Chapter 173: He Didn’t Leave
Qiao Xixi quickly ducked down the moment her cloak’s effect wore off.
Sangkun seemed to sense something and snapped his head up, looking toward Qiao Xixi’s position.
Sangkun put away the beast bone and slowly rose. The moment he stood, his hands transformed into sharp claws.
Qiao Xixi looked up to see Sangkun was only three steps away.
Sangkun suddenly raised his claws toward Qiao Xixi’s location. Just as he was about to strike, the voice of a beastman messenger sounded from outside the door.
"Young Clan Leader, the Clan Leader requests your presence."
Sangkun walked behind the stone table. There was nothing there.
He slowly lowered his claws, the grim expression on his face easing. "Understood."
Sangkun followed the messenger out of the stone house.
Leaning against the other side of the stone table, Qiao Xixi regretfully put away the Dull Liquid in her hand. ’If he had just come a little closer, I could have sprayed the Dull Liquid and snatched the beast bone.’
Now that Sangkun had left, she would have to find another opportunity.
Seeing the door wasn’t closed and with time still left on her Invisibility Cloak, Qiao Xixi quickly stepped out.
But to her surprise, the moment she was outside, she saw Sangkun standing there, staring coldly at the doorway.
He hadn’t left!
"Young Clan Leader?" the male beastman beside him called out in confusion.
Only then did Sangkun retract his gaze. "Lock my door, and send two more 5-star beast soul guards to stand watch."
"Yes."
After giving his orders, Sangkun finally strode away.
Qiao Xixi quickly adjusted the cloak around her. ’This Young Clan Leader is so paranoid. If I didn’t have this Invisibility Cloak as a cheat, I would have been discovered.’
With time still left on the cloak, Qiao Xixi quickly slipped away.
Just as she returned to the pharmacy, Qiao Xixi saw Hua Qing standing at the entrance, looking around anxiously. When he saw her return, he let out a sigh of relief.
"Have you finished picking out your herbs?"
Qiao Xixi said, "Just one more. Once I find it, we can go."
"Okay."
After grabbing the last herb, Qiao Xixi followed Hua Qing downstairs.
When they returned to the small courtyard, Qiao Xixi immediately spotted Sunxiao waiting by the entrance.
Qiao Xixi said to Hua Qing, "Is there a stove? These herbs need to be decocted."
"Let me do it. Just tell me how."
After Qiao Xixi explained how to brew the medicine, Hua Qing took the herbs to the kitchen in the backyard.
As soon as he was a good distance away, Qiao Xixi grabbed Sunxiao’s hand and asked, "Where’s Qiaoqiao?"
"In the house."
Qiao Xixi glanced toward the stone house and could hear Qiao Qiao’s voice, making Lingmiao laugh. ’The little one is getting cleverer by the day.’
"So? Did you find anything?"
Qiao Xixi nodded. "Sangze’s and Sangqi’s beast bones are both on the Young Clan Leader, Sangkun. He’s very cautious and probably keeps them on him at all times."
"What do you want to do?"
Qiao Xixi said softly, "First, we need to confirm Sangze’s location."
Locating the beast bones today was a major success. Her plan was to rescue Sangze first. If she took the bones now, Sangkun would surely place Sangze under heavier guard, increasing the difficulty of the rescue.
Sunxiao’s expression didn’t change, but a closer look would reveal the doting affection brimming in the depths of his serpentine eyes. "Alright."
After Hua Qing finished brewing the medicine, he had Lingmiao drink it. As soon as the medicine was down, Qiao Qiao took her hand and began the treatment.
Lingmiao hadn’t held out much hope initially, but after Qiao Qiao withdrew her hand, her once weak and feeble body felt considerably stronger.
For the first time, her normally calm, smiling eyes showed a different emotion. She looked at Qiao Qiao in disbelief.
"You’re all amazing. I feel so much more energetic now."
"I told you your illness could be cured. Today’s treatment is finished, and it’s getting late. We should be heading back."
"Thank you so much." Seeing Lingmiao’s improved vitality, Hua Qing was extremely grateful. He gave Qiao Xixi’s group a large number of Crystal Stones and packed a bag of fruit for them.
"Although her condition has improved, she’ll need consistent treatment to recover fully. So, I’ll be back tomorrow."
"Okay, I’ll come pick you up tomorrow."
"Mm."
Before dark, Hua Qing saw them out.
Sunxiao carried Qiao Qiao in one arm and held Qiao Xixi’s hand with the other. Only after he was certain the gaze from behind them had completely vanished did he speak quietly.
"That Hua Bao male is getting suspicious."
"Lingmiao showed clear improvement after her treatment today. For her sake, he won’t do anything to us."
"Mm."
By the time the three of them returned to their stone house, it was almost dark.
Just as they were about to enter, the door of the neighboring house opened, and a female with two soft pink rabbit ears stepped out.
Seeing Qiao Xixi, the rabbit female called out happily, "Xixi, were you guys out having fun?"
Qiao Xixi smiled when she saw her and patted Sunxiao’s hand, gesturing for him to take Qiao Qiao inside first.
Sunxiao gave the rabbit female an indifferent glance, which made her shrink her neck in fear. Only after he went inside did she hurry over to Qiao Xixi’s side.
"Xixi, your beast-husband looks so fierce."
Qiao Xixi didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. "It’s so late. Where are you going?"
"I’m going to find my kids and bring them back for dinner. I’m home alone, and if I don’t pay attention for a second, those naughty little ones will run off and disappear."
"What about your beast-husbands? Are they not home?"
"They’ve all gone to help out outside the inner city. They said the Young Clan Leader is about to succeed the Clan Leader, and the ceremony is in a few days. They can earn Crystal Stones by helping."
A glint flashed in Qiao Xixi’s eyes. "The Young Clan Leader is exceptionally capable. With him as Clan Leader, the Divine Leopard Tribe will surely prosper. It might even be promoted to a Beast City."
Hearing this, the rabbit female pouted. "You might not know this, Xixi, but I heard that the Divine Leopard Tribe used to have a black panther male who was even more powerful than the current Young Clan Leader. He was supposed to be the successor, but then he apparently turned into a vicious beast. That’s how the current one got the position."
Over the past two days, Qiao Xixi had gotten most of her information from this rabbit female.
Although the rabbit female was an outsider beastman, one of her beast-husbands was from the Divine Leopard Tribe. Combined with her love for gossip, she knew a lot of the tribe’s affairs.
For example, the Young Clan Leader Sangkun had a sickly primary female, and the beastmen of the tribe worried that if his primary female kicked the bucket one day, the Young Clan Leader would suffer a devastating blow.
Another example: this primary female of the Young Clan Leader also had a Hua Bao beast-husband who doted on her immensely. He would go to the tribal market every time to buy new trinkets to cheer her up.
It was precisely because of this information that Qiao Xixi had decided to take a gamble.
This was also why they had coordinated to put on such a show at the market yesterday—all to attract Hua Qing and have him bring them into the inner city.
The Divine Leopard Tribe was a large tribe, after all, with experts as numerous as clouds. The risk of using brute force to rescue Sangze and find the beast bone was too high. It was better to use cunning if possible.
"This succession ceremony... can we go and watch?"
"Of course. All beastmen in the tribe can go."
The two chatted for a few more moments before Qiao Xixi went home.
As soon as she entered the courtyard, she saw Sangqi, who was being held in Jin Ling’s arms, flailing and reaching out his hands toward her.