Chapter 168: You’re Good No Matter What
Beneath the ore vein, Sunxiao’s speed was incredible, yet the journey was smooth. After what felt like an eternity, they finally saw a halo of light ahead.
The next moment, Sunxiao brought them out of the tunnel and back to the surface.
"Day has broken."
Sunxiao brought them to a patch of flat ground, setting them down before reverting to his human form.
At that moment, a snake-shaped red mark appeared between both his and Qiao Lie’s eyebrows—the unique sigil of the Swallowing Sky Python.
The Holy Crystal’s energy had shattered the Original Stone Curse, allowing them to completely fuse the Swallowing Sky Python’s power into their blood and bones. This meant he could now properly control the immense strength that came from the Swallowing Sky Python bloodline.
With Qiao Xixi’s help, the superficial wounds on Jin Ling and Feiyan were almost completely healed. However, both had suffered internal injuries of varying severity and couldn’t recover immediately; they would still need several days of rest.
Once she was sure they were out of immediate danger, Qiao Xixi finally collapsed onto the ground.
When she recalled the moment Jin Hui had tried to kill them, her body still trembled uncontrollably.
’If I’d been even a moment later, I would have lost them forever!’
A large, dry hand enveloped her small, cool one. Qiao Xixi looked up to meet Jin Ling’s gentle gaze.
"Jin Ling..."
The moment Qiao Xixi spoke, tears began to stream down her face uncontrollably.
"Xixi, don’t cry."
Jin Ling pushed himself to sit up, but as soon as he moved, a dull ache spread through his chest.
Forgetting her own distress, Qiao Xixi quickly steadied him. "Don’t move. Your injuries haven’t healed yet."
Jin Ling shifted, nuzzling against her. "I’m fine, Xixi. I just need a good long sleep. I’ll be all better when I wake up."
"Mm."
Qiao Xixi took out more Spiritual Spring water and gave some to both him and Feiyan.
Weakened, the two of them soon drifted into a deep sleep.
Sunxiao made a lap around the area. Once he confirmed everything was clear, he returned to Qiao Xixi’s side.
Qiao Xixi had just finished handing out jerky to the cubs. When she saw Sunxiao return, she brought a bowl of Spiritual Spring water over to him.
"Here, have some water."
Sunxiao’s crimson eyes watched her. Instead of taking the bowl, he lowered his head and drank directly from it while she held it.
"Um... swallowing that... thing. Won’t it give you indigestion?"
Sunxiao paused for a moment before realizing what she was talking about.
"No. It was a 10-star Beast Soul. It will actually enhance my power."
Qiao Xixi nodded. "Oh, okay then."
"Have you decided where we should go next?"
Qiao Xixi’s thoughts turned to Sangze, who had left the previous night and never returned. ’The Golden Eagle Beast must have been sent by the Divine Leopard Tribe to capture Sangze and Sangqi. But the tribe wouldn’t have sent just one Golden Eagle Beast. Last night, Sangze must have gone to fight the other beastmen from the Divine Leopard Tribe.’
But he still hadn’t returned by dawn.
Recalling the power of the Golden Eagle Beast, she worried that Sangze had run into trouble too.
"System, can you check where Sangze is right now?"
"Host, my search indicates he appears to be headed toward the Divine Leopard Tribe’s territory."
Qiao Xixi’s eyes darkened. ’Sangze has been captured!’
"Is he alive?"
"He is."
"Xixi?"
Qiao Xixi snapped back to reality and looked at Sunxiao. "I was just talking to my system, asking where Sangze went."
A cold, sinister light flickered in Sunxiao’s crimson eyes.
"You care about him that much, Xixi?"
Qiao Xixi blinked. She thought of the innocent, daytime Sangze and realized she saw him as a younger brother and a friend.
’As for that tormented version of him at night... she couldn’t quite place her feelings. But she had promised to listen to his story, and she didn’t want to go back on her word.’
"Sunxiao, I want him to be alive."
Sunxiao’s lips curved into a faint smile, his cool fingertips gently tracing the line of her brow.
"Don’t worry. He won’t die."
Qiao Xixi grasped his hand and hugged his waist, looking up at him with eyes full of questions.
"Sangze seems to know you. Tell me, how did you two meet? You rarely talk about your past... are you hiding something from me?"
Sunxiao’s hand slid down to her waist, and he gently lifted her into his arms.
"What do you want to know?"
"Everything. I want to know everything about you."
Sunxiao carried her over to a large tree and sat down with her.
Qiao Xixi settled into his embrace, waiting quietly.
She heard Sunxiao’s detached voice ring out beside her ear.
"Several years ago, I did go to the Hopeless Abyss in search of the Holy Crystal. That’s when I met Sangze."
At the time, he could sense the Holy Crystal’s energy, but he could never pinpoint its location.
That was when he encountered Sangze—that monster.
As soon as night fell, the monster would go berserk. No matter where Sunxiao went, it would find him, like a tail he couldn’t shake. Annoyed, he fought it many times.
But the creature’s power was too great. Every fight left Sunxiao significantly drained. On top of that, the Hopeless Abyss was teeming with Mutant Beasts and Demonic Beasts. Worn out from fending everything off, he had no choice but to leave for a time.
When Sunxiao finished, he looked down and saw Qiao Xixi staring at him with wide, expectant eyes.
"What is it?"
"You’re saying... back then, Sangze would just follow you around and pester you for no reason?"
"Mm."
Thinking about that manic energy of Sangze’s, Qiao Xixi suddenly sat bolt upright.
"He didn’t... fall in love with you, did he?"
His serpentine pupils narrowed, and the air around him instantly grew cold.
Qiao Xixi clapped a hand over her mouth in shock. ’Did I guess right?’
"Oof!"
She felt a pinch on her waist, neither too light nor too hard.
"What nonsense are you thinking? He’s just a lunatic."
’A boring monster!’
"Sunxiao, I want to go to the Divine Leopard Tribe. Sangze has likely fallen into their hands, and I want to save him. He was the one who protected me and the cubs all this time in the Hopeless Abyss."
"Alright."
Qiao Xixi had been prepared for Sunxiao to refuse. She never expected him to agree so readily.
Sunxiao’s arm around her tightened. ’The beastmen sent by the Divine Leopard Tribe nearly took her life and the lives of the cubs. He would absolutely not let this matter rest.’
"It’s not just to save Sangze. It’s for Sangqi, too. The beastmen of the Divine Leopard Tribe were the ones who took his Beast Bone. I’m going to get it back for him!"
"Alright. No matter what you want to do, I will support you."
Qiao Xixi snuggled against him. "Sunxiao, you’re the best."
Sunxiao’s eyes darkened as he held her squirming waist still. "So if I didn’t agree, I wouldn’t be the best?"
"You’re the best even if you don’t agree. You’re always the best."
Her words coaxed a smile from the cold and arrogant Swallowing Sky Python.
Once Jin Ling’s and Feiyan’s conditions had stabilized, Sunxiao decided they should depart immediately. The area was fraught with danger; it was best to leave as soon as possible.
Meanwhile, Baili and Songyan returned to the Divine Leopard Tribe, dragging a wooden cage covered with an animal hide.
"Young Clan Leader, the guards have returned."
Sangkun shot up from his stone stool. He looked up to see Baili and Songyan walking in, carrying Sangze.
The two men came before Sangkun and tossed Sangze onto the ground.
Sangze’s eyes were shut tight, and he appeared to be unconscious.
Sangkun asked impatiently, "Well? Is it done?"
Songyan took a piece of animal hide from his clothes and unwrapped it. Inside was a bloody Beast Bone.
"It’s done."
An expression of immense joy spread across Sangkun’s face as he accepted the Beast Bone with trembling hands.
"It’s done! He’s finally been crippled!"
’From now on, he will never be a threat to me again. The Divine Leopard Tribe will be mine forever!’