457: Chapter 457 Dragon's Den and Tiger's Lair

They only thought about inviting back their savior to save the tree of life and the Tribe, but they had never deeply considered: what if she went and her identity was confirmed as fake?

Or, if she truly was the bloodline of the Clan Head recognized by the tree of life, what would she encounter?

The internal affairs of the Jiaolong Clan were by no means monolithic, and they couldn't guarantee that word wouldn't leak out.

Seeing them speechless with flickering gazes, Bai Wanwan understood in her heart.

This dragon's den and tiger's lair—whoever wanted to charge in could do so!

Not a single one of her Beast Husbands was here, only Hua Han and Jiao Yin. Pregnant and carrying Cubs that hadn't been born long, stepping into such a place rashly was no different from a sheep entering a tiger's mouth.

"You should leave." Bai Wanwan's voice returned to a cool tone, carrying an unquestionable decisiveness. "Given my current situation, I don't plan on going."

"Female! Please reconsider..." The two Males still wanted to struggle.

"Enough!" Hua Han interrupted sharply, stepping forward simultaneously with Jiao Yin. Their powerful auras were like physical walls, forcing the two to retreat repeatedly.

"My Female is unwilling to go, do you not understand? Leave immediately! Otherwise, don't blame us for being impolite!"

Jiao Yin even faintly emitted a pressure like the ocean tide, causing the two Jiaolong Males to feel a sense of suffocation.

Although they were beastmen of the Jiaolong Clan, they only had Yellow-Tier Talent and could not contend with the Orange Tier.

Under the pressure of absolute strength and the owner's clear refusal, the two Males had no choice but to retreat from the cave with hearts full of despair and helplessness, looking back every three steps until their figures were quickly swallowed by the sky full of wind and snow.

Peace returned to the Stone House, leaving only the whimpering of the wind and snow hitting the door curtain and the crackling of wood burning in the fire pit.

Bai Wanwan wrapped her beast skin tighter, feeling that the chill seeping into her marrow seemed even heavier.

She was afraid of the cold, especially after learning such a secret that could involve so much; she felt this Snow Season was long enough to make one's heart feel stifled.

She almost lost even the desire to approach the door curtain.

Hua Han and Jiao Yin tacitly didn't ask more, instead pushing their meticulous care to the extreme.

The fire pit burned brightly, warm food and water were ready at any time, and the Cubs were also well-cared for, allowing her to spend this difficult Snow Season in as much warmth and comfort as possible.

More than twenty days and nights passed in the alternation of wind and snow.

This morning, amidst the whistling wind outside the cave, there was suddenly a hint of an unusual, steady, and powerful sound of treading on snow.

Bai Wanwan, who had been somewhat lazy and weary, curled up in thick beast skins, perked up her ears almost instantly, a flash of expectant radiance appearing in her eyes.

The heavy door curtain was lifted, and a tall figure wrapped in a chilling aura appeared at the entrance.

It was Yin Ze!

Thick snow had fallen on his shoulders and the tips of his hair, and his handsome face bore the fatigue of a long journey, but those deep eyes lit up with a warm light the moment he saw Bai Wanwan.

"Yin Ze!"

A joyful smile instantly bloomed on Bai Wanwan's face, like a warm sun blooming in the ice and snow. She struggled to sit up. "You're back? You didn't encounter any danger on the way, did you? Did you bring the message to them?"

Yin Ze walked in quickly, brushing off the snow from his body, a relieved and gentle smile appearing on his face. "Mm, I'm back. The road was okay; though traveling through the gaps in the storms was difficult, I finally arrived safely. The message has been delivered!"

He walked to Bai Wanwan's side, naturally taking her slightly cool hand and warming her with the temperature of his palm. "Hearing the news of your safety, they all breathed a huge sigh of relief. Yan Lie wanted to come directly with me, but he was held back by Xin Feng."

With a smile in his eyes, he then said, "They obtained several high-quality 'Water-Avoiding Beads' from the Jiaoren Clan! With these, the certainty of crossing the ocean is much greater. Calculating the time, they should arrive here before long."

"That's wonderful!" Bai Wanwan's eyes were filled with joy, and her hanging heart finally settled completely.

However, to the side, Hua Han's expression instantly faltered upon hearing the words 'all the Beast Husbands are coming over'.

It's over... Wan Wan's Beast Husbands are all coming... then does he still have a chance?

Just then, Jiao Yin, who had been silent, suddenly took a step forward. His tall figure seemed somewhat lonely in the shadows of the fire pit.

He looked at Bai Wanwan, complex emotions churning deep within his sea-blue eyes, eventually returning to the stillness of the deep sea.

"Wan Wan," his voice was low and steady, "since your Beast Husbands are all arriving, I am no longer needed here. My Clan Members are still waiting for me; I should head back."

The smile on Bai Wanwan's face slowly faded. "Can't you wait a bit longer? When the Warm Season arrives and the ice and snow melt, my Beast Husbands and I can go help you together."

She couldn't forget the kindness of him saving her from Roger's hands, nor could she forget his silent yet solid protection during this time.

Jiao Yin's gaze slowly lowered, falling on Bai Wanwan's slightly bulging abdomen covered by thick beast skins. His gaze became incredibly soft, yet carried an unshakeable determination.

He shook his head gently, the movement carrying a sense of cherishing. "You need to rest well and cannot afford to be exhausted from travel. The matters of the Jiaoren Clan are my responsibility."

He paused, his tone carrying the confidence of a ruler of the deep sea. "Rest assured, I am not without a foundation in other sea regions; I still have some loyal former subordinates scattered about. After I return, I will consolidate my forces and take back everything that belongs to me."

Hearing this, Yin Ze's eyes flashed, and he suddenly asked, "Jiao Yin, do you know a Jiaoren named 'Jiao Ming'?"

The aura around Jiao Yin suddenly turned cold, like a deep sea freezing instantly. A trace of bone-deep chill and killing intent flashed in his eyes. "He is the one who betrayed us and colluded with the Wane Clan."

"Then that's perfect. If you go back now, the timing is excellent."

He looked at Jiao Yin and slowly revealed the key information. "When Zhu Xiu, Xin Feng, and the others were looking for Wan Wan a few days ago, they happened to run into Jiao Ming and his core Jiaoren troops. After a fierce battle, Jiao Ming was heavily injured by Zhu Xiu, and several of his capable generals had their fish tails torn apart by Xin Feng. Their strength is greatly diminished, their army in shambles, and they are currently shrinking back in their nest to lick their wounds. If you go back now and consolidate your former subordinates, it is the perfect opportunity!"

Jiao Yin's pupils contracted sharply. This news was like a lighthouse in the dark, instantly illuminating his path back!

He looked at Yin Ze, his eyes full of sincere gratitude. "Thank you! Your news is crucial to me."

He turned back to Bai Wanwan. This time, his gaze contained too many unspeakable emotions: gratitude, reluctance, blessings, and a deep-seated attachment destined to remain unspoken.

A thousand words rolled in his throat, finally turning into a heavy exhortation: "Wan Wan... take good care of yourself."

Bai Wanwan looked at the complex emotions churning in his eyes, which ultimately also turned into a similarly sincere response: "You too, Jiao Yin. You must stay safe! Remember, you saved me and took care of me. This kindness, both I and my Beast Husbands keep engraved in our hearts! If... if you encounter difficulties you cannot solve, you must come find us! My Beast Husbands will surely help with all their might!"