Stranger Danger

Chapter 278: In Death, They Would Never Be Forgotten

Luo Zhan wasn’t a defensive warrior like the Holy Son of Maitreya. As soon as the light left the mirror, he gripped his saber and seemingly underwent a drastic change in personality. When before he was cold and indifferent, now he looked like he was a tyrant ready to strike down heaven and earth.

“Begone!”

His saber escaped his sheath, and a terrifying, seemingly all-encompassing saber intent enveloped everyone. If the sky stood in his path, then he would cut a path through the sky. If the ground blocked his way, then he would sunder the earth itself. Such was his power that the beam of light was completely overwhelmed by the saber force.

“Thank you for your guidance!”

Luo Zhan sheathed his saber and returned to Hong Jianglong’s side after the deed was done. The ground where the saber force had passed through looked like it had been dug up by a bulldozer.

No wonder he’s called the Tyrant Blade, Ye Qing thought with a gulp. Was Luo Zhan’s technique particularly exquisite or refined? Not even close. However, his overwhelming power and unstoppable will were more than enough to make it for it.

“Amitabha! It looks like Young Benefactor Luo has mastered a third of the essence of the Tyrant Blade. His future too is limitless,” Laughing Buddha praised from the bottom of his heart.

“Hahaha! He’s okay! Just okay!” Hong Jianglong’s words were humble, but his expression was anything but. “It’s your turn now, Qing Feng.”

“Yes chief,” A woman responded and stepped out of the group. She wore a purple, form-fitting outfit and tied her hair into a bun like a man. Her features weren’t masculine, but they were sharp, strong, and full of spirit. She might not be a man, but her spirit was greater than many men.

Qing Feng walked up to the Lu You and saluted him just like Luo Zhan. Once she was ready, the Lu You pointed his Soul Mirror and fired a beam of light at her.

Boom!

Qing Feng raised her eyebrows when she sensed its power. When she took a step forward, her eyes abruptly turned purple, and a silhouette wearing an emperor’s robe and a crown of sun and moon manifested in the world. A terrific presence immediately enveloped the world.

As soon as the silhouette appeared, a feeling and oppression and fear immediately engulfed everyone. They felt like ants facing the wrath of heavens, and they were unable to muster even the slightest will to resist.

“The ‘Son of Heaven Qi Observing Art’? Could she be...?” For the first time, a hint of surprise was mixed into Laughing Buddha’s ever present smile.

“Ahem! No need to point it out, bald donkey! It’s a secret!” Hong Jianglong hurriedly interrupted Laughing Buddha.

Boom!

Back to the battle, the silhouette of the Son of Heaven threw a punch at the same time Qing Feng threw hers. The Lu You’s eyes flickered with a hint of surprise. Not only did the fist force shatter the beam of light, it managed to keep its form and continue sailing toward him.

The Lu You raised his wooden staff and tapped the ground once. The Golden Boy sitting on the deer’s horn immediately grinned and summoned a pale white flame from his white lantern. Clawing and writhing about like a beast, the restless flame let out a ghastly cackle and wrapped around the fist force.

The first force immediately melted like ice, but that wasn’t all. It traveled along the fist force all the way to the silhouette and engulfed his whole body. The blink of an eye later, the silhouette crumbled into nothing, leaving behind only a stream of white flames.

“Thank you for your mercy, senior!” Qing Feng hurriedly thanked the Lu You. She hadn’t expected the Stranger to be this powerful.

The Lu You smiled and tapped the ground once more. The white flame abruptly condensed into a white lantern with a small flame before flying into Qing Feng’s hand.

“Er...” Qing Feng stared at the lantern with confusion.

Hong Jianglong said smilingly, “You should thank Senior Lu You, Qing Feng? The white lantern contains a wisp of his Soul Illuminating Flame, and it acts as a protective charm that will shield you from some Strangers and ghosts. You will be a lot safer thanks to it.”

“Thank you, senior!” Having realized the function of the white lantern, Qing Feng gave Lu You a deep bow before returning to Hong Jianglong’s side.

You can get extra benefits for surpassing expectations? Figures. Geniuses get extra privileges no matter where they go, Ye Qing thought enviously. He wasn’t the only one. Both the Holy Son of Maitreya and Luo Zhan were shooting the young woman envious looks as well.

The test continued as normal after that. The two men were called Gao Ningan and Ge Xin, and the other young woman was called Sui Yan. They weren’t weak, but they were clearly incomparable to the likes of Qing Feng, Luo Zhan and the Holy Son of Maitreya. They just barely overcame their test.

“Alright, you can all go in now.”

After everyone had passed through the test, Hong Jianglong advised, “Remember, there are three taboos one must abide by after entering the Graveyard of Demons. One, you mustn’t damage anything in the graveyard. Two, if an opportunity is yours, then it is yours. If not, never force the issue. And three, you must exit the graveyard before daybreak. Otherwise, you’ll never leave.”

“Also, there exists all kinds of Strangers and Anomalies in the graveyard. Always be careful.”

“Yes chief!” The group of five nodded affirmatively.

“Finally—”

“Ahem... Benefactor Hong? You do remember that the Graveyard of Demons disappears during the day, right? At this rate, they might as well not enter the graveyard,” Laughing Buddha interrupted when it looked like Hong Jianglong was going to rant on and on without end. He wasn’t this long-winded before. Did he change his sex or something?

“Hahaha! You know how dangerous the graveyard is. Only with proper guidance could they navigate it safely,” Hong Jianglong said dismissively.

“But chief... you already told us about this before,” Luo Zhan spoke up.

“I’m saying all this for your own good, and this is what I get?” Hong Jianglong shot Luo Zhan a glare before waving him away impatiently. “Get lost then! It’s not like I want to repeat myself either!”

Luo Zhan: “...” You were though?

“Chief, Venerable Bhante, we’re leaving now.”

The group of five saluted Hong Jianglong and Laughing Buddha before walking into the graveyard. The Holy Son of Maitreya too paid his respects to the duo before leaving.

After the six warriors were gone, Ye Qing finally saluted Hong Jianglong from afar to express his thanks.

By now, Ye Qing had figured out that Hong Jianglong’s words were really meant for him. Earlier, Laughing Buddha had mentioned that Hong Jianglong was a member of the Pacification Bureau. Adding that to his strange behavior, it was very likely that Hong Jianglong had guessed his identity. That was why he purposely recited what he knew about the Graveyard of Demons even though his men already knew them. It was so that Ye Qing wouldn’t lose his life.

Of course, there was also the possibility that Hong Jianglong really was a nagging mom on the inside, but whatever the truth might be, there was no doubt that he was a great help to Ye Qing. A simple thank you was the least he could do to repay the man. It was only then he entered the graveyard.

“Hong Jianglong, you were really speaking to that young man, weren’t you?” Laughing Buddha asked after Ye Qing was out of earshot.

Hong Jianglong feigned ignorance. “Was I? Well, it doesn’t matter!”

Laughing Buddha smiled but didn’t expose Hong Jianglong’s shoddy acting.

“Hmm! Someone’s coming.” Hong Jianglong suddenly looked over the edge of the peak. “Scratch that, a lot of people are coming this way.”

“This is the Graveyard of Demons; the center of the Demon’s Tomb’s opportunities. I can only hope that the bloodshed will be kept to a minimum!” Laughing Buddha sighed.

“Eh. Those who fear for their lives shouldn’t come here.” Hong Jianglong shrugged before letting out a sinister chuckle. “Say, do you wanna get rich, bald donkey?”

Laughing Buddha shot Hong Jianglong a puzzled look. “What do you mean?”

Hong Jianglong explained, “It’s very simple. I’m sure there are self-styled fishermen who’d be lying in ambush for my men and your disciple when they exit the graveyard. My suggestion is that we hide ourselves and show them how you really play the fisherman. What do you say?”

Once again, Laughing Buddha’s expression turned strange. Seriously, when did you become so smart? So dirty?

“Amitabha, that’s not very benevolent, is it?”

“What do you mean, this isn’t benevolent? These people are bandits who wanted all the spoils with none of the effort. It’s not like these people are kind-hearted souls either. You and I both know that at least eighty percent of the people who enter the Demon’s Tomb are irredeemable monsters who deserve to be eradicated. We’re doing the world a favor by eradicating these vermins, understand?”

Laughing Buddha asked suspiciously, “You are Hong Jianglong, right? Since when did you become so... cunning?” It was an eye-opening experience to hear such shameless words from such an honest face.

You’ve changed, Hong Jianglong! You’re not the simpleton you used to be anymore!

“Fuck you! People can improve for the better, okay? I learned this tactic from a very interesting junior.” Hong Jianglong scoffed at Laughing Buddha. “Also, you can quit the good monk act now. An outsider might fall for the act, but I know exactly what kind of scum you are. Let’s go already!”

“Amitabha, that is slander.”

“Yes, yes, I’m slandering your good name, you black-hearted monk. Now come on!”

......

A cold, oppressive sensation pressed down on Ye Qing as soon as he stepped inside the graveyard. He felt like the rows and rows of gravestones were alive, and they were all gazing at him coldly. It was an unsettling feeling to say the least.

“Revered Crimson Sun”

“Old Yellow Sand”

“Skydevourer Ghoul”

“‘Sky Spanning Sword Qi’ Zhao Wuji”

"’Moon and Cloud Catcher’ Chu Tachun”

“‘Granny Blackheart’ Wu Chunhua—Kekeke, I have devoured countless human hearts my whole life, so I can declare with absolute certainty that all human hearts are delicious, kekeke...”

“‘Seven Killing Gentleman’ Qisha Wuqing—I started practicing martial arts when I was five, graduated at ten, challenged countless elites at fifteen and met no match. When I was twenty, I stepped into the jianghu and trained a hundred fists, practiced a thousand martial arts, and met a million people. Eventually, I invented the ‘Seven Killing Fists’.”

“When I was thirty, I challenged the greatest champions and again met no match. It is quite lonely at the top, isn’t it? When I was forty, I founded the Seven Killing Sect, wiped out all opposition, and claimed an entire territory for myself. For a time, there was no one who didn’t know the Seven Killing Sect. When I was fifty, I discovered that my martial attainment had hit a wall, but money, soft power and sex all felt meaningless to me, so I exiled myself from my sect and journeyed the jianghu just like when I was younger. Thanks to this decision, my fists attained perfection, and my cultivation improved like never before...”

“At a hundred years old, I sought out the Demon’s Tomb and buried myself here. My life was an exciting and satisfying one, and my death will be one without regrets or complaints as well!”

......

Some of these gravestones were completely blank, some only had a name on it, and some was filled to the brim with their life’s journey. Regardless, each and every gravestone emanated an enormous presence and power that wouldn’t be denied.

Some gravestones reminded Ye Qing of the bright sun,

Some reminded him of a cold moon,

Some possessed a sword qi so sharp that it pierced through the nine heavens,

Some possessed a saber glow that spread everywhere freely and without a care,

Some brimmed with demonic qi that cast hallucinations of blood and death into his mind,

Some brimmed with such evil that it seemed to touch the living even after it was long gone...

......

Through these gravestones, Ye Qing could almost see those warriors who were once proud, arrogant, free, unchained and more. Once upon a time, these were people who had turned the jianghu upside down and left their marks in the world.

In life, they had cemented their legends in the jianghu. In death, their existence would still be remembered for eternity!