Beast World: A Fragile Beauty Blessed with Many Children-Chapter 329 - 328: This Is the Betrothal Gift

Beastmen’s emotions weren’t as profound. For males, their feelings toward females and cubs were more about instinct and responsibility. And since females could have many Beast Husbands and cubs, they also tended to view life and death with a certain detachment.

However, Li Gu was an emotional female. Her son and several Beast Husbands had been killed one after another, and this intense grief had her constantly in tears. Coupled with the poor sanitary conditions of the Beastmen, frequent eye-rubbing could lead to corneal infections, damage, and eventual blindness. That much was plausible.

But for Yin Jiang’s Grandma to go blind right after was a bit strange.

Grandma was old and could no longer bear children. Her Beast Husbands were from many years ago; by now, some were dead and others were crippled. Any decent food from their hunts, she gave to her son, the Clan Leader.

They say illness enters through the mouth. Grandma’s food came from none other than her own Beast Husbands and sons...

The female cave was located on the edge of Eagle Cliff, only five or six meters above the ground. It was a very large, natural, wind-eroded cavern.

Those who were slightly better off had carved shallow alcoves into the stone wall. Most, however, simply leaned against the cliff face, building nests out of dry branches and straw, covered by a dusty, patched-together Beast Skin.

Before they even got close, Si Shuo caught a strong, foul stench that almost made her gag. She couldn’t help but ask Yin Jiang, "Yin Jiang, does every territory have a female cave? Are the conditions in all of them as terrible as this?"

Yin Jiang squeezed her hand and nodded. "Yes. Many females with low fertility, physical disabilities, or whose Beast Husbands have died, leaving them with no males to protect them, basically all end up in the female cave. They rely on... rely on the males who visit the female cave for scraps of food to survive."

Hearing the heavy breathing and a certain intense rhythm from inside, his face darkened. He put up a Protective Shield around the two of them, blocking them from outside ears and sealing out the smells and sounds.

Si Shuo kept her eyes fixed straight ahead, following Yin Jiang and Ren Qiu deeper into the female cave. From time to time, young females would come up and pull at Ren Qiu.

Ren Qiu blushed and dodged away, quickening his pace toward the entrance of a shallow alcove. He smiled and said softly, "Aunt Li Gu, look who’s here!"

Hearing the noise, a female fumbled her way out from inside, followed by a little one who was spreading its wings, trying to look fierce.

The female’s hair was dirty and matted, obscuring most of her face, and a foul odor emanated from her body. She stopped as soon as she was in a patch of light, her skin feeling a bit of warmth, and then moved no more. She smiled and asked, "Ren Qiu, who is it? Don’t keep me in suspense."

"Aunt Li Gu," Yin Jiang called out, his voice choked with emotion. It was the first time he had seen her in such a wretched state.

Li Gu froze for a moment. Then she took a step forward, clenching her fists nervously, and asked with excitement, "It’s Yin Jiang, isn’t it? Yin Jiang, you’re back?"

"Yes, Aunt Li Gu. I’ve brought my female, Si Shuo, to see you." 𝙛𝓻𝒆𝒆𝒘𝙚𝓫𝙣𝙤𝒗𝙚𝓵.𝙘𝙤𝙢

"Hello, Aunt Li Gu," Si Shuo greeted with a gentle smile.

"Oh, my! Yes, yes, good, it’s good that you’re all here," Li Gu said, wanting to invite them in. But her home was a filthy mess, and since she was blind, she needed help with many things.

She didn’t like to trouble others and was just making do, having lost her former fastidiousness. "Let’s go talk outside, shall we? Bo’er, help your mother. We’ll go talk with your brother and sister-in-law at the entrance. Besides, it’s been a long time since Mother has felt the warmth of the sun."

The Little Golden Eagle, who had only recently gained the ability of Transformation, grunted in acknowledgment and changed into a thin, pale male cub. He too was filthy, but his chestnut-brown eyes were bright and full of deep wariness.

He took Li Gu’s arm, leading her and the others outside. He carefully guided her around the uneven ground, occasionally calling out a warning.

Si Shuo looked at the mother and son, then glanced back at the female cave, which offered no privacy whatsoever. ’If I give them anything,’ she thought, ’they probably won’t be able to hold onto it, will they?’

After descending the stone steps, they walked for another hundred meters or so before stopping to sit on the ground.

"Yin Jiang, your mother always longed for the day you’d bring a female home. It’s a pity she didn’t live to see it, and now your aunt can’t even get a good look at what a wonderful female our Yin Jiang has found," Li Gu said with a soft laugh.

Si Shuo let go of Yin Jiang’s hand and stepped forward.

Li Gu felt a breeze carrying the scent of peach blossoms wash over her, and then someone gently brushed her hair from her face. She instinctively tried to pull back, but Si Shuo held her by the chin.

"Aunt Li Gu, don’t move. Let me see your eyes," Si Shuo said with a light smile. "I am a Female Saint. I awakened a Wood Element Ability, so my perception of plant properties is a bit better than others. I can compound some elixirs."

Li Gu dazedly allowed Si Shuo to examine her, desperately suppressing the hope that was bubbling up inside.

Her eyes were a light brown, clear yet dull and lifeless, just like her life as a Beastman—the door to all beauty and hope had been slammed shut in her face!

Si Shuo pressed her lips together and took out a Bone Marrow Cleansing and Vein Cutting Pill. She said in a slightly more serious tone, "Aunt Li Gu, I have an elixir here. Its effects work on the entire body, removing hidden ailments that have built up over the years and cleansing toxins and impurities. The only thing is, this elixir isn’t easy to refine. After you take it, don’t tell anyone. Just say that the blindness from all your crying was only temporary, and that once the film over your eyes healed, your sight returned."

Aunt Li Gu hurriedly shook her head. "An elixir this precious... you should keep it. I have Bo’er to look after, and with the help of our clan, I can get by."

Yin Jiang chimed in to persuade her, "Aunt Li Gu, if Song Jian were still alive, he would pay any price to get this elixir for you.

Only if you take it and your sight is restored can you properly protect this Little Golden Eagle."

Aunt Li Gu pressed her lips together. Life in the female cave was hard. If she hadn’t made herself filthy and smelly, and even pretended to be crazy from time to time, she would have long since become a tool for the males of the clan to find their release.

During countless difficult days and nights, she would hold Li Bo, cover his ears, and think over and over, ’If only I had been stronger, if my eyes hadn’t gone blind, if I had pulled myself out of my grief and found a few strong, able-bodied males who were excellent hunters... then my son and I wouldn’t be suffering like this.’

Suddenly, a tiny, child-like voice piped up, "Little Golden Eagle, you can be my child husband! This elixir is the betrothal gift!"

The Little Golden Eagle was so startled his feathers puffed out. He flapped his wings and took a big step back, looking warily and fiercely in the direction of the voice.

To his surprise, it was a beautiful white Hunting Falcon. She tilted her head and chirped with a smile, "Hello there, Little Golden Eagle! My Father is Yin Jiang, and my name is Yuanyuan. I’ll let you in on a secret... I’m a little female who can use Transformation."

"How about you be my future Beast Husband? We can soar through the skies together..."

Both Si Shuo and the invisible Wei Ce’s faces darkened. ’Who is this little female cub who doesn’t know the first thing about modesty?!’ they thought. ’She’s so desperate for a child husband that she’s gone and changed her father!’

The other little female cubs were kicking themselves. ’Why were we just watching the drama? How did we not think of that?!’

Even Yin Jiang was surprised into a cough. He nodded with a smile and said, "My little cub is a bit mischievous."