Stranger Danger

Chapter 608: A Warmth And Beauty Worth Striving For

“You...”

All the blood drained away from Hanxue’s face. She looked as pale as a ghost right now.

“What, you don’t want to leave? I mean, I certainly wouldn’t mind the company if you don’t.” The young man observed Hanxue curiously as the corners of his lips curled up into a devilish smirk. “So? How do you want to depart to the afterlife?”

“Ahhhhh!”

It was as if the young man’s smile was the scariest thing in the world. Unable to hold back her fear any longer, Hanxue screamed and fell right on top of her butt. Then, caring naught for her embarrassing appearance or attire, she grabbed Innocent Miao and ran away faster than she ever had in her life.

The young man watched Hanxue a little before chuckling.“Oh right! Please inform your head that I may personally pay Dragonrider Mountain a visit in the next couple days.”

Hanxue visibly trembled, but she did not say anything. She simply ran faster.

After Hanxue was completely gone, the young man finally turned around and looked at Wang Shengkui and the others. “Now, it’s your turn.”

“Th... Thank you for s-saving us, senior. We are infinitely grateful for your timely rescue.” Wang Shengkui swallowed and asked carefully, “H-How would you like us to repay the favor? We will see it done even if it costs us a thousand deaths.”

Wang Shengkui was being very, very cautious. The last thing he wanted was to trigger the young man into smiting them all in one punch.

Although the young man had saved their lives, who knows what the hell he was plotting? Everyone knows that a demonic warrior acted entirely based on their whims. They could speak with you like an old friend for one moment and kill you the next. Innocent Miao was the prime example of that.

“Oh? You will give me a thousand deaths? Well, I see no reason to turn down such a generous offer.”

The young man smiled, and everyone broke out in cold sweat. For a few seconds, no one dared to say anything, and everyone was prepared to die.

Suddenly, the young man barked out a short laugh before waving his hand. “Haha! If only you could see the looks on your faces. I was just joking. You may leave as well.”

“W-What?”

Wang Shengkui and the others couldn’t quite process the young man’s words. Just a moment ago, they were reading to fall on their knees and beg for mercy. Hell, some of them were just waiting for the young man to kill them. In any case, this was not the outcome they expected.

Did I hear wrong, or is he toying with us?

The same thought more or less crossed everyone’s mind. It was also why no one dared to make a move for a time.

“What’s wrong? Is the Celestial Spring so attractive to you, or do you want to keep those dead men company?” The young man glanced at the dead Dragonrider Mountain disciples in jest.

“No, of course not!”

“Thank you, senior. We shall take our leave immediately.”

“Thank you for saving our lives, senior.”

Sun Bo, Uncle Qi and more jolted back to reality and hurriedly gave their thanks. Then, they grabbed their stuff and horses as quickly as they could and prepared to leave.

When Uncle Qi looked back and saw that Wang Shengkui was still standing at the same spot, he urged, “C’mon, boss. We don’t want to disturb senior any longer, do we?”

Wang Shengkui hesitated for a moment as he stared at the little Stranger currently held in the young man’s hand. After a moment of hesitation, he ultimately gritted his teeth and clasped his hands together in salute. “Thank you for saving our lives, senior. We shan’t disturb your peace any longer.”

With that, Wang Shengkui turned away and did not look at the little Stranger again. If he did, he was afraid that he would lose control and beg the young man to release the little Stranger again.

He wasn’t afraid of trouble. He didn’t fear death either. However, he had already risked his brothers and sisters’ lives once and nearly paid the ultimate price for it.

He simply couldn’t repeat the same mistake again.

That was why he left swiftly and decisively. He was afraid that he would change his mind if he slowed down even a little.

Even so, Wang Shengkui had made up his mind to return to the Celestial Spring and speak to the young man after he escorted his brothers and sisters to safety.

He and his daughter owed the little Stranger their lives. That favor alone was worth a thousand deaths.

He just hoped he wouldn’t be too late.

No. He would return in time.

......

Inside the Dragon Subjugating Net, the little Stranger neither struggled nor kicked up a fuss. It simply stared at the departing group with happiness, yearning, reluctance, calm, peace, loneliness...

It was as if the little Stranger was an old man. It had seen almost everything there was to see in the red dust, and when it looked back, it was all alone.

The young man lifted the little Stranger to eye level and asked smilingly, “What’s wrong? Do you miss him? Or are you disappointed that he didn’t linger and beg for your release?”

The little Stranger did not answer him, of course. It continued to stare at the group’s backs just like it had witnessed the departure of so, so many others.

Its eyes remained pure, however. They looked like purified pools that were fully cleansed of the world’s taint. Just looking into its eyes was enough to set one at ease, though that very same purity also caused a painful twinge in one’s heart.

“My name is Ye Qing, little one. What is your name?”

The young man was, naturally, Ye Qing. Five days ago, he departed Bei You on New Year’s Day and journeyed north. He had no set path or plan in his mind. He allowed his heart to carry him wherever it led him to. That was how he encountered the Celestial Spring and the little Stranger by accident.

He was washing his face by the Celestial Spring when he first saw the little Stranger. He was on the shore, and the little Stranger was in the waters. Its head poking out of the water surface, it had watched him with bright, clear eyes and a joyous expression.

The little Stranger was invisible at the time, and most people could not perceive him. Ye Qing could only because his spirit was much stronger than most. He couldn’t feel any malice from the little Stranger, so he pretended that he hadn’t seen it.

When he was washing his face, the little Stranger would float on the water and watch him in silence.

When he was drinking from the spring, it would shake its legs lightly and cause ripples on the water surface, giggling.

When he sat down underneath a tree and ate his rations, it would follow him to the shore and hop around him, laughing.

When he was cultivating, the little Stranger would sit beside him and copy his posture, meditating.

When he was sleeping, the little Stranger would climb to the tree on top of his head and swing its legs, chasing away the insects that might disturb his sleep.

When he got ready to leave the next day, the little Stranger looked crestfallen and sad.

And when he made a surprise return, the little Stranger grew so excited that it purposely rolled across the waters and caused even bigger ripples.

It was like he was its friend. It was pleasantly surprised when he appeared and saddened by his departure.

Yes, this friend couldn’t see or even feel it.

Even so, just seeing him was enough to satisfy it.

Later, a group of traveling merchants arrived at Celestial Spring and stayed the night.

He discovered that the little Stranger enjoyed the noise and activity and loved listening to the interesting stories of the jianghu including its own.

When the people drank and fooled around, the little Stranger would watch them by the shore and laugh at their antics.

When someone brought up an interesting story, the little Stranger would hang by the shore and listen in silence.

And when they finally left, the little Stranger would watch their backs with a forlorn look in their eyes. When they were gone, it would float on the spring and allow it to carry it wherever, ripples spreading across the water surface.

This was probably its usual activity whenever the Celestial Spring was devoid of people. It would lie on the waters and watch the clouds until the next traveler or group arrived.

Day after day. Year after year.

It did not exist in the vicissitudes of life of a human, but still, it was touched by them.

For the past few days, Ye Qing had witnessed the little Stranger’s joy, sorrow, and loneliness.

It was happy, but it was lonely.

It was free, but it was helpless.

It was beautiful, but it was sad.

One thing for certain, it was a kind of warmth and beauty that was worth striving for. Always.