Still Talking Tough, Attack!

"Brother Chen... are you sure you don't have an elder sister or younger sister?"

"Brother Chen, say something to me."

"Brother Chen, you're not mad that I saw you bathing, are you? How about this—I'll let you see me instead."

As Chen Jia walked, Jiang Lin kept asking. Under the moonlight, Chen Jia's cheeks grew redder and redder, while the Notoriety Points from Chen Jia kept climbing.

To be honest, every time Jiang Lin spoke, his own little heart pounded faster.

At first, Jiang Lin genuinely thought Chen Jia had an elder or younger sister. But somehow, he soon noticed that every time he said something to Chen Jia, Chen Jia would glare at him, and a system notification would pop into his mind.

[Notoriety Points from Chen Jia +40...+30...+50...]

Even if he were dense, he could guess by now that Chen Jia was Chen Jia.

In other words, even though this girl was flat as a board, she was still, no matter what, a girl.

And he had seen a girl bathing...

Jiang Lin didn't dare think about it.

No matter what, he would never admit it, even if it killed him!

Not only would he not admit it, he had to cover it up. And the best way to cover it up was to shift the focus—redirect the attention from "peeping on Chen Jia's bath" to "who exactly is Chen Jia."

Gradually downplay the whole "peeping on Chen Jia's bath" thing. Otherwise, with two protagonists already wanting him dead, if one more joined the list, he'd be crying himself to death.

"Jiang Lin! I don't know who Chen Jia is! Stop asking! And another thing—I'm really angry right now!"

Suddenly, Chen Jia spun around, puffing with rage as she glared at Jiang Lin.

She was furious that this man had peeked at her bathing, but even more furious that he hadn't even considered the possibility that she was that woman?

He'd already seen her body, yet he was acting like nothing had happened!

What did that mean?

Was she really that un-girlish?

Was being flat-chested her fault?!

Her mother had said, "If the chest isn't flat, how can you flatten the world!"

What was wrong with being flat-chested anyway?!

How were those big-breasted girls supposed to throw a punch?!

With boobs that big, how could their punches be fast?!

The more the girl thought about it, the angrier she got. Her watery eyes fixed on Jiang Lin, and he suddenly felt a chill run down his spine...

"Beast! Die!"

"Ah..."

One punch from Chen Jia sent Jiang Lin crashing through three trees, smashing into a small hill, and finally collapsing to the ground.

"Brother Chen... why did you hit me..."

Jiang Lin clutched his chest and struggled to his feet...

"Jiang, you bastard! I am Chen Jia! Chen Jia is me! I'm flat-chested and proud! Don't let me see you again! Every time I see you, I'll hit you! And if you dare tell anyone about today, I'll break your male third leg! I don't know why my mother said you men have three legs, but I'll break it anyway!"

The girl erupted in fury, no longer bothering to hide her voice. It rang through the mountain forest like silver bells—pleasant and somewhat adorable.

"Go find your stupid map by yourself! Hmph!"

With a snort, she turned and left.

"Brother Chen... no... Sister Chen, I actually like small chests... really..."

Watching Chen Jia's figure sprint away, Jiang Lin knew he'd messed up. He shouted after her, trying to salvage his image one last time. But the girl ran back and pounded his chest with her little fists...

Jiang Lin genuinely felt like he was about to ascend to heaven.

Seeing Jiang Lin lying on the ground, unmoving, the girl took a deep, fragrant breath, pursed her lips in satisfaction, as if she'd punched out all her pent-up frustration and felt much lighter. Then she clapped her hands and left.

A quarter of an hour later, Jiang Lin got up from the ground.

Even though he'd taken two more punches, at least the system hadn't predicted that this girl would scatter his ashes. Not a loss...

He spent 200 Notoriety Points in the system shop to buy a bottle of common health potion, downed it in one gulp, and spent another quarter-hour circulating his energy to recover. After exhaling a mouthful of turbid air, just as he was about to stand, Jiang Lin suddenly sensed a change in his Spirit Sea.

Wait! Was he about to break through!?

Jiang Lin's heart jolted.

Cultivators cultivated both mind and qi. Jiang Lin felt his Dao heart was fairly stable, so he focused mainly on qi. Could it be that Chen Jia's two punches had accidentally opened his Ren and Du Meridians?

Damn... was he a masochist...?

It wasn't that Jiang Lin didn't want to break through. On the contrary, he wanted it more than anyone. After all, thanks to that cursed system, he was destined to charge headlong down the villain's path. He had plenty of Resurrection Coins, but no matter what, cultivation was the foundation of survival!

Otherwise, when those protagonists eventually kicked open his Twin Pearl Peak and came at him with their swords, no amount of Resurrection Coins would be enough.

The problem was, breaking through from the Cave Mansion Realm to the Sea Gazing Realm took at least an hour, and at most two days.

The Shrinking Circle was coming in a day, and if someone happened to pass by, he'd be a sitting duck. He'd called everyone trash, after all...

Otherwise, should I just hold it in for now? Break through after getting out?

That won't work. Aside from the fact that breaking through from the Nascent Soul Realm to the Jade Purity Realm in the Bewildering Secret Realm would instantly have my cultivation suppressed back to the early Cave Mansion Realm by the realm's rules—like compressing cotton again and again—it's actually a great opportunity to solidify the Dragon Gate Realm. How could I waste such a perfect chance?

Sure enough, just as Jiang Lin closed his eyes, torn and beginning his breakthrough, dozens of Black-Clad Men leaped out in unison!

"Hehehehehe..."

A Goblin-like Sound of Laughter reached Jiang Lin's ears.

"Who goes there?"

Steadying his mind, Jiang Lin slowly raised his head and opened his eyes, only to see their pitch-black night attire.

"Since you've asked so sincerely!"

"Then we'll graciously tell you!"

"To make the world tremble with fear."

"To guard the darkness of the world."

"Killing, arson, every evil deed..."

"A domineering, nightmare-like villainous role!"

"We! Are the Dugu Demonic Sect!"

"..."

Though Jiang Lin wanted to mock them, the name Dugu Demonic Sect sounded awfully familiar.

"Oh, you're the ones who wiped out the Carefree Sect?"

"Hahaha... just a tiny Eighth-Rank Sect, wiped out and done with. A small achievement, not worth mentioning."

"Same demonic sect, acting for profit, right... I get it. But why would the Dugu Demonic Sect bother with a minor sect? That kind of thankless trouble isn't necessary, is it?"

"Heh, you don't need to know that. Worry about yourself first."

"Jiang Lin, hand over the Mountains and Rivers State Diagram. For the sake of being in the same line of work, we'll let you break through in peace."

"Not to mention how you know I have the Mountains and Rivers State Diagram, but the diagram isn't on me..."

"Not on you? Are you not afraid we'll ruin your very foundation while you break through, all for the sake of a mere diagram?"

"No... the diagram really isn't on me. I lost it."

"Still talking tough. Get him! Pierce this Pretty Boy to death!"

"???"

[Thanks to "Ya Ling" for 200 Qidian coins, "Wind and Rain" for 100 book coins, "..." (can't type the name...) for 100 book coins and above from book friends for the tips~~~(???)]