Chapter Twenty-Four: Going Over for Dinner

Thinking of this, Yun Li immediately withdrew her gaze.

Given her appearance after shifting, she really was the "she-wolf" Leng Xiu described. However, for him to call her the most beautiful among she-wolves without ever having seen her beast form was a bit too presumptuous.

"A-Qing hasn't even seen my beast form, yet you're just spouting nonsense."

Although the female’s voice was low, everyone present was a Green-rank beastman, so naturally, they heard her clearly. Upon hearing the first part of her sentence, Leng Xiao couldn't help but let the corners of his mouth tilt upward. To a beastman, the beast form held significant meaning. If A-Li hadn't even shown her beast form to Mu Qing, did that mean there was still a gap between her and Mu Qing that he could exploit?

Leng Xiu realized something even more profound from this. Yun Li had lived alone as a beastman since she was very young, and likely no one had ever spoken to her about matters between mates. But Mu Qing was highly valued by the clan leader; he shouldn't be ignorant of what it meant for a mate not to reveal their beast form. Unless he, too...

Seeming to sense their thoughts, Mu Qing’s eyes darkened slightly. He turned to Yun Li and asked, "Then, A-Li, would you be willing to show me your beast form later?"

Yun Li gave him a look that said, "What do you think?" and replied, "Mm."

She agreed quite lightly, and her movements as she reached out on tiptoe to tuck herself into Mu Qing’s embrace were incredibly practiced.

"Later on, I want to see your beast form, too."

She had to see exactly what kind of snake her male was. If he were a python, would his beast form be massive? She would need to prepare herself mentally. If he were a venomous snake, could she touch his fangs? She had never touched the fangs of a venomous snake before.

Mu Qing was indeed as Leng Xiu had suspected: he feared that once A-Li saw his beast form, she would become like other females. Yet, he knew that by avoiding the subject, problems would inevitably arise later. After some deliberation, he said, "Once you are able to hunt independently, I will show you my beast form."

Yun Li didn't quite understand. "Why?"

She was willing to show him her beast form so casually; why should there be conditions for seeing his? That wasn't fair!

"Because his beast form is huge, and he's afraid you'll be frightened if you see it," Leng Xiao suddenly interjected to explain for Mu Qing. Although he wanted to steal the spotlight, that didn't mean he would tear Mu Qing down in every aspect. He could compete in strength, ability, or looks, but he wouldn't intentionally bad-mouth Mu Qing or try to sow discord between them. If he did, and Yun Li, who relied so heavily on Mu Qing, saw their relationship fall apart, she would be heartbroken.

"However, once you get used to the beasts in the wild, you won't be so afraid when you see Mu Qing's form."

"Is that so?" Yun Li looked at Mu Qing.

Mu Qing gave a soft "Mm." Perhaps because Leng Xiao had helped explain for him, he offered a few kind words in return: "Part of the beast blood you used earlier came from them. Besides, when we first start cultivating, we must rely on eating the meat of fierce beasts to break through to the Red rank. After the Red rank, cultivation relies on the crystals extracted from the blood of fierce beasts. I have quite a few crystals left; if you need them, they are all yours. But I am not a wolf-beastman, so I cannot offer you any guidance on how to hunt using a wolf's beast form."

Why must one use a beast form to hunt? Couldn't one hunt using weapons in human form? Before she could voice the question, Leng Xiu saw the confusion in her eyes and explained, "When a beastman first breaks through to the Red rank, their hearing and vision are only slightly better than an ordinary beastman's. Furthermore, for a female like you who hasn't really trained since childhood, I’m afraid that even if you reached the Red rank, you wouldn't be able to beat the cubs who have been training since they were small. If you don't use your beast form to learn to hunt, you’ll easily get hurt going out empty-handed."

Yun Li was speechless.

She was stung by his remark that she "wouldn't be able to beat the cubs even if she reached the Red rank." She couldn't accept it and asked Mu Qing, "Is what he said true?"

Was she really not even as good as a cub? Yun Li had been picturing cubs as those petite, cute, short-statured things that looked easy to handle. In reality, beastman cubs as young as two or three years old carried items several times their own weight. Cubs who had trained since childhood could follow the tribe out to learn hunting by the age of ten. Someone like Yun Li, who had suffered from malnutrition since she was little—even if her health had recovered after days of medicine and supplements—would certainly not have a physique comparable to cubs who had been eating the meat of fierce beasts and enduring rigorous drills since birth.

Mu Qing hesitated for a moment, then nodded. "But A-Li is smarter than them, and besides, you have me."

"And us," Leng Xiao chimed in with a grin.

He wore an expression of someone who had decided to "latch onto Yun Li and never leave." The sight gave Mu Qing a bit of heartburn; he wasn't sure if agreeing to let Leng Xiu and his brother teach A-Li to hunt was the right choice. What if they ended up teaching her things other than hunting?

Yun Li wasn't at all happy about Mu Qing praising her intelligence. Who would want to compete with a cub over being smart? Winning wouldn't be anything to brag about, and losing would mean she had lost face for all of modern humanity. It was a losing bargain with no profit.

"I'm hungry. I want to eat, A-Qing."

Not wanting to dwell on the subject, she changed the topic. Just as Leng Xiao had said, beastmen were usually famished after a blood bath. Yun Li hadn't felt it at first, but now that the hunger had truly set in, she wanted meat immediately.

"There is meat soup on the earthen stove. I'll bring it over for you to have a bowl to tide you over."

After saying this, Mu Qing looked at the Leng brothers and finally said, "Since you brought the giant deer, stay and eat with us before you go." As long as A-Li didn't reject them, and considering their great strength could provide her with more protection, Mu Qing didn't want to make things difficult for them anymore.

Hearing this, Leng Xiao immediately seized the opportunity. "Sure, leave the two giant deer to us to handle. You just make whatever else Yun Li likes to eat; my brother and I aren't picky."

Mu Qing hadn't intended to make anything special for them anyway; he didn't even know their preferences, so being allowed to eat the meat was generous enough.

Leng Xiu also got to work. He scanned the area and asked, "Where is the firewood?"

"Behind the house."

Yun Li pointed toward the back of the stone hut. The courtyard in front was crowded with stone troughs, water basins, a cooking shed, a stone table, and a few stone stools, leaving almost no room for dry wood.

Leng Xiu nodded, and once he knew, he and Leng Xiao split up. He went behind the house to get wood and start the bonfire, while Leng Xiao was responsible for setting up the roasting rack.

The process took time, and Yun Li didn't bother watching. She sat on a stone stool and began drinking the meat soup herself. A bowl of soup warmed her belly, but it still felt hollow, so Mu Qing brought out a stone slab and started searing meat for her as she ate.