Stranger Danger

“I see. You’re the disciple of the Chief Libationist and the fourth named warrior on the Human Champions Ranking? No wonder you’re so strong.”

As an Earth Champions Ranking Grandmaster, Cui Qiuyuan thought it beneath him to keep an eye on the Human Champions Ranking. However, that did not apply to the top ten geniuses. After all, barring any accidents, everyone in the top ten would eventually enter the Grandmaster stage and subsequently the Earth Champions Ranking. They all possessed outstanding power and backing as well.

Cui Qiuyuan did not suspect that Ye Qing was lying to his face. After all, Ye Qing’s strength and skill were quite extraordinary considering his age. He had to be a top five warrior on the Human Champions Ranking at the minimum, and everyone on the top five were usually too proud to lie about their identity.

Cui Qiuyuan acknowledged Ye Qing’s strength, but he immediately harrumphed afterward and said, “So what if you are the disciple of the Chief Libationist of the Jixia Academy? It’s not like I’ve never killed the disciple of a Sage.”

“I’ll grant you one thing though. I’ve never killed a top five genius of the Human Champions Ranking. I’m sure it would be quite interesting to have a Corpse Spirit like you.”

Ye Qing copied Chu Wangsun’s tone and declared arrogantly, “If you think you can stitch me into a Corpse Spirit, then try. I look forward to your failure.”

“Kekeke… don’t worry, I won’t keep you waiting. I’m a man of my word after all.”

Cui Qiuyuan let out a cackle before disappearing all of a sudden. Then, a voice came from afar, “Do your best to stay alive, Chu Wangsun. I’ll come look for you very soon.”

“I’ll be waiting!” Ye Qing clasped his hands behind his back and announced.

A few seconds later, after he was sure that Cui Qiuyuan was gone, Ye Qing let out a sigh that was infused with both disappointment and pride.

He was disappointed because he had been a hair away from killing Cui Qiuyuan. Seriously, he would’ve killed the Grandmaster if he didn’t have the Undying Phoenix Feather.

He was also proud because he, a “small fry” who wasn’t even a Grandmaster yet had nearly killed the forty-fourth warrior on the Earth Champions Ranking, the infamous “Mortician”. Sure, it was hardly a fair fight, but that was still a feat worth boasting about. Had he succeeded and spread the word to the jianghu, he would surely become the topic of the week.

Unfortunately, Cui Qiuyuan was still alive, so that was that.

He now had a bullseye on his back, but Ye Qing wasn’t really that worried. After all, Chu Wangsun was the one who killed Cui Qiuyuan, and what did that have to do with little ol’ Ye Qing?

Besides, he hadn’t lied to Cui Qiuyuan about everything. Today, he was already strong enough to send Cui Qiuyuan packing with his tail between his legs. In the future, he was certain he could handle anything the Grandmaster might throw at him fair and square.

“Warrior Ye! Are you alright?!”

It was at this moment Shangguan Hongjin and Pedant Earth finally caught up to him.

“Why have you come?” Ye Qing asked puzzledly and assumed his previous appearance as he turned around to face them.

“You saved my life, but I haven’t repaid the favor yet. How can I possibly leave until I’ve done that?” Shangguan Hongjin replied before repeating, “Are you alright?”

“I’m fine, thank you,” Ye Qing replied while hiding his surprise. He would’ve thought that Shangguan Hongjin and Pedant Earth were long gone after the near death encounter with the headless Sage, but against all odds, they actually came after him. This was nothing like what he came to expect from jianghu warriors.

“What happened here? We sensed multiple terrible shockwaves of energies earlier, and these bodies… Did a battle take place?” Pedant Earth licked his lips nervously while examining his surroundings closely. The remnant energies lingering in the area alone was enough to send chills up his spine.

“Yeah. A powerful Grandmaster fought against the headless Sage in an attempt to subdue him. What you’re seeing is the aftermath of the battle.”

Ye Qing did not tell them about the Mortician or the fact that he had ambushed Cui Qiuyuan. Keeping the details as vague as possible, he continued, “Long story short, the battle ended in mutual loss. The headless Sage was suppressed, but the Grandmaster himself was grievously wounded. Perhaps that is why he chose to escape after sensing my presence.”

“Is that so? I thought I heard something about Chu Wangsun though. What’s that about?” Shangguan Hongjin asked suspiciously.

“Chu Wangsun? Are you talking about Mister Nine? You probably heard wrong,” Ye Qing denied the allegation immediately. Chu Wangsun? Whozzat?

Thump! Thump! Thump!

Suddenly, the black coffin Ciu Qiuyuan had left behind began shaking violently. When Ye Qing turned to look, he saw Giggle standing on top of the black coffin and whining softly. Over time, the tremors grew more and more violent.

“You guys need to leave. Quickly!”

Ye Qing blanched. Without Cui Qiuyuan to oversee his Strange Artifact, it was clear that the black coffin’s suppression had weakened tremendously. At the very least, it was enough for the headless Sage to start struggling once more.

Unfortunately, his warning came too late. Before he could even finish, cracks spread all across the black coffin like it was made of porcelain. Then, it exploded into smithereens.

A terrifying aura engulfed both heaven and earth. The headless Sage had reappeared once more.

Shangguan Hongjin and Pedant Earth couldn’t move a muscle. Hells, they could hardly breath through the pressure.

Ye Qing was doing much better than the two of them, but he was gripped by tension as well.

Although the headless Sage’s presence wasn’t nearly as bottomless and all-encompassing as it was before, he was still quite terrifying to say the least. Right now, his whole body was covered in black blood, and the ground froze solid with cold, desolate energy when it dripped.

“Ooo ooo…”

It was at this moment Giggle landed on the headless Sage’s shoulder and called out softly to him. It sounded incredibly sad.

“Giggle…”

Ye Qing unconsciously took a step forward. He was worried that the headless Sage would go insane and hurt Giggle.

Although the headless Sage was most likely Giggle’s former master, he was also dead. It was impossible to say what he might do in his current state.

Buzz!

Suddenly, the headless Sage faced toward him. Ye Qing immediately felt the pressure pressing against his body doubling, no, tripling in intensity. The sky itself was clouding from the sheer force he was exuding.

“Ooo oooo!”

Giggle cried urgently from the headless Sage’s shoulder. It was clearly trying to persuade him against harming Ye Qing.

It worked. The headless Sage slowly withdrew its aura until it was no longer suffocating. Then, he turned toward Giggle and slowly, hesitantly, and gently patted its head.

Giggle narrowed its eyes happily. It sat down on the headless Sage’s shoulder with an expression of bliss on its face.

Under any other circumstances, the sight of a little Stranger and a headless Sage should invoke the deepest terror in anyone’s heart. But right here and now? There was only warmth and joy.

A long, long time ago, Giggle must have sat on the headless Sage’s shoulder and seen the world with him. They must have walked countless mountains and rivers and seen many autumn moons and spring wind.

After what felt like three to five breaths or many millenniums later, the headless Sage gently lifted Giggle off his shoulder and handed him to Giggle.

Caught off guard, Ye Qing hurriedly received Giggle and promised the headless Sage, “Do not worry, senior. I promise I’ll take good care of Giggle.”

“Not only that, I’ll retrieve your head as well.”

It was both a promise to the headless Sage and himself.

Giggle was his friend, so of course he would take good care of him.

The headless Sage was Giggle’s former master. If only for Giggle’s sake, he wished to restore the headless Sage and fulfill the little Stranger’s lifelong wish.

The headless Sage petted Giggle a couple more times with clear reluctance. Then, to everyone’s surprise, he abruptly reached out to grab Ye Qing’s head.

No one saw this coming. Not Shangguan Hongjin, not Pedant Earth, not even Ye Qing.

By the time they came to, the headless Sage had already grabbed Ye Qing’s head.