Ye Ruxue

The depths of Starfall Forest had always been a forbidden land where low-level cultivators met their deaths.

The deeper one went, the more dangerous it became.

It was said that in the heart of Starfall Forest, even experts of the Soul-Emergence Realm did not dare enter.

Tang Tian concealed his aura and carefully crept deeper into the forest, searching for spirit herbs.

Along the way, he had spotted Bone-Forging Realm experts from afar. In Starfall Forest, however, Organs-Hiding Realm experts were not particularly common.

After all, in Starfall City, an Organs-Hiding Realm expert could already become an elder of a Lineage.

"Ye Ruxue, hand over the Thunderclap Beast now, or Starfall Forest will become the place where you are buried!"

A cold voice rang out, instantly drawing Tang Tian's attention.

He saw a group of people surrounding a woman in white.

The speaker was a woman in a red dress. Her figure was alluring, especially her lush curves, which exuded a seductive charm that could leave one's soul wandering at a single glance.

Yet her face was exceedingly haughty, and her lofty, overbearing attitude was utterly repulsive.

Tang Tian did not know whether others found her repulsive, but he certainly disliked such people.

When his gaze fell upon the woman surrounded in the clearing, Tang Tian could no longer look away.

She wore a white dress, pure and sacred as snow. Her dark brows were cool, and her beautiful eyes carried a trace of pride.

She looked as though she kept others a thousand miles away, yet rather than being off-putting, she gave the impression of a holy maiden atop a snowy mountain.

"Ye Ruxue?"

Tang Tian murmured, suddenly remembering. Wasn't she the eldest daughter of the Ye Family?

The Ye Family's eldest daughter, Ye Ruxue, possessed outstanding talent and an Advanced Bone-Forging Realm cultivation.

She was not the slightest bit inferior to Lin Yichen.

By Tang Tian's experience and intuition, Ye Ruxue was even far stronger than Lin Yichen.

"Ximen Lian, do not think that just because your uncle is a marquis of the Heavenly Dragon Empire, you can run wild and do as you please. I found this Thunderclap Beast first. You saw a treasure and let greed rise in your heart, so you want to steal it? Do not think I am afraid of you!"

Ye Ruxue flicked the longsword in her hand and looked coldly at the red-dressed woman opposite her.

"Thunderclap Beast..."

Only then did Tang Tian turn his gaze toward Ye Ruxue's left hand. He happened to need a Thunderclap Beast, and now he had come across one.

The Thunderclap Beast resembled a mink. Its fur was snow-white, and it was only the size of a palm, making it rather adorable.

A Thunderclap Beast was an Initial Bone-Forging Realm demonic beast. It was named for the sound it made, which resembled rolling thunder.

"In the Heavenly Dragon Empire, there has never been anything that I, Ximen Lian, wanted but could not obtain. Since you refuse to appreciate my kindness, do not blame me for what follows."

Jealousy flickered in Ximen Lian's eyes as she looked at the four young men beside her. Her red lips parted slightly. "Whoever snatches the Thunderclap Beast for me will have me tonight. As for Ye Ruxue, she belongs to all of you."

At her words, the eyes of the four young men filled with lecherous desire.

Ximen Lian was a peerless beauty, while Ye Ruxue was a snow lotus. Both gave them the thrill of conquest.

Thus, the four of them cared nothing for morality. Without prior agreement, they all rushed to attack, afraid that if they moved too slowly, someone else would beat them to it.

"Seeking death!" Ximen Lian's words made cold light flash in Ye Ruxue's beautiful eyes. With a sweep of her sword, streak after streak of sword light, cold as snow, shot toward the four men.

"Ye Ruxue, though your cultivation is not bad, the four of us are your equals. Joining hands to deal with you is rather like using a butcher's knife to kill a chicken. Why not stop resisting and obediently hand over the Thunderclap Beast? I guarantee I will be gentle with you later and will not hurt you. Hahaha..."

One short young man stared fixedly at Ye Ruxue's entire body, as though he were looking at a skinned lamb. The laughter that followed was too filthy to bear hearing.

"You four are merely outer disciples of the Falling Star Sect, yet you are the scum of the Falling Star Sect. You rely on its reputation to throw your weight around and commit evil deeds. Today, I will have you die here!"

With an angry cry, Ye Ruxue's sword flashed with frosty light as she struck first at the man's chest.

"Tsk, tsk, tsk... Fellow brothers, did you hear that? Starfall City's greatest beauty said she wants us to enjoy ourselves here. We cannot disappoint the beauty."

Another man, taller and thinner than the rest, grinned in an even more nauseating manner.

"Ye Ruxue, let us see what you do today. Hehehe..."

Seeing Ye Ruxue make her move, Ximen Lian giggled repeatedly, as though she had already seen Ye Ruxue's fate.

"Kid, at a time like this, shouldn't you go out there and play the hero to save the beauty?"

Fan Siren's voice was somewhat lewd as he teased Tang Tian with a snicker.

Watching the fierce battle on the other side and hearing Fan Siren fan the flames, Tang Tian's face twitched hard several times.

"Master Fan, please do not joke around. If I want to play the hero and save a beauty, I need to know my own limits. I have not even resolved my own troubles, and now I should provoke Falling Star Sect disciples and the niece of a Heavenly Dragon Empire noble?"

To be honest with himself, Tang Tian was not the sort of good man who would leap out to uphold justice.

In this world, those who let their kindness overflow never lived long. Seeking trouble on top of that? That was simply being tired of living.

"If you are a coward, then you are a coward. Why say so much?"

Fan Siren was utterly disdainful.

"Damn it, who are you looking down on? Aren't they just four pieces of trash and one bitch?"

Tang Tian could not endure Fan Siren's contempt. He even shouted those words aloud.

That shout startled the people battling in the distance.

They all stopped attacking and turned to look at Tang Tian.

With everyone staring at him, Tang Tian shrugged awkwardly and hurriedly waved his hand. "Uh... carry on. I was just taking a piss."

The tall, thin man shouted angrily, "Kid, who did you just call trash?"

"What? What did you say? My hearing is bad, I cannot hear clearly. Is trash asking me something?"

Tang Tian dug at his ear and eyed the other man sideways.

"Yes, trash is asking you!"

The other man clearly had not understood Tang Tian's meaning and followed right along with his words.

Tang Tian nodded in satisfaction. "That is right. There is a piece of trash asking me something."

"Junior Brother, I think he just called you trash!"

The short young man from before roared furiously.

"Tsk, tsk, tsk. Your intelligence is truly touching. I was not saying that he is trash. I was saying that all of you are trash, so stop being so modest with each other. There is enough trash for everyone."

Tang Tian curled his lips and pointed at the four men opposite him.

"I..."

The four Falling Star Sect disciples were furious beyond measure, yet they had no words to refute him.

With their identities, even as outer disciples, who had ever dared humiliate them like this when they traveled outside?

Even if others did not treat them with respect, they would never easily provoke them.

Yet this kid before them was dressed in rags like a beggar, his hair scorched black, and his mouth spouting wild nonsense. They simply could not endure it.

The lust they had felt for the two women moments earlier vanished without a trace.

At this moment, the four of them had only one thought: kill Tang Tian.

Cold light flashed in Ximen Lian's eyes. Tang Tian's words had cursed her as well.

Though her usual conduct truly was too unsightly to behold, knowing it herself was one thing; having someone expose it and curse her for it was another.

Moreover, given her status, men before her had always done everything they could to flatter her.

The Falling Star Sect disciples wanted to kill Tang Tian, while Ximen Lian wanted him to suffer a fate worse than death!

Ye Ruxue, however, was somewhat curious. The person before her seemed to possess only Initial Blood-Burning Realm cultivation. How could he be so recklessly ignorant of death?

One had to know that any one of the five people before him could kill him in a single move...

Still, his willingness to step forward and speak for her made Ye Ruxue somewhat grateful.

"Oh? Trash cannot outtalk someone, so now you are flying into a rage from shame and want to beat up this young master?"

Tang Tian crossed his arms, shook one leg, and eyed the four charging men sideways, showing no intention of fleeing at all...

[Author's aside: The third chapter is delivered as promised. I hope everyone likes Ye Ruxue!]