Di Siyu lowered his gaze just in time to see her flash an enigmatic smile at him, nearly causing him to drop the thunder-fire bomb right onto himself.
That sent a genuine shiver down his spine for a fraction of a second.
What on earth was wrong with this little girl? Why was she giving him a look like that?
Inside the deep pit, the disciples were howling and flying about as Feng Ning casually swung her vines, burying them one by one like a game of whack-a-mole, making sure not to leave out a single disciple who had gone to such lengths to hunt her down.
"With your third-rate cultivation, how dare you even chase after me? Go back and tell your sect managers to send some actual experts instead."
"And as for that bounty on my head, a hundred spiritual stones? Do you take me for a beggar? Go back and tell your managers to raise the price! Next time, I might actually go easier on you for the sake of a higher reward."
At that moment, all the disciples who had been blasted into the air were channeling their spiritual power to protect their vital organs, leaving them completely unable to break free.
Though the power of a thunder-fire bomb couldn't quite match true spiritual energy, getting blasted with one hurt like hell!
"Feng Ning, you'd better not run! I've already sent a voice transmission to Senior Brother Xuanming, and he'll be here soon!"
"I've already sent a voice transmission to the Tianyun Sect's managing elder too. Just you wait!"
"The Ye Family disciples in Yunzhong City are already on their way here. Let's see how much longer you can act so arrogant!"
"My Sword Sect's inner sect senior brothers happen to be training near Yunzhong City, and they plan to come meet you first!"
Aside from the Feng family disciples who had been whipped unconscious, the disciples from the other sects all started calling for backup.
"Really? You guys have such vast networks." Feng Ning swung her vines even more fiercely, the wind whistling as she whipped streak after terrifying red mark across the disciples' bodies, making their faces twist in agony and bare their teeth in pain.
"Do you look down on me or something?! With such vast networks, why didn't you call for backup sooner?! Huh?"
"Do you have any idea? You're wasting so much of my time!"
After successfully burying everyone back into the pit, Feng Ning finally stood at the edge, satisfied, and dusted off her hands.
"Feng Ning, don't think that just because a wood-type spiritual cultivator is protecting you, you can run wild outside the law! We major sects and noble families aren't pushovers, and sooner or later, you'll pay the price for what you've done!!!"
"You'll pay a terrible price!"
"..."
From within the deep pit came a series of resentful, weak cries of grievance.
They refused to accept this... yet they couldn't beat her in a fight! And their firepower wasn't even as fierce as hers, leaving them to turn red in the face with impotent rage.
Feng Ning smiled as it went in one ear and out the other. Then, she rummaged through her Storage Bag, pulled out a few fireworks, and ignited them.
As evening fell, the fireworks burst into dazzling colors across the sky, each one exploding into brand-new patterns.
Her actions caused very little actual damage, but were utterly dripping with disrespect.
Di Siyu leaped down from the tree, looking somewhat bewildered yet deeply respectful as he asked, "Junior Sister, do you realize you just set off distress signal flares for all the major sects?"
"I know," Feng Ning tilted her head and smiled, answering as if it were the most natural thing in the world. "I felt the backup they called was taking too long to arrive, so I gave them an exact location. I want to see what kind of terrible price I'm supposed to pay."
Di Siyu: "..." Why did she have such a death-defying, unhinged vibe?
"Little Senior Brother, you aren't scared, are you?" Feng Ning teased as she looked at him. "If you're going to be my senior brother, you'd better get used to this atmosphere. After all, from now on... we'll be running for our lives quite often!"
"Scared? Someone who practices the Evil Path like me, scared of these righteous sects?" Di Siyu held out his hand to her. "Hand me another Storage Bag of thunder-fire bombs. I can now skillfully master the technique of bombing people. It's terrifyingly strong."
If you can't beat them, join them and go crazy together!
"..."
The sudden shift in his demeanor left Feng Ning somewhat baffled. Where had his aloof and restrained composure gone? How had she managed to assimilate him into a madman? Or was this simply his true nature all along?
Feng Ning actually dug out a pouch of thunder-fire bombs for him. "Use them sparingly, these are all I have left."
Di Siyu gave her a reassuring look, took the Storage Bag, and went back up to hide in the tree.
The sound of chaotic footsteps gradually drew closer. In the hazy dusk, only Feng Ning could be seen squatting leisurely before the deep pit, playing with flowers and grass.
"You must be Feng Ning!"
Accompanied by a familiar aura of Talismans, a tall figure stood before Feng Ning.
He looked down at Feng Ning with condescending contempt. "Where are the disciples of the Xuanji Sect? What have you done to them?"
"It's Senior Brother Xuanming's voice! Senior Brother Xuanming is here! We're saved."
Inside the deep pit, the Xuanji Sect disciples sat up with a start from the brink of death, as if they had seen the light! And seen hope.
"Senior Brother Xuanming, we're in the pit! Hurry up and save us!"
Hearing this, Xuanming hurriedly stepped forward to check on the situation, only to be blocked by a vine shooting out horizontally.
Feng Ning stood up and looked him up and down. So this was one of the members of the protagonist squad? And one of the fish in the female protagonist's pond!
He wasn't all that! Not even as handsome as her Little Senior Brother!
"Xuanming, is it? Step into my territory and you play by my rules. Did I tell you to move?"
What a good-for-nothing, yet she had quite the arrogant tone.
Xuanming glanced at the vine blocking his path. The spiritual energy emanating from it was formidable. For this good-for-nothing to dare act so arrogant, she must have an expert protecting her from behind the scenes.
He finally raised his eyes and looked squarely at Feng Ning. "Whatever your rules are, as long as you return my Storage Bag and release the Xuanji Sect disciples, the Xuanji Sect will call off the bounty on you."
He didn't want to lower himself by fighting a good-for-nothing.
Xuanming was the chief senior disciple of the Xuanji Sect, born to be revered as a genius talismansmith, and had already entered the Golden Core (mid) stage in his teens.
The Talismans he drew had always been in high demand with zero supply in the Cultivation World. Who could have imagined that his Storage Bag would get stolen while attending the inheritance banquet at the Feng family?
All the Talismans he had drawn in recent years were inside that Storage Bag, meant for the upcoming Sect Tournament in half a month.
Those were Talismans he had poured his heart, soul, and spiritual energy into creating.
How could he not be in a hurry to get them back?
"I got this Storage Bag through my own ability. Why should I return it to you?"
"I buried the Xuanji Sect disciples through my own ability. Why should I let them go?"
"As for that bounty, your Xuanji Sect insulted me with a hundred spiritual stones. Should I thank you after you call it off?"
Feng Ning asked with a deadpan, polite expression, "Are you here to reason with me?"
Xuanming was somewhat irritated by her questions. "Stop twisting words and logic here. I don't want to bully the weak, so I advise you to be sensible, or don't blame me for being unpolite."
Look at that—the common flaw of the righteous sects: when they lose an argument, they resort to threats.
"How about you just be unpolite right now?" Feng Ning raised an eyebrow and made an inviting gesture toward him, welcoming him to jump into the pit.
Xuanming clutched the Talismans in his hand, looking somewhat hesitant.
"Have the wood-type spiritual cultivator protecting you come out. Stop playing dirty tricks behind the scenes. Step out and face me in a fair duel."
Feng Ning looked genuinely confused. "Aren't I standing right in front of you? Isn't that fair enough?"
Xuanming sneered, "A good-for-nothing without a spiritual root has no business spouting such nonsense here."
"Would you believe me if I said I grew another spiritual root?" Feng Ning smiled instead of getting angry. "How about you experience it firsthand?"