"This is a transparent gas mask. I got it from the system, too."

’She had actually gotten it just in case. After all, she couldn’t let her cubs take such risks with her. She just never thought she’d actually have to use it.’

The little sprite told her that the drug Fengxuan had poured on the ground was essentially a hallucinogen. But its purity wasn’t very high, so a person had to inhale a certain amount before it took effect, which had given them time to put on their masks.

Still, catching Fengxuan this time was a pleasant surprise.

After Qiao Xixi finished speaking, none of the males responded. Each of their expressions just grew darker than the last.

Just then, a few small, round heads peeked in from the doorway. Seeing them, Qiao Xixi immediately shot them a look.

’Hurry in and rescue your poor mother!’

Qiao Qiao received Qiao Xixi’s distress signal and rushed in to hug her father’s thigh.

"Father, Mother made lots and lots of preparations, too."

Qiao Xixi nodded emphatically in agreement.

Sangqi glanced at his father, but seeing the bewildered look on his face, he obediently shut his mouth.

Qiao Lie walked over to Sunxiao and gently tugged on the corner of his father’s clothes. His voice was calm but firm. "We’re grown up now. We can protect Mother."

"Oof—"

"Xixi, what’s wrong?" The color drained from Jin Ling’s face when he heard her cry out.

Caught between laughter and tears, Qiao Xixi said, "The little one in my belly just kicked me. I think he’s saying... that he can protect Mother, too!"

Seeing that she really did seem to be fine, Jin Ling and the others finally let themselves relax a bit.

"Xixi, from now on, we want you to tell us about any plans you have, alright?"

Qiao Xixi nodded frantically. ’How could I possibly say no?’

’I didn’t tell them this time because I knew that if I had, they would have never agreed. That’s why I had to do it secretly.’

"Now that Fengxuan is captured, what’s your plan, Xixi?"

The corners of Qiao Xixi’s lips curled into a wicked smile. "He dared to target us. Of course we can’t let him off so easily. I’ve already got a plan."

Night deepened, shrouding the jail at the rear of the tribe in darkness. Only the cold moonlight illuminated a remote corner of the dungeon.

Fengxuan stood in the cell, his hands and feet bound by stone chains. Hearing footsteps outside the door, he slowly raised his eyelids.

The cell door opened, and Sangze, clad in black beast hides, walked in.

The moment he stepped into the cell, Fengxuan could clearly sense that Sangze’s aura was completely different from how it had been during the day. Fengxuan’s eyes lit up, his gaze locking greedily onto Sangze.

Sangze raised a demonic eyebrow, a ghost of a smile playing on his lips as he looked at him. "You seem very happy to see me, Priest."

"Of course I am. Sangze, as long as you’re willing to return to Tiger Beast City with me, the City Lord absolutely will not trouble the Divine Leopard Tribe."

At his words, Sangze suddenly let out a low chuckle, then, as if he couldn’t control himself, he burst out laughing. "HAHAHA! Priest, have you forgotten? You are in our hands now."

Fengxuan laughed as well. "And do you dare kill me?"

Sangze’s smile slowly faded.

Seeing this, Fengxuan’s laughter grew even more unrestrained. "So what if you’ve caught me? You all know perfectly well what I represent to Tiger Beast City. Kill a Priest of Beast City, and Tiger Beast City could flatten the entire Divine Leopard Tribe!"

It was precisely because he knew this that Fengxuan had dared to come straight to the Divine Leopard Tribe. He knew they wouldn’t actually do anything to him!

"Sangze, do you dare? HAHA—ARGH!"

Before Fengxuan could even close his laughing mouth, a pill was shoved down his throat.

The pill’s bitter taste instantly spread through his throat. He wanted to spit it out, but the pill dissolved the moment it entered his mouth. It was no use, no matter how much he tried to cough it up.

His heterochromatic pupils glinted with a demonic, cold light in the darkness.

"The little female was right. We don’t have to kill you, but there are a thousand ways to make your life a living hell. And you know, that actually sounds quite fun."

The color drained from Fengxuan’s face. The next second, an excruciating pain shot through every fiber of his being, and his whole body began to convulse.

"ARGH! You... what did you give me?! AHH!"

Fengxuan’s face was twisted in agony, and soon after, he began to vomit violently.

Sangze wrinkled his nose in disgust and took several steps back.

"How disgusting."

Fengxuan had never experienced such pain; it felt as if his very flesh and blood were being ripped from his bones, a fate that made him wish for death.

"You... you... you dare treat me like this... GACK!"

Sangze left the cell, looking disgusted.

Outside the door, Sunxiao stood protectively with Qiao Xixi.

Upon seeing Qiao Xixi, Sangze eagerly tried to sidle up to her, only to be blocked by a disgusted Sunxiao before he even got close.

"You stink."

Sangze sniffed at himself and looked even more disgusted.

"I’ll wash up as soon as I get back. The little female is sleeping with me tonight."

Qiao Xixi grinned at him, then snuggled deeper into Sunxiao’s arms.

Sangze raised an eyebrow. "Can’t bear to leave the big snake? Then how about the three of us, together?"

Qiao Xixi pretended not to hear. ’Are you kidding? If I put those two together tonight, they’d probably tear down the compound walls with their fighting.’

"That medicine seems to be quite effective."

Sangze shrugged. "How can he learn to be afraid if there’s no pain?"

"Good point. Let him suffer for a few more days."

By now, Sangze had managed to get behind Qiao Xixi. Just as he was about to wrap his arms around her waist, Sunxiao slapped his hand away.

"Big Snake!"

Qiao Xixi quickly hugged Sunxiao.

"Let’s head back first. I’m getting sleepy."

Sunxiao gave Sangze an indifferent look. "You’re a better match for Fengxuan."

Before Sangze could even react, Sunxiao shoved him into the cell, locked the door, then turned and walked away with Qiao Xixi in his arms.

Qiao Xixi glanced back at the cell door and whispered, "He’s not going to tear the jail apart, is he?"

Sunxiao’s expression was impassive. "If his nighttime self tears it down, his daytime self can fix it."

"That’s a great idea."

Qiao Xixi held a moment of silence for the innocent, daytime Sangze.

「In a cave outside the tribe.」

Yun Qi stared grimly at his hand, which was twisted and deformed from his injury.

Sitting beside him, Jin Che’s expression was just as grim. His injuries were even more severe than Yun Qi’s—and all of them had been inflicted by Jin Ling.

As the two sat in silence, a Golden Eagle Beast appeared at the mouth of the cave.

"Beast Guard Yun Qi, we just found the beastmen who attacked the city with the Priest. They said the Priest was most likely captured in the inner city."

The expressions on both Yun Qi and Jin Che’s faces instantly turned frightful.

"The Priest was captured!"

"Yes."

Jin Che’s face turned pale. "If something happens to the Priest, we’re as good as dead."

Yun Qi was more composed. "Fly back to Beast City immediately and explain the situation to the City Lord."

"Yes."

"Will they kill the Priest?" Jin Che asked uneasily.

Yun Qi’s face was grim. "Highly unlikely. They know perfectly well that killing a Priest is tantamount to declaring war on Tiger Beast City. Do they dare? They captured the Priest because they want to negotiate with us. So, for now, he should be safe."

Jin Che wasn’t as optimistic as Yun Qi. Even if the Priest didn’t die, their mission was a failure. He dreaded to think how he would face his father’s wrath upon his return.