When One Must Kill

Ji Yuan's right hand, which had been lightly tapping his knee, suddenly stopped. His gaze shifted to Qiu Qianhai.

The latter nodded.

"He's already lying in ambush on Crouching Tortoise Island. He asked me to lure you over."

Ji Yuan did not rush to speak. Instead, he silently pondered... Lousy Liu wanted to kill me, but I had no grievance or enmity with him. I didn't even know him.

If so, then it was most likely what Huang Laotou had spoken of.

He killed my parents, and now he wants to kill me too...

"Then why are you telling me this? Wouldn't it be better to simply join forces with him?" Ji Yuan asked with a smile.

Qiu Qianhai shook his head and said naturally, "I have very few friends. You're my only one."

"In Zengtou City, I can kill anyone—but not you."

"Since Lousy Liu wants to kill you, we might as well kill him."

A faint warmth rose in Ji Yuan's heart. Zengtou City was wicked, but there were still people patching up the seams of human hearts.

"If I remember correctly, Lousy Liu is already at the Fifth Layer of Qi Refinement, right?" Ji Yuan asked.

"Yes, but he was injured over at Maple Leaf Island. And I'm at the Fourth Layer of Qi Refining now too. What about you?"

After saying that, Qiu Qianhai gave Ji Yuan a serious look, then finally showed a trace of emotion. "You've actually reached the Middle Qi Refining Stage too?"

Qiu Qianhai's impression of Ji Yuan still lingered at the Second Layer of Qi Refining.

Yet in merely two short months without much contact, Ji Yuan had actually reached the Fourth Layer of Qi Refining. How could he not be surprised?

"Pure luck, pure luck."

Ji Yuan smiled.

"Then there's even less to worry about. He, Lousy Liu, is an injured Fifth Layer of Qi Refinement cultivator, while we're two uninjured Fourth Layer cultivators. Killing him will be a piece of cake!"

Qiu Qianhai clearly had not killed for the first time. He rose decisively.

Ji Yuan did not get up, instead reaching out to stop him.

"Hm?"

"He has to lure people outside Cloud-Rain Marsh before killing them. If we stay in Zengtou City, he probably doesn't have the guts to strike openly, does he? Besides... you, Qiu Qianhai, would stand on my side. Do you think Lousy Liu wouldn't have thought of that?"

Ji Yuan voiced his thoughts.

"You mean he wants to kill me too?"

That truly had not occurred to Qiu Qianhai.

"A man like Lousy Liu has survived in Zengtou City until now. There's no need to say any more about how cunning he is. If the two of us can think of the fact that he's an injured Fifth Layer of Qi Refinement cultivator, then he himself certainly understands it as well."

"A gentleman does not stand beneath a crumbling wall. Lousy Liu is naturally no gentleman, but he certainly understands that principle. So he's most likely using himself as bait, fishing for the both of us."

Ji Yuan finished in one breath. Qiu Qianhai, now calm, darkened his eyes... It was almost certainly so. How much money could killing Ji Yuan possibly be worth?

His true target had been himself all along.

Otherwise, why had Lousy Liu agreed so readily to every demand he made?

After sitting back down, Qiu Qianhai analyzed, "Lousy Liu definitely doesn't know you've reached the Fourth Layer of Qi Refining. And if he hires someone, an Early Qi Refining cultivator would be useless, while he probably can't hire a Fifth Layer cultivator. In that case, the person he brings will most likely be a Fourth Layer cultivator too. We can still kill them!"

Qiu Qianhai was extremely confident in himself.

Ji Yuan remained silent.

Qiu Qianhai saw through his thoughts. "You want to hide in Zengtou City, thinking Lousy Liu won't dare kill you there."

"No, it's just..."

"There's no 'just.' You just said that a gentleman does not stand beneath a crumbling wall. I'll give you a saying too."

"When a gentleman must kill, he kills!"

Qiu Qianhai abruptly rose. "Since Lousy Liu has set his sights on you, whether he succeeds this time or not, he'll find every possible way to kill you."

"If you're willing to go today, then go. If not, I'll go meet him myself."

Qiu Qianhai, who had always worn his head at his belt, simply did not know what fear was.

Thoughts flashed through Ji Yuan's mind... I'm at the Fourth Layer of Qi Refining too now. I have the Water Arrow Technique and Water Drop Finger for offense, along with a Thunderstrike Talisman. I also have twenty Spirit Stones saved up.

Besides, Qiu Qianhai was indeed right.

Lousy Liu had his eyes on him. If he did not deal with him while he was injured, then once he recovered, Ji Yuan would be the one worrying.

He might not even sleep soundly.

"Fuck!"

Ji Yuan rose with him. "Let me make one more trip to Zengtou City to buy some things, then we'll fuck him up!"

Qiu Qianhai, who had already been preparing to leave, finally turned around with a smile on his face.

"That was vulgar. You should say... 'his mother's.'"

On the road to Zengtou City.

"You've studied before?" Ji Yuan asked curiously.

"My father liked reading old texts. I was influenced by what I saw and heard growing up, so I picked up a little."

"Then how come I haven't seen you acting all that refined? Did you only learn 'his mother's'?"

"Bullshit. I also know 'Mother of his, truly his mother is displeased!' 'Straight mother thief!' 'Dog-fucking bastard!' and more. I know plenty."

Ji Yuan eyed him suspiciously. "Are you sure you didn't take the chance to curse me?"

"How could I? You're my brother in arms." Qiu Qianhai shook his head. "Besides, would I need to wait for a chance to curse you?"

"You dog bastard!"

Ji Yuan punched him. Qiu Qianhai hurriedly clutched his shoulder and sucked in a cold breath. "You brat, have you trained your body?"

"How is that possible?!"

The two laughed and talked, seeming not to feel the slightest pressure over the life-and-death battle ahead.

Ji Yuan went straight to Hundred Treasures Pavilion. Of his twenty Spirit Stones, he spent ten to purchase another Middle-Grade Talisman—the Golden Body Talisman.

He could buy a Thunderstrike Talisman as a trump card, so he did not believe Lousy Liu would lack one. Thus, a life-saving protective talisman became especially precious.

Of the remaining ten Spirit Stones, he spent five on a Hundred-Herb Pill for treating injuries.

Qiu Qianhai recommended a set of killing moves for the final five Spirit Stones.

Water Ball Talismans at one Spirit Stone each, together with a bottle of Itch-Poison Liquid for two Spirit Stones.

Drip the Itch-Poison Liquid onto a Water Ball Talisman before throwing it, and the water ball became a poison ball. That way, even if it failed to injure the opponent, so long as even a little toxic water splashed onto them, it could produce marvelous results.

"You're really filthy."

Ji Yuan sat aboard Qiu Qianhai's Spirit Vessel. Watching the scenery constantly stream backward around them, he finally felt a trace of nervousness.

"First, we'll see who Lousy Liu brought. I know most of the Fourth Layer of Qi Refining cultivators in Zengtou City... I'll leave the weaker one to you."

"Remember, don't go soft. Once you gain the upper hand, beat them to death."

Qiu Qianhai warned him in a low voice.

"Don't worry."

Ji Yuan had never killed anyone, but with life and death hanging in the balance, he still understood that principle.

"Mm."

Qiu Qianhai was not a talkative person. After that warning, he did not speak again. Only after roughly half an hour did the Spirit Vessel beneath them suddenly slow down.

"We're here."

Crouching Tortoise Island lived up to its name, shaped like a tortoise lying prone.

At that moment, Lousy Liu sat cross-legged on the sandy shore of Crouching Tortoise Island. As Qiu Qianhai's Spirit Vessel approached, it did not land.

Lousy Liu slowly opened his eyes, glanced at the figures aboard the Spirit Vessel, and sneered.

"I never thought Zengtou City would actually have such a touching display of brotherly devotion."