Chapter 480: It’s Not Like He’s Going to Eat Her
"Xixi, watch out!"
The moment the sharp claws were about to touch Qiao Xixi, Yun Ji flew over swiftly. In the darkness, his pure white wings formed a large protective circle, shielding her.
At the same time, his broad wings struck the attacker viciously.
"Ah!"
The attacker hadn’t expected Yun Ji to be so fast and was sent flying, crashing into the water.
"Xixi."
Yun Ji lifted Qiao Xixi out of the water. Fortunately, when Qiao Xixi bathed outdoors, she wasn’t in the habit of bathing completely naked and still had some clothes on.
Carrying her, Yun Ji flew to the shore, picked up her outer clothes, and helped her put them on.
"Are you alright?"
Qiao Xixi shook her head. "I’m fine. He didn’t touch me."
Yun Ji glanced at the figure still floundering in the water. He pulled a feather from his body and sent it flying into the air. Soon, several Wing Clan soldiers flew over, surrounding the figure in the water.
Yun Ji picked Qiao Xixi up. "I’ll take you back first."
Qiao Xixi glanced toward the water and nodded.
Yun Ji brought her back to the sanctuary. Standing beneath the round platform, he leaped lightly up into the suspended bird’s nest.
She hadn’t been able to see it clearly from below. Now that she was inside, she found it was surprisingly spacious. It wasn’t just a bed; it looked more like a small room, except the floor was covered in pure white feathers. Sitting down, she sank into incredible softness.
’This is so comfortable.’
Yun Ji gently set her down and reached out to wipe the water droplets from her face.
"I’ll be right back."
Qiao Xixi nodded. "Be careful."
"Mm."
Yun Ji turned and jumped down.
Qiao Xixi lay on the edge of the nest, watching his retreating back. Only then did she take a clean set of beast-hide clothes out of her storage space to change into.
’It looks so clean in here,’ she thought. ’I’m afraid I’ll accidentally get it dirty.’
After changing her clothes, she comfortably rolled around a few times. The inside was so soft, it was like lying on a bed of cotton.
Comfortable places tend to make one sleepy. After rolling around for a little while, a wave of drowsiness washed over her.
Lying amidst the soft feathers, Qiao Xixi slowly closed her eyes.
When Yun Ji returned, Qiao Xixi was already sound asleep.
He couldn’t help but move more quietly. With a light wave of his long, slender fingers, the feathered garment on his body vanished, revealing a chest as fair as jade.
He walked slowly to her side and lay down next to her, savoring the tranquil aura she emanated. He turned on his side and gently gathered her into his arms.
Qiao Xixi shifted, struggling to crack open an eye. After making out Yun Ji’s face, she relaxed and sank back into a deep sleep.
Her unconscious display of dependence brought a faint smile to Yun Ji’s lips. With her by his side, the loneliness that clung to him dissipated.
Qiao Xixi slept incredibly soundly. When she awoke, it was already broad daylight outside.
She looked around but didn’t see Yun Ji. She clearly remembered him coming back last night.
Qiao Xixi sat up and got dressed. Just as she leaned out of the nest, she heard the sound of the sanctuary’s doors opening.
"Yun Ji."
Yun Ji walked to the base of the nest and looked up at her. "You’re awake."
"Mhm. Where did you go so early in the morning?"
Yun Ji held up the wooden box in his hand. "I’ve brought it back."
Qiao Xixi’s eyes lit up. It was the Soul-Stabilizing Pearl for Sangze.
Yun Ji flew up and carried her down. "Let’s eat something first, then we’ll head over."
Qiao Xixi nodded. Thinking of last night’s events, she couldn’t help but ask, "Did you catch the beastman who ambushed me last night? Who was it?"
Carrying her, Yun Ji walked straight down the stone steps. "It was Yu Ye."
The answer didn’t surprise Qiao Xixi, but she hadn’t expected him to be so foolish. Hardly anyone knew she was at Yun Ji’s place. For Yu Ye to have found her here, someone must have leaked information to him.
At this thought, Qiao Xixi’s eyes darkened. ’So much for "never thinking of hurting me." It seems Yaoxi would truly do anything for the throne!’
Qiao Xixi did indeed suspect that Yaoxi had told Yu Ye her whereabouts. As for Yu Ye, she figured that foolish bird’s thinking was also quite simple.
’He probably thought that by capturing me, he could control Yun Ji. How utterly idiotic!’
Qiao Xixi didn’t ask how Yun Ji had dealt with Yu Ye. She didn’t care. In any case, there was no way Yun Ji would let him off easily.
After washing up and having a simple meal with Yun Ji, he flew with her toward Beast King City. After all, Sangze’s condition couldn’t wait.
What Qiao Xixi didn’t know was that during the day and night she was gone, everyone except Qiao Yi—Jin Ling and the others—had been on pins and needles.
Before dawn, Qiao Yi heard the sound of wood being chopped in the backyard while he was still asleep.
A vein throbbed on his forehead. He rolled over and pulled the beast-hide blanket over his head, but the sound of chopping wood still reached his ears clearly.
’Every last one of them is asking for a beating.’
Unable to sleep through the noise, Qiao Yi finally sat up, opened his door, and went downstairs.
Good grief. When he got to the backyard, he saw two of them chopping wood and one mincing meat.
"Are you all up so early because you want to tear this stone house down?"
Jin Ling’s hand, which was mincing meat, paused. He gave Qiao Yi a gentle smile. "Did we wake you, Father?"
Qiao Yi snorted. "You’re going to wake up everyone on this entire street." Beastmen had sharp hearing, and in the pre-dawn quiet, it was almost a certainty.
Sunxiao’s expression was indifferent. He casually swung the bone knife in his hand, and a log as thick as a thigh split in two.
"Make more noise. Maybe it’ll wake up Sangze."
Feiyan, who was chopping wood, paused, looking at Sunxiao in amazement. "It works like that?"
Sunxiao shot him an indifferent glance, the kind one gives an idiot.
Qiao Yi knew perfectly well what their petty resentment was about. They were simply annoyed that he hadn’t told them about his plans with Yun Ji.
’Of course,’ Qiao Yi thought, ’the root cause is that I hope Yun Ji will join this family!’
’These males are going crazy with jealousy!’
"The Soul-Stabilizing Pearl is kept on Holy Stone Mountain. It’s not easy to retrieve; it takes time."
In the end, Qiao Yi offered the males an explanation as to why Qiao Xixi and Yun Ji hadn’t returned yet, lest they actually demolish the stone house.
Qiao Yi pressed his temples. ’I’m getting old; I can’t afford to lose sleep!’
Jin Ling smiled and put down his bone knife. "If it’s really that difficult, we can go help, Father."
Feiyan chimed in, "That’s right. Sangze’s condition can’t wait."
Qiao Yi snorted and glanced at them, his face a mask of disdain that said, ’Don’t think I don’t know what you’re all thinking.’
"Just wait. It’s not like Yun Ji is going to eat Xixi, is it?"
Feiyan’s eyes widened. "Why not?"
Just as Feiyan finished speaking, they all heard the voice they had been longing to hear.
"Feiyan, what are you saying ’why not’? Eat what, Father?"