Chapter 178: Release

Shut up.

When has Miduo ever not done what she said? She told the Silver Eagle Priest, "Don't listen to him; tattoo it on me too."

Seeing her attitude so forceful, a flash of surprise crossed the Silver Eagle Priest's eyes; this female who had liked doing whatever she wanted since childhood seemed finally to understand what responsibility was.

He just hoped this wasn't a momentary fit of anger, otherwise the Tribe would have another male grieving over her.

"Alright, all come forward. There's someone behind you who still needs to hold a Pairing Ceremony."

Miduo, of course, knew that the ones behind them were Yun Li and Ji Xuan, so when she heard the Silver Eagle Priest's words, her mind drifted involuntarily; when she came to, she saw the male beside her had already stepped forward.

She hurried to follow, but she didn't see the fleeting disappointment flash across the male's face as he lowered his head.

……

"Miduo seems to have changed a lot."

Listening to the surrounding beasts' gossip about Miduo's family, Yun Li felt something flash in her mind.

But quickly, that almost impossible thought was suppressed.

Ji Xuan, hearing his female's words, furrowed his brows slightly, "Maybe she gave birth to a cub, becoming a mother; what's in her heart changes. A person is still the same person; if she changes, then she's no longer Miduo."

It should be noted that before he rescued her from her father's hands, Miduo's attitude toward him wasn't great either.

Moreover, because Miyi's overconcern for him, she once ordered a nearby male cub to trouble him; at that time, Ji Xuan easily diffused the bullying from peers and even retaliated, but because of that incident, Ji Xuan received a stern rebuke from his father.

So Ji Xuan grew to dislike Miduo thereafter.

But after being rescued by Ji Xuan once, Miduo changed her previously harsh attitude, becoming dependent on and flattering Ji Xuan.

She stayed close to Ji Xuan not to conquer him and make him bow before her; instead, she became cautious, targeting everyone and everything that was unkind to Ji Xuan.

Yet this change did not cause Ji Xuan to see her differently.

Because Miduo, once she likes a beast, gives everything she thinks is good to them, regardless of whether they want it, she forces it upon them.

Yet Ji Xuan, due to his parents, matured early; he knows clearly which of Miduo's actions seem beneficial to him but actually cause more harm than good.

If Miduo could heed advice, that would be fine, but she never listens and still does whatever she wants.

Over time, even though Ji Xuan had been moved by her unconditional defense of his matters, that feeling could not eliminate his long‑standing prejudice against her.

Hearing that, Yun Li couldn't help but glance at Ji Xuan and said, "Do you know her well?"

Ji Xuan, calm, replied, "No, because from now on I will only understand what my female thinks in her heart."

Yun Li couldn't help but curl her eyebrows at his words.

As if noticing that Ji Xuan and the female beside him were looking her way, Miduo and her Beast Husband retreated into the crowd, also glancing toward them.

After Yun Li finished laughing, she met the gaze of Miduo and her Beast Husband.

She smiled at them, not out of provocation nor because the gossip changed her view of Miduo, but simply because Ji Xuan's words had made her happy, and when meeting others' eyes she instinctively gave a small smile.

She, feeling conflicted, returned to her Beast Husbands, watching Ji Xuan and Yun Li walk together to the Silver Eagle Priest, her face showing a mix of sadness and daze.

"They seem… well matched."

When Miduo said this, a feeling called "sadness" kept surfacing in her heart, flowing through her blood to her heart, bringing an unbearable throbbing pain.

Yet Miduo's face showed no sign of pain; she simply said to the male beast beside her, "But I still hate that female; she got what I've never been able to get."

If Miduo's first sentence struck the males like a bolt of lightning, blanking their minds for a moment, the female's following sentence made them uncontrollably empathize with their own female at that instant.

They felt heartache over their female's unfulfilled desire.

After all, having tasted what unrequited longing feels like, they naturally knew how hard it is for their female to let go now.

The male Witch Doctor gently asked her, "If you feel uncomfortable, why not visit their home tomorrow?"

See how the male she always liked is doing now; even if she can't have him, perhaps seeing him well will ease her heart.

If Miduo saw Ji Xuan choose another female and be happier than when she was with him, she wouldn't feel relieved; she'd only grow more resentful toward the female who took Ji Xuan.

"Alright, I heard that his female has deep feelings for his First Beast Husband; even after pairing with that female, he'll only be the Second Beast Husband."

"We'll go mock him; abandoning my First Beast Husband to become a Second Beast Husband for another female—hmm! He better not regret it later."

After saying that, she didn't even look at the ongoing Pairing Ceremony, turned and left.

Ji Chen didn't show up on a day like today; where could he have gone?

Thinking of the half‑beast that Ji Xuan and his family's First Beast Husband couldn't deal with even after chasing, Miduo felt a weight in her heart, and her steps quickened as she left.

Here, the Silver Eagle Priest finished tattooing Yun Li's beast body onto Ji Xuan's neck, then turned to ask Yun Li:

"Have you decided where to tattoo his beast body?"

Yun Li turned around, exposing the back of her neck, "Tattoo it on the back of my neck."

She chose to tattoo Mu Qing's beast body on her collarbone, while the other two Beast Husbands each occupied one shoulder.

In the future, any additional Beast Husbands would likely be placed on the waist, back, or arms.

The Silver Eagle Priest, seeing this, glanced at Ji Xuan beside him, smiled, noting that this spot is closest to the wolf‑beast's vital weak point, so his standing in this household seems strong.

Ji Xuan's expression didn't change under the Priest's gaze; A Li's desire to tattoo his beast body there wasn't guided by him.

In other words, his female's willingness to give him that spot on his beast body reflects far less emotional consideration than her regard for his other aspects.

But so what, now that they're officially paired, he'll have time in the future to develop feelings with his female.