Ruan Ning's voice trailed off, the blush on her cheeks spreading all the way to the tips of her ears.
She was still a little shy about initiating intimacy like this. After all, she had grown up pampered and put on a pedestal, with countless males practically begging to mate with her. Originally, she hadn't been in a rush. However, this beast hunt had given her a sense of urgency; she couldn't shake the feeling that something had happened between Xuan Ling and Ruan Fu behind her back.
This made it impossible for her to just wait around passively. Perhaps it was time to mate earlier than planned.
Xuan Ling didn't say a word. In his mind, Ruan Fu's misty brown eyes surfaced—along with her smile, which was both innocently naive and slyly cunning. His throat tightened. It wasn't as if he had never been comforted by a female before, but that one time had been far from enough.
The sudden rush of desire in this moment made it perfectly clear to Xuan Ling exactly what he wanted. He stopped in his tracks.
Seeing this, Ruan Ning nervously wrung her hands. Just as she was anticipating how Xuan Ling would initiate their mating, he set her down on the ground. A second later, a dry branch was shoved into her hand.
She stared at it, confused.
Ruan Ning looked at him in bewilderment. Her grip on the branch tightened until—SNAP—it broke in two. She bit her lip, listening to Xuan Ling speak in a stiff, methodical tone.
"Before we officially become mates, I think we should keep some distance. It's better for you this way," he said.
Ruan Ning sneered. If it were before, she would have endured it, but now she could only assume his rejection was because he had someone else. Thinking of the answer hidden deep in her heart, she took a step forward. However, her weak ankle gave out, sending her pitching forward and taking Xuan Ling down with her.
By the time she realized what had happened, she was straddling Xuan Ling's stomach, her hands pressed flat against his chest. Looking at his deeply furrowed brows, Ruan Ning knew she should get up immediately, but there would never be a better opportunity than this.
Recalling the techniques the clan elders had taught for comforting males, she carefully let her fingers brush against his ears in a seemingly unintentional manner. She swayed her hips slightly, making their physical contact even more intimate.
Noticing her movements, Xuan Ling's expression darkened drastically. With a heavy frown, he snapped coldly, "Get up!"
Ruan Ning shook her head. Steeling her resolve, she leaned down and kissed him directly on the lips.
The moment they made contact, a massive force threw her off, sending her crashing to the ground.
"Are you crazy?" Xuan Ling scolded coldly. His jaw was clenched tight, and the anger in his eyes was impossible to conceal.
Ruan Ning pressed her palms against the coarse rocks, her body trembling slightly. Being yelled at so fiercely made the tears welling in her eyes instantly spill over. She bit her lower lip, feeling deeply embarrassed and wronged.
"Oh? I haven't seen you two for just a little while, and what kind of play are you putting on here?"
Mo Ran's teasing voice shattered the delicate atmosphere. Ruan Ning quickly wiped her tears and turned her head away.
Suppressing his anger, Xuan Ling ignored Mo Ran's question and walked toward him. "How is it? Did you find anything?"
Mo Ran shook his head.
Xuan Ling's expression instantly turned gloomy. They had searched the entire bottom of the cliff, but aside from vines and branches, there was absolutely no sign of life. He feared Ruan Fu was...
Feeling a sudden weight, Xuan Ling looked over to see Mo Ran patting his shoulder comfortingly. "Why don't you escort Ruan Ning back first? It's been a few days. If you don't return soon, her clan might complain."
Both men turned to look at Ruan Ning at the same time. She was still sitting in the exact same position, looking exceptionally pitiful.
Mo Ran coughed lightly and reminded him, "Don't forget that she is the Holy Female. If something really happens to her, it won't be a problem you can easily solve."
Xuan Ling nodded, a flash of impatience crossing his eyes.
Seeing this, Mo Ran patted his shoulder again. "I'll be going then."
Xuan Ling gave a slight nod. With a long sigh, he walked back to Ruan Ning's side.
Meanwhile, Ruan Fu sat on Lei Jie's back, who had transformed into his tiger form. Her fingertips absentmindedly twirled the ring of silver-white mane around his neck. Warmth radiated through his thick fur, feeling slightly scorching against her skin. In the distance, she spotted the clan's massive gates, piled high with stacked stones.
"Let's stop here," Ruan Fu said, gently patting the sensitive area behind Lei Jie's ears. She felt his muscles instantly tense beneath her touch.
A hint of displeasure flashed through Lei Jie's eyes, but he still obediently lowered his body. The moment her feet touched the ground, Lei Jie shifted back into his human form. A beast skin hung loosely around his waist. He grabbed Ruan Fu's hand, his mismatched eyes brimming with deep affection.
"Are we really stopping just here?" he asked.
Ruan Fu nodded. "I can go back on my own. You don't need to worry."
She tried to pull her hand away and turn around, but Lei Jie grabbed her wrist and forcefully pulled her back into his embrace. His scorching body heat instantly enveloped her. She could feel his steady heartbeat and his chin continuously rubbing against the crook of her neck.
Tigers were still felines after all; when they got clingy, they were incredibly demanding. Lowering her gaze, Ruan Fu reached out and stroked the back of his neck, her voice as sweet as honey.
"Don't worry, I really will be fine."
Under Ruan Fu's repeated assurances, Lei Jie finally let go. He cast several reluctant glances at her before turning around to leave. Only when his silhouette completely vanished into the twilight did Ruan Fu let out a long sigh of relief.
She turned and walked toward the clan. Under the setting sun, the stone gates gleamed with a bronze-like luster. As soon as she reached the entrance, the guarding warrior immediately blocked her path, his rabbit ears fluffing up in high alert.
Ruan Fu was just about to explain when the guard's eyes suddenly widened. He instantly shouted at the top of his lungs, "Quick, go tell the Clan Leader! Ruan Fu has returned!"
Ruan Fu paused, her mouth twitching slightly as she watched the guard sprint toward the Clan Leader's cave. A rare sense of importance actually welled up in her heart. Shaking her head, she continued toward her own cave. However, she hadn't taken many steps when she saw Chief Nian standing beneath an ancient tree not far away, his figure looking somewhat frail.
He looked absolutely terrible. His eyes were bloodshot with heavy, dark circles beneath them, and his entire being exuded an aura of exhaustion and despair. Yet, the instant he saw Ruan Fu, his eyes lit up like a sudden spark igniting in the dark night. He strode toward her, practically sprinting, and pulled her into a tight, crushing hug.
His strength was astonishing, as if he wanted to meld her straight into his own body. Squeezed so tightly that she could barely breathe, Ruan Fu reached out and gently pushed against his chest. Only then did Chief Nian loosen his grip slightly. His deep voice rang by her ear, carrying a faint tremble.
"As long as you're okay."
With those words, he let go and quickly restored his usual restrained and calm demeanor.
"The Clan Leader is waiting for you. I'll take you there," Chief Nian spoke mechanically, turning around to lead the way. His steps remained steady, but Ruan Fu noticed that his fingers were trembling uncontrollably, as if he were trying desperately to suppress his emotions.
Taking in his brief loss of control, Ruan Fu silently followed behind him. The two remained wordless along the way, with only the sound of their footsteps echoing on the stone path.
By the time they reached Lu'er's cave, before Ruan Fu could even step inside, a wooden vessel suddenly flew out from within, hurtling straight at her. She instinctively squeezed her eyes shut, but the anticipated pain never came.
Chief Nian had shielded her with his body. The vessel struck his shoulder with a dull THUD, then rolled onto the ground, leaving behind a few droplets of blood. Opening her eyes, Ruan Fu saw the rabbit ears that had popped out in Chief Nian's moment of panic, along with the bloodstained vessel. Her heart gave a slight tremor, and she couldn't help but reach out to gently tug at the hem of his clothes.
Chief Nian turned his head and gave her a reassuring look, his gaze gentle yet resolute.
Heavy footsteps echoed from within the cave, and Lu'er's figure appeared at the entrance. He was fuming with rage, but upon seeing Chief Nian standing protectively in front of Ruan Fu, his expression shifted slightly.
Glaring fiercely at Ruan Fu, he ordered coldly, "Come inside first."