Chapter Thirty-Eight: The Baffling Stranger

I checked the calm expressions on their faces and chuckled at the clueless underling.

I guaranteed he wouldn't have a pretty end.

Unexpectedly, the underling, oblivious to any danger, glanced at me with disdain and sneered, "Laughing when you're about to die? She's gone mad. Seize her first."

I couldn't help but wonder if all Xinghuo Hall members were so dissatisfied with their lives that they were in a hurry to reincarnate, showing such an irritating and punchable demeanor.

Senior Brother Luoxi and Erya were already itching to act.

"Hold on, let me deal with this guy myself first," I reassured them briefly. Before the Xinghuo Hall members could charge in, I stepped lightly on the ground and leapt into their midst.

"Oh, walking into our trap?" The underling still hadn't sensed the danger.

I smirked, "No, the trap is of my making."

"Huh?" He looked puzzled.

He said I was walking into their trap, but I meant that they were walking into mine. It was a simple enough concept. Maybe he hadn't read enough to understand such a basic phrase. Xinghuo Hall would take in just about anyone, it seemed. No wonder their members were so lacking in decency.

The thought made me laugh.

No, no, how could I laugh in such a serious situation? Realizing the inappropriate timing, I restrained my laughter. But as soon as I stopped, the underling burst into a louder, more boisterous laugh, clutching his stomach.

"What are you laughing at?" I scolded him.

"What were you laughing at?" He retorted arrogantly.

I glanced at him and, turning my back, put on a mysterious expression, "I won't tell you unless you tell me first."

"Alright, alright, I'll go first." He raised his hand, stifling his laughter but still smiling as he walked over. "I laughed because you people from the Qiongyun Sect are so uneducated. You like to make up words and phrases with no basis, pretending to be scholarly without any real knowledge."

The more I listened, the more it felt wrong. This was supposed to be my line to him.

"Who gave you that impression? You dare accuse us while being the real culprit. I'll make you regret it." Tired of wasting words, I knocked back the surrounding men and stepped forward menacingly.

"You did, and now you're blaming me," he said, standing still and looking at me calmly.

"I… I don't want to waste my breath on you." Furious and unwilling to entangle any longer, I unleashed my magic, casting a circle of frost and snow that knocked everyone down. Surprised by my own progress in magic, I clapped my hands in satisfaction and looked for the underling.

"Did I send him flying into oblivion?" I muttered, searching around. Finding no trace, I sighed.

Good riddance to someone who caused us so much trouble. It's a pity he was just a mouthy weakling, the weakest of the bunch.

"Who are you calling weak?" A voice sounded in my ear.

I turned towards the voice, striking out, but saw nothing.

Strange.

"Stop playing hide and seek. If you have the guts, come out and face me," I challenged, casting a spell that made the ground sprout a layer of frost.

Let's see you hide now.

Sure enough, the frost revealed his footprints, and I grabbed a soft, yielding object.

"What is this?" I had a bad feeling. As his form gradually became visible, I realized my hand had accurately grabbed... his butt?

We stared at each other, both mortified.

After a long silence, he looked at me with dull eyes and said weakly, "A female pervert?"

I mentally cursed him a hundred times.

Then, not missing a beat, I slapped his butt, raised my voice, and praised earnestly, "Quite firm." Seeing his embarrassment, I added, "Really, I'm almost envious."

The atmosphere was exceedingly awkward.

Never in a million years did I expect him to retaliate by giving my behind a swift smack.

My mind went blank. I began to ponder whether this made any sense at all, given the current situation. They were here to capture us, so why did this feel strangely like a flirtatious spat?

"Is this how Xinghuo Hall trains you?"

"Uh-huh, what else?" He crossed his arms, looking smug.

"Disgusting." I stared at him blankly.

"You grabbed first, remember? Don't blame me," he said nonchalantly, tilting his head to scrutinize me. "Flat in front, flat in back, decent face at best, but obsessed with others' fine rears."

Yes, it was my first time interacting with Xinghuo Hall members, but now I had enough material to complain about them for a lifetime.

Enough was enough. I butted my head against his nose, angrily advancing on him. Seeing him retreat, I grabbed his collar, "You dare criticize me with your sneaky eyes and sallow face? I bet you were cursed with a foul mouth in your previous life, offending so many that you died with sores and boils. Given another chance by the heavens, you still refuse to learn and keep spouting filth. Don't you know that you'll be condemned to the eighteenth level of hell for this?!"

Ah, much better.

He stared at me, dumbfounded, for a long while, then swallowed and said, "Quite a tirade. Can you let go now? It's a bit tight."

"Compared to me, you're not even worth a side dish." I took a deep breath, released my grip, and backed off.

He steadied himself and leaned in again, "Was all that cursing real?"

"Of course, as real as gold." I wasn't about to show mercy to an enemy with a confused mind.

"Hmm... maybe this face isn't that great after all." He thoughtfully touched his chin, then reached behind his ear. His face fell into his hand.

What the…?

I stared dumbfounded at the face in his hand, which turned into a ghastly yaksha mask.

"Enough playing around. Look at me properly." He straightened me up and held my face, making me look at him.

His appearance had completely changed. His sharp, defined features were accentuated by captivating phoenix eyes, the corners of which held a playful smile. His high nose was like a mountain peak, and his thin lips curved up in an unexpectedly charming way.

While admiring his new look, I wondered why the Xinghuo Hall members hadn't reacted yet. A glance at the ground revealed a heap of wooden logs lying around.

Realization dawned on me, and I asked, "You're not from Xinghuo Hall, are you?"

He frowned, "How did you figure that out?"

"The Xinghuo Hall disciples you came with are all wooden logs now. Take a look for yourself." I quickly pulled my face from his hands and nodded towards the logs.

He nodded appreciatively, tapped a folding fan against his hand, and praised, "Not bad, not bad. You're quite clever, both in cultivation and wit. You must have guessed my identity by now. Yes, I am the famous..."

Seriously?

I stared at him, incredulous and furious.

He had done all this just to mess with us, no, to mess with me? This wouldn't do. If he tormented me, I'd make sure we three tormented him right back to settle the score.

"I don't care who you are. Making such a fuss just to mess with us, huh? Apologize right now." I grabbed his ear, ignoring his cries of pain, and dragged him into the house.