Chapter 53: Chapter 53: Backstab
"Alright."
Since Ji Yuan spoke up, Qiu Qianhai didn’t bother with pointless arguments, saying things like Xiong Youfu was trustworthy.
"What should we do now? Run or fight? I’ll follow your lead."
Ji Yuan instinctively thought of saying "fight," but as the words reached his lips, he suddenly stopped.
Life is precious; one must not be careless.
For things like talisman painting or alchemy, he could make countless mistakes, but in matters of life and death, he could only afford to err once at most.
So, he finally said, "Run!"
Running when possible, and fighting only when necessary, was Ji Yuan’s guiding principle.
"Alright."
"If we run, do you have a place to go?" Ji Yuan asked.
"Yes," Qiu Qianhai nodded, "Go to Black Water Square. Of all the markets in Cloud Rain Marsh, Black Water Square is the most chaotic, much like this Clear Wave Pond, filled with a mix of people. I’ve been hiding there before."
That sounds feasible, so Ji Yuan prepared to change direction and head towards Black Water Square.
He planned to first escort Qiu Qianhai there, and once everything was settled, he would return to Zengtou City himself.
"Laoqian, Laoqian!"
Suddenly, shouts came from the other side of the island, followed by a cyan Dharma Ship speeding across the water, with a tall, burly man standing on it.
Seeing him, Qiu Qianhai immediately stood up.
"Old Bear, why are you here?!"
The visitor was none other than Qiu Qianhai’s friend who had shared life-and-death experiences with him, Xiong Youfu.
Xiong Youfu first glanced at Ji Yuan, his eyes instinctively flustered, but quickly refocused on Qiu Qianhai.
"I heard something was happening at the Qin Family, like someone had arrived, so I came to check on you."
"It’s good you’re alright. Come on, let’s get back quickly, don’t wander out here." Xiong Youfu urged.
If it weren’t for Ji Yuan’s recent hint and suspicion, Qiu Qianhai would surely not think much of it now.
But unfortunately, he overthought it now. He looked at Xiong Youfu in front of him and said solemnly, "I’m not going back to that place."
"Not going back? Then where else is safer around here?"
The moment Qiu Qianhai said he wasn’t going back, Xiong Youfu became anxious.
Qiu Qianhai didn’t respond, but Ji Yuan had already been preparing to draw his Flying Sword from the Storage Bag... The person in front of him was only at the fifth layer of Qi Cultivation Stage, not a big challenge, but one must not be careless.
"No, where exactly are you going?!"
Xiong Youfu seemed very worried about Qiu Qianhai’s safety.
"Old Bear..." Qiu Qianhai’s voice was somewhat low, his expression even more bitter, "Are you also going to stab me in the back?"
"No, what do you mean by that?!"
Xiong Youfu’s eyes showed some panic.
"The time at Black Water Square dock, I surely saved you, didn’t I? But now you’re betraying me..." Qiu Qianhai said, shaking his head.
"Laoqian, I... he..."
Xiong Youfu’s lips trembled, and finally biting his teeth, he admitted harshly, "I got blinded by greed; it’s Qin Family’s fault for offering so much!"
As soon as he finished speaking, Qiu Qianhai threw out two Curved Sabers.
The Curved Sabers swept in a crescent moon shape, surrounding Xiong Youfu from left and right.
At the same time, Qiu Qianhai shouted, "Together!"
This was obviously directed at Ji Yuan, as he worried that he might not be able to take down Xiong Youfu quickly, causing more trouble.
So calling Ji Yuan to join the fray was the best solution.
Why challenge him alone when you can gang up?
As he acted, so did Ji Yuan. The Flying Sword he had been readying shot forward at once, while his right hand pointed several times in the air.
With every point, a faint blue Spiritual Light shot out.
The Spiritual Light flew straight towards Xiong Youfu’s limbs and forehead.
Ji Yuan’s left hand hidden in his sleeve flicked his fingers, sending out three hair-like beams called "Piercing Stone" towards Xiong Youfu’s chest.
In an instant, nearly ten attacks were aimed at Xiong Youfu.
Even with the combined use of talismans and magical artifacts, he couldn’t withstand the power of teamwork.
Just Ji Yuan’s Flying Sword alone knocked aside his Bright Mirror-like Protective Magical Artifact, and Qiu Qianhai’s Crescent Moon Saber slashed through, instantly cutting off his head.
As the head flew off, Qiu Qianhai’s expression remained unchanged.
"A life owed, now repaid."
"Hmm, quickly collect the items..."
Before Ji Yuan could finish speaking, something burst out from Xiong Youfu’s chest, shooting straight towards the sky.
"Not good!"
Ji Yuan’s Flying Sword followed closely, but it was still a bit too slow.
"Boom—"
A splendid silver flower bloomed in the sky. Ji Yuan’s expression changed, and Qiu Qianhai quickly explained, "This is a little gadget from an artifact refiner over at Black Water Square, called the ’Death Smoke Firework.’ Once its original owner dies, it will set off on its own."
"This is signaling the Qin Family; let’s go!"
As they spoke, they didn’t stop moving either.
Qiu Qianhai disposed of the body, while Ji Yuan gathered the valuables. In the span of a breath, the Black Wind Boat entered the water, and the two disappeared from the spot.
Even their aura was hidden by the lake water, leaving no trace.
After entering the water, Qiu Qianhai pointed in a direction, signaling Ji Yuan to head for Black Water Square.
But Ji Yuan glanced over and shook his head, instead turning the boat around to head in another direction.
The two kept circling around the lakebed.
Yet no matter how they circled, Ji Yuan always stayed close to the Clear Wave Pond without straying, until half a day later when the effect of the Water-Resistant Talisman wore off, they surfaced from the lake bottom and hid on an uninhabited small island.
"Not going to Black Water Square?" Once out of the water, Qiu Qianhai hurriedly asked.
"No."
"Our first thought after killing is to head to Black Water Square, and the Qin Family people will likely think the same, so it’s better to do the opposite and hide in this Clear Wave Pond... They likely won’t imagine we’d be so bold."
As Ji Yuan spoke, he had already taken out his usual disguise gear from the Storage Bag.
Qiu Qianhai slowly nodded, "But what if they anticipate us hiding in this Clear Wave Pond?"
Ji Yuan took out some Pill Furnace Ash and applied it evenly on his face.
"Since we’ll be discovered either way, is there a difference between being found at Clear Wave Pond or at Black Water Square?"
"Just fight for our lives."
"True," Qiu Qianhai nodded, "Fighting for my life, that’s what I’m best at."
Then the two began to disguise themselves.
Disguises, for those at the Qi Cultivation Stage without Divine Sense, are quite effective, but if faced with a Foundation Establishment Cultivator, they would be useless.
"Why did you think of coming to Clear Wave Pond?" Ji Yuan asked.
"Mining, you know this Cold Iron Sand, it’s incredibly expensive, mining here is much more profitable than fishing, it’s just that this place is dangerous, ordinary people don’t dare come." Qiu Qianhai fixed coarse black hair on his chin and temples.
It matched what Ji Yuan thought, he nodded, then asked, "Then, why did you come to Zengtou City to find me? You ended up being noticed by others."
Qiu Qianhai’s hand paused slightly, but he quickly masked it.
"No, I just haven’t been back for a long time, thought I’d come and see you."
Qiu Qianhai quickly continued his work, muttering to himself. "Limping Li said he’d agree."
"Ha, now he says that nonsense, too late." Qiu Qianhai chuckled coldly, seemingly unsurprised by his response.
"Is he the uncle of yours?"
"Yes, my big uncle."
Qiu Qianhai took a long sigh after replying.
"My parents and my second uncle’s whole family were killed by the Qin Family. I saved him once at Black Water Square crossing, but he didn’t even agree..."
At this point, Qiu Qianhai shook off the dust from his clothes, speaking nonchalantly.
"That Qin family’s young master... he has a thing for men..."
"He took a liking to you?"
"So I found him, ready to take my revenge on the Qin Family myself."