Chapter 266: Bad News

Leng Xiao had indeed broken the promise not to leave the Tribe that Yun Li made, and he wasn't very happy as he went out to continue brewing the medicine.

Beside them, Lengshuang watched the whole process, and she looked at Yun Li puzzled, asking, "Why does Mother have to leave the Tribe? Isn't it fine for Mother to stay in the Tribe?"

Because Mother was injured, the atmosphere at home changed completely, and Father and step‑father began losing their tempers more often.

"This…"

Yun Li didn't know how to explain to her own offspring for a moment; after thinking for a while she asked back, "Then if we keep Lengshuang cooped up for months without going out, can Lengshuang endure that?"

Lengshuang thought for a moment, then honestly shook her head.

"I know that when I'm injured, Lengshuang and your father will worry; I'll be more careful about this in the future. However,"

The female reached out to her own offspring, and after she hesitated and extended her small hand, she continued, "But knowing I have that strength, knowing I could help a bit, yet standing there with my eyes open doing nothing—that's something I cannot do."

Just as Mu Qing and Leng Xiu could never abandon the Beastmen who had helped them in the Ping Shan Tribe, Yun Li also cannot stand by idly when the Tribe is in trouble.

Lengshuang looked at the hand her mother was holding, her little face full of confusion; she didn't understand a word of her mother's words.

"Mother, I don't understand."

Hearing that, Yun Li smiled, "When you grow up and see more, you'll understand. And this is just Mother's own thought; just listen to it. Whatever kind of Beastman you want to become in the future, that's your own decision."

"Oh~"

Lengshuang gave a short "oh", looking obedient and well‑behaved, but in reality her gaze at Yun Li was full of doubt and incomprehension.

She truly didn't grasp Mother's reasoning.

Meanwhile, Leng Xiao kept a composed face, and after the medicine was brewed, he was about to carry it into the house.

But at that moment a Beastman from the Patrol Team came over, "Leng Xiao, something happened—Mu Qing was severely injured and was carried back by someone."

He pulled Leng Xiao aside and lowered his voice, saying.

"What did you say?!"

Hearing the news, Leng Xiao's complexion instantly turned especially grim.

"Little Lengao"

The male was only shocked for a moment, then called his own offspring over, "Take your younger brother and sister and bring the medicine in for your mother to drink, stay at home and take good care of Mother; Father has gone out on business."

"As for Father's return, pretend you didn't hear anything, understand?"

Lengao's expression turned serious as he nodded. He was the offspring their parents valued most, often kept by them for careful instruction, so he naturally knew that telling Mother about Father's sudden return would cause a huge problem.

…

Meanwhile, while Yun Li was still being kept in the dark by her family about Mu Qing's return, Jicheng and the Priest were strictly forbidding any informed Beastmen from spreading the news.

After all, Mu Qing had gone with Ji Xuan to seize the salt mine; now Mu Qing returns gravely wounded while Ji Xuan and the mine have vanished, so any Beastman who knows this will inevitably wonder whether Ji Xuan and the other two who didn't return are also in trouble.

And now the Tribe, already uneasy because foreign Beastmen are pressing in, even though Jicheng and the Priest are uneducated, know from experience that spreading news of Ji Xuan's mishap now would surely spark further trouble for the Tribe.

"…It was the Young Master and the Witch Doctor of the Youbuluo who together held back that Purple-rank Beast Person, giving us a chance to take Mu Qing away, but on the way back we encountered a White Horn Eagle out searching for food; Silver Aunt and Uncle Xi stayed behind to protect us, cutting off the rear."

When we arrived we also ran into some unfamiliar faces; not knowing they were foreign Beastmen, we almost fell completely into their hands, but fortunately two Patrol Teams happened to be nearby at the end, otherwise we couldn't have brought Mu Qing back to the Tribe alive.

After hearing their ordeal, Jicheng's face remained relatively calm but couldn't hide his agitation and despondency; finally the Priest waved his hand to the Beastman who was reporting, signaling him to go down first.

"You should already know Axuan's abilities, let alone that he has a Witch Doctor who can poison. Those two Blue Rank Beastmen truly can't defeat that Purple-rank Beast Person, but if they want to escape, there is still hope."

Hearing the Priest's reassurance, Jicheng gave a wry smile and said, "But that's a Purple-rank Beast Person."

The Silver Eagle Tribe poured countless efforts to barely cultivate four Blue Rank Beastmen, and with Mu Qing joining later, that's only five Blue Rank Beastmen in total.

Originally they thought Ji Xuan would soon break through the Blue Rank and eventually become the first Purple-rank Beast Person in Heiyan Shanmai, but no one expected such a turn of events midway.

A genuine Purple-rank Beast Person suddenly became their enemy, and Ji Xuan fell into that Beast's hands.

Even with the Witch Doctor from Youbuluo present, Jicheng didn't believe that the Purple-rank Beast Person they barely held back together would give the two of them a chance to survive after the other Beastmen left safely.

"Could it be retribution for my disloyalty, that the Beast God thinks losing one offspring isn't enough and now wants to take my other offspring?"

Listening to his self‑destructive rant, the Priest immediately cut off his wild thoughts, "Enough. If the Beast God truly wants to punish your disloyalty to Wenyu, it should be you dying at Wenyu's hands."

"But after all these years she hasn't lacked males; if that incident with you hadn't resulted in Ji Xuan's conception, do you think she would have become your mate?"

Originally they were two Beastmen who looked down on each other; without Ji Xuan, Wenyu wouldn't have harbored resentment toward Jicheng for so many years.

Because she was forced to bear an offspring she never welcomed, and the father of that offspring, after having a child with her, soon had another offspring with another female, which left Wenyu with nothing to be proud of.

Recalling those past troubles, the Priest reminded Jicheng, "If Ji Xuan truly met misfortune, Wenyu is still his mother; if she does anything untoward to you then, you should be more tolerant."

"Don't let Wenyu, in a fit of emotion, spread the news that the Young Master Ji Xuan suddenly disappeared."

Jicheng silently nodded.

"About A Li…"

"I'll have everyone keep it from her; her wound hasn't healed yet. Once she's better, I'll call her over and tell her about this."

Seeing that he had a grasp on the situation, the Priest also relaxed.

"Now that we know those foreign Beastmen have a Purple-rank Beast Person backing them, we should also call those two out to be active."

"Don't forget the Tribe still has two Blue Rank Beastmen; we originally kept them to guard against foreign Beastmen backed by Blue Rank Beastmen, telling them to stay with the Patrol Team and not reveal their strength quickly."

"But now it seems not revealing them won't work either."

"They must, before that Purple-rank Beast Person reaches the Silver Eagle Tribe, first clear out all the foreign Beastmen eyeing the Tribe, so that more Beastmen can protect the Tribe's females and offspring during the evacuation."