Chapter 435: You Go Coax Her
"Xixi."
Qiao Xixi was startled, hopping off Sunxiao like a frightened rabbit.
Sunxiao didn’t even have time to grab her.
As Qiao Xixi hurried out of the room, she glanced back and saw the corners of Sunxiao’s eyes were still tinged with a brilliant red. The lust had not yet faded from his crimson, serpentine pupils.
"I’m going to help my father first. I’ll be back in a bit. You should lie down and rest so you can heal up sooner."
Sunxiao watched her leave, then slowly lay back down on the bed. The gloom that had just been clouding his heart completely dispersed. He closed his eyes, a faint smile gracing his lips.
Once outside, Qiao Xixi saw Qiao Yi’s back as he headed toward the kitchen out back. She ran to catch up with him.
"Father, what’s wrong?"
Qiao Yi didn’t even turn his head, simply asking, "Where did you run off to again? I was going to ask if you wanted to eat fish-beast meat."
"Yes! I’ll eat anything you make, Father."
Qiao Yi smiled. For a moment, it felt like the two of them were back to the days years ago when they had only each other to rely on.
Qiao Xixi composed herself and followed him into the kitchen to help.
While things were warm and peaceful on Qiao Xixi’s end, the atmosphere on the Beast King’s side was somewhat grim.
"How is the High Priest?" Although she was somewhat displeased with some of Yun Ji’s methods, she also understood his prestige. She didn’t actually want anything to happen to him.
Han Lie had already examined Yun Ji. "The High Priest is missing his beast soul. Even if he wakes up, he won’t be his old self unless his beast soul returns to his body."
The Beast King frowned. "This cannot be known by others. Just announce publicly that the High Priest was injured and needs to recuperate in seclusion."
Han Lie didn’t really care. In his current state, Yun Ji posed no threat to him whatsoever.
Chi Yan and the others were waiting at the door. When they saw the Beast King emerge, they went to meet them.
The Beast King’s gaze swept quickly over their faces. Part of the reason she didn’t want anything to happen to Yun Ji was because of the Beast Guards.
Although these Beast Guards currently took orders from her, when it came down to it, the one they truly revered and feared in their hearts was Yun Ji.
"Witch Doctor, how is the High Priest?"
Han Lie said, "It’s impossible to tell right now. We’ll only know for sure after he wakes up."
Chi Yan asked in a low voice, "When will the High Priest wake up? Do we need to inject him with more beast soul energy?"
Han Lie shook his head. "His beast soul has almost completely dissipated. No matter how much beast soul energy you inject, he’ll only be able to absorb a tiny fraction. Just wait patiently."
Since Han Lie had said so, Chi Yan and the others couldn’t press the matter.
"Beast King, we plan to leave one person behind to look after the High Priest until he awakens."
The Beast King had expected this. There was no way these Beast Guards would feel at ease leaving the High Priest in the palace.
"Arrange it as you see fit."
After the Beast King and her party left, before Chi Yan could even speak, Sunxuan volunteered to stay at the palace.
Lei Lie snorted. "For that little snake cub of yours?"
Sunxuan didn’t answer. "You all should head back."
Chi Yan didn’t object. "I don’t care what other plans you have. Protecting the High Priest is your top priority."
Sunxuan glanced away impatiently. "Nagging."
Once it was settled that Sunxuan would stay, Chi Yan and the others left that same day to meet up with the five remaining Beast Guards. They planned to clear out the rest of the monsters in the forest together before returning to the Watchtower.
「Late that night.」
The Beast King returned to her chambers after bathing.
The moment she entered, Han Lie embraced her from behind.
The Beast King froze for a second, then turned and wrapped her arms around him.
Soon, sounds that would make one blush and set hearts racing came from within the room.
Afterward, Han Lie held the Beast King in his arms, repeatedly kissing the crown of her head.
"Beast King, you should go see the female Qiao Xixi tomorrow."
The Beast King was enjoying his gentle caresses, but her face fell upon hearing his words.
"Han Lie."
Sensing the Beast King’s displeasure, Han Lie’s caressing hand moved slowly downward, lightly brushing across her lips. The touch sent a shiver through her, and her body instinctively pressed closer to him.
"Don’t be hasty, Beast King. I’m only suggesting you go so we can get the method for refining Crystal Stones as soon as possible. You are the great Beast King. It would be a great honor for her to become your cub. I believe that if you just treat her a little better, she’ll give you anything you want."
The Beast King understood Han Lie’s meaning. He wanted her to coax Qiao Xixi. ’But I am the great Beast King,’ she thought. ’Since when do I need to lower my head to coax some worthless whelp?’
Han Lie knew the Beast King was unwilling, but for them, this was the easiest and most likely method to succeed.
His tongue flicked lightly across the Beast King’s cheek. "Don’t you want more powerful beastmen? Jin Wei has been making restless moves for a long time. We can’t give him this opportunity."
Beast King City was not unaware of the previous incident between Jin Wei and the Black Panther Tribe; they had simply chosen not to intervene.
Jin Wei was ambitious. Letting him fight with a large tribe and deplete Tiger Beast City’s strength was not a bad thing for them.
"Have her hand over the refining method sooner, and you can also sacrifice her sooner."
This sentence swayed the Beast King. She had always felt uneasy about her inability to make those monsters disappear completely.
"Mm."
「Inside Feather Palace.」
After Qiao Xixi had Jin Ling and the others return to their stone houses so she could check their injuries, they all fell asleep not long after. They didn’t even wake up for dinner.
Qiao Xixi came out after taking a bath, pondering which room to sleep in, when she saw Qiao Yi walk out.
Qiao Yi also looked like he had just bathed. His well-built torso was bare, but when he saw Qiao Xixi, he frowned, immediately went back into his room to put on a beast-hide shirt, and then came out again.
"It’s so late. Why aren’t you asleep yet?"
Qiao Xixi looked at him. "I’m just going to check on Jin Ling and the others again. I’ll go to sleep after that."
Qiao Yi huffed softly. "You’ve completely forgotten what I told you before."
Qiao Xixi knew what he was referring to. She gave a playful smile. "But I care about you too, Father." As she spoke, she took a bottle of medicine from her pouch and placed it in Qiao Yi’s hand.
"This medicine can remove the scars on your body."
Qiao Yi’s pupils contracted as he looked at the medicine. His broad palm clenched around the bottle. "Did... did they frighten you?"
Qiao Xixi shook her head and pulled up his sleeve.
The strong arm was covered in scars. Seeing Qiao Yi now, she finally understood why he had kept his body so thoroughly covered back in the tribe.
’He was afraid we would see his scars.’
Qiao Xixi gently stroked the hardened scar tissue, her eyes welling up. "You still haven’t told me how you got these injuries, Father."
Hearing the sob in her voice, Qiao Yi wanted to say it was nothing, that it was all in the past. But he knew she was smart, and if he wasn’t clear, she would continue to suffer.
"A while ago, the monsters started appearing frequently. They locked me in the Watchtower and made me go kill them every time they emerged."
"Most of the time, the Beast King wouldn’t allow the Beast Guards to help, saying it was the lesson I deserved."
"Sunxuan and the others could only stand guard on the tower, killing the monsters that escaped, while I was trapped underground."
Qiao Xixi’s chest tightened as she listened. She abruptly squeezed Qiao Yi’s hand, a deep fury rising in her eyes.
"She... she actually made you face all those monsters alone!?"