Chapter 229: A Wonderful Female

Chapter 229: Chapter 229: A Wonderful Female

Suppressing the emotions churning within him, Jin Yi abruptly stood up. "I’m going to take a look outside. You get some rest."

Bai Wanwan didn’t stop him. She watched his back as he left, thinking, ’Jin Yi has been acting a little strange these past two days.’

Jin Yi didn’t go far, just to the mouth of the cave, where he sat down.

Bai Wanwan watched him for a moment before looking away.

Xin Feng slept for a long time. When he awoke and smelled her fragrance, his heart felt at ease.

But he soon realized Wanwan had been sitting there for a long time, bearing his full weight, and he couldn’t help but feel guilty.

"Wanwan, why didn’t you wake me?"

Bai Wanwan tilted her head and smiled. "You were sleeping so soundly. How could I have the heart to wake you?"

Xin Feng lifted a hand to knead her shoulder. "If this happens again, just wake me. I can sleep lying down."

The ground in the cave was uneven and hard; even covered in beast hides, it was not a comfortable place to sleep.

She had figured he would sleep more comfortably leaning on her, which was why she hadn’t woken him.

As they were talking, Xin Feng noticed Jin Yi wasn’t there.

"Where’s the Young Clan Leader?"

Hearing his question, Bai Wanwan turned her head to look for the figure at the cave mouth.

But she saw that Jin Yi, who had been sitting there all this time, was gone.

"He was just there a moment ago. He probably went out to scout the area."

The sky outside was slowly darkening, and a chill settled over the underground river.

Xin Feng knew Wanwan was afraid of the cold, so he immediately got up. "I saw some dry firewood in the cave. I’ll grab some to light a fire and drive off the chill."

"Don’t. What if the light from the fire attracts wild beasts?"

Xin Feng smiled and shook his head. "Don’t worry. Non-sentient beasts are naturally afraid of fire. With a fire burning, they’re actually less likely to leap out of the darkness and attack us."

It wasn’t just the beasts; even they were born with a fear of fire.

If not for their female’s preference for cooked food, they would have never overcome their fear of flames.

Starting a fire was now a simple task for him.

He used a Fire Stone to ignite some dry leaves, and soon, the firewood caught flame.

The dancing flames grew brighter, banishing the surrounding darkness and chill.

Bai Wanwan rubbed her cold fingertips together and squinted her eyes in comfort.

The two were chatting by the fire when Jin Yi walked in, a wild boar slung over his shoulder.

He walked over, dropped the boar, and said to Xin Feng, "You’re badly injured too. Eat some raw meat to get your energy back."

He quickly butchered the boar, slicing off half with his claws and tossing it to Xin Feng.

Bai Wanwan knew the males had to eat raw meat to maintain their strength.

Fortunately, she was used to the sight by now.

She took out her dried meat and began to slowly tear off pieces to eat.

As she was eating, Jin Yi handed her a leaf-wrapped bundle.

"I picked some fruit while I was out."

Bai Wanwan reached out, took it, and thanked him with a smile.

Unwrapping the leaf revealed red berries inside.

The rich taste of the meat was starting to get to her, so she picked up a berry and popped it into her mouth.

They were sweet and crisp, utterly refreshing. Before she knew it, she had eaten the whole bundle.

Xin Feng watched all of this in silence, his gaze shifting to Jin Yi, who sat a short distance away.

Jin Yi showed little emotion and had even deliberately put some distance between himself and them.

But Xin Feng had heard that the Golden Lion Young Clan Leader was cold and aloof. He never interacted much with females, let alone offered them fruit.

He pulled his gaze back to Wanwan, who was casually eating her fruit, a bright smile on her face.

He sighed internally. ’Such a wonderful female... what male wouldn’t be captivated by her?’

’Even I find myself growing more attached to her with each passing day.’

’Every day, I love her more than the day before.’

"Why are you staring at me?"

Bai Wanwan, feeling his gaze on her, turned and asked.

Xin Feng smiled naturally and reached out to brush her lips. "You have some juice on the corner of your mouth."

Bai Wanwan believed him and quickly tried to wipe it away herself.

Then she leaned in toward him. "Is it gone?"

"Mm, it’s still there."

Xin Feng gazed at her tenderly, wiping the corner of her mouth several times with the pad of his finger.

"Is it still not gone?" Bai Wanwan tilted her head, clearly skeptical.

The smile on Xin Feng’s lips deepened. He deliberately wiped her lip a few more times before finally saying, "There. It’s gone."

They took shelter in the narrow cave by the underground river for the next two days.

At night, the two males took turns on watch, and things remained peaceful.

On the morning of the third day, Bai Wanwan was shaken from a deep sleep.

She forced herself awake and asked Xin Feng, who was shaking her, "What’s wrong?"

The moment she opened her eyes, she saw it was still dark outside.

"The Young Clan Leader just came back from scouting. He said the beast tide has receded. We need to hurry back to the tribe now, while we can."

At the mention of returning to the tribe, the last vestiges of her sleepiness vanished.

She sat up at once, packed all their things, and after a quick wash and a bite to eat, they set off.

Xin Feng shifted into his beast form, and Bai Wanwan settled into his silver fur.

Jin Yi, who was leading the way, didn’t look back. He just felt an unfamiliar emptiness on his back, and it felt strange.

Bai Wanwan clung tightly to Xin Feng’s neck. She was desperate to get back to the tribe; she wanted to see the cubs.

She also hoped that Yan Lie would be the first to return once the beast tide was gone.

Jin Yi was fast, and Xin Feng was not to be outdone. They moved toward the tribe with one in front and one behind, guarding Bai Wanwan between them.

As they passed through a dense forest, Jin Yi, who was running at full tilt, suddenly halted.

The massive head of the Golden Lion turned slowly, as if trying to identify something.

Xin Feng sensed it too. "Something’s wrong. Is the beast tide heading this way?"

Jin Yi whipped his head around. "Yes! Quick, back to the cave by the underground river!"

The two males immediately reversed course, heading back the way they came.

But this time, they hadn’t gone far before a small pack of wild beasts blocked their path.

The Golden Lion let out a furious roar, its power momentarily stunning the beasts that were about to charge.

Seizing the opportunity, Jin Yi and Xin Feng counterattacked.

The twenty-some small and medium-sized beasts were all torn to pieces.

After finishing off the small pack, Xin Feng’s ears twitched. He could hear a teeming, rumbling sound approaching.

With no time for words, the two males took off, charging on all fours toward the cave entrance by the underground river at top speed.

But... they were a step too late.

When they reached the outside of the cave, they found the entrance already blocked by a wolf pack.

They snarled viciously, revealing ghastly fangs dripping with saliva...

Upon seeing them, the starving wolves lunged as one.

Bai Wanwan’s blood ran cold as she stared at the pack of several dozen wolves.

"Wanwan, hold on to me tight!"

Xin Feng knew that when facing a wolf pack, even a lion would struggle to escape unscathed.

If he and Jin Yi worked together, perhaps they stood a chance.

"Okay. Don’t worry about me."

As she spoke, Bai Wanwan tightened one arm around Xin Feng’s neck, her other hand already gripping her watermelon cleaver.

Jin Yi charged in first, sending several of the lead wolves flying.

The wolves he’d knocked aside scrambled back to their feet and immediately launched themselves at Xin Feng...