Trading Barbs

As he watched the sparks flying between the two beautiful women at his sides, Xiao Tian felt utterly helpless. Weren't they supposed to be showing me around Black Rock City? What's with this intense smell of gunpowder?!

After walking for a while, Xiao Tian could no longer bear the atmosphere. "Ladies, weren't you here to show me around Black Rock City?"

Lin Fei stopped and said, "Yes, yes, I was here to show you around Black Rock City. But certain people just had to tag along and act like a huge third wheel, ruining our mood."

Xue Mei immediately shot back without yielding, "If I'm ruining your mood, then you can leave. I can take Xiao Tian around Black Rock City myself. Why are you getting in the way?"

Lin Fei said, "You weren't the one who invited Xiao Tian. He agreed to come out with me, okay? Besides, weren't you the one who said you had no interest in shopping? You don't even know Black Rock City that well. How are you supposed to show Xiao Tian around?"

Xue Mei said, "As if you come out all the time. Do you even know the city that well?" "Why wouldn't I?"

Xiao Tian coughed. "How about we just wander around casually? Stop arguing. We can all walk around together. You're both locals anyway." He was filled with helplessness. Somehow, he had inadvertently gotten caught up in an argument!

The two women snorted at the same time, then the three of them continued walking amid an intense smell of gunpowder. After a while, Xue Mei suddenly asked, "Xiao Tian, are you very familiar with the He Family Patriarch?" "I only met him today." "Really? But it felt like you'd known each other for a long time. And he seemed rather respectful toward you!"

Lin Fei said, "Exactly, exactly. I'm curious too. He's a Dou Wang powerhouse and one of Black Rock City's tyrants. I never expected him to be so polite to you."

Xiao Tian said, "I don't understand it either. He suddenly came looking for me today. Since I had a bit of unpleasantness with someone from his clan before, I initially thought he had come to take revenge on me!"

Lin Fei exclaimed, "Ah! Then what do we do? He's a Dou Wang powerhouse! We should go ask Teacher for help!" Xiao Tian coughed. "I said that was what I originally thought, but unexpectedly, he came to show goodwill."

Xue Mei said, "Maybe he saw that you're a Fourth Grade Alchemist and wanted to befriend you rather than offend you!" Xiao Tian thought, That makes sense. Maybe it really is because I'm a Fourth Grade Alchemist.

Xiao Tian laughed. "Maybe. Whatever. No matter why, I'm certain now that he bears me no ill will."

Lin Fei said, "You're amazing! You're the most talented and impressive young man I've ever seen." Xue Mei said, "Didn't you praise that Xiao Yan the same way just now?" Lin Fei said, "How could that be the same? At most, he's a genius. How can he compare to Xiao Tian?"

Xue Mei said, "Oh, is that so? I thought you had your eye on that Xiao Yan." "You're the one who likes him, aren't you?" "I haven't even spoken to him before!" "You..."

Hearing Xiao Yan's name piqued Xiao Tian's interest, and he asked the two women, "How did Xiao Yan do in the assessment?" "He was quite impressive too. After finishing the First Grade assessment, he took the Second Grade Alchemist assessment as well. Then my teachers took him away!"

Xue Mei said, "Eh? Xiao Yan, Xiao Tian... do you know each other, Xiao Tian?" "We do. We're both from the Xiao Family of Wutan City." "Oh, I see." Xue Mei said, "The younger generation of your Xiao Family is really impressive!"

Lin Fei said, "Yes. Xiao Yan is the same age as you. Compared to you, he's nothing much, but it's different within the Jia Ma Empire. He isn't even twenty yet, and he's already a Second Grade Alchemist!"

Xiao Tian said, "Yes, he's very impressive. You could say he's no worse than me. Whether in cultivation talent or alchemy talent, he doesn't lose to me. Give him some time, and he might even catch up to me."

Xue Mei said, "That Xiao Yan seems to have reached the Dou Master level. What's your cultivation, Xiao Tian?" "I'm only a Da Dou Shi." "Hiss! A Da Dou Shi!" The two women cried out at once. Xiao Tian kept giving them shock after shock, one wave after another, with no end in sight.

The way Lin Fei looked at Xiao Tian grew increasingly heated. Seeing her gaze, Xiao Tian thought, Miss, don't go trying to seduce me. If that foolish woman Yun Yun finds out, she'll probably come down the mountain with a sword to find me.

Though she probably wouldn't do much, at most she'd pin me to the ground and beat me up. But it wouldn't be worth it for two women I had no feelings for. After all, neither of them had left much of an impression on me. They were only early-stage cannon fodder, after all.

Xue Mei said to Lin Fei, "Have some shame. Watch your drool!" Lin Fei wiped her chin and realized she had been tricked. Xiao Tian had turned his head away, while Xue Mei was looking at her with a mocking smile.

Lin Fei snorted. "So what if I'm captivated by Xiao Tian? Unlike you, I dare to say it but not do it!" "You... Hmph! What wouldn't I dare to do? Just wait and see. I, Xue Mei, always keep my word!"

When Xue Mei and Lin Fei had first met, they had refined pills and played together, becoming very good friends. Although they constantly bickered now, wasn't that also a way for friends to get along? Neither of them wanted to lose to the other.

Once, when Lin Fei and Xue Mei were bored, they sat somewhere with no one around. Lin Fei asked, "Xue Mei, what kind of man do you want to find in the future?" Xue Mei told her, "As long as he's from our generation, better than me, and stronger than me in every aspect, I'll send myself to his bed!"

Though it sounded like a joke, it was also Xue Mei's sincere truth. As her longtime rival and old friend, Lin Fei naturally knew that she had not been joking.

When Lin Fei saw Xiao Tian refine a Fourth Grade Pill, she immediately became his fangirl. Lin Fei deliberately provoked Xue Mei by bringing up Xiao Tian and that old joke. To save face, Xue Mei said she had no interest in Xiao Tian. But only she herself knew what she truly felt at the time.

Xiao Tian coughed. "Ladies, it's getting late, so I'll be heading back. Are you going back too? If you are, should I see you off? If not, you can keep strolling around slowly..."

I really regret coming out with these two girls. It feels like I'm trapped between ice and fire! Hiss... terrifying. Terrifying!

Lin Fei had come shopping precisely to get more familiar with Xiao Tian. Now that Xiao Tian was going back, what was there left to browse? She thought, It's all because of Xue Mei, that damn third wheel, coming here to get in the way!

Xue Mei was different. Since Xiao Tian was going back, didn't that mean Lin Fei's date with him had failed? Though this still counted as a date, with this young lady here, Xiao Tian's impression of you would be the same anyway.

But she had forgotten that the same applied to herself.

Xue Mei said, "I had a lot of fun today, so let's head back. My home is a little far away. Could you escort me back, Young Master Xiao? I hope you don't mind."

Xiao Tian said, "Then let's go. Which of you should I take back first?" Lin Fei said, "Me!" Xue Mei said, "Her!" What perfect coordination! Hearing this, Lin Fei looked suspiciously at Xue Mei. Why had this girl actually agreed to let her go second? No, that wasn't right. Wouldn't the one sent home last get to be alone with Xiao Tian?

Thinking of this, Lin Fei said, "You should take her back first. I'm not in a hurry! My home isn't far from here anyway." Lin Fei said this through gritted teeth. After all, she had just been played.

Xue Mei said, "Don't force yourself. Let's take you home first. Isn't that what you wanted?"

Lin Fei snorted. "In your dreams!" "Eh? Didn't you say he should take you back first? Why are you changing your mind now? Are you saying you don't need Xiao Tian to escort you?"

Watching the two women about to start arguing again, Xiao Tian truly admired them. This was not shopping to relax. This was aggravating. It was far too annoying!

Xiao Tian said, "Since neither of your homes is far away, I'll be leaving. You should both head back early too." He did not continue to disturb them.

He turned and walked back toward the inn. As for the two women still arguing, neither of them realized Xiao Tian had already left. Only when their argument reached its peak did they discover that there was no one left where he had been.