Chapter Three: Three Parts, No More

Chapter 3: Three Parts, No More

An Bulang crawled up from the sunken ground, dusting himself off. His bright eyes curiously scanned his surroundings, like a newborn baby fascinated by everything in the world.

He saw Ji Hongxue, dressed in red. She was rather ordinary-looking, but still pleasant to the eye.

He then looked at Tyrant Tiger, who had been accidentally sent flying by his dashing landing. Tyrant Tiger's face was a mess of flesh, and he was incredibly ugly.

"Did I... disturb you guys?" An Bulang asked nervously, glancing at the corpses around him.

The scene was rather bloody. An Bulang hadn't expected to encounter something so exciting the moment he arrived in the mortal realm.

"Run! It's dangerous here!" Ji Hongxue urged.

She had a good impression of this young man with his delicate features, especially his pair of dark, bright eyes that seemed like the purest gems in the world, making her unable to look away.

Such a handsome young man shouldn't die here for nothing!

"Heh, you saw me, Tyrant Tiger, kill people, and you still want to leave alive?"

Tyrant Tiger climbed up from the ground, hefting his blood-stained giant sword. His face was grim as he stared intently at An Bulang, a cruel smile twisting his lips. "I don't know who you are, but you're unlucky to have seen me. You'll be buried here with these people."

This young man in white who appeared out of nowhere was only at the third level of the Mystic Body realm. Even if he had a background, it wouldn't be significant.

Tyrant Tiger had killed plenty of high-ranking officials; he wouldn't care about the life of an unknown cultivator.

"Are you sure you want to kill me?" An Bulang blinked his handsome eyes, asking with interest.

He had been a bit confused about the situation initially, but now he could at least determine the good and evil alignment of both parties.

"Why are you still standing there foolishly? Hurry and escape!" Ji Hongxue exclaimed. Seeing An Bulang still standing there傻乎乎 (silly/foolishly), even provoking Tyrant Tiger, made her injured body surge with qi and blood, causing her to spit out another mouthful of blood.

An Bulang was even more moved by this sight. Although this elder sister wasn't exceptionally beautiful, she had a kind heart. To spit blood out of anger for his safety – just for that, he couldn't stand by and do nothing.

"Hahaha... This idiot probably can't even walk straight when he sees me," Tyrant Tiger sneered, seeing An Bulang frozen in place. "Don't worry, I'll smash your head with my sword. It won't hurt at all."

Tyrant Tiger stomped his foot, launching himself forward like a cannonball. The Mystic Iron Greatsword in his hand sliced through the void, smashing down fiercely towards An Bulang's head, the resulting gust of wind even stirring up a gale around them.

Ji Hongxue couldn't bear to watch. Such a delicate and handsome young man was about to have his head smashed right there. The scene was too brutal.

However, when the greatsword was only a foot away from An Bulang, he made his move. Using his hand as a blade, he struck the sword's edge directly.

Tyrant Tiger's first reaction was that the guy was crazy, daring to catch a blade with his bare hands?

As a Heaven-grade assassin, when had he ever been treated with such disdain? He immediately let out a roar, unleashing the might of his eighth-level Mystic Body, and smashed down with even greater ferocity!

"Shattering Moon." An Bulang's hand was covered in pale moonlight as he lightly tapped the imposing Mystic Iron Greatsword.

Bang...

A crisp sound.

Under Tyrant Tiger's shocked gaze, his indestructible greatsword was actually split into two pieces by An Bulang's hand.

The terrifying recoil force cracked his tiger's mouth open.

"Star Plucking." An Bulang's hand didn't stop. Swift as lightning, he caught the broken blade with his fingers and then spun it, throwing it back.

The flying broken blade was as fast as a shooting star, too fast for Tyrant Tiger to dodge!

"Pfft..."

A head flew into the sky.

Tyrant Tiger's expression of terror and disbelief appeared on his face just as his vital energy completely extinguished.

Clean and decisive, a single strike kill!

The world fell silent.

Only the woman in red stared with wide eyes, dumbfounded.

What had just happened?

An eighth-level Mystic Body realm expert was instantly killed by a minor cultivator at the third level of the Mystic Body realm?

Was she hallucinating, or had the world gone mad?

An Bulang walked up to Ji Hongxue, helping the woman who was still in shock. He placed his hand on her slender, soft waist, and a surge of power flowed into her body.

Ji Hongxue only reacted now. Her precious body was being intimately touched by a strange young man. Just as she was about to bristle, she suddenly felt a warmth in her lower abdomen, which was exceptionally comfortable. The tearing pain caused by Tyrant Tiger's blow had completely vanished.

"This... such powerful healing techniques..." Ji Hongxue's tense, delicate body relaxed inexplicably. Her eyes brightened, and she looked at the young man before her with surprise.

"Of course, this is a technique I created myself," An Bulang said proudly.

"Created yourself?" Ji Hongxue was even more shocked, then a little disbelieving.

She had never heard of Mystic Body realm cultivators being able to create their own techniques.

However, with this single technique, An Bulang had completely conquered Ji Hongxue.

After all, she, a sixth-level Mystic Body realm expert, couldn't even use spiritual energy for such effective healing.

Soon, Ji Hongxue's injuries were completely healed.

"I am Ji Hongxue, the Third Princess of the Azure Kingdom. When I return to the royal palace, I will definitely repay your life-saving grace, fellow Daoist," Ji Hongxue said, bowing elegantly to An Bulang with a grateful expression.

"My name is An Bulang. No need for repayment, it was just a small effort," An Bulang waved his hand dismissively.

Ji Hongxue blinked her autumn-water eyes.

An Bulang?

What a strange name.

But he didn't show much reaction when he heard I was a princess. I guess he must be a disciple with a strong background?

"Fellow Daoist An Bulang, I, Ji Hongxue, will definitely repay your kindness," Ji Hongxue said earnestly.

"Since that's the case," An Bulang extended his hand.

"Huh?" Ji Hongxue was a little confused.

"I, An Bulang, want money!" An Bulang exclaimed excitedly.

Ji Hongxue: "..."

I didn't expect you to be so direct!

An awkward expression appeared on Ji Hongxue's pretty face. "I... I don't have any money on me right now. How about you wait for me to return to the palace, and I'll give you the money then?"

"Don't you have a Storage Ring?" An Bulang asked.

"Storage Ring?" Ji Hongxue took a deep breath and said, "Are you talking about those legendary spatial storage artifacts? How could I possibly have something so precious? Only my father, the King, has one in the entire royal family!"

An Bulang looked at the woman in shock, wanting to say something but stopping himself.

Ji Hongxue noticed that he was looking at her with a very strange gaze.

This gaze was unfamiliar, yet also familiar.

That's right, it was the same look she had when she first left the palace as a child and saw how farmers ate and lived. She found it hard to imagine back then how arduous, poor, and miserable the farmers' lives were...

Ji Hongxue never expected that she would now be looked at in such a manner.

"I just don't have a Storage Ring, is that such a big deal?" Ji Hongxue's eyes reddened, feeling a bit dejected.

"No, I absolutely don't mean to look down on you." An Bulang hurriedly spoke against his conscience upon seeing this. "You are so noble and beautiful, I can only envy you. I just hadn't recovered from the shock."

Ji Hongxue felt a little better upon hearing this. An Bulang's assessment was quite accurate.

A thought occurred to the woman, and she smiled charmingly. "You say I'm noble and beautiful, so what score would you give me in your heart?"

"Three points," An Bulang blurted out.

Ji Hongxue's chest tightened. "You give me three points out of ten? And you say you're not bullying me?!"

"No," An Bulang shook his head. "It's out of a hundred."

Ji Hongxue: "???"