Xinba wasted no time and immediately began instructing everyone on the preparations for the arena competition—things like establishing rules, setting up the venue, and spreading the word. He handled everything with clear logic, assigning tasks according to each Beastman’s strengths.

The incident with the fake Beast God had apparently taught him a significant lesson. He quickly found his place and began working hard for the good of the Beastmen, his devotion to the Beast God now unwavering.

Gong You had secretly used the Time Law on Yi Wan. By now, Yi Wan’s body had finished its refinement and detoxification. He was covered in a thick, foul-smelling shell of grime, but the powerful aura that had weakened from his severed bond had not only fully returned but was now even stronger than before!

Yi Wan shot up from his original Level 8 Peak, completely skipping Level 9 and settling firmly at the Peak of Level 10. If he hadn’t been worried that his cultivation was advancing too quickly and his foundation would be unstable, he could have even pushed for the Eleventh Level.

When he opened his eyes, the stench coming from his own body made him reel for a moment. He flushed the instant he realized he was the source of the smell.

He stood, muttered a hasty excuse to the others, and rushed to a nearby river to wash. Only after he was clean did he return to join the City Lord in selecting the Beastmen who would participate in the Secret Realm.

Seeing the relaxed smile on Yi Wan’s face, Zhi Le squeezed Si Shuo’s hand and chuckled softly. "This is the first time I’ve seen him smile like this since my own father passed away. My father and I... we were a burden to him."

His mood turned heavy at the thought. ’If it were me,’ he reflected, ’and someone dared to touch my beloved mate, I’d consider it an attack on my own life. I wouldn’t give a damn about brotherly bonds, let alone that brother’s cub.’

Little Jing, sitting on Gong You’s shoulder, leaned in and whispered, "Father Zhi Le, I can help!"

Gong You glanced around, but Wei Ce had already raised a Protective Shield around the family.

Zhi Le asked curiously, "Little Jing, how can you help?"

Little Jing giggled. "Look, everyone says the female Grandfather Yi Wan loved went missing. They say she took some Mist Powder and applied Wolf Attracting Powder, but no one actually saw her get eaten by wolves. In fact, they never found a single trace of her."

"That means there’s still hope! I can see that Grandfather Yi Wan has accumulated a lot of blessings. If he’s willing, he can make an exchange with me."

"Maybe I can grant a wish and bring his beloved female back. If Grandfather Yi Wan has his own family, then Father Zhi Le won’t have to worry anymore."

Si Shuo smiled, rising onto his tiptoes to pinch her chubby little cheek. "Aren’t you the clever one!" 𝐟𝕣𝕖𝐞𝐰𝕖𝚋𝐧𝗼𝚟𝐞𝕝.𝗰𝐨𝐦

Zhi Le looked at Gong You and Si Shuo with a glimmer of hope.

"I think it could work," Si Shuo nodded, then reminded Little Jing, "When you grant the Blessing, you have to emphasize that the female must be a good one. We can’t have Father Yi Wan climb out of one pit just to fall into another!"

Little Jing nodded eagerly. "Okay, okay! Father Zhi Le, hurry up and go tell Grandfather Yi Wan."

Zhi Le smiled. "Alright!" The gratitude in his heart was so overwhelming he couldn’t bring himself to say thank you. They were a family; there was no need for such formalities. He was incredibly fortunate to have met his beloved mate, his respected and admired Couple Brothers, and these adorable, sincere cubs who loved with all their hearts.

Although Yi Wan had only just become the High Priest, he wasn’t the least bit flustered. He worked extremely well with City Lord Xinba; they each handled their own duties while consulting each other on important matters.

Zhi Le had barely approached him before Yi Wan pulled him in to help. Yi Wan didn’t finish his work until dusk fell and households began lighting their bonfires for dinner.

"Father, let’s go home for dinner," Zhi Le said with a smile. "Besides, we have something to talk to you about."

Yi Wan looked at the young male, who had grown taller and more imposing than he was, and his eyes grew moist. ’How long has it been since I’ve truly looked at Zhi Le?’

"I... I’m not your Father anymore," Yi Wan sighed.

"In my heart, you will always be my Father," Zhi Le said, putting an arm around his shoulder and guiding him back. "If not for you, there would be no Zhi Le in this world. And you wouldn’t have your three grandchildren, either."

"I’m just afraid that once you have cubs of your own, you won’t want me anymore," he teased.

Yi Wan swatted him good-naturedly on the head. "It seems the older you get, the more childish you become. You’re a father yourself now, how can you still be so ridiculous?"

"Look how old I am. My life is what it is. What cubs could I possibly have?"

Zhi Le chuckled. "How could that be? Father, you’re a Level 10 Beastman now. Your aptitude has always been good. With the Bone Marrow Cleansing and Vein Cutting Pill, all the impurities and toxins in your body have been purged, and your aptitude has improved with it. You’ll be able to live to be a hundred and fifty or sixty, and your cultivation can still continue to improve."

"You’re not even forty yet. You have a long life ahead of you. Who knows when you might find a mate and have cubs?"

"So, I have to take this chance to stick close to you, before you have cubs of your own."

Yi Wan smiled and shook his head, a trace of sorrow flickering in his eyes. "Xiao Le, you have a mate you love, so you should understand. The lifespan of a Beastman with a superpower might seem long, but what does that matter?"

"Sometimes, after you meet the one person you truly love, anyone else for the rest of your life is just a compromise. I’ve already compromised once. I don’t want to force myself to settle again."

"Besides, I don’t even have my Beast Mark anymore. Who would accept me without any reservations?"

Zhi Le just smiled, not revealing the secret. Father and son both shifted into their Beast Forms and slowly walked back. It seemed to Zhi Le that they had never talked like this before in his entire memory.

Before they even reached home, the playing cubs let out a joyful cry. "Grandfather Yi Wan and Father Zhi Le are back!"

Watching the group of lively cubs, Yi Wan’s expression softened considerably. He patted himself down, pulled out a bag of Crystal Stones, and generously handed it over for the cubs to share.

The cubs looked to Zhi Le, and after getting his permission, they all happily accepted it, bowing one by one to give their thanks.

The Snow Leopard cubs stood beside Zhi Le, watching curiously.

Yi Wan crouched down, ruffling the heads of Xue Bao and Xueqiu. He then looked at Xue Zhu and smiled at Zhi Le. "The Snow Leopard cubs look exactly like you did when you were little. But you weren’t nearly as fortunate as they are."

By the time they got home, dinner was ready and spread out over two large tables.

The cubs sat at one table, and the adults sat at the other.

Si Shuo and the cubs buried their faces in their food, but their ears were pricked to listen. The other males were talking to Yi Wan about the Central Continent. The Beastmen of the Southern Continent now yearned for that more civilized land, just as they once had.

This trend, this longing, was unstoppable. The various Beast Tides of the past year had served to cool everyone’s heads, but that effect was only temporary.

In time, they would still desire change rather than remaining at the mercy of their harsh living environment.

Therefore, this was an inevitable path for the Beastmen. Yi Wan and the others could use the few years of breathing room the Beast Tides had given them to carefully figure out how to manage this transition and make the Southern Continent into the place everyone hoped it would be...