156: Chapter 156 Refusing to Watch the Witchcraft, Offering Oneself

The two beasts lay close together... Sang Qing rubbed her sore waist and sat up. Herman still wanted to cling to her, but she pushed him away.

"Where are you going?" Herman was still like a piece of sticky candy on her body, not letting go easily.

"Getting up!" Where else could she go? Of course, she was running away from him.

Sang Qing was utterly helpless.

Herman grabbed her arm, his voice slightly hoarse, "It's still early. Sleep with me a little longer."

No.

Sang Qing got straight out of bed, picked up her clothes, and walked toward the bathroom.

Herman immediately punched the bed in frustration.

Leaving the room, Sang Qing looked at her increasingly lively home, her eyes twitching imperceptibly.

"Sister~" Aniel was playing with the Little Cubs. Seeing Sang Qing, he immediately ran toward her. "I slept very well last night."

Sang Qing pressed two fingers against his chest and nodded slowly, "Good."

"Aren't you going to praise me?" Aniel took the opportunity to grab her hand, staring at her with a resentful gaze.

"Very good," Sang Qing praised him perfunctorily.

Aniel, however, was exceptionally happy.

Xuan Xiao glanced at him, walked over, and pulled Sang Qing into a hug.

Kissing his mate's face, Xuan Xiao placed food in front of her.

"Why hasn't anyone gone out today?" Sang Qing looked at the room full of beasts in wonder.

It seemed that everyone except Chi Yu was at home.

"I'm worried about the house, so I left things to Savage Iron and the others. They'll handle it." Xuan Xiao brought her a glass of juice and sat down next to her, his gaze shifting from her face to the Little Cubs.

When he got up this morning, Fu Ning told him that the cub Jing Nuo kidnapped yesterday was the fourth one. He was so angry that he rushed to the dungeon and beat Jing Nuo up again.

Despicable thing.

Luckily his cub was fine, otherwise... Sa Yu, holding a cub in his arms, also looked up. "Yeah, Qing Qing. There isn't much to do lately anyway, and we're afraid the Dragon Clan might come for revenge, so we decided to stay home for a few more days."

Sang Qing nodded and began eating.

Herman then bounced downstairs. Seeing him, Fu Ning became happy, "You're okay now, Herman."

"Of course!" Herman walked down refreshed, picked up the Little Cubs, and kissed them one by one.

Luckily, they were all fine.

"Aqi, take Aniel to find Sister Song Zhen." After eating, Sang Qing looked at the idle Aqi and the somewhat restrained Xing Jiu, then gave him instructions.

These two staying at home was useless; they might as well go and learn from Song Zhen.

"Oh, okay!" Aqi stood up quickly, his cute little face showing a hint of worry. "Sister Sang Qing, can I take my brother with me?"

He was afraid his brother would disappear again.

"Don't worry, your brother won't leave. I have something to discuss with him later." Sang Qing looked at Xing Jiu's white hair and decided to take him to Chi Yu for a check-up later, and also ask him how the Eagle Clan's matters were handled.

Only then did Aqi feel relieved.

Sang Qing changed her clothes and came down, leading a confused Xing Jiu out of the house.

"Where are we going?" Xing Jiu followed closely behind Sang Qing, his eyes never straying elsewhere.

Sang Qing felt the warm sunlight on her body and let out a comfortable sigh, "Just follow me."

She looked back and smiled.

The two beasts walked at a leisurely pace.

"Xing Jiu, is the Eagle Clan's matter resolved?" Sang Qing asked as they walked.

Xing Jiu hesitated for a moment and replied, "It should be considered resolved. We drove away the Beak-mouthed Dragon Tribe, but they might return in the future."

Sang Qing nodded, "So how is your Eagle Clan doing now?"

Xing Jiu lowered his eyes, his steps steady, but his raspy voice sounded a bit pained. "The number of Eagle Clan Tribesmen has decreased significantly. Fu Yi is currently the clan leader, but I believe he will make the Eagle Clan strong and prosperous."

Fu Yi had wanted him to stay as an elder, but he refused.

Fu Yi? Sang Qing was quite surprised.

But that was their Tribe's business, and she couldn't interfere.

"Will you stay in Beast King City or return to the Eagle Clan in the future?" Sang Qing looked at him with a smile.

Under the sunlight, her clear and pure eyes radiated a soft brilliance, and her aura was calm and easygoing, like an unyielding flower in the wind.

Xing Jiu hadn't thought about this question.

Fu Yi said he could return at any time; he was a hero of the Eagle Clan.

But... after experiencing the disaster of his Tribe, Xing Jiu's mind had become less firm and decisive.

He didn't know what he wanted either.

The road ahead seemed to become blurred.

Did she want him to stay?

Xing Jiu walked with his hands behind his back, his white hair particularly conspicuous among the crowd of beasts, and many beastmen cast strange looks at him.

His whole body trembled slightly, unaccustomed to such burning gazes, and his steps became heavy.

At that moment, a hand reached out and grabbed him.

"Xing Jiu, are you okay?" Sang Qing's concerned voice came.

Xing Jiu looked up abruptly, meeting her worried face. "I'm fine. I was just thinking about what I could do if I stayed."

Sang Qing smiled, "If you stay, I can help you."

"Alright." Xing Jiu smiled and agreed immediately.

They reached the Witch Doctor Hospital.

Xing Jiu stopped in his tracks, his expression suddenly changing.

"Qing Qing, this is..."

He stood at the door, not daring to go inside.

"I want the witch doctor to check your body." Sang Qing didn't hide it and spoke to him directly.

Although he knew Sang Qing was worried about him, Xing Jiu immediately resisted.

He turned and walked away, his steps hurried and stumbling, not looking like a seventh-rank warrior at all.

Sang Qing was stunned. What was going on?

"Xing Jiu!" She hurriedly chased after him.

What happened to him?

Xing Jiu stood at a crossroads, looking at the passing beastmen with a bewildered and helpless expression.

He felt a bit dizzy.

He didn't want to see a witch doctor, he didn't.

Xing Jiu panicked and chose a random path to leave.

Hearing the voice behind him, his steps became even faster.

Go home, go home.

He didn't want to appear before other beastmen, nor did he want them to check his condition.

Xing Jiu ran straight back to his house in the Residential Area.

He just wanted to hide himself.

Sang Qing chased after him, looking puzzled and breathing slightly fast.

"Xing Jiu!" She knocked on the door, calling his name with concern.

"Open the door. What's wrong?"

Xing Jiu sat in the room, leaning against the door, clutching his head, his eyes dim and lifeless.

"I... I'm fine, I'm fine. Qing Qing, you go back."

Sang Qing scratched her eyebrow, looking anxious and frustrated. "Xing Jiu, open the door first. What happened? Did I say something wrong?"

He was fine when they left. Why did he become so strange as soon as they reached the Witch Doctor Hospital?

She hadn't said anything, had she?

"No, it has nothing to do with you. I want to be alone." Xing Jiu held his head and curled into a ball, his voice, rough as gravel, coming through the crack in the door.

Sang Qing sensed something wrong in his words and became even more anxious.

"Open the door. I'm coming in."

She was exceptionally forceful, pounding on the door, but she didn't dare to shout, as other beastmen lived nearby.

"If you don't open the door, I'm going to kick it down."

Xing Jiu froze.

Was she really this fierce?

But he didn't want to open the door.

He looked at the desolate room, his gaze a bit chaotic.

"No! I won't open it." Xing Jiu didn't know what to say to her after opening the door.

But he was unwilling to show his fragile side in front of her.

Xing Jiu hugged his arms, his mind in a mess.

Unfortunately, what he didn't know was that Sang Qing had a master key for all the doors in the Residential Area.

Hmph! Not opening, huh?

Sang Qing rummaged through her Storage Grid and quickly found the key.

"Xing Jiu, I'll ask you one more time. Are you going to open it?"

She wouldn't be polite in a moment.

Xing Jiu hesitated, but in the end, he still didn't move, just sitting on the floor with a complex expression.

Getting no response, Sang Qing really wasn't polite and immediately took out the key to unlock the door.

With a click.

Xing Jiu was stunned!

He watched a ray of light filter through the crack in the door and stood up quickly.

Sang Qing pushed the door open and walked in openly.

"You... how can you do this?" Xing Jiu lowered his head, quickly wiped the tear marks from his face, and looked at the sudden intruder in surprise, his ears turning bright red.

"What do you mean how can I? You're the one who wouldn't open it." Sang Qing put away the key, a small, triumphant smile on her face.

If she hadn't been too lazy to fix the window for him, she could have just broken in through it.

"Go out quickly, don't come in." Xing Jiu was annoyed, not wanting her to see him like this, and started pushing her out.

"Hey, hey, hey!" Sang Qing was speechless.

"At least tell me why!"

She wouldn't leave without the answer she wanted.

She grabbed the animal skin on Xing Jiu's body and stood her ground, refusing to leave.

The two beasts were close, and she only then noticed that Xing Jiu had actually cried.

In her impression, Xing Jiu was an extremely carefree, sunny, and cheerful beastman. Why would he cry?

Xing Jiu was sullen, his head lowered, insisting on pushing her away without saying why.

Sang Qing simply wouldn't leave.

Amidst the pushing and shoving between the two beasts, there was a sudden ripping sound as something tore... his pants.

Xing Jiu's face instantly burned red. In a split second, his entire body turned as red as a cooked shrimp, and his eyes filled with disbelief.

Sang Qing closed her eyes, her lips twitching slightly and her toes gripping the ground tightly, thinking to herself that she had been too reckless.

"I... I didn't mean to. I didn't see anything."

She quickly turned her back, her momentum weakening significantly.

Xing Jiu's face was flushed crimson as he hurriedly turned to find a new animal skin to cover himself.

After a rustling sound from behind, Xing Jiu's raspy, low voice came, "It's... it's okay now."

Sang Qing shielded her forehead and carefully turned around. Seeing that he was already dressed, she let out a silent sigh of relief.

However, she was still clutching the other half of Xing Jiu's animal skin in her hand, and she didn't know where to put it.

Xing Jiu, with a red face, snatched the torn half of the animal skin from her hand and immediately told her to leave, "You should go."

"Tell me why you don't want to see the Witch Doctor, and then I'll leave." Sang Qing had thought about it just now; he must have something shameful that he couldn't let her know, which was why he was hiding and refusing to see the Witch Doctor.

Sang Qing's self-righteousness made Xing Jiu fall silent.

He wondered if he should get angry and make her leave, or stay silent and make her angry.

Xing Jiu didn't know; his mind was in a mess.

Sang Qing's gaze was burning, making Xing Jiu appear flustered.

"Leave quickly. If you don't leave, I'll make you take responsibility."

Xing Jiu hid the animal skin behind his back and raised his eyes, a layer of slight anger coloring his face.

He wasn't exactly a good beast right now.

It was very dangerous for a lone female and a lone male to be in the same room.

Sang Qing laughed, looking completely composed.

"Why are you afraid of seeing the Witch Doctor?"

She had plenty of time to deal with him.

Xing Jiu stared at her, seeing her eyes were bright; besides curiosity, there was a hint of worry.

But the more she was like this, the more he didn't dare to face her.

He wanted to hide back in the room, but he was afraid she would pick the lock and enter.

After a moment of silence, Xing Jiu pursed his lips and spoke with a gloomy gaze.

"Who are you to me? You can't control me."

Sang Qing gave him a faint roll of her eyes, pushed past him into the room, and began to observe his living environment.

"Then when you entrusted Aqi to me back then, why didn't you say we had nothing to do with each other?"

Her words left Xing Jiu speechless.

He really couldn't bring himself to do anything extreme like shouting or scolding her.

He had no choice but to soften.

"Qing Qing, don't be like this. I just don't want to see the Witch Doctor."

Sang Qing's gaze fell on the Emerald raw stoness in the corner, but she only glanced at them and didn't look further. Instead, she found a chair and sat down.

"Do I not know the consequences of the medicine I gave you? But not only are you fine, your Warrior Rank hasn't even dropped. So I'm just worried about you and want the Witch Doctor to check on you.

Since you don't agree, it seems you already know your own situation."

"Right?"

Sang Qing sat on the chair, her expression somewhat gloomy and her eyes less bright.

Xing Jiu's body stiffened, and he didn't dare to meet her gaze.

"...No."

He still flatly denied it, "I'm fine."

Xing Jiu placed the animal skin in his hand on the cabinet and leaned against the wall, keeping a certain distance from Sang Qing.

Sang Qing took a shallow breath and looked at the small flowers and plants placed around the room, letting out a light scoff. "It seems you don't consider me a friend."

"That's not it." Xing Jiu immediately became anxious.

It was precisely because he considered her a friend that he didn't want to tell her.

It was enough for him to know by himself.

Sang Qing sighed faintly, imitating his previous silence, and turned her head to the side.

Xing Jiu's gaze was panicked, and he was at a loss.

He strode over to Sang Qing and knelt down, his gaze earnest.

"Qing Qing, don't ask any more. I... I'm really fine.

I have always considered you a good friend."

He didn't want her to be angry.

"I haven't thanked you for helping me take care of Aqi yet. Look, these stones are the ones you liked before. I specifically brought them from the Eagle Clan to Beast King City, hoping for a chance to give them to you.

We will always be good friends."

Xing Jiu tugged at her arm and pointed to the pile of stones in the corner, his eyes urgent as he hurriedly explained to her.

Sang Qing turned her head to look at him; the scar that divided the end of his eyebrow looked slightly wild.

"Xing Jiu..."

Sigh, forget it.

Seeing him like this, she didn't want to ask any more.

She didn't want to push him too far.

"Keep the stones for now. I'm leaving. Remember to return to the manor later."

Sang Qing stood up and walked out without staying.

Xing Jiu bit his lower lip, a hint of stillness appearing in his eyes.

"Qing Qing..."

He still called out to her.

But not to tell her the truth.

Sang Qing paused and turned around.

"I... I won't be going back for a while. As for Aqi, can I go pick him up in a few days?" Xing Jiu forced a smile, slowly stood up, and discussed in a gentle voice.

Sang Qing frowned and didn't agree immediately.

"Your injury hasn't healed yet. You should stay at the manor for a few more days. There's no need to rush."

Xing Jiu turned to look at his shoulder and said in a muffled voice, "It's already healed."

Didn't she give him an elixir? When he woke up this morning, the wound was almost completely healed.

He just didn't want to trouble her anymore.

"Then suit yourself." Sang Qing pursed her lips, gave him a look, and nodded.

But Xing Jiu suddenly regretted it.

Why did he say that?

Didn't he clearly want to spend more time by her side?

But the words were already out.

It was too late to take them back.

Besides, from her tone, it felt like she was a bit angry.

Seeing him silent, Sang Qing assumed he was finished and strode away.

Xing Jiu felt regretful, staring at her back while clutching his aching chest, and hurriedly chased after her.

But when he chased out, Sang Qing was no longer on the street.

She... she really was angry.

Xing Jiu leaned against a tree on the street, lowered his head sadly, and wept silently.

He couldn't be a burden to her; this was actually quite good.

But... as he cried... seeing a pair of long legs suddenly appear before him, Xing Jiu's tears instantly froze, and he was completely stunned.

She... He snapped his head up and met Sang Qing's large, puzzled eyes.

"You... why didn't you leave?"

Xing Jiu spoke stutteringly, blinked his eyes, and stood up somewhat bashfully.

Sang Qing showed him the Rose in her hand, the corners of her eyes turning up with a playful look. "I saw a flower blooming nicely nearby, so I went to pick it.

Who knew that when I turned around, I'd see a certain beast crying so sadly? Anyone who didn't know better would think I did something to you."

Such a large figure, squatting by the street whimpering like an abandoned little beast—he looked truly pitiful.

"No... no, you saw wrong. I wasn't crying." Xing Jiu turned his face away and haphazardly wiped away his tears.

"For you. Stop crying." Sang Qing chuckled and handed him the Rose.

"I said I wasn't crying." Xing Jiu's ears turned red, and he lowered his eyes as he took the delicate flower from her hand, speaking with shame and indignation.

Sang Qing shrugged, "Okay then."

If you say you weren't crying, then you weren't.

She wouldn't argue with him.

After giving him the flower, Sang Qing didn't intend to stay much longer.

She hadn't expected him to chase her out, let alone cry so much.

This time, Xing Jiu pulled her back.

He clutched her clothes like a pitiful thing, his toes rubbing against the ground, unwilling to let go.

"I... I can give you a hug?"

After a long stalemate, Xing Jiu inexplicably came out with this sentence.

Sang Qing scratched the seam of her pants, confused. "...Uh, no."

This request was a bit out of bounds for a beast who was already pair bonded.

Xing Jiu looked at her on the verge of tears, his nose slightly red, his eyes full of anticipation. "Just this once..."

"..." Sang Qing opened her lips.

"Fine..." then.

Before the word "then" could even leave her mouth, Xing Jiu stepped forward and hugged her.

The male's tall and broad frame could completely envelop her.

Sang Qing was held tightly by him, the fresh scent of greenery on him reaching her nose. She didn't know where to put her hands, but finally, they landed on his back, giving it a gentle pat.

Xing Jiu held her tightly, his heart and soul filled with unprecedented satisfaction.

Smelling the floral scent from the tips of her hair, which lingered faintly, his eyes were deeply moved.

This must be the closest they had ever been.

No wonder her mates all liked to kiss and hug her.

At this moment, Xing Jiu suddenly made an important decision.

He wanted to sacrifice himself to her.

To give this endless, dark affection a memento.

Xing Jiu then used her previous question as an excuse to bring her back into his home.

Bang!

As soon as they entered the room, Xing Jiu gently closed the door, and the look in his eyes changed drastically.

Sang Qing keenly sensed something was wrong and snapped her head back.

She saw Xing Jiu carefully place the Rose in his hand into a bottle, and then, right in front of Sang Qing... "Xing Jiu..." Sang Qing's pupils dilated as she let out a low cry.

Was he crazy?

She wanted to step forward, but felt it wasn't right, so she could only stand there in a daze and turn her back.

"Put your animal skin on quickly! What are you doing?"

Didn't he say he would explain the reason? What is he doing?"