Clumsy Beast, Keep Your Paws Off-Chapter 401: Xuan Long’s Dark Gaze

Before anyone else could move...

An emerald tail shot upward like lightning.

Xuan Long’s powerful tail coiled mid air and caught the flying cub with perfect accuracy.

Xiao Yi ended up dangling safely, suspended above the water, blinking in confusion.

The sea remained untouched and everyone exhaled at once.

Su Qinglan immediately swam closer. Xuan Long lowered the cub carefully into her arms.

The moment Xiao Yi touched her chest, she grabbed him firmly.

"You naughty little tiger!" she scolded.

Smack!

She spanked his tiny bottom lightly.

"I clearly told you to stay in the cave! Why did you follow Mommy?"

Xiao Yi froze for a second. Then his little face crumpled like a paper ball.

"Awwoooo..." he cried pitifully, stretching his paws toward Hu Yan.

Hu Yan’s heart instantly softened.

"My cub," he said helplessly, reaching forward.

He took Xiao Yi from Su Qinglan’s arms, holding him securely against his broad chest.

The cub immediately buried his face into his father’s neck, sniffling dramatically as if he had suffered a great injustice.

Han Jue watched with amusement. Then he smirked slightly.

"Like mother, like son," he said lazily. "Lan Lan, did you not just jump from a cliff moments ago?"

Su Qinglan’s face turned red.

"I jumped because I know how to swim!" she defended quickly. "Not like this cub who got excited after seeing you!"

Rong Ye snorted softly, clearly enjoying her embarrassment.

Above them, Xiao Er had edged closer to the cliff’s edge as well.

Xiao San, however, had his mouth clamped onto his brother’s scruff, hissing anxiously as if saying, "Don’t you dare!"

Unfortunately, Xiao Er looked tempted.

Before disaster could strike again, Xuan Long’s tail moved swiftly.

In one smooth motion, he lifted both remaining cubs off the cliff and brought them down safely, then placed them in her arms.

Xiao Er wriggled excitedly.

Xiao San still looked slightly offended, his tiny snake tongue flicking in disapproval. But when he looked at his father, his eyes brightened.

Finally, his father was here...

Su Qinglan pressed her hand to her forehead.

Her children were fearless.

Or reckless.

She was not sure which.

Xiao Er did not wait even one second. The little tiger twisted his body and leaped straight toward Rong Ye.

"Awwoo!"

Rong Ye barely had time to open his arms before Xiao Er crashed into his chest.

Unlike Xiao Yi, who was always bold and wild, Xiao Er immediately settled down once he was in Rong Ye’s embrace. He pressed his small head against Rong Ye’s shoulder and wrapped his tiny paws obediently around his neck.

Rong Ye blinked in surprise.

This cub had always been closer to him.

And strangely, Xiao Er was always well behaved around him.

Even when Rong Ye was just lazy and allowed him to do anything, the cub always liked to sleep and cuddle.

It was funny.

The more Rong Ye gave him freedom, the calmer he became and did not want to do anything.

While Xiao Yi, who received less freedom, always found new ways to cause trouble.

It was almost like...

The more you tried to control a cub, the naughtier they became.

And when you gave them too much freedom, they were simply too lazy to misbehave.

Rong Ye’s lips curved slightly as he patted Xiao Er’s head.

"You’ve grown stronger," he said proudly.

Xiao Er lifted his chin as if accepting praise like a proper little warrior.

On the other side, Xiao San slithered carefully up Xuan Long’s arm and climbed straight onto his father’s shoulder. His tiny body coiled there naturally, as if that spot belonged to him.

Then he began hissing softly into Xuan Long’s ear.

Su Qinglan watched curiously. Xuan Long’s expression slowly changed.

At first calm.

Then slightly sharp.

Then stunned.

"What did you say?" Xuan Long asked quietly.

Xiao San flicked his tongue and continued explaining in soft hisses. He said he had met the golden energy ball.

Xuan Long’s eyes darkened immediately. He understood at once who that was.

An Mo. 𝚏𝐫𝚎𝗲𝕨𝐞𝐛𝕟𝚘𝐯𝚎𝗹.𝕔𝐨𝗺

"So he really came here," Xuan Long’s voice turned colder. "Is he still here?"

Xiao San shook his tiny head. "No," he hissed softly. "He left me here. He did not take me with him."

Xuan Long stayed silent for a few seconds. Then his shoulders slowly relaxed. As long as An Mo had already left, maybe he truly did not intend to interfere.

If he had wanted to take her away, he would not have left so easily.

Unless something unexpected had happened. But for now, there was no sign of him. That was a relief...

Before the mood could grow heavy again, another figure swam toward them.

It was Bo Jian.

He approached calmly, his movements steady and respectful.

When he reached them, he nodded slightly.

"Sister Qinglan," he said politely. "Hello. I am Lan Yue’s mate."

Su Qinglan stared at him for a second.

Then her eyes widened.

"Are you little fry’s father?" she blurted out.

Everyone froze.

Little fry? What is that?

Even Rong Ye looked confused.

Bo Jian, however, got a little excited because he clearly understood it. His eyes softened instantly.

"Yes," he said gently. "How is my Lan Yue? And my little fry?"

Su Qinglan nodded quickly.

"Yes, yes! Lan Yue is completely fine! And your little fry is a chubby fish now!"

She laughed lightly.

Bo Jian’s face immediately bloomed into a big smile. Without wasting another second, he turned and swam toward the shore at full speed. He could not wait anymore.

The moment his feet touched land, he walked quickly toward the tribe.

The mermen who had been watching everything in shock finally moved.

They were no longer trying to stop them.

Manis had already arrived earlier to inform them that the tribe leader had ordered these land males to be welcomed.

However...

When Manis looked at the scene again, his heart tightened.

So many strong males surrounded that one female.

She was smiling, laughing, held carefully in their arms.

His chest felt strange. He did not understand it. But as he stood there staring at her a little too long...

Suddenly... his eyes met Xuan Long’s dark and intimidating gaze.

The intensity in those eyes felt like sharp blades pressing against his throat.

Manis’s entire body froze. His face turned pale. In the next second, he flapped backward clumsily and almost ran away.

Han Jue, who had noticed everything quietly, smirked faintly.

"What was that cub even thinking?" he murmured lazily.

"Gazing at our female with such intensity." His icy blue eyes narrowed slightly.

Some lines were better not crossed.