Translator: CinderTL
Dawn broke on the horizon, birds chirped, and insects buzzed, ushering in another clear day.
Xun Ancai's rosy cheeks glowed with contentment. Her animal hide had vanished, and her long eyelashes fluttered as she slowly opened her eyes. Reaching out, she found Xu Sanyan's figure was already gone from beside her.
"Ah!"
Xun Ancai gasped, jolting upright. Her chest heaved, and a closer look revealed a faint, lingering bite mark.
Last night felt like a fleeting dream, leaving her with an inexplicable sense of emptiness. She feared opening her eyes only to discover it had all been a figment of her imagination.
"Where are my clothes?"
Xun Ancai frantically searched around, finally finding the animal hide beneath her. Touching it, she noticed it was still damp. Bringing it to her nose, she wrinkled her nose in disgust and waved her hand dismissively.
"What's that smell?"
The fishy stench reeked of long-dead fish.
Grabbing some nearby weeds, Xun Ancai scrubbed the hide vigorously until the odor lessened before putting it on.
"Where's my man?"
Xun Ancai rushed out of the house, her eyes darting left and right before settling on the three-headed dog lying on the ground. "Where's my man?"
"Woof!"
The three-headed dog barked in a specific direction.
"Move it!"
Xun Ancai kicked the dog, urging it to lead the way.
The three-headed dog trotted ahead, sniffing the ground intermittently. They hadn't gone far when they spotted Xu Sanyan in the distance, hacking at a tree with a long blade.
A stack of six or seven processed tree trunks lay on the ground, indicating he'd been working for some time.
"What are you doing?" Xun Ancai asked, tilting her head as she approached.
Xu Sanyan turned, driving the blade into the tree with a thud. "Building a wall for our place."
The long blade was from his storage pouch.
He wasn't comfortable doing such things in public, and since he figured they'd be staying here for a while, a wall seemed like a good idea.
"I'll help you."
Xun Ancai, strong as an ox, hefted four tree trunks in her arms and strode toward the house. Glancing at the three-headed dog at her feet, she added, "Don't just stand there either."
With that, she placed a log on the three-headed dog's heads. The three heads took turns supporting the log as they trotted home.
"Woof!"
The three-headed dog carried the log with ease.
Xu Sanyan, estimating they had enough wood, stopped chopping and followed them back along the path.
Thump!
The log landed with a thud. Xun Ancai clapped her hands and turned to Xu Sanyan. "You take care of this. I'm going hunting."
"Hmm... I'll come too," Xu Sanyan said after a moment's thought. He was curious about the strength of the beasts in this secret realm.
"Alright, but stay close. The wilderness is dangerous," Xun Ancai said, her reluctance evident but her heart unwilling to refuse.
Besides, she had her own ulterior motive: to show Xu Sanyan how strong she was. Only strong women deserved to have men!
"Okay," Xu Sanyan said, handing her his knife. "Here, take this."
Xun Ancai accepted the knife with curiosity, tested its sharpness, and nodded in satisfaction. "Good stuff."
"Let's go."
The two humans and the three-headed dog set off into the wilderness.
Deep within the dense forest, Xun Ancai moved cautiously ahead, her eyes darting around as she focused intently on sensing the surrounding atmosphere.
Xu Sanyan followed about ten paces behind her, maintaining a distance that would allow Xun Ancai to react swiftly to any danger he might encounter.
The three-headed dog trotted beside Xu Sanyan, its multiple heads alert and scanning the surroundings for threats.
The trio had been traveling for nearly half a day, and they were now quite a distance from the Dog Clan's territory.
"Coo-coo~"
Bird calls echoed intermittently through the forest, creating an illusion of tranquility. Yet beneath this peaceful facade lurked countless hidden dangers.
Xun Ancai suddenly stopped, and Xu Sanyan halted behind her. Peering past her shoulder, he saw a beast resting ahead.
The creature resembled a tiger-leopard hybrid, with a tiger-like head and a calf-like body covered in light brown fur. It lay sprawled on the ground, seemingly asleep, but its erect ears betrayed its vigilance.
Xun Ancai's eyes lit up with excitement. Looks like we're in luck today. We've found prey so quickly!
The beast's ears twitched, its nostrils flared, as if sensing imminent danger. Its eyes snapped open, fixing their gaze directly on Xun Ancai's hiding place.
Realizing she had been discovered, Xun Ancai abandoned all pretense of concealment. With a silent surge, she burst from her hiding spot, her long blade flashing with a cold, sharp light as she swung it down in a swift, decisive strike.
"Roar~"
The beast flipped to its feet, its fangs bared in a thunderous roar that shook the heavens. Razor-sharp claws extended from its padded paws as it launched itself into the air with a powerful leap.
But instead of charging forward, it retreated, evading Xun Ancai's long blade.
This creature wasn't one to rush into battle blindly. It first assessed its opponent's strength while searching for weaknesses.
But Xun Ancai gave it no time to observe. Her second strike followed immediately after the first missed.
Though she had never wielded a blade before, her innate combat instincts allowed her to master the long blade instantly. Combined with her lightning-fast movements, the weapon became an extension of her will.
From a distance, she resembled a bolt of lightning, appearing suddenly beside the beast. The long blade slashed through the air, aimed directly at its head.
The muscles rippled beneath Xun Ancai's slightly tanned skin, and her fierce expression added to her unique, savage charm.
Violent aesthetics!
"Woof!"
The dog's bark snapped Xu Sanyan out of his daze. The three-headed dog had silently flanked the beast, coordinating with Xun Ancai in a flawless pincer attack.
Even Xu Sanyan, a veteran of countless battles, couldn't help but be impressed. He slammed his hand on the table and roared his approval.
"Roar!"
The beast was no pushover. Cornered, it unleashed its primal fury. Arching its back slightly, it braced its limbs and lunged forward, its gleaming fangs aimed for Xun Ancai's throat.
Sizz—
Xun Ancai dodged the vital strike, simultaneously flipping her long blade mid-air. The razor-sharp edge sliced across the beast's flank, instantly carving a bloody gash.
But she wasn't unscathed. Though she avoided the beast's fangs, its sharp claws raked across her abdomen, tearing open the flesh and drawing blood. Fortunately, the wound was shallow, missing her vital organs.
Woof!
The three-headed dog seized the opportunity to harass the beast, its clever tactics biting and retreating, protecting itself while keeping the creature distracted.
Ignoring the wound on her abdomen, Xun Ancai's eyes flashed with determination. She hurled her long blade forward.
Thwack!
The beast dodged the blade, which buried itself deep into a tree trunk.
Before it could recover, Xun Ancai had already closed the distance, abandoning her weapon for hand-to-hand combat!
Xu Sanyan raised an eyebrow. This girl's fierce!
Roar!
The beast whirled around to attack the three-headed dog, giving Xun Ancai the chance to leap onto its back. She swung her fist in a wide arc, delivering a crushing blow to the creature's skull.
Thud!
The muffled impact staggered the beast, a testament to the force of her strike.
Xu Sanyan clicked his tongue inwardly. He knew firsthand the extent of Xun Ancai's strength—last night, she had nearly crushed him to death...
(End of the Chapter)
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