Chapter 223: Xiong Jing, Chi Xiao Starts to Vie for Favor

The system of taking turns didn’t even last three days before Xuan Jin completely wrecked it!

What? Patiently wait for his turn? Not a chance!

Nan Zishi had just finished her bath when he used his tail to snatch up a Beast Skin, wrapping her up and pulling her right out of the cave.

Not far from the cave, Chi Xiao was so furious he was practically hopping up and down!!

‘Finally, *finally*, it was his turn to sleep with the Little Female Master, and this lustful snake had to stick his nose in and snatch her away?’

Without a second thought, he spread his wings and took flight.

Outside the cave, Nan Zishi managed to get dressed in the Beast Skin while still coiled in Xuan Jin’s tail.

She was utterly exasperated.

“Xuan Jin, what are you doing?”

The Cold-blooded Snake Beastman pulled her in front of him, held her tight, and nuzzled against her. In a low, aggrieved voice, he said, “You chose Lu Yu, you chose Hu Bai, and then you chose Chi Xiao. Little Female Master, why won’t you choose me?”

“It’s only been three days.” Nan Zishi pressed a hand to her forehead. “I might have chosen you tomorrow.”

“No, you won’t. You’ll choose Lanxing, because Lanxing is more obedient than me. You might also choose the Silver Wolf Brothers, because you like fluffy things. You just won’t choose me… You said I rank last in this household…”

If Nan Zishi didn’t know him so well, she might have been fooled by his pitiful act.

A giant red eagle was in hot pursuit behind them.

But Xuan Jin wasn’t the least bit afraid of the giant red eagle. Cradling Nan Zishi, he vanished in a flash.

“Damn you, Xuan Jin.” Chi Xiao was genuinely angry now.

‘He could have stolen from anyone else, but he just had to steal from *him*. Did that snake have any idea how long he’d waited for this day?!’

Chi Xiao flew lower, scanning the forest for any sign of movement.

He had the look of someone who wouldn’t rest until he had torn Xuan Jin to shreds!

Outside, the commotion had attracted the attention of the Wandering Beastmen of the East and the Beastmen from the Eastern High Mountain Tribe.

The Wandering Beastmen cheered ecstatically, “Lord Xuan Jin! Go! You have to win!!!”

The Bird Beastmen of the Eastern High Mountain Tribe all took to the sky.

“Lord Chi Xiao! You absolutely cannot lose to that snake!”

“Beat him! Win Lady Nan back from that snake’s clutches!”

“The reputation of our High Mountain Tribe in the entire Eastern Empire is riding on you!!”

The Beastmen of the Eastern Forest, the Beastmen from the Eastern Ocean, and even Beastmen from the rebel army all gathered to watch the show.

Lu Yu clapped his hands together. “Come on, place your bets, place your bets! If you think Xuan Jin will win, bet on the left! If you think Chi Xiao will win, bet on the right! You can bet anything! Beast Teeth, Beast Skins, gold, diamonds, anything goes!”

In no time, aside from the Eastern High Mountain Clan betting on Chi Xiao, the vast majority of other Beastmen bet on Xuan Jin.

The Eastern High Mountain Clan was indignant. “What? Are you looking down on our Lord?!”

A Wandering Beastman said, “It’s not that we’re looking down on your Lord. It’s just… Lord Chixiao isn’t as clingy as our Lord.”

A Bird Beastman from the Eastern High Mountain Clan retorted, “And you’re proud of him for being clingy!”

“And why shouldn’t we be?!”

The Bird Beastmen were furious and started shouting, “Lord, don’t let those Wandering Beastmen look down on you!!”

…

Chi Xiao caught a scent on the wind. He approached slowly, then suddenly dove!

His talons snatched a snake out from under a large leaf!

But it wasn’t Xuan Jin!

Xuan Jin immediately took off with Nan Zishi.

Nan Zishi was so over this.

In an instant, Xuan Jin had carried Nan Zishi to a new hiding spot.

But Chi Xiao was faster. His eyes locked onto him, and he dove again!

Xuan Jin whipped his massive tail!

And just like that, Chi Xiao and the Xuan Snake were fighting face-to-face!

Nan Zishi hopped to one side.

‘Chi Xiao and Xuan Jin fought all the time. She’d just wait for them to finish and wear themselves out before saying anything.’

Seeing this, the Beastmen on the coast reacted. The Bird Beastmen of the High Mountain Clan flew over to cheer Chi Xiao on.

Not to be outdone, and to make sure the Bird Beastmen didn’t interfere, the Wandering Beastmen also rushed over to join the spectacle.

Lu Yu simply moved his whole betting operation to where Xuan Jin and Chi Xiao were fighting.

The two males both transformed into their beast forms. Then, the Xuan Snake unleashed ice, and Chi Xiao unleashed fire!

Chi Xiao: “Xuan Jin, you just can’t stand to see me happy! You don’t cause trouble when anyone else is with the Little Female Master, but you just had to interfere when she chose me! I’m going to beat the crap out of you!”

Xuan Jin: “What do you mean, ‘interfere’? This is Xiong Jing! This is vying for favor! If you can’t even beat me, what makes you think you deserve to spend the night with the little female?!”

Chi Xiao: “You’re talking nonsense!”

The Fire Red Eagle soared into the air. With a beat of its massive wings, it sent a powerful gale blasting toward Xuan Jin.

Xuan Jin whipped his massive tail, creating an Ice Shield that blocked Chi Xiao’s gale!

The bird and the snake fought, turning the world upside down.

“Enough!”

Nan Zishi rushed between them. She planted her feet, raising one hand to block the Fire Red Eagle’s talons and the other to block the Xuan Snake’s mouth.

“I said, enough!”

Before their female, the two males fell silent.

Xuan Jin shifted back to his human form, pulled on a Beast Skin Skirt, crossed his arms, and huffed.

Nan Zishi felt helpless but refused to indulge him. “Xuan Jin, go back first.”

‘The little female chose Chi Xiao. The little female didn’t side with him; she sided with Chi Xiao.’

‘He was at the bottom.’

‘In the little female’s eyes, he, Xuan Jin, was at the very bottom.’

The Xuan Snake Beastman’s eyes glistened with tears.

Nan Zishi couldn’t take it. She went to him and patted his head. “Xuan Jin, be good. Behave, okay?”

The Xuan Snake lifted his teary eyes. “I can behave, but you have to spoil me.”

Chi Xiao’s eyes went wide.

‘What the hell? What kind of trick was this? He was the one who started the trouble, and now he was going to pretend to be all obedient and well-behaved in front of the Little Female Master?’

‘How could this lecherous snake be so scheming?’

Nan Zishi really couldn’t stay mad at Xuan Jin. She said, “Fine. I’ll spoil you. Now, you behave.”

“Mm. I’ll be good. I’ll behave. And when I do, you have to give me a reward.”

Nan Zishi: “…Fine.”

Having gotten her promise, the Xuan Snake shot a cold glance at Chi Xiao before turning and leaving.

Lu Yu’s betting pool had a result, and the Beastmen swarmed to collect their winnings.

After watching Xuan Jin leave, Chi Xiao suddenly had a thought. ‘Nice guys finish last. He really couldn’t afford to be so honest anymore.’

Nan Zishi turned to him, concerned. “Chi Xiao, are you okay?”

The little female’s voice was so gentle. Being cared for so tenderly by her, Chi Xiao felt like he could drown in her gaze.

He snapped out of it and lifted a wing, saying weakly, “Little Female Master, I’m injured… It hurts so much…”

Chi Xiao was a big male, a big male in every sense of the word.

This was the first time Nan Zishi had ever heard him say he was in pain.

That must mean it really hurt.

She quickly went to check his injuries.

There were faint ice crystals on the wound. Had he been hurt by Xuan Jin’s superpower?

Six years ago, Chi Xiao had nearly died after being wounded by Xuan Jin’s ice-venom.

The thought made Nan Zishi genuinely nervous. “Come here, quickly. Let me treat your wound.”

The Little Female Master’s tenderness swept away all the Fire Red Eagle’s earlier frustration.

Chi Xiao flapped his wings, signaling for the Birdmen of the High Mountain Clan to clear the area.

The Birdmen of the High Mountain Clan understood and began shooing away the approaching Beastmen.

He and Nan Zishi went to the base of a large tree.

Nan Zishi took medical supplies from her spatial storage, cleaned his wound, and bandaged it.

As Chi Xiao was being treated so gently by Nan Zishi, he felt a wave of happiness, but also felt guilty for deceiving the Little Female Master.

So he said, “Actually, it doesn’t hurt that much.”

Nan Zishi, carefully tending to his wound, said, “Don’t move.”

“Oh.” He was very obedient.

He couldn’t help but lean in, burying his head in the crook of her neck and nuzzling her gently.

“Stop moving, that tickles,” Nan Zishi laughed.

The male unconsciously showed a look of dependence and lowered his head to kiss her lips.

‘The little female’s lips are so soft.’

“Don’t move, you’re still injured!”

As if the Fire Red Eagle would listen. He pressed her down and kissed her.

Not very skilled at kissing, he just followed his instincts, kissing her again and again, deeply.

Nan Zishi couldn’t breathe. She felt his teeth bump against her and pounded on him. “Be gentle!”

Chi Xiao immediately reacted. A little nervous, he softened the kiss. “Gentler, gentler. I’ll follow your lead.”

She had no idea how long he’d been kissing her, but by the time she could finally get a breath of fresh air, her mouth and tongue were numb.

Her face turned red.

Chi Xiao was blushing from head to toe.

“Little Female Master, we…”

Nan Zishi found her bird-husband amusing and decided to tease him. “We what? Want to admire the nearby scenery?”

“Ah, no!” Chi Xiao was getting anxious.

‘He’d finally gotten the atmosphere just right, and that annoying Xuan Jin had been sent away. If he didn’t seize this chance now, he’d have nothing.’

“Little Female Master!” He grabbed her hand, his handsome face beet red.

He stammered, his eyes red-rimmed, looking like he was about to cry from desperation.

He was clearly a powerfully built male, yet he looked so wronged, as if Nan Zishi had bullied him terribly.

His legs tangled with hers as he nervously pressed closer, his waist against hers.

“Ma… Mate…”

“Please mate with me!”

“I’m begging you. Little Female Master, I really want to!”

Nan Zishi: “…”

‘So Chi Xiao had such an adorable side to him?’

Nan Zishi touched his burning cheeks and ears, then hooked her arms around his neck. She gave him a light peck on his cheek, the tip of his nose, and finally, his lips.

Fireworks practically exploded in the male’s mind!

A kaleidoscope of colors!

His muscles tensed instantly. His body burning hot, he held her tight and quickly disappeared with her into the dense foliage of the large tree.