Translator: CinderTL
Roar~
The beast's roars grew fainter. Fine beads of sweat appeared on Xun Ancai's forehead. After a dozen more punches, the creature finally went still.
Huff~
Xun Ancai exhaled deeply, but instead of resting, she turned to retrieve her long blade from the tree. She hoisted the beast onto her shoulder and turned back toward their camp.
"Let's hurry. We're near the Bear Clan's territory. We don't want to run into any of their people."
"Mm."
Xu Sanyan followed closely behind her. Fortunately, nothing unexpected occurred.
"Wait."
Xu Sanyan stopped her. He pulled down his sleeve, tore it into strips, and carefully bandaged the wound on her abdomen.
Xun Ancai stood obediently with the beast on her shoulder, letting him tend to her. A subtle joy shone in her eyes.
In the past, whenever she was injured, she would hide alone at home, silently licking her wounds like a solitary little beast. This was the first time she had ever received such care from another person, and it stirred her heart deeply.
Is this what it feels like to have a man?
No wonder everyone wants to get married.
As Xun Ancai watched Xu Sanyan meticulously tend to her wound, her large eyes overflowed with affection. She couldn't help but grin foolishly.
Xu Sanyan hunched slightly, his head tilted upward. The moment their eyes met, he knew he had completely won her over.
If he were in danger now, Xun Ancai would undoubtedly risk everything to save him.
Sometimes, emotional bonds are more reliable than power, especially with someone as pure-hearted as Xun Ancai.
"I love you so much..." Xun Ancai no longer felt any physical pain, her heart overflowing with sweetness.
"Don't talk nonsense. Let's go," Xu Sanyan said, patting her shapely rear.
"Mm."
By the time they returned to the Dog Clan, dusk had already fallen.
Despite having gone without food all day, Xun Ancai remained full of energy, as if she possessed an inexhaustible wellspring of vitality.
Xu Sanyan, on the other hand, was so hungry his stomach felt like it was pressed against his spine. He never imagined that a dignified Soul Refining Realm cultivator like himself would one day have to endure such hunger.
Xun Ancai busied herself dismembering the wild beast, skillfully removing the organs and tossing them to the three-headed dog. Her practiced movements were a sight to behold.
Only when darkness had completely enveloped the land did they finally eat their first meal of the day by the flickering firelight.
Both of them had enormous appetites, far beyond what ordinary people could comprehend. The seemingly massive beast had been devoured by a quarter in a single meal, leaving only enough for three more days.
After dinner, Xun Ancai, her face flushed crimson, silently burrowed under the blanket, leaving only her eyes peeking out as she stole glances at Xu Sanyan. Whenever his gaze met hers, she would immediately duck her head back under the covers.
Witnessing this scene, a phrase flashed through Xu Sanyan's mind:
Once tasted, forever craved.
Once that kind of experience had been tasted, it could never be forgotten. Even years later, she would likely still savor the memory of that first time.
The animal-hide blanket was small, barely covering her upper body. Xu Sanyan's gaze lingered on her exposed, muscular legs, still stained with splatters of blood from butchering the beast.
Her ten toes were tensely intertwined, the tendons in her feet slightly prominent.
Because she never wore shoes, thick calluses had formed on her soles, coarsening what were once delicate feet. Fortunately, they didn't smell.
His gaze swept over her slender ankles, muscular calves, and shapely thighs, finally settling on...
Sigh...
Xu Sanyan sighed inwardly. If only she could take a bath first...
Seeing him linger by the bed, Xun Ancai peeked at him from under the covers, then shifted slightly to the other side, her meaning unmistakable.
"Your injuries..." Xu Sanyan hesitated. She was his only support now; if he wore her out, even getting food later would be a problem.
"Mmm... it's fine," Xun Ancai mumbled from under the covers.
"Woof~" The three-headed dog let out an untimely low bark, as if urging Xu Sanyan on.
Xu Sanyan gently lifted the covers, his fingertips accidentally brushing her chest, eliciting a sudden shiver.
"Tomorrow's my first blessing ceremony. Is there anything I should know?" Xu Sanyan asked, not rushing to the main event.
"Ah! You've agreed to marry me?" Xun Ancai popped out of the covers, her face alight with surprise.
In her understanding, Xu Sanyan would only receive the blessing if he agreed to marry her, as it was preparation for bearing children later.
"No, I made a deal with your clan chief."
"Oh..." A flicker of disappointment crossed Xun Ancai's eyes, but it vanished quickly. "There's nothing special to note about the blessing. The Dog God will protect you."
"Dog God?" Xu Sanyan frowned, puzzled. "What does the blessing have to do with the Dog God?"
Xun Ancai explained, "The blessing is about receiving power from the Dog God. Heroic Soul Mountain is the Dog God's burial site, and the Earth Vein Stone is the Dog God's corpse."
Xu Sanyan raised an eyebrow. "So that's why you're called the Dog Clan?"
"Exactly."
Xu Sanyan had assumed their clan's name came from their tradition of raising dogs in every household. Now it seemed there was a deeper, hidden reason.
The Dog God...
Could it truly be a god?
"Then the Bear Clan—is their name because they worship a Bear God?"
"Correct." Xun Ancai nodded. "The Bear Clan has greater strength, the Snake Clan has greater speed, and our Dog Clan is more balanced. We're stronger than the Snake Clan and faster than the Bear Clan."
"What about the Flying Eagle Clan? Can they actually fly?" Xu Sanyan asked.
"No, but their senses are incredibly sharp, and their javelin throws are deadly. Be extremely careful if you ever encounter them."
"The Stone Clan is the most formidable. Their bodies are so hard, you can't even scratch them."
"The Stone Clan..."
Xu Sanyan realized this secret realm was unlike the previous two he had explored.
The heavenly dao here seemed more complete and complex, unlike the singular nature of the previous secret realms.
"Mm, but don't worry. The Stone Clan is very far from us..."
As Xun Ancai spoke, she unconsciously leaned closer to Xu Sanyan, her small face flushing crimson.
Xu Sanyan stopped thinking and seized her hand, flipping her over and mounting her.
Xun Ancai, who had once torn tigers and leopards apart with her bare hands, now felt as limp as a deflated balloon. She turned her head slightly, avoiding his gaze.
"Look at me!" Xu Sanyan commanded harshly.
"Mmm..."
Xun Ancai's face burned scarlet as she squeezed her eyes shut in nervous anticipation. Her wheat-toned skin flushed a deep crimson, like a cooked shrimp, and her body temperature rose sharply.
"Open your eyes..."
Xu Sanyan leaned down, whispering into her ear, the hot breath flooding her inner ear and sending a violent shudder through her body.
Xun Ancai dared not speak, let alone open her eyes.
If she had wanted to resist, Xu Sanyan would have stood no chance. But she didn't want to resist, allowing herself to be manipulated.
She even arched her back slightly, making it easier for him to remove her animal hide.
In the darkness, lingering sounds echoed through the night. The three-headed dog turned its heads, pricking up its ears to listen.
After a long while, it picked up the discarded entrails from the ground and wandered off into the distance.
The Dog Clan had many dogs, both male and female.
(End of the Chapter)
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