Chapter 456: Sacrificial Hall
Qiao Xixi was surprised when Feiyan brought Huang Yue in.
"City Lord Huang Yue, what brings you here?"
Huang Yue sighed silently upon seeing Qiao Xixi. He looked much thinner than when he had first entered the Thunder-swallowing Forest, his cheeks sunken and his spirits low.
Qiao Xixi frowned. "City Lord Huang Yue, have you still not found Kunlin?"
After they had returned to the palace, Qiao Yi told Chi Yan that a monster had possessed Kunlin and asked for help in the search. But even now, there was still no word from the Beast Guards.
Qiao Xixi knew that Wing Beast City had also requested aid from the Beast King. The Beast King hadn’t hesitated, immediately dispatching beast soldiers to enter the Thunder-swallowing Forest with the males of Wing Beast City.
These past few days, Qiao Xixi had been preoccupied with the secret passage and had temporarily set aside the matter of Kunlin’s whereabouts.
Huang Yue shook his head. "No. That kid is too strange. We sensed his aura several times, but it would vanish just as quickly. Now, we’ve completely lost his trail in the Thunder-swallowing Forest."
It was incredibly difficult to find someone intentionally hiding in a place as vast as the Thunder-swallowing Forest.
"Is there anything I can do to help, City Lord Huang Yue?" Qiao Xixi asked, mindful that Kunlin had helped them quite a bit in the past. Although what happened later was... complicated, she wanted to repay the favor if she had the chance.
Huang Yue hesitated but finally spoke. "Qiao Xixi, I didn’t originally want to trouble you, but Kunlin is Yaya’s father. If something truly happens to him, I won’t know how to face Yaya. You know... she’s already lost her mother."
Qiao Xixi’s expression remained neutral. "City Lord Huang Yue, please speak freely."
"I’ve heard that... your body is special, that you have a suppressive effect on those monsters. I was hoping for a bit of your blood. Don’t worry, just a little. I want to see if it can suppress the monster inside Kunlin, allowing him to regain his senses and reveal himself."
Qiao Xixi frowned. "Would that even work?"
Huang Yue frowned. "I’m not sure, but our shaman in Wing Beast City said it’s worth a try. Not much, just a few drops will be enough."
A few drops of blood was no great hardship for Qiao Xixi.
Qiao Xixi didn’t hesitate long. She took the small, feathered bowl from Huang Yue, pricked her finger with a bone needle, and squeezed a few drops of blood inside.
Feiyan frowned as he watched from the side.
"That’s enough, Xixi. That’s plenty." He steadied Qiao Xixi’s hand, stopping her from giving any more.
Huang Yue was immensely grateful. "Thank you so much."
"You helped us before, City Lord Huang Yue. Consider this my way of repaying the favor."
Huang Yue nodded in understanding. "If you ever need help in the future, feel free to find me. I’ll get back to it, then."
"I won’t see you out."
After Huang Yue left, Qiao Xixi twitched her finger and pulled her hand from Feiyan’s mouth.
"It’s fine, it’s not bleeding anymore."
Only then did Feiyan reluctantly release her.
"Feiyan, do you think it’s possible for the monsters to be hiding in the palace?"
"Normally, they shouldn’t be able to get in, but we can’t rule out the possibility."
The palace guards are elites drawn from all of Beast King City. Any high-level expert should be able to sense a monster’s aura. It’s highly unlikely that so many experts would fail to detect them, unless someone helped the monsters conceal their presence.
After breakfast, just as Qiao Xixi was about to head to the secret passage, Yue Li arrived at Feather Palace.
"Qiao Xixi, the Beast King said she suddenly recalled something about the secret passage last night. She sent me to take you to her."
"Are we going somewhere else?"
Yue Li nodded.
The words had barely left his mouth when Jin Ling and the others came over. After what had happened yesterday, they would never allow Qiao Xixi to go anywhere alone again.
Yue Li glanced at Jin Ling and the others. "If your mates are worried, they may come along."
Qiao Xixi was surprised that the Beast King would agree to let Jin Ling and the others tag along.
Hearing this, Qiao Yi also came over. "Xixi," he said to Qiao Xixi, "I’ll go with you, along with Sangze and Jin Ling."
Then, he looked at Xijing and the others. "The rest of you will stay here at Feather Palace."
After Qiao Yi spoke, he gave Xijing a long, meaningful look. Xijing nodded. "Understood."
Once everything was settled, Yue Li turned and led the way.
But they were only halfway there when Qiao Xixi realized something was wrong.
"This... isn’t the way to the Beast King Palace."
Yue Li didn’t stop walking. "Correct. The Beast King said we were going to a different location."
Qiao Xixi didn’t know what the Beast King was up to, so she could only follow along and see.
After walking for some time, they finally stopped before a towering palace that seemed to pierce the clouds.
Qiao Yi’s eyes narrowed as he stared at the palace before them.
"What are you doing, bringing Xixi to the Sacrificial Hall?"
Yue Li looked back at him. "These are the Beast King’s orders. If you have questions, you may go inside and ask her yourself."
"Are you certain the Beast King is in there?"
As he spoke, the grand doors to the hall swung slowly open, and the Beast King emerged from within.
She swept a glacial gaze over Qiao Yi and said coldly, "Qiao Yi, if I truly meant you harm, I wouldn’t need to be so elaborate."
Qiao Yi sneered, his eyes full of suspicion.
The Beast King turned to Qiao Xixi, her expression unreadable. "You can choose not to enter."
Qiao Xixi frowned, but her expression quickly smoothed over. "Fine. Then I won’t go in."
The Beast King faltered. "Don’t you want to know the secrets of the passage?"
Qiao Xixi shrugged. "It’s been so many years, and you haven’t figured anything out, have you?"
The Beast King’s expression darkened. "You’re already here. You’re coming with me."
This attitude made it clear something was wrong. Qiao Yi reached to pull Qiao Xixi back, but she moved first, grabbing the Beast King’s hand.
"Forget it. Since we’re here, we might as well go in and take a look. Father, why don’t you all wait out here?"
"No. I’m going with you."
There was no way Jin Ling and Sangze would let Qiao Xixi face a clear danger alone.
"Fine, come if you must. It’s not like I’m going to eat her," the Beast King snapped.
As if afraid Qiao Xixi would change her mind, the Beast King pulled her inside.
Qiao Yi and the others had no choice but to follow.
Jin Ling moved to Qiao Yi’s side and murmured, "Don’t worry, Father. Xixi must have her reasons for doing this."
Qiao Yi nodded, his senses on high alert.
The layout of the Sacrificial Hall was simple. Upon entering, one had to climb a tall flight of stone stairs that led to a spacious, circular platform at the top.
Several pillars surrounded the platform. In the past, all of Beast King City’s internal sacrificial rites were held here.
When Qiao Xixi reached the platform with the Beast King, she tried to pull her hand away, but the Beast King’s grip was iron-tight.
"Okay, you can let go now."
As soon as the Beast King let her go, her expression changed in a flash, and she shoved Qiao Xixi toward a sunken area in the center of the platform.