Stranger Danger

Chapter 289: Hill In Lake, The Holy Son Climbs A Hill

Chapter 289: Hill In Lake, The Holy Son Climbs A Hill

The giant was baring its upper body and wearing animal skin underneath his waist. Easily over fifty meters tall and extremely muscular, he was the definition of animalistic beauty and strength.

The giant was carrying two steep and tall mountains on its shoulders, but the way he was moving about with ease, Ye Qing would’ve been convinced if someone told him that he was carrying a pair of bricks. They might as well weigh nothing to him.

The giant was running swiftly. He crossed over two hundred meters of distance every time he took a step. The ground shook, and any hill or river unfortunate enough to stand in his way were crushed into bits. Demonic qi spilled all over the place.

At some point, the giant sucked in a deep breath, and the demonic qi flowed into his chest like a river. Speaking of chest, it sounded like a thunderclap—no, a series of thunderclaps every time his heart thudded. It was an experience unlike any other.

Throughout this time, the giant never stopped in his tracks. He kept running with the two mountains on his shoulders, stepping over hills and rivers.

Then, the giant was gone just like that. The only proof of his existence was the thunderous rumbles of his heart and the demonic qi he scattered.

“What just happened, Miss Chu?” Ye Qing asked a little nervously while licking his lips.

Chu Qingge looked at the spot where the giant had disappeared and answered seriously, “That is a wisp of martial consciousness the champion left behind while he was still alive. Or more accurately, it is a physical manifestation of their martial truth.”

“A manifestation of their martial truth?” Ye Qing repeated. Martial truths were supposed to be an intangible thing, but the giant had been perfectly real if only for a moment. Just how strong was the giant when he was still alive?

“Assuming I wasn’t mistaken, that giant was probably the one they called the Mountain Bearer!”

Chu Qingge slowly delved into the Mountain Bearer’s history, “Six hundred years ago, a man named Dan Yue had come across the ancient Pangus’[1] ‘Pan Emperor Mountain Bearing Sutra’ by accident, a cultivation art that specifically honed the body. As a result, he was able to hone his body almost to its ultimate limit. He could become as small as a mosquito that could slip through the smallest cracks, or he could become a giant that could bear mountains on its shoulder. Hence, he was nicknamed the Mountain Bearer.”

“The Mountain Bearer was immeasurably powerful when he was still alive. Although he was a free spirit who did whatever he wanted and so was denounced by the orthodoxy and labeled as a heretic, he wasn’t actually an evil or vicious person. He once moved the two mountains, Kunchi and Yusui away to make way for the people, dropped a mountain on a river to alter its path and prevent a great flood that would’ve flooded many settlements, and more.”

“Mountain Bearer?” Ye Qing’s eyes lit up. He too was a body-tempering warrior, so he knew better than most just how much strength was needed to lift an entire mountain. He might possess the strength of five dragon elephants right now, but compared to the Mountain Bearer? Let’s just say that the giant could still squish him like an ant.

“You seem pretty strong. Would you like to try obtaining his inheritance?” Chu Qingge suggested after looking Ye Qing up and down.

Ye Qing looked tempted, but he ultimately shook his head and said, “Nah. The risk is too high.”

There was a non-zero chance that the guy might accidentally crush him underfoot, not to mention that he literally couldn’t catch up to the giant even if he moved at top speed.

“It was just a suggestion,” Chu Qingge replied indifferently. It was Ye Qing’s choice whether to heed her suggestion or not.

“Anyway, this is where we say goodbye, Brother Ye. I’ll see you later.”

Ye Qing: “...” Nani the fuck? Did she just... dump me?

Chu Qingge explained as if she could Ye Qing’s mind, “I’m carrying a token that would lead me to a certain senior. The reason I came to the Demon’s Tomb is to obtain his inheritance. If you follow me, this might turn out to be a fruitless journey for you. Besides, it would be inconvenient for us both.”

“Everyone has their own destiny, so it’d be best for everyone if we split up here.”

Ye Qing smiled. It was unbelievable how forthright she was, but he didn’t dislike her personality. On the contrary, it was quite refreshing and welcoming.

“Oh right. This is for you.” Cu Qingge produced a palm-sized, luopan-like object[2]. “This is a Star Compass. It is a must-have for you to navigate this place safely.”

“What about you?” Ye Qing asked. He didn’t really need the Star Compass because he had the Annon Sutra.

“I have a Star Compass of my own, of course.”

Chu Qing handed the Star Compass to Ye Qing and instructed, “One more thing. The Graveyard of Demons appears during the night and disappears during the day. If you don’t leave while it’s still nighttime, then you will be stuck here for eternity. Never forget the time no matter what you do.”

“Understood. Thank you for everything,” said Ye Qing with a salute. He didn’t think Chu Qingge was heartless or anything for leaving him behind. Strictly speaking, they were barely acquaintances who knew each other for an hour or two at most. If she owed him anything, she had already repaid it all by bringing him to the Guixu, and she didn’t. He would be abusing her good will if he insisted that they stayed together, not to mention that he already knew that this was going to happen eventually.

“May you get what you wish for, Miss Chu,” Ye Qing said smilingly.

“Thank you. Goodbye.” Chu Qingge gave him a wave and went away just like that. She truly was a free and decisive soul.

“Did you allow your lower head to take over you, boy? I can’t believe you would come to such a place! We need to leave immediately!”

As soon as Chu Qingge was gone, the Fog Demon ranted, “Come on! It’s not too late yet!”

Ye Qing shrugged. “It will be fine. Also, don’t you think it’s a shame to leave without having explored at least some parts of this place?”

“You...” The Fog Demon was so furious it couldn’t speak for a time. “Are you actually suicidal?”

Ye Qing smirked. “Relax. If it looks like I’m going to die, I promise I’ll take you to the grave with me.”

“Hmph.” As irritated as the Fog Demon might be, it could only obey Ye Qing’s whims.

With a thought, Ye Qing dissipated the mist surrounding him. The Boundless Mara Buddha flashed, and the Fog Demon was abruptly sealed inside the Strange Artifact.

This was a restriction he had specifically requested while the Fog Demon was being added to the Boundless Mara Buddha. It prevented the Stranger from perceiving the outside world and more importantly, his secrets.

Although he had signed an Oath of Burden with the Fog Demon and could kill the Stranger with a single thought if he wanted to, there was no such thing as too much caution.

This was especially true regarding the Annon Sutra. This was a secret he must never reveal to anyone.

After sealing the Fog Demon, Ye Qing took out the Annon Sutra to ask if there was any opportunity for him in the Guixiu. If the answer was yes, he didn’t mind giving it a go. If not, then he would leave immediately. There was no need to risk his life unnecessarily.

Normally, he kept the Annon Sutra tucked inside his shirt. He was just about to unfurl it when suddenly, he was struck by a deep sense of unease. It was almost as if something bad might happen if he continued with the action. He might die, he might lose something that was incredibly precious to him, or he might suffer some sort of tragic fate. In any case, nothing good would come from unfurling the Annon Sutra now.

Ye Qing immediately tucked the Annon Sutra back under his shirt. It was only then the deep sense of unease disappeared.

Clearly, the strange unease was a warning from the Annon Sutra.

The Annon Sutra’s origin was a mystery just like the Guixu, and there were countless martial consciousness, fragments of truth, and even soul fragments in this place. Now that he thought about it, it was possible that using the Annon Sutra might attract a strange, powerful, unstoppable existence to him.

“Foo...”

Ye Qing exhaled deeply before releasing the Fog Demon from its restriction. As soon as the Stranger appeared, it let out a cackle. “Were you doing something sneaky, boy?”

“No? It was a punishment because you didn’t know when to shut up!” Ye Qing changed the subject, “Anyway, cut the bullshit and keep an eye out for any danger.”

Hmph. Mark my words, I will consume your soul and uncover all of your secrets one day!

The Fog Demon hmphed inside his head knowing that Ye Qing was lying to his face. But of course, he didn’t even dare to say it to the young man’s face or force him to reveal his secret. After all, his life was literally in Ye Qing’s hand.

Ye Qing couldn’t read the Fog Demon’s mind, but even if he could, he wouldn’t have paid its foolish thoughts any heed. He randomly picked a direction and strode toward the unknown.

Since he couldn’t use the Annon Sutra, he decided to explore the periphery of the Guixu. If he got something out of this, then all was well. If not, then he would book it immediately. It was a good plan.

He had just taken a few steps when the Fog Demon suddenly cried, “What a huge lake! Wait, no, it’s just a mirage made of demonic qi.”

Its warning was unnecessary because Ye Qing’s eyes were no less worse than its. The thick demonic qi had come together to form a huge lake that was calm on the surface—it looked as flat and still as a river—but churning at the bottom.

There was also a spiral-shaped, upside down hill inside the lake. The bottom of the hill was sticking to the surface, and the top of the hill was pointed toward the lake bottom.

Strangely, the hill was wrapped in thick, large chains that glowed darkly in the water. It seemed to be some sort of shackle.

There was also a temple at the peak of the hill. He could vaguely see an emaciated monk sitting crosslegged inside the temple.

The Fog Demon spoke up again, “Boy, I think someone is attempting to climb that hill.”

It was true. In fact, when Ye Qing saw the climber’s face, he couldn’t help but exclaim in surprise, “That’s the Holy Son of Maitreya!”

There was a row of stairs leading toward the temple, and considering the Holy Son’s strength, he should have zero problems making his way there. In reality, he was moving at a snail’s pace as if he was carrying a mountain or pushing through some sort of invisible barrier.

Every time he climbed a step, the demonic qi in the lake would churn, and the chains surrounding the hills would shake violently.

Is that temple where his opportunity lies? Ye Qing guessed.

Although his footsteps were slow, the Holy Son of Maitreya was slowly but surely approaching the peak. The closer he got, the harder the demonic qi stirred, and the more violent the chains shook.

“Wait... that’s not a hill! That’s—”

When the “hill” started shaking, Ye Qing abruptly realized that it was a hill at all. It was... a giant snail that was shaped like a hill!

The spiraling hill he saw was really the shell, and the snail’s head was hidden within it. That was why he and the Fog Demon thought it was a hill at the beginning.

The Holy Son’s action seemed to anger the snail because its head abruptly reached out of its shell and attempted to smash the temple built atop of its shell. It was like a second hill had grown out of the original “hill”.

Unfortunately the chains were preventing it from reaching the temple. No matter how hard the snail struggled, it just couldn’t break free no matter what.

The temple and the emaciated monk inside the temple were keeping it suppressed.

1. Pangu is supposed to refer to a specific mythological figure, but in this case it’s Pangu the race. ?

2. Remember, luopan is a Chinese compass. ?