Chapter Twenty-Three: Discovered

Hearing the voice, it seemed to belong to a woman. Unable to contain his curiosity, Chen Bo quietly poked out half his head, his eyes darting mischievously.

Suddenly, his eyes widened, and his thick skin flushed red. In the center of the pond ahead, two young women were frolicking in the water. Their clothes lay neatly on the shore, bearing the distinct look of uniforms, likely belonging to a sect or family.

Ever since he had taken the Minor Restoration Pill, Chen Bo’s vision had improved considerably. Though the distance was somewhat far, he could clearly make out the faces of the two maidens—even if their bodies were submerged in the pond, which Chen Bo found regrettable.

Yet, as he gazed upon the scene, he couldn’t help but feel he had become a minor villain peeping at beauties bathing. No, he was simply passing by—yes, that was it!

Across the pond, a waterfall soared thirty feet high, its waters crashing down and sending up splashes, thundering loudly. It was precisely this deafening roar that concealed Chen Bo’s sneaky presence.

For those unfamiliar with the measurement, Chen Bo offered a lesson: in twenty-first century terms, one foot was about thirty-one or thirty-two centimeters, so thirty feet amounted to roughly ten meters.

“Judging by her looks, she’s no less beautiful than Qin Ruolan, and possesses an inexplicable charm. In comparison, Qin Ruolan’s worldly air seems far too heavy.”

As he continued to spy, Chen Bo nodded in admiration. “One looks barely of age—perhaps fourteen or fifteen, about my age—but already has the makings of a peerless beauty.”

“The other is a bit older—around twenty-five or twenty-six—appearing mature yet retaining the innocent, cold aloofness of a young maiden. Only within such contradictions does true beauty shine. Excellent, excellent.”

“But why haven’t I seen them in Flame Town? With their looks, they should be goddesses known to all. Are they outsiders, not from Flame Town?”

At this thought, Chen Bo grew solemn. He decided it was best to leave; who knew how powerful the forces behind these beauties might be? If he was killed here, it would be goodbye to the world.

He certainly didn’t believe he’d be like the protagonist of those harem novels, where beauties would throw themselves at him at first sight. That much was obvious from Qin Ruolan demanding he break off their engagement.

Besides, his face was handsome, but not so irresistible that it would attract both men and women. If these two beauties were masters, would today be his last?

Lost in such fanciful thoughts, Chen Bo was about to leave, but his mind wandered and he forgot to watch his step. He slipped.

“Bang!” Not too loud nor too soft, his face hit the ground. Had he not closed his mouth in time, he’d have eaten a mouthful of dirt and pebbles.

“Who’s there?!” A thunderous, feminine shout rang in his ears. Chen Bo cursed inwardly, scrambling to get up and flee.

But he saw the older woman in the pond had already spotted him. All three faces flushed crimson—the two women with shame and anger, Chen Bo with sheer embarrassment. Caught spying, how could he not feel awkward? Though his intentions weren’t lecherous, it still looked like a setup!

Before Chen Bo could escape, the older woman slapped the water with her palm. A towering column of water rose, blocking his view.

When the water fell, the two women were no longer in the pond—they stood on the shore, fully clothed.

Whoever said girls dress slowly? Show yourself—you won’t survive the beating!

Seeing things going south, Chen Bo turned and ran, but hadn’t gotten far before a voice shouted from behind, “Lecher! Stop right there! Don’t even think of running! You shameless rogue, today I’ll cut you down and restore purity to the world!”

Being called a lecher again and again, Chen Bo grew furious. Damn it, he hadn’t even seen anything!

“You think I’ll stop just because you tell me to? I’m running, what can you do about it? And who are you calling a lecher? I was just passing by, heard you shouting, what did I do to provoke you?”

This was not the time to admit anything—otherwise, his reputation would be ruined, and he’d never survive in the Wildlands.

As he was about to argue further, a sharp pain struck his back. He was sent flying a considerable distance before crashing to the ground, spitting blood.

“Damn! I’ve run into a tough one,” Chen Bo grimaced, struggling to get up. This woman was terrifying—she had nearly killed him with a single kick.

He barely moved before a dark green longsword was leveled at him, its tip pressed against his throat. A slight push, and his life would end, the story finished.

“So it turns out you’re a little thief! At your age, your dao heart is already unstable, committing such shameless acts. Today, I’ll teach you a lesson on behalf of your elders! Don’t worry, it’ll just hurt a bit.”

“Wait!” Chen Bo shouted anxiously, “Senior, I don’t think I’ve done anything to warrant your enmity. Why must you kill me? If you won’t give me an explanation, I won’t rest even in the underworld!”

The younger maiden hurried over, having heard Chen Bo’s words, and cried angrily, “Shameless scoundrel, you spied on me, you—”

She faltered, too embarrassed to finish.

“Spied? What spying?” Chen Bo feigned innocence, bewildered, as if he had no idea what had just happened.

The older woman snorted coldly. “Little thief, don’t pretend to be dumb. That trick won’t work on me. Just accept your fate!”

“Hmph, hearing you call yourself ‘old lady’ every other word, you can’t be good people! You must be after my family’s wealth, trying to kill me and take my belongings. Unable to find a proper excuse, you frame me! To treat your bodies and reputations so carelessly, you’re clearly not good people!”

“You—you’re talking nonsense! Fine, I’ll cut out your tongue so you’ll see what else you can say!” The older woman raised her sword to strike.

Damn, she was actually going through with it! A flash of inspiration struck Chen Bo, and he suddenly produced a canister resembling a soda can, popping the ring.

A muffled explosion sounded, and a blinding flash enveloped the area. The two beauties, startled, thought it was a deadly attack and quickly retreated.

Because of the intense light, they were temporarily blinded. By the time their vision returned, Chen Bo had vanished.

The flashbang had finally come in handy.

Having run far, Chen Bo felt immensely relieved. He’d nearly been finished off by those madwomen; today, his usually reliable verbal skills had finally met their match.