Chapter 74: A Dangerous Joke

  "The statue just now... it seemed to smile," Sanbao murmured softly.

  Wang Suifeng froze for a moment, then immediately turned to look. He saw the statue standing still, its red silk still in pce, and there was no sign of anything unusual.

  Sanbao snapped her fingers, and a ball of emerald green fire appeared at her fingertips. Using the dim light from the fire, she cautiously approached the statue.

  Suddenly, there was a sharp "thud," and a thick liquid dropped from the air, spshing onto the statue’s head.

  Sanbao raised her hand, and with the help of the firelight, she saw that Gu Xiaotu was hanging upside down on the statue, his face covered in blood and seemingly unconscious.

  Wang Suifeng quickly stepped forward to help him down, but Sanbao grabbed his arm firmly.

  He looked back at her in surprise, and saw her expression was cold. "Let’s go. He’s not dead. Hanging like this, the blood will rush to his brain, and he’ll wake up soon enough on his own."

  Wang Suifeng hesitated, but Sanbao, annoyed, said, "If you really want to be a fool, go outside and grab some mud to shove in his mouth. He’ll wake up immediately and climb down on his own."

  Wang Suifeng blinked, then nodded dumbly, following her outside the temple.

  Just as they were leaving, a shout came from behind, "Wait! Wait!" Gu Xiaotu, still hanging upside down, had spoken.

  Sanbao ignored him, snapping her fingers again. The green fireball in her hand suddenly expanded into a massive fireball, casting light on both the interior and exterior of the temple.

  She coldly shouted, "If you don’t come out, I’ll burn you with the fireball!"

  From the bushes outside the temple, Wang Yuanying, Qin Liangguang, and Shi Mengsong emerged, looking disheveled and covered in dirt.

  Wang Yuanying waved her hands with a grin, "Don’t be mad, little sister~ We were just trying to py a prank on you!"

  Sanbao’s expression was ice cold. "That joke was not funny at all."

  Wang Suifeng’s face was filled with anger as he demanded, "Do you realize how dangerous this is? Who came up with this idea?"

  Wang Yuanying stuck out her tongue, her face full of mischievous smiles. "We just wanted to scare you a little~ No need to get so worked up."

  Qin Liangguang looked guilty, his voice low, "It was my idea. It had nothing to do with them. If you want to bme someone, bme me."

  Shi Mengsong sneered, his face full of disdain. "What are you all getting mad for? It was just a joke. We just met, and we’re not your subordinates. What gives you the right to yell at us? When real danger comes, you might have to rely on us to save your lives."

  Wang Yuanying quietly tugged at his sleeve, whispering for him to stop.

  At that moment, Gu Xiaotu, now released, hurriedly added, "Let’s all just calm down and get along."

  But Shi Mengsong, like a firecracker about to explode, grew even angrier. He pointed at Sanbao and Wang Suifeng, shouting, "You two come from nowhere, suddenly appear in this desote vilge, and talk about hiking? I think you’re clearly treasure-hunting bounty hunters! And now you have the nerve to lecture us? Who do you think you are?"

  As he spoke, he channeled his spiritual power into his arm, and it instantly transformed into a giant bde. He swung his arm in front of Sanbao, and the resulting gust of wind cut sharply through the air, brushing against Sanbao and Wang Suifeng’s faces, leaving a tingling sensation.

  Wang Suifeng’s gaze turned cold, and he was about to summon his *Gcial Snow Sword* when Sanbao reached out and stopped him.

  Sanbao turned to Wang Yuanying, her voice cold yet carrying undeniable authority. "It was his idea to py this joke, right?"

  Wang Yuanying bit her lip, seemingly acknowledging the truth.

  Sanbao’s eyes turned sharp as she suddenly struck out with a palm.

  A water dragon emerged from her palm, crashing forward with incredible force, smming into Shi Mengsong!

  With a loud *bang*, Shi Mengsong was sent flying, crashing into the stone wall of the temple with a heavy thud.

  Though he wasn’t injured, he was knocked down, and he immediately sprang up, roaring in fury, "How dare you hit me!"

  Sanbao remained composed. This time, she didn’t use her spiritual energy for another spell. Instead, she relied on the close-combat techniques from the *Divine Illumination Sutra*, using the Eight Trigrams Palm to spar with Shi Mengsong.

  Shi Mengsong swung his arm like a massive bde, his strikes wild and heavy, creating gusts of wind with every blow. But no matter how ferociously he swung his arm, not even a corner of Sanbao’s clothing was touched.

  Sanbao, however, moved with incredible agility, darting around him like a dragon, exploiting every opening to nd precise strikes at Shi Mengsong’s vulnerable spots.

  After just a few exchanges, Shi Mengsong was already panting heavily, his face bruised, while Sanbao remained calm, light on her feet, showing no signs of fatigue. She moved like a sparrow, showing complete control over the situation.

  In the flickering firelight, the contrast between the two was clear, their skill levels unmistakable.