Chapter 4: Blowing It All Up

Chen Huai’an didn’t usually play games, but even without firsthand experience, he knew enough to recognize that in game maps, red dots usually represented enemies.

The five red dots moved at a terrifying speed, closing in on the small cabin within a breath or two.

“D*mn it! Li Qingran is still outside washing the dishes!”

On the screen, Li Qingran was focused on scrubbing plates, entirely unaware of the abnormal situation unfolding around the cabin.

Chen Huai’an panicked. He frantically searched the game interface for any option that could alert Li Qingran.

There were plenty of options on the interface, but most of them were locked.

【Top up 100 to purchase a Sound Transmission Talisman and send Li Qingran a single message.】

The recharge screen popped up.

A notification dinged from Alipay, and a talisman appeared in the center of the screen.

【Hold down the talisman and speak.】

Chen Huai’an’s face twitched. Taking a deep breath, he pressed the talisman and said gravely, “Monsters attacking! Retreat immediately!”

A thunderous shout echoed in the void: 【Run! Now!】

Li Qingran, who was still washing dishes, froze and looked around in confusion.

That voice… could it be the senior’s?

“Awooooo—!”

A sharp wolf howl pierced through the rain.

Accompanied by heavy growls, three jet-black demonic wolves, each the size of a water buffalo, stormed into Li Qingran’s view. Behind them, two more wolves loomed faintly in the shadows.

“Blackback Demonic Wolves?”

How could this be…

Li Qingran quickly pieced it together.

The lone wolf she had fought off recently must have been a scout. No wonder it hadn’t engaged her directly and fled after a slight resistance. It had been gathering intel all along.

The nearest wolf was no more than five meters away now.

Without any hesitation, it lunged at her.

Although her cultivation base was crippled and her spiritual root destroyed, Li Qingran’s combat instincts were still sharp. She timed her move, rolled sideways to dodge the first wolf’s attack, and flung a plate at the second wolf preparing to pounce.

Outside the screen, Chen Huai’an’s heart was in his throat.

Watching Li Qingran move with the agility of a cat and counter swiftly, he slapped his thigh in excitement. “Well done!”

His biggest worry was that she’d freeze in place when faced with danger. Fortunately, she was calm and quick to react.

The demonic wolves, accustomed to skirmishing with Qingyun Sect cultivators on Wanqing Mountain, instinctively thought the white plate was a magical weapon. They dodged, only to realize nothing happened as the plate hit the ground.

The pack exchanged glances, their red eyes growing even more ferocious, feeling utterly humiliated.

Seizing the moment, Li Qingran bolted back to the cabin and slammed the door shut.

“Crap, crap, crap!” she muttered, dragging furniture to barricade the door, worry etched on her face. “It almost killed me to fend off just one wolf last time. How am I supposed to deal with five now?”

Her strength was waning fast. Dragging even a single table left her face flushed red.

Before she could position the table properly, the tremors of approaching wolves reached her ears.

Li Qingran’s pupils constricted as she retreated to the window, considering her only escape route.

But just when she thought the wolves were about to break in—

“Boom—!”

A deafening thunderclap erupted outside the door.

Even through the door, she saw a flash of lightning.

The wolves’ pained howls followed, and the air filled with the acrid scent of burning flesh.

Startled, Li Qingran looked up. A talisman on the door was glowing with blazing lightning, its rectangular outline visible even through the wood. It unleashed thunder and fire, reducing the nearby wolves to charred remains.

“A Thunderfire Talisman!”

She immediately recognized it.

She hadn’t noticed any talismans on the door earlier. It must have been placed there by that senior.

Talismans and pills were graded from Mortal, Medium, Superior, Perfect, to Immortal.

Immortal-grade talismans, wrapped in golden light, were extraordinarily powerful. Only old monsters in major sects could craft them.

Regular Thunderfire Talismans were effective against Qi Refinement or Foundation Establishment cultivators. An Immortal-grade one, however, could obliterate even a Golden Core stage demon—a treasure money couldn’t buy.

And this was an Immortal-grade talisman!

Most cultivators would hoard such an item as their trump card.

Yet the senior had casually slapped it onto her door?

What a waste of a priceless treasure!

Li Qingran was overwhelmed with gratitude and heartache.

Outside—

The two wolves closest to the door were obliterated by the talisman.

The remaining three froze, tails tucked, their ferocity replaced by terror.

Were they cursed? Why would someone use such a powerful talisman on mere Qi Refinement wolves?

They realized the path through the door was impassable. But giving up their prey so easily wasn’t their style.

Two of them circled toward the window while the third tried to climb onto the roof.

Before the one on the roof could advance—

Boom!

The two near the window exploded into ashes.

The last wolf abandoned all thoughts of hunting and fled.

【〈Limited-Time Offer〉Would you like to purchase a Thunderfire Talisman to strike down the fleeing wolf? (Thunderfire Talisman ¥288, 50% off)】

“What?!” Chen Huai’an’s face turned green.

Under normal circumstances, he’d uninstall the game in seconds.

But seeing Li Qingran’s distressed expression on screen, and realizing the wolf might return with reinforcements…

“Leave the roots, and they’ll regrow in the spring! Fine, I’ll recharge!”

Clenching his fists, Chen Huai’an looked like he was holding the talisman himself.

Another ¥288 disappeared from his Alipay, and a talisman shot toward the fleeing wolf.

From Li Qingran’s perspective, a crack of thunder echoed, and a golden streak pierced the rain. The talisman exploded upon contact, leaving only smoldering remains of the wolf amidst the relentless storm.

“Three Immortal-grade Thunderfire Talismans in a row…”

Li Qingran stared blankly out the window.

In less than thirty seconds, all five wolves were dead.

And the senior hadn’t even shown himself, offering only a single voice transmission as a warning.

Such abilities were terrifying.

But why would someone so powerful help her?

She thought of her Qingyun Sect seniors and master. Before her junior sister arrived, they had treated her decently, but their kindness was often calculated.

For instance, Senior Brother Lu Changtian, a fire spiritual root cultivator, wanted her water spiritual root as a Dao companion. Second Senior Brother Xiao Yifeng, obsessed with alchemy, needed her to tend spiritual herbs and test pills. Third Senior Brother Yun Zimo, a martial maniac, often sparred with her without holding back. Fourth Senior Brother Zhang Hanxiao, unruly and reckless, dragged her into trouble during sect missions, making her a scapegoat.

What could the senior’s motive be?

She had nothing—only her life to offer.

Perhaps he had no motive, merely a passerby moved by her plight.

Shaking her head, Li Qingran pushed her thoughts aside.

Regardless of his reasons, the senior had saved her life. If she survived, she would repay his kindness.

“Junior Li Qingran offers her heartfelt thanks for senior’s aid!”

This time, she simply knelt toward the sky, her expression solemn, and bowed deeply.

【Li Qingran’s favorability +5, now at 15.】

“Not bad. Favorability’s climbing fast,” Chen Huai’an muttered, stroking his chin. Smiling, he added, “Worth the 288 recharge.”

This game was crazy addictive. He’d already spent hundreds. No wonder some kids went into debt over gaming. It was just as exhilarating for him.

【Ding! Li Qingran’s health report and detailed identity have been generated!】

【View now?】

Chen Huai’an’s eyes lit up as he eagerly rubbed his hands together. “Here we go—heh heh!”

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