Chapter 150: Returning to Ying

"Axi? Hey, you've been out too long; a lot has happened in the Tribe."

Upon hearing that, Nan Qinghuan and Ying exchanged a glance, and intuition told her it wasn't a good thing.

"A Mu, what is it?"

The tribe members lowered their heads one after another; seeing their expressions, Nan Qinghuan was somewhat prepared—could Axi also be in trouble? In the brightly lit Cave, after A Mu told Nan Qinghuan the matter, she rose immediately, "Impossible, Axi could never have taken action to kill Shiva."

"It's true, Qinghuan, she was captured by Acai; Shiva almost lost his life, and Shiva used the most vicious Curse to curse Axi, who is now mute."

"She's become mute?"

Nan Qinghuan grew anxious, recalling that when she first arrived that girl had been looking after her; over this time they had built a deep bond. She knows Axi's character—she is innocent and would never voluntarily kill Shiva; it must be Acai and Shiva framing her.

She doesn't believe in any Curse; Axi must have been framed.

"Yes, she's now being held in the Cave. Ah, Shiva's Curse is terrifying; according to Tribe Rules, Axi is to be exiled to the Misty Forest, and everyone is waiting for Ying to return and deal with it."

Hearing this, Ying slightly frowned, remaining seated on the stone stool; after a long pause he finally uttered, "If she truly acted to kill Shiva, then according to Tribe Rules, harming a fellow tribe member must be sent for punishment."

That statement made it clear: Nan Qinghuan could not get involved in Axi's matter.

He had already granted her many privileges, but some things must not cross the line.

These words left Nan Qinghuan a bit unsettled; Ying lifted his head, met her gaze, and said with a hint of warning, "Qinghuan, you may not take part."

Usually, when he speaks seriously he calls her Qinghuan; only when he's emotionally moved or in bed does he prefer to call her Huaner.

Nan Qinghuan remained silent; she understood Ying's meaning.

At this moment she felt grateful that she had listened to Yao's advice and taken over the Wolf Tribe, becoming the Boss; Yao's words proved true—if one day Ying were to stir up trouble without distinction, what could she do? She came from outside, with no relatives and no backing, especially within this Tribe where women's status is low. If she had the Wolf Tribe and the Cannibal Tribe on her side, those Tribes would become her strongest support. Though she did not wish to ever be opposed to Ying, a woman's self‑reliance is always right, especially in this incessantly conflicted Remote Antiquity Era.

Ying's temperament had once been overbearing and unreasonable; she herself had not been without loss, so having her own backing was not bad.

She also wanted to build her own strength here, and she believed in the modern woman's approach.

You're good and I'm not lacking.

Ying saw her silence and knew she was angry; his Qinghuan's brilliance was too blinding, and he feared that someday he might not be able to hold onto her.

"Qinghuan, this is the Ancestral Rule; everyone must obey it."

He didn't want to argue with her, and Nan Qinghuan quickly regained composure, "I know it's Tribe Rules; I have also suffered punishment under Tribe Rules, but to convict someone, Axi must personally admit it. I need to see where she is now."

"No."

Ying suddenly stood and blocked her, then reached out, grabbed her arm and pulled her into his embrace; in front of A Mu he even affectionately kissed the tip of her nose, "Tomorrow we'll go, I'll ask her tomorrow."

He also feared Nan Qinghuan would be angry and ignore him; he had barely managed to wrest her back from the Rongdi, and tonight he could not say anything that would provoke her.

Nan Qinghuan originally wanted to say she couldn't delay any longer; thinking of Axi suffering made her feel distressed, but seeing Ying's warning gaze she fell silent at once. Yes, continuing to speak now would be of no benefit.

Both of them were stubborn, and she was only just gradually learning to get along with this man.

In the end, one must yield first.

Up till now Ying had always stepped back for her; fine, this time she will step back.

As long as there's any leeway in Axi's matter, she will investigate it thoroughly.

"Alright, then we'll ask tomorrow, but Acai's issue must be resolved tonight. Youchao Xuan is someone I brought back, and Jingang is also a pet I brought back, yet she intends to kill them; that is absolutely unforgivable."

After saying that, she struggled out of Ying's arms; this time Ying did not hold her again, letting her slip away from his side.

The atmosphere in the air grew tense, the white candles wept continuously, and for a moment the Cave was silent as such.

A Mu also stood there, not knowing what to say; these two had barely returned, and now Acai's matter arose again? Ying was oddly irritated; he should have been sleeping with Qinghuan at this hour, but… the desire fire in his heart had nowhere to vent, so he sat by the stone table, drinking bowl after bowl of Fruit Wine; the more he drank, the greater the flame in his heart grew, impossible to extinguish!

"Ying, drink less, don't get drunk."

Ying was about to say something when voices of Ji Lei and Dashan came from outside, "Ying, Acai has arrived."

Outside the Cave, Acai, with only her legs and feet exposed, was led in by the two; she put the Beast Skin back on, and the spring hue on her chest swayed with her movements.

She disliked anything Nan Qinghuan created, so she refused to wear the clothes she made; now she had won the tribe's hearts and needed no longer to disguise herself.

Seeing Acai come in, still so exposed in the Beast Skin, Nan Qinghuan could only stare in speechlessness; this Wolf Girl, as Yao said, was overly scheming.

"Acai, won't you come down and kneel?"

Acai's disheveled look resembled A Yue's from before; she acted as if she hadn't seen Nan Qinghuan, instead turning her gaze to Ying seated by the stone table, a delighted smile curling at the corner of her mouth.

She even walked over to Ying and greeted him, "Ying, you've returned?"

She greeted him as if addressing a man, which made Nan Qinghuan even more furious; the woman truly treated her like air.

Acai, seeing Ying silent, called out again.

"Ying…"

"Shut up."

Ying suddenly roared in anger, stopping her from shouting further; he looked up, his sharp eyes flashing at Acai, "Acai, were you the one who injured Youchao Xuan and Jingang?"

The words made Acai's smile vanish instantly; she appeared somewhat pitiful, as if she were the victim.

She thumped down onto her knees before Ying, the two soft mounds on her chest even more inviting; Nan Qinghuan was about to utter a scolding of "shameless," when Acai suddenly wept and said, "Ying, it wasn't me; Youchao Xuan wanted to kill me. I had no choice but to run, but Jingang also wants to eat me, I…"

She paused, then grabbed A Mu's hemp skirt, "A Mu, quickly speak for me—what exactly happened that day?"

Nan Qinghuan was even more bewildered, "A Mu?"

She too had been bought off by this woman? A Mu hurriedly nodded, "Ying, what he said is true. Jingang suddenly went berserk that day and tried to eat her, so we allied with Shiva to capture Jingang, but we didn't expect that beast to escape. Acai is innocent."

Nan Qinghuan realized everyone had been deceived, "Innocent? She's certainly not innocent. A Mu, you all were fooled by Acai."