Chapter 24 - 120-125

Chapter 120: Ding Ding Ding

"Suicidal? Hahaha! Don't you know that I cultivate the Purple Sun Gold Flame? Fire is the last thing I'm afraid of!"

Xiao Yang opened his mouth and sucked in a deep breath. His expression turned intoxicated as hot air flooded into his veins and caused him to grow as bright as the sun.

"If you surrender the painting you got from Zheng Feng, then I promise to give you a swift death! Otherwise, you'll wish that you were dead!" Xiao Yang threatened with an evil grin.

But to his surprise, Ye Qing laughed, "Hahaha! What a coincidence! I'm not afraid of this valley either! Come chase me if you dare!"

He immediately kicked off the ground and raced deeper into the valley.

Evergreen ivy flowers grew as soon as he used his true qi, but they withered practically the second they reached full bloom. In fact, Ye Qing had noticed this when he accidentally brushed against the Burning Wind earlier. Every flower on his body had withered and fallen off together with their roots. This meant he could use his true qi like normal inside Firewind Valley, which was of course most welcomed.

"Is that a challenge?" Xiao Yang uttered icily. He was done playing games with his "brother". He kicked off the ground with a loud boom and charged toward Ye Qing like a loose arrow.

If Ye Qing's movement art made him light as smoke, then Xiao Yang's transformed him into a beast of brute force and speed.

Theoretically, Ye Qing should have the upper hand in this cat-and-mouse game, but he had only refined a strand of Burning Wind. He might have adapted to the valley's high temperature, but he still couldn't take a gust of the astral qi head on. That was why he had to run and avoid the Burning Wind at the same time.

On the other hand, Xiao Yang had no such problems. Not only was he a true Astral Refiner, his Purple Sun Gold Flame was powerful enough to block the Burning Wind completely. That was why he could chase after Ye Qing in a straight line. As a result, he was slowly but surely closing the distance between them.

The deeper the duo ventured into the valley, the hotter it became. The Burning Wind grew increasingly deadlier and bigger as well. Every time a patch of air suddenly caught on fire, it would transform into a towering inferno that seemed capable of devouring anything. It was as beautiful as it was dangerous!

"Got you!"

When Xiao Yang was mere meters away from Ye Qing, he finally let out a triumphant roar and made a grab for him. It was at this moment a deadly gust of Burning Wind rolled out from deeper within the valley and engulfed both men before they could react.

Whoosh!

His clothes were gone, and his flesh was charred in the blink of an eye. The Burning Wind had evaporated every drop of blood in his body and even caused sparks to fly out of his bones. None of these injuries could compare to his burning mind and spirit, however. The pain was so bad that Ye Qing immediately visualized the "Emperor Fuxi Visualization Method" to steady his mind, circulated the "Nirvana Sutra of Burning Wind" to absorb the Burning Wind ravaging his insides, and popped a gray dragon-serpent rune every time his body threatened to give out.

At first, his recovery speed was utterly incapable of keeping up the speed at which the Burning Wind was eating through his flesh. Thankfully, he had enough gray runes to replenish his vigor non-stop and keep himself alive.

For a time, his body died, came back to life, died, then came back to life again in a cycle that seemed like it would never end. It was said that what doesn't kill you makes you stronger, and that was definitely true in Ye Qing's case. Every time his body came back to life, it was a little tougher than before. Like a piece of iron that was slowly being refined into steel, his body gradually adapted to the Burning Wind. It was becoming less and less painful to maintain the "Nirvana Sutra of Burning Wind" as well. He was slowly but surely becoming highly resistant to the all-consuming wind.

Even better, visualizing the "Emperor Fuxi Visualization Method" to fend off the Burning Wind actually improved his mind and spirit by leaps and bounds as well. In fact, his improvement in this area had slowed to a crawl after the initial growth spurt. He had never stopped practicing, but it turned out that being burned by the Burning Wind was worth an entire month of hard work.

Ye Qing managed to overcome his crisis, but Xiao Yang could not say the same. His Purple Sun Gold Flame had long been blown away by the Burning Wind. The only reason he was still alive was thanks to his hat and the ancient robe it conjured. Even so, holes were slowly but surely appearing all over the robe. His face and exposed flesh looked as red as a lobster, and steam was constantly rising from his pores. His consciousness was flickering in and out because the Burning Wind was attacking his mind and spirit as well. He kept hammering his own head in a desperate attempt to stay awake.

"Hehe. You got what you deserved!" Ye Qing mocked when a devious idea suddenly occurred to him. He immediately unleashed a Boundless Lightning Palm at Xiao Yang—or at least, he tried to. The attack had just left his hand when the Burning Wind melted it all away into nothing.

"You can save your energy! This Fire Wind is strong enough to blow apart even my Purple Sun Gold Flame, much less your true qi!" Xiao Yang mocked back when he noticed what Ye Qing was doing.

"You're right! Thanks for the advice!" Ye Qing exclaimed in realization. He had completely forgotten that he was now a half-baked Astral Refiner. This time, he channeled the Burning Wind inside his dantian before launching a second attack.

"You're an i—" Xiao Yang was going to mock Ye Qing again when suddenly, his chest exploded with pain. His flesh was charred, his internal organs felt like they were on fire, and the blood he spat out evaporated into white steam as soon as it left his mouth.

"Fire Wind? How did you—" Xiao Yang exclaimed in shock before realization hit him. "Is this why you came here? You were planning to refine the Fire Wind? No wonder you were able to resist it for so long!"

"Ding ding ding!" Ye Qing laughed. "As your reward, allow me to correct one thing. Fire Wind isn't the astral qi's true name. It's called the Burning Wind!"

Ye Qing launched a third palm strike at Xiao Yang, and the Astral Refiner tried to dodge out of the way to no avail. It was because the Burning Wind was still blowing and pinning him in place. The hit worsened his injuries and made him look even redder.

The good news was that Ye Qing's attack was still weakened by the blowing wind despite its new attribute. Otherwise, the second hit would've been enough to kill him.

The bad news was he was still going to die at this rate. Worse still, there was absolutely nothing he could do to save himself!

"What do I do? Am I actually going to die here? Impossible! I won't accept this!" Xiao Yang roared on top of his lungs, but there was no use. He could only watch as Ye Qing raised his hand a fourth time to attack him.

Whoooooooooooosh!

It was at this moment a powerful gust of Burning Wind slammed into the existing wind and joined into one. They spun round and round toward the sky until they formed a massive tornado. But unlike an ordinary tornado, this was one crooked and bent almost like a serpent. As it moved deeper into the valley, everything that stood in its path—giant rocks and even whole chunks of earth—were pulled into the tornado and melted into molten lava, which of course made it even deadlier than before. It was like a scene straight out of the apocalypse.

As Ye Qing and Xiao Yang were flying smack dab in the middle of the tornado, their situation was bad to say the least. The temperature rose to unprecedented levels, and it was a miracle both men were still alive. They looked like human torches who could burn out at any moment.

Whooooooooooooooosh!

The molten tornado continued toward the heart of the Firewind Valley.

...

Deep within Firewind Valley, there was a vast valley with a narrow entrance that led to a wide space. It almost looked like a calabash from above.

The walls of this valley were glassy, translucent, and colorful like gemstones. They were also brimming with an unimaginable amount of heat and energy.

The sky above the valley was dark red in color. From time to time, it would ripple like a heat wave was passing through and catch on fire.

There was a golden bagua brazier at the center of the valley. It was unusually huge and shaped like a round pagoda. Two-eared and three-footed, the brazier was engraved with images of the eight trigrams and taichi, it looked both ancient and shrouded in mystery.

There were a pair of circular openings to the left and right side of the brazier. If someone were to look through the openings, they would spot a roaring, dark red flame. The eight trigrams and taichi images on the brazier's surface were slowly spinning in a way that seemed to resonate with the world itself.

Suddenly, a terrific roar erupted from within the brazier. Bursts of flame spun wildly inside the brazier before flying out into the open. It was like a dragon was born as the river of flame and wind circled around the sky. It was so hot that even the crystalline walls were partially melted into red hot lava. The entire valley resembled a natural furnace of some sort.

In the end, the fiery wind flew out of the narrow entrance and joined its many "brethren" outside.

Who would've thought that the Burning Wind of Firewind Valley was born from a single brazier?

"There is no longer any chance you can turn this around, girl! The item inside the Heaven Scorching Bagua Brazier is mine!"

The chuckle of an old man suddenly came from above. As it turned out, an old man and a young woman were floating in the sky and facing each other.

The old man was over sixty years old and completely white in both hair and beard. However, his complexion was healthy, and his skin looked as smooth as a babe's. He wore a gaudy robe that gave him the appearance of a manchild.

The young woman was around twenty years old and wearing a long dress with black embroidered flowers. Her long, black hair cascaded down her back like a waterfall, and she possessed a devastatingly beautiful countenance that could topple kingdoms should she so desire.

Her eyes were bright and clear as a mountain that had just been cleansed by a refreshing rain. They seemed to represent all that was new, clean, good and beautiful in this world. Not only that, one could almost see the orbit of celestial objects and the birth and destruction of stars behind those eyes. It was like there existed an entire universe behind them.

There was a transparent go board floating in between the duo. Much of the go board had already been covered in black and white stones. For those who played the game, the go board resembled a battlefield where two sides were vying for control over the other. One could almost hear the drums of war, the cries of men, and the sounds of weapons clashing against one another.

At first glance, it looked like both sides were more or less on equal footing. However, a more experienced player would be able to tell that the white stones had dominated the center area and formed what looked like a dragon. On the other hand, the black stones were scattered all over the place like routed soldiers who were desperately trying to flee from the great dragon.

"The game isn't over yet, and victory and defeat may yet change hands. You best not get careless, Old Tong!"

As it turned out, the woman's voice was as sweet as her appearance. Colors seemed to fade from the world itself before returning to normal.

Speaking of which, the Burning Wind around them was hot enough to annihilate heaven and earth, and yet it wasn't able to affect the duo at all for some reason.

"Still haven't given up yet, girl? Fine. If a crushing defeat is what you desire, then it is what you will get!" Old Tong held up his hand and conjured a white stone between his fingers.Then, he gently placed it on a point.

A wind blew across the go board, and the shadow of the white dragon loomed over everything. Multiple black stones were crushed with this one move!

The young woman was already behind to begin with. Now, it looked like the crushing defeat Old Tong spoke of was going to come true!

Suddenly, Old Tong looked down and exclaimed in surprise, "Huh? How did a pair of kids make it into this place alive?"

A mighty tornado had forced its way through the narrow entrance and into the inner area. It continued to spin for a bit before scattering into many smaller gales.

Two men fell from the sky and hit the ground with a soft thud. One of them was Ye Qing, and the other Xiao Yang. However, they were pitch black and smoking not unlike a piece of charred wood. They also appeared to be dead as they showed no signs of life at all.

Chapter 121: Bet

"An Astral Refiner… and a Vessel Augmentor even?"

Old Tong looked very surprised. "How on earth did they make it in? Interesting. How interesting!"

Old Tong clapped his hands like a kid and said excitedly, "Say girl, do you want to make a bet with me? Who do you think will survive?"

The young woman calmly placed another black stone on the board. It slowed down the dragon's offense a little, but in terms of the big picture it was like trying to extinguish a house fire with a glass of water.

"Are you sure, Old Tong? Distracting yourself whilst playing a game seems like a bad idea."

Old Tong skipped over to the young woman's side with a cheeky smile. "But you've already lost, girl! You cannot win even if I give you a move for free! Since you already lost, you might as well make a bet with me! Come on!"

The girl shot him a smile and declared with surprising confidence, "Very well. If this is your wish!"

"Wonderful! Wonderful! You're a nice person, girl! I, Everyoung Tong, love friends like you!" The old man did a little dance of joy before asking, "You may make your pick first, girl!"

That was what he said, but Everyoung Tong kept sneaking glances at Xiao Yang. They were betting on who between the two would survive, and he was afraid that the young woman would pick Xiao Yang.

The young woman chuckled. "I'm a junior. Of course I should go second."

Delighted by her generosity, Everyoung Tong said immediately, "Okay! I bet that the Astral Refiner would survive!"

His choice was perfectly within expectations. The young woman smiled as brightly as ever as she declared, "Then I'll bet on the Vessel Augmentor."

"Hahaha! You're going to lose, girl! There's no way you can win this!" Everyoung Tong taunted while performing a series of backflips. The Burning Wind in the sky stayed well away from him.

"Look, girl! The Astral Refiner's fingers are twitching!"

"Look! His mouth is twitching as well!"

"His eyelids are twitching as well. He's about to wake up, girl!"

"Hahaha! Any moment now! Any moment until your defeat, girl!"

Everyoung Tong would not stop yelling and rolling in the sky as he observed Xiao Yang. He was just about to declare his victory when suddenly, he fell silent like a duck that was grabbed by the neck. Ye Qing, who had been unmoving this whole time like a corpse, suddenly opened his eyes and climbed to his feet. Then, he shook off the charred black substance clinging to his body to reveal smooth, unblemished skin. His physique was so flawless and perfect it was like a work of art.

"Phew… that was too close!" Ye Qing let out a long sigh of relief. His breath was hot, twisting, unfading and dark red in color just like the Burning Wind around him. When he stomped his foot, the ground within fifty meters of him caved in like it was struck by a giant hammer, kicking soil and dust everywhere.

This should not be possible as the ground of this valley was constantly beset by the Burning Wind. It had long since become as hard as refined steel. Forget a foot, an actual hammer or a sharp blade would be hardpressed to leave a mark on the soil. And yet, Ye Qing had made it seem as weak as tofu.

"Hahaha. Fortune and misfortune really are two sides of the same coin!"

Earlier, his body had burned, reformed, burned, and reformed again over and over in the deadly hurricane, tempering his flesh, blood, bones, and even his soul to unimaginable heights. He was now resilient enough to withstand even the hottest temperatures.

Not only that, every inch of his flesh, blood, bone and true qi was infused with Burning Wind. That's right, he was now a full-fledged Astral Refiner. Normally, it would've taken years to infuse every wisp of true qi in one's body with astral qi, and most never made it past this first step despite decades of hard work. He couldn't say he was keen to relive such an experience again, but thanks to this unexpected boon, he had entered the Astral Refinement stage in one fell swoop.

"Now that I'm an Astral Refiner, it's time to get my revenge!" A diabolical smirk crossed Ye Qing's lips when he spotted Xiao Yang lying not far away from him.

Honestly, he would've thought that Xiao Yang was dead if his spirit hadn't ascended to greater heights. That was how close to death the Astral Refiner was. He was going to make sure that the two-faced man would never menace him again.

"He's entered the Astral Refinement stage? But how?" Everyoung Tong blinked in disbelief.

Contrary to the old man's reaction, the young woman didn't seem surprised at all. While stroking her hair and looking down at Ye Qing, she said, "You've lost, Old Tong!"

"I lost?" Her words jolted Everyoung Tong back to reality. Judging from the way his face scrunched up, and his eyes were darting all over the place, it was clear he was unwilling to admit defeat.

"You're the one who made the bet, and you're the one who picked first. You're not going to renege on your own bet, are you?" The woman pressured Everyoung Tong without missing a beat.

"I… er… I…" Everyoung Tong was scratching his head profusely and looking all over the place for a way to get out of the bet when suddenly, an idea occurred to him. He immediately tossed something that shot through the Burning Wind and landed on Xiao Yang before he declared, "Say girl! The bet is who will survive, not who will wake up first, right? In that case, I haven't lost yet!"

Everyoung Tong had noticed that Ye Qing was brimming with bloodthirst. It was clear that the two were sworn enemies, which gave him an idea.

Everyoung Tong believed himself to be an exceptionally smart man, and his smarts were telling him that there was no way a new Astral Refiner could possibly defeat one who had already begun to create his Expression.

Of course, Xiao Yang looked like he could barely draw breath right now, which was why he had prepared a backup plan. It was what would guarantee him victory!

"Very well. If that is what you wish."

The young woman didn't get angry even though Everyoung Tong was clearly bending the rules a bit. Her smile remained as tranquil and clean as a lake.

"I am surprised you would go so far as to spend a Poplar Branch Nectar, however. Even a single drop can renew the flesh, strengthen the vigor, and restore the energies, no?"

"You have sharp eyes, girl!"

Everyoung Tong let out a chuckle. Not at all annoyed that his little maneuver was seen through, he declared triumphantly, "But I'm not cheating, okay? I'm just ensuring fairness is all. Your kid is fully recovered, but my kid is still half-dead. A one-sided massacre wouldn't make for an interesting bet, no?"

The young woman nodded seriously. "That's reasonable. We shall see what happens then!"

Meanwhile, Ye Qing was just about to land the last hit and collect that juicy, juicy experience when suddenly, new flesh grew out of Xiao Yang's body, and blood began rushing in his veins once more. His aura was growing stronger and stronger as well.

"The hell? What's going on?" Ye Qing blanched. He didn't know what was going on, but he wasn't stupid enough to wait until Xiao Yang was fully recovered. He immediately tossed three throwing knives at the Astral Refiner's forehead, throat and heart before following right behind the projectiles. His hand was also crackling with energy and raised in a ready position.

Unfortunately, Xiao Yang managed to leap away from his original position and dodge the throwing knives at the last moment. He then started laughing like a madman, "Hahaha! I live! I live! Even my wounds are completely healed! Hahahahahaha!"

He then turned toward Ye Qing and shot him a vicious glare, "You're the first person ever to push me this far. Since the heavens are kind enough to save my life today, I will make sure to repay their favor with your blood!"

He might not know how he survived and even healed back to full health, but that was no reason to get distracted by the real matter at hand. One way or another, today would be the day Ye Qing dies!

"Hahaha! You're going to lose, girl!" Everyoung Tong exclaimed in delight when he saw that Xiao Yang was awake.

The young woman wasn't paying attention to the ensuing battle, however. Her eyes were wholly focused on the Go board. "You already said that once, Old Tong, but I haven't lost yet, have I?"

"..."

Everyoung Tong couldn't say anything for a second and grumbled like a child, "It's different this time. There's no way a new Astral Refiner could possibly go up against a veteran who's already starting to manifest his Expression. I can tell that his astral qi is a superior grade astral qi as well. There's no way he would lose!"

When he was done, he turned his back on her and hmphed loudly.

The young woman smiled but paid him no heed. She continued to stare at the go board.

In the valley, Ye Qing was smiling wryly at Xiao Yang. "I've heard something like that many times already, but I'm still alive, and my enemies are all dead!"

He launched a palm strike as soon as he finished his sentence.

"You must be joking! If you haven't caught me by surprise earlier, you really think that a—" Xiao Yang retorted disdainfully while throwing a punch to meet Ye Qing's palm strike midway.

"Sunset Punch, Rising Sun"

However, he lost his train of thought when Ye Qing's palm strike punched right through his energy and astral qi. The next thing he knew, the unstoppable attack had struck him squarely on the right shoulder and flooded his veins with destructive force.

Xiao Yang was sent flying through the air like a rag doll. His right shoulder exploded, and he crashed into the wall so hard that he was embedded in it.

Boom!

The sound of crumbling walls reverberated within the valley for a long time.

"You—Pwack!"

Xiao Yang looked utterly dazed. He was going to say something when a mouthful of blood sprayed through his lips without warning. He felt like his internal organs were cooked, his qi and blood were boiling, and his mind was on fire. His skin looked dry and withered as well.

"Impossible. Impossible. How do you have so much strength? Impossible. Impossible…"

Xiao Yang couldn't stop repeating the word "impossible". It was as if the palm strike had physically ripped his confidence and willpower to shreds.

"How the… How is this kid so strong?" In the sky, Everyoung Tong was just as flabbergasted as Xiao Yang. "His physique is comparable to the bald donkeys [1] who cultivate the 'Bhaisajyaguru Sutra' from Lanke Temple!"

Lanke Temple was a physique-focused Buddhist temple. All disciples who cultivated the "Bhaisajyaguru Sutra" must temper their body with medicine from a young age. Once they were ready, they would further refine their body with the Five Poisons (snakes, scorpions, centipedes, toads and spiders) so that their energies and astral qi would be molded into their flesh. Although they would lose the ability to release their true qi like a normal warrior, they would become as strong and tough as a dragon elephant [2], and gain immunity to most poisons and attacks. They would be able to overwhelm skill with pure power and defeat ten thousand arts with a single punch!

The young man was clearly no monk, but his physical resilience and strength was comparable to the Lanke Temple monks who cultivated the "Bhaisajyaguru Sutra". But unlike the monks, he could release his true qi as well. Most warriors could only choose one path and give up all others, but this guy was powerful both in his body and his arts. Where on earth did he come from?

1. slang for monks ☜

2. an actual creature in Chinese mythology and a symbol of strength

Chapter 122: One Punch

"It would seem you're wrong again, Old Tong!" The young woman said with a smile.

"..."

Imagine a veteran hunter losing an eye to a bird that he hunted for a living. That was how embarrassed Everyoung Tong was feeling right now. Worse still, this was the outcome after he had already cheated once, and not even he was shameless enough to cheat a second time. He had no choice but to feign deafness and return his attention to the battle, praying for a miracle.

Meanwhile, Ye Qing was stunned that he had sent Xiao Yang flying in a single strike. When he clenched his fist, space crackled as if it couldn't withstand his strength. He couldn't help but let out a silly laugh when he confirmed that he wasn't dreaming.

It was well known that attaining dragon elephant-like strength and resilience was a major milestone in body tempering. It would seem that the young man was even luckier than he thought!

A body-tempering Astral Refiner would infuse their desired astral qi instead of true qi into their flesh, blood and bones to reforge their body, qi, and mind into a weapon that could conquer any foe and obstacle. It was why a body-tempering Astral Refiner could go toe-to-toe against a normal Astral Refiner despite losing the ability to release their qi.

When Ye Qing was trapped inside the hurricane, his flesh, blood and bones had been filled to the brim with Burning Wind. Obviously, this was not how anyone would temper their body in the norm, but the outcome was the same, if not better.

"No wonder there are so many warriors who practice at least one fist art. It feels incredible to defeat a foe with one punch!" Ye Qing exclaimed in delight.

It doesn't matter how strong you are, I'm gonna end it all in one punch! And if one punch isn't enough, then two punches would do it! Simple and effective!

"No no no no no! This isn't happening! I won't accept this!" Inside the wall, Xiao Yang suddenly let out a maddened howl and jumped back into the open. His eyes were bloodshot, and his aura was climbing like crazy. It was like a cornered animal's last stand.

When he threw a punch at Ye Qing, red light filled the sky in an instant like sunset. There was no sun, but sunlight was everywhere. The intent was invisible, but it was everywhere as well.

"Sunset"

"What a powerful move!"

Ye Qing narrowed his eyes and turned serious. The red hue in the sky was the Expression of the Purple Sun Gold Flame after it was condensed to the limit. If it hit, it could turn hundreds and hundreds of meters of ground into a wasteland, boil lakes, and sever rivers.

Ye Qing clenched his own fist and gathered his strength. He didn't infuse any astral qi into his fist. When all of his strength was focused on a single point, he met Xiao Yang's punch with a punch of pure power.

Boom!

The punch was simple, but the air within tens of meters of Ye Qing crumpled like a physical object. The noise it made was unspeakable. The red sky disappeared inch by inch starting from the point of impact, but the Purple Sun Gold Flame couldn't even leave a single mark on Ye Qing.

Bang!

Ye Qing's fist clashed directly with Xiao Yang's fist when the red sky disappeared completely. The Astral Refiner immediately exploded into smithereens, and the Burning Wind turned his remnants into ash before they even hit the ground. That was the end of Xiao Yang.

"My precious!"

Unfortunately, Ye Qing wasn't very happy with this outcome because his punch had also blasted Xiao Yang's Nature's Shell far, far away from him. He would've held back a little If he knew his punch was this powerful! He was gone like the wind long before the echoes of his pained scream had faded from the valley.

In the sky, the young woman said smilingly, "You've lost, Old Tong!"

"I did!" Everyoung Tong collapsed on his butt with a frustrated expression. However, he quickly picked himself up when he recalled the game. "It's fine though. You're still going to lose the game!"

The woman grabbed a black stone out of thin air just like Everyoung Tong had earlier. Then, she slowly placed it at the center point of the go board and said, "I'm sorry, Old Tong, but you're about to lose this game as well!"

"Impossible! My dragon has taken form, and your pawns are scattered all over the place. How can you possibly defeat me?" Everyoung Tong shook his head in clear disbelief.

When he saw the board state however, he felt like a mortal who was struck by lightning. "What! How… How…"

Everyoung Tong had scattered the young woman's pieces to the point where they resembled routed soldiers who were fleeing and fighting purely for their own survival. But when she placed her final stone at the center of the go board, her scattered troops abruptly joined together to form a massive web that trapped his white dragon at a corner! No matter how much the white dragon struggled, it was unable to break through the web. It was like a cornered animal with no way out.

The next moment, the dragon disappeared, and most of the white stones on the go board vanished just like that!

She had slain, in effect, the dragon with a single stone!

"I… you…"

Everyoung Tong's eyes were widened like saucers. He couldn't not believe this was happening.

"You play, you pay. The item inside the Heaven Scorching Bagua Brazier is mine, Old Tong!" The woman saluted him in thanks.

Everyoung Tong was pulling out his own hair and muttering in a daze, "How did I lose? I had the overwhelming advantage. How did I lose? Tell me, girl. How did I lose?"

The young woman plucked another stone out of the air and explained, "If the world is a board, then its denizens are the stones. Each space represents a person's life journey. Whenever you want to do something, you must first weigh the pros and cons. Only then can you begin to master the world around you. Just the same, it is imperative to observe the cause and effect before taking an action in life. Only then can one ensure that every step they take is smooth and satisfactory."

"Go is, in a sense, a representation of life. Before a player makes a move, they must first view the whole board. Only then could one know their plan after placing the first stone, and win the game after placing three stones!"

"You have perfected your go skills, Old Tong. Like a gold ingot that had been refined over a hundred times, every step you make is perfect and flawless. Unfortunately, you are so focused about perfection—so concerned about losing a single stone—that you've lost sight of the big picture. You have even forgotten that you are playing to win, not to be perfect."

"A player who loses sight of the big picture cannot move with purpose. A player who has forgotten to win cannot win!"

"That is why you've lost from the beginning, Old Tong!"

"A player who loses sight of the big picture cannot move with purpose, and a player who has forgotten to win cannot win…" Everyoung Tong muttered these two lines over and over until he finally let out a long sigh. "I lost!"

"My senior brother and I used to play a lot of go, and he always told me that I care too much about artistry. He said that I only look at what's in front of me and not what comes after, which is why I could never master the essence of my 'Cloudside Record'."

"I used to think that he was just trying to put me off balance and paid me no heed, but now, I can see that he was right!"

The young woman replied, "'Cloudside Record' of Cloudside Mountain places emphasis on unpredictability. It expects its players to play their stones like a cloud; free, formless, and everchanging. It is a poor fit for you, someone who strives to build something up to a desired shape in your mind."

"However, playing go is like trying to become the person you want to be. As long as every stone you place comes from the heart, there is no such thing as a bad move. If you try to conform yourself to a style you dislike, you'll be a poor player of that style at best, or ruin yourself at worst!"

"As I mentioned earlier, your go skill is already perfect. So long as you set aside your design and pursuit for flawlessness, so long as the move you make comes from the heart, you have what it takes to turn even the worst board state around. You do not need to obsess over the 'Cloudside Record'."

Everyoung Tong was silent for a long time after hearing this. In the end, he let out a long, regretful sigh. "I lost, girl, and it's a well-deserved loss! The item inside the Heaven Scorching Bagua Brazier is yours!"

"Thank you, Old Tong!" The woman smiled like spring.

...

"A pill brazier? Why is there a pill brazier at this place?" Ye Qing furrowed his brow while staring at the huge and mysterious golden brazier in front of him.

He was chasing after Xiao Yang's Nature's Shell just now, and he was just about to catch up to it when it fell into one of the brazier's openings and burned to ashes.

"That's… the Burning Wind!" Ye Qing recognized the dark red flames shooting out of the golden brazier instantly.

"What kind of pill needs the Burning Wind as the fire?" Ye Qing rubbed his nose curiously.

Whoosh whoosh!

It was at this moment the dark red flame in the pill brazier roared out of the opening and turned into Burning Wind. Instead of dodging, Ye Qing scattered the incoming wind with a single punch. It failed to do any damage to him whatsoever.

Ye Qing was too shocked and distracted to be delighted by his growth, however. "It can't be… is this the source of the Burning Wind that created Firewind Valley? That's not possible… right?"

As much as he wanted to deny it, he couldn't deny the reality before his eyes.

Should I check out what's inside the brazier? A thought suddenly occurred in Ye Qing's mind. The Burning Wind was the greatest threat in this place, but it so happened that he was almost immune to it. So why not?

Ye Qing licked his lips unconsciously as his caution warred against his greed. In the end, greed won out, and he jumped into the air and punched the cover. Why suffer temptation when he could afford to indulge in it?

Tang!

His full-powered punch was powerful enough to shatter Xiao Yang like a vase, but the brazier cover didn't budge an inch. In fact, he was the one who was sent stumbling.

"What the hell? Just how hard is this thing?" Ye Qing shook his hand and exclaimed in astonishment after catching himself.

The golden brazier seemed angered by the punch, however. It shook once and fell still as if it was gathering its power. The next moment, it unleashed a pair of Burning Winds that were far, far hotter than anything it had released from its two openings. In fact, it was so hot that their color had turned from dark red to black. Like a pair of black dragons, they engulfed Ye Qing before he could react.

"Hahaha! Look at the kid! He actually thought he could steal what's inside the Heaven Scorching Bagua Brazier!" Everyoung Tong laughed boisterously when he saw Ye Qing being engulfed by the Burning Winds.

The woman smiled but paid no attention to Ye Qing's plight. Instead, she made a hand gesture and pointed at the brazier, causing its cover to rise slowly into the air.

A dark light shone out of the brazier the moment it was opened. It moved slowly, but everything the light touched turned dark as well.

Strange, rainbow colors swam within the unnatural light, and the Burning Wind was everywhere. The dark light seemed to exist between the line of real and unreal, and the longer it persisted, the more the surroundings seemed to fade into reality.

"What a beautiful yaoqin you are. When you play, the world itself seems to descend into a dark dream. I shall name you Dark Dream!"

Like a cool breeze brushing against a tranquil pond, the young woman's voice caused ripples to appear across the dark light. The dark light was about to slip into the void when it suddenly flew into the young woman's palm and transformed into a yaoqin. It was almost like it was responding to its master's call. When she stroked its strings, clear notes resonated throughout the unnatural space and folded it up like a painting. When all was said and done, the valley had returned to normal.

After the young woman had put away the yaoqin, Everyoung Tong hurriedly made a grab for the Heaven Scorching Bagua Brazier. His palm kept growing bigger and bigger until it became as big as a mountain. He then lifted the brazier into the air with his impossibly huge hand.

The Heaven Scorching Bagua Brazier struggled with all its might, but in the end it was unable to break free. It was about halfway through the air when it abruptly stopped shaking as it had been tamed.

Suddenly, a tiny smirk crossed Everyoung Tong's face when he recalled something. He then "accidentally" tipped the brazier over and poured the Burning Wind—the astral qi was compressed so much that it resembled molten lava—into the valley. Specifically, he was pouring the Burning Wind right on top of Ye Qing.

At that moment, the world turned to fire, and the Burning Wind roared louder than ever before. Everything in the valley—the earth, the rocks, even the mountains—melted into molten lava. It was like the end of the world.

"Hehehe…" Everyoung Tong chuckled deviously. As soon as he grabbed the Heaven Scorching Bagua Brazier, he vanished into thin air and left behind only his voice,

"I promised you I would give you what's inside the Heaven Scorching Bagua Brazier, girl, but I never said anything about the brazier. Surely you won't blame me for taking it, right? With this, my senior brother shouldn't be too mad about returning empty-handed!"

"Also, feel free to visit Cloudside Mountain if you like!"

"Old bastard!" The young woman chuckled while staring at the sky, but she wasn't angry. She then turned back to the valley and observed Ye Qing as he struggled.

Meanwhile, Ye Qing was seriously regretting his earlier decision. Although the two black dragons weren't powerful enough to hurt him, a giant hand had appeared out of nowhere and taken the golden brazier with it.

By now, he realized that he was in the presence of a terrifying power. He immediately played dead and prayed that the owner of the giant hand wouldn't notice him. However, the fucker "accidentally" slipped and poured the hottest substance inside the brazier right on top of him. It was easily tens of times hotter than the black dragons that had engulfed him earlier.

Naturally, he was in deep trouble. His body might be strong enough to resist the Burning Wind, but his mind wasn't. Like a candle flame, it flickered violently and threatened to disappear at any moment. The only reason he was still alive was thanks to the "Emperor Fuxi Visualization Method". It was completely up to fate whether he could outlast until the downpour of Burning Wind!

"You sonuvabitch! You're going to kill me just because I touched your stupid brazier one time? You old bastard!"

Ye Qing knew he wouldn't last when the creeping blackness grew closer and closer to the center of his vision. That was why he decided to say screw it and started cursing the old man to hell and back. He was going to die anyway, so who cares?

During his final moments, he let out a bitter chuckle and started singing,

"Goddess, I know that you are good

You came to rescue me

So please, hear my humble plea

Save me, goddess, save me

I have nowhere else to go~"

In the sky, the young woman smiled as she listened to Ye Qing's curses. "Old bastard, he says. I completely agree."

When he started singing out of nowhere, she tilted her head a little and smirked. "I'm pretty sure he tweaked the lyrics a little, and his tone is all off. That said, it is a good song, and it reminds me of some tunes from the previous dynasty…"

"Fine. I'll be your goddess one time."

The young woman started playing her new yaoqin. Like a spring hidden in the depths of a dark valley, the music was pleasing to the ear despite its dark, silent tone. As she played, a whinny noise broke out from afar, and a clopping sound drew nearer and nearer. Soon, a horse-drawn carriage appeared and stopped in front of the young woman.

The carriage was indigo in color and covered in mysterious runes and patterns. The driver was an old man wearing a conical hat. The fine horses pulling the carriage had blue skin. Every time it snorted through its nose or shifted its feet, invisible ripples would spread across the air.

"Please get in, Miss!" The old man asked. His voice was heavy and creaky. It didn't sound like the voice of a human at all. In fact, he wasn't. His eyes were lifeless and metallic, and his expression seemed permanently affixed. In fact, the horses weren't alive either. They looked and acted like living creatures, but their bodies were really made of bronze.

"Uncle Bronze," she responded affirmatively and climbed into the carriage. She then said, "Let's go. Please take the young man trapped within the Burning Wind with us."

"As you command, Miss!" The old man she called Uncle Bronze bowed and rolled down the curtains. He then whipped the horses and drove the carriage into the Burning Wind.

The horse-drawn carriage seemed to be protected by a mysterious power. When it got close, the Burning Wind immediately parted ways like the Red Sea.

Ye Qing had already fainted at this point, so Uncle Bronze easily caught him with his whip and pulled him into the carriage. He then laid the young man on a soft cushion.

"Neeeeeeeeeeigh!"

The horses neighed and broke through the Burning Wind. Just a second later, the valley was already behind them.

Inside the carriage, the young woman shot Ye Qing a glance. He was completely red and naked right now, but she didn't seem embarrassed in the slightest. With the wave of a hand, she covered him up with a blanket and grabbed a book from the carriage's hidden compartment. Then, she began reading in silence.

Chapter 123: The Curtain Rises

Warm sunlight was pouring down a clear, blue sky. A nearby lake was shimmering with serene beauty.

"Oooh… this headache is killing me!"

There was a man lying on a meadow next to the lake. He was motionless until he suddenly sat up, slapped a hand to his forehead, and shook his head violently. He was none other than Ye Qing.

"I'm at… Jade Spring Lake?" Ye Qing was taken aback when he saw the familiar lake. "How did I get here? I'm pretty sure I was at Firewind Valley."

Ye Qing massaged his forehead some more and tried to remember what happened. He had tried to resist the downpour of Burning Wind but blacked out eventually. He didn't know how long he was unconscious, but he remembered waking up in a half-lucid state and finding himself lying inside a carriage. There was also a young woman.

He remembered asking, "Who… who are you?"

And she had answered, "I'm your goddess!"

"What?"

The woman shot him a smile before singing,

"Goddess, I know that you are good

You came to rescue me

So please, hear my humble plea

Save me, goddess, save me

I have nowhere else to go…"

When she was done, she said, "I saved your life, so I'm your goddess, right?"

Her voice was melodious and heavenly. Even the afterglow was a dreamlike experience!

The young woman set down her book and shot him another smile. "This is how you should've sung the song! You're a terrible singer."

That was where his memory cut off. He might have said something, he might not have. He wouldn't know. One thing for certain though, it was that woman who saved his life and left him here.

"A goddess, huh?"

Ye Qing rested his head on his hands and basked in the warm sunshine. He let out a silly giggle and sang again, "Save me, goddess, save me, I have nowhere else to go…"

"Bah! It really does sound pretty bad… hehehe…"

...

"The practitioner shall walk like a raging stream, smooth yet soundless. They shall punch like they would topple the heavens themselves, terrible yet without a trace. The practitioner would become invisible to the world when they had attained the highest strength!"

Ye Qing was currently walking back to Anyang following the official route, but that wasn't the only thing he was doing. He was also practicing his stance. His footsteps were as torrential like a river, and yet they were also perfectly soundless. Every punch he threw threatened to punch a hole in the sky, and yet its power was perfectly unrecognizable until the last moment.

The stance he was practicing was called the Cloud Vaporization Stance. It was, of course, a part of the Cloud Vaporization Style.

The Cloud Vaporization Style was an Astral Refinement stage fist art, so it was a lot more detailed than your ordinary fist art. Not only did it teach the techniques, it also taught the breathing method and various know-hows.

The foundation of the Cloud Vaporization Style was the Cloud Vaporization Stance. In martial arts, power came from the earth, force from the body, and intent from the mind, and they could all be learned through the Cloud Vaporization Stance. Only by building a solid foundation could one build a house that wouldn't topple over at the slightest breeze. Just the same, only by mastering the stance could one master a fist style.

When practicing a stance, one must pay attention to their breathing, their step, the way they channeled their force and so on when practicing a stance. It was why it took him three days to return to Anyang instead of one.

It was worth it though. He had practiced the stance for over fifty kilometers straight, and his punches over three thousand times. As a result, he was now more or less familiar with the Cloud Vaporization Style's breathing method, force circulation, and technique. He could now say that he was an initiate of the Cloud Vaporization Style.

"I'm finally back!" Ye Qing stopped practicing when Anyang's tall, wide gates were finally in sight. He let out a sigh of relief, smiled, and started toward the entrance with a smile on his face.

Ye Qing did not head to the Pacification Bureau directly after entering the county. Instead, he went to the Iron Shirt Gang and checked in with Tao Xian about a certain investigation. Then, he went to Endless Horizons and spoke with Faceless for two hours. It was only then he went to the Pacification Bureau and visited Ling Jianqiu.

"You're finally back, Joyless!"

Ling Jianqiu was dressed in white and wearing an icy expression as usual. The expressionless man was expressionless even after learning about the plight of Jade Spring Village and the death of Xiao Yang. The villagers were one thing, but Xiao Yang was a Patrolman of Luo Shui. And yet, the Chief of Bureau didn't seem to care about it at all.

"Thank you for your service, Ye Qing. And I'm sorry for all that I've put you through!"

"It's all for the good of the people!" Ye Qing replied humbly.

Ling Jianqiu set down the document he was reading and asked, "There is one thing that puzzles me, Joyless. You mentioned in your secret letter that Xiao Yang is dead, but how did Xiao Yang come to be with you in the first place? What is the chain of events that had brought the two of you together? Please, tell me everything!"

Ye Qing raised an eyebrow. "The day I left the county, Xiao Yang was waiting for me at the entrance. He told me that it was you who sent him to accompany me on the investigation. Was he telling the truth?"

Ling Jianqiu shook his head immediately. "Absolutely not. Xiao Yang did tell me that he was heading out for a bit, but he never told me where he was going or what he was doing. I definitely hadn't asked him to accompany you to Jade Spring Village either. I would definitely notify you if that was the case!"

"I knew it!" Ye Qing shook his head. He had suspected that Ling Jianqiu had no idea about Xiao Yang's visit to Jade Spring Village, but it wasn't until now that he knew for certain that the Astral Refiner was lying. "I trust you, Chief Ling!"

Ye Qing had never suspected that Ling Jianqiu might have something to do with his ambush because there was just no reason for him to do something like this. He took a moment to organize his thoughts before informing everything that had happened during his journey except the "Emperor Fuxi Visualization Method".

Ling Jianqiu's lips were pressed into a firm line when he listened until the end. "Xiao Yang is a Patrolman of Luo Shui, and yet he colluded with a Stranger to murder his own kind. He deserves to die. Shen Xian and Li Yuankang also took the side of a monster to further their own self-interest. They too deserve death for their crimes. You've done well to rid them from our world!"

"However, I can't help but notice that you not only survived the ambush of Xiao Yang, Evergreen Ivy, Shen Xian and Li Yuankang, but also slayed Xiao Yang, a mid-stage Astral Refiner. You must have entered the Astral Refinement stage already, am I right?"

Ye Qing nodded. "I just got lucky!"

A rare sigh escaped Ling Jianqiu's lips. "You're a promising youngster."

"You flatter me, Chief Ling!"

Ling Jianqiu fell silent for a moment before he resumed the conversation, "You have nothing to worry about Xiao Yang's death. As a cardinal rule, all members of the Pacification Bureau are prohibited from colluding with Strangers to commit acts of violence against other humans. Barring exceptional circumstances, anyone who breaks this rule will be handed the capital punishment. No one would defend Xiao Yang for what he did even if he is a Patrolman of Luo Shui, so you may rest easy on that account!"

"As for the Shen Clan and the Li Clan, the situation is even simpler. Without their leaders, the two clans are no more than annoying pests. Feel free to deal with them as you please!"

"The real problem is locating Evergreen Ivy and killing her. If a colony of termites is left alone, it may chew through a foundation and bring down an entire structure. Evergreen Ivy is that colony of termites, except she's far more dangerous and cunning. First it was Anyang, and now you. If we don't eliminate her soon, it's only a matter of time before she causes another disaster that we may not recover from!"

"My sentiments exactly!" Ye Qing nodded. "Besides giving you a report of what happened at Jade Spring Village, it's also the main reason I've come to you today!"

As the man who ruined her plan to bring the Nether Lord to this world, Ye Qing knew full well just how much Evergreen Ivy hated him. He might have survived her ambush this time, but she would surely attack him a second time, a third, a fourth and more. So long as she was still alive, she would never stop coming after him, and there was no guarantee he would be able to survive all of her ambushes.

He did not want to have to watch out for her for eternity. The only way to solve the problem once and for all was to kill her.

Ling Jianqiu was pleasantly surprised to hear this. "Did you find out who she is, Joyless?"

Ye Qing replied firmly, "I think so!"

"Who is she?"

"Now, now, Chief Ling! No spoilers!" Ye Qing chided him jokingly. "Speaking of which, can you round up everyone in the Pacification Bureau, Chief Ling? I have something important to announce."

Ling Jianqiu was a wise man. He immediately figured out Ye Qing's subtext and frowned. "Are you suggesting that Evergreen Ivy is hiding in the Pacification Bureau?"

Ye Qing did not give him a yes or no. He simply urged, "Just do as I say."

"Very well!" Ling Jianqiu agreed after a moment of thought. "Are you sure though, Joyless?"

Ye Qing smirked. "Just sit tight and enjoy the show!"

...

"Say, does anyone know why the chief has summoned us today?"

"Not me. Everyone's here though. It's gotta be something big!"

"You don't say? I just hope that it's not another big incident like that attack a week ago. Sigh…"

"Me too, man. Me too."

Every member in the Pacification Bureau—the Pacification Sentinels, the officers and more—were gathered in the main hall of the headquarters, and no one had any idea what was happening.

"Why have you gathered us today, Chief Ling?" Zhao Yunlong glanced at his superior and asked. Ling Jianqiu hadn't just summoned his subordinates, he had gathered all the higher-ups as well.

Ling Jianqiu slowly swept his gaze across his surroundings. Everyone fell silent as if his pressure was a tangible thing. Satisfied, he began,

"I'm sure everyone here still remembers the invasion from a week ago. You should also know that the masterminds behind that invasion are five intelligent Strangers, namely Rotten Crown, Dark Eye, Old Grass, Faceless and Evergreen Ivy. Four of the Strangers had been executed on the day of the invasion, but the last Stranger, Evergreen Ivy, is still on the prowl."

He knew the truth about Faceless, but he lied since there was no point in revealing it now.

"Five intelligent Strangers…"

"One of the Strangers hasn't been caught yet? That's terrible!"

"Evergreen Ivy…"

Everyone was shocked to hear this. They knew the rough outline of the incident, but not the specifics. It was a given that his statement would spark a massive discussion.

"Foster father, have you found Evergreen Ivy's trail? Have you summoned us to catch the Stranger?" Yun Yan asked.

The crowd immediately turned to look at Ling Jianqiu expectantly. "Is Yun Yan speaking the truth, Chief Ling?"

Everyone here wanted to catch Evergreen Ivy be it for selfish or selfless reasons.

"Yes, and no!" Ling Jianqiu swept his gaze across the crowd once more and said, "I shall leave the specifics to Joyless!"

"Joyless?"

"Warrior Ye?"

"What does this have to do with Warrior Ye?"

As the main hall fell into a commotion once more, Ye Qing stepped out from the backrooms and saluted everyone. "A good day to you all, ladies and gentlemen!"

"A good day to you as well, Warrior Ye!" The group replied just as respectfully.

Yun Yan was the first one to speak up, "Why have you come today, Joyless?"

Ye Qing did not respond to her question. Or rather, he was planning to address everyone at the same time, "I'm sure you're all curious why I'm here when I'm not a member of the Pacification Bureau. It's very simple. Because I'm not bound to as many rules and duties as you all, Chief Ling had charged me with the mission of investigating Evergreen Ivy after the investigation was over. And I am happy to announce that my investigation has finally borne fruit!"

"Really?" A fearsome, hot-blooded man abruptly sprung to his feet and yelled loudly, "Where is that bastard right now? I'll personally lead the charge to cut off their head and avenge our fallen brothers and sisters!"

The speaker was Shi Chong, an Investigator of the Anyang Pacification Bureau. He was mainly responsible for apprehending and exterminating Strangers, and he was a simple and explosive person.

"Do not worry, Lord Shi. You have my word that they won't escape!" Ye Qing assured him.

Shi Chong tried to curb his impatience by scratching his head. "Sure, but where is that Ever… Ever-something hiding, exactly?"

"Yeah, Joyless. Stop keeping us in suspense and tell us already!"

The others obviously shared his sentiment, so Ye Qing smiled and complied with their request. He said directly, "To tell you the truth, Evergreen Ivy is hiding in this building!"

Chapter 124: Coincidence?

"Evergreen Ivy is… hiding in this building? What are you…"

Shi Chong was confused, but the others figured out Ye Qing's meaning immediately. "Joyless, are you saying that our very headquarters is that Stranger's hideout?"

Ye Qing nodded. "Not only that, they're right here with us! That's right. One of us… is Evergreen Ivy!"

It was like he had lobbed a bomb at the center of the main hall. Everyone was shouting and exchanging incredulous glances with each other.

"Impossible!" An old man's voice boomed over the commotion, "Every single person in this building, no, this hall is a respectable and meritorious member of the Pacification Bureau. There is no way they would collude with a Stranger! You may be the savior of Anyang, but even you do not have the right to speak off the cuff!"

The others had fallen silent during the old man's cry of outrage, but their expressions made their feelings as plain as day.

Ye Qing didn't allow his audience's reaction to affect him, however. Smiling as calmly as ever, he said, "I understand your disbelief, but I would implore you to wait until I've said my piece before you make your decision!"

"As Chief Ling had mentioned earlier, the five intelligent Strangers are the ones who plotted the Nether Lord's descent and the destruction of Anyang. But did you know that Evergreen Ivy is the leader of the group? Not only that, they're the one who plotted everything! The other four Strangers are just the executors of their will!"

"Evergreen Ivy is a cautious Stranger. So cautious, in fact, that Old Grass was the only one of the four Strangers who knows where they're hiding. It's because he's responsible for spying on Anyang and collecting the necessary information to carry out the plan!"

"When the invasion happened, why didn't the Strangers notice our preparations until it was too late? It's because I found out about Old Grass and took him out first. However, I didn't kill him immediately. Suspecting that he might have a clue as to where Evergreen Ivy was hiding, I pretended not to notice his fake death and went away. As expected, Old Grass immediately raced to warn Evergreen Ivy about the situation, and can you guess where I tracked him down to? That's right! He went straight to the Pacification Bureau!"

"Are you serious?"

"How is this possible?"

The commotion restarted, but this time Ling Jianqiu silenced them with a cold rebuke, "Silence! Let Joyless speak!"

Ye Qing smiled politely and continued, "I could have allowed him to lead me straight to Evergreen Ivy, but I'm an outsider, and if you think about it, he didn't need to meet Evergreen Ivy to warn her. So, I killed Old Grass outside the Pacification Bureau."

Ling Jianqiu nodded approvingly. "Your concerns are well-founded!"

"Okay, so Evergreen Ivy was hiding in the headquarters, but that doesn't mean that they must be a member of the Pacification Bureau," someone argued.

Ye Qing assured him, "I'm getting to it. To explain how I narrowed down the suspect and eventually identified Evergreen Ivy, I must first speak of the altar."

"The altar? You mean the altar the Strangers used to summon the Nether Lord?" Shi Chong asked.

"That's right!" Ye Qing answered. "The altar is one of the key factors in summoning the Nether Lord. The materials used to make it are extraordinary to put it mildly, and it could not have been completed in a short time. That is why the owner of the house must've been involved in the construction, and why I decided to start my investigation with him—or at least, I planned to."

"When I tried looking into the owner, I discovered that he had met an unfortunate end the day prior while carrying out some business outside the county. It was clearly a certain Stranger's effort to tie up loose ends."

"Since I already knew that Evergreen Ivy was hiding inside the Pacification Bureau, I had ordered my men to keep an eye on the building. It was how I learned that exactly eight Pacification Bureau members had left the county on the same day the owner was killed! They are Sun Xingguo, Fang Ziwu, Liu Hailong, Wang Pan, Lei Gang, Feng Tang, Zhou Li and Hu Nu!"

Ye Qing purposely stopped here and swept his gaze across the crowd, his spirit enveloping every person in the hall and tracking their every activity. Of the eight he mentioned, only one of them started breathing faster and experienced an increase in heart rate even though his facefu was perfect, and he was…

"Seven of the eight people had left the county on official business, and I have the records to prove it. Only one of them did not have a record. Can you guess who this person is?"

Before anyone could react, Hu Nu suddenly shouted, "This is baseless accusation, Ye Qing! I left the county that day to procure a herb for the Miss! I didn't kill anyone!"

A wicked grin spread across Ye Qing's lips. "That's strange. I haven't said who that person is. I never said that this person is the killer either, so why are you in such a hurry to defend yourself, Hu Nu? How very suspicious!"

"By the way, I was totally lying about the records. I was just fishing a little and checking if someone would take the bait. To think you would actually fall for it! Hohoho…"

"S-Stop spouting nonsense. You can't accuse me of murdering Chang Lezhou just because I happened to be leaving the county that day. Plus, how can you be sure that your surveillance was perfect? Maybe there was a ninth member who left the Pacification Bureau that day, and your men just happened to miss them! Evidence matters, Ye Qing, and this is the Pacification Bureau!" Hu Nu argued passionately.

"So, you're claiming it's a coincidence?" Ye Qing chuckled. "In that case, how did you name the victim even though I've never mentioned his name?"

Cold sweat broke out of Hu Nu's forehead when he realized what he just said. He argued, "I… I just happened to know Chang Lezhou. T-There's nothing strange about this!"

"So, you plead that it's a coincidence again?" Ye Qing teased him. "Okay! Let's hear about this then!"

"As I've mentioned before, the materials necessary to build the altar are extraordinary. It cannot have been built in a matter of days either. When Chang Lezhou was still alive, he once procured various materials from a total of eight traders. However, every single one of these traders were now dead because they had encountered one unfortunate 'accident' or another. Some were killed by Strangers, some had run into bandits, and some straight up vanished and were never seen again. They left no bodies for the Pacification Bureau to conduct an investigation either!"

"I tried digging a little into these incidents, and can you guess what I discovered? You were almost never in the county when these traders had met their unfortunate end! Now tell me, what were you doing during those times? You're not going to claim that it's a coincidence again, are you?"

Hu Nu looked like he was about to tear his hair out. "You… I… It's been several months since those people had died! How could I possibly remember what I was doing at the time? Anyway, their deaths have nothing to do with me!"

Ye Qing chuckled again and pointed out, "You're a pretty bad liar, aren't you? I've never told you that these traders had died several months ago. In fact, their deaths had never been reported to the Pacification Bureau because they appeared to be mundane deaths, meaning that their cases were handled by the county hall. So, how did you know that they had died several months ago? Answer me!"

Hu Nu wiped away the sweat on his forehead and swallowed audibly. "I… I happened to hear about the murders from… somewhere. What? Is that a crime?"

"Once again, he pleads that it's a coincidence! A lot of 'coincidences' seem to happen around you, doesn't it?" Ye Qing taunted, but his voice was growing colder and colder over time. "Tell me then. Who did you hear these murders from, and where?"

"I… I don't remember!" Hu Nu argued again, but to say that his argument was weak would be an understatement. Everyone in the main hall was staring at Hu Nu with unfriendly expressions at this point.

Contrary to Hu Nu's words, evidence definitely did not matter when it came to the Pacification Bureau. This was doubly true in the case of Strangers. To put it simply, the Pacification Bureau would rather kill an innocent than unleash a malicious Stranger into the world. If not for the fact that Ling Jianqiu and Ye Qing hadn't given a command yet, they would have hauled Hu Nu into the prison and interrogated him already.

The group did not seem to realize that they had put Ye Qing on the same pedestal as Ling Jianqiu.

"You don't remember? What a shame. I suppose I have no choice but to overlook this as well!" Ye Qing clapped his hands as he mocked Hu Nu in a tone that was full of ridicule. "That's fine. I have one last thing to share with you all."

"According to my investigation, Chang Lezhou once hired fifteen artisans to build something secret. I shouldn't need to tell you all that it's the altar. Once the altar was complete, all fifteen artisans had died or disappeared outside the county just like the traders."

"Now, is there any brave soul in this room who would like to bet me that our friend here was in the county during those times? Anyone? No?"

"Hu Nu, oh, Hu Nu. You're not going to say that you just 'happened' to be out of the county again, are you?"

Hu Nu hung his head low and kept quiet. It was as if he had given up on defending himself!

"Once is happenstance. Twice is coincidence. Three times is enemy action. What else do you have to say for yourself, Hu Nu?"

Ling Jianqiu barked from his seat as well, "Answer him, Hu Nu! Are you Evergreen Ivy or not?"

"Keke… that's right. I am Evergreen Ivy!" Hu Nu suddenly let out a crazed cackle. "You idiots, I've been hiding right under your nose for ages, and not a single one of you noticed anything amiss. Even better, it was an outsider who discovered me in the end, not you. Fucking idiots!"

Shi Chong was an impatient man to begin with, and the fact that Hu Nu dared to taunt them all in this sacred hall pushed his anger way over the edge. He immediately made a grab for Hu Nu.

Shi Chong's signature martial art was called the Stone Breaking Hand. Since he was angry, he wasn't exactly holding back his strength either. If he managed to get his hands on Hu Nu, the traitor would be lucky to break just a couple of bones.

"RAAAAAGH!"

It was at this moment Hu Nu let out a roar so loud that most people clutched their heads in pain. At the same time, Hu Nu turned toward Shi Chong and met his grab with a ferocious punch. To everyone's shock, he actually broke the Investigator's arm and elicited a painful scream from the man. He slammed into the wall behind him and spat out a mouthful of blood.

"What the—!"

Shi Chong apprehended and slayed Strangers for a living. Naturally, he could not be a weak warrior. Although he wasn't a Vessel Augmentor yet, he was very close to making a breakthrough. He was also one of the strongest warriors in the Pacification Bureau.

On the other hand, Hu Nu was just a Qi Invoker. Although he was born with incredible strength, it should've been impossible for him to go up against Shi Chong, much less best him. And yet, reality begged to differ.

"RAAAAAGH!" Hu Nu let out another mighty roar after defeating Shi Chong. It was so strong that it sounded like a thunderclap had gone off at the center of the main hall, and a gust of wind started blowing out of nowhere. It was coming from Hu Nu.

Speaking of Hu Nu, the man had undergone a massive transformation. Three yellow horizontal lines had appeared on his forehead, and his face was covered in yellow fur. Long, deadly fangs were protruding from his mouth, and his fingernails had transformed into sharp claws. He looked almost like a tiger right now.

"A Strangerkin?!" Ye Qing narrowed his eyes. It was important to note that a Strangerkin was not the same as a human who transformed into a Stranger. A Strangerkin might possess the characteristics and abilities of a Stranger, but they were essentially human in every other way. They identified themselves as human and were usually in control of their nature.

On the other hand, a human who had transformed into a Stranger was the complete opposite. The transformation would twist their nature and obliterate their human mind, leaving nothing behind except a monstrous husk who only desired the death and destruction of humanity. They might possess a human's features and even a human's intelligence, but they were a Stranger through and through.

That said, Stranger blood was inherently dangerous. All Strangerkins were one-in-a-million geniuses whose talent and ability usually outstripped their human counterpart by leaps and bounds. But if they lost control of their Stranger blood, or if they were overtaken by their Stranger Blood for some reason, their human mind would be obliterated, and they would transform into a Stranger as well. There was no such thing as power without a price.

But of course, being a Strangerkin was almost always a good thing. This was especially true for a warrior.

Chapter 125: The End - Or Is It?

Boom!

Hu Nu's cultivation level didn't change after he awakened his Stranger blood, but his aura and the power he displayed were almost on par with a Vessel Augmentor.

The only true Vessel Augmentors in the Pacification Bureau were Ling Jianqiu and Zhao Yunlong.

"How dare you!" Zhao Yunlong roared in anger and tossed a red cape straight at Hu Nu. It threatened to envelop him whole like a red cloud. At the same time, Zhao Yunlong rose from his chair and flew over to Hu Nu like a bird, fast and difficult to catch. His palm drew many afterimages in the air and roared like a dragon.

"Palm of Dragon's Roar"

There was no way Hu Nu could defeat a Vessel Augmentor, but he refused to submit. Roaring, he clenched his fists and launched a flurry of punches at Zhao Yunlong. His punches were simple and direct, but they were also incredibly powerful. His force howled not unlike a tiger leaping over a mountain stream. The palm afterimages were easily scattered into nothing by his attacks.

But what was the point if he could not land a hit on Zhao Yunlong? It was the same for the Swordbearer, but as a Vessel Augmentor he could afford to drag out the fight. For a time, the duo traded "useless" blows with each other seemingly without end. It was a battle between the tiger and the dragon!

"Take this!"

The stalemate continued for a moment when suddenly, Hu Nu let out a mighty roar and manifested what looked like a crouching tiger behind him. It was both massive and full of bloodthirst. He threw another punch, but it was far more powerful than any one of the punches he had thrown before. Both the red cape and the palm afterimages were blown away in an instant.

Zhao Yunlong let out a pained grunt as he reappeared into view. The blood drained away from his face as he pulled away from Hu Nu. Despite the disparity between their cultivation level, Hu Nu was the one who had come out on top!

After he had successfully beaten back Zhao Yunlong, Hu Nu turned toward Ye Qing and glared at him like he would shoot flames from his eyes. He roared, "I'll kill you!"

Hu Nu dropped on all fours and pounced toward Ye Qing. The ferocious tiger behind his back grew more and more solid until it finally merged with Hu Nu into one. His fingers bent slightly like claws, he fell down on Ye Qing like a real tiger.

It was said that the clouds obeyed a dragon, and the wind a tiger. It would seem that it wasn't just a saying. A gale was blowing out of Hu Nu's body, and it was so strong that it broke all the tables and chairs in the main hall into pieces. More importantly, it was pushing away the others and keeping them from being able to assist Ye Qing.

"Watch out!" Someone cried out in warning.

Out of everyone present, Ye Qing was the only one who was completely unperturbed by Hu Nu's surprise attack. He waved his sleeve casually like he was batting away a fly, and like an actual fly Hu Nu was sent flying until he crashed into the ground so hard that he formed a small pit.

Just like that, the threat was neutralized. It was impossible to tell if the guy was still alive.

"Holy…"

Ling Jianqiu was the only person in the hall who wasn't surprised by this outcome. Hu Nu had managed to push back even Zhao Yunlong, a Vessel Augmentor, and yet Ye Qing had knocked him out with a wave of the hand! Was Hu Nu that weak, or was Ye Qing too strong? Clearly, it was the latter. What a monster!

Shi Chong was still recovering from his injury, but he was so excited that he blurted out between his coughs, "Cough! Cough! Well done, Joyless! You've exposed Hu Nu's true face and captured the true culprit behind the attack on Anyang. Your service to Anyang and the Pacification Bureau will never be forgotten!"

"Yeah. If not for you, heavens only know how much longer he would have worked against us from within!" Zhao Yunlong rebuttoned his cape and thanked Ye Qing from the bottom of his heart as well.

Yun Yan, who had been silent as a mouse since Ye Qing began expounding his suspicion of Hu Nu, also broke into a smile and said, "To think that Hu Nu would be Evergreen Ivy. Thank goodness you're here, Joyless, or it is only a matter of time before Anyang encounters another great disaster. If that happens, we, the Pacification Bureau, would be responsible for it."

"On behalf of the Pacification Bureau and the people of Anyang, I thank you for your service, Joyless!"

Yun Yan rose to her feet and saluted him respectfully after saying that.

"Thank you for your service, Joyless!"

Everyone else did the same thing as well.

"Hahaha! You're welcome, everyone!" Ye Qing accepted the praise calmly, but a hint of ridicule crossed his lips as he continued, "However, it seems there's a misunderstanding here. Did you guys actually think that Evergreen Ivy is Hu Nu?"

"What!? Hu Nu isn't Evergreen Ivy? But didn't you say—" Stunned, Zhao Yunlong tried to say something only to be interrupted by Ye Qing.

"Please recall what I really said earlier. Have I ever said that Hu Nu is Evergreen Ivy? Yes, I presented evidence that proves that Hu Nu is working for Evergreen Ivy, but does it really prove that Hu Nu is Evergreen Ivy? It does not, and the reason is very simple. It's because Hu Nu isn't Evergreen Ivy!"

"Are you sure?" Ling Jianqiu narrowed his eyes a bit when suddenly, he flinched as if he realized something. His expression turned dark as he asked, "Who is the real Evergreen Ivy then?"

Ye Qing smiled, but it didn't reach the eyes. "Evergreen Ivy. It's not a conventional name, but it's easy to tell that it's a feminine one. Also, Evergreen Ivy tried to hide her identity behind a cloak, but I could tell she's small and delicate when I fought against her. She's nothing like Hu Nu."

He had been referring to Evergreen ivy as "they" and "them" this whole time, but now he was calling her by female pronouns. Combined with the obvious hints, every single person in the room subconsciously looked at the one and only woman in the main hall, Yun Yan!

Yun Yan smiled calmly and gently. "Surely you're not suspecting me, Joyless?"

Ling Jianqiu's gaze was icy as well. "Joyless, I would ask you to choose your words carefully. As you know, most Strangers possess the ability to assume whatever shape they like. They could be male, female, young or old. If this is your basis for accusing Yun Yan, then I am sorry to say that I am disappointed in you."

He had adopted Yun Yan since she was a child, and she had been a kind and understanding soul for as long as he knew her. He loved her like his own daughter, and he would not allow anyone to slander her without good reason.

Even Shi Chong was shaking his head in disbelief. "Yeah, you must be mistaken, Ye Qing. Yun Yan has been sick and frail since she was a kid. She could barely carry something that's heavier than a chair, much less fight and kill humans. There's no way she is Evergreen Ivy!"

His sentiment was shared by most people in the main hall. Although Yun Yan was a sick and frail woman, she was wise, intelligent, and a warm soul. She was the one responsible for taking care of their miscellaneous affairs and ensuring that even dumb brutes like that would be well cared for. There wasn't a single person in the Pacification Bureau who didn't respect her from the bottom of their hearts.

"Hahaha! Calm down, people! You will understand why I'm saying this after I've clarified myself!" Ye Qing shrugged. "First, I had fought against Evergreen Ivy not long ago, and I can confirm that she is a Hatred-class Stranger. Hu Nu is pretty strong after he awakens his Stranger blood, but he's at best on the same level as a Vessel Augmentor or a Malice-class Stranger. He is nowhere as strong as Evergreen Ivy is."

"Second, Hu Nu was one of many who fought in the frontlines the whole time when the Strangers invaded. I'm pretty sure that there are many people in this room who can testify to this. There is no way he could've slipped away and conducted the ritual to summon the Nether Lord, so he cannot be Evergreen Ivy. Am I right?"

No one said a word because it was the truth.

Ye Qing clapped and brought everyone's attention back to him. "As I've established earlier, Evergreen Ivy must be a member of the Pacification Bureau. She must also be able to slip away during the day of the invasion to carry out the ritual. With that in mind, who was the one person who wasn't on the battlefield that day?"

"Also, the timing to conduct the ritual is very important. If it was held too soon, then the Pacification Bureau would have a shot at stopping it before it could be completed. It was the same thing if it was held too late. This means that Evergreen Ivy must be privy to the Pacification Bureau's movement. She might not know what they were planning exactly, but it couldn't have been difficult to guess considering that she was the mastermind."

"With that in mind, it would be reasonable to say that only a handful of people would fit into this criteria, am I right?"

Again the crowd was silent and thoughtful. The Pacification Bureau had mobilized literally everyone who could fight the night the Strangers invaded Anyang. The only ones who were left behind were the old, the sick, the crippled and the servants. Out of all those people, the only one who knew that they had a covert operation that night was…

"But of course, this is just speculation; something to keep in mind while I bring up another matter!" Ye Qing chuckled. "Most of you wouldn't know this, but I was attacked by Evergreen Ivy a few days ago while I was out of the county and carrying out a mission for Chief Ling. I was lucky to have survived the ambush."

"But before I left the county, I specifically ordered my men to keep a close eye on the Pacification Bureau. It's not difficult considering that every single one of you had remained in the county to flush out and kill the remnants of that invasion. In other words, anyone who left the county or was absent for whatever reason during my absence was most likely Evergreen Ivy."

"Thanks to this, I found out that exactly one person had taken a few days off because she was 'unwell' while I was gone. What a coincidence, am I right?"

"One more thing. My mission was a covert mission that only Chief Ling and I should know. However, Evergreen Ivy somehow found out about it and was able to set up a well-planned ambush that almost killed me. Chief Ling could corroborate with me on this, but let's just say that there was no way she could've done what she did if she hadn't known about my mission beforehand."

"Chief Ling is a cautious man. He would never leak a secret intentionally. As for me, why on earth would I leak my own activities, especially since I know that Evergreen Ivy was out for my blood? So, how did she find out about it?"

"I had thought long and hard over this, and in the end, I can only think of one possibility. Chief Ling must have brought up my mission by accident while he was chatting with someone; a close family member who could get him to lower his guard even for someone as cautious as him. She might even have prodded him about it since she knew he wouldn't suspect a thing."

"So, who do you think this person is, Chief Ling?"

Ling Jianqiu's face darkened like never before as everyone turned to look at him. The Chief of Bureau was silent for a few seconds before he slowly turned to Yun Yan and asked, "Is it really you, Yun Yan?"

Ye Qing's speculation was spot on, though it didn't exactly turn out the way he thought it did. Ling Jianqiu was having dinner with Yun Yan when he talked about the mass disappearance happening at Jade Spring Village. He was wondering who he could send that wouldn't be fodder for whatever Stranger was wreaking havoc at that place, and it was none other than Yun Yan who recommended that he sent Ye Qing!

So yes, Yun Yan did know that Ye Qing was leaving to investigate the mass disappearance at Jade Spring Village. More accurately, she was the one who had arranged everything! He was just a pawn in her scheme from the start until the end!

"Do you suspect me as well, foster father?" Yun Yan's eyes watered.

"I…" Ling Jianqiu hesitated. If she was anyone else, he would not have fallen for such a simple trick. But Yun Yan was the daughter he had adopted and raised since she was young. How could she possibly be Evergreen Ivy?

Not only that, Yun Yan was weak and prone to illness from a young age, so much so that she couldn't even practice martial arts. No matter how he tried, he just could not imagine her as the cruel, devious Evergreen Ivy!

And yet, he could not deny the truth behind Ye Qing's words…

"Just give me an answer! Yes, or no?" Ling Jianqiu furrowed his brow until it was as wrinkled as the veins of a mountain. He looked like he was carrying a mountain in his chest as well.

Even Zhao Yunlong, a man who was normally as ice-veined as Ling Jianqiu was, couldn't help but ask, "Are you sure you're not mistaken, Ye Qing?"

For the first time, the young man dropped his smile and sighed. "I don't want it to be Sister Yun either. Alas, it was not meant to be!"

When he figured out the truth, he finally understood how Yun Yan, a mere mortal, had survived the knocking of the Soul Eater. He had thought it was because Ling Jianqiu had given her a talisman or something that shielded her from harm, but now he realized it was because she was hiding her strength. It was also why Yun Yan had not been teleported into the Mountain of Riddles during their last adventure together. It was because the Mountain of Riddles did not accept Strangers and idiots into its belly, and Yun Yan was anything but an idiot.

When you have eliminated the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth. Yun Yan might have been a human at the beginning, but she had ceased being human at some point in her life. Now, only the Stranger was left.

However, Yun Yan had built up so much reputation in the Pacification Bureau that even now, when all evidence pointed toward her being Evergreen Ivy, there were still many people who doubted his words. So, Ye Qing broke into a grin and said, "There is one simple way to check if Sister Yun is Evergreen Ivy."

"What is it?" Everyone turned to look at him.