Stranger Danger

Chapter 221: King of Sky Gate

“Hah! They’re panicking. It’s clear that they’re trying to lure us away or split up our manpower since we found their hideout. They must think we’re stupid or something!” Chu Nianjiu commented while sipping from his wine gourd.

He had just finished saying this when Gu Suitang said, “Squad 1 and 2, head back and assist our brothers at Cow Ghost Market. Don’t allow a single Taiping cultist to slip through your grasp.”

“At once!”

Two squads of Pacification Sentinels received the order and went back immediately.

Wine spilled out of Chu Nianjiu’s mouth as he coughed loudly. “Cough! Cough! My lord, er….”

He just said that the Taiping cultists were trying to lure them away or split them up, and Gu Suitang immediately dispatched not one, but two squads back to Cow Ghost Market. Was Gu Suitang really that dumb, or was he undermining him?

In response, Gu Suitang snorted. “I’m all the manpower we need, and the fact that they’re trying to pull such a trick proves that they’re not confident in their ability to stop us. Plus, too many people can be a burden sometimes.”

“Hehe! You are as wise as you are mighty, master!” Wei Yueshan hurriedly flattered Gu Suitang, but his effort to placate his master only earned another slap to the back of his head.

The Deputy Chief of Bureau rebuked him, “Is flattery the only thing you’ve learned properly? Our enemy is already upon us, you fool!”

Gu Suitang stomped the ground hard and sent a tidal wave of earth into the thick fog. He then yelled, “Why aren’t you showing yourself when you’re already here? Are you trying to ambush us?”

Rumble…

The next moment, a sword lit up and fell down on the tsunami of earth. Shrouded in an enormous amount of yin qi, it successfully cut the deadly wave in half.

“Who dares to offend the dignity of a king? You should submit and extinguish your own soul for the offense!”

A majestic voice boomed out from deeper within the valley, and the fog itself trembled and receded as if it was afraid of the owner of the voice, revealing a tall and imposing figure.

The figure had a cow’s head but a human’s body. His eyes were as big as millstones, and its pitch black horns were curved like crescents. The horns were also burning a ghastly flame that looked like countless wailing souls, eerie and horrifying.

Even more imposing was the ridiculously huge sword he was carrying. A golden dragon was encircling the sword, and it roared loudly like it was alive. It made the imposing figure look like a god or demon incarnate.

Standing behind the cow-faced giant was several thousand yin soldiers, all fully armored and equipped with weapons. Their resentment and bloodthirst merged together to form a dark cloud where ghastly wails could be heard all the time.

“Did you just call yourself a king? You shouldn’t make claims you don’t deserve just because you have a big head, bud. If a piece of shit like you could become king, then I would be an emperor already!”

Gu Suitang looked like a child compared to the cow-faced giant, but he wasn’t afraid in the slightest. If anything, he was looking the Stranger up and down with obvious disdain on his face.

“Blasphemer! I was made the King of Sky Gate by Emperor You Feng himself. I command thirty thousand Sky Gate Guards and protect the eastern capital from all danger! You ants would dare to besmirch my good name? I shall tear you all to shreds!”

The King of Sky Gate let out an angry roar and plunged his massive sword into the ground with both hands. Yin wind howled as the earth split apart inch by inch.

“The King of Sky Gate, huh? Hah! Your name sounds impressive, but you still died, didn’t you?”

Gu Suitang taunted, “Anyway, let’s get on with the fight already. You’re trying to buy time for something, aren’t you? Do you think I’m stupid?”

As soon as Gu Suitang said this, the earth beneath his feet abruptly sank a few inches. He abruptly appeared in front of the King of Sky Gate and threw a devastating punch.

The King of Sky Gate crossed his sword in front of himself like a shield. Fist met metal, and—

THAAAAAAAAANG!

It sounded like a massive bell was struck. The sound wave that emanated from the impact was so loud and potent that an entire swath of yin soldiers were crushed just like that.

“Rraaaagh! You are courting death!”

The King of Sky Gate was extremely peeved right now. Over half of his soldiers were dead before they could be of use, and for whatever reason, the tens of thousands of Grudge Spirits he had deployed here were nowhere to be found. Even his three trusted subordinates—Yin Governor, the ghostface boys and ghost bride were nowhere to be found. Not nearly enough time had passed for him to get over their deaths, and now he had lost over half of his troops. How could he be okay with this?

A tremendous amount of yin qi gushed out of the King of Sky Gate’s body as he held his sword in front of him and swept it sideways like a fan, driving Gu Suitang backward. Then, he slashed at the deputy chief from nine different directions. His force was unstoppable, and his yin qi was all-encompassing. The attack felt righteous not unlike a king attacking an usurper who dared to challenge his throne. Just like all life must stand under the heavens, so must all subjects submit to their king.

“"King's Sword"”

“Hah! You’re just a Stranger, and you dream of turning all life into your subject? You dare to make me submit? Dream on!”

Disdain flickered in Gu Suitang’s eyes as he cracked his neck and gathered his muscles. His bones made a series of audible pops as a terrifying aura washed out of his body and kicked up his hair and beard. Now he too looked like a god or demon incarnate.

Gu Suitang’s response toward the nine consecutive attacks was to launch a straight punch. The punch looked completely basic and simple. It was empowered only by an unstoppable force and a fist intent taller than even a mountain.

“Mountain Shaking Punch” [1]

His fists could shake mountains and turn them all into rubble, much less a sword. It easily disintegrated the King of Sky Gate’s sword technique into nothing.

Gu Suitang’s attainment in the way of the fist was very high. The man followed the fist, and the fist followed the intent. He appeared in front of the King of Sky Gate right after he defeated the sword technique and swung his arm sideways like a dragon’s tail.

Once again, the King of Sky Gate raised his sword to block the attack. There was a loud bang, and the Stranger was pushed back three steps before he caught himself. However, every time he took a step backward, he would launch a counterattack. That was three attacks in total since he moved three steps. Intent raged like a torrential river as the slashes crashed into Gu Suitang like a stream.

Gu Suitang ignored the attack, however. Vigor rising, he just charged right through the slashes like they were nothing and threw another Mountain Shaking Fist.

This time, the punch landed squarely on the King of Sky Gate’s chest and exploded half of his body just like that. The Stranger was stunned and in disbelief to put it mildly.

Outdated as it was, the "King's Sword" was one of the empire’s ultimate arts five hundred years ago. Its name alone was an indicator how powerful it was. Grand and majestic, it naturally elicited fear and submission from all who faced it and could suppress most martial arts in the world.

The "King's Sword" could only unleash its true power when infused with the Will of the Dragon and the Will of the People. Since the previous dynasty was gone, and he himself couldn’t receive the Will of the Dragon as he was already dead, the sword art was a lot weaker than it should be. However, during the five hundred years he was imprisoned at the bottom of Sky Gate Abyss, he had studied the sword intent that penetrated all the way to the Nine Nethers enough to incorporate it into his “King’s Sword”. As a result, the sword art actually improved in power over time.

It was easily his proudest achievement as a dead man.

He thought that his modified sword art would give him a chance to go toe to toe with Gu Suitang, but he couldn’t have been more wrong. Thank goodness he was a Grudge Spirit, or that one punch would’ve been enough to kill him.

The King of Sky Gate inhaled deeply, and yin qi flowed into his mouth like a river. He quickly restored his half-destroyed body.

Meanwhile, Gu Suitang had gotten close and unleashed his Mountain Shaking Punch yet again. The fist art was simple and barbaric, but there was no denying its power and efficacy. Like a child fighting against an adult, the King of Sky Gate could do nothing but be blown into bits of yin qi yet again and again.

“Shit, Gu Suitang’s as strong as the rumors say.”

Meanwhile, Actor, Matchmaker, Dancer 1 and Dancer 2 were all watching Gu Suitang brutalizing the King of Sky Gate in shock and fear.

The King of Sky Gate was a Phenomenon-class Stranger. He was just as skilled and experienced as he was in his previous life as he hadn’t lost his intelligence or memories, but now he possessed the undying body of a yin spirit as well. Therefore, he was even stronger than your average Phenomenon-class Stranger, so much so that even they didn’t dare to treat him lightly.

And yet, Gu Suitang was thrashing him like he was a Mundane-class Stranger.

Gu Suitang’s fist was nothing special. There were no fancy moves, complicated variations, or sublime intent. There was only power and purity.

His power was heavier than a mountain, and his fist intent was so pure that it transcended the heavens.

He might never encounter a soul mate in his life, but his fist would transcend the nine heavens.

Gu Suitang had perfectly joined his strength and intent into one and tempered their union many times over. His skill was also nearing the level of a way. His fists weren’t the only things that were strong either. Literally every part of his body be it his arms, his legs, his shoulders, even his head was a weapon that he could use to crush his enemies. Every blow he threw was as heavy as a mountain and taller than the heavens. Forget that the King of Sky Gate was unable to keep up with Gu Suitang’s movements at all, even if he could, he wouldn’t be able to stop them. It took only a short time before he fell into a complete disadvantage and could only defend himself.

Given enough power, all skills and arts can be dismantled via brute force.

“White Lotus, our Holy Envoy once commented that Gu Suitang’s words, body and actions were as light as a feather, but his heart was higher than the tallest mountain, and his fist intent greater than even the blue sky. If he survives, he is guaranteed to be remembered throughout history.”

Beside them, the child said in a grave voice, “He is a man that even our Holy Envoy would praise. Of course he wouldn’t be an ordinary person.”

Actor exclaimed in astonishment, “That… has to be an exaggeration, right?”

An evil smirk crossed the child’s lips. “That depends. If he survives this tribulation, then sure. If not…”

“True. I’m sure he’ll be pleasantly surprised when he finds out what we have in store for him.” Matchmaker covered her mouth and snickered.

Meanwhile, the King of Sky Gate’s defeat was all but certain. In fact, he could die if he made the slightest mistake.

“Should we help him, boss?” Actor asked.

The child replied without hesitation, “Of course! The King of Sky Gate can’t die yet. The Yellow Sky still have many uses for a Stranger of his caliber.”

“I’ll help the King of Sky Gate. You guys go keep the Pacification Sentinels busy. But make sure you don’t throw your life away, okay? I only want you to delay them, not annihilate them.”

“Got it, boss!” His subordinates replied before entering the fog and disappearing from view.

On the Pacification Bureau’s side, Lin Yuhuai ordered, “Yueshan, stay behind and support the deputy chief if need be. Nianjiu, you and I are going to follow the Silver Tracker and locate Joyless.”

He made the decision after seeing that the King of Sky Gate was but moments away from dying. However, they had only taken a few steps when a strange song appeared from the fog:

“Rabbit One is sick,

Rabbit Two looks on,

Rabbit Three left to buy some medicine,

Rabbit Four is in pain,

Rabbit Five is dead,

Rabbit Six carries the body,

Rabbit Seven digs a hole,

Rabbit Eight buries the body,

And Rabbit Nine sits on the ground and cries.

When Rabbit Ten asks it why it’s crying,

It said,

Rabbit Five will never come back!”

A chill gripped everyone as they listened to the strange song. When it was over, the dozen Pacification Sentinels standing at the outer edge suddenly started shrinking and growing white fur on their skin. They all transformed into white rabbits in just the blink of an eye.

1. If you guys remember, his nickname/moniker is Mountainshaker. It’s just that the author never thought to use it for some reason. ☜