Stranger Danger

Chapter 670: I’ll Take All of You At Once

It was said that one does not need to be an expert to recognize an expert’s mastery. The crowd cheered loudly as they waited with bated breath for Jiang Youhu to crush Joyless Ye like an ant.

Unfortunately, their cheers quickly ceased, and their eyes widened into saucers as if someone had caught them by their neck. In response to Jiang Youhu’s attack, Ye Qing simply flicked his fingers at the claw. Just like that, what looked like an attack that could sunder heaven and earth crumbled into pieces as if it was made of paper.

Not only that, Ye Qing’s finger also struck Jiang Youhu’s fingers and twisted them in all sorts of undesirable fashions. His sleeve exploding into shreds, Jiang Youhu let out a muffled grunt as he was sent flying all the way back into a stele. The stele shattered under the impact, and Jiang Youhu hit the ground with a dull thud. His breathing was shallow, and he was barely conscious.

For a time, the scene was so silent that one could hear a pin drop. No one could believe that the powerful Jiang Youhu had failed to take even one hit from the intruder.

Not only that, Joyless Ye should be tired after overcoming the Dragonscaling Road and the Dragon Nursing Gorge in a row, so how was he still so powerful?

In fact, a lot of people knew that Jiang Youhu was trying to take advantage of Joyless Ye’s fatigue and get lucky. But not only did his gambit fail, Joyless Ye had mopped the floor with his face!

“Ah, shit. Is there anyone else who wants to duel me? That one was way too weak,” Ye Qing called out after sending Jiang Youhu flying with a flick of the finger. His expression was dripping with disdain and he shook his finger a little.

“You...!”

“He’s going too far! Too far!”

“The arrogance! The arrogance!”

For a time, everyone was glaring at Ye Qing with furious, bloodshot eyes.

“Chi Lie of Flying Dragon Hall requests a duel!”

A man with fiery red hair declared while leaping into the air. Having witnessed Jiang Youhu’s terrible defeat from the start until the end, Chi Lie recognized just how strong Ye Qing was and did not foolishly get close to the man like his fellow disciple. Instead, he opted to defeat him from range.

Hovering in the sky like a divine dragon, he summoned what looked like rain clouds and started a rain. However, the rain droplets were crimson in color and boiling hot. The sky was also covered by a crimson fog that, unlike an ordinary rain mist, was suffocatingly hot and difficult to breathe in. As if that wasn’t enough, inhaling the steam would make the victim feel like their body was burning on the inside and suffocate them even more.

“Summon Rain”

Ye Qing looked up while covering his forehead with one head. He seemed to be searching for Chi Lie, but couldn’t quite open his eyes because of the scalding steam[1]. A long and futile search later, when it looked like the crimson steam and rain was about to envelop Ye Qing, he abruptly reached forward half an inch using the palm he was covering his forehead with and made a clenching motion.

BOOM!

It was as if he was holding a thunderclap between his fingers. The air within tens of meters of him abruptly exploded like a gigantic, invisible hand had squeezed it until it burst, and the spectators fell backward feeling dizzy and painful in the ears. The weaker ones straight up bled from all orifices and blacked out just like that.

In the sky, Chi Lie was also bleeding from all orifices. His energies were in shambles, and he seemed unconscious as he was falling straight toward the ground.

Luckily for him, someone caught him before he would hit the ground. Otherwise, he might become the first Dragonrider Mountain disciple ever to die from a fall.

“Anyone else?”

Ye Qing lowered his arm and scanned his surroundings. “Seriously, can you send someone tougher for me to chew on? I don’t ask for much. Anyone who can take two strikes from me without keeling over is good enough.”

The disciples were more furious than ever before as a matter before. However, having witnessed Jiang Youhu and Chi Lie’s downfall with their own eyes, no one was stupid enough to step up. Jiang Youhu and Chi Lie were among the best of the disciples. If even they had been defeated so cleanly and decisively, then how could they possibly do better?

“Is there no one at all? I had no idea that the people of Dragonrider Mountain are such cowards!”

Ye Qing sighed. “Fine, I guess there’s no one here who’s strong enough to fight me one on one. In that case, why don’t you attack me together? I’m serious! I’ll take all of you at once! Dare you accept my challenge?”

Ye Qing’s smile was warm and gentle, and his words were anything but. The combination was, however, very, very insulting. For a moment, everyone felt their cheeks burning up as if they had been slapped by an invisible hand.

“The arrogance!”

“The audacity!”

“Do you really think there is no one in Dragonrider Mountain who can stand up to you?!”

Finally, someone lost control of their emotions and raced toward Ye Qing, and when there was one, there were two, three, and many, many more people.

“Wang Xiangrui of Dragonrider Mountain requests a fight!”

“Zhao Shuxiang of Dragonrider Mountain requests a fight!”

“Lei Shutong of Dragonrider Mountain requests a fight!”

“Sunzi Feng of Dragonrider Mountain requests a fight!”

The disciples came crashing down on top of Ye Qing like a downpour, and their forces like an avalanche. Unfortunately, any passion they felt during their charge quickly morphed into terror and disbelief when Ye Qing blew them away like bowling pins.

Despite facing a downpour of people and an avalanche of forces, Ye Qing had calmly and collectively raised his foot about one meter above the ground. Then, he brought his foot down in one mighty stomp.

It was said that thunder existed in the space between a man’s foot and the ground. At first, there was no sound at all. Then, a wind began blowing from the point of impact. It caught everyone who was charging toward Ye Qing in its invisible embrace before throwing them in every direction. Even those farther behind were bowled over by their own sect mates.

It was like an unstoppable scythe had swept across an entire field of wheat. When all was said and done, not a single person was standing, and no one could stand up again.

“Is that all Dragonrider Mountain has to offer?”

Standing at the center, Ye Qing looked down at the fallen disciples and smirked.

“You...!”

Not everyone had lost their fighting spirit, but try as they might, but they could not lift even a finger. Even speaking became a difficult task that demanded their full concentration. It was because Ye Qing’s counterattack had not only toppled them, but also scattered their internal forces and energies. Naturally, they could not muster the strength to pilot their body.

“You can’t even speak? I wanted to call you impotent, but I think even that insult is an understatement.”

Ye Qing shook his head regretfully. “No wonder they say that every generation of Dragonrider Mountain is worse than the last. I cannot help but feel sad on behalf of Trueman Dragonrider.”

It was at this moment a voice spoke up, “You should stop while you’re ahead, young man. Whatever happens to Dragonrider Mountain, an outsider has no right to remark about our private matters.”

The voice had appeared out of seemingly nowhere. It sounded completely emotionless and indifferent.

“Oh my god, the tortoise is finally squeaking. And here I thought you’re going to hide in your shells until the end of time!”

Ye Qing chuckled. “So, have you gotten my measure yet? You know what, I’m going to save you the trouble and just tell you myself. I’m a wandering nobody with no sect or master to call to his name. All I have is a couple of good friends and a jar of dirty wine. There you go!”

“Your arrogance is truly unbecoming, young man.” Now the voice sounded a little angry, though it was impossible to say if it was because they could not stand Ye Qing’s insult, or they were embarrassed because Ye Qing had figured out their ploy.

“As you say, I’m a young man. What am I if not arrogant and egotistical?” Ye Qing laughed. “Anyway, why are you still hiding in your hole and doing nothing? I literally just told you I’m a nobody that you can take out with no consequences whatsoever. If even this isn’t enough to make you face me personally, then what will?”

When he waited for a moment and received no response, Ye Qing continued, “I see that you are as patient as a tortoise as well, senior. You should have named yourself Divine Tortoise Mountain instead of Dragonrider Mountain.”

“You don’t know the immensity of heaven and earth, arrogant child. I was going to give you a chance to turn back and change your ways on account of your youth, but it seems that nothing will get through your thick skull besides reality. In that case, I shall fulfill your desire.”

The voice said indifferently, “However, I am the host, and you the guest. I see no reason to debase myself over your demands. Come challenge the Dragon Subjugating Platform. If you succeed, then you will see me naturally. If you dare, of course.”

“Hah! I stomped your Dragonscaling Road to the ground and toyed with your Dragon Nursing Gorge with one hand a while ago. What makes you think I’m going to be intimidated by your Dragon Subjugating Platform?” Ye Qing declared with a level of confidence and command that would accept no rebuttal.

“You are bold if nothing else. Come then. Let’s see if your mouth can remain this sharp once you have set foot on the platform.” The voice declared, “Come forth!”

Ye Qing smirked, clasped his hands behind his back, and continued onward.

1. Just a reminder, but heat is the second last thing Ye Qing is afraid of lol. ☜