Jin Ling was gone!
'Don't tell me he took the meat and ran off!'
Qiao Xixi leaped up from the beast-hide mat and ran toward the cave entrance.
Just as she reached the entrance, she ran right into a tall figure.
Oof!
Qiao Xixi stumbled backward, about to fall to the ground, when a large, strong hand caught her by the waist and lifted her up.
Qiao Xixi looked up and met a pair of gleaming, molten-gold eyes.
Jin Ling was surprised by how light the female in his arms was.
"Let me down."
Jin Ling snapped back to reality and set Qiao Xixi on the ground, his movements so gentle that even he didn't notice.
"Sorry, I didn't see you when I came in."
Qiao Xixi blinked. 'I can't believe I thought he'd run off with the meat.' She felt a little embarrassed, realizing she had misunderstood him.
"I was just in a hurry to check on the situation outside."
Jin Ling didn't doubt her words.
"The snow that fell this morning is even thicker than last night. I've already packed the food. As soon as you and the cubs are ready, we can set off."
"Okay."
Qiao Xixi went back into the cave and woke the cubs.
The cubs knew they had to travel today, so they obediently ate their roasted meat and followed Qiao Xixi outside the cave.
When Jin Ling saw them come out, a golden light flashed across his body, and the tall, handsome, formidable man transformed into a Golden Tiger Beast.
Its golden fur was as smooth and lustrous as silk. Dark gold stripes, like mysterious totems branded onto its hide, shimmered with a dazzling yet gentle and noble light as its body moved.
Jin Ling lowered his body and looked at them.
"Bring the cubs and climb on."
Even lying down, Jin Ling was very tall in his beast form. Qiao Xixi lifted the cubs one by one onto his back.
When Qiao Xixi's hand touched his fur, it was surprisingly soft. 'It feels so nice to pet,' she thought.
Qiao Xixi's gentle touch made Jin Ling's body tense instantly. This was the first time he had ever allowed a female to sit on his back.
She was light, yet he could not ignore her presence.
"We're settled."
"Mm."
Seeing that they were settled, Jin Ling placed the beast-hide-wrapped bundle of dried meat onto his back as well.
Qiao Xixi had the three cubs sit in front of her. Qiao Ang was at the very front, Qiao Qiao was in the middle, and Qiao Lie was closest to her.
She had only discovered yesterday that Qiao Lie's spiritual state wasn't good, and she worried he wouldn't be able to sit steadily and might fall off during the journey.
"Hold on tight. We're off."
The moment he finished speaking, Jin Ling leaped up onto the ledge above the cave entrance.
His beast form was enormous. Even though the snow was deep, it came less than a third of the way up his body, so walking wasn't too difficult.
The higher they climbed up the mountain, the more expansive Qiao Xixi's view became.
Looking down from the mountain, as far as the eye could see, there wasn't a single speck of color. Everything was a vast, lifeless expanse of white.
Qiao Xixi didn't dare to imagine how she would have gotten the cubs out of this godforsaken place without Jin Ling.
"There's a windy pass ahead. All of you, press your bodies down and hold on to me tightly."
Just as Jin Ling finished speaking, a frigid gust of wind struck them.
"Qiao Qiao, all of you, hold on tight!"
Hearing Qiao Xixi's words, the cubs quickly lowered their bodies.
But when the cold wind slammed into them, Qiao Qiao still staggered. The small bone flower tied at the end of her hair was swept away by the wind, disappearing in an instant.
"This wind is too strong. We have to speed up and push through, or it will be very dangerous."
Jin Ling had been afraid of jostling Qiao Xixi and the others, so he hadn't been moving too fast. But the wind would only get stronger, and the slower they went, the more danger they would be in.
"We'll be fine."
"Alright."
Jin Ling leaped, landing on a large block of ice, and picked up his pace.
At first, the cubs were able to keep their balance, but as the speed increased, Qiao Qiao and Qiao Lie were about to lose their grip.
Qiao Xixi reached out, pulling them into her arms and holding them tightly against her.
"Hold on to Mother tightly."
The three little ones, who had been terrified just a moment before, felt much of their anxiety vanish the instant Qiao Xixi gathered them into her arms.
Compared to Qiao Xixi and the cubs, Jin Ling—who had fully recovered and whose beast soul star level was on the verge of a breakthrough—had it much easier.
After what felt like an eternity, Qiao Xixi felt the whistling wind in her ears begin to weaken.
She lifted her head and sat up straight, still holding the cubs.
"Are we past the windy pass?"
Jin Ling glanced back at her and nodded. "Yes. We'll reach the foot of the mountain soon."
As night fell, Jin Ling found a sheltered spot out of the wind and stopped.
"We'll rest here for the night."
"Okay."
Jin Ling lowered his body to let Qiao Xixi and the others climb off his back.
Qiao Xixi jumped down first, then reached up to help the three little ones down.
Qiao Lie forced his eyelids open. He seemed exhausted from the long journey through the wind and snow. Too weak to hold on, he transformed into his beast form and tumbled off Jin Ling's back.
With lightning-fast reflexes, Qiao Xixi caught him in her arms.
"Qiao Lie, Qiao Lie."
Qiao Lie wearily lifted his eyelids; his bright red snake pupils had lost their usual luster.
All Qiao Xixi could do was wrap him in her own beast-hide cloak.
After they were all down, Jin Ling shifted back into his human form.
Qiao Xixi turned around and saw his perfectly proportioned, nine-head-tall, stark-naked body. She was so startled she quickly averted her gaze.
Seeing her reaction, a faint smile touched the corners of Jin Ling's eyes as he took out a beast-hide garment and put it on.
"This spot is sheltered from the wind, but there's no cover. I'll go carve out an ice cave in a moment."
"Okay, thank you. You've worked hard."
Jin Ling glanced at Qiao Xixi.
Qiao Xixi met his gaze, confused. 'What's with that look? Is he disgusted by how dirty my face is?'
'Well, there's nothing I can do about it. It's not that I *can't* wash in this frozen wasteland, but I'd easily catch a cold and get sick. I'm more afraid of dying than being dirty.'
How could Qiao Xixi have known that Jin Ling was simply surprised by her politeness and courtesy? Very few female masters ever showed gratitude for a male's efforts.
Moreover, Qiao Xixi had healed his injuries; she could have ordered him around imperiously and made him do anything she wanted.
But she didn't.
This stirred a strange feeling in Jin Ling's heart.
"Mother, I'm so hungry," Qiao Qiao said.
After traveling all day and only eating a little roasted meat at noon, Qiao Qiao and the others were so hungry their stomachs were touching their backs.
"Wait here. Mother will go gather some branches to start a fire and heat up the roasted meat for you right away."
Just as Qiao Xixi finished speaking, Jin Ling walked out of the ice cave.
"I'll go. You stay here and look after the cubs."
Qiao Xixi turned around, too surprised to speak.
In the short time they had been talking, Jin Ling had already finished carving out an entire ice cave. 'His efficiency is just off the charts!'
"Okay. Be careful."
Jin Ling nodded, then turned, transformed into his beast form, and disappeared into the snowstorm.
Qiao Xixi led the cubs into the ice cave.
Although the ice cave was still cold, it was much warmer than outside.
She took out the beast hides and spread them on the ground. She gently laid Qiao Lie, whom she had been holding, onto the hides and covered him with another one.
"Help Mother watch Qiao Lie. I'm going to bring the food in."
"Okay."
Qiao Qiao obediently agreed. But after Qiao Xixi's figure disappeared from the ice cave, her little, relaxed brow furrowed in worry.