Chapter 88: Acting Genius Bi!
Chapter 88: Acting Genius Bi!
Half a quarter-hour later, Tang Shan and Tang Huaxi departed with Tang Xingchi, their faces dark with anger, leaving only Tang Bi and his companions.
“Heh heh!”
After watching the departing figures of Tang Shan’s group vanish, a playful grin curled Tang Bi’s lips as he muttered softly, “Old Horse Monster, looks like you’ve finally lost your patience. But is this just your own doing, or are those old fogies behind it? Tsk tsk, so true—fame fades once the guest leaves!”
Moments later, Tang Bi swept his eyes over Tang Jinbiao and the others lying in disarray on the ground, shook his head helplessly, and sighed: “Agh, planned to get a hair wash, but look at this mess. If killing weren’t off-limits right now, I’d have slaughtered those damned brutes messing with my good time!”
He walked to Tang Yilin’s side. Gazing at her face mingled with red and white hues, he sighed again and muttered: “Truly a nation-wrecking beauty. Pity, not my cup of tea… makes me itch just looking at her. In a few years, might even become my sister-in-law! Hmph! Nothing’s tastier than dumplings, nothing’s funner than a sister-in-law. Brother Biao, this little lass is yours now!”
Slap!
Even as he spoke, Tang Bi tapped his right finger on Tang Yilin’s body. A bluish-yellow gleam seeped into her.
“Ah!”
Tang Yilin moaned faintly, spat blood, then slowly opened her eyes, looking dazedly at Tang Bi.
“Not good!”
She seemed to suddenly remember something and tried to channel her Spiritual Energy. But the moment her mind cleared, she saw Tang Bi’s eyes abruptly turn blue.
“Look into my eyes!”
Tang Bi, now utterly transformed, gazed at her with deep blue eyes swirling with a mysterious power—like fathomless abysses pulling her sight deep within. His lips curled slightly as he spoke gently:
“Look into my eyes… It was Tang Jinbiao who saved you. You’re tired now… rest well.”
“It was Tang Jinbiao who saved you. You’re tired now… rest well.”
“It was Tang Jinbiao who saved you. You’re tired now… rest well.”
Tang Bi’s penetrating gaze held Tang Yilin mesmerized. His hypnotic voice repeated the words like a soothing chant.
“Hmm… Tang Jinbiao saved me… I’m tired now… must rest…”
After several repetitions, Tang Yilin’s eyelids grew heavy. Slowly, she closed her eyes, murmured drowsily, and soon fell into deep slumber.
“Whew! Knocked me out!”
Assured she slept, Tang Bi finally breathed a sigh of relief and gently lifted Tang Yilin.
Thud!
With Tang Yilin cradled in his arms, he threw a casual punch toward the empty air before him.
Szzrt!
Something miraculous happened. Where his simple punch landed, the void shattered like glass.
“Hah! Brother Biao, that’s all I can cover for you. The rest is up to you!”
Tang Bi sighed. A soft bluish-yellow glow enveloped both himself and Tang Yilin as they stepped through the fissure.
Had any mighty cultivator witnessed this scene, speech would fail them. That this seemingly commonplace youth could shatter the void with a punch and casually stride through—truly jaw-dropping.
For an instant, only Tang Jinbiao and the others remained unconscious on the ground. And slowly, the fractured void began to mend itself…
…
Szzrt!
Soon after, the void fractured once more as Tang Bi’s figure gradually rematerialized.
“Damned luck! Shouldn’t have married so young. I’m tossing that fat cow aside first chance I get—divorce! For sure! These young girls are better—tender body and soft waist… hell, how I regret it!”
Tang Bi couldn’t help but curse after emerging. He then shot Tang Jinbiao a resentful glance, seemingly filled with regret.
“Such an exceptional woman, and I foolishly handed her over! Heavens! Earth!”
Muttering with extreme dissatisfaction, Tang Bi walked over towards the group.
“Should I erase their memories? Or not?”
Tang Bi sat beside Tang Jinbiao, looking at everyone, his face showing hesitation. He felt rather lost for a moment.
“Hmm, let me think… If I erase the memories, I could say we accidentally stepped on dream mushrooms, all sharing the same hallucination. That explanation holds up. I’d just need to heal their injuries… No, that won’t work. If Tang Yilin asks later, Brother Biao absolutely won’t have answers. Won’t that ruin things between them? Haha, exactly right, exactly right! I want you to fail! I want it ruined! How could such a lively woman be yours alone? Sharing is the fun part!”
Suddenly seeming struck by inspiration, Tang Bi placed a hand on Tang Jinbiao’s forehead as if about to erase his memory.
But just as he was about to act, Tang Bi abruptly stopped. His expression turned strange as he mumbled, “Ptooey, since when did I become so despicable? What on earth am I thinking? How could I let others mistreat Brother Biao’s woman?”
Slap! Slap! Slap!
Unable to help himself, Tang Bi slapped his own head and face repeatedly, seemingly trying to shock himself into clarity. Disgusted by his earlier ideas, he cursed, “Spending too much time with those rotten kids! A grown man like me, behaving foolishly too! This absolutely won’t do! Fine, I’ll just say Tang Yilin came to her senses at the last moment and drove Tang Shan and the others off!”
“Wait, no—if I say that, they’ll definitely ask how I know. How would I explain then?”
Just as he’d settled on this excuse, Tang Bi spotted a flaw immediately and muttered in frustration.
A short while later, Tang Bi’s eyes suddenly lit up, apparently hitting upon a perfect solution. “Aha! I got it! I’ll say nothing. I’ll claim I blacked out too, knew nothing. That way, Brother Biao will assume Tang Yilin saved us and be grateful to her. Meanwhile, Tang Yilin will believe Brother Biao saved her, think he’s just being modest and refusing to admit it, making her adore him even more! Their relationship will progress by leaps and bounds! Yes, that’s it! Perfect! Perfect! I’ll do exactly that!”
“Cough! Cough! Cough!”
At that moment, Tang Jinbiao, who’d been lying utterly still, suddenly started coughing. His chest heaved rhythmically. He was waking up.
“Ah! I’m passing out!”
Seeing Tang Jinbiao stir, Tang Bi promptly collapsed flat onto the ground, muttering.
“Cough! Cough! Cough!”
Tang Jinbiao kept coughing, slowly regaining consciousness.
Tang Bi closed his eyes and, strangely, let a trickle of blood seep from his mouth, trailing down his chin. He thought smugly to himself, “Heh heh, I’m the real Acting Genius.”
…
Inside a cave about a hundred miles away, Tang Shan and Tang Huaxi sat cross-legged on the ground, slowly cultivating to recover. However, they seemed wary of each other, staying on opposite sides of the cave. Tang Xingchi still lay in deep unconsciousness.
“Brother Shan, who exactly was that Tang Bi earlier? Why were you so afraid of him?”
Tang Huaxi held two chicken egg-sized Spirit Stones, a look of pure bliss on his face as if he’d never enjoyed stones of such quality. Yet he seemed perplexed and finally asked.
“Hmph! Do you know who Tang Bi really is?”
Tang Shan snorted with disdain before answering.
“If I remember correctly, earlier when you spoke to Tang Bi, Brother Shan, you mentioned he was from the Northern Region’s Wu Clan!”
Tang Huaxi still seemed unclear about the situation and pressed further.
“Mmm. Since you know he’s from the Wu Family, why even ask?”
A trace of displeasure flickered across Tang Shan’s face. Today had already started badly. After going to all that trouble to ambush Tang Yilin, a near-certain success, he’d run into Tang Jinbiao and the others who ruined everything. Now, injured and annoyed, Tang Huaxi’s stupid question aggravated him further.
“But… Brother Shan, how did you know he was from the Northern Domain’s Wu Clan?”
Tang Huaxi asked, genuinely puzzled.
“Nonsense, that man was tall and handsome, possessed extraordinary elegance, had striking blue eyes, and was a Body Refiner. If he wasn’t from the Wu Family of the Northern Domain, then who could he be?”
Tang Shan continued to explain. As he spoke, the oppressive aura on his face became increasingly visible, though he didn’t dare act rashly, seemingly due to his injuries.
“But, Brother Shan, if it’s as you say, then why didn’t any of the Elders detect him infiltrating the Tang Family all these years, while you recognized him in just moments?”
Tang Huaxi seemed to sense Tang Shan’s ferocity, but still pressed the question.
“This…”
Tang Shan was momentarily speechless at Tang Huaxi’s question.
“Yes, why was he hidden within the Tang Family for years without even the Elders recognizing him? Yet I identified him instantly? Their Cultivation Level surpassed mine by a thousandfold; why couldn’t they see it?”
Tang Shan fell into contemplation, seeming surprised he’d overlooked a question so obvious.
“Brother Shan, do you think that man tricked us? Didn’t he say he was no match for us earlier? Also, what deal did he strike with you? Was it only that bag of Spirit Stones?”
Seeing Tang Shan’s bewildered expression, Tang Huaxi cautiously inquired, though his eyes betrayed intense greed when mentioning the bag of Spirit Stones.
“That’s right… why couldn’t they detect him?”
Tang Shan paid no attention to his companion; instead, he muttered to himself with a thoughtful frown.
Seeing Tang Shan distracted and ignoring him, Tang Huaxi’s eyes rolled slyly. He glanced sideways at Tang Xingchi, whose condition—dead or alive—was unclear, then subtly shifted position, edging slightly closer to Tang Shan.
“Why exactly is that? Have I truly been deceived? Yet why did my mind feel so certain that man belonged to the Northern Domain’s Wu Family?”
Tang Shan remained lost in thought, head bowed, a look of utter confusion on his face.
Swoosh!
Tang Huaxi made a subtle movement, inching just a little bit closer to Tang Shan once more.
After another moment, Tang Huaxi had repositioned himself to sit right beside Tang Shan. Simultaneously, a Tiny Sword appeared in his hand. Its vivid emerald hue wasn’t the natural color of the metal, but unmistakably came from a coating of virulent poison.
“Why on earth is that? Could it be? What? Impossible… he couldn’t possibly be about to undergo Tribulation Transcendence…”
Tang Shan continued his internal struggle. He seemed to suddenly grasp something, his face going deathly pale as he cried out in denial of his own thoughts.
Suddenly, he snapped his head around. He glared at Tang Huaxi and shouted, “What are you doing?!”
“I’m sending you to your death!”
Tang Huaxi immediately raised the Tiny Sword and slashed towards Tang Shan’s neck with blinding speed.
“Aah!”
Tang Shan instinctively threw up a hand to block the dagger. The blade proved lethally sharp, instantly severing his entire palm.
Thud!
Without pausing, Tang Huaxi swung the Tiny Sword towards Tang Shan’s neck again. A torrent of hot blood sprayed out, drenching his face instantly…