Brushing Up Her Favorability

After giving chase, Hao Shuai followed them the whole way.

With Dongfang Bai deliberately leading them on, they soon arrived in a secluded alley!

How had Luo Renjie survived this long in the jianghu? Had he never heard of the jianghu's four great taboos: monks, Daoists, women, and children?

Anyone with experience could tell at a glance that the woman had deliberately led them into this deserted alley. Did Luo Renjie think she was doing it to play some outdoor game with him?

It was only in Kin Tsuchi's Wuxia World that Luo Renjie had managed to become a named supporting character. If he were in Gu Long's world, he'd probably be one of those named extras who died as soon as they appeared. And in Huang Yi's world, he'd probably be a nameless corpse.

"Renhao, go!" Luo Renjie called out and was about to rush forward. While Hao Shuai followed behind them, internally mocking the pair, Luo Renjie had already charged ahead, impatient to get started.

"Stop right there, you shameless lechers! In broad daylight, under the clear heavens, the two of you dare abduct a woman in public! Is there no law in this land?!" This was the moment Hao Shuai had been waiting for. He suddenly became a consummate actor, striding up in front of Dongfang Bai and spreading his arms to block Luo Renjie as he continued to condemn him.

Hao Shuai felt as though he had become the very embodiment of righteousness, radiating an air of Vast Righteous Qi.

This fellow is rather interesting.

Watching Hao Shuai put on such a serious act, Dongfang Bai couldn't help smiling.

"Who are you?"

Luo Renjie couldn't stand Hao Shuai's endless chatter, so he cut off his lecture.

"My surname is Hao, and my given name is Ba Ba," Hao Shuai replied.

"Good dad?"

Luo Renjie repeated it instinctively, wondering, What kind of name is that?

"Yeah, good boy!" Hao Shuai replied.

"Damn it, you bastard! You dare trick me?"

Luo Renjie realized what had happened and flew into a rage, drawing his sword and stepping forward to teach Hao Shuai a lesson.

"From your clothes and the swords in your hands, I'd say you're both martial artists. What's the matter? Did I hit too close to home, so now you want to kill me to silence me?" Hao Shuai declared passionately.

"Miss, I'll protect you. Unless I'm dead, they won't lay a finger on you." Hao Shuai even turned around to assure Dongfang Bai.

Watching Hao Shuai, Dongfang Bai found him amusing. She couldn't sense even the slightest trace of inner power from him, yet he still dared to risk his life by meddling in others' business—and he spoke in such an entertaining way. She, whose martial arts were unmatched under heaven, hadn't met anyone this interesting in a long time.

"Enough nonsense. You don't look like you know martial arts, yet you still dare to meddle in other people's business. Are you tired of living?" Luo Renjie sneered, using his Lightness Skill as he charged forward with Pine Wind Swordplay.

"I'm a man destined to become Number One Under Heaven. Even if I don't know martial arts, do you really think a pair of rotten potatoes like you can deal with me?" Hao Shuai drew the decorative sword at his waist and held it across his chest.

At that moment, Luo Renjie thrust his sword toward Hao Shuai's chest.

Hao Shuai simply thrust his own sword at Luo Renjie's sword tip. Luo Renjie felt a tremendous force travel through his blade and nearly lost his grip on the sword.

Although Hao Shuai knew neither sword techniques nor inner power, his vision at the Hunyuan level and his control over his body were so precise that he could hit a sword tip with his blade. He could even strike a fly in midair—and he was using only twenty percent of his strength.

No matter what move Luo Renjie tried next, Hao Shuai always managed to strike the tip of his sword.

Seeing that he couldn't take Hao Shuai down quickly, Luo Renjie called for Yu Renhao to join him.

"Renhao, together!"

Luo Renjie and Yu Renhao shouted as they rushed in to attack from both sides.

Hao Shuai remained completely at ease, using his telekinesis to guide their swords toward their own bodies.

After exchanging a few moves, Hao Shuai grew bored. He used telekinesis to pin them in place, then stepped in and kicked each of them, sending them sprawling to the ground.

"You two may not be a match for me, but since you've both fallen to your knees and begged for mercy, I might spare your lives if you kowtow to this lady three times," Hao Shuai said.

"Hmph! Don't get cocky. You may be good at martial arts, but I've got—" As he spoke, Luo Renjie pulled two Thunderclap Fire Bombs from inside his clothes and quickly hurled them onto the ground.

Seeing this, Hao Shuai hurriedly turned around and pulled Dongfang Bai into a tight embrace, shielding her with his body. The five-foot-five Great Cult Master Chen was entirely enveloped in the arms of the six-foot-one Hao Shuai.

Bang! Bang!

Two deafening explosions rang out. Flames flashed, and thick smoke quickly filled the alley.

Once the smoke cleared, Hao Shuai quickly let go of Dongfang Bai. He didn't even bother with the fleeing Luo Renjie and Yu Renhao, instead anxiously asking, "Miss, are you all right?" Wow, the Cult Master smells so nice, and she's so soft and curvy...

"I'm fine. Thank you for saving my life, young master!"

Seeing Hao Shuai's anxious expression, Dongfang Bai realized he had only been trying to save her. She didn't get angry; she simply gave him a warm smile.

"It's a shame I let those two lechers escape. I couldn't catch them and make them pay for what they did to you," Hao Shuai said.

"Forget it. You drove them off, so I doubt they'll come back," Dongfang Bai replied.

"My name is Hao Shuai—'Shuai' as in handsome. The road isn't safe, so allow me to escort you back."

Dongfang Bai didn't say whether she wanted him to or not. She simply turned and walked back into Si Shui Nian Hua.

Hao Shuai didn't shamelessly follow her inside. Seeing her enter, he returned to the inn to rest.

He had met Dongfang Bai today and left a deep impression on her. That was enough!

There was plenty of time!

The next day, after breakfast at the inn, Hao Shuai went to Si Shui Nian Hua first to ask if Dongfang Bai was still there. When he heard she had already left Huayin County, he went straight out of town. Once he was sure no one was nearby, he flew toward Mount Hua. He wasn't going to the Mount Hua Sect, but to Jade Maiden Peak on Mount Hua.

Mount Hua's Jade Maiden Peak was famed throughout the land for its beautiful scenery. Standing atop it felt like wandering among the clouds. White clouds gathered and dispersed beneath one's feet, shifting in countless ways, like a celestial realm. Yet the peak also held a perilous cliff, bare and barren, without a single blade of grass or tree. There was nothing there but a cave.

Over time, this perilous cliff had become known as the Cliff of Repentance, and the cave was used to punish Mount Hua disciples who were not sufficiently devoted to their training or had committed serious offenses.

Hao Shuai landed directly on the Cliff of Repentance and entered the cave. He saw a smooth, bare boulder on the ground. Looking around, he spotted three large characters carved into the left wall: "Feng Qingyang." They had been carved with a sharp tool, the strokes powerful and deep, sunk half an inch into the stone.

Hao Shuai knew there was a cave behind the stone wall, containing the exquisite sword techniques of the Five Great Sword Sects as well as the techniques the Ten Great Elders of the Demon Cult had devised to counter them. But he didn't want to bring them to light just yet.

After leaving the cave, Hao Shuai first searched the surrounding area. Feng Qingyang, the old shut-in, wasn't there, and Hao Shuai couldn't find his hideout either. He had probably gone down the mountain to enjoy himself again. Hao Shuai took a hole punch and other tools from his storage space, drilled holes all around the Cliff of Repentance, then took out some cameras and installed them.

Heh heh!

Before long, Linghu Chong would be punished by being confined on the Cliff of Repentance for a year. That would be when the master Feng Qingyang appeared to teach him the Nine Swords of Dugu. With these cameras, Hao Shuai would be able to record the entire technique.

Hao Shuai wasn't necessarily planning to learn the Nine Swords of Dugu himself. The style's defining principle was to attack without defending, and that alone clashed with his fear of death.

Hao Shuai's martial arts philosophy was to wear the thickest armor, use the greatest force, and smash through anything and anyone standing in his way.

Dugu Qiubai's heavy-sword techniques suited Hao Shuai's tastes better!

Even if he didn't practice the techniques himself, he could still collect them for others to learn. But there was no hope of getting the Nine Swords of Dugu by asking Feng Qingyang to teach him. The entire Mount Hua Sect had only ever had Linghu Chong receive instruction in them. Using force was no good, either. At Feng Qingyang's age, he had probably already seen through life and death; threatening him with death would likely be useless. Besides, Feng Qingyang had nothing he cared about, so there was no way to blackmail him. What a nuisance!

Looks like he'd have to find a chance to get his hands on some truth serum. For now, cameras would have to do.

After setting up the cameras, Hao Shuai carefully erased every trace of his presence, then went straight back to Huayin County to rest.