Chapter 6: Flashbanged

Bing Yuxia felt her whole body flare out of instinct as the skeleton of the tavern was ripped off of its foundation, splintering wood and crumbled stone blasting away as a pure light stunned all who stared into it.

Her dainty fingers covered her eyes as the air pressure crushed down upon her…. If that hit her head on, she would probably be gravely injured….

*KABOOM!!!!!*

The spiraling ray enveloped the tavern, before rocketing out the other side in a deafening blast unlike any other.

It exploded out in dense brown-black smoke that bloomed outwards, covering a good portion of the plain. Around her, the remaining customers and merchants were completely still as they felt their retina burn in the bright light.

What…. Was this power?

*Splswh!*

And then…. The sound of rain? Yuxia dared not open her eyes as the bright light intensified even further, and steaming droplets stained her robes. Even with her eyes closed, it felt as if she was melting… Like she'd been thrown into a boiling clay pot filled with water.

Pencil-thin eyebrows twitching a little, she exhaled a cold breath, the outer layer of her pristine jade skin exuding a freezing aura. As she did so, steam began to gather as the light clashed with her.

'Why did this man have to throw such theatrics?'

While the ray was powerful, it had not been intended for her or any of the customers. Yuxia had sensed the cultists outside, who were prime cultivators at the Warrior Canopy stage. From what she could tell, that crazy suicidal man could have easily done away with them….

But instead, he'd decided to be overdramatic and blow all of them away….. Or was it an accomplice?

*Fwuuu…..*

Finally, after five minutes of devastating heat, she felt the light calm. Blinking a little, Bing Yuxia observed the situation calmly. All over the exposed floor of the tavern, were charred bits; the remains of cultivators, and burnt, dwindling blood energy staining the floor.

Leaning against what seemed to be a tall wooden slab, the suicidal man smiled before clearing his throat, intent on carrying on.

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Yun Xie felt as if he'd delivered the desired effect. He was rather proud of his execution too. Now to finish his grand speech….

"Um. You say anything, you're dead. In fact, I'd say that you'd be…. Courting death. Heh.."

Grabbing the wooden slab off its top, he somehow stuffed it within his cloak and turned back. A mass of delirious practically half-conscious figures lay about, with the cultivators faring slightly better.

The ones still cognitive were baked red, their bodies seizuring about as they tried to remain still and not run.

While the "Special Beam Cannon" had been rather overpowering, he'd diverted a part of the energy so as to not hit himself and everyone else. Especially not himself.

<Bubble Healing Magic: Bubble Refresher>

Mana coursing through his veins, Yun Xie let loose a sigh as from below his feet, bubbly froth burst.

Within no time at all, the foundation of the tavern was covered in a large fluffy mass of soapy bubbles, popping and fizzing gently. Immediately, a relaxed aura covered the entire area as the customers sunk back, their complexion becoming rosy pale.

The rather nonchalant youth dipped his hand into the bubbles, feeling his muscles relax. The bubbles were non-toxic and completely of some water-based voodoo, which for the most part, prevented any poisoning if any were to swallow it.

Turning back, Yun Xie stared down at the two main victims on the floor. They were blanketed by bubbles, seemingly haven passed out from the shock. He watched as their visible wounds began to patch up and fade away in the mass of bubbles.

He crouched down, considering them for a moment, before shrugging.

From behind him, a set of light feet swept through the bubbly floor as his neck tingled from the cold. Yun Xie turned around sardonically, inspecting the figure who stepped before him. The cross-dresser.

Bing Yuxia cupped her hands, speaking in a velvety almost flirtatious voice:

"Greetings, Sir. Thank you for sparing us. My name is Bing Yuxia, from the Ice Feather Palace."

She gave him a creased eye smile, her flowery fingers cupped in a fist.

"The fabulous crossdresser, huh? Nice to meet you."

Yun Xie smiled back as he picked up a severed arm from the ground, throwing it to the side as if it were some piece of garbage.

He was somewhat uncertain as to what to do now, that he'd gone through all the dramatics. Their conversation had gone unheard by the rest of the customers in the chaos of it all

Contrary to the expectation of most, after finishing his heartfelt "philosophical" speech, he didn't ride off into the dark abyssal night or anything. To their worst fears, he was still around, loitering.

Aren't you some almighty cultivator? Shouldn't you be off on your next adventure or something? What's so good about this ruined tavern!? Please leave! Please!

"Yun Xie. I am from the Tiny Hill Sect."

Bing Yuxia put the name aside. She would go through the archives later… Perhaps they would reveal a "Tiny Hill Sect". Honestly speaking, the name felt like something that was thought up in a minute or two. But with that said, the strong were eccentric.

"May I ask what brings you here?" She asked calmly, her bewitching face passive yet gentle.

"Dunno, just felt like it. Wandering around is just part of life, I guess."

Yun Xie stared up into the night sky, feeling his silky black hair flutter among the four winds...

"I also wanted to beat something up. Release all the stress and make myself feel like I've actually done something with my life."

Giving off a somewhat goofy grin underneath his straw farmer's hat, the human weapon of mass annihilation had receded back into his strange eccentric slacker facade as he muttered in distaste.

Bing Yuxia blinked once, her feelings about the whole situation rather complex. Even with the whole slaughter and everything…. He seemed like a pretty cool person? Perhaps it was because the ones being slaughtered had been rather…. Distasteful.

"The world is indeed filled with crouching tigers and hidden dragons."

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He Shuren groaned, biting her lower lip as she sat up, her vision filled with blue-black spots. She had expected a whole myriad of pain to greet her, but contrary to expectation, she seemed to be in the best shape she'd ever been since two months ago.

What had- Her eyes flashed as she clamped down on what seemed to be fresh foam all around. Gengxin…. Her younger cousin sat there sleeping peacefully, most of his injuries having disappeared completely.

She sighed in relief before everything came flashing back, and she tensed up. The Cultists of the Heartless Gu Cult had attacked and captured them.

And then some small girl had squeaked and a weird man killed himself? Then, there was some blinding light…. Had she gone senile? Hallucinations? Was she dreaming?

Looking up, she noticed the "tavern". Or rather, the lack of a tavern. It felt as if the whole foundation had been blown away, leaving only the floor and a few tables and chairs. To the side, were the innocent customers, who seemed to be either unconscious or frozen in terror.

Having lost some wits, she sluggishly turned her attention to the two individuals who remained standing. The beautiful man and the weird man from the same table as them. They seemed to be talking casually as if nothing had happened.

Shuren pinched her nape, trying to regain her wits and clarity. Hadn't that weird man been stabbed? What happened to the cultists? She staggered up from the sea of bubbly foam around her, which let off a refreshing lemongrass scent.

Then, as she stumbled forwards, one of the pair, that weird man who had stabbed himself previously, spoke. It was a lackadaisical yet cheerful voice with a tinge of dryness too it.

"She's awake!"

Propping his cone hat back, the weird suicidal man gave a mysterious smile before he said:

"Now what?"

Another round of silence dropped over the ruined tavern as they stood there unmoving, waiting for another to speak up. The customers tensed up in terror. Would they be killed as witnesses? Why had their night taken such a turn…?

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