Chapter 189: How About We Make a Bet?
Sangze stood up, his mismatched eyes dimming.
"Big Snake, you’re acting very strange tonight."
Sunxiao’s expression was impassive. "Only for tonight."
"Oh? And why is that? Do tell."
Sunxiao simply glanced at Jin Ling’s door before looking away. "This is something Jin Ling deserves."
A flicker of confusion crossed Sangze’s eyes. The fact that the Golden Tiger Beast could make Sunxiao willingly step aside had truly piqued his curiosity.
"Come now, Big Snake. I want to hear why that Golden Tiger Beast deserves this."
Jin Ling had just finished his bath and returned to the room, his hair still dripping. He was surprised to see Qiao Xixi come in. "How are you back so soon?"
Qiao Xixi walked over, took his hand, and had him sit on the bed. She grabbed a pelt from the wooden rack, stepped behind him, and began to dry his hair.
"I missed you, so I washed up and hurried back."
The straightforward declaration made Jin Ling’s heart skip a beat. He leaned gently against her, feeling her soft fingertips running through his hair, and his own heart swelled with contentment.
"Xixi."
"Hm?"
"My body is damaged. It’s impossible for me to father any cubs." His voice was soft and incredibly calm, as if he had accepted this fact long ago.
But when Qiao Xixi had said that earlier tonight, he couldn’t help the pang of pain in his heart. He was afraid of disappointing Xixi.
"Then how about we make a bet?"
"Hm?"
Qiao Xixi tossed the pelt onto a stool and draped herself over his shoulders. "I bet that if you give it your all tonight, I’ll definitely conceive a cub."
Jin Ling let out a low chuckle that rumbled in his chest, a clear sign of his delight. In an instant, his gilded golden eyes filled with desire.
He spun around and tackled her onto the soft pelt blanket. But before he could make his next move, Qiao Xixi threw her arms around him and pulled him into a kiss.
A bitter taste spread through his mouth. Jin Ling was confused for a moment, but he swallowed the unknown pill anyway—a testament to his absolute trust in Qiao Xixi.
As their breaths intertwined, the bitterness gradually faded, replaced by a sweetness he felt he could draw from forever.
Her senses hazy, the cool air on her skin made her shiver, but she was quickly enveloped by the scorching heat that was uniquely his.
The two intertwined figures remained inseparable long into the night.
After what felt like an eternity, she finally clung to his waist, begging for mercy as he still showed no signs of stopping.
"I’m waving the white flag! I surrender!"
He captured her raised hand in his large one, lacing their fingers together. The moment they connected, the desire in his gilded golden eyes reached its zenith.
"Alright, I’ll spare you."
As Qiao Xixi drifted off to sleep, she could still feel his loving kisses trailing across her face and lips.
「When she woke up, it was already noon.」
Neither the cubs nor Jin Ling were anywhere to be found in the spacious room.
Qiao Xixi wiggled her fingers and forced her eyes open. In just a few moments, she felt her body brimming with energy.
"Host, are you starting to feel the pleasure of having your body’s origin activated?"
’So, from now on, I’ll be able to recover quickly even if I get injured?’
"Well, that depends on the severity. Most of the Host’s bodily origin is now active, so minor aches and injuries will self-heal in a short amount of time."
"Oh, right! Congratulations, Host. You have successfully conceived Jin Ling’s cub."
Qiao Xixi was surprised. ’It can be confirmed this quickly?’
"Host, you’re underestimating the potion’s effects! Heh heh, that was a potion you exchanged for 1,000 points, you know. I guarantee there are more surprises in store for you!"
Just as Qiao Xixi was about to ask what it meant, the chime for a new mission sounded.
"DING-DONG. Time-limited mission: Host must raise the cubs’ beast soul level by one star within one month. Mission Difficulty: 5 Stars. Mission Reward: Double points."
Qiao Xixi frowned. ’Is this mission just to increase the cubs’ strength? No other reason?’
"Hm? Nope. Now that the Host and the cubs are relatively settled, it’s the perfect opportunity to improve their strength, isn’t it?"
’But the system wouldn’t issue a mission for no reason,’ Qiao Xixi thought.
’But it was right about one thing. Even if they weren’t facing any immediate danger, they couldn’t afford to get complacent.’
What Qiao Xixi didn’t know was that after fleeing the Divine Leopard Tribe, Songyan had traveled for many days and finally arrived outside Tiger Beast City, which stood on a plain nestled between mountains.
Beast Cities were a higher rank than tribes.
On the Beast World Continent, all Beast Cities and tribes were governed by Beast King City, which symbolized the supreme power and order of the Beastman Continent.
Beneath Beast King City were three major Beast Cities: Tiger Beast City, Elephant Beast City, and Wing Beast City. Below the Beast Cities were the various large, medium, and small tribes.
These tribes were assigned to different Beast Cities for governance based on their geographical location. Every year, the tribes were required to offer tribute to their governing Beast City in the form of food, Crystal Stones, and even fertile females or males with high-level beast souls.
If a tribe’s tribute failed to meet the standard, the Beast City would dispatch beastmen to investigate the cause. If the Clan Leader was found to be disloyal, they could be executed on the spot, replaced by a beastman loyal to the Beast City.
The Divine Leopard Tribe fell under the jurisdiction of Tiger Beast City and was one of the major tribes its City Lord valued most. In fact, the three Beast Guards stationed there—Baili, Jin Hui, and Songyan—had been dispatched by Tiger Beast City to ensure the Divine Leopard Tribe’s safety.
Songyan had just reached the towering gates of Tiger Beast City when he was recognized by the White Tiger Beastman on guard duty.
"Songyan Beast Guard, what are you doing back here?"
Songyan was still nursing his wounds, and after days of non-stop travel, he looked utterly disheveled.
"There’s been trouble at the Divine Leopard Tribe. I must see the City Lord."
The White Tiger Beastman didn’t hesitate, immediately opening the gate to let him enter.
The stone dwelling of Tiger Beast City’s Lord was like a palace. Even the inner city where the Divine Leopard Tribe’s Clan Leader lived was nothing in comparison.
The palace interior was covered with thick pelt blankets, which muffled any sound of footsteps.
A tall figure sat upon a wide, imposing stone seat. Even for a 10th-rank master like Songyan, all he could do in this presence was suppress his own aura.
"City Lord."
Jin Wei lifted his gilded, tiger-like eyes, his heavy gaze falling upon Songyan.
"This is the first time I’ve seen you in such a state. What happened at the Divine Leopard Tribe?"
Songyan’s face was tense. "Sangze is completely out of control. He’s become terrifyingly powerful. Baili and I together were no match for him. Now, Baili and Jin Hui are dead, and the Divine Leopard Tribe has fallen into Sangze’s hands. I came back to ask for your help, City Lord. Sangze is brazen. With the tribe under his control, he will never willingly submit to you."
Jin Wei’s tiger-like eyes narrowed. "Oh? Didn’t Sanggu keep him locked away in the Hopeless Abyss? How did he get out?"
Songyan recounted the entire series of events to Jin Wei.
"Sangze had already had his beast bones removed and was imprisoned in the water dungeon, but someone broke him out."
"Oh? So there’s a beastman who could take down both Sanggu and Sangkun right under your watch, and then rescue Sangze?"
"Yes. The most powerful among them was the Sky-Swallowing Python. When he joined forces with a maddened Sangze, we were completely outmatched."
Jin Wei’s tiger-like eyes lit up. "You said... a Sky-Swallowing Python?"