Chapter 214: The Change of Youbuluo

Actually Yun Li could also take it, but the cub is too small, gets hungry easily, and when she gets busy she often has to run around, making it hard to tend to the cub.

Ji Xuan is similar to her, but he can, when busy, leave the eagle cub with his father or the Priest.

Just like today, Ji Xuan needed to go on patrol, so he left the eagle cub with the Priest.

Gugu

The less‑than‑half‑month‑old eagle cub, after each bite of fine meat strips, must be given some clear water; the Priest watches the cub finish drinking, and seeing no abnormality, he sighs in relief and sits back down.

"You've worked hard; raising a cub isn't easy, is it?"

Jicheng, having just finished inspecting the Tribe's various locations, came over to the Priest.

Seeing the food bowl and water dish not far from the cub, he quickly guessed that the Priest had just fed the cub.

The Priest, though a hint of helplessness flashed across his face at the words, still smiled and said:

"It really isn't easy; such a small cub, with no one watching it constantly, we never know what mishap might occur."

Jicheng's gaze at the eagle cub was gentle: "Now it's still small and can stay in the nest we prepared for it; when it reaches two months old, that will be the time when it truly needs people's care."

At least Jicheng had personally raised a cub before; although that cub later did something wrong, fled the Tribe, and met an uncertain fate, he nonetheless gained some experience.

"At two months old it should be shedding its feathers, right? By then Xuan Li, even if it can't fly, will be able to walk around on its own."

Imagining a cub that had just grown new flight feathers hopping around, the Priest's smile deepened a few more degrees.

Whether Ji Xuan left the cub with him because he was busy, had no time, or out of selfishness to make the cub grow closer to him, the Priest was happy just to watch the cub.

He truly had been lonely for too long; perhaps having seen a broader world outside, the longer he stayed in the Tribe, the more he felt out of place among its beastfolk.

Even if the chieftain were willing to trust him, Yun Li also gave him a glimpse of hope to escape this predicament, yet it still wasn't as comforting as having a cub nearby that occasionally troubled him, allowing him to long‑forgottenly feel at ease.

Seeing the Priest's smile, Jicheng was taken aback; only now did he suddenly understand why Ji Xuan insisted on leaving the cub with the Priest.

It seemed not only to strengthen the bond between the Priest and him, but more importantly, he probably saw the Priest's years of loneliness and fatigue from being unable to leave the Tribe.

Raising a cub can be a headache in terms of how to nurture it, but… a cub can sometimes become the key factor for the Priest to regain his vigor.

Just as one day Jicheng, while raising Ji Xuan, inadvertently discovered Ji Xuan's excellence.

At that time, he was dealing with Ji Chen's mother's death, Ji Chen's sudden odd behavior for unknown reasons, and the Tribe's sudden surge of troubles—a dire situation; it was Ji Xuan's youthful display of extraordinary talent and mature handling that made Jicheng see the meaning in continuing to persevere.

It seemed he recalled Ji Xuan's early maturity, and Jicheng's gaze at the eagle cub couldn't help but carry a few more expectations.

"Cubs always grow quickly; once they can walk they'll soon learn to fly. At that time we'll probably all have a real headache."

"I also wonder, when he grows a bit more, will he be more like his mother or more like his father?"

Jicheng secretly hoped Xuan Li would be more like his father.

That's not to say he thought Yun Li was bad; rather, compared to Yun Li, he was certainly more partial to his own cub, so he hoped Xuan Li would grow into a strong and capable beastman like his father.

"Anyone would do; A Li is clever and bright, Axuan is rational and calm; even if their cubs were poor, they wouldn't be that bad."

How could the Priest not see Jicheng's expectations for Xuan Li? Though he thought Jicheng's thoughts were a bit superfluous now, considering the Tribe's current development, Ji Xuan would sooner or later take Jicheng's place.

By then, with Xuan Li being Axuan's only cub, if he isn't a bit outstanding, how could he ascend to the Young Master's position? The Silver Eagle Tribe's future couldn't end up in the hands of Wolf Beastmen or Snake Beastmen.

Even though they're all A Li's cubs, handing them over isn't impossible; after all, they're still young, yet already show varying degrees of inheriting their parents' strengths. But this is the Silver Eagle Tribe!

"That's true."

Jicheng didn't realize the Priest was now beginning to worry about Xuan Li and the Tribe's future; he suddenly changed the subject, saying, "I heard the You Priest is coming this afternoon to discuss who should raise the cub?"

"Rather than saying they want to fight over the cub, it's more like they want to bring A Li to the You Tribe."

The Priest didn't believe Jicheng couldn't see that.

Jicheng frowned at the words, "The You Tribe really is unscrupulous in its methods."

He recalled the You Tribe's activities in recent years weren't small; after allying with the Silver Eagle Tribe, they often invoked the alliance to try befriending other Tribes.

Initially many small Tribes naturally didn't trust that the You Tribe would sincerely befriend them, but as the You Tribe's Snake Beastmen's rescue actions during the cold season spread, the You Tribe's reputation gradually improved.

In the past six months they even accepted some beastmen from small Tribes that migrated from the northern mountains, and after accepting them, no incidents have arisen.

It should be noted that the You Tribe had done this before, but due to beastmen's prejudice against cold‑blooded beastmen, even if the You Tribe initially helped with good intentions, the rumors that spread were still negative about the You Tribe.

This also caused some You Tribe beastmen to develop extreme thoughts toward outside beastmen, and the deeds of those beastmen further tarnished the You Tribe's reputation.

As a result, outside beastmen's impression of the You Tribe's Snake Beastmen grew more terrifying, and until a few years ago, the You Tribe's Snake Beastmen seemed to truly become what all beastmen imagined.

However, now it's unclear why a change occurred; merely allying with their Tribe shouldn't cause such a huge impact.

Jicheng racked his brain without solution, but fortunately the You Tribe's change didn't affect the Silver Eagle Tribe's development, so even if he couldn't figure it out, he didn't feel compelled to uncover the reason; instead, he paid more attention to their targeting of Yun Li.

In the afternoon, after Yun Li finished her tasks and was about to head to the Priest's residence, she unexpectedly encountered those hostile outsider beastmen on the road.

"Yun Li Adult, wait, we have something to tell you."

Yun Li looked up at the time, noting she had specifically arranged to meet someone at the Priest's place, and she had no time to chat with them here.