Chapter 387: A Deal
Translator: Cynthia Editor: TYZ/KLKL
Bang!
Qing Feng felt as if he was bumped by a wildly running beast from the back. The huge impact greatly distorted his body. He flew out, body almost parallel with the horizon. The azure sky was reflected in his glazed eyes.
What on earth happened?
The impact made him confused.
In the air, Ai Hui was still in the motion of swaying his Dragonspine like he was swaying a hammer. He exerted all his strength, and even his shoulders were numb. Seeing Qing Feng who was thrown away in the sky, he slowly breathed out in relief.
Wheeze, wheeze, wheeze…
Ai Hui was breathing heavily in the air. Sweat gushed out from each of his pores all over his body like springs. His clothes were all soaked in sweat as if he was just pulled out of the water.
After a while when Ai Hui could finally calm his breathing and his chest, which expanded and contracted, became stable, he shook his body, and the sweat transformed into white fog that rose up and disappeared in the sky.
The sudden attack just now was only a variant move he thought of during the emergency. At that point, his speed had reached the highest level, and the huge pressure from the wind was like an iron wall. Piercing the wind wall with his sword was only an impromptu action, and it turned out to be surprisingly effective.
But on the other hand, the move consumed too much energy, and for an instant Ai Hui felt that his body was almost torn apart by a huge force.
He decided to improve this move later. If he could make a breakthrough in this, his opponents on the battlefield would definitely be taken by surprise.
Calming himself down, Ai Hui landed near Qing Feng.
It was a coincidence that Qing Feng happened to fall into the caravans. He was the one who was holding the power over Zhao Boan’s life just now, but he was likely to be killed at any minute. On this day, Qing Feng experienced the transience of life.
His body was totally scattered by Ai Hui’s attack. The grass cords fell on the ground in a mess, some of which were attached with a lotus root.
Crack, crack, crack. The grass cords convulsed now and then like eels. The scene looked very weird.
Qing Feng had completely lost control of the grass cords. Now he was like an octopus with a human being’s head.
Qing Feng said with hatred, "Grandmaster Dai will not let you off!"
Ai Hui burst into laughter, and then managed to hold it back and said like a hooligan, "What can I do? I didn’t want to kill you. You asked for it."
Qing Feng didn’t know what to say and his face flushed. He said with hatred, "Then kill me! I don’t want your humiliation!"
Ai Hui seemed surprised. "Kill you? Why shall I kill you."
Hearing what he said, Qing Feng was a bit relieved. Although he was talking tough just now, deep in his heart he was really afraid to die. So he said at once, "Then let me go. I’ll pay you back. How much do you want?"
"Let you go?" Ai Hui shook his head, "What if you come back to take revenge on me? You work for Grandmaster Dai whom I dare not provoke."
Qing Feng’s face became gloomy. "Then what do you want to do?"
Zhao Boan ran to them in gasps. He heard their conversation and said loudly, "Sir, don’t listen to him. As long as he devours wood elemental materials, his elemental energy will be restored."
Qing Feng’s expression changed drastically. He intentionally chatted with Ai Hui to divert his attention, and meanwhile was stretching his grass cords to the goods in the caravan. But now his plan was revealed by Zhao Boan.
This made him very angry, "You are dead meat!"
A grass cord suddenly bounced and rushed straight towards Zhao Boan like a flying arrow.
Suddenly, with a cracking sound, the grass cord was again hit and thrown away by Ai Hui.
"What an arrogant captive! I like your temper!"
Ai Hui again landed near Qing Feng, and looked at him with a spurious smile.
Qing Feng was frightened in his heart, but still said in a threatening manner, "What do you want to do? Let me tell you…"
Ai Hui interrupted him and said fluently, "Grandmaster Dai will not let me go. I know."
Being interrupted, Qing Feng was embarrassed and his face flushed.
Then Ai Hui turned to Zhao Boan, "You said his body can recover with the wood elemental materials?"
Zhao Boan said cautiously, "Yes, Sir. You see, half of the goods on the caravan have been devoured by him."
Ai Hui murmured, "I see."
But his next move totally astounded Zhao Boan. He lifted up Qing Feng with his sword and threw him into the Three Leaves Bamboo Cart.
Smashing into the goods, Qing Feng felt dizzy, and it took him a long time to come to his senses. But the moment he realized that he was surrounded by wood elemental materials, he rejoiced with wild excitement and began to devour the materials crazily without saying anything.
The scattered grass cords began to gather towards its body.
Having devoured the materials in several carriages, Qing Feng returned to what he was like before. While he was eating busily, his eyeballs were rolling.
Soon there were less than half of the goods left in the carriage, and Qing Feng, who was eating, suddenly turned to run.
But this time he didn’t fly up to the sky. Instead he was running wildly towards the forest. The grass cords constituting his legs dispersed, and he was like a fast-moving spider.
The moment he was about to rush into the wood, an expression of great joy appeared on his face.
Suddenly, he was caught by a chill in the air.
Qing Feng’s body froze. The chilled air accompanying the sword almost made him frozen. Ai Hui’s aura of killing intent covering him was so real that he knew if he dared to move, the killer move would immediately arrive.
"You…"
Qing Feng trembled in fright.
"I know, Grandmaster Dai will not let me off," Ai Hui said lightly.
The joke made Qing Feng feel as if he was in the icehouse.
He didn’t understand why he always encountered swordsmen with strong fighting skills. This guy standing in front of him came out of nowhere, but was even stronger than Chu Zhaoyang.
"Come here."
His tone was relaxed but indubitable.
Qing Feng stepped back tamely. He was dejected, but was also a bit relieved. He was sure now that the swordsman didn’t want to kill him.
Although he didn’t know exactly why, he was sure it was not because of Grandmaster Dai.
The killing intent totally disappeared as if it was just his imagination.
The swordsman smiled like a friendly boy next door. But this made Qing Feng more scared.
"Your move just now was good. Come on, let’s try again."
Ai Hui’s tone was soft and even encouraging, which, however, made Qing Feng even more fearful and desperate. His enemy’s face was so young, but was like a demon in his eyes. Qing Feng was trembling, and wondering why the guy who came out of nowhere could be so strong.
Young and strong as he was, this guy was more sophisticated than people of his age.
But even so, he would not obey any of his commands, Qing Feng thought.
But the words on the tip of his tongue were swallowed back, and he blurted out, "Try…try what?"
But as soon as the words were out of his mouth, Qing Feng felt extremely ashamed. After all he was a follower of Grandmaster Dai. How could he be frightened by a young guy.
Ai Hui didn’t know what Qing Feng was thinking. He gesticulated with the stab move, "This one. You are my sparring partner now. if you can do a good job, I’ll set you free."
This was a great humiliation to him. My God! How could the dignified Qing Feng be some small potato’s sparring partner?
Who was he? Qing Feng! A violent, and wicked guy who held the power to take other’s lives, and who had killed numerous people! Now a kid regarded him as a sparring partner?
If this could be tolerated, what else couldn’t?
Better die standing than live kneeling.
He was an outstanding person when alive. And he would be the hero of all the ghosts after he died.
With an impulse, he blurted out, "Really?"
After having said this, he couldn’t wait to slap himself on the face. His face was now flushed as if a fire was burning beneath.
Ai Hui blinked and said sincerely, "Of course. A gentleman always keeps his promises."
Then he further lured him, "You see, I can provide you with enough wood elemental materials. Why do we have to fight against each other? There’s no hatred or rancor between us, right? I need a sparring partner, and I’ll pay you. This is a fair deal, or a business transaction, isn’t it?"
Qing Feng was kind of persuaded by him. His mission had completely failed this time. He didn’t know what his master would do to him. This was a question he had not thought about before.
Before he left, his master had told him again and again that they could afford no failure this time.
Now he had to go back empty-handed, and his body was so broken - the nether lotus seeds were also destroyed and it would take a long time and many precious materials to restore it to its previous status. Besides, his mind and spirit were also disturbed. Even if his body recovered, he could hardly recover to his best condition.
His master would not waste so many precious materials on a useless puppet.
This was the worst day of his life. And it came earlier than he thought.
Qing Feng felt dejected, but also a bit relieved.
The destiny awaiting him made him quail. Therefore, the fact that he could not go back made him feel relieved, and a bit at a loss too. After all, it was his master that gave him this second life. He was grateful for his kindness, and was used to following the commands of his master to kill one after another. Actually he didn’t know what to do in the current situation.
Being silent for a long time, he suddenly said, "If I want to leave one day, you cannot stop me."
Ai Hui answered quickly, "No problem! Then let’s make it a deal!"
"Okay," Qing Feng said. Then he walked to the caravan and began to devour the goods left in the carriages.
Ai Hui was satisfied. After all, it was difficult to find a good sparring partner. Those too weak could not improve his strength, but no strong fighters were willing to be a sparring partner.
Then he looked at Zhao Boan, who was standing aside in shock, "I’ll buy all your goods. How much?"
The situation was changing too fast for Zhao Boan to understand. Wasn’t it a life-or-death fight just now? Why did they become so harmonious at this moment?
Hearing Ai Hui’s question, he suddenly came to himself and said, "I’m willing to follow you, Sir!"
He became disillusioned with his previously unrealistic dreams from today’s experience. Now he knew that in troubled times, without strong fighting skills, one’s fortune would be gone sooner or later.
Ai Hui was surprised, but didn’t refuse. Instead, he asked, "What are you good at?"
His horizon had been largely broadened. He knew his limits, and knew that many things should be done by others, especially by people with that particular profession. His fellows at the Swordsman Training Hall were good at fighting, but not at other things.
Ai Hui felt inspired. Maybe he needed to recruit some experienced people, such as blacksmiths and businessmen.
No city could be built by fighters and killers alone.