Stranger Danger

Chapter 139: Cloud Vaporization

“To tell you the truth, Xiao Yang was killed by a Stranger named Evergreen Ivy. She was the one who masterminded the destruction of Anyang, and she hates me because I was the one who ruined her plans.”

“After learning that Brother Xiao Yang is a disciple of Sunset Hill, she came up with the devious plan of killing him and pinning his death on me. We were so close to capturing Evergreen Ivy and taking revenge for Brother Xiao Yang, but in the end, she still managed to escape. In that, I accept the full blame for my failure.”

Finally, Ye Qing let out a long sigh and declared in a sincere voice, “But do not worry, Brother Xu. I swear I will hunt Evergreen Ivy down to the ends of the earth and kill her if only to take revenge for Brother Xiao Yang!”

If Evergreen Ivy thought she was the only one who knew how to incriminate others, then she was going to be very sorry.

However, Xu Wushang replied in a serious voice, “Whether or not you are innocent or guilty does not matter to me. My master will be the one to decide that. My one and only mission right now is to take you back to Sunset Hill.”

Ye Qing: “...” You sonuvabitch! I feel like I’m talking to a block of wood here!

“By the way, how did you find me?”

He had left Anyang the day after Evergreen Ivy told him about her incrimination. No one except a handful of trustworthy people knew about his departure, and he had made it to Luo Shui stealthily and with almost no delays whatsoever. With that in mind, how on earth had Xu Wushang managed to track him down?

The swordsman explained, “My first senior brother had gone to Anyang yesterday. When he couldn’t find you and asked around, he learned that you were probably headed for Luo Shui. After my master received his message, he quickly deployed us to various key intersections that you must pass through if you wish to reach Luo Shui. I am in charge of the river route. Even if you had picked another route, you would’ve run into one of my senior or junior brothers.”

“Just give it up and come with me to Sunset Hill, Ye Qing. If you are as innocent as you claim, I am sure my master will let you go free!”

“Oh, you sweet summer child…” Ye Qing couldn’t help but shoot Xu Wushang a derisive smirk. If he actually went with Xu Wushang, then everyone would think that he had killed Xiao Yang. After all, why would he capitulate to his captors if he hadn’t actually done anything wrong, not to mention that he had, in fact, killed Xiao Yang? That was why he couldn’t comply with Xu Wushang’s wish no matter what!

“I appreciate the offer, Brother Xu, but I cannot come with you no matter what!”

Xu Wushang must have predicted Ye Qing’s answer from the start because he didn’t look surprised or dissatisfied. He simply said, “In that case, I’m sorry for what I have to do next!”

The young man slowly grabbed the hilt of his sword. At that moment, his listlessness and woodenness suddenly disappeared without warning, his eyes shone like a pair of bright mirrors, and his aura turned as sharp and intimidating as an unsheathed sword. It was like he was a completely different person from before.

“My sword is called Heavy Abyss. It is 1.43 meters long, 0.33 meters wide, and weighs 168 kilograms. May the best man win.”

Xu Wushang lightly tapped the rainguard of his broadsword. Without warning, it flew out of its scabbard and shot straight toward Ye Qing!

Long before the broadsword even got close, both Xu Banren and Jiang Yuzhen felt a stinging sensation across their skin. Xu Banren was only frowning, but Jiang Yuzhen broke out in cold sweat and staggered away from Xu Wushang as if the sword was aimed at him, not Ye Qing.

He could kill me in a single hit! Jiang Yuzhen thought in shock and dejection. We are both Astral Refiners, and yet the gulf between us might as well be heaven and earth!

Ye Qing’s response toward the attack was to smile and sweep his arms in front of himself. His sleeves immediately conjured a cyclone of invisible, formless force that slowed down Heavy Abyss like a bog. The closer it got to Ye Qing, the slower it flew. Not even its cold, sharp sword qi was able to cut through the obstructive force of “Flowing Clouds, Flying Sleeves”. When the broadsword finally got within melee range, Ye Qing lashed out with an even greater force and struck it in the blade. Heavy Abyss let out a metallic shriek and flew back to Xu Wushang even faster than before.

Xu Wushang frowned and reached out to grab his broadsword. It looked like he was planning to neutralize the foreign force afflicting Heavy Abyss. However, as soon as his fingers brushed against the hilt, the broadsword abruptly turned as red as iron, and the air burned like fire. He felt as if invisible flames were invading his pores and boiling his flesh, blood, and even his mind. It was a disturbing sensation to say the least.

Bang!

Xu Wushang’s face turned beet red as he staggered backward. He left behind a burning footprint every time he took a step.

The bamboo raft was about three meters or nine steps long. It wasn’t until his ninth step when the unnatural redness on Xu Wushang’s face finally subsided, and he let out a puff of burning hot air. His weapon arm was trembling slightly, and his expression was as serious as it could be.

“Xu Wushang… lost the exchange?!” Jiang Yuzhen could hardly believe his own eyes. Although they were both Astral Refiners, Xu Wushang was a famous genius in Luo Shui, whereas Ye Qing was just a nobody. This should have gone the other way.

Xu Banren was less surprised than Jiang Yuzhen—he had a rough idea how strong Ye Qing really was since they had “fought” briefly—but he didn’t know that Ye Qing possessed such an unusual astral qi. Its potency was clearly greater than expected as well, considering that it had caught Xu Wushang off guard.

“You are strong. I underestimated you!” Xu Wushang said slowly after eliminating the Burning Wind Astral Qi inside his body. Every time he said a word, dark yellow astral qi would pour out of his body, and his aura would grow just a little stronger. “I’m going to get serious now!”

As soon as he said this, Xu Wushang grabbed his broadsword with both hands and started running, dragging the weapon behind him. Every time he took a step, the river would shake like a heavenly gong was sounded, and Xu Wushang would raise his sword just a little higher. Nine steps later, Xu Wushang leaped into the air while still lifting his sword over his back.

Heavy Abyss wasn’t the only thing he lifted into the air, however. The river itself was trailing behind him like a piece of fabric being pulled by a giant, invisible hand! The water kept hiking higher and higher into the sky until it resembled a tidal wave, and when Xu Wushang finally reached the highest point of his jump, his sword came to a stop right above his head. For a moment, the man, the sword, and the river floated in the sky and refused to fall!

“Vast Expanse Sword, Mountain River Change”

The technique was neither flexible, uncanny, or meaningful. It was just a basic overhead swing that was as immense and heavy as a mountain. And that was enough.

“One sword to move mountains, shift rivers, and warp the sky itself”

Everyone on the ship turned as white as a sheet. When Xu Wushang’s sword finally moved forward an inch, a dark yellow Qilin appeared behind his back and let out a mighty roar.

The wall of water suspended in the sky fell toward Cloud Mountain as if on cue. Neither the tidal wave nor the broadsword had struck the ship—or more accurately, Ye Qing—yet, but everyone was holding their breaths and staring at the incoming attack with pure, unadulterated terror.

“Houtu [1] Qilin Qi!” Ye Qing exclaimed in realization. He finally figured out why Xu Wushang’s sword was so heavy and powerful.

Houtu Qilin Qi was an average grade Earth element astral qi, and its key attributes were weight and size. Conceptually, a warrior who cultivated the Houtu Qilin Qi wanted to become as big as a mountain, as forceful as a river, and as heavy as the earth itself. It was most suitable for steadfast warriors who were so unwavering that they seemed foolish to the public’s eyes, and martial arts that were attuned to the natural order. In terms of application, it could be summed up in one short sentence: to crush anything and everything with overwhelming power.

Looking at Xu Wushang, it was clear that he had mastered at least one part of the heart of the Houtu Qilin Qi. Otherwise, there was no way he could move the river with a simple overhead swing.

“Most impressive!” Ye Qing praised Xu Wushang’s technique from the bottom of his heart. The swordsman might share the same cultivation level as Xiao Yang, but it was clear that he was much stronger than his junior brother.

Too bad for Xu Wushang, he wasn’t the budding Astral Refiner he was before. Ye Qng took half a step backward and bent his knees slightly, causing the entire ship to sink three inches into the water. Strangely, the sudden movement didn’t cause even the slightest splash. When Cloud Mountain slowly rose back to its previous water level, Ye Qing threw a punch into the mountain in the sky.

“Cloud Vaporization Style”

Like a galore of war banners, the Burning Wind spread across the sky like wildfire and dyed everything red. When it clashed against the tidal wave of water crashing down on Cloud Mountain, it instantly evaporated it all into a massive cloud of mist that could be seen throughout Luo Shui, unintentionally matching the defining quote in the martial arts manual, “Vapor comes up from the lowland of clouds and dreams; surging waves strike against the city wall of Yueyang.”

Whoosh!

Trapped inside the mist of its own making, Xu Wushang’s Qilin had no choice but to be blown apart by the force of Ye Qing’s fist and scatter dark yellow sword qi everywhere. Clearly, the Qilin was the coalescence of the swordsman’s Houtu Qilin Qi and sword qi.

Although the Qilin was destroyed, the sword qi was still impossibly sharp. It ripped apart the surrounding mist and Burning Wind and created a clearing. It was inside this clearing where Xu Wushang’s Heavy Abyss and Ye Qing’s fist clashed.

Boom!

The Houtu Qilin Qi and sword qi washed over Ye Qing’s body and sliced much of his shirt to shreds. The plank beneath his feet also snapped in half due to the sheer amount of pressure it was under. Not only that, the storm of sword qis thoroughly annihilated many parts of the decks, and not even Xu Banren and Jiang Yuzhen were brave enough to stand anywhere close to it. They both withdrew into the entrances and watched the battle from there.

Ye Qing, the man at the center of the storm, was unmoved, however. In fact, the deadly sword qis failed to leave even the slightest mark on his body.

“What the… how strong is his body!?”

Xu Banren and Jiang Yuzhen were stunned to say the least. Xu Wushang’s sword qi was so deadly that the hair on their skin was standing on end even at this distance, and yet Ye Qing was completely unaffected. They didn’t even know it was possible for a warrior to train their physique to such a level until they saw it with their own eyes!

“You’re not weak, but I’m stronger!” Ye Qing declared simply before pushing his fist forward. It was just an inch, but it was all he needed to shatter Heavy Abyss into smithereens with his dragon elephant strength!

The punch broke not just Xu Wushang’s weapon, but also his arm and his chest. Like a rag doll, Xu Wushang was smashed into the river all the way to the bottom. A muffled boom later, Ye Qing lowered his fist and stared murky waters underneath. “I could’ve taken your life just like how I took your sword, but I won’t. Instead, I want you to go back to the Hill Lord and tell him that Evergreen Ivy is the one who killed Xiao Yang, not me. He should be searching for her if he really wants revenge for his dead disciple!”

“I’m not a tolerant man. In fact, my patience is far from unlimited, so don’t test me!”

“I will carry your message to my master!” Xu Wushang’s weak voice came from the river bed. “And I will see you soon!”

“If you mean to treat me to a drink, then I welcome you anytime!” Ye Qing smiled. “If you mean trouble, then I’m not afraid either!”

Ye Qing threw a punch at the river immediately after saying this. His punch was soundless, powerless, and caused seemingly no ripples whatsoever. It almost looked like he was punching the air like an ordinary person. It was at this moment the waters within tens of meters suddenly churned like thunder. It was almost as if an undercurrent had suddenly come to life under the river. It kicked up a ton of dirt and silted out the river in an instant.

A dozen or so breaths later, a man slowly floated to the surface. His breathing was almost non-existent, and he wasn’t moving at all. He could have easily been mistaken for a floating body.

Xu Banren and Jiang Yuzhen recognized the man immediately. He was of course Xu Wushang. Clearly, he was knocked out by Ye Qing’s seemingly useless punch.

“You didn’t have to do that, Brother Ye. He’d already lost!” Xu Banren spoke up after a moment of silence.

Ye Qing hmphed coldly. “There is nothing I loathe more than being threatened by my enemies. I’d already shown him mercy by not killing him!”

“Threaten?” Xu Banren could not understand what Ye Qing meant for a time. It took him a while before he finally realized that Ye Qing had misinterpreted Xu Wushang’s last words. He let out a wry chuckle and explained, “You misunderstood, Brother Ye. Xu Wushang wasn’t threatening you. He’s a martial arts addict who only cares about furthering his martial skills, so he was probably just asking you to spar with you in the future!”

“I-Is that so?” Ye Qing’s grin stiffened as he rubbed his nose. “Ah… I guess I shouldn’t have done that then.”

“It’s not my fault though! Anyone would’ve mistaken what he said as a threat! He should’ve clarified his meaning exactly!

“...” Perhaps so, but don’t you think that you were overreacting as well?

Xu Banren decided that he would keep Ye Qing at a distance there and then. He was a man of few words as well. He would be very sorry for himself if one day Ye Qing accidentally killed him because he hadn’t explained himself enough.

“Never mind!” Xu Banren let out a sigh and said, “He’s completely unconscious right now, so there’s no way he’d be able to defend himself? from a river Stranger. If you truly don’t mean to kill him, then allow me to send him back to Sunset Hill. You wouldn’t want them to pin his death on you as well, right?”

“Er… sure. Sorry for the inconvenience, Brother Xu, and thank you!” Ye Qing saluted him.

Although Sunset Hill was a major faction of Luo Shui, its base wasn’t located in the commandery itself. That was why Xu Banren did not accompany Ye Qing to Luo Shui. After bidding Ye Qing goodbye, he borrowed a boat from Jiang Yuzhen and left with the unconscious Xu Wushang.

After Xu Banren had left, the corners of Ye Qing’s lips abruptly curled into a diabolical smirk. He knew that Xu Wushang hadn’t meant to threaten him, of course. The reason he knocked him out anyway was because he was displeased. If he hadn’t been strong enough to defeat Xu Wushang, it was he who would be feeling very sorry for himself right now. Sure, Xu Wushang had turned out to be a better man than expected, but that was no excuse not to retaliate against the woes that had been done unto him.

“It looks like I can’t delay using the Blood Jade Lotus for much longer!” Ye Qing sighed. He was hoping to refine his Burning Wind a little longer before entering the late-stage of the Astral Refinement stage, but it would seem that he had even less time than he thought. The only thing he could do now was climb the cultivation ladder and become a Spirit Purifier as soon as possible. Only then would he truly be safe.

But that could wait until later. First things first, he should report to the Luo Shui Pacification Bureau.

After the ship had docked, Ye Qing paid his due and politely turned down Jiang Yuzhen’s invitation to join Cloud Mountain. Then, he registered at the gates and entered the commandery.

While Ye Qing was walking away, the gate captain responsible for inspecting and registering the travelers called over a guard and ordered, “Tell Young Master Luo that I’ve found the Stranger he’s looking for. A scholar studying away from Anyang has a Book Sprite with him!”

“At once!” The guard left after receiving his orders.

1. Houtu is the deity of all land and earth in Chinese religion and mythology.