Chapter 248: The Younglings Are Gone

Goo goo

Yun Li, cradling little Xi Yun, arrived at the Priest. At that moment the Priest was soothing Xuan Li, who wanted to go out. Seeing Yun Li suddenly come over with the young one, his face showed a surprised expression.

"Why did you come over? Did something happen in the Tribe again?"

If nothing's wrong, Yun Li would never come looking for him.

But this time it was unexpected, because Yun Li actually came over for no reason just to chat.

"Just passing by with nothing to do, came to talk to the Priest. Does the Priest have anything to attend to now?"

Yun Li held the drowsy, eye‑rubbing, yawning Xi Yun beside her, and seeing Xuan Li constantly "goo goo" in his hand, she asked involuntarily, "What's wrong with him?"

He doesn't seem very settled here with the Priest.

Although his head is being patted and he calls out gently, he keeps trying to jump down, and only stays on the table because the Priest blocks him.

"He might be bored and wants to go out to play, but it looks like it's about to rain outside; if he goes out now he'll get all muddy and have to come back."

He'll have to clean his feathers then.

Yun Li couldn't help laughing at that, "Shall I call over a few of the little ones at home to play with him, so he won't keep trying to run outside?"

At home there are a few snake hatchlings that tangle with him; he never even thinks of leaving the yard, but he does sneak into the kitchen a few times following the reptiles.

The Priest patted Xuan Li's head, "Forget it, we'll let him out when the weather clears."

"Will the Priest go out with him then?"

Yun Li spoke while imagining what it would look like for the Priest to take a jittery eagle chick out, but the Priest's words cut off her fantasy the next moment.

"No, find someone to follow him. I'm getting old; running after him would tire me out. As for you, since you have nothing to do, take him back; that will also give me more rest."

After saying that, the Priest lowered his head and watched Xuan Li stand up again, calling out urgently toward Yun Li's direction.

Yun Li leaned in curiously and asked, "Does he now recognize people?"

You should know that a youngling under three or four years old has little memory; before that age they rely on whoever treats them well or the habits they've formed to be close to someone.

Moreover, younglings are a bit single‑minded; the Beastman they get along with must be someone they see day and night, otherwise after three or four days apart they won't recognize you.

Although Yun Li and Ji Xuan don't go three or four days without taking Xuan Li, the Priest has had him the longest; when he's with the Priest, even if Yun Li or Ji Xuan come, it's rare to draw his attention away from the Priest. He always follows wherever the Priest goes.

"He can't even shape‑shift yet, let alone recognize people. But you are his mother and see him daily, so he just knows you."

Of course the most important thing is that he wants to go out; the Priest won't let him, so Xuan Li fixes his gaze upward at Yun Li.

But Xuan Li stared at Yun Li for a while, then glanced at the Priest, and finally lowered his head to nuzzle the Priest's hand.

Yun Li couldn't help laughing again, "A Li is not this obedient at home; indeed, the longer someone raises him, the closer he becomes to them."

Their family has many younglings, and the adults each have their own duties; if it weren't for the Priest and the Tribe chief helping with Xuan Li, they'd probably have to keep two adults at home every day.

After all, an eagle chick is more fragile than a snake hatchling when young; without someone watching him all day, he might suddenly perish.

The Priest shook his head helplessly, "Xuan Li is still your and Ji Xuan's youngling; can't you spend a bit more time with him?"

Yun Li smiled without rebutting; she knew the Priest said that because he favored Xuan Li, and no adult would stay with a youngling all day without needing to work or provide a better life.

"When we have time we definitely spend it with him, so isn't that why I came over now?"

The Priest glanced at the one she was holding; the youngling slept soundly in the female's womb. He moved his hand slightly, feeling Xuan Li's feathers had already hardened, and suddenly asked, "Do you want him to sleep on my bed?"

Yun Li looked down at the oblivious Xi Yun, "No need, I'll just keep holding him; Xiao Xi isn't that heavy either."

The Priest gave a faint "Hmm," then changed the subject, "Why are you free today? Or are you still thinking about those younglings?"

Yun Li shook her head, "Axuan and the others are still chasing, right? I trust he'll handle it well."

Moreover, even if she worries about those three younglings, how could she dash out of the Tribe for others' younglings, racking her brain to find those Beastmen?

The Priest's face showed a hint of relief, "It's best you think that way. Actually we can do our best to save many things; other than that, overthinking only makes you suffer more."

Yun Li didn't quite grasp the meaning of his latter remark, but she didn't rebut the Priest and instead brought up another matter, "About the Patrol Team..."

She had said she was just stopping by to chat, yet Yun Li couldn't help asking the real issue.

On the other side, Ji Xuan and others chased those Beastmen, already breaking out of the Tribe's patrol range.

"Young Master, a little further is White Horn Eagle's territory. Shall we keep chasing?"

White Horn Eagle has a volatile temperament; under the threat of such a massive flying beast, those of them weaker than Ji Xuan's eagle‑Beastmen cannot continue to transform into beast form and keep up, so whether to chase depends on Ji Xuan's decision.

Ji Xuan's eyes darkened as he stared at the forest ahead, his voice low:

"You two stay here and wait; the rest return first. Ahe and I will kill that injured male..."

"Yes! Young Master, be careful!"

The Patrol Team Beastmen behind them knew they'd just be a burden if they kept up, so they answered and watched the Young Master and another Blue Rank Beastman vanish swiftly ahead.

The remaining Beastmen, per Ji Xuan's orders, left two alert ones to hold the position, while the rest turned back with the two rescued younglings to the Tribe.

……

Learning that two of the three abducted younglings were rescued, Yun Li let out a sigh of relief.

At least two were saved, but after hearing that both younglings' conditions weren't optimistic, she was stunned for a while.

"Actually even if they're revived they won't live many days; that one is too badly wounded, the other is similar, its hand was deliberately broken, and it won't reach adulthood."

Leng Xiao thought that, given the situation, it would have been better not to rescue them at all; the two younglings suffer, and their families suffer too.

But he didn't voice those thoughts, because he knew his female would get angry hearing that.

When Yun Li later suggested going to see the two younglings, he instantly stopped her, "What are you going to do? They're not our younglings."

Seeing Yun Li frown, he softened his tone a bit, "A Li, I know you mean well, but that's someone else's family matter; even if you go, what's the use? It'll only let others see you more heartbroken."

When other families' younglings are gone, they're already devastated; seeing A Li, who rarely interacts with them, come over, knowing she has many younglings, this time there is nothing.

Who knows what thoughts might arise from their wild speculation.

Leng Xiao certainly doesn't want his own family to gain an extra trouble for free.