Chapter 255: Chapter 255: Don’t Worry, She Will Come Looking

The moment he landed, the tiger cub grew impatient and tried to get down from his arms.

’My mother and father’s scents aren’t here. I don’t want to stay. I have to find them!’

The tiger cub leaped off the reef with her short little legs, but the rock was too high. She lost her footing and tumbled to the ground, rolling over several times.

The tiger cub scrambled up with a huff, shook the sand from her fur, and prepared to run again. But just as she started, she was grabbed by the scruff of her neck...

The tiger cub was lifted into the air. One pair of gilded eyes met another of silvery-white. The cub flailed her paws, struggling.

"Don’t be anxious. She will come find you."

At that moment, Qiao Xixi emerged from the woods and ran onto the beach.

The sea breeze blew past, and within it, she caught a familiar scent—it was her cub’s.

She ran onto the beach and, in the distance, saw a radiant figure standing on a massive reef.

Her precious tiger cub, the one who was always on her mind, was being held in his arms.

Qiao Xixi lightened her steps and quieted her breath, rapidly closing the distance between them.

"I told you she would be here soon."

Just as Qiao Xixi reached the base of the reef, she heard a soft voice. She looked up to find he had already turned around and noticed her.

When she got a clear look at him, Qiao Xixi froze for a moment.

He had to be a male Phoenix Beast. A snow-white feathered robe perfectly outlined his tall, slender figure, and his features were exquisitely refined.

Her own beast-kin husbands were exceptionally handsome, but this male Phoenix Beast before her was in no way inferior to Sunxiao and the others. Yet, in Qiao Xixi’s eyes, his most captivating quality was his otherworldly aura.

From a distance, it had seemed as if he were wreathed in a rainbow. Now, up close, she realized it was his wings, which shimmered with a brilliant luster under the golden light. Even his snow-white hair held a multicolored, gentle glow.

A faint smile played on his lips, yet his eyes held a sacred, cold aloofness. He was clearly no ordinary beast-kin.

As Qiao Xixi was sizing him up, his light gaze also fell upon her.

The female appeared delicate and beautiful, but her azure eyes held a resolve and tenacity that most females lacked.

Yun Ji gently stroked the now-docile tiger cub in his arms. "You are Qiao Xixi."

Qiao Xixi frowned. She didn’t dare make a reckless move until she could determine if he was friend or foe. After all, her cub was still in his hands.

"Yes."

Holding the tiger cub, Yun Ji moved closer to Qiao Xixi.

Qiao Xixi’s gaze remained fixed on the quiet cub. Inwardly, she was curious. ’The cub is so calm in this male’s arms. She’s usually so averse to being touched by strange males.’

"What is her name?"

Yun Ji stroked the tiger cub, clearly asking about her.

"An’an."

Yun Ji’s movements paused, and he chuckled softly. "An’an. A very gentle name."

Qiao Xixi frowned. "Thank you for looking after my cub." After speaking, she held out her arms toward Yun Ji, indicating for him to return the cub to her.

To Qiao Xixi’s surprise, Yun Ji actually handed the tiger cub over.

The moment she held her cub again, Qiao Xixi’s heart finally settled.

Once back in her mother’s arms, the cub let out a little whimper and licked her hand.

"Why don’t you sit for a while."

Without waiting to see if Qiao Xixi would refuse, Yun Ji walked straight to the base of a tree and sat down.

His movements were unhurried, every gesture exuding that same otherworldly, cold aloofness.

Qiao Xixi didn’t sense any danger from him. After a moment of thought, she walked over and sat down across from Yun Ji.

"Do you have any water?" Yun Ji asked, looking at her. 𝑓𝑟ℯ𝘦𝓌𝘦𝘣𝑛𝑜𝓋𝑒𝓁.𝑐ℴ𝓂

Qiao Xixi didn’t answer, instead asking, "Why did you bring my cub here?"

Yun Ji didn’t get angry at not receiving any water. He simply said, "It isn’t safe for her to be by your side."

"Who are you?"

Yun Ji didn’t answer. He just held out his hand to her and asked again, "May I have some water to drink?"

Qiao Xixi glanced at the waterskin at her waist. After a moment’s hesitation, she untied it and handed it to him.

Yun Ji took the waterskin, opened it, and took a sip.

The waterskin contained water from the Spiritual Spring. As the water spread across his lips and teeth, an unusual ripple finally appeared in his radiant pupils.

"This water is very good."

Yun Ji suddenly extended his hand toward Qiao Xixi. In his palm lay a pale purple, seed-like object.

"You can place this in your spring water. When it has been nurtured in the water and sprouts, I will come find you again."

Qiao Xixi didn’t reach out to take it. Just as she was about to refuse, she heard Xiao Yao roaring frantically in her mind.

"Host, quick, take it! That’s a treasure!"

’What kind of treasure?’

"That’s the eye of the Spring of Life! If this spring eye is activated, Host, you’ll be invincible!"

Only one phrase echoed in Qiao Xixi’s mind: Blah blah blah... you’ll be invincible!

’Take it!’

Qiao Xixi took the seed. Just as she was about to ask what kind of water she should put it in, she saw Yun Ji pluck a feather from his head and gently tap it against the tiger cub’s forehead.

Suddenly, a five-colored halo flashed. After the light dissipated, the fluffy tiger cub in her arms had transformed into a milky-white, smooth-skinned baby girl!

Qiao Xixi’s eyes widened in shock. In the beast-kin world, cubs generally only transformed into human form after six months, but her An’an was just over a month old!

’Who in the world is this male?’

Yun Ji stood up, his light gaze falling on Qiao Xixi. "I’ll await your good news. By the way, the Black Panther Tribe has run into some trouble. It’s nothing major, but as their Clan Leader, you should return to handle it as soon as possible."

The moment he finished speaking, he spread his massive wings and soared into the sky, disappearing into the deep blue expanse in the blink of an eye.

"Ma... Mama~"

Qiao Xixi’s attention was drawn by the baby’s soft voice. She looked down, her brow furrowing deeply. ’The Black Panther Tribe is in trouble?’

Before preparing to confront Tiger Beast City, she had learned that a Beast City was not allowed to harm beast-kin from tribes of any size without reason, or they would be punished by Beast King City.

If she hadn’t known this rule, she never would have gambled with the lives of the Black Panther Tribe’s beast-kin.

’Now that male says the Black Panther Tribe is in trouble... what kind of trouble?’

Seeing her mother ignore her, the cub anxiously reached out with her little hands to grab her hair. But having just transformed, she wasn’t yet used to her paws being hands and couldn’t control her fingers very well.

Nevertheless, the cub succeeded in pulling Qiao Xixi’s attention back to her.

The baby girl stared up at Qiao Xixi, her wide, gilded eyes almost identical to her father’s. Her head of slightly curled golden hair shimmered faintly in the sunlight, and her delicate features made her look like an exquisitely carved porcelain doll.

Qiao Xixi quickly retrieved a beast-pelt garment from her storage space and dressed her.

"An’an?"

The cub blinked her big eyes, tilting her head as she looked at Qiao Xixi.

Qiao Xixi couldn’t resist planting a kiss on her tender little cheek.

"Let’s head back first. Your father and the others will worry if they come back and can’t find us."

Qiao Xixi was right. When Jin Ling returned to the wooden cabin and found both mother and daughter missing, he nearly went mad with worry.

He immediately shifted into his beast form and let out a tiger’s roar into the forest. The roar, infused with soul beast energy, instantly reached the ears of Feiyan and the others.

The expressions on Feiyan and Sunxiao’s faces changed. Their first thought was that something had happened to Qiao Xixi, and they both dropped what they were doing and rushed toward the cabin.

Meanwhile, Qiao Xixi was also heading back into the forest with her cub, retracing her steps.

However, just as she was halfway there, her path was blocked.