Stranger Danger

Chapter 288: The Giant Carries A Mountain

Chapter 288: The Giant Carries A Mountain

“Is he suicidal?” The survivors were shocked by Luo Zhan’s action, but they were even more shocked by what happened next. It was because the Fungus Tree hadn’t attacked him after he entered its range. In fact, the vines actually moved the corpses away and opened up a path for him.

“What’s going on?” Everyone looked stunned when Luo Zhan finally stepped out of sight.

“Hehe, I’m heading in as well! Have fun!” Yu Feifei, the woman who had masterminded the slaughter, bade everyone goodbye before entering the Guixu as well. Just like Luo Zhan, she wasn’t attacked by the Fungus Tree.

“What’s going on? Why aren’t they attacked by the Fungus Tree?” The group subconsciously looked to Huang Yu for answers.

As expected, Huang Yu performed a salute and answered their question, “Guixu is the place where many seniors and able people are resting in peace. Naturally, not everyone is allowed to enter the place.”

“The stele says to keep away, but it only refers to those who lack the necessary karma and destiny.”

“Karma and destiny?” Ye Qing rubbed his nose thoughtfully.

Huang Yu explained, “Buddhists speak of karma, Taoists speak of destiny, and even the common people speak of bonds both loose and tight. If you wish to enter the Guixu, then you must possess the necessary karma or destiny with a senior who’s resting inside the place. In simpler terms, you must be related to them.”

“For example, someone who possesses a senior’s relic can enter this place. If you are a senior’s descendant or have received some sort of inheritance from them in the past, then you may enter the place as well.”

“Since those people weren’t tied to the Guixu in karma or destiny, they were killed. It’s as simple as that.”

“To demand something that isn’t destined for you is to invite tragedy.”

The crowd was silent for a moment. Then, someone yelled at Huang Yu accusingly, “Why didn’t you tell us this sooner? Those people wouldn’t have died if you had!”

Huang Yu’s smile didn’t falter in the slightest. “Would you believe me had I told you about it?”

Some people opened their mouths, but no sound came out. It was because no one could refute his point. Not only would they disbelieve him, they would even think that Huang Yu was lying to claim all the spoils for himself.

Such was human nature. Loyal advice jarred on the ears, and humans wouldn’t truly believe anything until they had experienced something with their own body.

“Also, I had warned you all beforehand. You just didn’t believe me,” Huang Yu put the final nail in the coffin. “So you have no grounds to resent or hate me.”

“May the heavens’ blessing be with you.”

With that, Huang Yu turned around and stepped into the Gui Xu as well.

After Huang Yu was gone, Chu Qingge looked at Ye Qing and said, “Come. It’s our turn now.”

“Er...” Ye Qing blinked. “I think I’ll stay here. I don’t have a death wish, you see?”

Ye Qing was pretty sure that neither he, the interdimensional interloper, nor the original Ye Qing had anything to do with the seniors in this place whatsoever.

“Don’t worry. I am here.”

Chu Qingge explained, “Just stay close to me and don’t go further than one-third of a meter, and the Fungus Tree wouldn’t attack you.”

“Huh? Are you sure?” Ye Qing was surprised to hear that.

Chu Qingge confirmed. “Yes. So long as you stay within one-third of a meter of me, the Fungus Tree would treat you like an extension of myself and refrain from attacking you.”

“But of course, I won’t press you if you truly have no desire to enter the center.”

Ye Qing considered this for a moment before nodding. “In that case, thank you.”

Of course he didn’t want to miss the opportunity. Even if he got nothing out of this venture, he would rather have lived through the experience than otherwise.

“Let’s go then.”

After Chu Qingge took the lead, Ye Qing fell in behind her. One third of a meter wasn’t a long distance at all, so Ye Qing was forced to walk almost directly behind her. They were so close he could smell her elegant, quiet[1] scent clearly.

Right before they would enter the Fungus Tree’s range, three jianghu warriors abruptly raced forward to attack them.

Heh. I knew they would do this.

As if they had predicted this would happen, Ye Qing turned left to face the man who was targeting him, and Chu Qingge turned right to fight the two warriors targeting her.

Ye Qing’s opponent was a short but muscular early-stage Spirit Purifier. A hint of disdain flickered in his eyes when Ye Qing was reaching out to grab him.

His name was Lei Meng, and he was born with supernatural strength. An elder of the Mountain Mover Sect took him in as a direct disciple and taught him their ultimate art, the ‘Moving Mountains’.

“Moving Mountains” was a torturous body-tempering cultivation art that, at the adept level, could imbue the practitioner with the power to move mountains and seas. It was a cultivation art with massive potential.

Of course, Lei Meng was far from reaching the adept level, but he was still far stronger than any one of his peers. He was an outstanding warrior in the jianghu of Tian Yong, and he was a body-tempering warrior with one dragon elephant strength. He was nicknamed the “King of Moving Mountains” because of this.

This was why Lei Meng was skeptical. Instead of blasting him with astral qi or something, Ye Qing was clearly planning to challenge him to a bout of strength. It was like lighting a lantern in a toilet—commiting suicide. Not that he minded, of course.

Lei Meng hadn’t heard Ye Qing and Chu Qingge’s conversation, but since the young man dared to enter the Guixu, he must possess “something” that would allow him to enter the Guixu. If not, he could still use his body to achieve the same outcome. If he succeeded, then the opportunities, inheritances, treasures and more were all his.

“Hahaha! You only have your own stupidity to blame, boy!” He taunted.

From his perspective, Ye Qing was just a late-stage Astral Refiner, while most of them were Spirit Purifiers. If he was Ye Qing, he would’ve waited until everyone was gone or distracted before slipping into the Guixu. Instead, this guy was waltzing right in like he owned the place. Just how audacious was he?

Do you think you’re Luo Zhan or Huang Yu?

You should’ve known this would happen!

The other two warriors were most likely plotting the same thing even though their target was the young woman. She too was a Spirit Purifier, but she didn’t really look very strong.

Right before their hands would touch one another, Lei Meng abruptly changed his move and grabbed Ye Qing’s wrist instead.

“Get over here!” He roared and pulled Ye Qing to his side—or at least, he tried to. Not only did Ye Qing remain exactly where he was, he was the one who staggered a little.

“Hmph. So you’re strong. But are you stronger than me?!”

Lei Meng grunted and unleashed his full strength. The ground beneath him shattered as he pulled Ye Qing with all his might.

Once.

Twice.

Thrice.

Lei Meng’s face turned bright red with exertion, and his legs sank all the way to his knees. That was how much strength he was exerting. However, Ye Qing still didn’t budge an inch. To Lei Meng’s senses, Ye Qing was like a massive mountain that he couldn’t move no matter what he tried, which was ironic considering his learned martial art.

“Is that it? Did you forget to eat dinner before entering the Graveyard of Demons? Who do you think you’re robbing with such pathetic strength? A baby?”

By now, Lei Meng noticed that he had gravely misjudged his opponent. He immediately let go of Ye Qing’s wrist and tried to retreat, but of course Ye Qing wasn’t going to let him. As soon as Lei Meng let go, Ye Qing grabbed his wrist and did a little tug, saying, “Don’t be sad! Here, I’ll treat you to some mushrooms. They’re very tasty and completely free.”

An unstoppable strength like nothing Lei Meng had ever felt uprooted him from the ground. The next thing he knew, he was flying through the air and sprouting all kinds of mushrooms and fungus on his body.

It smells delicious.

That was Lei Meng’s final thought before his consciousness vanished, and he fell into eternal darkness.

Meanwhile, Chu Qingge had dealt with her opponents as well. If Ye Qing’s method of dealing with Lei Meng was coarse and brutish, then hers was elegant and comely. She unleashed her Stunning Dragon Fist, Qilin Palm, Rainbow Phoenix Step and more and successfully murdered the two warriors without breaking a sweat. One warrior had his heart shattered, and the other had a hole in his head. They were completely and utterly dead.

“Let’s go.”

After taking out the two enemies, Chu Qingge dusted her clothes with a finger and resumed her stride. Neither the anger of being ambushed nor the arrogance of killing her ambushers could be spotted from her face. It was like she had just squashed a pair of ants.

More accurately, everyone present was an ant to Chu Qingge.

Ye Qing shot the crowd one last look. They still looked tempted, but no one dared to do a thing after the ruthless display of power. He shrugged and followed Chu Qingge into the Guixu.

This was the jianghu; the strong feeding on the weak!

And so Ye Qing followed Chu Qingge past the stele and the Fungus Tree. As soon as he passed through the darkness, he felt a chill and a sudden mental shudder.

As it turned out, the air in the Guixu was filled with thick, refined demonic qi. In fact, they were thick enough to transform into all sorts of mirages such as mountains, seas, clouds, palaces and more gorgeous sceneries.

Strangely, the demonic qi didn’t feel evil or tainted at all. In fact, Ye Qing could sense a sliver of profoundness and Dao from them.

One might say that the demonic qi outside was but a drop in the true ocean that resided in the Guixu.

“This place is practically paradise to a follower of the Dark Ways!” Ye Qing sighed. Seriously, he was certain that a demonic warrior could save years of hard work just cultivating here and doing nothing. It was a shame he wasn’t one.

“Keep a clear head and don’t let your guard down. The demonic qi here is too rich and pure. It might seem harmless, but it can influence your mind and soul without you noticing. If you’re not careful, you would become possessed by demonic thoughts and fall into the Dark Ways.”

Chu Qingge manifested a circle of light that pushed the demonic qi away before continuing, “In fact, there were many people who were corrupted by demonic qi and possessed by demonic thoughts after entering the Demon’s Tomb. They might not realize it at first, but once they return to the real world, the demonic thoughts would feed on their desires and experiences and eventually coerce them off the right path.”

“I understand. Thank you for the warning,” replied Ye Qing. In fact, he had visualized the “Emperor Fuxi Visualization Method” and protected his mind the second he entered the Guixu. His relaxed expression was just a ruse.

He didn’t do anything to protect his body though. Right now, his body was like a natural furnace with the sun at its core. Any demonic qi that invaded his body would be refined and uprooted instantly.

Chu Qingge nodded and resumed her stride. Ye Qing followed closely behind her while scanning his surroundings carefully.

For a time, they didn’t encounter any grave or gravestone. They didn’t run into Luo Zhan, Huang Yu and everyone else who had entered before them either. The place was deathly silent save for the ever-changing mirages. In just a dozen steps or so, Ye Qing had witnessed the collapse of mountains, the drying of rivers and seas, all manners of clouds, the sunrise, the moonfall, and timelapses that stretched across centuries, millennia, and maybe even eons.

Besides that, he also saw all kinds of unlikely yet magnificent sceneries such as floating forests, reverse-flowing rivers, flying mountains and more.

Rumble rumble rumble...

Suddenly, a series of loud rumbles interrupted the short moment of peace. The mirages shuddered unnaturally, and the clouds scattered into nothing. When the duo looked, they saw an unbelievably tall giant carrying two mountains on his shoulders and running to heavens-know-where.

1. Usually I would naturalize this, but for some reason I wanna try something authentic this time. I mean, it can’t be weirder than jade skin, right? ?