Free Web NovelChapter 347: Chapter 347: Stop Touching
When Qiao Xixi came out of the washroom, she saw Qiao Lie heading into the house, looking like he was hiding something in his arms.
"Qiao Lie?"
Qiao Lie stopped, turning stiffly to look at Qiao Xixi.
Qiao Xixi could tell at a glance that something was off. She walked over, crouched down, and looked at him. "What treasure are you hiding in there, little Qiao Lie? Can you let your mother see?"
Qiao Lie pressed his lips together, seemingly conflicted.
Qiao Xixi didn’t press him. "It’s okay if you can’t tell me. Go put it away first. In a little while, I’m going to take everyone’s measurements to make you all new clothes."
As Qiao Xixi stood up, Qiao Lie grabbed her hand.
Qiao Xixi glanced down and saw him take out a leaf-wrapped packet and open it. Inside was a piece of jerky.
Qiao Xixi was a little surprised. Qiao Lie wasn’t a glutton like Qiao Ang, so why was he carrying such a big piece of meat on him?
"Qiao Lie, weren’t you full from the meal just now?"
With a tense expression on his little face, Qiao Lie shook his head. His voice was very soft. "I want to save it for Father. He’s been away for so long, he must be getting thin from hunger."
Qiao Xixi froze for a moment. Thinking of Sunxiao’s cavernous mouth, she felt her cub’s worry was a bit unnecessary.
But seeing the worried look in Qiao Lie’s eyes, she picked him up anyway and planted a kiss on his tender little cheek.
"You miss your father?"
Qiao Lie lowered his eyes and nodded. His personality had always been rather aloof; he didn’t care much about most things, but he was intensely dependent on Sunxiao.
She had been neglecting how much Qiao Lie and Sangqi missed their father.
"Your father is very capable. I promise he won’t let himself go hungry. But you, saving the meat you’re supposed to eat... what will you do if you don’t get enough to eat?"
But Qiao Lie insisted, "I’m full, Mother. I have to save this for Father."
Seeing his insistence, Qiao Xixi didn’t argue further. "Alright, alright, we’ll save it for Father. Then let Mother feel this little tummy and see if you’re really full."
The moment Qiao Xixi placed her hand on his stomach, Qiao Lie’s face turned completely red.
"I’m full! Mother, stop touching me."
"Fine, fine. Go find your siblings and practice your skills. Tonight, I’ll make your favorite roasted liver."
His little face still tense and flushed with embarrassment, Qiao Lie squirmed down from Qiao Xixi’s arms. He gave her a quick glance before turning and running downstairs.
Qiao Xixi watched him go before turning back to the house.
In truth, it wasn’t just Qiao Lie and the others who missed him. She did, too.
She opened the locator and frowned in confusion.
"That’s strange. Their location showed them reaching this spot last night. Why haven’t they moved at all after a whole night? Are they just resting?"
That wasn’t an impossibility.
Filled with doubt, Qiao Xixi periodically opened the locator to check while she worked on making new hide clothes for the cubs.
’It’s almost noon. Why hasn’t the location marker moved?’
"Xixi, Xixi, the food is ready. Let’s eat lunch first."
Qiao Xixi’s consciousness withdrew from her dimensional space.
Jin Ling noticed her distracted gaze and knew something was on her mind.
"What’s wrong? Are you thinking about Huang Ying?"
Qiao Xixi shook her head. "Jin Ling, I noticed this morning that Sunxiao’s group’s location hasn’t changed at all. I’m a little worried."
A strange emotion flashed quickly through Jin Ling’s eyes. In truth, he had noticed it last night.
To be precise, Sunxiao’s group had barely moved since yesterday afternoon.
During that time, Sunxiao’s location had separated from Sangze’s for a short distance, but the two had quickly reunited.
"I think they must have run into some trouble on the road. I’ve already spoken to Feiyan and asked him to send two Wing Clan males to check on them."
Qiao Xixi hadn’t expected Jin Ling to have noticed as well. "Right. Their location markers are still there, so they must be fine."
Jin Ling’s guess was correct. Sunxiao’s group had indeed been blocked by a mountain flood and a mud-and-rock slide.
"Sunxiao, should we take a detour?"
Sangze stared at the mud and rocks blocking their path, his brow deeply furrowed. If they had just kept following this road, they would have reached the tribe in a few days.
If they took a detour now, the journey would be more than three times as long.
Sangze wished he could sprout a pair of wings and fly back to the tribe immediately.
Sunxiao’s crimson snake eyes stared intently at the mountain ahead. Raindrops as big as beans pelted his face, but he didn’t even blink.
"We’ll take a detour. After being washed out by the heavy rain, the mountain ahead has become unstable. It’s no longer safe to take this path."
Sangze could only nod. "Alright, let’s take the detour then."
The group turned around and headed down another path.
Sangze shifted into his beast form to clear the way at the front, while Sunxiao brought up the rear.
The curtain of rain grew heavier, and they could barely see the path ahead.
"Sangze, find a place to take shelter from the rain first."
Sangze called back, "I’ll go up ahead and see if I can find a place to take shelter."
"Mhm."
Sangze charged into the downpour.
Sunxiao moved to the front of the group, observing their surroundings.
But the rain was too heavy. Even with his sharp vision, his sight was restricted.
Sunxiao had no choice but to lead the group forward. But even after he found a cave not far ahead and led the group inside for shelter, Sangze still hadn’t returned.
Sunxiao stood expressionlessly at the cave entrance. Checking Sangze’s location with his mind, he found that he was already some distance away from the cave.
Sunxiao was puzzled. ’Sangze left in this direction just moments ago. It’s impossible for him not to have seen this cave, yet he kept going forward. There can only be one possibility: he was abducted along the way.’
Sunxiao glanced up at the sky, showing no intention of rushing out to search for him.
He turned back into the cave. "We’ll rest here for the night. We’ll continue on our way when the rain stops."
The mermen traveling with them were exhausted. They each found a spot to sit and closed their eyes.
"Why don’t we see Sangze? Did he not find this cave?"
Sunxiao’s snake eyes were chillingly cold, devoid of any emotion. "Don’t worry about him."
The merman obediently shut his mouth. They had all witnessed Sangze’s... freakishness before.
「Meanwhile」
Outside an inconspicuous cave on the mountaintop, a massive Black Phoenix folded its wings and landed on a large boulder.
Behind him, two Fire Phoenix males stood guard at the cave entrance.
"Lord Kunqi."
Kunqi shifted into his human form and walked into the cave, immediately spotting Sangze lying unconscious on the ground.
"Where’s the other one?"
"This black panther male struggled fiercely. We were afraid of losing him, so we captured him first and brought him back."
Kunqi nodded. "The other is a snake-beastman, a natural enemy of the Wing Clan. You two stand guard here. I will go myself."
"Yes, sir."
Kunqi glanced at the sky, then leaped into the air, shifting into his beast form and soaring toward the horizon.
Kunqi circled above the mountains, searching for Sunxiao’s aura.
Soon, he spotted his figure outside a cave.
Through the curtain of rain, Sunxiao’s crimson snake pupils narrowed into slits, instantly locking onto Kunqi.
Sensing Sunxiao’s gaze, Kunqi’s phoenix eyes narrowed slightly.
’A true natural enemy, indeed. He sensed me immediately. Then let me see what this snake-beast is made of!’
