Qiu Hui froze, realizing he’d been taking the "male" before him completely for granted.
"He" was a bit thin and delicate, but that didn’t mean he was weak. A single elixir he casually handed over was considered Divine Medicine by the Jiuzhou Families, capable of repairing a Dantian.
Without this elixir, he would have had no chance at the Family Head position, even if he returned to Jiuzhou.
’With the two of them helping, my chances of getting revenge and reclaiming the Family Head position might be much higher.’
"This is my personal affair. You can help, but only if you can guarantee your own safety.
I owe you my life. Once I’ve handled my affairs and passed the Family Head position to a suitable relative, I’ll go with you!" Qiu Hui said earnestly after a moment of thought.
Little Jing pursed her lips and smiled. She had grown up listening to the stories of how her Mother and Fathers met and fell in love, and she was suddenly reminded of how her Mother had "abducted" Father Wei Ce.
’This is all a bit familiar.’
"Alright! From now on, we’ll be Couple Brothers, one big family. If you’re in trouble, how could we possibly stand by and do nothing?" Little Jing said with a smile, patting his shoulder.
But Qiu Hui’s face reddened slightly. He lowered his head and stammered, "I keep my promises. I swear in the name of the Beast God, once I’ve settled my affairs, I will become one of your family. I will absolutely not go back on my debt!"
For some reason, he felt that this "little male’s" gaze wasn’t entirely innocent. It made his entire body feel weak and tingly, just like it had after he’d taken the elixir.
’Is it a side effect?’
Feng Yu, however, frowned and muttered, "Isn’t it a bit early to be making vows? Don’t think that just because you have Level 18 cultivation, your actual strength is enough to become one of our family. That remains to be seen."
Qiu Hui looked up and said earnestly, "My cultivation was achieved through pure hard work. The only exception was before my awakening, when I used my clan’s Secret Technique to nurture my body, ensuring all my talent and potential would be fully activated.
After my superpower awakened, I cultivated diligently, roaming the entire Yongchang Continent until my cultivation reached Peak Sixteen level before I returned.
I never expected that before I could even learn how to be a Family Head, my Father would die of a sudden illness."
"Talk is cheap. How about we go outside the city and spar?" Feng Yu said, practically buzzing with excitement.
Qiu Hui stood up as well. Power surged through a body that had been useless for two years, and he was eager to move and truly feel it again.
The three of them headed outside the city. Two enormous black wings burst from a tear in Feng Yu’s clothes, their feathers shimmering with an iridescent light under the sun. He swept up Little Jing in his arms and led the way out of the city.
Qiu Hui froze for a second before sprinting after them.
They chose a flat, open area. Feng Yu first got Little Jing settled, then planted Array Flags to set up a protective Array before he began to spar with Qiu Hui.
Feng Yu had been trained by Zhi Le and his group, so he had a wealth of real combat experience. He also journeyed to the Southwest Forest to hunt twice a year and frequently sparred with his brothers. His strength was not to be underestimated.
Qiu Hui was a Striped Tiger, and his power was also formidable. Furthermore, he had roamed nearly the entire Yongchang Continent, fighting in the arenas of every Beast City he passed. He went from being the one getting beaten up to being the one doing the beating, earning his strength every step of the way.
The two were surprisingly evenly matched, but Feng Yu’s cultivation was ultimately a slight step higher.
Qiu Hui was a little frustrated. "It must be because I haven’t trained these past two years. Once I’ve readjusted, I can definitely beat Feng Yu!"
Feng Yu was speechless. He was a Flying Beast; winning against a ground-based opponent was already difficult. Now, with Qiu Hui throwing out that excuse, he felt like he’d lost even more face. ’Will my little female think I’m too weak?’
Little Jing smiled and nodded. "Your strength is decent. You pass."
"Little Jing, do you want to spar with me?" Qiu Hui asked hesitantly. He actually wanted to add that he wouldn’t use much force, that he just wanted to practice with "him" so they could both improve.
But he was afraid if he said that, the "little male" would think he was being sarcastic and patronizing.
Little Jing’s lips twitched. "My partner and I are childhood sweethearts. She never expected me to be a fighter. You can just count me out."
Qiu Hui’s mouth moved, but no words came out. ’I was easily schemed against and abducted,’ he thought. ’With "his" stunning looks and lack of fighting ability, wouldn’t "he" be an easy target for traffickers?’
"As a male, you should have some ability to protect yourself. Why don’t we just spar a little, to get a feel for each other’s abilities?" That way, he could also create a suitable training plan for "him."
Little Jing put a hand to her forehead. "It’s fine. I always travel with my brothers anyway. If I run into trouble, they protect me. Right, Feng Yu?"
Feng Yu nodded. "We’re all brothers here. The stronger we are, the less Little Jing has to worry.
You just worry about yourself. You don’t need to be concerned about Little Jing. Or what, you think you can’t protect her?"
Qiu Hui shook his head. ’Something about this feels off.’
Little Jing said with a laugh, "Don’t worry, I’ll be sure to put in a good word for you with our future little female."
That one sentence made Qiu Hui’s face turn beet red. He... he had always been busy with his cultivation and handling the Qiu Family’s affairs. Later, after being captured and turned into a Beast Slave, all he thought about was escaping and getting revenge. He’d never had time to think about romantic dalliances.
’I’ve heard females are fragrant and soft,’ he thought, ’and that they speak in gentle whispers, just like a kitty.’
He ducked his head so low it was nearly buried in his chest.
Even though he was thin, he still had the large frame of a Tiger Beastman. Seeing such a big guy act so shy was incredibly amusing to Little Jing.
She couldn’t resist leaning in to meet his gaze.
Qiu Hui was so startled he stumbled backward, not knowing what to do with his hands and feet. ’Does this "little male" have no sense of personal space with his Couple Brothers?’
’I’ve never been this close with my own brothers.’
If it weren’t for the "little male’s" obvious masculine features, he would have mistaken "him" for a female. ’Could this be what people call the more ’feminine’ partner in a male couple?’
An image of Little Jing as a female flashed through Qiu Hui’s mind, and his mouth suddenly felt dry.
Since they were already outside the city, they didn’t bother going back. Instead, they continued their leisurely journey toward Jiuzhou. It looked less like a quest for revenge and more like a scenic tour.
Seeing Feng Yu emerge from the tent with a suspicious red mark by his ear, Qiu Hui pursed his lips. "Is Little Jing still sleeping?"
Feng Yu had been clinging to Little Jing every night, taking advantage of the time before all the Couple Brothers had gathered to claim a few perks.
He was feeling quite satisfied, but he also understood something: while Little Jing was very vocal about finding a Beast Husband, her actual initiative was zero.
He hesitated for a moment before grunting, "She was tired last night. I’ll let her sleep in. I’ll call her after I make breakfast."
’Tired?’ Qiu Hui wondered. ’Little Jing usually lazes about on Feng Yu even when we’re traveling. How could "he" be tired?’
But when he recalled the mark on Feng Yu, his expression changed. While Feng Yu was busy making breakfast, he couldn’t resist lifting the tent flap and stepping inside.
They were in the wilderness, so even after fooling around with Feng Yu, Little Jing kept a Transformation Talisman active to handle any emergencies.
And there, Qiu Hui saw the "little male" sleeping soundly, sprawled over the blankets. Ink-blue, seaweed-like long hair was fanned out, covering a smooth, fair back...