Chapter 124 - 122: The Cubs Pester for Hugs

The cubs were all in a scuffle.

In a low-level fight like this, Little Fu’s Water Dragon Roll proved immensely useful.

Huo Jun and the others’ fierce, unyielding aggression finally intimidated the cubs from the Ying Meng Family.

After spitting a few threats, the young Eagle Beastmen flapped away.

Little Fu quickly fluttered over, while Huo Jun rushed to check on his younger brothers.

"Fox Qi, She Yang, are you two okay?"

Fox Qi’s face was scraped up, but he paid it no mind. "I’m fine, Big Brother," he asked eagerly. "She Yang, what about you two? Does it hurt?"

She Yang was injured too, but he wasn’t bothered by the pain. "Brother Huo Jun, Brother Fox Qi, I’m fine! Are you guys okay?"

All three brothers were clearly banged up, yet none of them were angry or upset.

After a few seconds, the brothers suddenly burst into laughter.

"That was so much fun! We won," Huo Jun said.

Fox Qi laughed too. "Yeah, we won! They even had a Beast Warrior, and they still couldn’t beat us."

She Yang’s eyes crinkled as he began to laugh as well.

Little Fu chirped in her sweet, toddler voice, "Fufu, Fufu."

Fox Qi picked Little Fu up.

The boys laughed with pure joy. In that instant, it felt as if their bond had deepened, completely erasing the awkwardness of being newfound brothers.

A warm current flowed through Huo Jun’s heart.

’Is this what it feels like to have brothers?’

’Is this what family feels like?’

’Is this what it feels like to stand together, unafraid of outsiders or other families?’

The four little ones completely forgot that their fathers were supposed to be in a Xiong Jing. A cub’s world is simple and pure, and they began to play together.

...

When a weary Nan Zishi dragged herself home, the ever-attentive Hu Bai had already put everything in order.

She gulped down some water, finally regaining some of her strength.

She glanced over at the cubs, then looked down and asked Hu Bai, "Did our four little ones get into a fight today?"

Hu Bai murmured, "Yes, with the eagle cubs."

Nan Zishi asked with great curiosity, "Did they win?"

Hu Bai nodded. "They won. They won the war of words, and they won the brawl."

"Impressive!" Nan Zishi praised in a low voice.

When the four little ones were fighting earlier, the two fathers, Hu Bai and Lanxing, had both been watching from nearby without intervening.

The law of the jungle reigned in the Beast World; coddling the cubs would do them no good.

From a young age, they had to learn to compete, to seize what was theirs, and to fight.

Having the four cubs fight together would not only develop their combat instincts but also strengthen their unity.

Lanxing brought out the seafood.

Some of it was cooked, just as Nan Zishi preferred, while the rest was left raw.

The family of nine gathered around the large stone table and sat down to enjoy the meal.

Just as Lanxing was about to dig in, Chi Xiao lifted a large basin of seafood and presented it to Nan Zishi. He forgot to soften his tone, his voice booming with energy, "Female Master, you must be tired from training today. Eat up!"

Lanxing’s hand froze in mid-air, a bit embarrassed.

Hu Bai took two raw oysters from the basin Chi Xiao had presented, added them to the cooked seafood he’d prepared, and offered the plate to Nan Zishi.

He smiled gently. "Female Master, please have these."

Xuan Jin watched this unfold with a sneer, then glanced at his own bruised and swollen cub, She Yang.

’I don’t know what’s gotten into this kid today,’ Xuan Jin thought. ’He was actually playing with an Eagle Beastman cub? And they seemed to be getting along really well?’

’A snake and an eagle, playing together?’

’It’s just absurd.’

After they finished their happy meal, Nan Zishi’s muscles ached, so Hu Bai began to massage them for her.

The massage only made her ache more, and she cried out in pain.

Chi Xiao scratched his head. ’It seems like the Little Female Master is really enjoying that pain,’ he thought. ’I want to hurt like that too!’

Just then, the four cubs walked into the cave. Huo Jun was in the lead, followed by his three younger siblings.

The four little ones knelt in unison before Nan Zishi.

Nan Zishi sat up abruptly. "What’s wrong?"

Huo Jun explained, "Mama, the four of us got into a fight today. I was the one who started it; it has nothing to do with my younger brothers and sister. Please punish me, Mama."

Fox Qi quickly interjected, "No, Mama! We did get into a fight today, but it had nothing to do with Big Brother. I started it! Big Brother was just trying to help me!"

She Yang began to hiss urgently—HISS HISS HISS—but Nan Zishi couldn’t understand him.

Little Fu also opened her mouth wide. "Fufu, Fufu!"

Nan Zishi asked, "Did you win?"

Huo Jun answered, "We won."

"If I were to punish you right now, would you regret fighting?" Nan Zishi asked again.

The four little ones declared in unison, "No regrets!"

Nan Zishi, who had been maintaining a stern expression, couldn’t help but chuckle.

Her laugh instantly eased the tense atmosphere.

’They’re all such good kids. What else would I expect from my own?’

"So, any takeaways from this?" Nan Zishi asked.

Huo Jun pondered for a moment before saying, "...When I was kicking the eagle cub, my reaction was a bit slow, which let him hit my arm."

Fox Qi added, "I’m too weak. My punches barely hurt them. I have to land several in a row before they even feel it."

She Yang’er drooped his head and let out a dejected HISS HISS HISS.

Fufu just tilted her head.

Nan Zishi stood up and had the cubs rise as well.

"Stop kneeling. All of you, come here. Let Mama see your injuries."

The cubs sat in a row, and Nan Zishi started her treatment with the one who looked the most banged up.

She removed Huo Jun’s Beast Skin Skirt. With his clothes off, the little cub’s face turned beet red, and he looked completely flustered.

Nan Zishi used a piece of Beast Skin dipped in warm water to carefully wipe him down.

Even though his body still ached, little Huo Jun felt a warmth spread through his heart.

’This feels so much better than being some ’Young Master’ in the Bird Clan.’

’I like Mama so much. I have a mama now, too.’

’Such a wonderful mama.’

Nan Zishi retrieved a salve for bruises and sprains from her dimensional storage, applied it to Huo Jun, and then took out bandages to wrap all of his wounds.

"It’s nothing serious, just bruises. They’ll heal with a little rest," Nan Zishi said.

Huo Jun said with a blush, "Don’t worry, Mama. We male cubs are tough. We recover fast. I’ll be all better by tomorrow."

’He’s so sweet.’

Nan Zishi gently booped his little nose.

Nan Zishi then tended to the injuries of Fox Qi and She Yang in turn.

The other cubs wouldn’t dare to bully a female, so Fufu was completely unharmed.

After Nan Zishi had cleaned them up and treated their wounds, the cubs suddenly became incredibly clingy.

Huo Jun asked shyly, "Mama, can I have a hug?"

"Of course."

"Mama, me too!"

"HISS HISS HISS!"

"Fufu, huggies~"

Fox Qi, She Yang, and Fufu all clamored for hugs as well.

Nan Zishi gathered all four little ones into a group hug.

"Mama, Aqi wants to sleep with you," Fox Qi wheedled.

Not to be outdone, She Yang hissed, meaning: ’Mama, me too, me too!’

Huo Jun also asked, "Mama, can we sleep with you?"

’These kids are just too adorable.’

Her heart melting, Nan Zishi agreed.

"All right, Mama will sleep with all of you tonight."

"Yay!" The little cubs’ faces instantly lit up.

The Male Beastmen lingering outside the cave—Xuan Jin, Chi Xiao, and Lanxing—as well as Hu Bai inside, each let out a sigh.

The cubs had monopolized Nan Zishi for the night.

’Why is life so hard?’

Hu Bai walked out of Nan Zishi’s cave, glanced at the other beastmen outside, and after a brief exchange of looks, returned to his own cave.

Xuan Jin let out a cold sneer and also returned to his cave.

Seeing this, Chi Xiao strode back to his own cave.

Lanxing left Fufu with Nan Zishi and dove back into the sea.