Chapter 165: Green River Town

Chapter 165: Chapter 165: Green River Town

Green hills and turquoise streams stretched out as far as the eye could see. The mountain path wound its way up and down.

Towering trees and great boulders dotted the landscape, along with thickets of thorny bushes.

Tantai Mengxue, Xia Girl, and Chunyu, the three beauties, sat atop the Gale Leopard as it headed forward.

Trailing behind the Gale Leopard was a young man in green robes.

’Seriously, the Gale Leopard’s back is so wide, we could totally squeeze four people on it! It’s my Demon Beast, but they won’t even let me ride. Is there any justice in this world?’ Ye Xing gazed ahead resentfully. ’It’d be so great if I could sit between them. Squeezing a little won’t get anyone pregnant, right?’

"CHIRP! CHIRP!"

Perhaps tired from flying, or maybe just feeling lazy, the Little Purple Eagle flapped its wings and landed right on Ye Xing’s shoulder.

"Little Zhi, when are you going to grow up, you little squirt?" Ye Xing said. "Hurry up and get bigger so your dad can experience the thrill of soaring across a thousand miles of mountains and rivers."

They walked from morning until noon along the winding, rugged mountain path, which was covered in loose stones and thorns.

At noon, the scorching sun blazed overhead, making the air hot and stuffy. The group stopped to cool off in the shade of a large tree.

The tree had a thick trunk and dense foliage. Its branches spread out like a great umbrella, blocking the sun’s rays. A gentle breeze rustled the leaves, making them whisper.

It was scorching hot in the mountain forest, so the four of them rested against the base of the large tree.

Xia Girl and Chunyu were sipping water from their flasks. Tantai Mengxue took out a handkerchief and began wiping the sweat from Ye Xing’s forehead.

The handkerchief was pure white and embroidered with snowflakes. It gave off a delicate fragrance that seemed to carry a hint of Mengxue’s own scent—a refreshing and wonderful smell.

"Wife Mengxue, you’re the best!" Ye Xing chuckled, overjoyed.

He took a bottle of cola from his Qiankun Bag, twisted off the cap, and took a huge gulp. One word: refreshing. ’Drinking Sprite or cola on a hot day is just the best, especially with a beauty waiting on you,’ he thought. ’Hmm, it’d be even better if they let me squeeze onto the Gale Leopard later.’

"Ye Xing, why is your water black?" Tantai Mengxue asked, her beautiful eyes filled with confusion.

"Yeah, yeah! You pervert, why is your water black? Is it poisoned?" Chunyu ran over as well, her big eyes staring with immense curiosity at the cola in Ye Xing’s hand.

"If it were poisoned, I’d be dead already, wouldn’t I?" Ye Xing rolled his eyes and explained, "This is a carbonated drink called ’cola.’ It’s really refreshing on a hot day. Since you’ve never had it before, you’ll probably love it. Here, Mengxue, let me give you a taste!"

As he spoke, Ye Xing brought the bottle of cola to Tantai Mengxue’s lips and tilted it up.

’I remember loving cola as a kid,’ Ye Xing thought. ’But my family was poor back then, so we didn’t have money for it. We could only afford a small bottle during the holidays. Because of that, every festival, I would beg my parents to buy me a bottle. If they didn’t, I’d cry, throw a tantrum, and pester Mom relentlessly.’ He smiled. ’Thinking back on it now, it’s pretty funny.’

As Ye Xing tilted the bottle, Tantai Mengxue took a small sip. A look of curious surprise immediately filled her beautiful eyes.

"Miss, how is it? Is it good? Is it good?" Chunyu asked, brimming with curiosity.

"Mm, it’s quite good," Tantai Mengxue said with a nod. "The taste is very unusual!"

’Cola tastes amazing when you’re a kid and trying it for the first time,’ he mused. ’But once you grow up, it’s just okay.’ Since this was Tantai Mengxue’s first time, of course she would find it novel and delicious.

"Miss, I... I... could I have a sip, too? Just a tiny one!" Chunyu pleaded, blinking her big eyes as she stared at the cola in Tantai Mengxue’s hand.

Tantai Mengxue looked at the little glutton with amused eyes and handed her the cola. "Here, you can have it."

"Hee hee, thank you, Miss! You’re the best!" Chunyu said sweetly. Overjoyed, she quickly took a gulp.

"Wow, it’s so good! Why is it all bubbly?!"

Watching from the side, Ye Xing also looked at the young girl with amusement. "Mengxue, you’d better keep a close eye on Chunyu from now on!"

"Hm?" Tantai Mengxue looked at Ye Xing, her beautiful eyes filled with confusion.

"Heh heh, this girl is such a glutton. I was just thinking, what if she gets lost one day and some creepy old man uses a lollipop to lure her away?" Ye Xing laughed.

"..." Tantai Mengxue was stunned for a moment, then the corners of her eyes crinkled with a smile. She chided, "Little Yu isn’t as dumb as you make her out to be. She wouldn’t get close to any strangers besides us."

...

After resting for a while under the tree, the four set out again under the blazing sun.

The mountain path rose and fell, and in the end, Ye Xing still failed to climb onto the Gale Leopard’s back.

No, to be more precise, he had climbed on, only to be kicked back down by three delicate feet.

’Hmph. A real man doesn’t fight with women! I’m a proud, seven-foot-tall man; I wouldn’t deign to squabble with you three little wenches,’ Ye Xing snorted to himself, continuing to trail behind the Gale Leopard.

’Damn it, I really can’t beat them. The more I think about it, the more miserable I feel.’ Such were Ye Xing’s true feelings at that moment.

Never mind Mengxue’s Martial Arts Seventh Realm Cultivation; Xia Girl alone was at the Martial Arts Fifth Realm, and even the weakest, Chunyu, had reached the Martial Arts Fourth Realm. Unless he used a gun, in a bare-knuckle brawl, Ye Xing couldn’t even beat Chunyu.

’To salvage my male dignity, I have to redouble my efforts in Cultivation,’ Ye Xing silently swore. ’Surpassing Mengxue’s Cultivation will be difficult. But I absolutely have to surpass Xia Girl, and especially Chunyu. Losing to a little slip of a girl is just too humiliating!’

The blazing sun gradually sank in the west.

The group crossed a mountain, forded two streams, and finally arrived at a wide, earthen road.

"HYA!" "GET UP, HYA!"

CLIP-CLOP! CLIP-CLOP! CLIP-CLOP!

Dust billowed on the earthen road as Martial Artists galloped past, some carrying Great Sabers on their backs, others wielding long spears.

Ye Xing and the three women walked a little further and finally arrived before a small town. An inscription was carved into the pavilion at the entrance, bearing three words: "Green River Town!"

"Green River Town!" Ye Xing’s eyes flickered.

Green River Town was a neighboring town to Phoenix Town, and one of over a dozen towns under the jurisdiction of Sunset City. But unlike Phoenix Town, which was known for its peace and order, Green River Town was infamous for its corrupt officials and abysmal security. It was rife with gangs and a haven for all sorts of shady characters—a true mix of the good, the bad, and the ugly.

The Great River Gang, a gang controlled by Ye Xing’s subordinates, was based right here in Green River Town.

For the time being, Ye Xing didn’t dare return to Phoenix Town, which was near White Cloud Mountain. He couldn’t be sure if the black-robed Hu Yinjiu had left yet, and returning now would be like a lamb walking into a tiger’s mouth. Ye Xing had no desire to face that Innate Realm expert—a man who couldn’t even be killed by a machine gun—again. That would just be asking for trouble.

Besides, Qiao’Er and the others were in Green River Town. Ye Xing hadn’t seen that little girl in a while, so he decided to stay in town for a few days.