Chapter 273: Thorn Flower Poison

Chapter 273: Chapter 273: Thorn Flower Poison

Zhu Xiu, who had been pushing forward with all his might, suddenly felt as if a portion of his Talent Power had been drained away.

His knees buckled, and he fell to one knee on the ground.

"Zhu Xiu, you’re in bad shape. Stay here and rest. Yan Lie and I will keep looking."

Xin Feng’s voice was heavy as he observed Zhu Xiu’s condition.

Zhu Xiu’s knuckles turned white from the force of his grip. The backlash from the Dark Curse washed over him in relentless waves.

"No need." He gritted his teeth, resisting the backlash of the Dark Curse. "I can still hold on."

They had already found one of Wanwan’s lost hair ornaments deep in the dense forest. Wanwan had to be somewhere on this mountain.

Xin Feng looked like he wanted to say more, but in the end, he just nodded.

Time was short. Every second was critical to Wanwan’s safety.

Zhu Xiu recovered with incredible speed. After suppressing the backlash once more, the three of them continued onward.

They hadn’t gone far when a strange sound suddenly came from the bushes.

Yan Lie was the first to rush ahead and check. A moment later, he returned and whispered to the other two, "It’s Beastmen from the Golden Lion Tribe."

Hearing this, Zhu Xiu strode forward and pushed aside the tangled branches in front of him.

The group of Golden Lions was conspicuous, but what drew even more attention was the female they were surrounding.

She was curled up on the ground in pain, a gruesome wound on her thigh gushing blood that stained the surrounding grass a dark red.

They immediately recognized her as Zhuo Ling.

Zhuo Ling’s trembling hands were covered in blood, her eyes filled with terror.

She reached a blood-stained hand out to the males around her, her voice cracking, "Help... Help me."

Just moments ago, she had been celebrating her imminent rescue, only to have a chunk of flesh torn from her by a lurking wild wolf in the blink of an eye.

Now, she breathed with extreme caution, afraid that any movement would aggravate the wound and cause her to lose more blood.

The Golden Lion Clan warriors were in a panicked frenzy, trying to stop the bleeding, but the medicinal powder was washed away by the blood as soon as they applied it.

"We have to get her back immediately!" one of the males said urgently.

"But the Young Clan Leader is still in there. We can’t just leave."

"Jin He!" The leading male made a decision. "You are responsible for escorting Zhuo Ling back to the tribe. Have the Clan Witch treat her at once."

The lion named Jin He immediately lowered his body.

Zhuo Ling struggled to climb onto the lion’s back, but the movement agitated her wound, and another gush of blood spurted out.

Her face was as pale as paper, her eyes a mix of hope and fear.

Just then, the bushes rustled.

Zhu Xiu’s group stepped out of the shadows. The Golden Lion Clan tensed up instantly, only relaxing slightly after seeing who it was.

Zhu Xiu walked straight toward Zhuo Ling, his shadow falling over her pale face.

As if clutching at her last lifeline, Zhuo Ling said in a voice as faint as a thread, "Save me... If you can heal me, I’ll tell you where Bai Wanwan is."

Yan Lie shot forward and demanded, "Where is she? Tell us now!"

"Heal me first," she bargained with difficulty.

But Zhu Xiu only stared at her coldly for a moment before turning away. "That won’t be necessary. In your condition, you couldn’t have gone far. Wanwan is nearby."

Yan Lie and Xin Feng also tore their gazes away from Zhuo Ling and followed Zhu Xiu.

Zhuo Ling’s pupils lost focus as she watched the three of them leave without a backward glance.

Warm blood continued to drain from her body. She could clearly feel her life slipping away, bit by bit.

’I was so scared. I was just out having fun with the other females... why did I end up in the hands of those males, and then meet an end like this?’

***

Bai Wanwan looked back and saw the Bear Clan Beastmen getting closer and closer.

She could only redeem and share Xin Feng’s Talent Ability one more time.

In an instant, a fierce wind tore through the mountain forest, sending grass and leaves flying and obscuring the Bear Clan Beastmen’s vision.

Some of them even crashed into each other.

By the time the wind died down, Bai Wanwan and Jin Yi had vanished from their sight.

"Damn it! Find them! You must find Jin Yi!"

Bai Wanwan lay limply on Jin Yi’s back. ’Why do I feel so weak and feverish after using an item?’

Jin Yi noticed it too. The female who had just been clinging to him tightly was now losing her grip.

He immediately turned his head back and warned her, "Bai Wanwan, you need to hold on tight, or you’ll fall off."

"I... I know, but I don’t think I have any strength left."

Bai Wanwan bit her lip, not wanting to be a burden, but she couldn’t control her body’s reaction.

Jin Yi could tell something was wrong. "What’s the matter? Are you feeling unwell?"

"Yeah, my limbs are weak, and I’m burning up."

Jin Yi’s pace slowed. If the female couldn’t hold on, she would be seriously injured if she fell.

"Don’t be afraid. Let’s find a place to hide first."

Fortunately, he was extremely familiar with the nearby terrain.

The Beastmen he had dispatched were in another direction. He’d been forced to take a detour when Xiong Zong’s subordinates blocked his path, but now that Wanwan couldn’t sit steady, he couldn’t take her to rendezvous with them.

He slowed his pace and came to a depression between two nearby mountains.

Inside was a narrow mountain crevice, just big enough for the two of them.

Jin Yi quickly shifted into his human form and caught Bai Wanwan as she fell.

She was burning hot to the touch.

’Could it be another fever?’

"Bai Wanwan, are you all right?"

Bai Wanwan bit her lip and said nothing. Her mind was clear, but when she saw Jin Yi’s sharp jawline and handsome face, a shameful thought suddenly occurred to her.

’I already have three Beast Husbands. I’ve always admired Jin Yi, but I never fantasized about taking him as one of my own.’

’But now, why does just one look at him make my body burn? Why do I want to rip off his animal hides and... have my way with him?’

The scent on him was just as clean, carrying the fresh fragrance of grass and trees.

It was like a poppy, luring her in.

She could only close her eyes, bite her lip, and fight against the urge.

But Jin Yi didn’t know what she was going through. He called out her name, and when he got no response, he grew worried.

After carrying her into the crevice, he carefully set Bai Wanwan down.

He raised his hand again to touch her forehead, but Bai Wanwan flinched away.

Her movement made Jin Yi’s hand freeze in place. An unfamiliar emotion welled up from the bottom of his heart.

’Does she... loathe my touch?’

Bai Wanwan turned her head away, avoiding his touch and his scent.

She felt that if she didn’t get away from him, she would turn into a wolf herself.

Jin Yi withdrew his hand, clenching it into a tight fist at his side.

"Then you should rest for a while. My men have already sent word back to the tribe. They’ll send more males over soon, and you’ll be safely returned to your Beast Husbands."

After he spoke, Bai Wanwan gave no response.

Jin Yi masked the look in his eyes and got up to walk to the entrance of the crevice.

As he observed the situation outside, he couldn’t help but feel a sense of restlessness.

’Does Bai Wanwan hate me?’

He’d never dared to hope for anything, but after sensing the female’s attitude toward him...

...his heart felt a sour, bitter ache that was impossible to describe.

After calming down for a moment, he thought that regardless of whether Bai Wanwan wanted him to or not, he should go gather some Silver Leaf Grass.

A fever couldn’t be left untreated. He had to return her to her Beast Husbands whole and healthy.

He glanced back at Bai Wanwan and was just about to turn and search for Silver Leaf Grass nearby.

Suddenly, he heard a sound from Bai Wanwan.

He hesitated for a moment, but unable to suppress the concern for her that rose in his heart, he walked toward her step by step.

"Hot... so uncomfortable..."

Bai Wanwan rolled over and tugged at her chest, her clothes falling into disarray, revealing a patch of snowy-white skin...