Free Web NovelChapter 353: Chapter 353: Something on One’s Mind
Qiao Yi smoothed Sangqi’s messy black hair and smiled. "Not so fast. Didn’t your mothers say it would be a few more days? Langqi will make breakfast for you all today. What do you want to eat?"
The cubs chattered excitedly, listing all the food they wanted, and Qiao Yi agreed to every request.
But as he was cooking, Qiao Lie noticed that Qiao Yi kept staring off into space.
"Qiao Lie, what are you looking at?" Xiya, wiping her face with a small pelt cloth, noticed Qiao Lie staring blankly at the kitchen.
Qiao Lie glanced at the half-cooked piece of meat in his hand, a flicker of worry crossing his usually aloof little face. "I think Langqi has something on his mind."
"Oh?" Curious, Xiya craned her neck to peer into the kitchen and saw Qiao Yi holding a wooden spatula, lost in thought.
"Langqi, the meat is burning!"
Startled, Qiao Yi snapped out of it and hurriedly moved the meat from the rack onto a plate.
Xiya walked into the kitchen and looked at him curiously. "Langqi, what’s wrong?"
Qiao Yi skewered a new piece of meat and placed it on the rack. "It’s nothing. Grandpa was just thinking about how to make it more delicious. Wait a little longer, it’ll be ready soon."
"Okay~"
Once the food was ready, the cubs dug in heartily. When he had eaten his fill, Qiao Ang wiped his mouth and looked around.
"That’s strange. Where are our fathers? Grandfather Feili isn’t here either."
Qiao Yi placed a roasted fruit in his bowl. "Something came up in the tribe today, so they all went to help. How about Langqi takes you to play in the inner city tonight?"
"Okay."
As Qiao Yi turned and walked into the kitchen with the dishes, his expression slowly darkened.
He’d had a heavy feeling in his chest ever since he woke up, and he had no idea if Jin Ling and the others could handle whatever was happening outside.
Qiao Yi walked into the courtyard and glanced toward Qiao Xixi’s room. ’Xixi is usually awake by now. Why is she sleeping in so late today? There hasn’t been a sound.’
Meanwhile, Jin Ling and his group had reached the outskirts of the tribe’s territory.
Feili was already there with the patrol beastmen, waiting in battle formation.
Mr. Bai and a large contingent of beastmen from Tiger Beast City were stopped outside the gate.
The moment Jin Ling drew near, his expression shifted.
He could feel an abnormal power completely suppressing the energy of his beast soul. ’What’s going on?’
It wasn’t just Jin Ling. Feiyan and Xijing also sensed that something was amiss, but none of them let it show.
"Jin Ling, you’re here."
Jin Ling stared at Mr. Bai, his expression turning grim.
"What are you doing here?"
Mr. Bai gazed at Jin Ling with a greedy look in his eyes.
"Jin Ling, I’ve come to escort you and your mate to live in Tiger Beast City. The City Lord said that if you’re willing to come back, he can let bygones be bygones."
A cold sneer played on Jin Ling’s lips. "If I ever go there, it’ll be to slaughter my way in, not to return with you."
Mr. Bai’s expression soured. "Are you saying you don’t care if these people live or die?"
Mr. Bai waved his hand, and two beastmen dragged Sunxiao and his group forward.
Jin Ling and his companions froze when they saw Sunxiao and Sangze.
’They were captured?’
Sunxiao and Sangze weren’t invincible, but Mr. Bai hadn’t managed to catch them before. ’How could he have taken them down so easily now?’
Jin Ling’s eyes fell on the Black Crystal Stone tied to Sunxiao and the others, and his heart plummeted.
"Jin Ling, you must see the situation you’re in. Come back with me obediently, and you might just save these beastmen’s lives. If you refuse, don’t blame me for what happens next."
"We’ll see who has to get rough."
Xijing lunged, his fins shooting out to attack Mr. Bai. But to his shock, they stopped mid-flight as he collapsed to one knee.
It felt as if a large, invisible hand had seized his beast soul. "What... what’s happening?"
Feili’s expression changed drastically. "It’s a Crystal Stone that suppresses the energy of a beast soul!"
Shocked expressions appeared on the faces of all the beastmen present.
Mr. Bai didn’t deny it, his eyes fixed on Jin Ling. "Now, will you come with me?"
Feiyan forced himself into his beast form. "In your dreams! Our beast souls may be suppressed, but don’t think you’ll have it easy. If it comes down to it, we’ll fight you hand-to-hand!" With that, he lunged at Mr. Bai.
A vein throbbed on Mr. Bai’s forehead. "You’re asking to die!"
But Feiyan had a point. While their beast soul powers were being suppressed, Mr. Bai and his men were also affected. If they couldn’t fight using their beast souls, it would come down to a brawl!
Jin Ling immediately charged toward Sunxiao and Sangze, but the beastmen from Tiger Beast City quickly dragged them back.
Sangze, who had just regained consciousness, hadn’t yet grasped the situation. All he could feel was an agonizing, cramp-like pain wracking his body.
Sunxiao noticed his state. "What’s wrong with you?"
Sangze collapsed, wailing in agony.
"It hurts... Sunxiao, it hurts so much..." It felt like something suppressed within him was desperately trying to burst free.
Sunxiao assumed it was just the effect of the Crystal Stone.
"The energy from this Crystal Stone only lasts for a day. We just have to endure it until then, and we’ll be fine. Just hang on."
"AGH!"
Sangze let out a pained howl. For a fleeting moment, his expression became wild and malevolent, but it quickly contorted back into a mask of agony.
The beastmen from Tiger Beast City deliberately used Sunxiao and the others as bait, luring Jin Ling’s group into an encirclement and swarming them.
Feili led the tribe’s beastmen into the fray, clashing with the invaders.
The scene was more brutal than anything in the Beast Fighting Arena!
"Push toward the inner city! Herd them into the inner city!"
Mr. Bai roared and leaped onto the back of a Golden Eagle Beast.
The Golden Eagle Beast flapped its massive wings and soared into the sky.
The beastmen behind him grabbed Sunxiao and the others and also flew into the tribe’s territory.
Jin Ling let out a tiger’s roar and raked his claws across a gray wolf’s face, instantly turning it into a bloody pulp.
"Get to the inner city!"
Feiyan charged ahead to clear a path, with Xijing guarding their rear. Jin Ling broke through the encirclement and raced toward the inner city.
Huang Ying circled high in the air, a smug smile gracing her lips as she watched the battle unfold in the Black Panther Tribe.
"So, System? Didn’t I handle this beautifully?"
"You should know not to count your chickens before they’ve hatched."
"Just you watch!"
Huang Ying flapped her wings and descended into the tribe’s territory.
Kunqi only wanted to find Yaya as quickly as possible and take her back to Wing Beast City. He needed to ask the City Lord in person what exactly was going on.
When Mr. Bai and his forces reached the outside of the inner city, the patrol beastmen tried to block their path. But under the suppression of the Crystal Stone, they were forced into hand-to-hand combat. Outnumbered, they quickly found themselves at a disadvantage.
Qiao Yi, who was still with the cubs, soon heard the commotion outside.
His expression hardened, and he rose from his chair.
"Xiya, Sangqi, take your little brothers and sisters to your mothers’ room. Langqi is going to go outside and see what’s happening. Remember, do not, under any circumstances, come running out. Understood?"
His words immediately told the cubs that something was wrong. But without a single complaint, they nodded obediently and hurried upstairs.
