Boom, boom!
Two loud bangs exploded in succession, shaking the entire alley until it hummed and trembled!
A thick cloud of black smoke mixed with a blinding flash of light erupted, instantly engulfing the three hooligans.
The blast left their ears ringing and their vision completely black; for a moment, they couldn't see a thing.
What kind of magical artifact is this?!
They were done for today!
Amidst the three men's panic, Bai Chen seized the opportunity, lunging to the girl's side. He grabbed her slender wrist and pulled her along as he turned and fled!
The girl, also stunned by the blast, was dragged into a mad dash by Bai Chen before she could even react.
By the time the two of them had run out of the alley, the three hooligans were still standing back-to-back in the cloud of black smoke, on high alert.
The black smoke quickly dispersed, and the three men's vision returned.
They then discovered they were completely unharmed, but the girl they had cornered was gone.
"What the hell was that thing?"
The lead hooligan looked down at the exploded debris on the ground, his face a mask of bewilderment.
All that noise, but it doesn't even hurt anyone?
What kind of contraption was this?
"We've been tricked! It's just something to scare people!"
Another hooligan suddenly realized, furiously kicking away the scattered paper scraps.
A vicious glint flashed in the lead hooligan's eyes.
"After them! Kill them!"
Whether it was the anger of being played for fools or the girl's threat to remember their faces, they couldn't just let them go.
They had to be killed!
The two thunderous bangs, like claps of thunder, silenced the bustling street for a moment.
Two Hexu Sect disciples on patrol half-drew their standard-issue swords, the blades ringing as they slid from their scabbards.
They exchanged a glance, each seeing the vigilance in the other's eyes.
"It's from the alley to the west."
"Let's go! See what's going on!"
Let's see who dares to cause trouble on our Hexu Sect's territory!
Putting strength into their steps, the two of them hurried across the stone slabs toward the source of the explosion.
It wasn't just the two of them; other Hexu Sect disciples within Shunhe Square also began rushing toward the source of the sound.
The moment Bai Chen started running with the girl in tow, he had already shouted in his mind for the System to check her attributes.
'View her attributes!'
A semi-transparent attribute panel immediately appeared before his eyes.
Name: Feng Ling'er
Age: 15
Cultivation Level: None
Spiritual Root: Fire
Talent Entries: Easy Pill Fire Control (Blue), Fire Spirit Affinity (Blue), Spirit Grass Sensing (Green), Artifact Pattern Shorthand (White)...
Among the string of talents, the two blue ones were so dazzling that Bai Chen's heart skipped a beat.
He'd really hit the jackpot!
Blue-quality Pill Refining talents!
'Copy Feng Ling'er's Easy Pill Fire Control talent!'
[Targeting Feng Ling'er's Easy Pill Fire Control talent. Commencing copy.]
[Countdown: 60, 59, 58, 57...]
Never before had Bai Chen felt that one minute could be so long.
Just then, Feng Ling'er, who was being dragged along, finally came to her senses and began to struggle fiercely.
"Hey, who are you?! You lecher, let go of me this instant!"
Feng Ling'er was about to explode with rage.
Who was she, Feng Ling'er?
The niece of Elder Feng Yang of the Hexu Sect's Dan Peak!
Ever since she was a child, whenever she went out in her family's city, who didn't show her the utmost respect?
Her hand wasn't something just any riff-raff could touch!
As she struggled, she raised her foot to kick at Bai Chen's calf.
"You cowardly lecher! How dare you take advantage of me in broad daylight! You're courting death!"
Bai Chen was in the middle of copying the Talent Entry, and less than ten seconds had passed.
He couldn't let go now, not even if it killed him.
"Hey, lady, we're running for our lives! Can you please stop making a scene?"
Bai Chen was dragging Feng Ling'er along, not only having to watch the path but also dodge her kicks. He was so anxious he was sweating bullets.
"Running for our lives? From what?"
Feng Ling'er sounded as if she'd just heard the world's biggest joke.
"Open your dog eyes and look around! This is Shunhe Square, Hexu Sect territory! Who would dare to kill someone here?"
She yanked her arm with all her might, but Bai Chen's grip on her wrist was firm, and she couldn't break free.
Feng Ling'er was so angry she started cursing loudly, "You lecher! I bet you're just using this as an excuse to take advantage of me! Believe it or not, if I scream, the patrol team will arrest you and feed you to the demonic beasts!"
Bai Chen was so exasperated by Feng Ling'er's arrogance that he almost laughed.
He'd met idiots before, but never one this idiotic.
She seemed completely oblivious to the fact that if he hadn't jumped in just now, she would already be dead.
If the talent copy weren't still in progress, he would have been tempted to throw the girl back and let her fend for herself.
Bai Chen couldn't be bothered to waste words on her. He just tightened his grip on her wrist and kept running through the alleys.
He could already hear the footsteps of the three men catching up from behind.
Clearly, the three of them had realized he'd tricked them.
If those three caught up to him before he finished copying the Talent Entry, he would abandon Feng Ling'er and run for it without a second thought.
But for now, he could still struggle on for a little longer.
Feng Ling'er was anything but cooperative. She was like a dead weight, pulling backward as if her feet were made of lead.
Her slender arm was ramrod straight as she desperately tried to yank her wrist back, the force nearly pulling Bai Chen over.
"You cowardly lecher! You filthy beggar! I'm telling you, let me go right now!"
Feng Ling'er shrieked at the top of her lungs.
"Who do you think you are to touch my hand? Why don't you take a piss and look at your own reflection!"
"Are you tired of living? Just wait until I see my uncle! Believe it or not, I'll have him skin you alive and pull out your tendons!"
"Let go!"
She was pulling so hard that Bai Chen had to use all his strength just to fight against her.
Even so, with Feng Ling'er dragging him down, his speed was slowing.
"You little bastards, you dare try to scare me? I'll skin you alive today!"
The three men from behind had already rounded the corner and were in pursuit.
Bai Chen glanced at the System's copy progress.
[Countdown: 30, 29, 28...]
Damn!
Why is it still taking so long?
He looked at the three men getting closer and closer, and hesitated.
Even if he managed to copy the entry, he had to be alive to use it.
His life was more important. Maybe he should just give up.
Just as Bai Chen was staring at the three hooligans closing in, his grip loosening as he prepared to give up and run...
A flurry of footsteps came from behind them.
Bai Chen whipped his head around.
He saw seven or eight cultivators dressed in gray-blue robes, long swords in hand, appearing at the mouth of the alley. They were running quickly in their direction, their cuffs embroidered with a silver-threaded shield crest bearing the character 'He'.
They were disciples of the Hexu Sect.
The moment he saw them, Bai Chen's breath caught in his throat.
Feng Ling'er had said she was the niece of a Hexu Sect elder, Feng Yang. If these disciples saw him forcibly dragging her along, would they attack him?
These were cultivators; his firecrackers wouldn't scare them.
At that moment, Feng Ling'er saw them too and immediately started jumping and shouting with joy.
"Quick, arrest them all and kill them!"
Damn, what a venomous woman!
Bai Chen's heart clenched. His wrist went slack as he was about to flee, but the Hexu Sect disciples had already leaped past them at high speed.
Proofreader: Peter Pan