Chapter 101 - 100: Vying for Favor, Xiong Jing
That night, Nan Zishi had another dream.
She was back in that dark space with the seven totems.
The white fox totem and the blue-violet Mermaid Totem nuzzled against her affectionately.
The pitch-black snake totem seemed to have shed some of its resentful dark aura. It seemed to want something, trying to approach from a short distance away.
The moment she moved, it immediately leaped in front of her.
’What an annoying totem.’
But before this totem’s resentment had faded, another one nearby began to stir restlessly.
A large bird totem, shrouded in a black aura, shot forward with a SWOOSH, charging straight for her face!
Nan Zishi jumped back in fright, taking several steps back. "Hey, what’s wrong with you now?"
The fox totem and the Mermaid Totem instantly appeared before her, forming an unbreakable shield.
Then, the snake totem, its dark aura not yet gone, suddenly moved to the very front and began to fight the large bird totem!
The battle was fierce, and totems shattered!
Nan Zishi finally grew anxious. "Stop fighting! That’s enough! All of you, stop it!"
...
Waking from her sleep, Nan Zishi rubbed her head.
’I think I had another nightmare, something about a fight.’
She was still groggy. She remembered a little right after waking up, but dreams were strange things. As she became fully awake, she had already forgotten most of it.
She flicked her beautiful, seven-colored fishtail and remembered she was still at the bottom of the sea.
"Sister, you’re awake! I prepared a new outfit for you. Do you want to try it on?"
This Jue Sha Skirt was not only beautiful, but also very long, which would prevent any embarrassing exposure when her fishtail turned into legs on shore.
The young mermaid held the beautiful Jue Sha Skirt, wagging his tail at her.
’I can’t wait to see my beautiful sister wear the pretty clothes I picked out for her.’
"Of course," Nan Zishi said with a grin, holding Lanxing’s face and giving him a kiss on the cheek. She then took the Jue Sha Skirt and went aside to change.
Lanxing wanted to watch her change but didn’t dare to, his face flushing red.
When Nan Zishi returned after changing, Lanxing happily circled around her twice.
"Sister, you look so pretty!"
Nan Zishi took his hand dotingly. "Thank you, my dear Lanxing. Let’s go ashore."
"Okay."
Nan Zishi and Lanxing returned to their home in the cave by the shore. A small, fluffy ball of fur shot out excitedly from the side.
"Mother!" Fox Qi scrambled into Nan Zishi’s arms, and she caught him in a full embrace.
"Aqi." She gently stroked Little Fox Qi’s head.
"Daddy Lanxing." Fox Qi greeted Lanxing as well.
Lanxing smiled back. "Aqi."
Little Snake Yang was a short distance away, peeking at her. He seemed reserved, hesitant, and cautious.
Xuan Jin glanced at She Yang and muttered with disdain, "He doesn’t even know how to put on a show. I wonder who he takes after."
After muttering, the black snake spoke up loudly in a sarcastic tone:
"Well, look who it is. Managed to grow a fishtail and go for a swim in the sea."
"And look at this one. His cub goes missing, and he still gets to sleep with the female master." The Snake Beastman vented his anger from not being able to see her last night.
Lanxing stood behind Nan Zishi, looking aggrieved as he tugged on her clothes. "Sister, look at him."
Nan Zishi shot Xuan Jin a glare. "That’s enough out of you."
Xuan Jin glanced at the mermaid who was looking at him defiantly from behind Nan Zishi. The corner of his wickedly charming eyes lifted. "Tsk."
Hu Bai observed the lively scene at the cave entrance as he walked out carrying a basin of clean, fresh water.
The male’s handsome, fox-like eyes lifted slightly. Even without any deliberate action, his every word and move seemed bewitching. "Female Master, come wash up."
"Okay!" Nan Zishi walked over quickly.
Xuan Jin: ’Damn it, that sly fox’s eyes are even more seductive than mine!’
Nan Zishi used the water Hu Bai brought to brush her teeth and wash her face. Then she sat on a stone stool while Hu Bai combed her hair and tied it into little braids.
Hu Bai said with a smile, "Female Master, what kind of braids would you like today? Can I make them cute?"
"Of course," Nan Zishi replied with a smile.
Xuan Jin watched this scene, his eyes narrowed.
’So this is the life of male competition in a family.’
’Hah!’
’What does a Cold-blooded Snake Beastman like me need with family life? And I’m the one who came here willingly...’
He glanced at Nan Zishi again.
’Hah, so annoying.’
Just then, a cloud of dust suddenly rose at the cave entrance. Within the dust were one large and two small figures, accompanied by an unwelcome voice. "Well, it’s certainly lively in here."
The intrusion of outsiders caught the attention of the males in the cave.
Hu Bai and Lanxing watched the beastman before them defensively.
The Cold-blooded Snake Beastman, Xuan Jin, slowly shifted his gaze, begrudgingly letting it fall upon the brown-haired, eyebrow-less Cold-blooded Scorpion Beastman in front of him.
"Coming here first thing in the morning to bring bad luck."
Scorpion: "Well now, Xuan Jin. You’ve gotten chattier. Feeling lively?"
The corner of Xuan Jin’s wickedly charming eyes lowered slightly. "...Shut up."
"Don’t be so heartless. I’ve come to you all for a reason."
Scorpion held up two small Silver Wolf Pups.
"We caught these two little guys yesterday. This little chubby one said he knows you. Do you recognize them?"
Lang Xian and Wolf Mu struggled in Scorpion’s hands. "Let me go! Let go of me!"
Nan Zishi recognized Lang Xian and Wolf Mu!
Scorpion continued, "Speaking of which, these two were originally ’merchandise’ we were selling, but they ran away. Now they’ve run right back. Take a look. If you don’t know them, I’ll just take them back and continue selling them."
Xuan Jin looked lazily toward Nan Zishi.
Hu Bai and Lanxing remained silent, only looking at Nan Zishi.
Lang Xian and Wolf Mu both lowered their eyes.
Scorpion studied Xuan Jin with great curiosity.
After joining the family, this Cold-blooded Snake Beastman seemed different from before, as if he had become a completely different person.
Although he still seemed cold and lazy, it felt like he was subtly showing himself off in a flamboyant way.
’The feeling is really strange.’
Scorpion sized up Nan Zishi again.
’Beautiful. Forget ordinary beastmen; even the females of the Mermaid Clan aren’t necessarily this good-looking.’
’No wonder Xuan Jin’s turned into a preening, fighting-cock of a snake.’
Scorpion grinned, holding up the two little wolf pups. He feigned disappointment, "Ah, so you don’t know them after all. Then I came all this way for nothing. I’ll just take them back to be sold."
Just then, Nan Zishi stepped forward. "Wait!"
Scorpion stopped. He turned his head. His delicate, handsome face was fully revealed to Nan Zishi. He even gave her an ambiguous wink.
Xuan Jin shot to his feet.
The expressions on Hu Bai’s and Lanxing’s faces also soured.
Scorpion said to Nan Zishi with a grin, "You’re Nan Zishi, right?"
Nan Zishi paused for a moment as a strange feeling spread through her. "Yes, I am."
"Are these two pups yours?" Scorpion asked.
Lang Xian and Wolf Mu looked at Nan Zishi with complicated expressions.
Nan Zishi shook her head. "No."
The two Silver Wolf Pups’ eyes dimmed.
Nan Zishi said, "They aren’t our pups, but I know them."
Scorpion smiled. "So you want them? Excellent. We of the Scorpion Clan are very ethical in our business dealings."
Xuan Jin could no longer sit by and do nothing. He rose slowly and moved in front of Nan Zishi, blocking Scorpion’s line of sight.
Nan Zishi asked, "What’s the price? How many Beast Skins do you want?"
Scorpion said, "Beast Skins? I don’t need Beast Skins. How about this..."
Scorpion looked around Nan Zishi’s cave, his brown eyes landing on the little female.
"It looks like you have plenty of room here. Why don’t you take me in? I’ll be your Beast Husband."
In an instant, the fur, fishtail scales, and snake scales of the three males all bristled!
Nan Zishi: "..."
She was utterly speechless.