Refining Hand?”

“Could he be referring to the eighteenth warrior on the Human Champions Ranking, the ‘Demon Refining Hand’ Pei Qiansui?”

“But I thought Pei Qiansui is a disciple of the Demonic Mountain, one of the Nine Demonic Ways? Why is he together with Mister Nine?”

The questions quickly rose to a clamor inside Number One.

“Yeah, I’m quite curious myself. I thought you’re one of the Nine Sons of the Demonic Mountain, the infamous Demon Refining Hand. Since when did you become Chu Wangsun’s follower?” Xie Taohua held a peach blossom before his nose and sniffed it a little. His posture was seductive to say the least.

“Did you master not teach you that curiosity kills the warrior, Xie Taohua?” Pei Qiansui’s honest smile vanished behind a cold, dark visage. “Keep your nose out of my business, or else!”

Xie Taohua did not take his threat to heart. “But I’m not trying to meddle in your business. You and I share the same origin. Of course I would be concerned for a fellow brother, wouldn’t I?”

Before he could say anything else, Chu Wangsun—the man had seemed immersed in his own world until he heard Xie Taohua’s name—looked up and stared at Xie Taohua, “Are you the Peach Blossom Celestial’s only disciple, Xie Taohua?”

His movement was nothing out of the ordinary, but Xie Taohua suddenly felt like someone had pressed a blade to his neck. His hair stood on end as he involuntarily stood up straight.