Stranger Danger

“Senior… I’m willing to compensate you for your troubles as well!”

Seeing that Ye Qing upheld his promise and allowed Defeated and the Holy Son of Maitreya to walk away, Mountain Tunneling King hurriedly offered up his own Nature’s Shell.

Another person might find it difficult to address someone who was decades younger than him as senior, but Mountain Tunneling King had no such qualms. If Ye Qing was willing to release him, forget addressing him as senior, he would happily call him dad, granddad or even ancestor. No humiliation was too much when his life was on the line.

“Same here.” Mrs. Basket also emulated his example and produced her Nature’s Shell.

“Thank you very much,” Ye Qing accepted their Nature’s Shells without hesitation.

“No, thank you, senior! You’re a merciful and big-hearted man, senior!” Mountain Tunneling King did not forget to pay Ye Qing a compliment even as he thanked him.

Again, Mrs. Basket emulated his example.

Thinking that their woes were over, the Grandmasters turned around and got ready to leave. However, they had just taken two steps when Ye Qing spoke up, “Just one thing. Did I say you can leave?”

“Huh?” The two Grandmasters stiffened and slowly turned around, an obsequious and confused smile etched on their faces. “I… don’t understand, senior? I thought you were going to set us free?”

A devilish smile spread across Ye Qing’s face. “In fact, I did not. All I said was ‘thank you very much’. Where on earth did you get such a foolish idea?”

“I… I don’t understand, senior. You let them go, didn’t you? Why not us?” Mountain Tunneling King asked with barely restrained panic.

“Those two are geniuses. Are you?” Ye Qing asked smilingly.

Mountain Tunneling King and Mrs. Basket exchanged a confused glance with each other.

“They both have powerful backgrounds and patrons. Do you?” Ye Qing asked another question.

Now Mountain Tunneling King and Mrs. Basket were starting to get his meaning. Neither of them said a word in response.

“They’re geniuses with powerful backgrounds and patrons. That is why I didn’t dare to kill them!” Ye Qing’s smile sent chills down both Grandmasters’ spine. “But what about you two? Are you geniuses? Do you have a powerful background or patron as well?”

“If your answer is yes, then I’ll release you immediately! So? What is your answer?”

Mountain Tunneling King and Mrs. Basket opened their mouths, but neither of them could say anything.

Their talent was average, and they had grinded their whole life without a powerful background or patron. Although they were lucky enough to enter the Grandmaster stage, they had long since hit their ceiling. They would never be stronger than they were now.

Mountain Tunneling King might have the word “king” in his name, but he was really just a bandit who occupied a mountain and called himself king. Mrs. Basket seemed pretty infamous, but that was only within her tiny corner of the world. Beyond that, no one even knew that she existed.

They might be Grandmasters, but they were nothing in the eyes of the true bigshots. They could not compare to geniuses with great backing such as Defeated and the Holy Son of Maitreya.

“In what world do you stand equal to those two? If there isn’t one, then what on earth made you think you would receive the same treatment as them? ” Ye Qing sneered.

That’s right. Part of the reason he did not kill Defeated or the Holy Son of Maitreya was because they had never attacked Shangguan Hongjin and Pedant Earth. The other reason was that they both possessed extraordinary backgrounds.

The Holy Son of Maitreya was the Saint of the Maitreya Sect, one of the Nine Demonic Ways, and he knew for a fact that Laughing Buddha, one of the Six Venerable Ones, was present as well. That was a Grandmaster who was far, far stronger than the likes of Blood Rakshasa or Six Yins Boy.

Defeated was a loner who, assuming that the rumors could be trusted, did not belong to any sect. His origins were pretty mundane as well. However, he was an extraordinary genius, and someone like him generally had powerful friends who admired him for one reason or another, and extraordinary seniors who had high expectations of him despite his disposition. Bei Lingxiao was one such example. He might carry himself independently, but his connections weren’t inferior to the Holy Son of Maitreya’s in the slightest.

Yes, he could have killed them where they stood, but the consequences he would face could only be described as disastrous and far-reaching. Alternatively, he could take out every witness and make it so that no one could tie him to their murder, but that was unrealistic for obvious reasons.

That was why he had no choice but to let those two go—after he bled them a little, of course. There was no reason not to, and it wasn’t a serious enough offense to anger the forces behind them. For one, those two were geniuses. Their pride and honor would not allow them to complain to their elders like children. And two, they were in the wrong, and they had lost to someone superior to them. It was perfectly normal for the strong to bleed the weak a little.

Mountain Tunneling King and Mrs. Basket were a different story though. As he said, they had no talent, no background, and no powerful patron to cover for them. Killing them would cost him nothing except a bit of time and energy.

A moment of oppressive silence later, Mountain Tunneling King suddenly dropped to his knees and begged fearfully, “Mercy, senior! Mercy!”

Mountain Tunneling King was a Grandmaster. Did he not have a backbone? Of course he did. Did he not have any pride? Of course he did. However, what was a backbone and a pride before the threat of death?

After all, he would lose everything if he died.

“Calm down. He’s not going to kill us.”

Surprisingly, Mrs. Basket was much more composed than Mountain Tunneling King. She looked as pale as a ghost, but at least she wasn’t begging for her life on her knees.

“Oh?” The corner of Ye Qing’s lips turned up.

Mrs. Basket forced herself to stay calm and met Ye Qing’s eyes directly. She said, “If senior really wants to kill us, he would’ve done so already. He wouldn’t have wasted his breath on us.”

That was what she said, and she was fairly sure that she was right. However, she would be lying to say if she was one hundred percent confident since she couldn’t grasp Ye Qing’s character or thoughts at all.

“Hehe… interesting. Why am I keeping you two alive then? You’ve already given me your Nature’s Shells. What else do you have that might possibly interest me?” Ye Qing asked curiously while scratching his nose.

Mrs. Basket gulped as Ye Qing’s image grew even more enigmatic in her eyes. “If I have to venture a guess… you have a use for our lives.”

“After all, the living is more useful than the dead, right?”

“Y-yes! If you spare me, then we will serve you as your faithful servant! I will do anything you ask of me without question!” Mountain Tunneling King hurriedly echoed in agreement.

Ye Qing did not give them a reply immediately. He just kept smiling at them until their anxiety climbed to unbearable levels, and their backs were completely covered in cold sweat. Finally, he started, “Well said.” He looked at Mrs. Basket. “What about you?”

“I am of the same mind, of course!” Mrs. Basket hurriedly replied.

“That is a tempting offer, but how can I believe that you are being truthful? Words are free after all. What if you lowered my guard with honeyed words and stabbed me when I least expected it?”

Ye Qing smiled a smile that didn’t reach the eye. “I have no intention of carrying two schemers with me.”

“We would never dare! Our loyalty is absolute, senior!” Mountain Tunneling King said in a hurry.

“Oh? You wouldn’t dare, but when the time calls for it, you will do it. Is that what you’re trying to say?” Ye Qing chuckled and patted Mountain Tunneling King lightly on the shoulder.

Mountain Tunneling King nearly jumped out of his skin at the contact. He was so terrified that he couldn’t even speak normally anymore, “I wouldn’t dare—No! I-I mean, I would never—”

“We can swear on our heart demons.” Again, Mrs. Basket was the calmer between the two of them.

“Yes! Yes! I’ll do it!” Mountain Tunneling King nodded repeatedly, though he didn’t dare to move his body even a little.

“Oh? A heart demon oath?”

Ye Qing patted Mrs. Basket’s shoulder as well and said, “I can see the two of you really want to become my followers. Fine. I guess you don’t need to swear an oath then.”

“Thank you, senior!”

“Thank you, senior!”

Both Mountain Tunneling King and Mrs. Basket exclaimed in pleasant surprise and relief.

“Don’t thank me yet!” Ye Qing said indifferently, “The only reason I’m exempting you from an oath is because I find it too troublesome. I know an easier way to guarantee your loyalty!”

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