Chapter 173: Unbalanced Affection

Chapter 173: Chapter 173: Unbalanced Affection

Meanwhile, Jin Yi pushed open the door to the Clan Leader’s stone house. Jin Cang was sitting on a stone stool, toying with a Beast Bone.

Seeing Jin Yi come in, he raised his head and asked, "You’re back?"

Jin Yi stepped forward and pulled a small piece of animal hide from within his robes, handing it over. "Father Beast, I traded for the Energy Stone. Please, have a look."

Jin Cang sat up straight. He took the animal hide from his son’s hand and slowly unwrapped it with his other, revealing the irregular, pitch-black stone inside.

He picked up the stone, which was about the size of a cub’s fist, and murmured, "Can this thing really enhance one’s Talent Power?"

Jin Yi stood to the side, his gaze also fixed on the dark stone. He voiced his thoughts, "Father Beast, rumors aren’t always true. Perhaps we should ask around some more and not test it blindly."

Jin Cang was very pleased with the successor he had so carefully groomed. He nodded in satisfaction. "You’re right. Rumors aren’t always true. But since such a rumor exists, and with it, such a possibility, we must take it seriously."

’Like that Holy Female, for instance... If she’s real, I will never let her leave. She is the only one who can be Jin Yi’s Wife.’

Jin Yi nodded. Suddenly recalling the scene he had just witnessed, he voiced his suspicions to his Father Beast.

"Father Beast, when I was coming back, I saw that the vacant stone house in the Central Square is occupied by foreign Beastmen. What’s going on?"

Jin Cang set down the Beast Bone, a smile playing on his lips. "Those Beastmen are powerful. If we can get them to join our Golden Lion Tribe, it will raise our tribe’s strength to a whole new level. I’m merely letting them stay there for now as a show of good faith."

"Just for that?"

Jin Yi frowned. His father’s explanation didn’t quell his suspicions; on the contrary, he was even more baffled.

His Father Beast had politely refused even his own Mother when she had asked for that stone house.

’He didn’t believe his Father Beast would let foreign Beastmen live there for a reason like that.’

’But the way his Father Beast said it, he clearly had no intention of telling him the truth.’

Jin Cang knew his son well. He knew he didn’t believe his reason.

’If he didn’t believe it, then he could go find out for himself.’

’That female, Bai Wanwan, is more beautiful and more unique than Zhuo Ling. It’s hard for young males to resist a female like that.’

’Even if Jin Yi has high standards, Bai Wanwan should still be the most exceptional female he’s ever met.’

’Only by getting to know her will he have the chance to fall for her and take her as his mate.’

"Jin Yi, you are the future Clan Leader. You must learn to consider the interests of the tribe. As for those foreign Beastmen, keep a close watch on them."

Jin Yi fell silent for a moment, feeling that there was a hidden meaning in his Father Beast’s words.

But he didn’t press the matter, simply nodding. "I understand."

"You’ve been away for so long, you must be tired. Go see your Mother and then head back to rest."

"Alright."

Lost in thought, Jin Yi slowly turned and left.

Jin Cang watched his retreating back and sighed inwardly.

’He knew that if he told Jin Yi his true purpose—to matchmake him with Bai Wanwan—his son would surely resist.’

’He knew his son. The more he was pushed, the more he would push back.’

’Therefore, he would let Jin Yi’s own curiosity lead him to observe and approach her.’

Jin Yi was on his way to his Mother’s dwelling, but he hadn’t gone far when he saw a female standing at a fork in the road.

As soon as she saw him, her face broke into a smile and she quickened her pace toward him.

Jin Yi recognized her immediately.

He hadn’t seen her in a long time, and the image of Zhuo Ling before him now overlapped with the blurry shadow in his memory.

’Only then did Jin Yi realize he had nearly forgotten what Zhuo Ling looked like.’

Zhuo Ling quickly walked up to him, a delighted smile on her beautiful face.

She had clearly dressed up before coming, wearing the fine hemp skirt Jin Yi had given her and a Jue Sha Flower in her hair.

She flashed him a deliberately bright, beautiful smile, her tone one of mock complaint.

"Jin Yi, you knew I was here. Why didn’t you come see me?"

Jin Yi watched her for a long moment before speaking. "Zhuo Ling, I told you a long time ago that if you took another Beast Husband, I would disappear from your life. Therefore, there was no reason for me to come see you."

A pang of pain shot through Zhuo Ling’s heart. ’Is Jin Yi really letting me go?’

She couldn’t stop herself from raising her voice. "But you promised you would love me forever!"

Jin Yi shook his head. "That was a youthful promise. You have a Beast Husband now. That’s all in the past."

’He had kept his promise to her. Even though they weren’t together, he still did his best to send her provisions so she could live a better life.’

"Your Beast Husband told me the Black Dog Tribe is unsafe after being attacked by Eagle Beasts. If you want to live in the Golden Lion Tribe permanently, you can stay here."

Zhuo Ling reined in her emotions, her eyes clear as she gazed at him. "So, do you want me to stay?"

Unfortunately for her, Jin Yi didn’t blush red to the tips of his ears like the boy she remembered.

His expression, on a face that was clearly much more mature, remained calm. "I respect your choice. If you wish to stay, I can arrange it. If you wish to leave, I’ll have someone escort you to settle in another tribe."

"Jin Yi! You know what I want to hear!" Zhuo Ling bit her lip, trying to reawaken his feelings for her.

"But I can’t give you what you want to hear."

Jin Yi’s tone remained calm, yet it carried an unmistakable, resolute finality.

Bai Wanwan was peeking through the crack in the door. She swore she hadn’t meant to eavesdrop.

She had only meant to close the door, but she hadn’t expected to see Zhuo Ling and Jin Yi in a tense standoff in the distance.

Although she couldn’t hear what they were saying, she could sense the delicate and tense atmosphere between them.

Xin Feng walked up beside her and asked in a low voice, "Wanwan, what are you doing here?"

Xin Feng had seen her huddled there each time he went back and forth to get things. He wouldn’t have come over just to ask, but she hadn’t moved an inch.

Bai Wanwan shushed him and turned around. With a conspiratorial, gossipy grin, she pulled him closer to the door, opening the crack a little wider.

"That’s the Golden Lion Young Clan Leader, Jin Yi. Back in the Black Dog Tribe, I heard that he and Zhuo Ling were in love but couldn’t be together. I just want to see if the rumors are true."

Xin Feng glanced outside for only a second before looking down at her, his expression one of resigned indulgence. "So, did you figure anything out?"

"They’re too far away. I couldn’t see a thing."

She pouted, her gossipy curiosity reaching its absolute peak.

"If you can’t see anything, then go get something to eat and rest. Aren’t you tired?"

He raised a hand and stroked her cheek, looking at her face, which had grown noticeably thinner during their journey.

His gaze seemed to hold only her; the drama with Zhuo Ling and the Golden Lion Young Clan Leader outside couldn’t capture a shred of his attention.

But Bai Wanwan kept sneaking glances out the door. The next time she turned her head back, Xin Feng’s lips were already brushing against hers.

"Wanwan, on the road... I saw..."

Bai Wanwan was still engrossed in the drama! Even being kissed didn’t immediately snap her out of it.

But his next words made her flush with embarrassment.

’She had thought that when she was being intimate with Zhu Xiu, Yan Lie and Xin Feng hadn’t seen them.’

’And when she was close with Yan Lie, Zhu Xiu and Xin Feng hadn’t noticed either.’

’Xin Feng rarely got a chance to hold her, and every time she wanted to be proactive with him, Yan Lie would coincidentally show up.’

’As a result, she had never been as intimate with him.’

’It was one thing not to talk about it, but saying it out loud made her feel like she was playing favorites.’

He just gave her a light kiss before pulling away, his eyes still gentle. "I don’t mean to blame you..."

’Fine... She felt a pang of guilt for not balancing her affections properly.’