Stranger Danger
Chapter 1307: Three-Day Nightmare Spell

Chapter 1307: Three-Day Nightmare Spell

“If I’m not mistaken... You’re Westwind’s Boss, aren’t you?”

Ye Qing asked after a moment of thought.

“Oh? Why do you think I’m the Boss of Westwind?” The meager-looking man neither denied nor acknowledged the accusation.

“I’m aware of only two Sages who would go so far to corner me and kill me, the consequences be damned. One of them is Ghost Taisui, and the other one is Westwind’s Boss.”

Ye Qing said coldly, “Ghost Taisui is busy saving his own life right now. He might even be dead already. Therefore, it can only be Westwind’s Boss!”

Clap! Clap! Clap!

“A simple yet accurate deduction,” The meager-looking man complimented Ye Qing while clapping. “Congratulations. You are completely right.”

“I am the Boss of Westwind, and I have come to kill you.”

“So? Are you scared?”

Before Ye Qing could answer, the meager-looking man a.k.a Westwind’s Boss answered his own question, “Oh, I forgot that you can’t feel scared anymore. Right now, only terror remains in your heart.”

“You’re a goddamn Sage. You don’t need to use such a despicable and shameless method to kill little old me. Why?” Ye Qing asked.

“Because it would be too easy a death, of course.”

Westwind’s Boss answered warmly and gently, “You killed so many of mine and utterly ruined my reputation. Don’t you think that it’s only right that you pay the price?”

“Death is the easiest thing in the world. To kill you simply would be to do you a favor.”

“That is why I simply must make you have a taste of the most terrible and frightening thing in this world. Say, do you know what the most terrible and frightening thing in this world is, Mad Lord?”

Once again, Westwind’s Boss answered his own question, “The answer is death, of course, but not the outcome. It is the process.”

“That feeling that you are slowly stepping toward death, toward the abyss, is the most terrible. That feeling that your life belongs to you, and yet it is completely out of your control is the most frightening.”

“To that end, I cursed you with the Three-Day Nightmare Spell.”

“Three-Day Nightmare Spell?” Ye Qing raised a puzzled eyebrow.

“Oh, you probably haven’t heard of the Three-Day Nightmare Spell. No one does. After all, anyone who knows about it is already dead.”

Westwind’s Boss chuckled. The man looked friendly and mild-tempered when he wasn’t smiling, but when he was, he looked like a viper who bared its fangs, vicious and cold.

“The Three-Day Nightmare Spell originated from a clan called Ghost Territory. It requires a drop of blood, a strand of hair, and wisp of qi belong to the victim to cast. The blood forms the base, the hair becomes the source, and the qi becomes the catalyst to create a ghost incense stick used to worship the Ghost Territory Spirit.

“The Ghost Territory Spirit would manifest before the victim via all sorts of unimaginable methods for three days. It would slowly absorb the victim’s fortune and intercept their fate so that death and tribulation will gradually descend upon them.”

“For three days, the victim would experience the pain of having their fortune slowly consumed by an unknown entity, feel the fear of encroaching death, and suffer from the despair of sliding into the abyss against their will. It is an exquisite kind of torture that few people could imagine, much less endure.”

“So? How did it feel, Mad Lord?”

“It feels... feels...”

Ye Qing suddenly broke into a wide grin and said, “It feels pretty good.”

Westwind’s Boss looked a little taken aback. It was because he did not see the anger, resentment, pain, fear, or despair he thought he would find on Ye Qing’s face. It wasn’t a forced smile, a hateful snarl masquerading as a smile, or a helpless smile born from utter despair either. It was a true smile that was light, warm, and soothing.

So bright was the smile that even the cold, murderous air around them lessened a little.

“It feels good? How so?” Westwind’s Boss suddenly felt uneasy, though he couldn’t say why.

“Everything.” Ye Qing answered honestly; the anger, savagery and fear on his face from before completely gone like a dream. “This Three-Day Nightmare Spell is pretty impressive. This feeling of fear, death and despair isn’t half bad. Your explanation is pretty clear and concise as well.”

“But of course, what satisfies me the most is my own acting skill. What do you think, senior?”

“Acting? You mean... it was all an act?”

It looked like a storm was brewing behind the calm, bottomless depths of the Boss’ eyes. “Did you do it all to draw me out?”

“Of course!”

Ye Qing admitted honestly, “Had I not pretended that I’m close to losing it completely, Had I not pretended that I’m in the throes of fear and despair, how can I possibly bait someone as careful and calculative as you to show yourself?”

“So, you knew I would come to kill you?” Westwind’s Boss continued.

“Duh!”

Ye Qing smirked. “You are a vengeful, petty-minded man, senior, and I had killed your men, destroyed your bases, and turned you into a rat everyone wants a piece of. Why would you ever let me go without consequences?”

“At first, I thought you would attack me right after senior Xiahou and the other Sages had left. To bait you out, I purposely waited at East Radiance Mountain for over two hours. Unfortunately, you were more careful than I gave you credit for. You never did show yourself.”

“After I left East Radiance Mountain, I thought for sure that you would finally make a move on me. However, I once again underestimated your level of cowardice—excuse me, I mean caution. Instead of showing yourself and crushing me like an ant, you instead cast that Three-Day Nightmare Spell to torture me.”

“Since you went so far to entertain me, I simply cannot not return the favor. So, I put on an act for you and played with you for three days.”

“So? What did you think? My acting’s pretty good, isn’t it?”

“It is good. It’s been a long time since I’ve been tricked like this, much less by an ant like you. I must admit that you are as strong as you are smart, Mad Lord.”

The Boss’ tone abruptly changed. “But so what if you tricked me? It’s not like you can kill me, can you?”

“Why not?” Ye Qing countered. “Of course, I don’t have the strength to kill you. But someone else does!”

“Someone else?”

The Boss’ smile grew even more disdainful. “Who did you ask for help from? Is it Xiahou Zun, Wan Lingxiao, or Long-browed Divine Monk? I forgot to mention this, but I purposely made some trouble for them earlier just in case they got nosey. They’re busy catching Ghost Taisui right now.”

“If you’re counting on them to bail you out, you can think again!”

However, Ye Qing once again defied his expectations. “Oh, senior. Considering how timid—I mean cautious you are, I am sure you would worry if I might try to pull the same trick I pulled against Ghost Taisui on you. I also knew that you would send someone to keep a close eye on senior Xiahou. If they so much as twitch the wrong way, I am sure you would grow suspicious and hide like the rat you are once more.”

“I knew it wouldn’t be easy to get you again if I missed this golden opportunity. I also know that my life until another opportunity lands in my lap would be miserable.”

“You see, I’m terribly afraid of trouble, much less a petty Sage who’s keeping me in his tiny head all the time. That is why I wasn’t going to let this opportunity slip through my fingers no matter what.”

“With all that said, do you really think I would be stupid enough to ask senior Xiahou for help again?”