Stranger Danger

"Please rise, senior." Danxia Zi seemed sincere in both speech and body language. Ye Qing narrowed his eyes briefly before letting out a chuckle and making a supporting gesture with his hands. "I accept your apology, but there is no need for compensation."

"I'm aware that you lost yourself to impatience simply because you are worried for the people of the Profound Alliance and the fate of humanity. I must admit that I have not been on my best behavior either. I hope you can forgive me for my impudence."

Dan Xiazi was already apologizing, so there was no need to keep up the domineering act any longer. After all, all things were bad in excess. This was the moment where he should offer Danxia Zi an out rather than push his buttons further and incur his resentment.

"I am the one who was at fault. Your reaction is only understandable. You do not need to apologize to me."

Danxia Zi did not get up, however. He maintained his posture and said seriously, "Besides that, we already agreed beforehand that there will be an apology and a compensation. You have already accepted the apology, so I insist that you accept the compensation as well!"

"Senior, there really is no need..." Ye Qing couldn't help but lift his eyebrows a little. Just why was he so stubborn?

Seeing this, Old Man Profound Firmament explained in a joking tone, "Just accept it, young friend. Danxia is an old fossil whose neck simply cannot turn any other way once he's fixed his mind on a path. If you don't accept his compensation now, he's going to beleaguer you for the rest of your life. Trust me, you don't want that."

Ye Qing chuckled and clasped his fists in salute. "In that case, I shall happily accept the offer. That said, I do not have any request right now. I will be sure to notify you if I think of something in the future. I hope you won't turn me down then."

"Very good." It was only now Danxia Zi finally rose back to full height and declared seriously, "As long as your request does not go against morals and etiquette or fuel maleficence and evil, then I will do everything in my power to see it done."

"I will thank you in advance then," Ye Qing said. "Oh right. If you don't mind, then please call me Joyless. I prefer it to pompous-sounding titles like hero."

"Very well. I will address you as young friend like Elder Profound." Danxia Zi nodded. "You should not address me as senior either. Just call me Danxia or Dao Friend."

"In that case, I think I'll go with Reverend."

Ye Qing bowed deeply to Danxia Zi. "Joyless Ye greets you, Reverend Danxia." Danxia Zi returned the salute. "Danxia Zi greets you, young friend." After Danxia Zi got up, he turned toward Feng Qingyou and greeted her, "Well met, Miss Feng. I was also impolite toward you earlier. I sincerely hope you do not take offense."

"You are too serious, Reverend. This junior was acting inconsiderately herself. I too ask for your forgiveness, senior," Feng Qingyou walked up to Ye Qing's side and bowed as well.

"Enough already. The explanations are given, and the misunderstandings are cleared, so let's skip all these ceremonies already. At this rate, the sun is going to fall before you wrap it all up!"

Old Man Profound Firmament walked over and lifted Danxia Zi and Feng Qingyou to full height. "Did you forget why we've come here?"

"Elder Profound is right. We have urgent business to attend to." Dan Xiazi nodded and looked at Ye Qing. "May I ask what your plan is, young friend?"

"My plan is very simple. I'm going to ride the Ghost Dragon Boat and search for the source of the demonic fire. If we can discover its source and origin, we may be able to end this tribulation prematurely. We may even be able to solve the Sea Burning Demonic Fire once and for all."

Ye Qing said, "But of course, this is just my thoughts. We are new after all. Our knowledge and understanding of the demonic fire cannot possibly compare to yours or Elder Profound's. Therefore, we welcome any good ideas or opinions you believe would be of use for this expedition."

"Heh! If we had such a thing, we wouldn't have overlooked the Sea Burning Demonic Fire and the lives it took for so long."

Old Man Profound Firmament let out a self-derisive laugh. "We may have survived this tribulation several times already, but to tell you the truth, our understanding of it is only surface at best. Frankly, our total discovery is less than what the two of you have discovered indays."

"Truly, the two of you are the lucky stars of the Profound Alliance!"

"You flatter us, Elder Profound. We just happened to be at the right place at the right time."

Ye Qing replied modestly before looking at Danxia Zi next, "Do you have any suggestion to offer, Reverend?" Danxia Zi shook his head. "No. I will obey you."

"Very well then. We shall stick to my plan."

Next, Ye Qing gave them an injection called "Don't expect too much". "Although the Ghost Dragon Boat is immune to the demonic fire, whether we would actually locate the source is unknown. I dare not give you any guarantees."

"We're aware of this. We will simply do our best and ensure that our conscience stays clear," Old Man Profound Firmament said while giving Ye Qing a warm clap on the shoulder.

"Indeed. Let my conscience be as clear as water." Danxia Zi nodded lightly.

"I understand. This junior will do everything he can to see humanity through this crisis," Ye Qing said seriously and sincerely.

It was both his promise and his wish.

"Haha, with such a declaration, I am sure that we will live up to everyone's expectations and succeed." Old Man Profound Firmament laughed happily as if he could sense Ye Qing's determination.

"Elder Profound is right." Even Danxia Zi cracked a smile on his serious, square face. "By the way, when will we depart?"

"The sooner the better. If you're all ready, then we can go right now," Ye Qing replied without hesitation.

"Let's go." Old Man Profound Firmament nodded to show that he was fine with the suggestion.

"Elder Profound, senior uncle, Warrior Ye, do you think I can accompany you?"

It was at this moment Yue Ling spoke up with a determined expression, "Yue Ling may be weak, but I still wish to contribute to the Profound Alliance."

Jin Manshan and Ming Yueying replied at the same time, "This junior wishes to embark on this journey as well."

"Cut it out. We're not rushing to the market to watch an opera show, so why are you so eager to volunteer?"

Old Man Profound Firmament waved them off. "This will be a perilous expedition with an uncertain outcome. With your cultivation, you won't be able to contribute much even if you came. Just stay home and don't make trouble for us, okay?"

"But—"

Yue Ling wanted to say something more, but Danxia Zi also said, "Elder Profound is right. We alone are enough. Assuming we return empty-handed, that means your presence wouldn't have aided us anyway. You may as well stay here and do what you can actually do."

"Very well. Take care, senior uncle, Elder Profound." Left with no choice, Yue Ling clasped her fists and said, "You too, Warrior Ye, Miss Feng."

"Thank you, Miss Yue Ling. We will." Ye Qing and Feng Qingyou returned the salute.

Ye Qing then looked at Jin Manshan and Ming Yueying and said, "Island Lord Jin, the Profound Yellow Mother Qi I left behind should last another two weeks or so unless something major happens, so you don't need to worry much."

"That said, you must not grow lax and careless. Be ever careful."

"Thank you, warrior. We will."

Jin Manshan and Ming Yueying saluted them. "Warrior Ye, Miss Feng, take care."

"We wish you all the best. We wish you good fortune and success in your endeavors!"

"We wish you all the best. We wish you good fortune and success in your endeavors!"

Everyone clasped their fists and declared at the same time.

It was both well-wishes and their sincerest hope.

"I shall borrow your words as our talisman."

Ye Qing smiled at them. "Take care, everyone. We will meet again." Feng Qingyou too nodded smilingly before they abruptly popped out of existence.

"Hahaha... away I go!"

Old Man Profound Firmament barked out in laughter before dissolving into ink in the sky.

At the same time, Danxia Zi was surrounded by a sheen of colorful light. When the light was gone, so was Danxia Zi.

Jin Manshan, Ming Yueying, Yue Ling and more would look in the direction they had departed for for a long, long time. They did not even get back on their feet.

They could do nothing against the demonic fire, nor were they of any help against the crisis.

Right here and now, all they could do was pray and offer their well-wishes.

This expedition might be beleaguered by untold hardships and dangers, but still they wished for the group's safety and return.

The future was not yet certain, but still they prayed that they would succeed, and that humanity would prosper forever!