Stranger Danger

Ye Qing murmured, “I have no idea these four Strange Artifacts have such a prestigious history.”

Feng Qingyou continued, “It is no easy feat to use the Dragon Beating Whip, the Dragon Binding Stakes, the Dragon Suppressing Decree, and the Dragon Killing Blade. Only a Sage may use it, and only the Will of the Empire may empower it.”

“The four Sages using the four Strange Artifacts just now are the Martial Sovereign of Wei, the Dragontree Guru of Yan, the Chief Libationist of Chu, and the Ziwei Heaven Sovereign of Qi respectively. It also cost each nation at least twenty to thirty percent Will of the Empire. It is a terrible price to say the least.”

Feng Qingyou said smilingly, “The Will of the Empire of four nations, four Sages, and four Ancient-class Strange Artifacts just to foil the Dragon Sovereign’s conspiracy one time and cut off its head. Do you still think it was easy?”

“If you put it that way, then yeah, it’s a huge price.”

Ye Qing shrugged. “But still, the reward is the death of the Dragon Sovereign. That’s not a bad trade at all, is it?” “Who told you that the Dragon Sovereign is dead?” Feng Qingyou raised an eyebrow.

“The Dragon Sovereign was beheaded, wasn’t he?” Ye Qing asked in confusion. “What, is he still alive?”

“If it was so easy to kill the Dragon Sovereign, then he would have died nine hundred years ago. Humanity would not have chosen to seal him in the Deep Abyss.”

Feng Qingyou asked, “Do you know what the Dragon Sovereign’s true form is?”

“He is a Nine-headed Sky Dragon[1].”A Nine-headed Sky Dragon is an Ancient from the moment it was born. Every time it grows a head, its strength would double, and it would gain an additional life. If it managed to grow nine heads, then it would become all-powerful and eternal.”

“But even among the Nine-headed Sky Dragons, the Dragon Sovereign was quite the standout. He had nine heads from the moment he was born, so he was almighty and eternal right from the get go. Even after the humans cut off his nine heads, destroyed his body and extinguished his soul, they discovered that they were unable to end the Dragon Sovereign’s existence completely. That was why they had no choice but to seal it in the Deep Abyss.”

“Therefore, forget cutting off just one head, even cutting off all of his heads would not have killed him[2].”

“It’s that troublesome?” Ye Qing frowned deeply. “So, you’re saying that the four nations used up all that Will of the Empire… and didn’t even kill the Dragon Sovereign? Isn’t that a huge price for almost no gain?”

“It is a huge price, but I would argue that it didn’t outweigh the reward too much,” Feng Qingyou replied.

“What do you mean?” Ye Qing asked.

Feng Qingyou explained, “First, they managed to foil the Four Seas Dragon Palace’s conspiracy and protected the peace of humanity. Second, although they only managed to cut off one of the Dragon Sovereign’s heads, do not forget that he is currently sealed inside the Deep Abyss. It is hard enough for the Dragon Sovereign to awaken from its enforced slumber, grow a head, and regain some strength. Today, nine centuries of hard work is gone just like that, and he would probably fall into another long slumber. I do not think he would be able to threaten humanity for a couple centuries at least.”

“And third, a tumultuous period would soon fall upon the world. Cutting off the Dragon Sovereign’s head is a stunning feat that serves as a warning to all those malicious people and forces who might be tempted to start something prior to that period.”

“In conclusion, those sitting up top would never cut a losing deal.”

“Makes sense.” Ye Qing smiled and stopped talking.

Meanwhile, after the Dragon Sovereign’s head had crashed into the sea, the Dragon Sovereign’s beheaded body was dragged back into the bloody vortex. There was a clattering of chains, and it was gone just like that.

After the Dragon Sovereign vanished, the bloody vortex and the four pillars of light slowly vanished, returning the stars and moon to the sky. It was a fantastical sight.

“Today, the Dragon Sovereign incited the dragons of the four seas for the nefarious goal of throwing humanity into chaos. According to the law, his crime deserves death.”

A grand, majestic voice resounded throughout heaven and earth as the moonlight fell. “All troops, flatten the Four Seas Dragon Palace and vanquish the Strangers of the four seas. Leave none alive for the sake of the heavens’ hearing!”

“All who dares to threaten humanity must die!”

“They must die!”

Chu Xunxian, Guo Ximian, and the remnants of the Nether End Army roared at the top of their lungs.

“They must die!”

“They must die!”

“They must die!”

The same war cries came from the west, south, and north as well.

The sound waves overlapped with each other and resounded throughout the world, dimming stars and moon and shaking heaven and earth.

When the heavens grew murderous, stars moved, and dippers changed.

When the earth grew murderous, dragons and serpents burst through the earth.

And when humans grew murderous, the world was turned upside down.

“Yep, they are totally making an example out of the Dragon Sovereign and the Four Seas Dragon Palace!”

Ye Qing clicked his tongue as he listened to the murderous war cries filling the air. The entire reason they were shouting so loudly with a Sage’s help was to make an example out of their victims. It was to show those restless, plotting factions and Strangers that the four nations were not to be trifled with.

“What are you doing, Qingyou?”

It was at this moment Ye Qing noticed that Feng Qingyou was scooping up the blood red sea water with a clay jar.

“Storing some dragon blood, duh!” Feng Qingyou answered. “This is the fresh blood of the Ancient-class Stranger, the Dragon Sovereign himself. You sure you don’t want to get some for yourself?”

“Oh yeah!” Ye Qing’s eyes lit up. He immediately produced a jade bottle from his Nature’s Shell and began collecting the dragon blood as well.

A dozen or so breaths later, Feng Qingyou finally put away the clay jar and turned to look at the gigantic dragon’s head still floating in the sea. She sighed. “The Dragon Sovereign’s head is the real treasure here. There’s no way we can have it though.”

“Yeah.” Ye Qing also put away his jade bottle and sighed in agreement.

The dragon’s head was destined to go to the four nations for sure.

“It’s time to leave.”

Ye Qing withdrew his gaze and said to Feng Qingyou. The show was over, and the fate of the Four Seas Dragon Palace was sealed. They risked exposure if they lingered any longer, so it was time to leave.

“Yeah. Let’s go.”

Feng Qingyou nodded, and the duo soundlessly turned their boat around and took their leave.

……

In just one night, the news of the Dragon Sovereign’s beheading, the death of the Four Seas Dragon Kings, and the annihilation of the Four Seas Dragon Palace spread throughout every nook and cranny of the jianghu.

For a time, countless people cursed the Dragon Sovereign for his traitorous designs, ridiculed the Four Seas Dragon Palace for overestimating their own capabilities, and praised the four nations for their success and power.

In contrast, Fang Muyun’s death was like a tiny stone. It failed to elicit even the tiniest splash or ripples amidst the torrential waters that was the Four Seas Dragon Palace conspiracy whatsoever. The people only knew him as a Chu genius who somehow someway died, and they felt nothing besides a bit of sympathy and sorrow.

Such was the case even for the citizens of Chu.

It was likely that no one besides Fang Muyun’s family and friends would be saddened by his death. In fact, even his family and friends would soon forget that such a person once existed.

When he was alive, he was as bright and unforgettable as the sun itself. But after he died, he was as forgettable as a nameless grave by the roadside.

After all, a dead genius was no longer a genius.

What a pitiful and lamentable fate it was.

Three days later, the Traitor Killing Ranking was announced, and Fang Muyun was forgotten even harder than he already was.

As its name implied, it was a ranking list specifically set up by the four nations to commemorate the warriors who partook in the eradication of the Four Seas Dragon Palace traitors.

Although the Four Seas Dragon Palace was destroyed, and the Four Seas Dragon Kings were killed, many of their kin and aides were not present at the Four Seas Dragon Palace during the day of the assault because they were out contacting the aquatic races of the four seas. As a result, they were able to escape death.

Although the Four Seas Dragon Kings were dead, and the remnants could not enact their nefarious conspiracy anymore, grass could not be removed permanently if the roots weren’t destroyed. Naturally, they must all die.

There was no need to deploy their armies and elites though. They could just leave it to the jianghu people.

And how could they mobilize the jianghu people? The Traitor Killing Ranking was how. Anyone who wished to partake in the event could receive a Traitor Killing Token from the officials, and anyone killing a traitor of the Four Seas Dragon Palace or a related Stranger while holding the Traitor Killing Token would receive a certain amount of contribution points. The amount of contribution points received was determined by the identity and strength of the traitor. The stronger and more important the traitor was, the more contribution points a warrior would receive.

This begged a question, however: How did they know if someone was a traitor of the Four Seas Dragon Palace? The answer was surprisingly simple. All Strangers residing in the four seas could be treated as traitors and killed.

To put it in even simpler terms, anyone who wasn’t a human could be killed for contribution points.

It was clear as day why the four nations were doing this. It was to cement their authority and fame through the death of their enemies.

1. And now you know where the final rank for body-tempering warriors comes from. ☜

2. Guess whose skill needs to be used to end the Dragon Sovereign permanently. Hint: Annihilation. ☜