Chapter 7

Xue Youchen’s mind once again flashed with the image of that female’s clear, expressive eyes. It seemed impossible, yet the intense bloodline connection was unmistakable—he could not have been wrong.

“Someone, come!”

At his command, Xue Feng and Xue Lei instantly appeared before him, kneeling with reverence.

“Your Majesty!”

“Find out everything about that female,” Xue Youchen ordered.

Though surprised, Xue Feng and Xue Lei quickly concealed their reactions. “Yes, Your Majesty. Rest assured, we will not fail in our duty.”

Their senses were incredibly sharp—if any trace of her aura remained, they would be able to track her down. At this moment, their king had just endured the tribulation of lightning to reach the ninth tier. He was still in a weakened state, needing several days to stabilize his newfound strength. It was crucial for him to remain in the Snow Wolf Tribe for now. Otherwise, if anyone attempted an attack—on him or the tribe—it would be a grave risk. Still, across the Beast World, few possessed the power to rival their king. Yet the Beast World was not without the Demon Tribe. That was why, in times like these, they handled matters on his behalf.

They were astonished—someone had schemed against their king, yet he had emerged unscathed. It was nothing short of incredible. More surprising still, he had issued no kill order. Could that female truly hold some special significance for him?

Did this mean there might soon be a queen?

Then again, perhaps she was merely different from the others—but not enough to be named queen. After all, their king was an exalted figure, and a queen’s status should match his own.

Once his subordinates departed, the calm depths of Xue Youchen’s gaze rippled ever so slightly.

Thinking of her heated breaths from last night—her restrained yet alluring presence—Xue Youchen found himself unable to focus on his cultivation.

Closing his eyes, he lay down to rest. At some point, he drifted into sleep. But in his dreams, vivid and intimate scenes emerged. When he woke again, a faint redness tinged the corners of his eyes.

In a flash, his figure disappeared like the wind, plunging into the icy depths of the Snow Valley’s cold spring. Shrouded in a mist of frost, his silhouette flickered between visibility and obscurity.

The guards stationed at the valley’s perimeter heard the movement and immediately knew it was their king. For a moment, they were shocked. They were well aware of his obsession with cleanliness—his meticulous habits required him to bathe daily. He often came to the cold spring. Yet for him to come here in the dead of night was truly unexpected. Still, they dared not question it.

…

Meanwhile, after a satisfying meal, Ye Baizhi lay down to sleep on the stone bed. In the middle of the night, she found herself in a hazy dream—a pure white, beautiful little snow wolf appeared before her. Soft and adorable, its bright eyes blinked at her, so charmingly innocent that it could melt anyone’s heart.

At dawn the next day, Ye Baizhi sat on the stone bed, taking in the simplicity of the cave and courtyard. She thought about how the living conditions could be improved in the future.

In the cold northern climate, although their rabbit beast forms provided natural warmth with their fur, winter brought heavy snow that sealed the mountains, making the icy air unbearable. During that time, hunting became difficult, and staying holed up in the cave meant dealing with both hunger and the bitter cold. Now that autumn had just begun, the weather was still manageable—an ideal time to prepare in advance.

With these thoughts in mind, Ye Baizhi got up, intending to make breakfast, only to find that her mother and elder brother had already done so. They had used some of the leftover fish meatballs from the previous day to make a warm soup.

The family sat together to enjoy breakfast. Sipping the steaming fish meatball soup, Ye Lu and Ye Chuan felt a deep sense of contentment.

The tribes in the Beast World had large appetites. Early in the morning, they finished the leftover fish meatballs from the night before, but Ye Lu and Ye Chuan only managed to fill their stomachs slightly—they weren’t truly satisfied. Ye Baizhi realized that she, too, was only half-full. This wasn’t a sustainable way to live.

After breakfast, Ye Lu set out to hunt.

Ye Chuan planned to join the village’s foraging team to gather food from the forest. In the Rabbit Tribe, people could hunt or forage on their own, or they could team up for safety and efficiency. Though Ye Chuan had lost his former strength, he was once a fifth-tier warrior—a powerful figure who had protected and saved many in the tribe. Even now, without his former abilities, his status remained respected, and his uncle’s position as the tribe’s leader ensured that people still looked after him.

A few second and third-tier rabbit beasts decided to explore nearby areas together, hoping to find food or hunt small wild animals. If they gathered enough, they could all eat their fill.

Ye Baizhi wanted to join Ye Chuan’s group, but he was initially hesitant, worried for her safety. Seeing his sister’s determined expression, Ye Chuan couldn’t bring himself to refuse her. So when he led Ye Baizhi along to search for food, the others didn’t look pleased.

Qiu Shi spoke up. “Ye Chuan, you know we’re here to find food, and danger could come at any moment. Are you sure you want to bring your sister along?”

Lin Caocao eyed Ye Baizhi warily, tension clear in her expression. She had heard rumors about Ye Baizhi and feared that in a crisis, Ye Baizhi might even turn on her own people.

Ye Baizhi calmly said, “Don’t worry, everyone. I won’t slow you down.”

“If danger arises, you don’t need to worry about me.”

Her main reason for coming along was her concern for her brother. Besides, strength lay in numbers, and she also hoped to build better relationships within the tribe.

In the Beast World, most creatures lived in groups. If she wanted to live peacefully with her family, she couldn’t afford to be ostracized. The Rabbit Tribe was generally good-natured, with simpler minds.

Hearing Ye Baizhi’s words, the others could no longer refuse.

Ye Chuan clenched his bone knife tightly, thinking that if danger struck, he would protect his sister at all costs—even though she seemed stronger than him.

With that, the group of six set off.

The two female beasts glanced at Ye Baizhi’s basket curiously but, finding her difficult to approach, didn’t ask any questions.

Not long after entering the forest, Ye Baizhi spotted a radish. Her eyes lit up—indeed, the Beast World’s primeval forests were filled with hidden treasures. She grabbed her bone knife and started digging into the soil.

Seeing his sister’s actions, Ye Chuan said, “Sister, let me help you.”

Qiu Shi’s sister, Qiu Cai, scoffed. “Ye Chuan, what are you two doing? Why waste time digging up grass?”

“Exactly. It’s already mid-morning—we need to hurry and gather more fruit so this trip won’t be wasted.”

“The weather will only get colder. Before winter arrives, we need to store enough food, or else we’ll freeze or starve.”

The tribes in the northern region often envied those from other areas, who had better environments for survival. Many wished to migrate, but it wasn’t easy. To them, Ye Baizhi’s actions seemed bizarre, and they couldn’t understand why Ye Chuan indulged his sister without question. They tried to make them see what was truly important.

Ye Baizhi understood their limited perspective. To them, these were just wild plants, not food.

Once she dug up a large radish, her face broke into a smile.

“This is food too. It’s a radish—perfectly edible.”

The others stared in astonishment. Food growing underground?

To them, what Ye Baizhi held looked like a large fruit—something that resembled food. They had simply never imagined food could be found buried in the ground. It completely shattered their understanding.