Chapter 3

The snow wolves knelt before their esteemed and icy Snow Wolf King.

“We have arrived late. Please, King, punish us!”

Their hearts trembled with unease—this was the first time their noble and serene king, as lofty as the moonlit peaks, exuded anything akin to anger. Especially when they arrived and saw him standing there—still as breathtaking as the radiant moonlight—but his silver, cold eyes now carried a trace of ruthless killing intent.

Most unnerving of all, their immaculate king, who maintained an obsessive cleanliness, looked somewhat disheveled. His usually pristine presence was disturbed, and there even seemed to be faint traces of blood on his neck.

They had barely dared to glance when they arrived, and just that fleeting glimpse was enough to fill them with dread.

Their king was the Beast King of the Northern Region, unmatched in strength. No other beast could be his equal. However, a sudden tribulation of lightning had left him momentarily weakened.

If a beast had seized the opportunity to strike—well, it was not entirely impossible. But who would be so bold—so reckless—as to dare attack their king?

With a cold voice, Snow Wolf King Xue Youchen commanded, “Dig three feet into the earth if you must—but find that female beast.”

“Fe—female beast?” The snow wolf subordinates trembled in fear, their hearts seized with terror.

Had a female beast done something to their king?

Xue Youchen’s cold gaze swept over them, and instantly, every subordinate shuddered in unison, their minds clouded with confusion.

Countless female beasts had tried every possible way to get close to their king, all in vain. But now, one had succeeded—and no wonder their king was furious. A sudden realization dawned upon them as if fate had whispered the truth into their ears. Yet, at the same time, they pitied the female beast. Once she was found, the king would surely deal with her.

“Hmm?” Xue Youchen’s voice, like frozen steel, echoed through the air, making them tremble even more.

“Rest assured, my king. We will find that female beast.”

The snow wolf clan was the ruling tribe of the northern region—if they wanted to find a beast, they would.

Xue Youchen stood silently in place, his robes billowing in the wind. He carried an air of noble detachment, his white garments as pure as snow, resembling a celestial being about to ascend. As soon as he spoke, his voice carried a chilling air of slaughter.

“Find her—and kill her!”

There was no need to bring her back to the tribe for judgment—she was to be executed on the spot.

The snow wolves saw nothing wrong with this decree. Anyone who dared plot against the king had to pay the price. That he did not implicate the female beast’s tribe was already an act of mercy. Otherwise, without severe punishment, other females might follow her example, and the consequences would be dire.

“We obey!” The snow wolves prepared to launch their search.

Then, suddenly, a pair of clear and lively eyes flashed in Xue Youchen’s mind. Though weak from the lightning tribulation last night, and further hindered by the effects of the drug, many things had spiraled out of control. His memories were hazy— He had woken up fueled only by the rage of being manipulated. Yet now, fragments from the previous night came into sharp focus.

That female beast—she looked delicate, yet had endured him. Her skin was cold as jade, her beauty dazzling; when she looked at him, her gaze was like rippling water, her arched brows carrying a hint of spring warmth, her bright eyes laced with shy, intoxicating emotion.

Under the drug’s influence, his usually unshakable self-control had collapsed. He had likely hurt her—her voice had wavered between sobs and pleas, making it even harder for him to hold back. When overcome with passion, her cheeks had flushed like morning sunlight on snow, soft and radiant like sculpted jade.

That lingering warmth and fragrance became impossibly vivid in his mind, almost tangible.

Xue Youchen’s cold eyes darkened. He pressed his fingers lightly to his brow and spoke calmly, “Stop—come back.”

The snow wolves rushed back instantly, kneeling obediently before him, awaiting his orders.

“Forget it. Return for now.”

Confusion swept through the gathered wolves. What did the king mean by this?

Though curiosity burned within them, none dared question him. But one thing was clear—he was letting this go? For a king of his nature, how was that possible?

They could hardly believe a female had schemed against him—had dared touch his untouchable scales—and yet, he was letting her off so lightly.

Just who was this female beast? How had she managed this?

At this moment, Ye Baizhi was completely unaware of what was happening elsewhere. All she knew was that, even after eating a few skewers of roasted meat, she was still hungry. An urgent craving for food gnawed at her. But the walls of their cave home were bare—where food could have been stored, there was nothing.

Food was scarce, so there were no extra provisions left.

Looking at her older brother, thin and frail, Ye Baizhi felt a pang of concern. He seemed severely malnourished. Then there was her second brother, lying unconscious on the animal hide in the cave. His body had wasted away to skin and bones.

Ye Baizhi carefully checked his pulse, stealthily assessing his condition. He had been poisoned—likely from consuming toxic plants. If she could gather enough medicinal herbs, she could cure him. It seemed she needed to find an opportunity to venture deep into the mountains and gather medicine.

“Big Brother, let’s go to the river first!”

“Alright.”

Near the rabbit tribe’s settlement, a river flowed, providing a convenient water source. However, the tribe never hunted the thorned beasts in the river—fish beasts.

As Ye Baizhi gazed at the large, plump fish swimming in the water, her eyes lit up.

Ye Chuan didn’t quite understand why his sister wanted to catch these thorned beasts, but as long as she was happy, that was enough.

Ye Baizhi gazed at the wild grass near the riverbank, reaching out and brushing her hands through it. In reality, she was absorbing the wood-elemental energy from the plants. She only took half from each blade of grass, ensuring their growth was unaffected while strengthening her own abilities. After a noticeable boost in her power, she withdrew her hand, picked up the fork Ye Chuan had carved earlier, and stepped into the river, aiming directly at the fish beneath the surface. With her wood-elemental abilities, combined with the formidable strength she had honed in the apocalypse, her movements were incredibly precise.

Every strike was a perfect hit.

Ye Chuan watched his sister’s skill in stunned silence. “You’re amazing, little sister!”

Ye Baizhi smiled. “Big Brother, once your strength returns, you’ll be just as incredible.”

Her words were meant to encourage him. Yet, Ye Chuan seemed to recall something—his face turned pale, his gaze lowered, and his whole demeanor darkened with self-doubt.

Ye Baizhi sensed that he must have gone through something painful. It was likely related to their former sister-in-law. Otherwise, why had his once-formidable strength vanished? He had returned from his marriage not only powerless but also covered in wounds.

“Big Brother, you have to believe in yourself. You will regain your strength.”

Once her wood-elemental powers recovered and grew stronger, she would be able to heal the hidden injuries in both her brothers and help them restore their abilities. But now, even as she spoke, they might not truly believe her.

After all, on this Beast World continent, female beasts rarely possessed great power. According to the memories of her past self, she had never heard of a female beast with wood-elemental abilities.

Ye Chuan, unwilling to disappoint his sister, nodded with some shame. He felt utterly useless as an older brother.

Once they had caught ten fish, each weighing around six to seven pounds, they threaded them onto grass ropes, ready to carry them home.

But Ye Baizhi’s sharp ears caught something unusual. Her expression shifted as she handed the fish to Ye Chuan. “Big Brother, let’s go check the grass over there. Something might be hiding.”

If they could catch a wild beast, it would help improve their family’s meals. Their uncle had been supporting them for some time, so gathering extra food would also be a way to repay his kindness.

Moreover, the former Ye Baizhi had a difficult temperament when she returned to the tribe, offending quite a few beasts. If she wanted to continue living in the tribe, she couldn’t let that happen again.

First and foremost, she had to build good relationships within the tribe.

“Alright.” Ye Chuan always listened to his sister.

The wild grass in that area was tall. When they stepped inside, Ye Baizhi spotted a chicken—about five to six pounds. Just as she was about to act, a female beast suddenly dropped down from a tree. Her bone knife struck the chicken’s neck in an instant, killing it on the spot.

“This wild beast is mine!”

Upon recognizing Ye Chuan, her expression turned mocking and disdainful.

“Ye Chuan, you’ve become a worthless weakling, and you still dare to go hunting? Laughable!”

Then her gaze landed on Ye Baizhi, her eyes filled with ridicule.

“This must be your useless little sister, right? The so-called vicious female beast, abandoned and driven out of the imperial city? Ha!”

“A family of failures—one weakling and one monster!”