Chapter 29: With Ulterior Motives

Yeling raised an eyebrow, a mocking smile playing on his lips. "What, were you hoping her ability was of the healing variety?"

Qingzhu rolled his eyes, retorting irritably, "It's not about what I hope for; it's what I saw with my own eyes in the Tagel Forest. I saw her use her ability to treat her face. The acne and pustules on her skin were cleared up that way, and she expelled a lot of black, filthy sludge. It absolutely disgusted me."

Recalling the scene in the forest—the dark, foul-smelling, thick layer of gunk covering her entire face—he still felt a sense of revulsion.

Yeling, Molin, and Xuanming were all slightly stunned. They had noticed that Su Xiyue’s face had become much more refined, but they hadn't known the cause. To think it was actually her own ability that had healed her. Put this way, it was indeed possible she possessed a healing ability.

Seeing the shock on the three men's faces, Qingzhu felt satisfied with the effect and continued, "If her ability really is healing, it might not be a bad thing for us."

The beast world was fraught with danger; hunting trips were frequent, and sustaining injuries or bleeding was a common occurrence. Having a healer nearby would ensure they could receive timely treatment.

Yeling snapped back to reality, a thoughtful glint in his silver eyes, though his thoughts remained hidden. Molin and Xuanming were much the same. Without another word, the four of them went back to their respective caves to rest.

Meanwhile, Mia returned to her own cave, filled with jealousy and resentment. She didn't sleep a wink all night; her mind was occupied by the image of Su Xiyue’s increasingly delicate face and the way Yeling had stood up for her. The more she thought about it, the angrier and more miserable she became, to the point where she had no desire to mate with Langya.

Langya, like a rutting male wolf, tried several times to get close and mate, only to be pushed away by her agitation.

"Don't touch me. I'm not in the mood tonight." She looked impatient, her expression sour.

After being pushed away repeatedly, Langya’s face grew dark. He frowned at her, displeased. "Mia, what is wrong with you? If I remember correctly, it’s my turn tonight, isn't it?"

Mia had seven beast-husbands who took turns at night. After waiting so long for his turn, he was naturally frustrated to be rejected.

Mia, already in a foul temper, flared up. "What? Did I not satisfy you before? Can you not wait a moment?"

Langya’s face turned black. Having to wait seven days for a turn, he was anything but satisfied, but he swallowed his words and did not lash out. After all, Mia was the most beautiful female in the tribe, and he had pursued her for a long time before finally becoming one of her husbands. Still, feeling aggrieved, he muttered, "What kind of talk is that? We are mates; isn't it only natural to be intimate?"

Mia sneered, her eyes full of mockery. "Mates? You’re all just salivating over my body, wanting me to bear your cubs."

Langya was left speechless, unable to refute her, for it was the truth. When he had first pursued her, it was out of affection, but also, naturally, the desire for offspring. Of course, the primary draw was her body.

"And have you borne me any cubs? Don't forget, we've been together for years now," Langya couldn't help but retort. Even though he longed for cubs, he had never blamed her for it, assuming they were both still young.

Mia’s face changed at the mention of this. Having cubs wasn't something she alone could decide. Furthermore, she didn't want to get pregnant so soon; not only would it be a hassle to care for a child, but her figure would also lose its shape. What if Yeling and Molin—whom she hadn't yet won over—were put off by that?

"I'm not in the mood tonight. Go sleep outside," she said coldly, turning her back on him.

Langya’s face was grim. He clenched his fists, only to let them go helplessly. If he couldn't touch her tonight, he would have to wait another seven days. Was she trying to drive him mad?

"If that’s how it is, don't blame me for finding another female," Langya declared before turning to leave. He was boiling with frustration and desperately needed an outlet, or he wouldn't be able to sleep at all.

Mia scoffed, indifferent. If Langya dared to seek out another female, she would simply find another husband. After all, there were plenty of males eager to become her mate.

Langya heard her scoff and paused for a moment, but he did not turn back, striding out of the cave instead. He was afraid that if he stayed any longer, he would explode with rage.

Mia watched his departing back with a sneer. Then, thinking of Yeling and Su Xiyue, her expression darkened again. She gritted her teeth and whispered, "Su Xiyue, I won't let you have an easy life."

Elsewhere, Su Xiyue had finished her chores. She folded the furs on her stone bed and cleared out an empty basket to store her furs and skirts. She had padded the stone bed with a layer of thick, dried grass beneath a stack of stitched-together furs to make it softer and prevent her back from aching against the hard stone.

Smelling the sweat on her body and realizing she hadn't bathed, she took a clean fur skirt and headed to the river. On her way back, she spotted Mia’s husband, Langya, and Mia’s sister, Miyao, hiding behind a large rock, whispering in low voices.

Su Xiyue frowned, a strange feeling stirring in her heart. Although she didn't want to meddle in others' affairs, she couldn't help but be curious about what they were hiding to discuss in the middle of the night.

She lightened her footsteps and crept closer to the boulder. As the distance closed, their conversation became clearer.

"Langya, you said I'm better looking than my sister. Is that true? You aren't just lying to me, are you?" Miyao touched her own face, blushing slightly as she spoke in a whisper. She knew she wasn't as pretty as Mia and that Langya was just trying to please her, but she couldn't help but feel happy. Her vanity was greatly satisfied.

Langya looked at Miyao—whose face, while less striking than Mia’s, was younger and more innocent, and whose figure was well-proportioned—and felt a fire in his veins. She lacked the explosive, curvy impact of Mia, but in his current state of agitation, the six-out-of-ten beauty of Miyao seemed like a nine to him.

His Adam's apple bobbed as he stared at her with burning eyes, his voice raspy. "It is the truth. You are purer than your sister, and you are kinder and wiser. Just looking at you makes me feel at ease."

Though the words were somewhat insincere, they weren't entirely false. Mia was arrogant and hot-tempered, and the seven of them had to constantly accommodate her moods. Miyao, by comparison, was gentle and virtuous.

Miyao blushed deeply at his praise, shyly asking, "Then do you prefer my sister, or someone like me?"

Langya answered without hesitation, "Of course, someone like you." With that, he took her hand and leaned in to kiss the back of it. Seeing she didn't refuse, he grew bolder.

Miyao’s face was flushed, her eyes filled with mockery. *Sister, oh sister, you probably never imagined that your own husband would betray you tonight.* She didn't particularly like Langya, but she didn't refuse him either, happily playing along.

In the beast world, customs were open; females could have multiple husbands, and she didn't mind snatching Langya away. For one thing, Langya was a fourth-tier peak warrior and quite handsome—perhaps not on par with Yeling or Molin, but superior to most in the tribe.

With this in mind, she hooked her arms around Langya’s neck and purred, "I like you too. You look so strong; it's easy to like you."

"Hehe," Langya chuckled, his actions becoming even more daring.

With ulterior motives on both sides, the two quickly fell into each other's arms.