The round-faced girl said, “That must be it. The clan leader’s wife was bullied and mistreated by her family since childhood. She finally escaped, and her malicious clanmates occupied her belongings. The clan leader has long said he would help her reclaim them.”
Luo Yingbai said, “Bullied and mistreated? She’s quite pitiful.”
Most of the Chiqiong tribe members are physically strong and agile like beasts, but Luo Yingbai hadn’t walked such a long distance in several years. He was so tired he wanted to hang himself. As soon as the team stopped, he immediately found a soft patch of grass and lay down, not bothering to pay attention to his overly energetic companions’ arguments.
Shenhui, along the way, would want to eat, want to drink, had to rest as soon as it got dark, would only get up when the sun was high, and would occasionally run off to wander around and play. If he weren’t the son of the clan leader, everyone would have long since thrown this troublemaker aside to walk on his own.
Now surrounded by a group of angry young people criticizing him, he wasn’t angry at all. He laughed and said, “Okay, okay, I was wrong. I’ll walk faster later… Oh no!”
Shenhui’s expression suddenly changed, startling everyone listening to him. The round-faced girl complained, “What’s wrong with you now? So troublesome.”
This time, Shenhui wasn’t joking. He stood up in a panic and shouted, “No, where’s my brother? I can’t find my brother!”
His brother Shentu had failed to transform into human form this time, and Shenhui had brought him back to the tribe. Sometimes Shenhui would carry him, sometimes put him on the ground to run with him. Everyone was used to a little guy running around in the team, and no one knew when Shentu had disappeared.
Luo Yingbai sat up and looked around. “Did he run to play behind that mountain?” he suggested.
Shenhui, anxious, immediately ran towards the small hill upon hearing Luo Yingbai’s suggestion. The young men and women who had just complained about him were now worried and helped search.
Luo Yingbai hesitated for a moment, broke off a tree branch nearby, and followed.
A good news and a bad news. The good news was that Shentu was indeed behind the mountain. The bad news was that there were other species there besides Shentu.
Luo Yingbai heard a scream and rushed over with the tree branch. What he saw was several massive rats, one nearly two meters tall. Seeing them at this enlarged size made them even more ugly and unbearable to look at.
Luo Yingbai: “…”
He had thought this was a unique species of Meng Hill, but the expressions of the people around were equally disgusted and terrified. Little Shentu, surrounded by the rats, was dodging everywhere, relying on his small size and agility.
A patch of fur on his back had been torn. Seeing his brother in danger, Shenhui was unexpectedly brave and pounced, engaging in a life-and-death struggle with the giant rats.
Luo Yingbai, not wanting to expose his identity and finding the opponents too disgusting, stood to the side.
He sighed and reluctantly charged forward with the tree branch.
He used the branch to block the rat’s massive claws, kicked Shenhui to safety, and then reached out to scoop up the pitiful Shentu.
Luo Yingbai originally wanted to rescue and leave, but the rats were relentless. Just as he dodged a claw from behind, a giant rat in front opened its bloody mouth and bit down.
At that moment, a sword light suddenly broke through the air, sharp and eye-catching. Luo Yingbai was embraced by someone, and the giant rats fell without exception.
Luo Yingbai breathed a sigh of relief. Xia Xianning picked up Shentu from his arms and tossed him to the anxious Shenhui, his hand still on Luo Yingbai’s waist.
He whispered in Luo Yingbai’s ear: “Okay?”
Luo Yingbai said: “Fine. How did you appear?”
Xia Xianning released his hand: “Worried. I’ve been following you.”
Their voices were low and their conversation rapid until Xia Xianning sheathed his sword and turned around. Then the young men and women let out a synchronized gasp.
Such an extraordinary and elegant man existed in the world!
This immortal-like man mysteriously appeared and saved everyone from danger…
Xia Xianning felt his face burn. He vigilantly looked around, feeling as if he was being watched, though he sensed no immediate danger.
The only person not impressed by his dramatic entrance was Shenhui, who had been kicked by Luo Yingbai earlier and fallen. Holding his brother, Shenhui couldn’t even stand up, checking him for injuries and almost crying: “Little Tu, you scared me to death! Why were you running around?”
Shentu squirmed in his arms, making squeaking sounds. Shenhui asked, “What? Your body feels swollen?”
As soon as the words fell, Shentu suddenly bounced out of his arms, rolled on the ground, and transformed into a young boy in front of everyone!
The round-faced girl exclaimed, “Oh my god, how did you transform?”
Shenhui was shocked: “How is this possible?”
Luo Yingbai glanced at Shentu, but in the moment he turned his head, the newly human-formed Shentu had already returned to his beast form, sitting stupidly in place. Luo Yingbai didn’t even get a clear look at his human appearance.
Only the scattered fur on the ground testified that what everyone saw was not a hallucination.
Luo Yingbai said, “He’s shed so much fur, he’s almost bald.”
Sunhui said blankly: “Our fur grows quite fast… no, that’s not the point. The point should be…”
The round-faced girl interjected: “How could he suddenly turn into a human, and then turn back again?”
Everyone looked at Shentu, who sat dazed on the ground, the last remaining downy fur on his head swaying slightly in the wind, looking extremely small and helpless.
After a moment, he seemed to finally realize that he had turned into a beast form again, and quickly leaped up, rushing to Xia Xianning’s side and began rubbing against his trouser leg.
Xia Xianning was stunned, turning to look at Luo Yingbai, who just had a half-smile. The senior and junior brothers exchanged a glance, and Xia Xianning suddenly realized that it was the spiritual energy he had released when he made a move, which was the key for the Chiqiong tribe to transform from beast to human!
However, others transformed through spiritual energy cultivated by themselves. The bit Xia Xianning drew out when drawing his sword was not much, and was merely an external influence. Suntu was not capable enough, so he only transformed briefly, and once the spiritual energy dissipated, he returned to his original form.
At this moment, he rubbed his fur against Xia Xianning’s leg, fully believing he could borrow some spiritual energy to transform again. But to Suntu’s despair, besides becoming more bald, this action brought him no benefit.
Xia Xianning expressionlessly picked him up and threw him back into Sunhui’s arms.
Luo Yingbai: “Pfft—”
Xia Xianning: “…”
He gave Luo Yingbai a cold glance that meant “I’ll remember this” and said softly, “I’m leaving.”
Sunhui hurriedly said, “Big brother, thank you for saving my brother. May I ask which tribe you’re from?”
I’ll have my father personally come to thank you.”
Xia Xianning said, “Human tribe. No need, I’m here to find the tribal leader.”
As soon as he said this, the group that had just been infatuated finally sobered up, looking at Xia Xianning with wariness. Sunhui carefully stepped back two steps, smiling nervously, “Oh, is that so? Then go ahead. We’re not very familiar with the tribal leader and can’t help you.”
Xia Xianning turned and left.
Some people were still reluctant to let him go, but considering Xia Xianning’s identity and previous words, these inexperienced youths didn’t dare provoke him and could only let him leave.
