Chapter 34: Fox Qi’s Crisis
"Awooo, awhooo." The Wolf King stopped in place, stomping its feet.
Nan Zishi slid off the Wolf King’s back and patted his head.
"Little bro, I think I’m going to need more help from your pack." Nan Zishi couldn’t shake the feeling that something was wrong with how things were unfolding.
She suppressed the panic rising in her heart and began to negotiate with the Wolf King. "I need you all to find someone—either Hu Bai or Fox Qi will do. Once you find them, I’ll give you another five bags of dog food. How about it?"
The Wolf King nodded at Nan Zishi.
"AWOOOOOOO!" The Wolf King threw its head back and howled.
Immediately, responding howls echoed from all directions throughout the forest.
"AWOOOO!"
"AWOOO!"
"AWOOOOOO!"
The forest rustled as wolves from every direction converged on the Wolf King’s position.
In the heavy rain, dozens of wolves approached the Wolf King. Some tried to challenge Nan Zishi upon seeing her, but they were all fiercely put down by their king.
The Wolf King nudged Nan Zishi with its nose. They needed a scent to track the person.
Nan Zishi searched for a while but found nothing on her person with Hu Bai’s scent for the pack to smell. However, Fox Qi had given her a Beast Tooth. He had gifted it to her when they parted ways, and it was something he had worn close to his body for many years.
Nan Zishi took out the Beast Tooth. "He’s the one I’m looking for. He’s important to me. Please, everyone, help me. When you find him, you must inform me directly, and you must not harm him! I will give you all a reward that will satisfy you!"
With that, Nan Zishi pulled three bags of dog food from her storage space, tore them open, and distributed the contents for the pack to eat.
"This is a down payment!"
"AWOOOOOOO!" The howls of the wolf pack shook the heavens.
...
"What’s that noise outside?" This was the first time Fox Zi had done something so evil. Being timid, she couldn’t help but tremble with fear.
"It’s just the howling of wild beasts. What’s there to be afraid of?" Fox Xin stepped forward to inspect the blood-red, wicked Forbidden Array inside the cave.
There could be no mistakes with the ancient Forbidden Array.
Outside the cave, the rain poured down, carrying a bone-deep chill.
Upon the Array, Fox Qi was bound to a cross made of wood and vines.
The tiny little fox cub, Fox Qi, struggled with all his might, but he couldn’t move an inch.
On one side of the Array sat a ten-year-old Fox Clan boy. It was Fox Xin’s grandson, the Advanced Bloodline Awakener and Three-striped Beast Warrior, Hu Lie!
Fox Xin and Fox Zi stood before the Array, their Beast Husbands guarding the perimeter.
"Mother. Grandmother." Hu Lie was, after all, just a ten-year-old Beastman cub, and he too felt a pang of unease.
Fox Xin soothed him, "Hu Lie, when Fox Qi’s Ancient Bloodline is transferred to you, your own bloodline will be elevated. It might hurt a little, but don’t be afraid."
Hu Lie pressed his lips together and finally nodded. "I understand, Grandmother."
He knew everything his grandmother and mother were doing—plotting to harm Fox Qi’s family to obtain a higher-level bloodline. He didn’t entirely agree with it.
But he hadn’t refused, either.
’After all, he had already thoroughly enjoyed the benefits of his High-level Bloodline since awakening it. If he could awaken an Ancient Bloodline in one go... just the thought of it was wonderful.’
’Besides, it wasn’t what he wanted; it was what his grandmother and mother were forcing him to accept. So what did it matter?’
Fox Xin carefully inspected the Array. "The Array is fine."
"I’m starting the Array!"
A male Fox Beastman slit a Gugu Beast’s throat. Its blood spurted out, splattering onto the Array.
Fox Xin began to chant the Fox Clan’s ancient Forbidden Spell. As she chanted, the wicked Array absorbed all the blood, which then evaporated into a red, bloody mist.
Within the Array, Fox Qi felt a surge of pain. His cells felt like they were being overstimulated, his bones made cracking sounds, and his whole body felt like it was being pierced by a thousand needles!
He screamed in agony, "AHHHH!!!"
’It hurts, it hurts so much!’
’Daddy, Mommy, Little Aqi is in so much pain!’
Fox Xin said cruelly, "First, we’ll forcibly awaken Fox Qi’s Ancient Bloodline!"
A roar from an ancient fox beast seemed to erupt from Fox Qi’s back.
His entire body was wracked with a tearing pain.
His face twisted in a ferocious grimace as Beast Patterns appeared one after another!
"The Ancient Bloodline! It really is the Ancient Bloodline! HAHAHAHA!" Fox Xin shrieked with excitement.
...
Deep in the forest, a pair of five-year-old Silver Wolf Beastman cubs had once again been forced to find shelter from the rain.
"Why is there so much rain this season? The weather is awful," Lang Xian complained.
The chubby ears of the lazy wolf, Wolf Mu, twitched. Munching on a snack, he said, "Brother Xian, there are a lot of wolves howling over there."
Lang Xian had heard the commotion too, and his ears twitched. "It sounds a little far. What do you think happened? Who could have stirred up so many wild wolves?"
Wolf Mu hugged his chubby self tightly. "The rain is so heavy. Little Mu doesn’t want to get wet. The forest is dangerous. Little Mu doesn’t want to move."
Lang Xian hesitated for a long moment before backing down. "Mm, you’re right, the rain is too heavy, and all the wolves in the forest are out and about. It’s too dangerous. We won’t go now. We’ll go take a look after the rain stops."
Lang Xian said, "I have a feeling we’ll finally find that bad female this time!"
Wolf Mu muttered under his breath, "You say we’ll find the bad female every time, but we never do."
Lang Xian declared, "Trust my beastly intuition! This time is different!"
...
The wolves passed the scent of the Beast Tooth among themselves. Soon, one wolf that had passed near the cave began communicating with the Wolf King with a series of whines.
After listening to his subordinate’s report, the Wolf King ran to Nan Zishi’s side and tugged on her Beast Skin Skirt with his teeth.
Nan Zishi asked, "One of you knows where he is, right?"
"AWOO!!"
"Take me to him!"
Nan Zishi mounted the Wolf King’s back. With the subordinate wolf leading the way, the entire pack raced with Nan Zishi toward the cave.
...
The ten-year-old fox cub, Hu Lie, had originally possessed a shred of conscience, but it was utterly extinguished the moment he saw the Beast Patterns on Fox Qi’s face.
’Three patterns, four... It’s not stopping!’
’Five patterns, six!!’
’Six Beast Patterns! A Six-striped Beast General?!!!’
Hu Lie held his breath.
’A genius... What kind of genius was he? When he awakened with three patterns, he was already considered the genius of Stone Village. His grandmother was so happy she had her Beast Husbands hunt three beasts for a feast to celebrate with the entire village!’
’But this Fox Qi... he has Six Patterns right from his first awakening!’
Jealousy flooded his heart.
’A Six-striped Beast General from the moment of awakening... What a heaven-defying bloodline!!’
’It’s the Ancient Bloodline of his Fox Clan!!’
’And it will be *his* bloodline!’
"It hurts!! Daddy... Mommy!" The scrawny, five-year-old fox Beastman, Fox Qi, couldn’t withstand such immense power. His muscles and veins were in turmoil as he cried out in a pained, sorrowful wail.
"Mommy!!! It hurts so much!!! Mommy!!!!"
"Hu Lie!" Fox Xin shouted.
Hu Lie immediately stood at attention.
He was a High-level Bloodline who had awakened at the age of nine, directly reaching three patterns—already an outstanding Beast Warrior.
’He had thought he was a genius.’
’But he never expected that this scrawny, five-year-old fox cub was the true genius among geniuses.’
’A Six-striped Beast General from the moment of awakening.’
’It was simply... unimaginable, unheard of.’
’What a pity... If he had been allowed to grow up and awaken normally, he would have undoubtedly been the most brilliant young genius Stone Village had seen in centuries.’
’But instead, his awakening was deliberately forced, and today, his bloodline was being forcibly stripped away.’
’Today, Fox Qi would be ruined.’
’And he, Hu Lie, would receive his talent and become the new owner of the Fox Clan’s Ancient Bloodline!’
A terrifying smile appeared on Fox Xin’s face as her chanting began to change.
"Now, we begin transferring Fox Qi’s bloodline."
"AHHHHHH!!!!!"