Chapter 82: Again the Gray-Robed Person

Could that black-robed person also be a transmigrator? Shi Ran couldn't help but think that; otherwise, who would use Violent Rain Pear Blossom Needle in a cultivation novel? It's not for any particular reason—this thing just shows up all the time in transmigration novels, and almost every self-reliant female lead story has one for self-defense!

But it can't be absolute; maybe it's just a coincidence. Shi Ran shrugged. Whatever, soldiers block, water floods, earth covers—what does she have to fear as someone about to die?

At that moment, the gray-robed man fleeing in disarray sneezed three times in a row. He looked up at the dim sky, down at the icy snowy path beneath his feet; as the cold wind blew, it made him shiver, and a sad feeling gradually spread through his heart. He thought of his mother, his phone, air conditioning and fried chicken—wuwuwu—he wanted to go home!!

But he couldn't return just yet; he had to find that intruding transmigrator, eliminate her, set things right, and let the plot return to normal before he could go back to the real world.

A gust of cold wind blew, and the gray-robed man looked up and let out a long sigh—wuwuwuwu—he really missed his mother!

After a peaceful night, Shi Ran remained spirited, but her two senior brothers and Ruan Xinli were not doing well. Luo Changfeng's spiritual power was severely depleted; he had meditated all night, yet judging by his complexion, the effect wasn't great.

Qi Chengshuang was even worse off; although Ruan Xinli had taken careful care of him all night, his injuries were too severe, and by the later part of the night he still ran a fever, falling into unconscious sleep.

This had Ruan Xinli worried sick; she hadn't slept all night and looked utterly exhausted.

So it seemed they could only stop and rest temporarily in this cave, which suited Shi Ran just fine. It would be best to wait for Gu Yusheng to finish picking that lotus flower and for Qi Chengshuang to wake up, thus avoiding direct confrontation with Candle Yin.

Shi Ran secretly delighted, volunteered to go find food—if she didn't run into Gu Yusheng and his group, that would be fine; if she did, she could pretend not to have seen them.

But where could they find food in this ice and snow? Luo Changfeng sighed, opened one eye to look at the excited Shi Ran, and thought, forget it—he really didn't want to expose her.

Shi Ran set an invisibility charm on the cave, humming a little tune as she rode Red Pupil, wandering aimlessly through the ice and snow—but soon she couldn't smile anymore, the cold wind cut her cheeks like a knife, all she saw was endless white. She narrowed her eyes, patted Red Pupil's neck, and said, 'You say this godforsaken place doesn't even have a blade of grass, let alone anything to eat.'

Red Pupil shook its large head, let out a loud snort, and blew out a puff of white mist, as if agreeing with Shi Ran's complaint.

'How about we look over there?' Shi Ran pointed to a distant forest blanketed in snow. 'Maybe we could catch a rabbit or something.'

Just as she was about to urge Red Pupil to turn, a faint click-clack came from behind—a familiar sound that made her heart leap; her whole body's hairs stood on end. It was the sound of a mechanical device activating, something that shouldn't exist in this cultivation world.

She almost instinctively rolled sideways; the next second, dozens of silver needles flew past, threading through her hair and embedding deep in the snow ahead, emitting a hissing corrosive sound.

'Again with that damned Violent Rain Pear Blossom Needle!' Shi Ran blurted out, her heart pounding. She jerked her head up and saw a gray-robed figure standing on a nearby rock, the wide brim of his hat hiding his face, revealing only a pallid chin.

'Surely it's you!' the gray-robed man's voice sounded weathered, like that of an old man on his last legs. 'You should have died in chapter three, yet you're still alive—tell me, who are you?'

Shi Ran's pupils contracted; this person actually knew the plot, so he must be a transmigrator! But if an ordinary transmigrator bore her no such hostility, then just who is this gray-robed man?!

'Before you ask who I am, you must first report your family name—that's an unwritten rule in the cultivation world, don't you know? Who are you? Are you also a transmigrator?' Shi Ran gripped the Ice Stream at her waist, feeling her throat tighten.

The gray-robed man didn't answer directly; instead, he leisurely pulled a metal cylinder from his sleeve, tossing it lightly in his hand. 'To have kept you alive this long, aside from all your talk, you've got no real skill—it seems surviving hasn't been easy for you!'

Shi Ran's mind raced; he was full of hostility toward her, and he too was a transmigrator—could it be... 'You...? Are you the author of this stallion novel?'

The gray-robed man sighed, his voice suddenly weary. 'What do you say? This novel was almost finished, but because of you, messing up the plot caused the world line to drift. To correct the deviation, I was inexplicably dragged into this world just to get rid of you, this extra person!'

'Get rid of?' That word didn't sound good. Shi Ran felt a chill run down her spine, her hairs standing on end involuntarily. 'Wait, wait, wait!' she thought quickly. 'You say I changed the plot, but I haven't done anything at all!'

'Your very existence is altering the plot!' the gray-robed man snorted, looking even more agitated than Shi Ran. 'You haven't done anything, you haven't done anything—would Ruan Xinli worry over Qi Chengshuang, this fifth male lead? This secret realm dungeon was originally the process of the male lead winning over Ruan Xinli, but so far she hasn't even touched the male lead!' His voice suddenly rose. 'Qi Chengshuang was supposed to die in this battle, yet all he got was a fever—just a fever! And you still claim you haven't changed the plot?'

He seemed a bit at a loss; Shi Ran scratched her head helplessly. 'Even if that's what you say, I really haven't done anything! You say two people glancing at each other— that's not something I can control, right?'

The gray-robed man said nothing, calming himself as he flicked the hidden weapon in his hand. 'I'm not here to chat—don't worry, this needle is poisoned, but it won't hurt too much. When you die, you'll probably return to your original world, and maybe... I'm not sure about that, but all of this is your own fault, isn't it?'

Shi Ran knew the negotiations had broken down; she quickly gauged the distance, figuring how to dodge before the next hidden weapon was fired. Red Pupil stood anxiously at her side, sensing her tension; it wanted to smash him with a paw, but couldn't—the gray-robed man had placed a prohibition on it, and the moment it entertained that thought it would feel like ten thousand arrows piercing its heart.

Still, Red Pupil gently rubbed against Shi Ran; since dying for its master was its fate, it would surely kill this gray-robed man, even if it had to unleash Ten Thousand Piercing Heart.

Shi Ran gave Red Pupil a half-hearted pat; her mind was wholly occupied with how to deal with the gray-robed man, and she hadn't even thought of Red Pupil charging forward for her.

'You know that?' Shi Ran suddenly laughed. 'Anyone who uses the Violent Rain Pear Blossom Needle wouldn't survive past chapter three!'

The gray-robed man stared, dumbfounded, and replied foolishly, 'Why?'