The Protagonist is Always Intimidating Me - Chapter 46

The three of them returned to the inn after eating and drinking their fill. Along the way, Mo Jiuge separated from them early to arrange contacts among his informants within Yinchen Hall and prepare for the journey ahead.

Mo Hankui and Bai Meng returned to the inn, with Bai Meng swaying slightly as he walked ahead of Mo Hankui. He cheerfully pushed open the closed door and called out, “Oh come on, innkeeper! It’s still broad daylight, why is the door closed? Are you up to something sneaky…?”

But when he looked up, his voice trailed off as he scanned the room.

—Bang—

The door was abruptly shut again.

Everyone inside: “……”

“……” Bai Meng stood at the doorway, visibly perturbed. “This feels familiar… Is there something wrong with how I’m opening doors? Why do I keep seeing things that shouldn’t be here?”

Mo Hankui: “……”

Mo Hankui sighed and, with a look of resignation, reached out to push the door open again. Inside, he saw quite a few people—many of whom were familiar.

“We must be cursed by some malevolent deity…” Bai Meng muttered under his breath as he entered, his expression unmistakably disdainful. He then poked Mo Hankui, who was frowning.

“Wasn’t it like this last time? We came back, opened the door, and the first thing we saw was something that didn’t belong there. Now it’s happened again… If I’d known, I wouldn’t have let Jiuge leave.”

Mo Hankui: “……”

Mo Hankui’s gaze turned cold as he looked at the people from Yinchen Hall in the room, his lips pressed tightly together.

Feng Qingxuan looked furious and was about to slam the table in anger when Feng Suiling stopped him. Feng Suiling then offered a smile brimming with malice.

Feng Suiling: “You sure talk big, but that’s about all the captain of Xingge Hall is capable of.”

Bai Meng: “Oh really? Why don’t you say that in front of Jiuge? See if he’d beat you to death.”

Feng Suiling: “……”

Everyone: “……”

“…Hah.” Feng Suiling hadn’t expected Bai Meng to respond so sharply, and his expression twisted. After a moment, he forced himself to calm down.

“Say whatever you want… but,” he added, a gleam in his eye, “The incident with the elder from Lanxi Hall happened in your Xingge Tower. No matter how much you twist the facts, this is something you can’t simply talk your way out of.”

Bai Meng’s expression remained unchanged. “So? Since he died in your Yinchen Hall’s territory, it’s you who should give Lanxi Hall an explanation, isn’t it?”

“…Or are you saying that you no longer consider yourself part of Yinchen Hall?” Bai Meng’s lips curved into a slight, ironic smile, “You Yinchen Hall people constantly twist things and slander Xingge Hall… Honestly, you shouldn’t be called Suiling¹, that’s too mild. How about Ri Tian—Feng Ri Tian²?”

“Do you think it’s your place to speak!?” one of the Yinchen Hall elders shot back, his eyes like knives as he glared at Bai Meng and his companions. “You Xingge Hall people are going too far!”

“Going too far?” Bai Meng scoffed, raising his voice. “If you think that’s excessive, then you haven’t seen much… If I really wanted to go too far…”

“Not one of you would walk out of here alive!”

Under the dim lighting, Bai Meng’s dark pupils grew even darker, like a black hole that seemed to swallow all in its shadow. The members of Yinchen Hall visibly shuddered under his icy gaze.

Mo Lei stepped in front of Bai Meng as if trying to hold him back from making a move. “Come on, Bai Meng. This doesn’t look good for Xingge Hall’s reputation. It might leave us with a violent, bloodthirsty image.”

“I’m just putting on a show,” Bai Meng shrugged nonchalantly. “After all, talking big doesn’t require a particular time or place. You can do it anytime.”

Everyone: “……”

Yinchen Hall members: “……” But just now, he really didn’t seem to be joking…

“But…” Bai Meng directed his gaze toward Mo Lei, his tone laced with unsettling appreciation. “Tsk, tsk, tsk, Mo Lei, who would have guessed? If it weren’t for concerns about reputation, you’d actually be interested in getting rid of them, wouldn’t you?”

Mo Lei: “……”

“People of Yinchen Hall, beware~ Remember to guard against fire, theft, and Mo Lei.”

Mo Lei: “……”

Mo Lei withdrew, looking anguished, and clung to Mo Lengsui, refusing to let go.

Mo Lei: I knew I shouldn’t have spoken up.

Bai Meng: Heh, that was fun.

TL Notes:

1. Suiling “水灵” consists of two parts:

水 (Sui): Means “water,” symbolizing fluidity, adaptability, calmness, or purity.

灵 (Ling): Means “spirit” or “soul,” often conveying a sense of agility, quick-wittedness, or spirituality. It can also imply something or someone that is lively, intelligent, or ethereal.

Together, “Suiling” could be interpreted as “water spirit” or “someone who is lively and graceful like water.” It often conveys positive qualities such as being youthful, fresh, and vibrant, as well as having a pure or gentle nature.

2. Feng Ri Tian “凤日天” literal breakdown:

凤 (Feng): This character refers to the “phoenix,” a symbol of power, nobility, and renewal in Chinese culture.

日天 (Ri Tian): “日” (Ri) means “sun,” and “天” (Tian) means “sky” or “heaven.” Together, “日天” could be interpreted as something grand or excessive, like “soaring to the heavens” or “controlling the heavens.”

In modern Chinese internet slang, “Ri Tian” can also be a sarcastic or exaggerated term, sometimes implying someone who is boastfully powerful, overly arrogant, or thinks they can “conquer the heavens.” It’s often used in a mocking tone to exaggerate someone’s sense of importance.

“Feng Ri Tian” therefore combines the noble symbolism of the phoenix with this exaggerated arrogance, resulting in a mocking, over-the-top title, like calling someone “the Phoenix that rules the heavens” sarcastically.