Chapter 467: Taking Back Everything That Is Mine
"I just asked the Priest about the situation at the Watchtower. Chi Yan and the others are standing guard there, so there shouldn’t be any major issues."
Qiao Xixi didn’t overthink it after hearing Qiao Yi’s explanation and instead told him about Sangze’s condition.
Qiao Yi frowned. He had thought before that Sangze’s body was different from that of other males with high beast souls.
"The formula for this forbidden drug must be in Jin Wei’s hands."
"Tiger Beast City must have sent beastmen for the ceremony this time. Who did they send?"
Qiao Yi’s lupine eyes darkened. "They sent Jin Wei."
Qiao Xixi was surprised. Jin Wei had actually come to Beast King City? But they hadn’t run into a single beastman from Tiger Beast City this whole time.
"I’ll go ask in a bit."
"It’s already dark. Why don’t you go tomorrow, Father? You’re still injured."
Qiao Yi thought for a moment and agreed. It wasn’t that he was concerned about his injuries, but rather that he worried Feather Palace wouldn’t be safe at night.
After Qiao Xixi finished speaking with Qiao Yi, she looked down and saw her bowl piled high with meat.
Looking up again, she met Yaoxi’s smiling eyes.
"You two are so busy talking, you’re forgetting to eat. Go on, eat up."
Qiao Xixi smiled and put some food on Yaoxi’s plate as well.
"Aunt Yaoxi, you worked hard today too. You should eat more."
Yaoxi nodded happily, savoring the aroma of the meat. She couldn’t remember the last time she had eaten a meal with someone.
The Beast King wanted to wear her down and forbade any beastman from showing her kindness. If the Beast King discovered anyone being good to her, that person would be severely punished.
She knew that as a former competitor for the throne, the Beast King hadn’t taken her life. It certainly wasn’t out of kindness, but because the ruler felt that simply letting her die would be letting her off too easy.
Thinking of everything she had endured over the years, Yaoxi took a deep breath, suppressing the rage in her heart.
’I’m not without a temper; I’m just waiting for an opportunity.’
After they finished eating, Yaoxi offered to help clear the table.
Qiao Yi had already prepared bathwater for Qiao Xixi and told her to go bathe first.
Qiao Xixi glanced at the dried bloodstains on her clothes and didn’t refuse. "Father, you have to escort Aunt Yaoxi when she leaves. We still don’t know if Han Lie has been caught, and I’m worried it’s not safe."
Qiao Yi nodded. "Alright."
Yaoxi was holding an armful of firewood. She tossed the wood into the stove and, hearing footsteps, turned to see Qiao Yi walk in.
"Xixi is so considerate. But you don’t need to escort me. I’ve been in the palace for many years; I can get back on my own."
But Qiao Yi said, "I already promised Xixi. I should still see you home."
Seeing his insistence, Yaoxi didn’t refuse. "Alright."
The two of them walked out, one after the other. The moment Qiao Yi closed the palace gate, his lupine eyes slowly darkened.
And the cold glint in his eyes was fixed on Yaoxi.
Yaoxi sensed his gaze and let the gentle expression on her face fade.
"Let’s go."
Yaoxi averted her gaze and walked shoulder-to-shoulder with Qiao Yi.
"Qiao Yi, I have one thing to tell you, and I can swear on the Beast God that it is the absolute truth."
Yaoxi looked at Qiao Yi, able to see only his sharp features. "You are my benefactor, the one who saved me. I also like Xixi very much. So, no matter what happens in the future, I will never do anything to harm you or your daughter."
Qiao Yi’s steps faltered slightly. He glanced sideways at her. "Done with the act?"
Yaoxi pressed her lips together, looking away from his face.
"Qiao Yi, I know you’ve suffered a lot over the years. Haven’t I as well? And what did we ever do wrong?"
"So you’ve been putting colorless flowers in Yu Qing’s food all these years."
Five-colored Flower Juice is colorless, odorless, and poisonous. Consuming small amounts over a long period will cause a beastman to die without ever realizing they were being poisoned. If one doesn’t know about the five-colored flower, it’s impossible to detect.
Yaoxi’s expression tightened. She knew it. Qiao Yi had found out. When he first returned to Feather Palace, his first glance at her had been filled with vigilance.
Yaoxi lowered her gaze, hiding the darkness in her eyes. "She was never suited for that position in the first place. If the Priest hadn’t been propping her up all these years, the three Beast Cities would have stopped taking her seriously long ago."
"If she weren’t so useless, why would Tiger Beast City even think of replacing her? Qiao Yi, our royal family has ruled Beast King City for hundreds of years. I will not let it fall to ruin in Yu Qing’s hands."
Qiao Yi’s expression didn’t change at her words, as if he wasn’t interested.
In the darkness, Qiao Yi’s deep voice carried a heart-piercing chill.
"So, when you opened the gate for Yu Qing back then, it wasn’t as noble as you claimed. You were hoping she would take Han Lie and leave Beast King City."
"Yes! I wanted her to leave! The matriarch was bewitched by her father and favored her excessively, never once considering whether she had the ability to be a king!"
As they spoke, the two arrived outside Yaoxi’s stone house.
"Qiao Yi, if you are willing to help me, I will do everything in my power to repay you."
After speaking, Yaoxi folded her hands and gave Qiao Yi a deep, formal bow.
Qiao Yi looked down at her, his face still devoid of any expression.
Yaoxi could feel her back drenched in sweat. Qiao Yi was one in ten thousand among males, a true prodigy. ’It wasn’t that she had never been attracted to him, but back then, the matriarch had assigned Qiao Yi to Yu Qing.’
’How could I not resent it? I’ve been holding it in for so many years, but that doesn’t mean I’m willing to live like this for the rest of my life.’
’I want to take back everything that belongs to me!’
When Qiao Yi didn’t respond for a long time, Yaoxi’s heart sank bit by bit. But she wasn’t discouraged. She had already waited for so many years; she didn’t mind waiting a little longer. ’Besides,’ she thought, ’Yu Qing doesn’t have much time left!’
"Poisoning the Beast King... Yaoxi, your nerve is no less than mine. If you can convince the Priest, I’ll help you."
Yaoxi’s head snapped up. She stared at him in astonishment, momentarily forgetting how to react.
Without waiting for her to say anything else, Qiao Yi turned and left.
Yaoxi watched his retreating back, her fists clenched in excitement, her eyes turning red.
Qiao Yi was not at all surprised by Yaoxi’s transformation.
How could an heir who was once groomed to be the Beast King be some weak, ignorant creature? All the pretense was merely a way to deliver a fatal blow to her enemy at the critical moment.
Qiao Yi had just stepped into the courtyard when he saw Qiao Xixi poke her head out of the stone house. Her long hair was still damp. Qiao Yi frowned. ’This kid,’ he thought, ’isn’t she afraid of catching a cold so late at night?’
"Why aren’t you asleep yet?"
"You weren’t back yet, Father. I couldn’t sleep."
Qiao Yi glanced toward Sunxiao’s stone house. "Are you waiting for me, or for that snake cub?"
Qiao Xixi looked at him and giggled. "I was waiting for both of you. What were you and Aunt Yaoxi talking about just now? You were gone for so long."
Qiao Yi looked into his daughter’s clear eyes and sighed. "She said she’s had enough of her current life."
Qiao Xixi was a little surprised. Yaoxi had always seemed like such a peaceful person.
Qiao Yi tapped her on the forehead. "You’re the silly one. Go back to sleep. That snake cub has his father with him, what are you worried about?"
Qiao Xixi blinked. ’It would be better if Sunxuan wasn’t there,’ she thought. ’I’m only worried because Sunxuan is there.’