Chapter 193: The Target Is You
Qiao Xixi had just stepped out of the bathing room when she saw Sunxiao heading out.
She called out to him, "Sunxiao, where are you going so late?"
Sunxiao stopped and turned to look at Qiao Xixi.
"I’m just going to take a turn around the outer perimeter. I’ll be back soon."
Ever since she’d gotten pregnant with Jin Ling’s cub, Sunxiao had been spending more and more time away. She felt like it had been ages since they’d had a proper conversation.
Qiao Xixi walked over, wrapped her arms around his waist, and looked up at him. "Don’t we have a patrol team for that? Why do you have to go yourself? You’ve already been out all day."
Sunxiao put his hands on her waist, supporting her so she could lean her full weight against him.
"I’m just patrolling the perimeter of the inner city. I’ll be right back."
Qiao Xixi pecked the corner of his lips, then gazed at him with pleading eyes.
Sunxiao sighed in resignation. He covered her eyes with his hand, his voice low and husky. "Don’t look at me like that, Xixi. I won’t be able to stop myself from wanting to devour you."
Qiao Xixi giggled, hugging him tighter. "And how would you devour me?"
Sunxiao moved his hand away, gently cupping the back of her neck and placing a kiss on her lips.
It was a fleeting kiss, nothing more.
"You’re pregnant now. Don’t provoke me."
"So you’ve been keeping your distance because you know I’m pregnant."
Sunxiao cupped her face, his gaze serious. "Yes. And once you give birth to this tiger cub, I won’t let you off the hook." ’And I won’t hold back for Jin Ling anymore.’
Qiao Xixi laughed. "Alright, my amazing serpent."
’Qiao Xixi had some kind of divine power,’ Sunxiao thought. ’She could always shatter the icy aura around him.’
"Go on back to sleep. I’ll be back soon."
"Okay."
Qiao Xixi went upstairs. Standing on the veranda, she could still see Sunxiao’s figure in the courtyard. Only after she turned and went inside did he finally melt into the darkness.
Jin Ling had already spread the beast-hide blankets on the bed. "Xixi, what’s on your mind?"
Qiao Xixi walked to the bed and sat down, taking Jin Ling’s hand. "I think Sunxiao is hiding something from me."
Jin Ling’s expression was gentle as he helped her remove her outer robe. "Are you worried something might happen to him?"
"Yes."
"I’ll ask him when he gets back."
"Okay."
Qiao Xixi had been incredibly drowsy lately. She thought her worries would keep her awake, but the moment her head hit the pillow, a wave of exhaustion washed over her, and she fell asleep in an instant.
Hearing her steady breathing, Jin Ling placed a gentle kiss on her lips before getting up and heading out the door.
He had just stepped out onto the veranda when Feiyan opened the door to the cubs’ room and came out.
The two males’ eyes met in the darkness.
Feiyan lowered his voice. "Qiao Lie said he felt someone following him during his patrol tonight."
"I know. That’s why Sunxiao went out to investigate. I’ll stand watch tonight. You should get some sleep."
Feiyan shook his head. "You know as well as I do that Tiger Beast City will definitely send someone."
Geographically, the Silver Tribe falls under the jurisdiction of Tiger Beast City, and every year, they are required to send supplies.
To preserve the tribe’s fertility, his father would always hide the males with the highest-level beast souls and the most fertile females whenever beastmen from Tiger Beast City arrived, lest they be taken away.
As a result, Feiyan had never held a favorable opinion of Tiger Beast City.
Feiyan suddenly lifted his light brown, fox-like eyes and stared directly at Jin Ling.
"I’ve always felt your aura was familiar, but I could never quite place it."
Jin Ling met his gaze. "What are you trying to say?"
Feiyan leaned against the wall, his expression nonchalant. "So, where did you really come from? Why would you show up on the ice plains, where beastmen are so scarce?"
Their eyes locked, and a heavy silence stretched between the two males.
Meanwhile, Sunxiao completed a full circle around the inner city’s perimeter but found nothing out of the ordinary.
Just as he returned to the entrance of the inner city, he saw Sangze approaching, his face grim.
The moment he drew near, Sunxiao sensed something was wrong with his aura.
"Why do you have the scent of a Golden Eagle Beast on you?"
"They’re from Tiger Beast City."
Sunxiao’s reptilian eyes grew cold. "You didn’t catch them?"
Sangze scoffed. "I caught them, but they got away. A rather capable Golden Eagle Beast showed up this time."
Sunxiao’s expression shifted. The only Golden Eagle Beast in Tiger Beast City who could match Sangze’s strength was the leader of the city’s five Beast Guards: Yun Qi.
"How strong was he?"
Sangze pushed open the inner city gate and walked inside, answering with a cavalier tone.
"Hmph. No match for me, of course."
Standing behind him, Sunxiao noticed something was wrong with the way he walked, a slight drag in his right leg.
Sunxiao strode forward and kicked him squarely on the right calf.
Sangze’s knee buckled, and he dropped to the ground.
"Big snake, are you looking for a fight?" His mismatched eyes, glinting with a cold, malevolent light, lifted to meet Sunxiao’s.
Sunxiao gave his right calf a cold glance. There was a gash on it deep enough to show bone.
"Yun Qi did that to you."
Sangze got to his feet nonchalantly, a savage grin on his face. "I burned all his feathers off. I don’t take losses lying down."
"Their target this time was you."
Sangze suddenly turned to face Sunxiao. "Or maybe... it was you they were after. They’re desperate for powerful males to be their vanguard. You’re in danger too, big snake."
Sunxiao’s reptilian eyes narrowed. "Where are they now?"
"They fled."
Sangze limped ahead. "Hah, lucky for me the little female is already asleep. If she saw me injured, she’d worry so much she wouldn’t be able to sleep, right?"
Sunxiao didn’t even deign to waste a glance on him. But the people from Tiger Beast City had to be dealt with. He turned on his heel and headed back toward the outer city.
Sangze watched him leave. "Where are you going?"
"To reinforce the defenses."
...
In an inconspicuous cave within the Divine Leopard Tribe’s territory, Fengxuan looked at Yun Qi. His feathers were scorched black, and even his face was unrecognizable. Fengxuan couldn’t help but burst out laughing.
But the laugh pulled at a wound on his own face, making him hiss in pain.
"HISS... That crazy leopard is ruthless. If you hadn’t shown up when you did, Yun Qi, I might have met my end back in the Divine Leopard Tribe."
Jin Che also had two large, vicious claw marks on his body. Fortunately, he had a high-level beast soul and healed quickly; the wounds were already beginning to scab over.
The scorched Yun Qi sat down, his face dark. "Sangze’s power is not to be underestimated."
"Isn’t outstanding strength exactly what the City Lord is looking for? Yun Qi, the next time you face him, go all out. Once he’s captured, I’ll force-feed him some potions. I guarantee he’ll become perfectly obedient."
Their visit this time was merely for reconnaissance. Yun Qi had already sent a message back to Tiger Beast City with the other Golden Eagle Beasts. The City Lord would be sending reinforcements soon.
"I’m suddenly curious," Jin Che, who had been sitting to the side, spoke up. "What kind of female is the mate of that Heaven-Swallowing Python and Sangze? To be able to tame them both... Tell me, if we could make that little female obey us, wouldn’t getting our hands on the Heaven-Swallowing Python and Sangze be easy?"
Fengxuan’s eyes lit up. He reached out and patted Jin Che on the head. "Not bad. Glad to see you’re using that big brain of yours. Since they’re already mated, they’ll have to listen to their female. Tomorrow, I’ll go find out just what kind of background that little female has."