Chapter 40 - 39: The Pheasant Was Taken Away?

"Cub, come here."

Chu Liangyu’s attention was entirely on Xiong Jiaojiao’s words, so the sudden voice startled her.

"Beast Father!"

Chu Liangyu turned around. It was Yu He. She’d just been grumbling about him, and now he’d followed them.

They couldn’t go back to the tribe, lest the mysterious person launch a surprise attack.

’So where should they go?’

’Qingqiu?’

’No, no way. They had just invited others to join when the tribe was destroyed.’

’What would people think? Besides, her biggest bargaining chip had fled, leaving Chu Liangyu with nothing to negotiate with.’

After thinking long and hard, Chu Liangyu said, "If there’s nowhere to take refuge, then we’ll find a place to build a new tribe."

"Okay, we’ll listen to Sister Liangyu."

This time, Chu Liangyu wanted to find a location suitable for Beastmen of the sea, land, and air, laying the groundwork for their future growth.

’But where could she find such a place?’

’Perhaps her only chance of finding a place like that was to go and look in the central region of the Beast World.’

"How much do you all know about the central region of the Beast World?"

"The Beastmen there are several times stronger than us, and far more developed." The one who spoke was Hu Qiumu. He seemed to have guessed what Chu Liangyu was thinking and didn’t appear to approve.

’Greater risk also meant greater opportunity. Chu Liangyu was determined to go to the center of the Beast World!’

"How do you know all this?"

"I went there once when I was young."

He had barely finished speaking when a vast shadow fell over them. Startled, everyone immediately took a defensive posture.

"Which of you two is Feng Qiwu’s Female Master?"

It was a Phoenix they had never seen before. His face was etched with anxiety as he waited for the two to answer.

Although Chu Liangyu was suspicious, she still stepped forward. "I am."

"I am Feng Qiwu’s good friend, Feng Zhen. He’s been targeted by the daughter of the Phoenix Clan’s chief from the Upper Family and has been forcibly taken away."

"He sent me to find you and ask for your help. He also wanted to make it clear that you are his only Female Master."

Feng are male, and Huang are female; together, they are called Phoenix.

Unlike other races where males and females live together, this race has separate tribes for males and females.

Because females are already rare, and the females of the Phoenix Clan are born noble, it is extremely difficult for a male Phoenix to find a suitable Female Master.

In contrast, it is very simple for a female Phoenix to find a male. Even if she takes one by force, her clansmen won’t stop her.

What’s more, they were from the Upper Family, with a purer bloodline and even greater power.

Chu Liangyu rubbed her temples. It was one thing after another, leaving her mentally and physically exhausted.

"Sister Liangyu, what now...?"

"We rescue him first."

She was dragging a family with her now; it was impossible for everyone to follow. After a moment’s thought, Chu Liangyu said, "Qiumu, you help take care of Yu He’s cub. The three of us will be enough."

"We’ll come find you after we’ve taken care of it."

Hu Qiumu froze for a second. ’Qiumu?’

Unconsciously, the corners of Hu Qiumu’s mouth lifted, and his mood brightened. "Alright, I understand."

"Let’s go."

"Shouldn’t we be thinking about revenge right now? Why are we going to save some pheasant whose life isn’t even in danger!"

Yu He stood his ground, displeased, and stared fixedly at Chu Liangyu.

’This woman is a lunatic. She does things without ever considering the consequences.’

Chu Liangyu couldn’t be bothered to reason with him. She gave him a cold look and said, "Go if you want to. I won’t stop you."

"Then give me back my Life Scale."

’So that was his real point,’ Chu Liangyu realized.

’From what she knew, Yu He wasn’t one for loyalty or sentiment. For a moment there, with that resolute expression of his, she’d thought hell had frozen over.’

Chu Liangyu ignored him and said to the others, "Jiaojiao, let’s go."

"You!"

Yu He frowned as he watched the two leave. After a long moment, he followed them anyway.

Races like this—ancient, born with great power, and possessing a bloodline inheritance—all have an Upper Family.

The Upper Family is immensely powerful, but they rarely make appearances, so not many Beastmen know of them.

The Upper Family of the Phoenix Clan is located near the Beast God Temple, and the Beast God Temple is in the center of the Beast World, a great distance from here.

As for why they came to this remote region of the Beast World, no one knew.

’The center of the Beast World?’

’What a coincidence. She had just been wanting to go, and now something had come up that was forcing her to.’

Chu Liangyu glanced at the Phoenix carrying them, lost in thought.

She discreetly gave Xiong Jiaojiao a look, then asked nonchalantly, "What did Feng Qiwu say about me when he talked to you?"

Feng Zhen paused for a moment, then said, "He said you are a very good person."

"Oh, is that so?"

"Of course. When facing pressure from the Upper Family, he insisted he wanted no one but you."

’That’s not right. With Feng Qiwu’s arrogant personality, he would never say something like that.’

This reminded Chu Liangyu of how he’d brought them back from the sea before.

’The Phoenix Clan doesn’t carry people lightly. For someone like Feng Zhen to do it without any reservations was basically impossible.’

Feng Zhen seemed to be in a great hurry, flying at an extremely high speed. By now, they were already over an unknown stretch of sea.

’Even if they fell, the two of them would be unharmed.’

A short blade appeared in Chu Liangyu’s hand. She glanced at Xiong Jiaojiao and shouted, "Attack!"

Instantly, Xiong Jiaojiao reverted to her Elf form, and countless vines shot out from behind her, completely entangling the Phoenix.

His wings stopped flapping, and they plummeted straight down.

Feng Zhen had never imagined they would suddenly attack. In his terror, he first voiced his confusion, "What are you doing?"

With a huge splash, the three of them fell into the sea.

The Phoenix, which moments ago had been iridescent, seemed to lose its color after entering the sea. It gradually grew dim, its multicolored feathers turning to gold.

Upon closer inspection, this was no Phoenix at all—it was just a giant Golden Eagle.

Chu Liangyu’s pupils contracted. ’Could this all be revenge from the Golden Eagle Clan?’

Her legs had now transformed into a fish tail, and she was as free in the water as she was on land.

She grabbed the sinking Xiong Jiaojiao and pulled her toward the surface.

Glancing at the suffocating, unconscious Golden Eagle, Chu Liangyu hesitated for a moment before taking him with her to the surface as well.

’This couldn’t be left to speculation; she had to get some clear answers.’

’What was their relationship with the man in black that Xiong Jiaojiao mentioned?’

’And where were they planning to take her?’

"Sister Liangyu, why didn’t you kill him?"

"No rush. I need to ask him some things first."

After the two got ashore, they casually tossed the drowned rat to one side.

The Golden Eagle had already reverted to his human form. Chu Liangyu slapped him hard across the face a few times, saying, "Hey, rise and shine! Wake up."

Fortunately, he hadn’t been suffocating for long. After a few slaps from Chu Liangyu, the man woke up.

Chu Liangyu’s short blade was pressed against his neck, and he scrambled backward in fear.

He stammered, "Wh-what do you want?"

"Speak. Where were you trying to take me?"

His eyes darted about, but he kept his mouth shut tight, clearly having no intention of answering.

Chu Liangyu sneered. With a swift flash of her blade, she severed the tendons in his hands and feet.

A bloodcurdling scream echoed through the area, but the one responsible’s expression remained cold, showing not a hint of mercy.

"I’ll give you one more chance to formulate an answer."

"And if I’m not satisfied, I have plenty of other ways to torture you."