Ximing walked up to Qiao Xixi and placed a large bag of dried seafood on the ground.
"Xixi, this is food for your journey. Although Xiya eats the at of other beasts, her favorite is still from sea beasts."
After speaking, Ximing patted Xiya’s little head. "After you leave, you must be good and listen to your mother, understand? Don’t go running off."
Xiya’s eyes grew red as she grabbed Ximing’s hand. "Uncle, where’s my father? Why didn’t he co?"
Ximing sighed helplessly. "Xiya, your father has too much to do, so he couldn’t co see you off. But don’t be sad. He’ll co find you as soon as he’s finished with his work."
Xiya bit her lip, holding back her tears. She had promised her father that she wouldn’t cry, even if they were only separated for a little while.
"Okay... Then... then you have to hurry. Tell Father to co find soon."
"Mm."
Jin Ling walked over, carrying a chest, and placed it at Ximing’s feet.
"This is a token of our gratitude. Please accept it."
Ximing was a little surprised and was about to refuse, but then he heard Qiao Xixi say, "Don’t refuse. Just take it."
Ximing had a good idea of what was inside, and it was indeed sothing they needed. The words of refusal on the tip of his tongue turned into words of thanks.
It was getting late, and Qiao Xixi’s group had to depart.
Jin Ling and the others all shifted into their beast forms. Qiao Xixi climbed on, holding the tiger cub.
With the exception of Xiya, who couldn’t conveniently transform and had to ride on Feiyan, Qiao Qiao and the others all changed into their beast forms, ready to leave.
"We’re leaving now. You all must be careful in the future. If anything happens, co find us at the Black Panther Tribe."
Ximing nodded, watching as Qiao Xixi and her group departed.
Just as their figures were about to disappear into the forest, Xijing erged. He faced the direction they had left, staring blankly for a long ti.
Seeing him like this, Ximing’s heart ached. "Big Brother, if you really can’t bear to let them go, then go with them. I’m still here."
Xijing slowly turned his face away and shook his head. "I will not leave until the rman clan is completely safe and settled."
Ximing sighed to himself and didn’t try to persuade him further. Instead, he opened the chest Qiao Xixi had given them.
When he saw the chest filled to the brim with Crystal Stones, Ximing was stunned.
He knew Qiao Xixi would leave so Crystal Stones for them, but he never expected so many.
Amidst the many Crystal Stones was an unfamiliar object. Ximing picked it out curiously.
"What’s this?"
Xijing reached out, took it, and stroked it gently before suddenly clenching his fist around it.
"This is... dicine."
Xixi had given it to him to use when he was injured, and its effects were excellent.
"Big Brother, Xixi isn’t indifferent to you..."
Xijing’s breath hitched, and his expression grew even more resolute. "Once we take back our territory, I will go find them."
"Mm."
The island wasn’t very large. By afternoon, Qiao Xixi’s group had reached its edge. To get to the next island that connected to the mainland, they had to cross this stretch of sea.
Not long after they arrived at the shore, several rn surfaced. They were the escort Xijing had sent to see them safely to the mainland.
"Everyone, please follow us."
Qiao Xixi slid off Jin Ling, still holding the tiger cub. They all shifted back into their human forms and followed the rn into the water.
As soon as they entered the water, the rn used the power of their Beast Souls to push away the surrounding seawater.
"Don’t worry, we will definitely get you to the shore safely."
"Thank you."
The rn ford a square, completely enclosing them in a protective circle.
As Qiao Xixi watched the marine life swim past, she was suddenly reminded of the day she had swum freely with Xijing under the sea. A sharp pang shot through her heart, and an indescribable emotion washed over her.
While Qiao Xixi was lost in thought, she suddenly felt Jin Ling’s arms tighten around her. Snapping out of her daze, she looked up in confusion. "Jin Ling, what’s wrong?"
His liquid-gold pupils darted around in the darkness, but the light cast by the rn’s Beast Souls was limited, so they couldn’t see clearly what was lurking in the dark.
But a beastman’s keen instincts told him they were being watched.
Sunxiao and the others had the sa feeling. But being in the sea was a major disadvantage for them, so they could only wait and see what happened.
Sensing sothing was wrong, the rn in the escort team sent two of their own to scout the surrounding area.
After the two rn left, the others picked up the pace, hoping to get Qiao Xixi’s group to the next island before nightfall.
The two scouts returned quickly.
"We searched the entire area and didn’t find any suspicious sea beasts."
"Let’s just get out of here faster."
"Right."
Just as they left, a squad of Shark Beasts swam out from behind a massive reef.
"It’s the Land Beasts who killed Jin Che and his group."
"Land Beasts are no match for us in the water. Why don’t we go kill them now?"
A Shark Beast with a deep scar on his face stopped his restless subordinate.
"They were able to kill Jin Che, which ans they’re not weak. Even if we have the advantage in the water, those rn are still with them. They’ll definitely summon reinforcents."
"What’s there to be afraid of? It’s not like we haven’t killed plenty of rn before."
"You idiot! Don’t forget, the only reason Xijing was able to take back that salt field was because these Land Beasts helped him. That proves they’re formidable. What good would it do us to provoke them now?"
"Then what did we follow them here for?"
"Land Beasts can’t live by the sea permanently. I’m guessing they’re heading back for good. You take a few others and keep following them. Once you confirm they’ve left the area, we’ll go and snatch that salt field!"
"Got it."
After swimming a great distance, Qiao Xixi and the others clearly felt the threat from the darkness disappear.
Originally, Qiao Xixi’s group had planned to rest for a night on the island where they first landed. But now, to avoid any mishaps, they decided to push on and reach the mainland in one go.
Their rman escort had no objections. At their current speed, they could get them to the continent’s shore before dawn.
Jin Ling gathered both Qiao Xixi and the tiger cub into his arms. "If you’re tired, just sleep. We’ll be there when you wake up."
Qiao Xixi thought to herself, ’How could I possibly sleep?’ But as she drew closer into Jin Ling’s embrace and felt the warmth from his body, she soon closed her eyes.
When she opened her eyes again, a sliver of golden light pierced through the tree branches, dappling her face.
The tiger cub had already opened her big, liquid-gold eyes and was tilting her head, looking at her.
"Mo... Mo..."
The little one had just opened her mouth when a glistening drop of drool trickled out.
Qiao Xixi quickly reached out and covered her mouth.
"Mmph, Mo... PFFT PFFT!"
The tiger cub reached out with her little hand and smacked the back of Qiao Xixi’s hand with a WHAP. Qiao Xixi felt a hot, stinging pain spread across her hand.
She quickly pulled her hand away, sat up, and took out a beast-hide cloth to wipe the drool from the corners of the cub’s mouth.
"Oh, my dear cub, your drool almost fell right into your mother’s mouth, and you’re the one who’s mad?"
The tiger cub looked at Qiao Xixi innocently, clearly not understanding what she had done wrong.
How could Qiao Xixi possibly resist that look? She scooped her up and gave her a big kiss.
"Sweetheart, where are your father and the others?"
When she woke up, she had realized that besides her and the cub, there was no one else around.
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