Chapter 176: Pairing Ceremony

Gong Mei and Xin locked eyes. Both saw each other's helplessness in the other's gaze.

A Li was fine in every way, just too courteous.

"That meat is for your cubs, not for you. Anyway, it's settled like that; later you'll teach us how to handle that thing on your head, and we'll give you beast teeth."

Gong Mei didn't want to tangle with Yun Li over this any longer, so she put an end to it with a decisive statement.

Seeing that Yun Li, though showing helplessness, did not retort, He and the others looked at Gong Mei with a hint of admiration.

Sure enough, the formidable eagle female lived up to her reputation; despite her stern attitude toward Yun Li Adult, Yun Li Adult simply never got angry with them.

"It's getting late, let's go."

The day had already broken, and Yun Li knew that Ji Xuan was probably waiting there already, so she didn't want to delay any further.

"Go, go, go. After the Sacrificial Activity we'll head straight back to your home."

A Yu said as she pulled Yun Li outward, and Yun Li, being dragged, could only turn back and shout, "A Qing, we're leaving."

Leng Xiu and Leng Xiao, with their cubs, left first, leaving only her and Mu Qing still inside.

Inside, Mu Qing heard the voice of his female, immediately set down the tangled fur ball in his hand, and went out.

But as soon as he stepped out, he saw A Li already being surrounded by a group of females as they left the courtyard gate.

……

A clearing on the northern side of the Tribe, originally where the Hunting Squad turned in part of the game for scoring, had now become the site of the Sacrificial Activity.

When Yun Li and the others arrived, the place was already packed with many Beastfolk.

"Quick, quick, quick! We're just missing you!"

Seeing that the Silver Eagle Clan Chief and Priest had both arrived, Xin and Gong Mei impatiently pushed Yun Li forward, and in an instant Yun Li felt she had become the focus of every Beastfolk present.

She suddenly felt uneasy, took a deep breath, glanced behind, and saw He and her Beast Husband also step forward, though not as far forward as she was.

"Here we are!"

Ji Xuan came over and said to Yun Li, "The Sacrificial Activity is about to begin."

Yun Li hooked her arm around his, gave a soft "Hmm", and then followed him toward the Silver Eagle Clan Chief and the Priest.

The Silver Eagle Priest saw her approach, smiled at her and said, "Your outfit today is made from reed thread, isn't it?"

Yun Li nodded, "The Tribe should soon have other Beastfolk wearing such clothes."

The Silver Eagle Priest smiled and nodded, "Thanks to you."

Not only did he teach the Tribe the garment‑making skill, but he also had her original kin finish the tools for spinning reed thread into cloth, so the Tribe only needs to pick up the ready‑made ones.

Yun Li smiled lightly and said nothing more.

The Silver Eagle Priest was a clever Beastfolk, fully aware that what he did was far from unprofitable.

As long as what she does doesn't harm the Tribe, the Clan Chief will support her.

And with his words, she could let go and do what needed to be done next.

"Offer the sacrifice!"

The Sacrificial Activity began with the fresh game that had just been brought back last night.

The Priest led a prayer to the legendary Beast God, followed by the kind of ecstatic dance Yun Li imagined, which, to a Yun Li who had seen modern dance performances, looked a bit garish, yet she dared not show any reaction on her face, since the Beastfolk present wore extremely solemn expressions.

After the sacrificial dance ended, the Tribe's collective Pairing Ceremony began, but Yun Li and Ji Xuan were placed toward the end.

Pairs of newcomers first stood before the Priest, who personally asked whether the Mate Bond was voluntary; after both affirmed, the Priest began tattooing each on the other's body.

Watching the Priest skillfully draw the counterpart's Beastform tattoo on each Beastfolk, he didn't even need to see the other's Beastform; a verbal description was enough for him to render it precisely.

Yun Li couldn't help but feel curious, "Axuan, doesn't the Priest ever look at anyone's Beastform? How does he manage to draw their Beastforms after just a few sentences of description?"

Ji Xuan shook his head, "I don't know; the Priest has been able to do that since he returned from outside over thirty years ago."

"So, was the practice of tattooing Beastfolk for Mate Bonds something that started after the Priest returned, or did it exist before he came back?"

Hearing that, Ji Xuan glanced at his female, "It started after the Priest returned, but why are you asking that?"

"Just curious."

Yun Li smiled at him, "Aren't you curious? This tattooing takes a lot of time, but for us Beastfolk in a Mate Bond, having each other's Beastforms tattooed on us helps deepen our feelings."

"But why would the Priest specifically learn this?"

Ji Xuan thought for a moment, then lowered his voice and asked, "So you think the Priest has a fondness for…"

Before the word 'female' could be spoken, a soft cough came from beside them; both turned to see Jicheng looking at them with a stern gaze.

"Do not speak ill of the Priest."

Jicheng, though he disliked that some Beastfolk in the Tribe valued the Priest more than they valued him as Clan Chief, acknowledged that the Priest had indeed shouldered much of his burden while in the Tribe, so when it was time to defend him, he still would.

Ji Xuan nodded at Jicheng, "Understood, Father."

His tone was flat, lacking the familiar intimacy other Beastfolk showed toward their own father.

Jicheng seemed already accustomed to that tone; his face showed no sign of surprise, and after scanning the surroundings, he suddenly turned his question to someone else.

"Where is Ji Chen? Where did he go? Isn't his female also supposed to pair with another male today?"

Miduo's male partner this time was a Witch Doctor; she and that Witch Doctor were placed after He and the others, and, coincidentally, after them came Yun Li and Ji Xuan.

"He, are you and this male voluntarily forming a Mate Bond?"

Seeing He nod heavily, showing no reluctance, the Silver Eagle Priest turned to the male beside her, "And you? Are you truly willing to stay in the Silver Eagle Tribe for her?"

Those words fell on the other Beastfolk's ears, and for a moment none could grasp why the Priest's question to this male differed from those to the others.

But Ba De, standing before the Silver Eagle Priest, glanced at He and gave a neutral "Hmm", "Of course I want to be with my own female."

He smiled faintly, pursing his lips.

Seeing that, the Silver Eagle Priest asked no further, turning to the two, "Who will go first?"

Ba De, being male, naturally went first, "I'll go first."

After speaking, he bared his chest; many males choose to tattoo their heart or neck, and Ba De was no exception.

It was just that the tattoo on his chest was a python; because the potion had just landed on the beastman's body and could not be touched, Ba De stepped back a step, and while standing aside, the beastmen present instantly saw the python tattoo on his chest.