Chapter 1762: Ulterior Motive

“My companion has arrived.”

Ye Qing gave Feng Qingyou a nod before swiping his finger across his arm again. Three pieces of flesh landed in front of the Demonic River Boatman as he said, “And here is your payment.”

As he spoke, the wound on his arm disappeared swiftly and automatically.

At his current level, forget a few pieces of flesh, he could have regenerated his whole body from a single drop of blood. Therefore, this bit of flesh was nothing at all.

Just like before, the Demonic River Boatman took the flesh excitedly and shoved it into itself through the collar. The pieces of flesh quickly disappeared, and the robe clearly looked fuller than before.

It almost looked as if an invisible body was filling up the robe.

The gray robe faced toward Ye Qing after devouring the pieces of flesh. It seemed to be looking at Ye Qing or more accurately, the arm where new flesh had regrown.

Although the Demonic River Boatman did not have any facial features to speak of, Ye Qing’s demonic thought could clearly pick up his greed and malice.

To be fair, the boatman hid his greed and malice very well. However, but Ye Qing still caught it without fail.

Ye Qing did not try to start unnecessary trouble though. Pretending that he hadn’t noticed anything, he asked, “Can my companions board the boat now?”

The Demonic River Boatman turned away, and this hint of greed and malice disappeared completely. “Please board the boat, dear customers!”

After Feng Qingyou, Old Man Turtle and Lingyu boarded the boat, the Demonic River Boatman steered the boat toward the center of the Yin Kui Demonic River.

The closer they got to the demonic river, the hotter and steamier the river became. It looked hot enough to melt metal like nothing. The dark clouds in the sky were growing thicker as well. From time to time, Kui Water Yin Demonic Thunder would flash through the sky like dragons or serpents. Both were terrifying.

Even in the boat, everyone could not help but feel a sense of fear and trepidation.

Lingyu was excited at the beginning, but she eventually curled up in fear due to the sheer power displayed by the elements.

“Hmm? Why are we stopping?”

Suddenly, the Demonic River Boatman stabbed his bamboo pole into the river. The rapidly moving boat instantly came to a stop.

Ye Qing looked up at the boatman. “What’s wrong, boatman?”

“Flesh! I want flesh!” The Demonic River Boatman said with a bit of madness.

“I thought we agreed that you would ferry us across the river if we gave you four pieces of flesh?”

“This is the demonic river. My domain, my rules!”

The Demonic River Boatman’s voice grew sinister. “Four pieces of flesh is not enough!”

Ye Qing asked, “How much do you want then?”

“All of it.” The Demonic River Boatman stopped concealing his malice and greed. “I want everything you have!”

Ye Qing’s voice grew taunting. “All of it? Do you think we’re easy preys?”

At the same time, Feng Qingyou, Old Man Turtle and even Lingyu unleashed their energies and locked onto the Demonic River Boatman.

It was as if they would rip it into a million pieces the next moment.

The Demonic River Boatman did not seem to be afraid though. “I am the Demonic River Boatman and the spirit of the demonic river. I am undying and immortal. However, that is not the case for all of you.”

“If you do not do as I say, then I will abandon you here. The Kui Water Yin Demonic Thunder will smite your souls, and the demonic river will boil your flesh. You will experience true death here, never to be reborn.”

“If you don’t want to die, then do as I say!”

Ye Qing sighed. “So, you planned this from the start.”

“That’s right.” The Demonic River Boatman did not deny it. “I only want your flesh, not your life. Considering your strength, losing your body will not kill you.”

“Your body for you and your companions’ life. It’s a worthwhile trade, isn’t it?”

“Or are you unwilling to sacrifice yourself for your companions?”

“I am, but I need to verify something first,” Ye Qing said.

The Demonic River Boatman asked, “What is it?”

𝓯𝓻𝓮𝙚𝙬𝓮𝙗𝒏𝙤𝒗𝙚𝙡.𝒄𝒐𝓶

“This.”

Ye Qing snapped his fingers, and an invisible but vast power pressed down on the Demonic River Boatman.

Bang!

The Demonic River Boatman abruptly exploded into a million pieces.

As the robe shattered, a pile of minced meat fell out. They looked and smelled rotten.

However, the pile of minced meat quickly gathered together into a humanoid shape, and a gray robe grew out of it. Soon, the Demonic River Boatman had resurrected. It looked exactly the same as before.

“What are you doing? Do you really want to die?”

The Demonic River Boatman yelled angrily and hatefully.

“Like I said, I just want to verify something. Specifically, I want to know if you are truly undying and immortal.”

Ye Qing wasn’t afraid in the slightest though. “It looks like you are telling the truth.”

The Demonic River Boatman was both shocked and angry. “This is why you attacked me?”

Ye Qing shrugged. “Duh?”

“...”

The Demonic River Boatman was speechless for a time. Then, it said with greater resentment and malice, “Cut the bullshit. Do you accept my proposal or not? If you don’t, then you’re all going to die here!”

“I accept.”

Ye Qing said indifferently, “I just have one question. Are you sure you want my flesh?”

The Demonic River Boatman replied urgently, “Why wouldn’t I? Give it to me already!”

“Okay. Here you go!”

Ye Qing swiped his finger across his elbow and cut off a chunk of flesh. Then, he tossed it in the Demonic River Boatman’s direction.

The Demonic River Boatman was impatient to begin with. It immediately swiped the flesh out of the air and shoved it into its robe.

“Faster! Faster!”

The Demonic River Boatman looked at Ye Qing and urged.

“Sure.”

The wound on Ye Qing’s arm had already healed. Once again, Ye Qing swiped his finger and tossed another chunk of flesh in the Demonic River Boatman’s direction.

The Demonic River Boatman caught it and shoved it into its robe as before. “Faster!”

“Here you go!”

And so Ye Qing kept cutting himself, and the Demonic River Boatman kept consuming his flesh. It was a busy but “fulfilling” moment.

As the Demonic River Boatman devoured more and more flesh, its robe began to fill up more and more. Over time, it even grew a pair of arms, legs, a head...

It was as if the Demonic River Boatman was slowly changing from a robe to a human.

As the Demonic River Boatman’s body filled out, the speed at which he demanded Ye Qing to give up his flesh slowed down. The speed at which he was consuming the flesh was slowing as well.

The same could not be said for Ye Qing. Not only was he maintaining the same pace, his flesh seemed to be endless. He was literally regenerating his flesh faster than he was cutting it.

“Hahaha!”

When the Demonic River Boatman’s body was fully formed, and his facial features were complete, the Demonic River Boatman let out a burst of laughter.

His face looked exactly the same as Ye Qing’s.

“Hahaha! I finally grew a body! I can finally leave this place! I can finally break away from the demonic river’s control!”

The Demonic River Boatman laughed wantonly and uncontrollably. “I am finally free!”