Chapter 1316: Threatening A Sage

“Was I right after all?”

Papersmith had just finished crafting a paper doll when suddenly, he turned toward the entrance as if sensing something.

As if on cue, the sound of knocking came from the door.

“Come in. It’s not locked,” Papersmith answered.

There was a soft creak, and a person stepped inside.

“It’s you?!”

Papersmith’s pupils contracted into pins, and his hands stopped working before he knew it. It was impossible to say if it was due to shock, astonishment, disbelief, or all of the above.

“It is I. Junior Ye Qing greets senior Papersmith!”

The guest saluted Papersmith with a smile. “You seem very surprised to see me.”

The guest was Ye Qing, of course.

“It’s really you.” Papersmith’s eyes began to glow dangerously. “You dare to show yourself before me?”

Papersmith had many guesses as to who was the danger breathing down his neck. However, not even in his wildest dreams did he think Ye Qing would be the danger.

Naturally, he was quite astonished and angered by this revelation.

To be specific, he was astonished that Ye Qing was able to locate his hideout, and he was angry that a mere Great Grandmaster—oh wait, he was a Half-Sage now—dared to show up in front of him.

Was it for revenge? Or was it a taunt?

Yes, he was grievously injured right now. Yes, he was currently lacking much of what made him a terrifying Sage. Still, how dare a mere Half-Sage show his face in front of him?

In response, Ye Qing asked, “Why wouldn’t I?”

“Because I can kill you right now?” Papersmith asked in an icy tone at the same time his terrible energies washed out of him. “Or do you think I can’t kill you just because I’m injured right now?”

“I am, in fact, not worried that you might kill me.”

Ye Qing remained unperturbed. “For one, you wouldn’t dare. And two, you can’t kill me even if you try.”

“Haha! Hahahaha!”

Papersmith let out a sharp, scornful, derisive laugh. At the same time, a dozen or so paper dolls stepped out and surrounded Ye Qing from every direction.

Every single one of them was on par with a Great Trueman.

“What makes you think I wouldn’t dare to kill you? And what makes you think I can’t kill you?”

“How about this?” Ye Qing smiled and snapped his fingers once. The next moment, numerous powerful auras revealed themselves outside the courtyard.

“It’s not enough.” Papersmith’s spiritual senses told him that at least eight Great Truemen or Great Grandmasters were surrounding his courtyard.

They didn’t matter though. Ants were ants no matter how many there were.

“Is that so?”

Ye Qing rubbed his nose and wagged a finger. Then, a man stepped in through the door.

The second the man appeared, Papersmith felt as if every hair on his body was standing on end. He felt like a wolf that suddenly came face to face with a tiger.

There was no doubt about it. The newcomer was also a Sage.

Something was curious though. The Sage was injured just like him.

“Do you think I can do it now?” Ye Qing asked. “Oh, I forgot you don’t know who he is. Allow me to make the introductions. This is the Boss of Westwind Inn.”

“The Boss of Westwind Inn?!” For the first time, Papersmith finally lost his composure and exclaimed in disbelief, “Why are you together? I thought you were hostile toward each other?”

“We were. He tried really hard to kill me. In the end though, we captured him.”

Ye Qing was talking evenly, but his words might as well be thunderclaps to Papersmith’s ears. “Now, he is my captive.”

“Captive? You captured the Boss of Westwind?!”

To say Papersmith was stunned would be an understatement. At the same time, he realized that the Sage’s eyes were blank and unfocused like a puppet. It proved that Ye Qing was telling the truth.

“Forgive me for correcting you, but strictly speaking, he is not the Boss of Westwind. He is the Boss of Westwind

Inn

.”

Ye Qing explained, “It turned out that Westwind had two Bosses. One of them managed Westwind Restaurant, and the other Westwind Inn, which is this guy. Most people thought he was the Boss of Westwind.”

“Both of Westwind’s Bosses were Sages. Unfortunately, we accidentally killed the Boss of Westwind Restaurant. He did not leave behind a body either. Otherwise, I would be more than happy to show you the mythical, true face behind Westwind.”

“This... this is just impossible!” Papersmith abruptly shot to his feet. He was so agitated that he accidentally knocked over the table in front of him.

Ye Qing replied casually, “Senior, look around you. Do I really need to lie to you at this point?”

“... Yeah, you don’t.”

Papersmith admitted. Even if everything Ye Qing told him was a lie, the Sage before his eyes was absolutely real.

If his opponent was only Ye Qing and his goons, then he could lie to himself and say they couldn’t pose a threat against him. But a Sage? Even an injured Sage? There was just no way he could win no matter what.

Therefore, it literally did not matter if Ye Qing was telling him the truth or not.

Ye Qing asked again while looking into Papersmith’s eyes. “So, I ask you again. Do you think it’s enough?”

“It’s enough.” Papersmith nodded after a long silence. “So, are you here to kill me?”

“You misunderstand, senior.” Ye Qing smiled. “I can tell you with certainty that I did not announce myself today with vengeance in mind.”

“Is that so?” Papersmith sneered. “Could’ve fooled me.”

“Anyway, why have you come today? Just get to the point!”

“I see you don’t like beating around the bush, senior. In that case, I shall speak frankly.”

Ye Qing began, “I came here today to ask you to become my guardian. I wish for you to guard me until I have ascended the heavens.”

“I see!” Papersmith exclaimed in realization before taunting, “Guardian? More like a slave!”

“If you must misinterpret my words, then sure,” Ye Qing replied.

Papersmith said derisively, “Do you really think I would accept your proposal?”

Ye Qing mulled over his question seriously before answering, “I think you will.”

Papersmith countered, “And why do you think that?”

Ye Qing smiled. “Because I can literally dictate your life or death with a single thought.”

“Hahahahaha!” Papersmith burst out laughing with unbridled disdain. “And how can you possibly do that? Let’s say I commit suicide right now. What can you possibly do to stop me?”

The corners of Ye Qing’s lips curled. “You jest, senior. You will fail if you try!”

He then pointed a thumb at Westwind Inn’s Boss. “Look at my friend over here. You don’t wish to become a living puppet like him, do you? Lead a life that might as well be death?”

Papersmith’s pupils contracted. For a moment, he didn’t say anything. He seemed to be bouncing back and forth between anger and hesitation.

“You don’t need to feel so disgusted about my proposal, senior. If you agree to my request, I promise to treat you with the respect you deserve. Besides, all I ask is for you to guard me. Beyond that, it is completely up to you whether you want to do anything else.”

Ye Qing continued, “Also, I promise you that the day I become a Sage is the day you are freed.”

“Hah... in other words, I will be your slave forever if you don’t become a Sage.” Papersmith sneered again.

“It’s just the Sage stage.” A confident smile crept onto Ye Qing’s face. “This junior is humble, but he is at least confident that he will become a Sage one day. It won’t be too distant a goal either.”