Chapter 9

Before she even reached the cave, Cheng Youyou caught sight of a faint flicker of firelight from within Mu Feng’s cave. She froze mid-step, second thoughts bubbling up.

Could it be that Mu Yu hadn’t gone hunting with Ji Xuan? If so, who lit that fire?

If Mu Yu was still home and caught her sneaking in to see Mu Feng, she was sure he’d skin her leopard hide. But giving up now would be a betrayal to her aching, trembling legs.

She held her breath, tiptoeing toward the cave like a sneaky cat. If she saw Mu Yu inside, she’d bolt without a second’s hesitation.

Peeking in with one eye, she scanned the cave. Relief washed over her—thank goodness, the ultra-alpha beastman wasn’t home.

The fire in the central pit was nearly out. He must’ve lit it before leaving.

She hadn’t had a chance to properly look around yesterday when she’d suddenly appeared here. Compared to her father’s cave, this one was much smaller and emptier—quiet and cold. Only the unusually large stone bed seemed out of place in the sparse cave.

Mu Feng lay in the center of the bed, eyes closed, covered with a beast-hide blanket. The firelight danced across his delicate face, casting a warm glow on his pale skin. His refined features threw alluring shadows on the stone walls—a perfect picture of a sickly beauty.

She could understand why the original host had resorted to drugging him—who could resist someone this stunning?

“The original host really wasn’t human. If someone this beautiful were ruined, it’d be a crime against nature. Genes like these should be preserved—for the good of the beast-world.”

Beneath the beast-hide, Mu Feng’s hand clenched the moment that familiar, repulsive scent approached the cave. Who else could it be but her?

He’d expected her usual clownish antics—but something felt different. Her scent wasn’t as overpowering as before. And the way she looked at him now wasn’t sticky or repulsive—it was appreciative?

Even more baffling were her muttered words. Genes? Benefiting the beast-world? He didn’t understand a word.

She leaned closer, her warm breath brushing his face. He frowned, fists tightening under the blanket. Was that a woody fragrance in her breath? He had to be losing it.

Cheng Youyou was usually lazy and filthy—her stench could be smelled from three caves away. There was no way she smelled good. His nose must’ve been ruined by her stench. Just as he cracked open one eye, he saw her raise her right hand, eyes closed, and a soft white light emerged from her palm. The light enveloped him completely—warm and comforting, like being cradled in his mother’s arms as a cub.

The fire flickered, illuminating the sweat glistening on her face. What was she doing? She looked like she was struggling. Her strange silver eyes reflected the firelight, filled with quiet curiosity as she watched her own mysterious actions.

Overusing her ability had made Cheng Youyou dizzy. She swayed, barely able to stand. Suddenly, a broad, warm hand grabbed her wrist and steadied her. She opened her eyes—and met a pair of dazzling silver pupils, sparkling like shattered stars.

Mu Feng had somehow sat up on the bed, and the warmth on her wrist came from his hand.

Cheng Youyou jumped in shock, her dizzy head instantly cleared. She’d been caught red-handed. She straightened up, ready to flee, but his grip was like iron—she couldn’t budge.

His voice rang out like jade striking stone, making her heart skip a beat. “What are you doing?”

Faced with Mu Feng’s beauty and voice combo attack, Cheng Youyou’s brain lagged a beat. “Um… I said I came to heal you. Do you believe me?”

She was telling the truth, but even she didn’t believe how ridiculous that sounded. The original host had a record of sneaking into beast-husbands’ caves at night, trying to climb into their beds. It was a common occurrence.

Under his silver gaze, her voice grew smaller and weaker.

Mu Feng’s eyes shifted, and his thin lips curled into a smile. “Thank you, my female.”

His sudden change of tone left Cheng Youyou stunned. Was this the right reaction? Shouldn’t he be yelling at her, calling her shameless, and kicking her out? Had her ability malfunctioned in this beast-world? Had she healed the wrong part and made Mu Feng dumb?

If Mu Yu came back, he’d probably eat her alive. She nervously glanced at a certain part of Mu Feng, then back at his face. His smile remained perfectly composed, but it made her heart race.

“Do you feel any discomfort? Like dizziness, headaches, or anything off?”

Mu Feng tilted his face—so flawless it could rival Nuwa’s craftsmanship—and shook his head gently. “Thank you for your concern, my female. I’m fine.”

Oh heavens, who could resist this?

Cheng Youyou felt her nose nearly bleed. She swallowed hard. “Well, since you’re fine, you should rest early. I’ll head back.”

“It’s late, my female. Why not rest here tonight?”

“No need!” she blurted, fleeing the cave like a ghost was chasing her.

Watching her retreating figure, Mu Feng’s smile suddenly vanished. His silver eyes gleamed with a cold light. His gaze dropped to his left leg beneath the beast-hide. The chronic ache had eased significantly. He snorted. “So she really did come to heal me. How interesting.”

Back in her own cave, Cheng Youyou yawned wide, her ability completely drained. Too tired to care about her smell and afraid of dirtying the stone bed, she slumped against the stone platform by the fire and fell asleep.

Whether it was her sleeping posture or something else, the moment she closed her eyes, she began to dream.

First, a giant white tiger swallowed her whole—bones and all. Then, a golden lion swiped her arm clean off, pain slicing to the bone. Next, a white fox’s silver eyes froze her into an icicle, cold piercing every inch of her body. Finally, a black dragon coiled around her, twisting until she couldn’t breathe.

That night, Cheng Youyou slept terribly.