The Heir to the Seven Killers in the City

Chapter 38: I Still Have Much to Do

“I say, old monk, this must be the fastest transformation among the successors of the Seven Kill Sutra in recent generations,” the Taoist said, looking at Qin Yu, who was still fast asleep on the bed. “Amitabha, that is indeed the case. However, with such a rapid transformation, I fear the number of people he’s killed during this time must have reached a terrifying figure,” the monk replied. The Taoist nodded and replied, “I’m actually quite fond of this kid—he’s got character! Even after killing so many people, he hasn’t gone on a killing spree. I just wonder if he’ll make it through this. You remember, don’t you? The successor from two generations ago died during this very transformation.” “Isn’t that exactly why the two of us came here—to save him? If he still can’t wake up after all this, then we’ll be the ones who’ll be the laughingstock,” the monk explained. The Taoist priest snorted and said, “You’re a shameless old monk, but I have my pride. If I can’t even heal this kid, I might as well go back to my hometown and farm the land.” As he spoke, the Taoist priest took a small medicine jar from his robes, poured out two pills, and slipped them into Qin Yu’s mouth, then felt Qin Yu’s pulse. The Taoist raised an eyebrow and muttered to himself, “Kid, you do realize that pretending to be asleep in front of me is completely pointless, don’t you?” As he spoke, the Taoist pressed his finger against a specific acupoint on Qin Yu’s body. Qin Yu suddenly opened his eyes and began coughing violently, even bringing tears to his eyes. A moment later, when he had recovered, he was still gasping for breath. “You haven’t successfully transformed yet, so you’re far from being impervious to blades and spears. If I used a little more force, you’d be in for a world of hurt,” the Taoist said calmly. “Enough. The young layman is still injured and unwell; you shouldn’t be toying with him,” the monk said. “You’re the only one who knows how to play the good guy,” the Taoist retorted irritably. He then looked at Qin Yu, who had stopped coughing but was now as pale as a death row inmate. “Who exactly are you two?” Qin Yu had seen one of them before, and since they’d come in specifically to save him, he knew they weren’t there to harm him—but he still had plenty of questions. “Us? I think I’m just like you. But you don’t need to know why we’re alike just yet,” the Taoist explained, then continued, “You’re a tough kid—you’d have woken up on your own even if we hadn’t come.” As he said this, the Taoist priest patted Qin Yu on the body—whether to emphasize how robust he really was or to take a dig at Qin Yu for pretending to be asleep earlier was unclear. Although the two pats stung a bit, Qin Yu didn’t think much of it; he just coughed twice. The monk shot the Taoist a glance, pushed his hand away, and didn’t say a word. “Fine, fine. You be the good guy then. You explain it to this kid—I can’t be bothered.” With that, the Taoist walked out without another word. The monk gave an awkward smile and said to Qin Yu, “He’s just sharp-tongued—don’t pay him any mind.” Qin Yu knew that, of course, but he didn’t have the mood or time to think about it right now. He scanned the entire room as if searching for something. The monk gave a knowing smile; he knew exactly what Qin Yu was looking for, and he also knew what was weighing most heavily on the young man’s mind. Seeing the monk’s smile, Qin Yu seemed to grasp what the monk understood, so he asked, “Elder, do you know where that young lady went?” “By the time the old Taoist and I came in, the young lady had already been gone for quite some time. I don’t know exactly where she went,” the monk said. Hearing the monk’s words, Qin Yu nodded, then fell deep in thought, no longer fully following what the old monk was saying. “I don’t wish to disturb your rest, young layman, but there are certain matters I must tell you now; otherwise, they could affect your health—or even your very life,” the old monk said, giving Qin Yu a light tap on the head to snap him out of his reverie. “Please speak freely, Elder,” Qin Yu said. Yet, even when his very life was on the line, he didn’t seem particularly anxious; he merely replied calmly. “You must have overheard my conversation with that Taoist priest. That was the most dangerous moment for you, and you’ve managed to get through it for now, but that doesn’t mean you’re out of danger. The Transformation Phase has officially begun. If you don’t control it properly, you could relapse at any moment,” the old monk explained calmly. “Most importantly, when you lose your senses, innocent people are likely to be harmed as well,” the old monk continued. Qin Yu understood what the old monk meant. These so-called innocent bystanders were just like Lin Xinrui yesterday. Yesterday was merely a stroke of luck; if it happened again, the consequences would be unimaginable. “Does the Elder have a solution?” Qin Yu asked. “Well, this old monk does have a solution, though I’m not sure if you’d be willing to accept it. If you come with us, we have a plan that will ensure no innocent people are harmed, even if you lose control again,” the old monk said. “Well…” Qin Yu hesitated for a moment. He understood that following them might be the safest option for him, but not for others. What would happen to Zhang Xiaofei and his sister without his care? And Lin Xinrui even more so. So he hesitated for a long time, thinking things over and over again. “Elder, I’ll go with you, but I don’t think now is the right time,” Qin Yu said. “Layman, are you certain you don’t want to think it over a little more?” “I appreciate your kindness, Elder.” “Old Monk, I told you that young man wouldn’t leave, but you just wouldn’t believe me,” said the Taoist priest, who had been standing outside for a long time, listening to the conversation inside the room. “Amitabha. If you have something on your mind, layman, this old monk cannot stop you. I leave it to you, old Taoist.” The Taoist monk snorted, walked into the room, and rummaged through his robes for a while before pulling out a small red vial and casually tossing it onto Qin Yu’s bed. “Since you don’t want to leave, take this. Take one pill before you face any conflict.” “But don’t take them for no reason—this stuff isn’t a cure-all. You know how your body reacts to medication. If it doesn’t work when you need it, don’t say I didn’t warn you.” The Taoist spoke in his usual good-natured tone. No sooner had he finished speaking than he vanished from the room. The monk watched the Taoist’s retreating figure and sighed. “We can no longer interfere in such mundane affairs, so from now on, you’ll have to handle many things on your own. Let me offer you a word of advice: there are many things you simply cannot accomplish, no matter how powerful you are. So it’s best not to act on your own. Sometimes, transcending the world brings liberation, but once you transcend it, some things can never be recovered. Cherish every moment as you go.” With that, the monk also vanished from the room, leaving Qin Yu all alone…