Chapter 1742: Tooting Each Other’s Horn

“You dare doubt me, old fart?”

The Thousand-headed Demonic Serpent yelled angrily, “You would just this gentleman with your mean heart? Do you think I am you, a despicable, shameless, petty, narrow-minded, vindictive flake who—”

“Ahem hem hem!” The old man hurriedly interrupted the Thousand-headed Demonic Serpent. “My disciple is still here, little serpent! Give me some face!”

“Heh! Face? You want face?”

The Thousand-headed Demonic Serpent scoffed, “You haven’t had one since ages ago! Forget the skin, even the flesh of your face is all gone!”

“In ancient times, who doesn’t know that you are a mean, despicable—mm! Mmmmf!”

Before the Thousand-headed Demonic Serpent could finish, the old man pointed at him and silenced him instantly. The Stranger could not say another word despite its struggles.

The old man then turned around and looked at Ye Qing. “Are you my disciple?”

Ye Qing hurriedly bowed to the old man. “Disciple Ye Qing greets you, master.”

That’s right. The old man before him was none other than the Earthly Sovereign—or more accurately, a wisp of the Earthly Sovereign’s consciousness.

“Good, good. Stand!”

The Earthly Sovereign pulled Ye Qing to his feet and examined him smilingly. “Not bad. Not bad at all. As expected of my disciple!”

Ye Qing replied modestly, “You flatter me, master! I still have a long way to go!”

The Earthly Sovereign stroked his beard with a relieved expression. “No need to be modest. You are quite excellent. You are almost as good as I was when I was younger.”

He did not forget to praise himself even as he praised another. As expected of the Earthly Sovereign.

Ye Qing asked curiously, “Oh right, did you know I would come here, master?”

“Kind of?”

The Earthly Sovereign sighed. “Since you obtained my inheritance, you must have inherited my will and responsibility to slay the Four Evils as well.”

“Back when I sealed away the Four Evils, I lacked the strength to annihilate them once and for all. As a result, all who came after me must bear the consequences of my failure, and you, my successor, are forced to finish what I’ve started. It was my fault and failure.”

“All things considered, how can I do nothing?”

Ye Qing consoled him, “It is not your fault, master. You only failed because King Taishan had stuck his nose where he didn’t belong.”

Ye Qing proceeded to tell the Earthly Sovereign about King Taishan’s plan.

The Earthly Sovereign looked surprised. “How did you know about this?”

In response, Ye Qing told him how they uncovered King Taishan’s conspiracy and worked together with the Sages of humanity to kill him.

“King Taishan is dead?”

The Earthly Sovereign looked a bit stunned. Then, he let out a loud guffaw of relief and delight. “Hahaha... King Taishan has always been a shrewd one, but to think that his intelligence would backfire on him and kill him because of an illogical choice you made! How amusing! How lamentable! How tragic!”

“Still, you are my successor. I’m sure King Taishan can’t complain that he ultimately perished in your hands. Wonderful. Just wonderful!”

Ye Qing returned the compliment, “It’s only because you taught me well, master. Besides, if you haven’t planned accordingly and grievously injured King Taishan back then, there is no way I could have eliminated him as easily as I had either.”

“Therefore, you are the one who deserves the highest merit, master!”

“Hahaha...” The Earthly Sovereign guffawed. “No, that’s not right. You should say that we master and disciple worked together wonderfully to slay this cur and return a safe and peaceful world to humanity!”

Ye Qing grinned. “Your knowledge and experience exceeds mine, and your grasp of language is better than mine too. This disciple admits his inferiority.”

“You flatter me too much!”

The Earthly Sovereign waved him off but could not stop laughing.

Look at that bastion-width face! That utter shamelessness! No wonder they’re master and disciple!

Finally, Ye Qing recalled what he was actually asking. “Oh right, master. You still haven’t explained how you knew I would come here.”

The Earthly Sovereign answered, “It is just a deduction. I deduced that my successor would one day pass through the Ghastly Abyss of the Lost to travel to Dong Ji.”

“Therefore, I left behind a wisp of consciousness and an item that would be of use to you when you tackle the Four Evils. The Four Evils is the mess I left behind after all. It is only my duty and responsibility to do my best to alleviate your burden. It would not be right or fair to you otherwise!”

“You’re being too harsh on yourself, master. This is something I chose to do; something I should do as a human,” Ye Qing replied.

You may be willing, but I cannot take your acceptance for granted.”

The Earthly Sovereign looked at Ye Qing with both pride and guilt. “It was bad enough I wasn’t able to teach you or protect you while I was alive, but I also left behind a mess for you after I’m dead. This alone disqualifies me as a teacher. Had I chosen to do nothing, then I do not deserve to call myself your master at all.”

“Even so, this is all I can do for you. Ai... frankly, I am a pathetic master to you.”

Ye Qing was touched. “Please don’t act like this, master. I am already infinitely grateful for what you’ve done for me.”

The Earthly Sovereign gave him a pat on the shoulder. “You’re a good child!”

Ye Qing smiled and changed the subject, “Oh right, what is this item you’ve left behind for me, master?”

“Oh, I almost forgot.”

The Earthly Sovereign slapped his head and looked at the Thousand-headed Demonic Serpent. “Little serpent, please retrieve the item I tasked you to guard.”

As he said this, he released the restraint he placed on the Thousand-headed Demonic Serpent with a finger flick.

“You old fart! When I’m useless to you, you discard me like your slippers. Now that you need something, you finally remember that I exist? Screw you!” The Thousand-headed Demonic Serpent crossed its arms and harrumphed.

“Ahem...” The Earthly Sovereign coughed awkwardly. “If you didn’t slander me in front of my good disciple, then I wouldn’t have done what I did, would I?”

“Is that what we call the truth now? Slander?” The Thousand-headed Demonic Serpent sneered. “You’re a couple hundred thousand years old, old fart. How is it that you still haven’t managed to cultivate even a bit of shame?”

“Also—”

“Stop stop stop!”

The Earthly Sovereign took two quick steps forward and wrapped an arm around the Thousand-headed Demonic Serpent’s shoulders. “Little serpent! Who the hell exposes a man’s shame right in front of their juniors? Can you blame me for wanting to preserve my face?”

“Give me some face, little serpent! Just a little!”

His back facing toward Ye Qing, the Earthly Sovereign secretly paid the Thousand-headed Demonic Serpent a salute and persuaded him, “Worst comes to worse, You can yell at me to your heart’s content after he leaves. Is that enough for you?”

The Thousand-headed Demonic Serpent crossed his arms with a huff. “Hmph... that’s more like it.”

“In that case, stop acting up and go already.”

The Earthly sovereign clapped the Thousand-headed Demonic Serpent on the shoulder, “You should know that this consciousness of mine only has so much power. You’re the only one I can depend on.”

“Seeing that you’re begging me sincerely, I suppose I can accept your request. But only just!”

The Thousand-headed Demonic Serpent was very pleased. After all, this was the first time ever he had scored one against the Earthly Sovereign. How could it not be pleased and excited?

Man! Today is a joyous day!

The Thousand-headed Demnic serpent stepped out of the thatched cottage and flew into the air. Then, he made a grabbing motion as formless yet vast power filled the air.