Chapter 444: I Know Where It Is
Jin Ling pulled her into a tight embrace.
Qiao Xixi felt the warmth from his body and let out a comfortable sigh.
"Does the wound on your waist still hurt?"
The most severe of Jin Ling’s external injuries was on his side, where a monster’s sharp claws had torn a large gash. Although he had immediately used Strong Healing Glue after leaving the Watchtower, his internal organs had still been damaged, so his recovery wasn’t as fast.
"It’s already healed."
Qiao Xixi lay in his arms, her cool fingertips slowly tracing a path up his side.
Jin Ling’s breath hitched. When he spoke again, his voice was laced with a raw huskiness. "Xixi..."
Qiao Xixi’s fingertips gently landed on the scar on his side. It felt even smoother than the surrounding skin. She knew it was newly grown flesh.
"Jin Ling, thank you all."
Qiao Xixi suddenly leaned down, showering the pinkish new flesh with delicate kisses.
She was truly grateful. They had been willing to follow her to Beast King City, braving all dangers to rescue her father, and had not uttered a single word of complaint despite being grievously injured.
Her kisses were moist, her tongue lightly sweeping over the new skin. Jin Ling could no longer control his breathing. He sat up, helped her up as well, and stared at her with his blazing golden eyes.
"Xixi, I’m willing to do anything for you."
A playful glint flashed in Qiao Xixi’s eyes. "Anything... at all?"
His Adam’s apple bobbed as he let out a low hum of affirmation.
Qiao Xixi smiled and pushed him back onto the bed. She took the Jue Sha from the side, covered his eyes with it, and masterfully pinned his hands above his head.
"When your eyes are covered, your body’s other senses only become sharper."
"Xixi."
Jin Ling had just started to move when she gently pressed him down. "Don’t move. Listen to me."
Before he could respond, her lips met his. Just as he yearned for more, her kisses had already moved to his throbbing pulse, his bobbing Adam’s apple, his heaving collarbones, and his chest.
Just as she had said, with his eyes covered, his other senses were heightened. The slightest touch was enough to drive him wild.
Qiao Xixi’s fingertips traced back and forth over the shark tattoo on his ribs, sending shivers through him.
She continued to tease around the forbidden territory until his last thread of restraint snapped. He shot up, pulling her onto his lap, and rained down feverish, frantic kisses.
His scorching palm gently lifted her. In the moment of their ultimate connection, a strand of fluorescent green light appeared on Qiao Xixi’s side.
The light quickly climbed her side, tracing a complex pattern that looked like a map.
The night deepened.
Han Lie, who was holding the Beast King as they slept, suddenly snapped his eyes open.
In the darkness, his green eyes were particularly striking.
He glanced down at the deeply sleeping Beast King, gently withdrew his hand, put on his scattered beast-hide robe, and turned to leave the inner chamber.
Han Lie stood on the corridor, looking up at the sky. A moment later, his figure vanished at the end of the palace.
When he reappeared, he was back in his own palace.
He lightly tapped an inconspicuous beast bone on the inner wall of the stone room. The bone shifted, and a door just large enough for one person appeared in the stone wall.
He stared into the endless darkness within and walked in without hesitation.
The moment he went inside, a figure silently emerged from the shadows, watching Han Lie’s retreating back with astonishment.
’What is Father hiding in there...?’
Soon, Han Lie walked back out. The room was still empty, with no one else but him.
But just as he closed the secret door and prepared to leave, he suddenly stopped and looked toward the large bed.
The air stirred, and he caught a familiar scent.
Han Lie expressionlessly closed the room’s door, slowly walked to the bed, and yanked back the beast-pelt blanket.
There was nothing underneath.
Han Lie frowned. He was certain he had smelled Yu Ling’s scent just now.
"Father?"
Han Lie’s movements paused, and a dark glint flashed in the depths of his cyan pupils.
"Father, what are you doing up so late instead of sleeping?"
Han Lie turned to see Yu Ling standing outside the door, looking at him with a curious expression.
Han Lie put down the beast-pelt blanket, the coldness in his eyes deepening.
"Why aren’t you asleep?"
Thinking about what happened during the day, Yu Ling huffed in anger. "I ran into that Wandering Beast female at the Feather Palace today. It’s infuriating! Why doesn’t Mother sacrifice her immediately? What’s the point of keeping her in the palace? I was so angry I couldn’t sleep, so I came to find you, Father."
Seeing that the anger on her face wasn’t feigned, Han Lie retracted the coldness in his eyes.
"Stay away from her."
"Why? Am I supposed to just stand by and watch her steal Mother’s favor?"
"Your mother won’t."
Yu Ling clearly didn’t believe him. "Father, that female said she’s helping Mother find the source of some dark origin stones. Do you know where it is? If we find it before she does, she won’t be able to take credit with Mother."
Han Lie frowned at her words. "Yu Ling, I already told you, no matter what she does, your mother will not grow to like her. As for everything else, stay out of it. Do you understand?"
Yu Ling was unconvinced, but she was actually more afraid of Han Lie than the Beast King. The Beast King spoiled her endlessly, whereas Han Lie was much stricter.
"Fine, I understand."
"Good. Go back to sleep. Don’t run around at night."
"Mm."
After watching Yu Ling leave, Han Lie turned and walked toward the Beast King’s palace.
However, he hadn’t gone far when Yu Ling, who was supposed to have left, returned to his door.
’What on earth is Father doing, being so secretive?’
Yu Ling thought for a moment, then pushed open the courtyard gate and went inside. She had actually been in Han Lie’s room earlier. She hadn’t been hiding on purpose; she had genuinely fallen asleep while waiting for him.
Han Lie had entered in a hurry at the time and hadn’t noticed Yu Ling’s presence.
Yu Ling had woken up when he opened the secret passage. Logically, she should have called out to Han Lie, but on some strange impulse, she remained silent, watching him walk inside.
In all these years, she never knew such a place existed in her father’s room.
Driven by curiosity, Yu Ling was desperate to know what secret was hidden inside.
Just as Yu Ling was about to push the door open, someone walked toward her.
"Yu Ling, what are you doing?"
Startled, Yu Ling quickly retracted her hand and turned around. Seeing it was Yu Ye, she frowned in displeasure. "I should be asking you that. What are you doing here so late at night?"
Put on the defensive by her accusation, Yu Ye was also displeased. "I’m here to see Father about something."
"What is it? Are you also here to ask Father about the source of the dark origin stones?"
Yu Ye pressed his lips together and didn’t answer.
Yu Ling grew even more upset. "I knew it! You all know and you just won’t tell me!"
"What does this have to do with you? Is Father here?"
"No."
Yu Ye didn’t think much of it and turned to leave.
Yu Ling, very dissatisfied with his attitude, stepped forward and grabbed him. "I know where it is."
"What did you say?"
Yu Ling lifted her chin smugly, her eyes full of arrogance. "What, you don’t believe me?"
Of course, Yu Ye didn’t believe her. He knew better than anyone the extent of Yu Ling’s abilities, but he couldn’t help his curiosity. "Where is it?"
Yu Ling pointed at Han Lie’s room. "It’s in there."
"Impossible!"
"If you don’t believe me, then follow me."
Yu Ling pushed open the door, walked inside, and went to the stone wall. She tapped the beast bone on it, and soon, a door large enough for one person appeared in the wall.
Yu Ye stood frozen in place, utterly shocked.
"Do you dare come down with me to look for it?"