Chapter 121 - Is It Funny That the Reincarnated Senior Sister Is Also Being Pursued?

Bai Lian and Mu Xing He quickly located the source of the girl's cry for help. In a dim alley, two burly men surrounded a petite girl in palace attire. The two men seemed to have the mid-level cultivation of Qin Xin, while the girl appeared to be at the sixth or seventh level of Feng Chu. Under the pressure of the two men, the girl crouched in a corner, shivering, obviously deeply frightened. "Don't come near me! I-I am very powerful! I'll hit you!" The girl tried to sound fierce, but her trembling voice betrayed her true emotions. However, the two men were undeterred. "You...you dare eat and run without paying, and now you want to pawn your jewelry at our expense? Come with us to the Justice Sword Division, or you'll regret it!" "I didn't eat and run! I only realized my money pouch was stolen after I finished eating." "You expect us to believe your jewelry is worth the meal you had? Probably picked up some rubbish from the garbage pile and tried to deceive us, did you?" The men laughed, "How can a little girl like you eat so much? You're just a ghost!" "Stop the nonsense and come with us!" "At the Justice Sword Division, the sword sect's prison food will keep you well-fed!" Watching this scene unfold, Bai Lian couldn't help but furrow her brows. She had thought this was a typical scenario where street scoundrels harassed a girl, a scene often seen in novels. Indeed, at first glance, it appeared this way. Given the sight of a petite girl in the corner and two burly men, most people would naturally assume the girl was the victim. However, their conversation revealed otherwise. The girl had eaten without money and tried to pawn her jewelry. But how could anyone know if her jewelry was genuinely valuable? What if it was just some junk picked up from the trash to deceive others? Given the circumstances, she didn't feel inclined to intercede for either party. The best option was to stand by and observe, as long as the two men didn't go too far. The Justice Sword Division would judge the matter fairly. She did have considerable trust in the impartiality of the law enforcement agency established by the Taihua Sword Sect in the city of Yaoguang. However...something about the girl in the corner seemed oddly familiar to Bai Lian. "No, no! Even if I'm starving, I can't eat prison food!" "That jewelry is indeed valuable, you can take it to the pawnshop and enquire!" "I...I have very important things to do, please spare me!" Faced with this predicament, the girl finally lifted her head, revealing her tear-streaked face hidden in the shadows. A dainty and exquisite visage, her tear-filled eyes resembling a lost little hamster, making her look utterly adorable. But as Bai Lian caught sight of her face, her eyes widened, and she couldn't help but exclaim, "…!" "Your evil deeds end here!" "With me, Bai Lian, present, you won't get away with any mischief against this girl!" Mu Xing He stared in bewilderment at Bai Lian's sudden and shameless appearance, unable to fathom what this esteemed senior sister of the Taihua Sword Sect was up to. Even the novels written by cultivators hundreds of years ago didn't depict such a clichéd entrance. Especially, the way Bai Lian was standing there with hands on her hips, openly revealing herself in front of the antagonists, was usually reserved for the fantasy romance novels crafted by various demonic and heretical cultivators, where their fate often ended as tongue-wagging stuffed animals. Not only Mu Xing He, even the others were taken aback by Bai Lian's intervention. The three of them looked at Bai Lian in astonishment, beginning to wonder if they had stumbled into some kind of theatrical performance by mistake. When did something like this…? Bai Lian felt intensely embarrassed under their scrutiny. Even the tips of her hidden ears in her dark hair blushed a fiery red. She wanted nothing more than to disappear into the ground! It was infuriating how unexpected it was to encounter an acquaintance here, to the point where she almost called out the girl's name. To avoid arousing Mu Xing He's suspicion, she had to come up with a desperate impromptu plan. But Mu Xing He's piercing gaze felt like a sharp blade, making her realize that her cool facade might completely crumble. She might as well reveal her true identity now. However, at this point, she had no choice but to carry on with the act. "I am a heroine. I am a heroine. I am a heroine." Not the kind that ends up as a stuffed animal! After repeatedly reassuring herself mentally, Bai Lian restrained her embarrassment and spoke firmly, "Release this girl immediately, or face the consequences!" The two men looked at Bai Lian's sudden appearance with furrowed brows, becoming wary. They weren't saintly figures; otherwise, they wouldn't be working as bouncers in a tavern. If Bai Lian had been a mere brash youngster, they would've been more hostile, particularly since the girl had indulged herself in their tavern first. Even if it led to the involvement of the Justice Sword Division, they still had a case. But they couldn't discern Bai Lian's true strength. This meant that Bai Lian's cultivation was at least at the Sky Soaring Realm. A young Sky Soaring cultivator like her must have had an extraordinary background. Exchanging a glance, one of them clasped his fists and said, "Misunderstanding, my friend. We aren't plotting anything untoward against this girl. She ate and drank heartily at our tavern, then tried to leave without paying. We merely intend to resolve the matter justly at the Justice Sword Division. We hope you understand." The girl widened her eyes anxiously and explained, "I-I didn't mean to eat without paying! My money was stolen... and I left my jewelry behind, it's very valuable!" Bai Lian said, "Since the girl didn't intend to cheat, and has already offered her jewelry, why not verify its value at the pawnshop before making a decision?" The man shook his head with a bitter smile, "Who knows if the jewelry she mentions is really worth anything? What if she runs off before we ascertain its authenticity?" "We run a small business, and if we condone such freeloading behavior, we might soon be unable to pay even the junior staff's salary." "I...I didn't..." The girl was desperate, on the verge of tears, unable to offer any explanation, only silently wiping her tears away. The sight of her being so pitiful was an echo of the girl from Bai Lian's memories. She hadn't changed at all. Due to the foreshadowing involved, the details of Bai Lian's background couldn't be disclosed at the moment, but it should be noted that it didn't involve body-snatching. End of translation.