Stranger Danger

“Good. Go catch some rest.”

Murong Xianxian waved, and Qu Langhuan immediately retreated to a corner. She sighed, “People are so strange sometimes. The high road is right in front of them, and yet they must cross the log bridge where one slip may sound the end of their lives. Are they stupid, cheap, or both?”

Once done with her musing, Murong Xianxian glanced at Cui Qiuyuan and asked, “Cui Qiuyuan, is it? Are you done thinking?”

“This junior… surrenders himself to you, miss,” Cui Qiuyuan answered in a low and helpless voice.

“I guess you’re not stupid after all.” Murong Xianxian smiled. “You know what to do.”

Cui Qiuyuan might be a terrible person, but there was no denying his mental fortitude. Having made up his mind, he immediately withdrew the Undying Phoenix Feather and awaited Murong Xianxian’s machinations.

He knew what was coming next. Murong Xianxian was going to plant a restriction in his mind and turn him into her eternal slave. If she felt like it, she would be able to kill him with a single thought. He didn’t have a choice though. A life of slavery was still better than being forgotten inside a seal, forever. It was also better than being dead.

Besides, so long as he still lived and breathed—not inside an unbreakable seal, of course—there was always a chance. There was always hope.

After all, no one, not even Murong Xianxian, could say what the future held.

After Cui Qiuyuan put away the Undying Phoenix Feather, Murong Xianxian curled her finger and pierced his yang god in nine places using Repentance. Every time this happened, a smidgen of red would ripple out like blood, and Cui Qiuyuan would shudder a little.

When all was said and done, nine red spots were marked on Cui Qiuyuan’s yang god. Together, they looked like a gorgeous, blood red flower with nine petals in total.

It was said that a flower called Red Spider Lily grew at the rivershores of the Yellow Spring. It was red as blood and gorgeous like a dream, and yet it was the symbol of death.

When a Red Spider Lily blooms, a person dies, and their soul would join the Yellow Spring.

The flower marked on Cui Qiuyuan’s yang god was none other than the Red Spider Lily. Not only did it look incredibly lifelike, it was rocking from side to side as if swaying to the wind. There was a faint but distinct fragrance in the air as well.

A few breaths later, the Red Spider Lily vanished, and Murong Xianxian summoned Repentance back into her hand.

“It’s done. I look forward to working with you, Mister Cui,” Murong Xianxian said smilingly while playing with Repentance.

Cui Qiuyuan landed on the ground and bowed his head deeply. “I dare not call myself ‘Mister’ in front of you, miss. Just call me Qiuyuan.”

Murong Xianxian nodded and flicked Repentance away. The Strange Artifact instantly shot out of the exit.

“You are terribly weakened in your current state, Qiuyuan. Follow Repentance. It will lead you to a Sage’s body,” Murong Xianxian ordered.

“A Sage’s body?” Cui Qiuyuan exclaimed in surprise before delight overtook him.

“You’ve always wanted a Sage’s body, right? The opportunity is yours. It’s up to you to grasp it,” Murong Xianxian declared.

“Thank you, miss! Qiuyuan will not disappoint you!” Cui Qiuyuan happily left the building after saluting her.

After Cui Qiuyuan was gone, Ye Qing supported Murong Xianxian all the way to the exit. The woman stared at the blue sky above her head and felt the cool breeze blowing against her face. For a long time, she did not say anything.

“It’s been so long since I saw the blue sky and white clouds, and smelled the fragrance of the grass and trees. It’s great.”

Ye Qing did not say anything. He did not want to interrupt Murong Xianxian’s musings. Even if he did, he didn’t know what to say in this situation.

In fact, he was starting to regret his decision to stay behind. What outcome would his decision lead to? He didn’t know. I shouldn’t have been so impulsive…

“What’s wrong? Are you regretting your decision to stay behind?” Murong Xianxian turned around to look at him, smiling. “You had your chance to leave. Why didn’t you?”

Ye Qing still didn’t say anything. I can’t exactly tell her that my sixth sense told me not to, can I? Who would believe me?

It was at this moment Murong Xianxian said something unexpected, “Is it because I feel familiar to you?”

“Huh?”

Ye Qing was astonished. He did not expect Murong Xianxian to guess his thoughts so accurately.

Murong Xianxian revealed the answer a second later. “I’m the same too. I feel the same sense of familiarity from you. That’s why you have nothing to worry about. I have no intentions of hurting you in any way.”

“You too?” Ye Qing’s astonishment doubled when he heard this.

“Do you want to know why?” Murong Xianxian asked.

“Please enlighten me!” Ye Qing responded immediately.

Instead of answering, Murong Xianxian let loose a wave of vigor. Almost immediately, Ye Qing felt his blood shaking and responding to it.

“You… could it be…?”

Ye Qing’s eyes grew as wide as saucers. He could clearly sense that Murong Xianxian shared the same type of blood as him; a blood that could devour other blood to strengthen itself!

“Do you feel it?”

Murong Xianxian withdrew her vigor and explained, “You and I share the same Stranger blood. That is why we are naturally attracted to each other.”

“How did you come by this Stranger blood, miss?” Ye Qing asked immediately.

“I’m the one who should ask you that,” Murong Xianxian countered. “This bloodline exists in every generation of the Murong Clan. Of course I would have it. So, how did you come to possess a bloodline that should be unique to my clan?”

“And before you say that we might be distant relatives, know that I wasn’t exaggerating when I said that Li Hentian exterminated everyone in my clan except me. Therefore, you cannot be a descendant of the Murong Clan.”

“This blood belongs to the Murong Clan?”

Ye Qing wasn’t expecting this at all. He had no idea that his bloodline was related to the Murong Clan. His bloodline was perfectly ordinary until he absorbed a drop of blood from the mysterious female corpse slumbering within the sarcophagus at the Jade Dragon Lake. Did this mean that the female corpse was tied to the Murong Clan?

Ye Qing saw no need to hide this, so he told Murong Xianxian about the sarcophagus at Jade Dragon Lake and how he came to own this bloodline.

Of course, he did not tell her about the Annon Sutra.

“I see.” Murong Xianxian hummed for a moment. “It would seem that the woman in the sarcophagus is a blood ancestor of my clan. I would like to visit her sometime after I get out of this place.”

“Legend has it that our bloodline hails from a Stranger called the Blood Demon, and the Blood Demon was an ancient Stranger who feeds on the blood of the living. It is why we name our bloodline after it.”

A meaningful smile danced on Murong Xianxian’s lips as she glanced at Ye Qing. “The Blood Demon’s bloodline is extremely potent, so much so that it cannot be subsumed by anyone but a member of the Murong Clan. To think you would be the exception to the rule, and to think that you would be the one to free me from my eternal prison eight hundred years later. In a sense, you and I are fated for each other!”

“My shock can only be greater than yours, senior!” Ye Qing said wistfully while rubbing his nose. Seriously, this was one helluva of coincidence.

“Since fate has conspired to bring us together, and you have obtained my bloodline, I consider you a member of the Murong Clan. From now on, you don’t need to address me as senior. I want you to call me big sis.”

Murong Xianxian noticed the hesitation on Ye Qing’s face and asked, “What? You don’t like it? Or do you think I don’t deserve to be your big sis?”

“You must be joking! It will be an honor!” Ye Qing exclaimed in surprise.

“Good boy.” Murong Xianxian looked very happy. “Now that we are properly acquainted, can you tell me your real name now?”

“Hahaha! Was it that obvious? Yes, my name isn’t Ye Yipin. Sorry for lying to you earlier.” Ye Qing rubbed his nose with a smile. “My name is Ye Qing, and my moniker is Joyless. Just call me Joyless.”

“Joyless? ‘In my dreams I am joyless, for I am overflowing with joy in the waking world’? It is a good name.” Murong Xianxian instantly identified the origin of his name and complimented him. “Even better, you are a man who deserves it. A body-tempering Grandmaster at your age? Your potential and future have no end.”

“You flatter me, big sis. I don’t deserve such a compliment,” Ye Qing replied humbly.

“Nonsense. You’re my younger brother. Of course you are exceptional.” Murong Xianxian smiled kindly. “I’ll take you to a couple places and choose some welcoming gifts for you later.”

“Thanks, big sis!” Ye Qing’s eyes lit up. Now this is a big sis to die for!

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