Chapter 172: Two Bloody Beast Bones
Qiao Xixi didn’t say anything.
"Host, wanna make the trade? 500 points are actually pretty easy to earn."
"Shut up, you capitalist dog of a system."
"Waaaah, it’s not like *I* set the price. But it’s fine if you don’t make the trade, Host. Her body is just deficient in qi and blood. If she’s consistently treated with gentle nourishment, living a few more years won’t be a problem."
This gave Qiao Xixi a better understanding of the situation.
Her family had practically risked their lives to get these 3,000 points. She’d used another thousand last night, and she had to save the rest for emergencies. Even if she pitied the female before her, she wasn’t so generous as to just give them away for a stranger.
’Of course, an exchange under certain conditions would be another matter entirely.’
Qiao Xixi pulled herself from her thoughts and looked at Lingmiao. "Your health is indeed quite poor, but it’s not like there’s no way to cure you. However, it will require a few days of conditioning, using an ability to repair your body, supplemented with my medicine. You’ll see a noticeable change in less than five days."
"Are you telling the truth?"
Hua Qing, who was just walking in, overheard Qiao Xixi. His eyes filled with hope as he gazed at her. After receiving Qiao Xixi’s affirmative answer, he joyfully hugged Lingmiao.
"My lady, did you hear that? Your illness can be cured."
Lingmiao just smiled. She knew her own body; it wouldn’t be so easy to treat. But she didn’t want to spoil Hua Qing’s happiness.
"How exactly do you plan to treat her?" Hua Qing asked Qiao Xixi after calming down.
"For at least five consecutive days, we’ll need to use my cub’s ability to repair her body, and she’ll also have to drink some medicine. However, the ingredients for my medicine are quite complex. I don’t know if you’ll be able to get them."
"Name it. No matter what medicine it is, I can get it for you."
Qiao Xixi rattled off several names of herbs, but the more Hua Qing listened, the more confused he became. He had never heard of any of the things Qiao Xixi mentioned.
"How about this? There’s a large apothecary in the inner city. I’ll take you there, and you can look for what you need yourself."
A faint smile touched Qiao Xixi’s lips. ’This was the sentence I’d been waiting for.’
"Alright, let’s go now. The sooner we start treating her illness, the better."
"Mm."
"However, outsiders aren’t allowed to enter the inner city easily. I can only take you. Your cub and your beastman husband will have to stay here."
"No problem."
After Qiao Xixi agreed, Hua Qing allowed Sunxiao into the courtyard, but not into the stone house.
Qiao Xixi led Qiao Qiao out and explained the situation to him.
His crimson, serpentine eyes darkened, clearly showing his displeasure.
Qiao Xixi gently hooked his finger with hers, reassuring him.
"They still need my help right now, so they’ll guarantee my safety."
Sunxiao squeezed her hand. "You must be careful."
"Mm."
Qiao Qiao and Sunxiao stayed behind while Qiao Xixi left the courtyard with Hua Qing.
The inner city was where the tribe’s highest leaders resided. However, it was said that the Divine Leopard Tribe’s Clan Leader had long since retired from active duty due to health reasons. The entire tribe was now managed by the young Clan Leader.
They had just reached the entrance to the inner city when two male beastman guards stopped them.
"Hua Qing, what are you doing here?"
Hua Qing frowned. "My lady is unwell. I need to get some medicine from the witch doctor."
Everyone in the inner city knew that the lady Hua Qing served was the young Clan Leader’s mate. But because her health had always been poor, she had rarely appeared in public after giving birth to Sangli.
"Then who is she?"
"I brought her here to look after my lady. She’s been wanting a female to talk to lately. I brought her along to help me carry the medicine."
The beastman guards didn’t smell anything unusual on Qiao Xixi, so they let them in.
Qiao Xixi followed behind Hua Qing, but her consciousness was communicating with her system.
’You said Sangqi’s beast bones are hidden in the inner city. Where exactly?’
’Host, all I can pinpoint is that they’re within the inner city district. I can’t find a more precise location. But... it seems it’s not just Sangqi’s beast bones. Sangze’s are here too.’
Qiao Xixi stopped in her tracks, almost screaming in anger.
’What did you say?! Sangze’s too?!! You’re telling me Sangze’s beast bones were broken as well?!!’
’Yes, Host! Don’t get excited. Sangze is still alive, he’s alive! He’s being held in a prison in the inner city’s dark district right now. Don’t you go rushing in there, it’s very dangerous.’
Qiao Xixi was still reeling with anger from the revelation that Sangze’s beast bones had been broken. ’So that’s why,’ she thought. ’With how powerful Sangze is, how could he have not fought back immediately after being captured?’
The system had only told her before that Sangze was alive. It never said he’d been crippled!
"This is the apothecary where the herbs are kept. Take a look and see what you need."
Qiao Xixi snapped back to reality and walked into the apothecary with Hua Qing.
The apothecary was vast, with rows upon rows of cabinets filled with all sorts of herbs.
She went forward, opened the cabinets, and picked out the necessary herbs one by one according to the formula her system had provided.
When she was almost done, she suddenly clutched her stomach, a pained expression on her face. "My—my stomach hurts so bad. Is there a place to... relieve myself?"
Seeing her pained expression, Hua Qing didn’t suspect a thing. He pointed to a corner outside. "It’s over there. Just head down that way and you’ll see it. Go on."
"Okay. You can hold onto these herbs for now."
Qiao Xixi quickly ran out of the stone house. After rounding the corner, she immediately took out the Invisible Cloak, put it on, and headed up the stone stairs.
But she didn’t expect that she would see a tall figure as soon as she reached the third floor.
He was dressed in an Ink Glue Beast Robe and looked quite different from the other beastmen. If one looked closely at his features, one would discover he bore a slight resemblance to Sangze.
’Could he be the young Clan Leader of the Divine Leopard Tribe?’
Soon, Qiao Xixi’s guess was confirmed.
An elderly male antelope beastman walked up behind Sangkun. "Young Clan Leader, Hua Qing entered the inner city just now. He said he came to get medicine for your mate."
Sangkun’s brow furrowed. "She’s unwell again?"
"It would seem so."
Sangkun said with some displeasure, "Hmph. Back then, my mother deliberately found me this useless female to tie me down. I still have a mate contract with her. Before my Bone Fusion Skill is successful, she absolutely cannot die. Forget it. I’ll go see her tonight."
After speaking, Sangkun pushed open the door and went inside. The moment he started to close it, Qiao Xixi quickly slipped through the gap.
Sangkun was extremely cautious. The instant Qiao Xixi followed him into the room, he whipped his head around.
Qiao Xixi froze, stopping dead. At that moment, she was only a hand’s breadth away from Sangkun.
Qiao Xixi quickly held her breath.
Sangkun’s gaze quickly swept around the room. After confirming there was nothing out of the ordinary, he went and sat down on a stone stool.
Qiao Xixi quickly ducked behind the stone table. This way, even if the cloak’s time limit ran out, she wouldn’t just brazenly appear right in front of him.
Sangkun reached into his robes and fumbled around, pulling out a black beast-hide pouch.
He greedily opened the beast-hide pouch. Inside were two bloody beast bones!
Qiao Xixi shot to her feet, about to snatch them, when her system began frantically warning her: the Invisible Cloak’s time was up!