Stranger Danger
Chapter 1318: Escape

Chapter 1318: Escape

“No. I found nothing within a five-thousand-kilometer radius.”

Long-browed Divine Monk said seriously.

“Nothing? How can that be?”

Xiahou Zun frowned deeply. “Are you really trying, old monk?”

Long-browed Divine Monk asked indifferently, “Do you want to to give it a go then?”

Xiahou Zun declared shamelessly, “I wouldn’t ask you if I can, would I?”

Long-browed Divine Monk shot him a look. “Either you do it, or you shut up.”

“Fine, fine, I’ll shut up.”

Xiahou Zun rubbed his nose and stopped talking altogether.

Long-browed Divine Monk closed his eyes lightly and resumed sensing the world around them.

A dozen or so breaths later, a figure landed in front of the two of them.

“Did you find anything, Lingxiao?” Xiahou Zun asked excitedly.

Wan Lingxiao’s eyes flashed icily. “No. I searched every nook and cranny within a fifty-kilometer radius and felt nothing.”

Xiahou Zun raged, “If neither you nor the old monk found anything, then where could they be?!”

“Xuanyuan Kun! You call yourself a celestial sovereign when you hide like a rat? Do you even have shame, you piece of dog fart? Ptooey!”

“And you, Ghost Taisui, you don’t even qualify to be a rat, you tick! I can’t believe you would lower yourself to mingle with the likes of Xuanyuan Kun! You dream of longevity, dontcha? You can dream forever then! You’re destined to live a short life, you motherless bitch!”

Amitabha...” Long-browed Divine Monk sighed. “Quit it. I don’t think they’re here anymore.”

“Heh. I know, but what if?” Xiahou Zun messaged him in secret. “What if they’re still here? What if they’re stupid enough to get angry and leak their energies? That would be hook, line and sinker, wouldn’t it?”

“You’re too young, old monk!”

Long-browed Divine Monk’s only response was to rub his spotty white eyebrow in dumbfounded silence.

Xiahou Zun would curse Xuanyuan Kun and Ghost Taisui for an entire teatime. It was loud, sincere, and never repetitive. For a Sage, his swearing skills could give a fishwife a run for her money.

“Can I have some wine, Lingxiao?”

A moment later, Xiahou Zun stopped yelling and looked at Wan Lingxiao.

Wan Lingxiao tossed over her wine jar and asked, “Why did you stop?”

“I’m thirsty.” Xiahou Zun caught the wine jar and took a deep gulp.

Meanwhile, Long-browed Divine Monk remarked from the bottom of his heart, “It is a real shame that you are not a woman, Benefactor Xia.”

“What, you think you can do better?” Xiahou Zun eyed Long-browed Divine Monk out of the corner of his eye.

“Not at all. I am impressed from the bottom of my heart,” Long-browed Divine Monk replied. “Though, it looks like your effort is for naught.”

“What do you mean?” Xiahou Zun wagged his eyebrows. “I feel much better now, don’t I?”

“Agreed. I feel way better just listening to him.” Wan Lingxiao nodded with a straight face.

“Haha! I know you would agree with me.” Xiahou Zun guffawed before looking at Long-browed Divine Monk again. “Say, you wanna give it a go, old monk?”

Long-browed Divine Monk turned him down. “No. A monk is devoid of displeasure or pleasure. Naturally, a monk is devoid of anger or frustration as well.”

Xiahou Zun grumbled. “You’re such a boring guy.”

Long-browed Divine Monk continued, “Anyway, let’s get serious. What should we do now?”

“What else? We go home and cry for mom,” Wan Lingxiao said uncaringly.

“I guess it’s our only option.” Xiahou Zun sighed before growling, “Dammit, I hate this.”

“Perhaps it is their fate to survive today.”

Long-browed Divine Monk said, “That said, both Xuanyuan Kun and Ghost Taisui are on their last legs after our harrying. They should be powerless to do evil for sixty years at least.”

“Of course, I’m not saying that we give up on hunting them. We should issue the Demon Killing Order against Ghost Taisui in the name of Lanke Temple, Ling Xiao City, and Martial Garrison.”

“Very well. We shall do as you say, old monk.” Xiahou Zun and Wan Lingxiao nodded in agreement.

After discussing the details for a bit, the trio took their leave just like that.

One day passed. Two days passed. Three days passed. A month passed.

On a hill fifty kilometers away, Xiahou Zun, Wan Lingxiao and Long-browed Divine Monk slowly appeared into view.

“Amitabha, it looks like Xuanyuan Kun and Ghost Taisui really have escaped,” Long-browed Divine Monk said.

“Sigh. I guess it was a pointless wait after all.”

Xiahou Zun sighed. “My legs are numb after sitting without moving for a whole month. It’s time to go.”

Despite acting like they had left a month ago, they hadn’t actually done so. Suspecting that Xuanyuan Kun and Ghost Taisui were still around, they pretended to leave and hid themselves in hopes of baiting out the duo. Alas, it looked like they had overthought this.

“I’m leaving too. I ran out of wine.” Wan Lingxiao saluted the two Sages. “Until another day, Brother Xiahou, Divine Monk!”

“Goodbye!”

“See you later!”

Xiahou Zun and Long-browed Divine Monk nodded to each other before taking their leave as well.

Two weeks after Xiahou Zun, Wan Lingxiao, and Long-browed Divine Monk were gone, Ghost Taisui slowly showed himself at a river not far away from the hill the three Sages had been hiding at.

The youth and jubilance Ghost Taisui had shown off earlier at East Radiance Mountain were nowhere to be found though. His face looked haggard and old, and his hair was completely gray. He gave off such a thick stench of rot and death that one could easily mistake him for dead if not for the fact that he was still standing. He looked way older than even before he was rejuvenated by Xuanyuan Kun.

“Your Magia is truly profound, celestial sovereign!”

Ghost Taisui walked to the shore and said in a weak, raspy voice, “I would be dead for sure if it wasn’t for you.”

“Hmph! You truly are worthless. I thought you said that your plan is airtight? If it is, then why are we in this situation right now?”

Xuanyuan Kun’s voice rang inside Ghost Taisui’s head.

“Forgive me, celestial sovereign. I—ARGH!”

Before he could say anything, Ghost Taisui suddenly let out a bloodcurdling scream, clutched his head, and rolled back and forth on the ground.

His bloodcurdling screams lasted an entire incense stick before it slowly subsided. By then, the Sage was completely covered in mud and lying motionless on the ground like he was dead.

A moment later, Ghost Taisui’s lips twitched slightly, and a terribly weakened voice croaked, “Thank... Thank you for showing mercy, celestial sovereign.”

“You would already be dead if you aren’t loyal to me,” Xuanyuan Kun said coldly.

It was true that he wanted to rip Ghost Taisui into a million pieces. After all, the Sage had nearly cost him his life, much less catching Ye Qing. How could he not hate? How could he not resent?

Of course, Xuanyuan Kun was aware that the blame did not fall on him alone. As the one who allowed everything to play out without argument, he bore a huge portion of the responsibility as well.

However, he was a celestial; the Kunlun Celestial Sovereign. The Kunlun Celestial Sovereign was never wrong, so the blame could only fall on Ghost Taisui and Ghost Taisui only.

That said, he was currently attached to Ghost Taisui. His glory or death hinged on the old Sage completely, not to mention that Ghost Taisui was the only one he could rely on to capture Ye Qing. Therefore, he could punish the old Sage, but he could not kill him for real.

“Thank you, Celestial Sovereign. This junior swears to learn from my mistake,” Ghost Taisui hurriedly apologized.

“I don’t care what kind of method you use. You must capture Ye Qing for me!” Xuanyuan Kun said harshly.

“Do not worry, Celestial Sovereign. The reason my plan failed this time is because I underestimated Ye Qing. I swear I won’t make the same mistake again. Next time, I will capture him and make him wish he was dead.”

Ghost Taisui uttered through gritted teeth, “There is also Xiahou Zun, Wan Lingxiao and Long-browed Divine Monk. I shan’t forget all the injuries and humiliation I suffered in their hands. I swear I will pay them back for this a hundred fold.”