The Tiger Tribe’s settlement was located in a quiet valley running east to west. The mountain walls surrounded them on both sides, with lush trees covering the slopes. A river, rich in water, flowed through the valley, its surface rippling gently. The banks were covered in fragrant grasses, with wildflowers growing amid the trees. The roads were wide and straight, and in the shrubs at the foot of the mountain, wild rabbits could occasionally be seen hopping around. The werebeasts typically ignored these small creatures, and the females couldn’t do much about them either. These little animals seemed content to stay near the werebeasts’ village, digging holes and building nests, where they could avoid predators.

You c an fi nd t he la te st cha pte rs at ( th e bl mu se . c o m )

Before Xiya had even reached the entrance to the Tiger Tribe’s settlement, the patrols stationed at the valley’s entrance had already received word and relayed the information to the tribe. Although there had been no major natural disasters or calamities in recent years, the jungle and grassland provided enough prey, and there had been no significant conflicts between the large werebeast tribes. Relations between them were relatively peaceful, but not to the point where they visited each other casually. Therefore, Xiya’s arrival, especially as a single individual, aroused some curiosity.

Of course, among those curious individuals was not Jing Yue. Although the scent on Lei Jin had faded somewhat, single werebeasts were particularly sensitive to the scent of females, and Jing Yue could still detect it. He had also seen Lei Jin holding a Leopard Tribe werebeast before. Now, after having saved Lei Jin, the Leopard Tribe werebeasts who normally did not step foot in the Tiger Tribe arrived right after. It was hard to believe such a coincidence. Even using his back legs to think he couldn’t come to that conclusion.

Jing Yue wondered how to send the new arrival away quickly.

Xiya had already arrived at the entrance of the Tiger Tribe.

“Why has a Leopard Tribe werebeast come to our Tiger Tribe?” Two werebeast guards stood at the entrance, and one of them blocked Xiya’s way and asked.

Xiya stopped and took a breath before replying, “I’m looking for someone.”

“Looking for someone in our Tiger Tribe?” The Tiger Tribe werebeast looked at him strangely and asked, “Who are you looking for?”

“A female with black hair and black eyes.” Lei Jin’s eye color was quite rare, and anyone who had seen him would likely remember. In case they didn’t recognize him, he added, “He’s injured. Have you had any injured females in your tribe recently?”

The two werebeasts exchanged a glance. In the tribe, everyone knew each other, and when an unfamiliar face appeared, it didn’t take long for the tribe to be aware. Besides, it was a female, and it was likely that by now everyone knew that the tribe leader had an injured female staying in his house. Lei Jin had been active in the tribe, and many had seen him, noting his unusual black eyes.

Xiya noticed the change in their expressions, and his heart skipped a beat. The sudden joy took him by surprise. He was alive! Lei Jin was still alive! Xiya had never imagined that he would feel the truth of this moment. He had come to the Tiger Tribe on a whim, not wanting to miss any chance, and now it seemed that Lei Jin was indeed here and still alive.

“He’s my mate. We got separated in the jungle due to an accident. Someone must have seen him, right?” Xiya knew how to appeal to the werebeasts. After all, a mate was extremely precious to a werebeast.

Seeing the hesitation in their expressions confirmed it.

“I just want to know—he’s injured, is he okay now?” Xiya pressed, his violet eyes filled with unmasked anxiety and concern. Part of it was real, part of it was intentional, to show the two werebeasts.

“He…” One of them couldn’t help but speak up.

“We don’t have anyone like you’re describing in our tribe.” Jing Yue stepped out from behind.

The first werebeast seemed reluctant, glancing at Xiya before retreating to his original position. After all, he knew where his loyalty lay. Jing Yue was his own kin, and this Leopard Tribe werebeast was an outsider. Even though he sympathized with the stranger’s plight, he couldn’t betray his own tribe.

“Jing Yue?!” Xiya recognized him, surprised to see him.

“You know me?” Jing Yue furrowed his brows, looking at the person before him. His golden hair was striking, and his violet eyes were deep. He had an extraordinarily handsome face. He was certain he hadn’t seen this person before, but how did this person know his name?

“Where’s Lei Jin?” Xiya asked. He had seen Jing Yue when he gave his clothes to Lei Jin. He and Moya had observed from a distance when Lei Jin casually put on clothes from another werebeast. At the time, Xiya had been so angry he wanted to rush over and tear them off him. But after thinking about it, he decided that wearing someone else’s clothes was better than entering the tribe naked, offering everyone there a spectacle. If not for their sudden appearance being suspicious, he and Moya would have offered their clothes to Lei Jin.

At that time, Jing Yue’s gaze directed towards Lei Jin had been strange. Now, seeing the reactions of the two werebeasts when seeing Jing Yue, it was clear. Lei Jin had definitely been hidden by this Jing Yue.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” Jing Yue flatly denied it. After all, he was on his own turf. What could this Leopard Tribe werebeast do?

“You know he has werebeast mates.” Despite his reluctance to admit it, Xiya was secretly relieved that the previous night Moya and Lei Jin had been intimate. Even if he had fallen into the water the next day, Lei Jin’s body would still carry Moya’s scent.

“I’ve never seen the person you’re talking about.” Jing Yue nervously rubbed his hands behind his back. He would deny it no matter what. After all, Lei Jin was in his house, and the Leopard Tribe werebeast wouldn’t be able to see him.

“You should know that females with mates cannot perform ceremonies with others.” Xiya gave him a pitying look.

“As long as Lei Jin is willing, it’s fine.” Jing Yue blurted out, then immediately realized his mistake when he saw the triumphant look in Xiya’s eyes. It was too late to take it back.

“Anyway, he doesn’t want you. You can go now.” Jing Yue, now irritated by the Leopard Tribe werebeast, thought he was quite malicious, even setting a trap for him.

“Is his injury better?” Xiya asked, though he wasn’t sure how bad Lei Jin’s injuries were. After being captured by the dragonbird for so long, his wounds couldn’t have been light.

“He’s not dead yet. You couldn’t even protect him properly, what right do you have to come looking for him?” Seeing how badly Lei Jin was injured, it was obvious that the werebeasts had failed to protect him properly.

“I want to see him.” Xiya didn’t want to argue with Jing Yue anymore; he just wanted to see Lei Jin as soon as possible.

“Moya, stop dreaming.” The person he had saved was his female, so why should he give him to someone who didn’t appreciate him?

“How do you know Moya?” Xiya asked, and he noticed that Jing Yue referred to him as Moya so matter-of-factly. How was he so sure that it was him?

“You aren’t Moya?” Jing Yue asked. He clearly heard Lei Jin muttering Moya’s name in his delirium.

“I haven’t introduced myself. I’m Xiya.”

“Then who is Moya?” Jing Yue had an inkling about who Moya was.

“He’s my younger brother,” Xiya answered.

“So Lei Jin is your shared mate?” After all, this kind of thing wasn’t exclusive to the Leopard Tribe. There were plenty of brothers in the Tiger Tribe who shared mates as well.

“Just like you think, we’ve performed the ceremony and are officially mates.” To find Lei Jin, Xiya started lying through his teeth. Heaven knew that Lei Jin’s body had never been touched by him. It was Moya who had explored every inch of Lei Jin’s body. But not all of it was a lie—sooner or later, Lei Jin would be his.

Xiya’s confidence was truly unshakable.

Thinking about the sweet moments he would share with Lei Jin, Xiya smiled, his eyes crinkling with joy.

Seeing him smile like that made Jing Yue feel even more uncomfortable. He said, “Lei Jin is my female now.” He didn’t want Lei Jin to know, but it was obvious that Lei Jin liked that Moya guy, and now here was Xiya, also his mate. Jing Yue had thought that saving Lei Jin was fate giving him a chance, and he had even used the jade mugwort.

The jade mugwort, though precious, had great benefits for a female’s body. He didn’t mind giving it to Lei Jin, but handing Lei Jin back to them… he just couldn’t accept it. He’d tried every method over the past month but still couldn’t make Lei Jin truly accept him. It was frustrating.

“It’s so late, are you really going to make me rest at the entrance of your tribe?” Xiya decided to take a roundabout approach and enter the tribe first.

Jing Yue looked at the darkening sky. He wanted to say, “Go wherever you want, as long as it’s far enough away,” but Lei Jin…

Forget it…

“Come with me,” Jing Yue said reluctantly.

Once inside, Xiya realized the valley was quite large. The center was wide and flat, and the two ends were narrower, forming a natural barrier. Though it was a valley, the Tiger Tribe clearly didn’t like living in low-lying areas. The houses started halfway up the mountain and became more densely packed as they went higher. The north side of the mountain had more inhabitants than the south. The few houses on the south slope were mostly concentrated at the top.

Now, Jing Yue was leading Xiya up the south slope of the mountain. The slope was gentle, and stone steps wound upwards. Xiya had long realized that Jing Yue was taking him up and down the same path, repeatedly, as if playing some sort of game. How many more times would they go back and forth? But since Jing Yue saved Lei Jin, Xiya didn’t mind letting him have his way. Still, it was already dark, and he was starting to get annoyed.

Finally, Xiya plopped down on a nearby stone and decided he wasn’t going to play along anymore. “When are you going to take me to see Lei Jin?”

“Who said I’m taking you to see Lei Jin?” Jing Yue asked, feigning confusion.

“Then why are you dragging me all over the mountain?” Xiya nearly wanted to punch him but restrained himself. Considering that Jing Yue saved Lei Jin, he held back.

“Lei Jin is already asleep. I’ll take you to stay at my uncle’s house for the night,” Jing Yue finally said.

“Why is he already asleep? Is his injury really serious?” Xiya got up and followed.

“You’ll know when you see him.”

As they spoke, they arrived at a house. There were no lights on inside, but this didn’t hinder the werebeast’s sight. Jing Yue knocked, and a golden-haired, green-eyed werebeast, who resembled Jing Yue in appearance, stepped out wearing a robe.

Jing Yue explained the situation, and his uncle, Hao Yang, gave Xiya a quick once-over before nodding in agreement. Jing Yue didn’t want to talk more with Xiya, so he sprouted his wings and, after bidding his uncle goodbye, flew toward the northern mountain slope. Xiya paid attention to his flight direction, guessing that Lei Jin was probably in that area. He stared at the direction for a moment.

“There’s a spring behind the yard. Go wash up while I heat up some meat for you,” Hao Yang said.

Xiya went to the back yard and, as expected, found a spring hidden among the trees, with clean water. He shook the dust off his clothes and draped them over a nearby branch. Now that he was sure Lei Jin was still alive, he felt a lot more at ease. He relaxed and took a comfortable bath. After changing into clean clothes, he felt refreshed. No wonder Lei Jin loved bathing so much.

When he returned to the house, the meat had been served in two large bowls, along with a jar of fresh water.

Xiya thanked Hao Yang and, feeling famished, began to eat. The three brothers had been raised under Roger’s strict training, so despite being hungry, Xiya still managed to eat elegantly.

Hao Yang glanced at the young man with slight surprise but didn’t comment. After a while, he said, “Once you’re done eating, just leave the bowls there. I’ll clean up tomorrow. You’ll sleep in that room.” Hao Yang pointed to a room on the east side of the main house.

Xiya nodded in agreement.

Hao Yang turned and went back to the room on the west side, casually closing the door behind him.

After eating, Xiya stacked the bowls, went outside to wash his hands, then returned to his room to sleep. He hadn’t slept well for over half a month and was exhausted.

But as soon as he closed his eyes, he heard the sound of the main door opening. Just as Xiya was about to get out of bed to check, he heard the sounds of shuffling. “Lighter, lighter… Someone is here tonight…”

“Who?”

“It’s a friend of Jing Yue.”

After saying that, the two seemed to have gotten tangled up again, and from the noise, it was clear they were two werebeasts in a passionate embrace.

Xiya thought to himself, no wonder Jing Yue had arranged for him to stay here. It turned out that this house didn’t have any females at all. It must be said that he had thought things through so carefully. But perhaps he was truly exhausted, as he soon fell into a deep sleep with no dreams until dawn.

Several days passed, and there was still no sign of Jing Yue. Xiya thought to himself that the month-long deadline was nearly up, and if Moya didn’t hear from them soon, he would likely lose hope.

“I can’t sit still. I have to find Lei Jin quickly,” Xiya thought, but as a Leopard Tribe werebeast, if he recklessly searched around the Tiger Tribe’s settlement, he would be mistaken for an intruder and hunted down by the entire tribe.

After much deliberation, he finally thought of a plan—though not a perfect one.

That evening, just as the sky darkened, Xiya prepared to act. Though the werebeast’s vision was the same day or night, at night, they rested, and the darkness could provide some cover.

After dinner, Xiya went to his room to rest early, then quietly climbed out of the back window, flying toward the direction Jing Yue had gone in.

Landing at the high mountain peak on the north side, Xiya recalled that there weren’t many houses in the area where Jing Yue had landed, but there were still five or six. With no better options, he decided to check each one.

Lei Jin didn’t know that Xiya had come. Coincidentally, he couldn’t sleep that night, so he decided to practice moving his arms in the dark. Over the past few days, something had felt off—his body felt as if there was a fire burning inside him, but there was no way to relieve it. Could it be that after being with Moya a few times, he had become addicted to it?

How could that be? Lei Jin immediately dismissed the thought. Although Moya was special to him, he hadn’t reached the point where he couldn’t live without a man, right?

Lei Jin walked a couple of steps along the wall, and when he thought he had done enough, he moved away and carefully began swinging his arms back and forth. He walked forward, and today’s practice had gone well, taking him all the way to the door.

“Let’s stop here for tonight,” Lei Jin thought, about to turn around. But he overexerted himself, and without the support of his arms, he lost balance. Despite trying to steady himself, he fell hard to the ground.

Lei Jin tried to get up, repeatedly shifting his body but falling back each time. He was drenched in sweat, his clothes covered in dirt. If he shouted out, someone would definitely come to help, but he held back, determined to get up on his own.

“Lei Jin?” Xiya called tentatively.

Lei Jin turned his head slightly, looking at the person who had suddenly arrived. His face was unclear in the dark, but judging from the voice, it should be… How did Xiya end up here in the Tiger Tribe at night? He asked, “Xiya?”

Once Lei Jin spoke, Xiya was sure.

“Lei Jin, what are you doing on the ground?” Xiya reached out to help him up.

“Lei Jin, your arms?” Xiya had just helped Lei Jin, but his arms were limp at his sides, with no strength at all.

“It’s paralyzed,” Lei Jin pulled away from Xiya’s embrace and said indifferently.

“Lei Jin…” Xiya reached out, afraid he would fall again. He finally understood why Lei Jin had fallen earlier.

“You have some nerve, sneaking into my home at night,” Jing Yue had actually been awake the moment Lei Jin left the house. Seeing Lei Jin fall, he had wanted to help, but seeing him repeatedly try to stand up on his own, he suddenly felt he shouldn’t intervene, until Xiya showed up.

“Lei Jin, let me see,” Xiya ignored Jing Yue and focused on Lei Jin.

“It’s all because of you guys. You’re his werebeast mate, yet you didn’t protect your female properly.”

“Who is his…” Female? Before Lei Jin could finish his sentence, a wave of heat spread through his body. He felt weak, nearly unable to stand. Lei Jin gritted his teeth.

“Lei Jin, what’s happening?” Xiya immediately realized something was wrong and quickly held him, but Lei Jin’s body was burning with heat.

Jing Yue couldn’t ignore Xiya anymore and rushed over. Seeing Lei Jin’s condition, he said, “It’s probably the effect of the jade mugwort acting up again.”

“What? The jade mugwort? You actually gave him the jade mugwort?” Xiya glared at him angrily. They hadn’t dared to use it themselves even after so long, and even though Moya and Lei Jin had been together many times, he hadn’t dared to trick him into using it either. But this person had carelessly given it to Lei Jin.

“Females, when they first arrive at a tribe, will always take jade mugwort. It doesn’t harm their body.” Jing Yue retreated two steps under Xiya’s murderous gaze but was still unwilling to give up and continued speaking.

“But the key point is, he’s never taken it before!”

“What?!”

“Find a room for us.”

You c an fi nd t he la te st cha pte rs at ( th e bl mu se . c o m )

“What is jade mugwort?” Lei Jin, though weak, wasn’t unconscious. He had heard every word they said, and it seemed like his current condition was related to that plant.

“It’s fine, it will get better soon.” Xiya half-supported him, not daring to pick him up directly. he probably knew about Lei Jin’s taboos.

Regarding the jade mugwort, at the moment he dared not let Lei Jin know anything.

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Jing Yue felt a joy in his heart but didn’t dare show it on his face. He asked, “You don’t remember what happened before? Don’t you remember who I am?”

Lei Jin wanted to roll his eyes at him, but he didn’t have the strength. He was injured, not brain-damaged. Of course, he remembered who the person in front of him was. It hadn’t been that long, and he had a good memory when it came to beautiful people. This person was the one who had met him and Mingya in the jungle and had given him clothes, wasn’t he?

You c an fi nd t he la te st cha pte rs at ( th e bl mu se . c o m )

At that time, he remembered this person saying something, probably introducing himself, but the situation back then was that he couldn’t understand the language, so he couldn’t understand anything, let alone know who this person was. Now, seeing him again, and unless something unexpected happened, this person had likely saved him. Lei Jin thought to himself that he should ask for the other’s name clearly this time.

“I remember you. I’m asking who you are and what your name is,” Lei Jin’s throat was dry, and he coughed lightly before speaking.

“Drink some water first. You’ve been unconscious for four days,” Jing Yue helped him sit up slightly, leaning him against his chest, and brought over a ceramic bowl from the wooden table, holding it to Lei Jin’s lips.

Given the circumstances, this position was understandable, but Lei Jin still felt very uncomfortable. He wanted to stretch out his hand to take the bowl, but his arm wouldn’t lift. How could this be? Thinking back to the time when he was grabbed by the dragonbird, could it be that his arms had really become paralyzed now? Lei Jin tried again twice, but it wasn’t pain—it was that there was no sensation at all.

“How could this be? How could this happen?” Had he really come to this backwards and savage place just to lose his arms? Without basic locomotive ability, what would he do in the future?

“Don’t worry. Your shoulder injury is very serious, but it’s been treated. Right now, you just can’t move it temporarily. It will get better after a while. Here, drink the water first,” Jing Yue noticed Lei Jin staring at his arms, and his complexion looked slightly off. He understood. This female was truly unexpected. Even though he might lose his arms, he only muttered a few words and remained calm. If it were someone else, they would probably have mentally collapsed by now.

In truth, Lei Jin was about to have a breakdown inside, but he was never the type to be hysterical. If shouting could help, he wouldn’t mind shouting ten times louder. He thought to himself, if he lost his arms and had to depend on others for the rest of his life, he might as well have let the dragonbird kill him back then.

But it wasn’t time to give up yet. The most important thing now was to heal his injuries—perhaps it was only temporary numbness.

With that thought, Lei Jin lowered his head and drank the water from the bowl in Jing Yue’s hand. Still feeling thirsty, he unconsciously licked his lips and asked, “Is there more?”

This casual action caught Jing Yue’s attention, and his green eyes darkened.

“Yes, there’s plenty of fresh water,” Jing Ping, seeing that his brother didn’t speak, took the water jug and poured more water into the bowl.

Jing Yue snapped back to his senses and fed Lei Jin another bowl of water.

“This is the Tiger Tribe. I’m Jing Yue, and this is my younger brother, Jing Ping, a female.” When Jing Yue saw that Lei Jin no longer intended to drink, he handed the bowl to his younger brother standing beside him and helped Lei Jin lie down.

“The Tiger Tribe?” So, the werebeasts here were all tigers? If he hadn’t seen it with his own eyes before, he would never have believed that werebeasts could freely shift between human and beast forms in this world.

“I’m Lei Jin.”

“Lei Jin? Which tribe are you from?” Jing Ping sat down casually beside Lei Jin.

“I don’t have a tribe. I’m trying to find my way home,” Lei Jin’s expression, which had been somewhat relaxed, turned cold. Since he had left, there was no reason to go back. Besides, in his current state, was he supposed to let Moya take care of him out of guilt?

“No tribe?” Jing Ping wondered. How could a female not have a tribe? How had he survived in the wild? But seeing Lei Jin’s serious injuries, he probably had encountered something bad, so he grabbed Lei Jin’s hand and smiled, “Then, until you find your way home, stay with us in the Tiger Tribe. My brother is strong, and he’ll protect you so you won’t get hurt. Right, Brother?” He had already noticed that his older brother was interested in this person—he had come to check on him ten times a day and even personally fed him medicine.

“Smart aleck,” Jing Yue said, flicking his younger brother’s nose. To Lei Jin, he said, “You can stay here and rest. We’ll leave everything for when you’ve recovered.”

Jing Yue’s thoughts were different from Jing Ping’s. After all, he had seen Lei Jin with that Leopard Tribe werebeast. He knew that the Leopard Tribe werebeasts wouldn’t harm their female mate, so it was impossible. But Lei Jin had been seriously injured by a fierce dragonbird—that was an undeniable fact. No matter what, Lei Jin denying he had a werebeast mate worked to his advantage, and he wouldn’t be foolish enough to bring it up.

The three of them each had their own thoughts.

Just then, Jing Yue’s papa, Hao Chen, came in holding a large bowl of cooked meat and said, “I heard Jing Ping call out that you’re awake. How are you feeling now? We’ve already had dinner, and I cooked some wild boar meat for you. Get up and eat a little?”

Lei Jin had no appetite at all, but since it was specially made for him, he couldn’t refuse so he said, “Thank you.”

As Jing Yue took the bowl of meat, he heard his papa say, “Let Jing Ping feed him. Jing Yue, come out with me for a moment.” After giving Lei Jin a smile and a nod, he led the way out.

Jing Ping didn’t mind. He let Lei Jin lean on his shoulder and picked up a small piece of meat, feeding it to Lei Jin. “Lei Jin, try this. This is fresh wild boar meat we hunted a few days ago. It’s tender and delicious. At home, it’s just me and papa who can eat it.”

Lei Jin took a bite. The taste was good, but as soon as he swallowed, he felt nauseous. After all, he hadn’t eaten anything for four or five days, and now being given meat, it was no surprise that it made him feel sick. Plus, there was a difference between his diet and that of those who grew up eating meat in this world.

“Is it good?” Jing Ping, not noticing Lei Jin’s discomfort, asked.

Lei Jin forced himself to nod. He had to eat something to recover faster.

“Then have another piece.” Jing Ping picked up another piece and offered it to him.

Lei Jin opened his mouth, but before the meat reached his lips, just smelling it made him gag. He suddenly leaned forward, his upper body slamming into the edge of the bed. He vomited up the small amount of meat he had just eaten. It didn’t stop there—since there was practically nothing left in his stomach, all that came up in the end was a bit of clear water.

“Lei Jin, what happened?” Jing Ping asked in alarm. As Lei Jin moved, he lost grip of the bowl in his hand, and the hot meat and soup spilled all over Lei Jin.

Jing Yue, who was nearby, rushed over when he heard the noise. Seeing Lei Jin’s condition, he quickly helped him sit up and asked the flustered Jing Ping, “What happened?”

“Lei Jin vomited, and my hand trembled, so…” Jing Ping stammered.

“You go get some of your clothes.” Jing Yue told Jing Ping, then looked down at Lei Jin and said, “You need to change out of your clothes now. Do you mind if I stay and help?”

Lei Jin was about to say that he didn’t mind, thinking there was no reason for two grown men to help him change clothes. But then he suddenly remembered that the people here regarded him as a female. If he said he didn’t mind, it might be misinterpreted. To avoid any misunderstanding, he decided against it.

So Lei Jin shook his head and said, “Let Jing Ping help me.”

Lei Jin was right in doing so. In werebeast tribes, when a female doesn’t mind revealing their body in front of a werebeast, it means they’ve silently agreed to become that werebeast’s mate.

Jing Yue, just testing the waters, saw Lei Jin refuse and wasn’t disappointed. He left and had his papa come in to help.

The two of them helped Lei Jin change into a new set of clothes.

“Still can’t eat anything?” Hao Chen asked, having already heard from Jing Ping.

“Sorry to waste your kindness,” Lei Jin said, feeling even worse after vomiting.

“What are we going to do?” Hao Chen stroked Lei Jin’s hair, troubled.

The touch of his hand was warm, like the rare moments of tenderness he remembered from that woman in his childhood. Lei Jin, comforted by the gentle strokes, soon fell back asleep.

“Ai…” Hao Chen sighed, watching Lei Jin’s peaceful sleeping face. The boy’s looks were indeed captivating, but with both arms ruined, it made him worry about Jing Yue and Lei Jin truly becoming mates. Still, for now, the priority was to get the boy better.

Time passed, and Lei Jin had been in the Tiger Tribe for more than half a month. During this time, he got to know many people—Jing Yue’s family, of course, including the kind but muddle-headed Jing Ping, the smart and handsome Jing Yue, their papa Hao Chen, their father (who was also the tribe leader) Kun Ge, and the healer Mu Yue.

Jing Yue and Jing Ping took him to see Mu Yue every two days to change the medicine, so they had become familiar with him.

However, his arms were still not improving. Mu Yue reassured Lei Jin that the herbs contained pain-relieving and numbing properties, but Lei Jin had a sense that his arms might indeed be ruined completely.

He only had slight sensation left. He could move them slightly up and down, but anything more strenuous, especially lifting them, was impossible.

He remembered something he overheard earlier that morning.

Jing Yue had accompanied him to change the medicine. As they reached the door, Jing Yue said he had forgotten to tell Mu Yue something and turned back.

Lei Jin waited outside for a while. When Jing Yue still hadn’t come out, he thought about telling him he could leave first. But as he walked toward the door, he overheard Jing Yue say, “Is there really no other way?”

Then Mu Yue’s voice followed: “As you can see, Lei Jin’s shoulder injury was caused by the sharp claws of a dragonbird, and it seems like it had been clawed for quite a while. Afterward, the wound was submerged in water. I’ve tried several herbs on him these days, but the effects haven’t been good. I really don’t know what else to do.”

“Are his arms really unable to recover?” Lei Jin couldn’t see Jing Yue’s expression, but he could hear the worry in his voice.

“Why, if his arms are useless, you don’t want him anymore? Who was it that eagerly wanted to become his mate back then?” Mu Yue sneered.

“How could I be like that? You know I like him.” Mu Yue’s words seemed to hurt him, and Jing Yue raised his voice in response.

“Then go tell Lei Jin yourself, don’t raise your voice at me.”

What if his arms really became disabled? What should he do? Lei Jin sat alone under the gazebo in the courtyard. The courtyard had a few green vines planted, and Hao Chen had built a gazebo out of them.

No, he absolutely couldn’t give up like this. When he was in the modern world, didn’t he see people who were paralyzed yet managed to recover after rehabilitation and constant practice?

Lei Jin stood up from the chair and began moving his arms slowly back and forth.

“1, 2, 3, 4… 142, 143… tss…” As he swung his arms wider, the pain made him break out in a cold sweat.

“Lei Jin, what’s wrong? Why are you sweating so much?” Jing Yue instinctively raised his hand to wipe his sweat. Over the past few days, because of his arm problem, he had grown accustomed to this family helping him out. But after hearing Jing Yue’s words this morning, he felt it was better to maintain some distance.

Lei Jin stepped back a couple of paces and smiled, “It’s nothing, the weather is just a little too hot.”

“It is a bit stuffy today, probably because it’s going to rain soon.” Jing Yue didn’t seem to notice Lei Jin’s unusual behavior.

“I’ve noticed it rains a lot here,” Lei Jin said.

“Maybe it’s because our tribe is close to the sea?” Jing Yue could only think of this possibility.

“You mean the ocean?” No wonder at night, he’d often hear the sound of the waves, thinking it was just his imagination.

“After going down the mountain, for a female it only takes half a day to reach the seaside.” Since Lei Jin seemed interested, Jing Yue continued explaining.

“That really is quite close.” A werebeast could probably get there with just a few flaps of their wings.

“I’ll take you to see Berg next time.”

“Berg?” Who was that?

“Berg is my good friend. He’s from the Merfolk Tribe.” Maybe getting Lei Jin out to relax would help his recovery.

“You mean a mermaid?” This world really is full of surprises.

“A mermaid? But Berg is a male merfolk, though he’s quite handsome. You’ll see when you meet him. But be careful, he’s quite the playboy.”

There was nowhere to go in the evening, so Lei Jin went to bed early. He shared a room with Jing Ping, which had two beds. Apparently when they were younger, Jing Yue and Jing Ping used to share this room. Later, as Jing Yue grew older, he moved out, and this room was left for Jing Ping. Lei Jin’s arrival made Jing Ping very happy, and at one point, he even wanted to sleep on the same bed as Lei Jin, but Hao Chen, who knew his terrible sleeping habits, stopped him.

That night, Jing Ping went to another female friend’s house, and without his usual chatter before bed, Lei Jin enjoyed some rare peace.

But the waves of pain in his arms kept him from sleeping. The pain felt like it was drilling into his bones. Perhaps it was because he overexerted himself in the afternoon.

Pain was better than no feeling at all, Lei Jin comforted himself.

Meanwhile, in the courtyard, Hao Chen and Jing Yue sat facing each other.

“I noticed Lei Jin ate much less today. How’s his arm?” Hao Chen asked.

“Mu Yue said there’s no hope. This afternoon, he was sweating from the pain.” Jing Yue replied, recalling how Lei Jin still put up a brave front. It seemed that despite their time together, he couldn’t let his guard down.

“Papa, I’m a bit worried. Should I check if he’s asleep?” 

Hao Chen nodded in agreement.

Before Jing Yue entered the room, he heard Lei Jin’s heavy breathing. Lei Jin’s bed faced the window, and in the dim moonlight, his clothes were disheveled, his body twisting in discomfort. When Jing Yue got closer, he saw that Lei Jin’s face was flushed and hot. Jing Yue realized this was due to the jade mugwort. Not only did the jade mugwort affect a female’s body, but it also had an aphrodisiac effect. But he was concerned because Lei Jin’s injuries hadn’t healed yet. He had already reduced the dosage, and since Lei Jin had previously taken the jade mugwort in the Leopard Tribe, he shouldn’t have had such a strong reaction… why was this happening?

What he didn’t know was that Lei Jin had never taken it before.

Lei Jin was tortured by the pain in his shoulders and the heat inside his body, his mind becoming hazy. However, he vaguely sensed someone by the bed. In the dim light, those familiar green eyes were too recognizable.

“Moya, Moya…”

“What are you saying?” Jing Yue heard Lei Jin’s mumbling and couldn’t help but lean in closer. As he got closer, he was about to kiss him when he clearly heard Lei Jin’s words.

“Moya, it hurts…”

Xiya had been searching relentlessly for over half a month, almost at his breaking point. Every time he thought of Lei Jin lying somewhere waiting for him to rescue him, how could he eat and sleep peacefully? This river, though having two main tributaries, was connected to many smaller water systems, and he couldn’t afford to miss any of them. He feared passing by without realizing it. But each day felt more hopeless than the last. He knew that over half a month had passed, and if Lei Jin hadn’t been rescued by now, he had no chance of surviving.

You c an fi nd t he la te st cha pte rs at ( th e bl mu se . c o m )

What if Lei Jin died? Xiya couldn’t bear to think about it, nor would he allow himself to think that way.

It wasn’t the final moment yet. Papa had said that the outcome was often decided in the last moments, so he had to hold on.

This was his final hope. Xiya stood at the entrance of the Tiger Tribe’s valley.

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Today marked the eighth day in the jungle. Early in the morning, the werebeasts woke up, started a fire to cook, and washed by the river. The sky was dim, and after eating roasted meat, they dug up some damp soil to cover the fire and continued deeper into the jungle.

The morning went smoothly as usual, with plenty of game hunted. By noon, everyone had a simple meal. Seeing the sky darken, they hurried to reach the next cave where they could take shelter from the rain.

You c an fi nd t he la te st cha pte rs at ( th e bl mu se . c o m )

“Are you feeling unwell?” Moya noticed that Lei Jin’s face had looked off all morning, but when he reached out to touch him, Lei Jin subtly dodged his hand.

“I’m fine, just a little tired.” Though Lei Jin’s physique was decent, he couldn’t compare to the werebeasts. After seven or eight days of running around the jungle, with heavy physical activity, drinking cold water every day, and sleeping outdoors on the ground, it was tough even for the werebeasts, let alone Lei Jin. Despite the care provided by Xiya and Moya here and there in subtle ways, he was mentally and physically exhausted.

“If it’s too much, we’ll carry you,” Xiya suggested, seeing his condition worsen. “Don’t push yourself.”

“It’s fine, it’s only one more day. I can make it.” Lei Jin replied, seeing everyone already packing up. He quickly stood up, but as he did, his vision blacked out for a moment. Xiya, quick to react, steadied him.

“We should carry you,” Xiya insisted, looking at him worriedly.

“I said I’m fine, I don’t need any special care.” Lei Jin pushed Xiya away gently, steadying himself, and picked up his bow and the dried meat from the ground.

Xiya and Moya knew Lei Jin’s stubbornness and didn’t insist further, instead keeping a watchful eye on him.

An Bu, the tribe leader, had already begun rallying the group to move. From a distance, they could hear the distant rumbling of thunder. The werebeasts were familiar with the terrain and knew where they could take shelter, so they started taking shortcuts.

Xiya and Moya kept Lei Jin protected in between them.

The werebeasts leading the way suddenly stopped, and Xiya and the others, walking behind, didn’t know what had happened until after a while, when they heard that an injured little dragonbird had been found.

As mentioned earlier, the meat of the little dragonbird was unusually delicious and tender, favored by the females and children of the tribe. Though they were in a hurry, they couldn’t pass up the opportunity to catch the injured dragonbird. However, its claws were sharp and dangerous, and no one could handle it immediately. Since Xiya and Moya had caught one before, they stepped forward. The weak spot of the dragonbird was its tail. Though it was called a bird, it didn’t have feathers and had a smooth, sleek body with a long tail. If they could pin down its tail, the dragonbird’s temper would cause it to lose control, making it easier to catch. Following Xiya’s advice, someone sneaked around to the back of the dragonbird and, when it wasn’t paying attention, pinned its tail to the ground with a sharp wooden spike. The dragonbird screeched loudly, but with the combined effort of the group, it was eventually subdued.

Before they could celebrate, a piercing shriek sounded from above, and a massive shadow broke through the trees, diving down at incredible speed. The group had no time to react.

Moya, closest to the dead dragonbird, was the first to be struck by the giant bird’s claws. Blood poured from his shoulder.

“Moya!” Lei Jin shouted, instinctively reaching for his bow and shooting an arrow at the dragonbird’s eye. Although Lei Jin had only practiced archery for a short time and was only decent at hitting targets, this time, he somehow managed to perform exceptionally well, shooting the arrow directly into the dragonbird’s right eye. The dragonbird, in pain, released its grip on Moya, flapping its wings fiercely, breaking the arrow lodged in its eye. It then lunged at Lei Jin.

“Lei Jin…”

“Lei Jin…”

Xiya and Moya both rushed toward him, but their speed was no match for the crazed dragonbird, which was already in a frenzy. The flight speed of an adult dragonbird was faster than that of most humans, and only the Feather Clan of the continent could keep up.

Lei Jin felt pain shoot through his shoulder as the massive claws of the dragonbird dug into him. The wind whistled past his ears as the jungle faded into the distance. At first, he could still hear Xiya and Moya calling out to him, but gradually the pain spread throughout his body, and blood soaked through his shirt. His vision blurred, and the last thought in his mind was: I guess I won’t make it back after all. Looks like this is the end for me today.

Lei Jin was awakened by the rain. The dragonbird was still holding him, flying through the air, and the rain had grown heavy. Lei Jin looked down and saw nothing but a vast expanse of water below. His arms were numb from pain, but he knew that if he didn’t escape the dragonbird’s grip in this body of water, and it took him elsewhere, his chances of survival would be slim.

With his arms hanging by his sides, Lei Jin thought of the knife that Moya had given him earlier, still sheathed in wood, which was fastened to his waist. As the water area approached, Lei Jin gritted his teeth, moved his right hand, drew the knife, and with his last strength, stabbed it viciously into the dragonbird’s abdomen.

The dragonbird let out a long cry and released its claws. Lei Jin fell straight down, crashing heavily into the water. Luckily, the water was deep enough, and he didn’t hit any rocks. He tried to move his limbs, but had no strength left. Violent water rushed into his mouth and nose, and his consciousness began to fade, feeling himself sinking deeper and deeper…

When Xiya and Moya arrived, they saw only the dragonbird in death throes at the water’s edge. Moya recognized the knife sticking out of its abdomen as the one he had given to Lei Jin. A bad feeling crept into his heart. The two of them didn’t bother dealing with the dragonbird but followed the riverbank to search. About a hundred meters from the dragonbird, they found several pieces of dried meat washed ashore.

The heavy rain had diluted Lei Jin’s scent, and the fact that he had fallen into the water made it even harder to track. Even with their keen sense of smell, the werebeasts couldn’t pick up his trail.

Strictly speaking, they were still within the jungle’s bounds. This was an area with a massive waterfall cluster, with intertwined rivers and swift currents, hidden underground rivers, and an extremely complex terrain. Lei Jin had sustained serious injuries and fallen into the water. The chances of survival were slim, and his chances of being found were incredibly low.

An Sen and An Luo arrived with a few other werebeasts. Upon seeing the situation, they understood immediately what had happened.

In such a scenario, the others were silent, unsure of what to say. Who could accept the disappearance of their mate right before their eyes? Moreover, they all liked Lei Jin, so An Sen and An Luo couldn’t offer comfort either. But as the children’s fathers, An Sen felt he had to say something.

The usually steady An Sen hesitated and then spoke, “I know how you both feel, but you can see the situation here. Lei Jin…”

“Father, please don’t say anything more. I’ve decided to search for Lei Jin, regardless of whether he’s alive or dead. I will find him.” Moya’s grip on the pieces of dried meat tightened, his expression resolute.

“Moya…” An Luo called out to him.

“Father, don’t try to stop him. I feel the same as Moya. No matter what, we have to find Lei Jin.”

“Xiya, you…”

“Let them do as they wish.” An Sen patted An Luo’s shoulder and sighed. He understood all too well. After all, he had gone through the same thing, and though he was worried about his children, he had no choice but to let them go. They had grown up, and their mate was now their responsibility. Besides, Lei Jin had risked his life to save Moya, which led to this unfortunate situation.

“You two go ahead. We’ll explain everything to your papa. Whether you find him or not, please return home early. Don’t forget that your papa is waiting for you at home.” An Sen wasn’t good at expressing affection, but the worry and love in his eyes were evident.

Xiya and Moya nodded in agreement. They immediately transformed into their beast forms and began searching down the river. The river connected to the sea, and if Lei Jin had been swept out to sea, there would be no hope for his survival.

The two searched for an entire day and night. Apart from finding a piece of Lei Jin’s clothing on a rock, they found nothing else. By noon the following day, they reached a fork in the river. The river split into two, and no one knew which direction Lei Jin had been swept towards. So, the two decided to separate and search. They both understood that if they didn’t find him within a month, it would likely be the last time they could search.

That morning, at the Tiger Clan village, the females went to the river to fetch water and saw something drifting downstream. As it got closer, they realized it was a female. Just as Jing Yue was passing by the riverbank, the females quickly called out to him.

Without hesitation, Jing Yue jumped into the river and rescued the unconscious female.

“It’s him,” Jing Yue said, placing the person on the ground and brushing aside the messy hair from his forehead. The face revealed was the same alluring female from the Leopard Clan whom he had encountered in the jungle.

“You know him, Brother?” Jing Yue’s younger brother, Jing Ping, asked when he heard his brother’s words.

“Not really. I’ve just seen him once.” Jing Yue answered.

“Oh, Brother, he looks seriously injured. We need to take him to the healer in the tribe right away.”

“En.” Jing Yue nodded, then picked up the unconscious Lei Jin and ran toward the healer’s house.

The tribe’s healer, Mu Yue, had Jing Ping help him while pushing Jing Yue out of the way. The two of them worked together to undress Lei Jin, and Jing Ping gasped in shock. The female had suffered serious injuries, with abrasions all over his body. The most severe injury was a bloody wound on his shoulder, clearly caused by something that had ripped it open.

“Is there any hope? Healer Mu Yue.” Mu Yue was the newly appointed healer of the Tiger Tribe. Though young, he was highly skilled in medicine, which was why Jing Yue had brought Lei Jin directly here.

Mu Yue did not answer immediately. He carefully examined Lei Jin from head to toe, then paused and said, “He’s very strong, still trying to hold on. I’ll apply some medicine first. These abrasions are not too bad, but the wound on his shoulder needs proper treatment. Otherwise, it’s hard to say what will happen to his arms in the future.”

Mu Yue applied the medicine to Lei Jin. Noticing he had no clothes, he found some of his own and helped him change, then called Jing Yue inside. He instructed him to take good care of him, to administer three doses of the herbs daily, and to change the medicine on his wounds every two days.

“When will he wake up?” Jing Yue asked carefully, holding Lei Jin gently as if afraid to jostle his injuries.

“This is hard to say. After all, his injuries are severe. It’s not something that one can just wake up from,” Mu Yue replied, noticing Jing Yue’s anxiety.

“I understand. One last question—adding jade mugwort to the medicine, that won’t cause any issues, right?” Jing Yue asked solemnly.

“Jade mugwort?” Mu Yue finally understood why Jing Yue was so concerned. It turned out he had been thinking of the person as his mate. Indeed, many tribes had such rules: whoever found the female first had the right to pursue them, though the final choice still lay with the female. But with Jing Yue’s good qualities, no one would likely refuse. Thinking this, Mu Yue answered, “The jade mugwort doesn’t conflict with any medicine. If you want to add it, go ahead.”

Lei Jin woke up on the evening of the fourth day after arriving at the Tiger Tribe.

You c an fi nd t he la te st cha pte rs at ( th e bl mu se . c o m )

Jing Ping, who had been sleeping in the same room as him, saw Lei Jin’s eyelids flutter and quickly called Jing Yue into the room.

Jing Yue eagerly looked at the female on the bed. Lei Jin’s long lashes trembled slightly before his eyes finally opened. His once sparkling eyes now held a trace of exhaustion. His voice was a bit hoarse, but it didn’t stop Jing Yue from hearing his clear question: “Who are you?”

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