"Brother, I think that dumb female has really changed. She really won’t abandon us again, right?"
Qiao Ang snorted. "Who knows if she’s just tricking us now."
Qiao Qiao grew dejected again at Qiao Ang’s words.
They always felt that Qiao Xixi’s recent change was like an illusory bubble, ready to pop at any mont.
This stemd from all of Qiao Xixi’s past misdeeds, which had left the cubs with no sense of security whatsoever.
After Jin Ling returned with firewood, Qiao Xixi started a fire to heat up the roasted at.
Slling the aroma of the roast at, the cubs temporarily cast all their worries aside and began to eat with gusto.
After they had eaten their fill, Jin Ling walked to the mouth of the ice cave and sat down. Looking back at Qiao Xixi, he said, "Get so rest. We have to be on our way early tomorrow."
Qiao Xixi nodded. After tucking the cubs in with a beast-hide blanket, she lay down beside them.
Jin Ling leaned against the entrance of the cave, listening to the even breathing of Qiao Xixi and the cubs, a sense of peace he had never known settling in his heart.
In the past, he had always believed that a male should strive to beco stronger, not just spend all his days revolving around a female.
But now, he suddenly thought, ’It would be nice to always be with Qiao Xixi.’
After waking up and having breakfast, Qiao Xixi and the others set off again.
After they had crossed halfway over the snow mountain, Qiao Xixi could clearly feel that the frigid wind had weakened considerably.
"Once we get down from this snow mountain, we’ll be out of the ice plains, right?"
Jin Ling humd in agreent.
"That’s right. Once we’re down the mountain, it won’t be so cold, and there will be much less snow."
Just as they were speaking, Jin Ling’s foot suddenly found no purchase, and he plumted downward.
"Ah!"
Qiao Xixi cried out in alarm, sweeping the three cubs into her arms.
The biting wind stung Qiao Xixi’s ears.
Jin Ling’s molten-gold eyes darkened. He tried to dig his sharp claws into the walls on either side, only to find they weren’t ice-covered stone, but packed snow.
"Hold on to tight."
Jin Ling let out a low growl. Arcs of golden electricity spread from his claws, blasting the packed snow off the walls.
The snow cascaded down, finally revealing the stone walls beneath.
Jin Ling extended his claws as far as they could go, the sharp tips scraping against the stone walls to slow their descent.
But a stone in the wall suddenly gave way, and Jin Ling’s body plunged downward again.
Qiao Xixi and the cubs tumbled toward the bottom of the pit.
THUD!
Qiao Xixi held the cubs protectively and squeezed her eyes shut.
However, the pain she braced for never ca.
Qiao Xixi opened her eyes and imdiately checked on the cubs.
"Qiao Ang, Qiao Qiao, Qiao Lie, are you guys okay?"
The cubs’ faces were pale, and they clutched at Qiao Xixi, speechless.
Qiao Xixi picked each of them up and checked them over, only relaxing once she was sure they were unhurt.
’Wait, that’s not right. How could we have fallen from so high up and been completely fine?’
Qiao Xixi shifted and distinctly felt sothing warm beneath her.
She brushed away the snow beneath her and discovered that Jin Ling had cradled them in his arms!
Qiao Xixi scrambled to her feet in a panic.
"Jin Ling, are you okay?"
Jin Ling frowned, his voice hoarse with suppressed pain. "I’m fine."
Qiao Xixi reached out and pulled him up from the snow.
The mont he moved, Qiao Xixi saw bright red blood spreading across the white snow.
"You’re hurt."
Jin Ling glanced at the wound on his waist, unconcerned. "It’s nothing, just a scratch."
Qiao Xixi looked down and imdiately saw a sharp rock on the ground.
If Jin Ling hadn’t been underneath to protect them just now, that rock would have stabbed one of them.
"You’re bleeding so much, how can that be just a scratch? Don’t move, I’ll bandage it for you."
Qiao Xixi took out a piece of animal hide and pressed it against the wound on his waist.
Jin Ling lowered his gaze to the worried expression on her face, and his heart softened.
In the past, he wouldn’t have even bothered to treat a wound like this.
But seeing the worry in her eyes, he found he didn’t want to refuse her care.
The wound was on his lower back. Qiao Xixi pressed a piece of hide against it to stop the bleeding, then took so strips of hide and tied it securely.
"Thankfully, the wound isn’t too big."
After she finished, Qiao Xixi looked up and suddenly t his gaze, his eyes shimring with a brilliant light.
"What is it? Does the wound hurt?"
Jin Ling wanted to say it was nothing, but eting her concerned gaze, he went against his instincts and nodded.
His gaze locked onto Qiao Xixi, his voice low and raspy. "It hurts a little."
Just then, a small, round head poked out between them.
Qiao Qiao stared at them with her big, clear eyes.
"Have Mommy blow on it, and it won’t hurt anymore."
Qiao Xixi froze, her cheeks flushing. She picked up Qiao Qiao, took a step back, and let out a nervous laugh.
"I don’t think blowing on it is necessary."
A flash of disappointnt flickered in Jin Ling’s molten-gold eyes.
"It was my mistake. I didn’t notice the trap underfoot."
Qiao Xixi looked up at the opening of the pit they had fallen through.
"Why is there such a deep pit here?"
"It’s probably a trap left by other beastn to catch large beasts."
’This is dug way too deep,’ she thought. ’It must be at least ten ters.’
"In a mont, get on my back. I’ll carry you up."
Qiao Xixi nodded, but just as she was about to speak, they heard heavy panting from above.
Jin Ling’s expression hardened, and he moved protectively in front of Qiao Xixi and the cubs.
"A wild beast is coming."
The color drained from Qiao Xixi’s face.
The light in the trap dimd.
The enormous head of a Black Bear Beast peered in from the opening above.
"It’s a Black Bear Beast. Stay in the pit and don’t move. I’ll go up and take care of it."
With that, Jin Ling’s hands transford into sharp claws. He dug them into the stone wall and began to climb rapidly.
The Black Bear Beast glanced at Jin Ling, then suddenly withdrew its massive head from the opening.
Qiao Xixi knew the Black Bear Beast wouldn’t leave so easily.
Sure enough, just as Jin Ling reached the top, the Black Bear Beast lunged, baring its fangs.
Jin Ling leaped out of the pit, shifting into his beast form to fight the Black Bear Beast.
Their view from the pit was limited, and they quickly lost sight of Jin Ling.
From inside the pit, they could occasionally see shadows flash past and hear the roars of the beasts.
Qiao Xixi pressed her lips together tightly, wondering what was happening above.
After an unknown amount of ti, the sounds from outside suddenly vanished.
’Could Jin Ling be in danger?’
DING-DONG.
Just as Qiao Xixi was waiting anxiously, the system’s voice rang out.
"Ti-limited mission: The Host must have the cubs successfully hunt a dium-sized prey animal within three hours. Mission difficulty: four stars."
Qiao Xixi’s eyelid twitched.
"Are you out of your mind? Can’t you see we’re still in a trap? And you want to take them hunting?"
The system tried to entice her.
"Oh, Host~ The rewards for a ti-limited mission are extra special, you know. I’ll let you in on a little secret: this ti, the reward is a Beast Soul Crystal Stone! Eating it can awaken the cubs’ beast souls!"
Qiao Xixi was unmoved.
The system didn’t give up.
"Host~ Raising cubs isn’t just about protecting them. It’s about teaching them to protect themselves, right?"
Qiao Xixi remained silent.
The system’s tone suddenly turned sinister. "Host, even though it’s a ti-limited mission, if you fail to complete it... you’ll still be punished with an electric shock, you know."
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