18: Chapter 18 Almost Discovered

Hearing the sound, Bai Wanwan turned back to look at Xin Shan, who was standing beside the Stone House, the stone knife in her hand not yet put away.

"So, you were involved in this too?"

"Hmm. Let go of Auntie Wu, and I'll tell you." Xin Shan did not deny it.

Bai Wanwan was not so easily fooled; Xin Shan was the Tribe leader's son, and she did not trust him at all.

She dragged the elder Female to the side and looked directly at Xin Shan. "How do I know if you're lying to me? You speak first."

Xin Shan also knew he was not worthy of her trust. He took two steps forward and proactively spoke first: "It was my Father Beast who wanted you to have a Pairing Ceremony with me and Xin Yu. He wanted you to go to the Female Cave just so the Clan Witch could perform the Shape Carving for us."

Shape Carving was a very important ritual in a Beastman's Pairing Ceremony; once the Shape Carving was done, there was no going back.

Back then, Bai Wanwan had told the Tribe leader that she wanted Xin Feng to be her Beast Husband.

But the two of them still hadn't done the Shape Carving yet. Since she was a transmigrator, she didn't place much importance on this.

Xin Feng had agreed at the time because of other matters, and seeing that she hadn't brought it up, he hadn't proactively spoken of it either.

The Tribe leader had other schemes, so he was even less inclined for them to do the Shape Carving.

Therefore, this matter had been put on hold.

Bai Wanwan had inherited the original owner's memories and was very clear about what the Shape Carving meant.

It was like being force-fed a pile of excrement; Bai Wanwan felt extremely disgusted.

Once the Shape Carving was successful, it meant that the two Beastmen had accepted the blessing of the Mountain God, forming an established relationship.

That old geezer intended to act first and report later, forcing her to undergo the Shape Carving and compelling her to accept Xin Shan and Xin Yu as her Beast Husbands.

She snorted in anger. "Now that you've told me, do you think I'll still go with you to perform the Shape Carving?"

Xin Shan shook his head. "You don't have to do the Shape Carving. I don't agree with my Father Beast's actions. Xin Yu and I have always considered Hu Ya our Consort since we were young. Being forcibly sent to your side by our Father Beast and causing you trouble is our fault."

Only after hearing him say this did Bai Wanwan's expression soften a little.

"Then what do you intend to do?"

"Rest assured, Xin Yu and I will have a Pairing Ceremony with Hu Ya. That way, my Father Beast won't force you."

They were already considered partners with Hu Ya, just without the Shape Carving. If their Father Beast wasn't the Tribe leader, it wouldn't have been possible for them to be with Wan Wan anyway.

Wan Wan didn't like them, so them having a Pairing Ceremony with Hu Ya was the best outcome.

His gaze was sincere, but Bai Wanwan wasn't sure how much of what he said was true.

"Then I'll trust you this once. If the Tribe leader tries to plot against me again, I will leave. I believe other Tribes would welcome me."

Xin Shan glanced at Qiu Rong behind Bai Wanwan, then returned his gaze to her.

"Now, can you let go of Auntie Wu?"

Bai Wanwan was very straightforward. "Alright."

As soon as she let go, the elder Female immediately took to her heels and ran.

After finishing her conversation with Xin Shan, Bai Wanwan didn't want to deal with him anymore and turned to walk toward Qiu Rong.

"Thank you for today. Including the last time, you've saved me twice."

Bai Wanwan's mood was a bit complicated. Originally, after that incident, she had wanted to draw a clear line between herself and this person.

Yet, she had inexplicably accepted his help twice.

Seeing him now, she couldn't help but recall the heat of his body that day and the hard arms that had held her.

The force was so great... Her cheeks suddenly heated up.

"You are a Sacred Female; any Male would have done the same." The voice was cold and emotionless.

Qiu Rong lowered his head to look at the Female whose cheeks were slightly flushed, his brows knitting slightly.

The Female in front of him seemed to have become a different person; there was no shadow of the original Bai Wanwan on her.

If it had been the old her, suddenly becoming a Sacred Female, she definitely would have made all the most powerful Males in the Tribe her Beast Husbands.

But she hadn't done that, and she didn't seem to have used the status of Sacred Female to do anything.

Instead, she chose to have a Pairing Ceremony with Xin Feng, without any disdain.

"Alright then, if there's nothing else, I'll head back first."

He was a cold person, and Bai Wanwan didn't want to communicate with him much either. After saying that, she turned and left.

Qiu Rong didn't stop her, but the moment she turned around, he smelled a faint fragrance.

It was very familiar, easily making his heart pound.

His hand raised uncontrollably, and he grabbed Bai Wanwan's arm.

Bai Wanwan was yanked by this force and stumbled, turning her head suspiciously.

"Is there anything else?"

Qiu Rong took a step closer, instantly closing the distance between them, and the fragrance became even clearer.

It was clearly as familiar as if it were carved into his soul, yet he couldn't recall where he had smelled it before.

The only explanation was that night.

But regarding that Female, he couldn't recall anything related.

"Was it you?"

Under the thin moonlight, his eyes were deep, staring straight at her, unable to distinguish joy or anger.

Bai Wanwan's heart skipped a beat. What did he mean by that?

"What are you saying?"

Qiu Rong tightened his grip slightly, his sword-like brows furrowed.

"I'll ask one more time: was the Female who was with me that day you?"

It really was about this matter...

His eyes were fierce, as if he wanted to eat someone. Bai Wanwan felt guilty, but she didn't show even a fraction of it on her face.

She feigned ignorance. "With you? When was I ever with you?"

While saying this, she had already started frantically calling the system in her mind.

"What's going on? Didn't you handle everything? How did he suddenly suspect me again?"

"Host, the traces were indeed all cleaned up, and I don't know where things went wrong either. But rest assured of one thing: he has no evidence, just don't admit it."

Qiu Rong's gaze swept across her face like a sword blade, trying to find clues.

Bai Wanwan blinked, carrying out the feigned ignorance to the end. "What exactly are you talking about?"

The figures of the two close together fell into the eyes of Xin Shan in the distance.

He hadn't left, watching Bai Wanwan and Qiu Rong over there; they seemed to have long forgotten his existence.

A flash of emotion called regret suddenly crossed his heart. Wan Wan was a Sacred Female; her future Beast Husbands should all be Beastmen with powerful Talent like Qiu Rong.

This time, he withdrew his gaze and slowly turned to leave.

Bai Wanwan and Qiu Rong were still in a standoff.

Qiu Rong didn't find any expression of guilt on her face, and the churning emotions in his heart suddenly had nowhere to land.

He couldn't even distinguish whether it was anger or some other emotion.

Bai Wanwan's heart was actually pounding so hard it was about to jump out, so she hurriedly made an excuse. "I've been over here for so long, Xin Feng will be worried, so I'll head back first."

As she spoke, her gaze moved down, landing on the arm that Qiu Rong was still holding.

Her hint was so obvious, yet Qiu Rong acted as if he didn't see it.

She could only say it directly. "Qiu Rong, let go, I'm going back."

After she said that, Qiu Rong still didn't let go.

The two stayed in this stalemate for a while before Qiu Rong finally withdrew his hand.

"Bai Wanwan, you had better not be lying to me. If I find out it was you that night, I won't let you go!"

Bai Wanwan deliberately muttered with complaint, "I don't even know what you're talking about."

After saying this, she turned and walked away, afraid that Qiu Rong might discover any traces.

Even though there were no eyes on her back, it felt as if she could see Qiu Rong's eyes staring at her back...