Chapter 246: Chapter 246: Let’s See Who the Final Winner Is

"W-wait... mmm..."

"Hm? You don’t like it in the cave?"

"That’s not it."

"Then what is it?"

He casually flipped aside her animal-skin clothes. The scalding heat of the lean muscle beneath his fingertips made Qiao Xixi’s mind go blank for a moment. The words on the tip of her tongue twisted, coming out as something else entirely.

"So hot."

"There’s something even hotter. Want to... try it?"

’Try it and... die!’

After the storm had passed, Qiao Xixi was filled with regret. Why was she so easily seduced by a handsome face? She was starting to seriously suspect that back then, it wasn’t the passion fruit at all. She had probably pounced on Sangze of her own free will!

Even though he was fully sated, the leopard still didn’t want to leave her side for even a second. With a simple turn, he pulled her in front of him, holding her tightly against his body.

"Little female, you came to save me all by yourself?"

"I did." Actually, Qiao Xixi had deliberately stalled for time. She knew that Huang Ying and her companion were no match for Sangze at night.

Of course, her plan wasn’t without risks, but she had to come. She also wanted to meet Huang Ying in person, since her memories of her were still incomplete.

"Why didn’t you kill them?"

Qiao Xixi wrapped her arms around Sangze’s neck and leaned on his shoulder, whispering, "She... can’t be killed either."

"Hm?"

She remembered Xijing saying that when he’d tried to kill Huang Ying in the sea, Huang Ying had suddenly vanished. So, she suspected that Huang Ying likely had a way to resurrect herself.

Of course, she had to admit that a small part of her had gone soft. She didn’t know if she would regret this decision.

"Sangze, can you tell me... about us?"

"You remember?"

"Mhm, parts of it. I want to know everything."

’She wanted to know who had hunted her and her father-beast back then.’

Sangze said it happened during his second year of being imprisoned in the Hopeless Abyss.

"Amidst a foul, bloody stench, I smelled your fragrance."

Back then, Sangze had been drawn over by her scent, thinking she was a female who had wandered in by mistake. That very action was what would add the most brilliant splendor to his leopard life.

His palm landed gently on her stomach. "That night, you suddenly threw yourself at me like a madwoman. I loved it... I wanted to melt you completely into my flesh and blood. After that, you became pregnant with Sangqi."

Sangze’s lips curved into a bright, clear smile. "Ah, I was so happy I wanted to kill all the demonic beasts in the forest to celebrate properly."

Qiao Xixi: ...

"But you gave birth to Sangqi during the day! By the time I found out, you were already gone! Sangqi was gone too."

A dark, somber shade, seemingly capable of destroying the world, swirled in his mismatched eyes.

Sangze’s breathing grew heavy, and his arms around Qiao Xixi tightened unconsciously. "I searched the entire Hopeless Abyss, but I couldn’t find your scent anywhere! It wasn’t until I found Sangqi in the forest... he had actually inherited my abnormal bloodline. Little female, where did you go? Where in the world did you go!"

Qiao Xixi could almost feel the same rage and despair Sangze must have felt when he couldn’t find her. She tightened her own embrace, gently soothing his turbulent emotions.

"I don’t know. That part of my memory is a blank."

’Perhaps, when Little Yao comes back, she can tell me the answer.’

"So, little female, what’s the deal with that fish? Why... was he before me?"

Er...

’The mood was so good. Couldn’t he have asked a less impossible question?’

"ACHOO!"

"I’m cold."

Sangze took an animal-skin garment and dressed her in it, his movements so practiced it was as if he had done it a thousand times before.

Qiao Xixi was surprised. ’Did he used to take care of me like this in the past?’ She found it hard to imagine.

"Touched? Little female, the things we’ve done go far beyond this... There’s also..."

Qiao Xixi quickly covered his mouth. "Hurry up and put your clothes on! We need to go back. They must be worried sick."

Sangze unhurriedly put on his own animal-skin clothes, then carried her to the mouth of the cave. Just as they were about to leave, they heard a strange noise from outside.

A pair of crimson eyes appeared in the darkness.

"Sunxiao."

The red eyes twitched. Before he could even shift into his human form, Sangze, still holding Qiao Xixi, sat down on top of him.

"I’m so tired, big snake. Give us a ride."

The big snake flicked his tongue. ’If that leopard wasn’t holding Qiao Xixi, he would have thrown him right off.’

The big snake turned and started back the way they came.

"What about those two Wing Clan Phoenix Beasts?"

"I tossed them far away."

Sunxiao frowned. "You’d let them go?"

When Qiao Xixi had agreed to leave with Fenglin but kept stalling instead of leaving immediately, Sunxiao and the others had figured it out: Qiao Xixi wanted to wait for nightfall.

Two Phoenix Beasts were no match for a monster like Sangze.

"You know me. I always listen to my little female... and the big snake."

Qiao Xixi explained, "That female Phoenix Beast has a system, too. Right now, it’s highly likely we can’t kill her."

"A system? Her?"

"Mhm. I’ll explain everything in detail when we get back."

While Qiao Xixi and the others traveled toward the salt fields under the cover of night, Huang Ying and her companion had been flung by Sangze onto a non-lethal island.

The effects of the Dull Liquid on Huang Ying hadn’t completely worn off yet, so she could only let the blood-soaked Fenglin carry her.

But Fenglin had been grievously wounded by Sangze. Protecting Huang Ying and getting her here had exhausted all his strength. After taking just two steps, he collapsed, taking Huang Ying down with him.

Fenglin let out a muffled grunt, his eyes never leaving Huang Ying.

"Female Master, are... are you alright? I-I’m sorry... I was useless... I never expected that leopard to be so strong... I’m sorry..."

Huang Ying frowned as she looked at him, but Qiao Xixi’s words flashed through her mind.

"Now, do you still think he’s just a paper person?"

Huang Ying shook her head hard. "He is! Yes! Yes! They all are, and he is too! Just a paper person, someone who doesn’t even exist. I don’t need to have any feelings or emotions for them at all."

After she finished speaking, her gaze toward Fenglin had already turned disgusted and cold.

"It’s good that you know you’re useless. You managed to screw up such a simple task. Useless trash!"

Fenglin lowered his gaze, the last glimmer of light in his eyes dimming.

’System, System!’

Huang Ying shouted in her mind, but there was no response. She was furious. When it mattered most, no one and nothing was useful.

Fenglin spoke with difficulty. "Female Master, what... what are your plans now?"

"First, we go back to Wing Beast City."

Huang Ying had figured it out. None of those males were easy to deal with, and Qiao Xixi had learned her lesson. She no longer trusted her like she used to, which meant it would be very difficult to achieve her goals by tricking her anymore.

The only thing to do was to come up with another plan. She’d wait for her system to return, discuss it thoroughly, and figure out how to strike a decisive blow!

"Qiao Xixi, I will absolutely not give up so easily! We’ll each rely on our own abilities. We’ll see who the final winner is!"