38: Various forces are surging

Looking at Bai Yao's thoughtful face, that unfamiliar panic once again gripped Xuan Mo's heart.

He said almost immediately, "Don't worry, with me here, nothing will happen."

These words were both a promise to her and a forceful suppression of his own wavering heart.

In the time that followed, Xuan Mo proved his determination with actions and displayed his most direct mode of behavior.

He was like a calamity to the various Tribes, forcibly abducting all Witch Doctors in the vicinity who had some medical knowledge, relying on his terrifying speed and strength.

Outside the cave, the frightened wails and pleas for mercy of beastmen often echoed, while inside, Xuan Mo's golden vertical pupils coldly watched every trembling "captive," forcing them to diagnose Bai Yao.

However, the results were all the same.

"Lord Xuan... Xuan Mo... this poison... unheard of..."

"Lord, spare me! This humble one is too unlearned..."

"This seems like a rare poison from the Northwest; it's beyond our ability to cure."

Useless! All useless!

These Witch Doctors made anger and anxiety burn in his chest. After crushing the medicine pouch handed to him by the third Witch Doctor who expressed helplessness,

The low pressure emanating from Xuan Mo almost solidified the air.

He walked out of the cave alone, standing at the edge of the cliff, letting the mountain wind ruffle his silver-white long hair.

Below was a vast forest where he could roam freely with his strength, but at this moment, this power seemed so pale.

"Could it be... do I really have to bow to Hundred Beasts City?"

This thought filled him with a humiliating anger.

He had long been accustomed to controlling everything, accustomed to others submitting out of fear. When did he ever need to seek help from those so-called royalties who viewed him as a threat?

"Power... is it not omnipotent after all?"

This realization was like a poisonous thorn, deeply embedded in his proud heart, bringing an unprecedented irritation and... a hint of powerlessness.

When he returned to the cave, still radiating a lingering hostility, Bai Yao simply watched him quietly, her eyes showing confusion but none of the accusation or despair he had expected.

This calmness, on the contrary, made him even more agitated.

Bai Yao was not unafraid of death. While Xuan Mo was out calming his emotions, she thought of her spirit spring space.

Her consciousness sank in, and the space was still vibrant, with lush crops and plump fish and shrimp.

She thought with a bitter smile, if not for being poisoned, this place would be a paradise.

Bai Yao came here wanting to see, "If the spirit spring can heal injuries, can it also detoxify her?"

Finally, she concentrated, drew the clear spring water seeping from her palm, and carefully drank it.

Instantly, a cool sensation spread, and the discomfort in her body seemed to alleviate slightly, but the insidious root of the poison in her dantian remained stubbornly in place.

"It really doesn't work, does it...?"

The hope that had just risen was dashed again, and a huge sense of loss washed over her.

Even the last cheat code is ineffective? Is it ineffective? Or does it need to be upgraded?

If the cheat code is ineffective, does she really only have three days left to live?

Just then, Xuan Mo returned.

He carried fresh prey on his shoulder, and his movements seemed to deliberately restrain that aura of 'do not approach strangers'.

He put down the prey, looked at Bai Yao, and his tone was tentative, a slightly stiff gentleness:

"What do you want to eat? I'll make it."

Bai Yao was stunned. This snake, who had always treated her with 'eating raw meat' or a forceful attitude, actually asked her what she wanted to eat?

Xuan Mo seemed uncomfortable under her gaze, turned his head, and his voice regained some of its usual cold harshness: "You are already my Female; it's only natural for me to take care of you."

Finally, under Bai Yao's guidance, for the first time in his life, Xuan Mo awkwardly but earnestly built a fire for a Female.

Following Bai Yao's instructions, he stewed meat chunks and wild vegetables into a pot of soup.

Throughout the process, he showed no impatience; those hands accustomed to killing were now carefully controlling the heat.

Compared to the first time, this time was significantly more skilled.

Before long, the cave was filled with the aroma of food, dispelling some of the gloom of death.

Bai Yao slowly sipped the hot soup, and warmth flowed through her limbs and bones.

She looked at the busy, awkward, yet powerful snake-beast in front of her, and suddenly felt that if she could survive, and he would no longer be the great villain who killed her in the future, it seemed... not bad.

"I won't let you die."

Xuan Mo looked at her and repeated again, his tone unprecedentedly solemn, "Three more days, I will find a way."

This time, what Bai Yao saw in his eyes was no longer pure possessiveness, but something deeper.

Bai Yao nodded without speaking.

She knew that the Witch Doctors from nearby Tribes had already been "invited" by him; as for the remaining path, it seemed best to let nature take its course.

The atmosphere in the cave was particularly complex due to this brief warmth and the harsh reality.

Meanwhile, in the Leopard Clan Tribe.

Lin's injuries had stabilized under the Witch Doctor's treatment, but he himself was like an empty shell without a soul, silently staying in the thatched hut he once shared with Bai Yao all day.

The faint scent of Bai Yao still lingered in the air, the only comfort that kept him from collapsing.

When the rescue team returned, Dora's schadenfreude was undisguised.

But Lie, seeing Lin's state, felt a complex emotion for the first time towards the Female he once disliked, along with a touch of sympathy for Lin.

Lin caressed the dried chili peppers Bai Yao had made, and in the depths of his grey-blue wolf eyes, there was tearing pain and resolute determination.

"The Tribe is unreliable, and the Royal City is wary... Do I really have to go back to that place?"

The Western Wolf Clan, which he had desperately tried to escape, full of blood feuds and heavy responsibilities... Going back meant facing the past, meant no more peaceful days.

But, to save her... "But time... is also running out..."

A huge sense of powerlessness almost drowned him.

"What should I do?"

Hundred Beasts City, Royal Palace.

Caesar knelt on one knee, reporting everything in the forest to the Lion King—his father—on the throne.

Hundred Beasts City, Royal Palace.

Caesar tried his best to straighten his back, but the bandage on his left shoulder and his slightly pale face still showed his injuries.

He knelt on one knee, reporting to the Lion King—his father—on the throne:

"Father King, Xuan Mo's strength has been confirmed to be at least peak ninth-tier, and possibly even... touching the threshold of tenth-tier. His methods are ruthless, and his combat power far exceeds that of ordinary Wandering Beasts."

The Lion King's massive body stirred in the shadows. "Peak ninth-tier... A Wandering Beast with such power, yet unrestrained, is itself the greatest destabilizing factor."

"Furthermore,"

Caesar raised his head, a cold glint flashing in his amber eyes, "The defection of that Witch Doctor, both the timing and the target, are too coincidental."

"This child believes this is by no means a simple personal revenge. Behind it, there are likely forces attempting to use Xuan Mo to disrupt Hundred Beasts City."

"And even provoke a full-scale war between us and such a powerful expert."

He lightly passed over his personal setbacks and injuries, analyzing the pros and cons entirely from the perspective of a Royal City ruler. This was the proper mindset for a Young City Lord.

The Lion King was silent for a long time, tapping his fingertips on the armrest of the throne, then slowly spoke: "It seems some people can no longer hold back."

He looked at Caesar, his gaze filled with approval, "Caesar, you handled it very well. Issue an order: if Xuan Mo comes... do not treat him as an enemy, but as an 'honored guest'."

"We need to re-evaluate his value, rather than simply escalating the conflict."

Finally, the Lion King paused, "Also... it's time to contact the Great Priest of the Fox Clan. Tell him that the favor he owes Hundred Beasts City is due."