Stranger Danger

"If you are done with your secluded cultivation, then please show yourself, young friend Ye!"

Old Man Profound Firmament said with a chuckle after neutralizing the threat with one hand.

"I think not. It is clear that the Profound Alliance does not welcome us. I see no reason for us to court a rebuff."

Inside the Arts Tower, Ye Qing's voice called out, "Qingyou, let's go."

"Got it."

Nodding, Feng Qingyou turned around and walked toward the Arts Tower.

"Please wait!" Old Man Profound Firmament hurriedly called out to them, "You first saved Floating Island from destruction and foiled the conspiracy of the Jewel Tree King. You then rescued the Jin husband and wife and exposed the conspiracy of the City of No Return. Now, you have discovered a possible solution to the demonic fire. You have toiled hard in the service of the Profound Alliance and humanity, and you are our benefactors through and through. There is no way we wouldn't welcome such virtuous and meritorious people."

"So, your way of welcoming people like us is to pressure us without giving us any room to breathe, then attack us when we don't play by your rules? Is that it?" Ye Qing said with a hint of scorn, "If that is true, then it is certainly an original spin on reciprocity. So original that we must turn you down on all future dealings."

"You misunderstand, young friend Ye."

Old Man Profound Firmament explained, "Dao Friend Danxia is just so worried for the safety of the people that he succumbed to recklessness. I promise you that he is not a malicious person."

"How about this? I apologize on behalf of Dao Friend Danxia. Please overlook his mistake this once and forgive him."

"I cannot accept an apology from you, senior, especially since you are not the one who has done us wrong. There is no need for you to apologize on behalf of the wrongdoer either," Ye Qing responded.

Jin Manshan and everyone else subconsciously looked in Danxia Zi's direction.

Ye Qing had made his subtext very clear. The wrongdoer was the one who should offer them an apology. They did not need someone else to apologize on behalf of the wrongdoer, nor would they accept such an apology.

"Ahem... Warrior Ye, Miss Feng, it's all just a misunderstanding..."

Jin Manshan coughed thinking that now was the time for him, the island lord, to step up and take responsibility.

He too terribly disliked the way Danxia Zi acted and carried himself, but his displeasure meant nothing as he was just a Half-Sage, and Danxia Zi was a Sage. Besides, this had happened on Gold Island. No matter how much he disliked the Sage, he, the host, should not play deaf or mute at this juncture. If nothing else, he would like to avoid getting in the bad books of a Sage.

However, Jin Manshan suddenly found himself unable to speak again. He looked at Danxia Zi. There was no doubt that it was the Sage's handiwork.

Jin Manshan was terribly aggrieved and puzzled to say the least.Earlier, you stopped me from defending Warrior Ye and Miss Feng. That's fine. I can understand your perspective. But I'm trying to defendyouright now, and you're still muting me? Do you have a fetish for muting people or something?

Jin Manshan was speechless. Both literally and metaphorically.

Danxia Zi said coldly, "If I was wrong, then I can admit that I am wrong. However, I must know if the matter you used to bring us here is true or false."

"If it is true, then what will you do? And vice versa?" Ye Qing asked.

"If it is true, then I will apologize for my earlier behavior and offer you an appropriate compensation."

Danxia Zi said seriously, "But if it is false, then we deserve to hear a proper explanation and justification from you as well."

"As you wish."

As soon as Ye Qing said this, the sea surface began bubbling violently. The next moment, a massive, savage-looking dragon boat rose to the surface.

It was none other than the Ghost Dragon Boat.

The Ghost Dragon Boat had surfaced in a sea region that was being ravaged by demonic fire, but it wasn't harmed in the slightest. No matter how terrible or potent the waves were, they could not impede or threaten the Ghost Dragon Boat even a little.

Of course, Ye Qing had purposely hidden the Ghost Dragon Boat's ability to control demonic fire. Even so, that was enough to stun Old Man Profound Firmament and Danxia Zi. It was more of a pleasant surprise than utter shock though.

"It's true! The Ghost Dragon Boat really is immune to demonic fire!"

"Hahaha... this is wonderful! With the Ghost Dragon Boat, we would surely identify the origin of the demonic fire and overcome this tribulation once and for all!"

"There is hope for us! Hope for the Profound Alliance! Hope for humanity!"

......

Jin Manshan, Ming Yueying, and everyone else were red-faced with excitement. Although they believed Ye Qing fully from the start, they hadn't seen the Ghost Dragon Boat's immunity to the demonic fire with their own eyes. Seeing was believing, which was why their excitement was on a whole nother level compared to before.

"The Ghost Dragon Boat really is unafraid of the demonic fire... haha... hahaha... this is wonderful!"

As the Ghost Dragon Boat sailed unimpeded across the demonic fire, ripples of light slowly washed away the murkiness in Old Man Profound Firmament's eyes, and his wrinkles bunched up together. Laughing loudly, he said, "With this, searching for the source of the demonic fire and dealing with the Sea Burning Demonic Fire will no longer be an impossible task! We will end the great threat to the Profound Alliance, save humanity from destruction, and secure our continued prosperity forever more!"

Old Man Profound Firmament then turned around and bowed in the direction of the Art Tower. "No words can describe, and no deed can repay the favor you have done to the Profound Alliance, and the virtue you have bestowed upon humanity itself, young friends. Please accept my solemn bow!"

"You must not, senior!" It was at this moment a young man appeared in front of Old Man Profound Firmament and caught his elbow.

"I may not be a member of the Profound Alliance, but I am a member of humanity. There is no way I could have ignored such a threat to humanity and the potentially countless deaths of my brethren. It is only natural that I do my best to support my race and help it overcome this danger."

"Therefore, I am simply doing what I'm supposed to do. I do not deserve such a solemn rite from you."

"Haha... you're a virtuous man, young friend. This old one is impressed," Old Man replied while looking at the young man with sparkling eyes.

"The Profound Alliance slumbers in your chest, and humanity your heart. I am no less impressed, senior," Ye Qing replied.

The two men were holding hands and licking each other's boots like they only wished they had met each other soon, but in reality they were using the moment to hide their shock.

Old Man Profound Firmament was shocked by Ye Qing's strength.

He had subconsciously used some of his power when Ye Qing suddenly appeared in front of him and grabbed his elbow. Although he hadn't gone all out, it still wasn't something an ordinary Sage could endure.

But not only did Ye Qing withstand it, he had withstood it with incredible ease. It was clear he hadn't used his full strength.

Ye Qing was not yet a Sage. In fact, his observation told him that he hadn't built his divine bridge yet. In terms of cultivation level, he was inferior to Feng Qingyou. Despite this, he was unbelievably powerful and on par with any Sage.

He had lived for a very long time, but frankly, he had never seen such a warrior as monstrously talented as Ye Qing until now. Seriously, what a monster!

Ye Qing was also shocked by own strength. Like holy-shit-what-happened-to-me kinda shock.

Seriously, it wasn't narcissism this time. He truly was caught off guard by his own strength.

It all began when he started refining that god demon's heart.

Although the god demon's heart was masterless, it contained an obscene amount of energy and was rather anomalous in its own right. Ye Qing was certain that it would take him a fair amount of time to refine it.

But to his surprise, it did not. Maybe it was because he had converted the Ghost Dragon Boat earlier and formed a certain connection with the god demon's heart, the refining process was unbelievably smooth. Way smoother than he initially imagined.

This was a good thing, of course. Ye Qing was delighted by this discovery.

That was why life decided that enough was enough and took him down a peg.