Stranger Danger

“Let’s go. I’ll take the lead. Shangguan and Earth, stay behind me. Mountain and Basket, protect our rear,” Ye Qing instructed. “Everything here is chaotic and out of order, so be on your guard.”

“Yes, young master!” Mountain Tunneling King and Mrs. Basket responded. Shangguan Hongjin and Pedant Earth humbly accepted the advice as well.

Despite their readiness, the group felt an oppressive amount of pressure and fear as soon as they set foot inside the unusual land. Their blood threatened to rebel inside their body, their true qi was getting pulled in different directions, and their spirit was under assault as well.

Ye Qing was protected by the Profound Yellow Mother Qi, so he was the only person in the group who didn’t feel anything. Mountain Tunneling King and Mrs. Basket were Grandmasters, so they could stomach the distortions with some discomfort.

The same couldn’t be said for Shangguan Hongjin and Pedant Earth though. Their complexions were red, and their heads pounded like someone was hitting them with a hammer. Just a few steps later, they couldn’t withstand the distortions any longer and threw up a small amount of blood.

“Are you alright? How are you feeling now?”

Ye Qing immediately caught their arms and quelled the disturbances in their vigor and true qi.

“We’re fine!”

Shangguan Hongjin and Pedant Earth shook their heads with bitter expressions. “But it would seem that we aren’t fated to witness the man who dominated the Spring and Autumn eight hundred years ago!”

Shangguan Hongjin replied after a moment of thought, “Yeah, I think we’re going to stop here. If we can’t even handle this place, then I doubt we’ll be able to survive what comes next.”

“Very well,” Ye Qing replied after due consideration, “I cannot deny that we may face grave dangers. Even with my strength, I may not be able to safeguard you two. It is best if you stay at the perimeter.”

“Your words are wise, young master.” Mountain Tunneling King said smilingly, “By the way, young master. Miss Shangguan and Pedant Earth have just recovered and so are not yet at their full strength. Besides that, this land is clearly rife with dangers. Should I stay behind and protect them?”

“You’re right. I didn’t think it through.” Ye Qing glanced meaningfully at Mountain Tunneling King before turning to Mrs. Basket. “Basket, I want you to stay behind and protect them.”

“Me?” Mrs. Basket exclaimed in surprise. Mountain Tunneling King was caught off guard as well.

“There’s no need. We can take care of ourselves.” Shangguan Hongjin and Pedant Earth tried to turn him down. “You’re the one who’s going to face the greatest dangers. We can protect ourselves, so don’t worry about it.”

“It will be fine. It’s not like Mrs. Basket is fully recovered anyway, so she won’t be as helpful as you think. I’d rather that she focus on her own recovery and take care of you.” Ye Qing did not give them the opportunity to say no. “It’s settled then. Basket, keep them safe no matter what.”

“Do not worry, young master. This one shall give her all.” Mrs. Basket saluted him. “Take care, young master.”

“Take care, Joyless.”

Seeing that Ye Qing wasn’t going to change his mind, Shangguan Hongjin and Pedant Earth saluted him as well.

“Don’t worry. At my current strength, I’m pretty sure I can keep myself safe no matter what.” Ye Qing smiled at the trio and watched them as they withdrew out of the perimeter. Then, he turned around and ordered, “Let’s go.”

They left. After the trio were out of earshot, Ye Qing suddenly broke the silence with a question, “Do you know why I left Mrs. Basket behind and not you?”

“This foolish one does not know, young master. Please enlighten me,” Mountain Tunneling King answered as a hidden glint flashed in his eyes.

“Foolish one?” Ye Qing smirked. “You really are a foolish one. If you weren’t, you wouldn’t have tried something this stupid!”

“Young master…?” Mountain Tunneling King asked with a shiver.

“Am I wrong?” Ye Qing’s tone turned cold. “If you weren’t foolish, then why would you try to pull a trick on me? If you weren’t stupid, then why would you risk your life to change nothing?”

“This… this one truly does not understand what you’re trying to say, young master,” Mountain Tunneling King tried to feign confusion.

“You don’t understand?” Ye Qing stopped in his tracks and uttered, “You might as well die ignorant then!”

As soon as he said this, Mountain Tunneling King abruptly started trembling like a leaf. Large beads of sweat began pouring down his forehead as if he was enduring some sort of unimaginable pain.

“Young master… at least tell me… what I did wrong… before you kill me…” Mountain Tunneling King uttered through gritted teeth.

“You really want to know? Okay.” Ye Qing patted Mountain Tunneling King on the shoulder while answering, “You suggested staying behind earlier not because you wish to protect Shangguan Hongjin and Pedant Earth, but because you want to take them as hostages and threaten me to release you, am I right?”

“You…. misunderstand me, young master… I really was just… worried about their safety… and I wish to… alleviate some of your burden… I am loyal… please trust me…” Mountain Tunneling King replied intermittently. His face was deathly pale, and it was impossible to say if it was because of the pain, because Ye Qing saw through his lies, or both.

“What did I say? You’re dumb as fuck. Even now, you’re trying to trick me. Do you really think I’m as stupid as you?”

Ye Qing’s smile grew increasingly gentle. “From the beginning, you have never truly submitted to me. You lick my boots and flatter me like I’m your king, when really you’ve been plotting how to break free from my control and kill me. However, you couldn’t see an ounce of opportunity from me, so you set your eyes on Shangguan Hongjin and Pedant Earth because of our relationship. You were plotting to use them as your mouthpiece, take them hostage, or even manipulate them into getting me in trouble, weren’t you?”

“Young master, please… this one… is definitely loyal to—”

By now, Mountain Tunneling King looked like he had just climbed out of a river. His entire body was drenched in sweat.

“So, you’re saying that I wronged you?” Ye Qing smiled and snapped his finger. “So what if I am? If your master wants you dead, then you should just die like the loyal servant you are, right?”

“Argh!”

Mountain Tunneling King abruptly let out a painful scream and fell to the ground. While hugging his head, he rolled back and forth and screamed, “Mercy, young master! Mercy!”

Ye Qing ignored his cries for mercy and painful screams and just waited.

A short while later, Mountain Tunneling King finally couldn’t stand the pain of the demonic seed growing inside his yang god and grabbed Ye Qing’s ankle, begging, “Mercy, young master! This one is wrong! This one is wrong! This one will never do it again, so please…!”

“Are you?” Ye Qing crouched down and looked down on Mountain Tunneling King from above. “Tell me. What did you do wrong?”

“I shouldn’t have schemed against you. I shouldn’t have lied to you. I shouldn’t have tried to harm you! Please, young master! I won’t do it again, so please!” Mountain Tunneling King begged.

“Finally, he admits his mistake!” Ye Qing slapped Mountain Tunneling King in the face again, and again, and again. “But don’t you think it’s a little too late?”

“I said this before: if you treat me right, then I’ll treat you right as well. But considering how stupid you are, I suppose you might have missed the subtext: if you treat me wrong, then I’ll pay you back twofold. In any case, it’s clear that you did not take my words to heart.”

“This one is wrong! I’ll never do it again! Just please give me another chance, young master! Please!” Mountain Tunneling King forced through the pain and kowtowed to Ye Qing, begging.

Ye Qing simply smiled and said nothing at all.

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