Chapter 1341: Mountain Water Old Man

“I did not think that the famous Mountain Water Old Man would set up a stall at the streets like a stall hawker.”

Ye Qing stood in front of an art stall and said to a decrepit-looking old man, smiling.

Indeed, Old Yan was none other than Mountain Water Old Man, and Mountain Water Old Man was the painter, Old Yan.

“This old man has never met you either, warrior.”

Old Yan, or more accurately Mountain Water Old Man, slowly got to his feet. He still looked thin, small, and old after he rose to full height, but his aura was imposing, powerful, and scary.

Right here and now, he was no longer Old Yan. He was Mountain Water Old Man, master of the Mountain Water Art City.

“I’ve just arrived at Void Stomach City. It’s only natural that you didn’t know me.” Ye Qing saluted him. “I apologize for disturbing your day. I hope you will forgive me for my intrusion.”

Mountain Water Old Man asked warily, “Why have you sought me out, warrior?”

Ye Qing replied, “I have come to ask for your help, senior.”

Mountain Water Old Man asked, “What is it about?”

“The Yin Horse Carriage kidnapped a couple of my friends to Void Stomach City. Therefore, I wish to enlist your help in finding them.”

Ye Qing smiled. “I’m aware that Void Stomach City is vast and dangerous. I’m also aware that the task of finding my friends will not be easy. That is why I’ve enlisted the help of other powerful warriors such as Taoist Tiger and Old Buddha. They have all agreed to help me.”

“I’m not done though. After you, I’ll be visiting Purple Cloud Mountain, Headless Villa, Reverse Market and more and speaking with the likes of Adjoined Blue Grandmother, Headless Mistress, Rakshasa Ghost King. I’m sure they won’t turn me down. With everyone’s help, I’m sure it will be easy to find my friends.”

“What do you think, senior?”

“Do I have the right to turn you down?”

Mountain Water Old Man chuckled bitterly. Indeed, he did not have that right.

Ye Qing did not use the word “murder” even once in his speech, but every sentence he spoke was infused with murder.

He was well aware what kind of monsters Taoist Tiger and Old Buddha were. It would be an understatement to call them monsters who killed without batting an eyelid, and it would not be an exaggeration to call them animals.

In fact, there was no such thing as good people in Void Stomach City. He was no good person himself.

Would bad people like them be so kind as to help out an unfamiliar stranger?

Obviously not.

No, the only things that motivated them were self-interest and a grave threat to their own life.

Self-interest alone could motivate Taoist Tiger and Old Buddha to act, but not stay in line. People like them only feared those who were stronger and more ruthless than them. To negotiate or trade with them without sufficient strength was like committing suicide.

Since they were helping out, that could only mean that they had encountered a power greater than theirs and a grave threat to their own life.

And clearly, that power and threat coercing them were the young man in front of him.

Although he wasn’t sensing any powerful or terrifying aura from Ye Qing right now, that could only be because his strength was unfathomable.

The fact that Ye Qing had slipped into the Mountain Water Art City without a trace and found him effortlessly situationally proved this.

He was the master of Mountain Water Art City. No one could enter unless he expressly allowed them to. It was even more impossible for anyone to infiltrate the city without him knowing or find him out of so many people.

And yet, the young man had done the impossibles. It did not take much wit to realize just how strong he was.

Therefore, he had lost the right to reject from the moment Ye Qing appeared in front of him.

Of course, if he was so fearless that even death could not change his mind, then not even Ye Qing could force him to do something he didn’t want to.

However, he was afraid of death. He wouldn’t be living like a worm inside his painting otherwise.

“Hahaha, I knew you would agree to my request.” Ye Qing smiled. “I knew that you’re a good person from the moment I realized that you are sacrificing your own essence and lifespan to construct this painting of red dust and save others.”

𝐟𝗿𝐞𝚎𝚠𝐞𝚋𝕟𝐨𝚟𝐞𝕝.𝕔𝕠𝚖

This was why he spoke with Mountain Water Old Man cordially and did not use violence as his first resort. It was because he deserved his respect.

“Good person?” Mountain Water Old Man chuckled in self-derision. “I am not a good person. No good person exists in Void Stomach City. I am simply trying to preserve myself.”

“The Mountain Water Art City can only be maintained with the power of red dust and lifeforce. I took in these people because I need their lifeforce and the red dust their actions produce. It is the only way to maintain the Mountain Water Art City for a long time and defend it against Void Stomach City’s erosion.”

“However, my actions drastically reduced their lifespan and kept them from leaving Mountain Water Art City for life. They may still live, but they are really dead already.”

“It may have caveats, but what you gave them, considering the living purgatory around us, is paradise,” Ye Qing said honestly. “Still, it’s only for a little longer. You will be leaving this heaven forsaken place very soon, senior.”

“What do you mean, warrior?” Mountain Water Old Man looked puzzled.

Ye Qing smiled. “It’s simple. I will take you away from this place if you find my friends for me.”

Mountain Water Old Man abruptly shot up to his feet and exclaimed in shock, “Are you for real, warrior?”

Ye Qing smiled. “I am.”

“Haha... hahaha...”

Mountain Water Old Man began laughing. Such was his laughter that the entire Mountain Water Art City began shaking like it was struck by an earthquake. Despite this, the people living in the city carried on with their business as if they could not feel it.

“I will never forget this favor if you truly can take me away from Void Stomach City.”

Mountain Water Old Man saluted Ye Qing.

“Please, you do not need to act like this.”

Ye Qing made a lifting gesture. “I’m already very grateful that you agree to help me. All I ask is that you do your best to find my friends.”

“Of course I will.”

Mountain Water Old Man promised, “Oh right, you mentioned that you’re planning to visit Adjoined Blue Grandmother and Headless Mistress. It so happens that they are old acquaintances of mine. If you agree to take them away from this place as well, then I have a ninety percent chance at convincing them to help you.”

“That sounds perfect. I shall entrust this task to you, senior,” Ye Qing said smilingly.

“Hahaha... It is simply my responsibility.”

Mountain Water Old Man laughed as he made a beckoning gesture. Their surroundings began undulating violently until one corner of the world suddenly popped out, bent, and started curling up like paper. In the end, the entire Mountain Water Art City curled into a roll of paper and landed in Mountain Water Old Man’s hand.

While gripping the painting, Mountain Water Old Man saluted Ye Qing and said, “Time is of the essence, so I’ll take my leave now, warrior.”

“Yeah. I await your good news, senior.” Ye Qing returned the salute.

“I won’t disappoint you.”

......

After he successfully persuaded Mountain Water Old Man to his cause, Ye Qing moved on and met with Rakshasa Ghost King of Reverse Market, Scion Mouse of the Bottomless Hole, Lady Bai of Bamboo Forest, Iron Maitreya of the Maitreya Pagoda and more. He engaged them all in a friendly conversation of the carrot and the stick and successfully convinced most of them to enter a win-win scenario with him.

But of course, his journey wasn’t completely smooth. There were even idiots and bastards who insisted on incurring his wrath.