Stranger Danger

Chapter 754: Do You Want To Live or Die?

When he was removing ’Repentance’ earlier, he had secretly executed a mental secret art known as the “Mind Control”.

As its name implied, it was a spell that allowed the practitioner to take control of another person’s mind.

“Mind Control” was an extremely hidden spell. It could be planted in a person’s headspace without a trace, and this enabled the practitioner to control or kill his victim with a single thought.

There were two reasons he was doing this. One, he did not believe Murong Xianxian and wanted some insurance. Two, he still wanted to stitch her into his Corpse Spirit.

After all, how could he possibly bear to part ways with such perfect material?

Unfortunately, he had given away the game somehow and alerted Murong Xianxian as to his intentions. So, she gave him a taste of his own medicine.

This wasn’t important right now. What was important was what he must do to survive.

“Give up already? How boring!”

Murong Xianxian slowly rose from her throne. Maybe it was because she hadn’t moved for eight hundred years, but her movements were a little stiff and wobbly. Deciding that she couldn’t trust herself to walk straight in her current state, she looked at Ye Qing and beckoned for him to support her.

Ye Qing hesitated for a moment, but he ultimately chose to step forward and grab her arm.

To be honest, he wanted to make his great escape as soon as he counter-tricked Cui Qiuyuan and the other Truemen. Murong Xianxian was just that dangerous. However, the woman also gave him a familiar feeling, one that felt neither artificial nor malicious. It was almost as if she was his blood relative or something. But how was this possible? There was no chance his original self was related to Murong Xianxian in any way, so why was he feeling this familiarity?

It was a mystifying sensation to say the least. This was one of the reasons why he accepted her proposal earlier, and why he chose to stay behind now.

Murong Xianxian seemed delighted by his decision, her smile growing even brighter and charming like the moon of a starry sky.

Seeing that Murong Xianxian wasn’t paying attention to him, Cui Qiuyuan repeated himself a little urgently, “This junior really is sorry, miss. Please forgive me!”

Murong Xianxian finally looked up at Cui Qiuyuan and replied lazily, “If you really are sorry, then you need to pay for it. You didn’t think I’m going to let you off over the hook just because of some empty words, did you?

“What do you want, miss?” Cui Qiuyuan asked.

Murong Xianxian pretended to think for a moment before answering, “My request is simple. You will serve me as my humble servant.”

“Don’t you think you’re asking for too much, miss?” Cui Qiuyuan sneered. He knew exactly what her request entailed, and he did not like it one bit.

“Really? You’re the one who attacked me first, so I am in the right here. Not only that, your life is in the palm of my hand right now. Is it really such an unduly demand?” Murong Xianxian asked indifferently.

“You jest, miss. Not even you can kill me in my current state!” Cui Qiuyuan let out a cold chuckle. So long as the Undying Phoenix Feather was still intact, Murong Xianxian would not be able to kill him.

“I see. That’s why you’re so sure of yourself!”

Murong Xianxian’s gaze shifted to the Undying Phoenix Feather embedded in his forehead. She said calmly, “The Undying Phoenix Feather of the Undying Clan of Wei is quite the troublesome Strange Artifact, and it is true I can’t kill you as I am…”

“... but what on earth makes you think that I have no control over you?”

“Is that so? Please enlighten this fool then!” Cui Qiuyuan scoffed.

“Do you know that death is not the scariest thing in this world? No, it is a fate worse than death.” Murong Xianxian said casually, “It is true that I can’t kill you, but I can seal you in this place and make sure that you never leave.”

Cui Qiuyuan blanched. He didn’t think of that.

“Imagine this: You cannot speak, and you cannot move. There is no one to keep you company, and even death is denied to you. No one will come to save you, no one will know you’re here. You will be stuck in this place for eternity.” Murong Xianxian mused seemingly to herself. “That is how I had lived for the past eight hundred years. Would you like to give it a try?”

Cui Qiuyuan’s complexion grew whiter and whiter. Maybe it was because he was afraid, but even his yang god started trembling violently.

“Rest assured that your seal will be the strongest, tightest, and most secure seal you’ve ever seen. Just in case, I’ll apply a restriction over the seal so that there is absolutely no chance you will ever escape, or anyone might find you. It’s not all bad though. In this state, you’ll live forever. You may enjoy immortality on your lonesome until the very world passes on to the next life.”

In the end, Murong Xianxian beamed at Cui Qiuyuan. “If this is your wish, then I am happy to oblige you. So? Do you want to give it a try?”

Holy mother of… hell hath no fury like a woman scorned!

Ye Qing wasn’t even the target of Murong Xianxian’s ire, and goosebumps were breaking all over his body. This “immortality” was definitely worse than true death. Infinitely worse.

If Ye Qing was scared, then Cui Qiuyuan could only fare worse. Despite being a yang god, he was shaking like a leaf and had turned completely white. He was about to say something when Murong Xianxian interrupted him,

“Take your time to consider your answer. You only have one chance. If your answer is not what I wish to hear, then I shall assume that you desire my alternative and act accordingly.”

Having said that, Murong Xianxian’s gaze shifted away from Cui Qiuyuan’s contorted expression and landed on Qu Langhuan. “Come. Take me to that girl who is as stupid as that menial, Yan Qingyan.”

Ye Qing obeyed. When they reached Qu Langhuan, the woman was still curled up on the ground like a prawn, semi-conscious. She didn’t even realize that they were there.

“Sigh… Yan Qingyan was already a stupid menial, and her successor is even worse. I almost can’t bear to imagine what has become of that so-called Li Hentian Palace.”

Murong Xianxian sighed as she stared at Qu Langhuan. “Foolish. So foolish. Do you think I should kill her? Or should I let her live?”

Ye Qing answered cautiously, “You should do whatever you want to do, miss.”

“I should do whatever I want to do, hmm?” Murong Xianxian tapped herself on the forehead. “I’ll let her live. It’s bad enough that Yan Qingyan, that menial, dared to use his name to enrich herself, but to think she would do such a terrible job… How embarrassing.”

“He may be dead, but I will not allow anyone to slander his name. Foolish she may be, letting her live may prove useful to me in the future.”

Ye Qing didn’t say a word, but a storm was brewing inside his heart. Murong Xianxian was clearly referring to Li Hentian, and unless he had gravely misinterpreted her words, she was clearly planning to do something to the Li Hentian Palace. Heavens only knows if she meant to destroy the sect or something else.

One thing for certain, a bloody storm awaited the jianghu when Murong Xianxian returned to the real world.

Having made her decision, Murong Xianxian bent down and tapped Qu Langhuan on the forehead. The pain tormenting the Trueman immediately began fading away until she regained her consciousness.

“Are you awake? If you are, then stand up.” Murong Xianxian rose to her feet and asked, “Speak. Do you wish to live, or do you desire death?”

Qu Langhuan hastily climbed to her feet. Her face was white and fraught with fear, and right now, she looked nothing like the Trueman she was. She begged, “Mercy, miss! Mercy! This junior is sorry. This junior will never offend you again, so please!”

It did not matter if you were a god, a demon, a celestial, a Buddha. Everyone quakes in fear when death is breathing down your neck.

“I’m asking you if you wish to live or die. Answer my question.” Murong Xianxian’s tone was calm but unquestionable.

“I wish to live,” Qu Langhuan swallowed.

“If you wish to live, then obey me faithfully. Otherwise, I will make you wish you were dead. Understand?” Murong Xianxian said gently while patting Qu Langhuan on her head.

The Trueman shuddered once before replying in a hurry, “I understand! I understand!”

“Good. If you perform well, then I may still teach you the complete version of the ‘Divine Art of Hateful Separation’ and cure your inevitable death. Sounds good?”

The tried and true carrot and stick approach showed its face again. Murong Xianxian was clearly a master manipulator.

“Thank you, miss! Thank you!” Qu Langhuan shed tears of gratitude.