After the banquet ended, Shu Ning was arranged to stay in Mo Li’s former bedchamber.
When no one was around, Shu Ning opened the seashell Shuting had given her and gently applied the pearl powder inside to her face.
She waited expectantly for it to take effect, but after a while, nothing happened.
Shu Ning was a little disappointed.
Exhausted from a long day of travel, she collapsed onto the bed and fell asleep.
When Mo Li returned, he saw her sleeping soundly.
His gaze softened slightly.
He covered her with a blanket before going to sleep on the couch to the side.
The next morning, Shu Ning woke up and didn’t see Mo Li.
‘Wasn’t he here last night?’ Shu Ning wondered.
Just as she stepped outside, she saw him approaching with breakfast.
“Eat,” Mo Li said simply.
As he glanced at Shu Ning’s face, a flicker of imperceptible surprise showed in his eyes.
The acne and blemishes on her face had faded.
“Okay.
Have you eaten?”
“I have.”
“We’re heading back today, right?” Shu Ning said as she ate.
“Mhm.” Mo Li’s expression was somber.
Seeing the look in his eyes, she thought, ‘He must not want to leave.
If it were me, I wouldn’t want to leave either.’
However, she still had her mission.
After only two days with Mo Li, she wasn’t confident she could get him to do what was required.
She couldn’t delay any longer.
“If you miss the Jiao Clan, how about we come back anytime?” Shu Ning said, trying to comfort him.
Mo Li’s expression shifted slightly, a hint of astonishment flashing in his eyes.
He hadn’t expected her to say that.
After spending the last two days together, he realized she really didn’t seem to be the same Shu Ning from the rumors.
Her appearance was nearly identical, but her character was completely different.
‘Now she seems…
a little prettier.
It must be because she used the pearl powder my sister-in-law gave her last night.’
“If you don’t want to be with me, that’s fine too.
You can come back whenever you want.
You don’t have to consider me.”
Shu Ning recalled how Mo Li had previously shown his disdain for her.
Seeing that he remained silent, she added,
“Look how fast you are.
You could be back in half a day, so there’s no need to worry at all.”
“Alright.
We’ll head back after you finish eating,” Mo Li said.
Seeing that he had finally spoken, Shu Ning felt a great sense of relief.
…
Outside the palace, Canglan held Mo Li’s and Shu Ning’s hands, saying reluctantly, “You must come back and visit often.
Ningning, if anyone bullies you, come to the Jiao Clan and find us.”
She looked at Shu Ning with some concern.
She knew Shu Ning wasn’t the arrogant and domineering female from the rumors; she could spot a personality like that in an instant.
“Li’er, you too.
Protect yourself and Ningning when you’re out there.”
She knew that although Shu Ning had more than one Beast Husband, rumor had it that her husbands ignored her, and some even wished she would disappear.
“Mother, don’t worry.
You and Father should also take care of yourselves,” Mo Li said.
After bidding farewell, Shu Ning, Mo Li, and the group of Wolf Clan Beastmen prepared to depart.
“Get on.”
Before Xiao Chong could even speak, Mo Li transformed into his beast form and spoke to Shu Ning.
Shu Ning was stunned.
She hadn’t expected Mo Li to voluntarily let her ride on his back.
“Get on.” Mo Li repeated when he saw she wasn’t moving.
“Oh, oh…
okay.” Snapping back to reality, Shu Ning happily climbed onto his back.
She was happy not just because he was willing to carry her, but because this would allow her to complete her mission.
‘007, does this count as completing the mission?’ Shu Ning eagerly asked in her mind.
“It counts,” the system replied.
“Congratulations, Host.
You have completed the current main mission.
Your ability level has been raised to Level 1.
Reward: Space unlocked, Instant Teleportation uses increased by 2.
You have completed the ‘Return Home Visit’ side mission.
Reward: one chainsaw.
For completing both missions ahead of schedule, you receive an additional bonus reward: one ‘Daily Necessities’ care package.”
Hearing the system’s reply, Shu Ning was ecstatic.
She really wanted to see what was in the care package right now, but she had to stay focused.
After all, she was still on the back of a certain Beast Husband.
‘I hope it has tissues, shampoo, body wash, facial cleanser, and stuff like that.’
‘Yesterday, I had to use leaves when I went to the bathroom…’
And she couldn’t stand being dirty; plain water couldn’t wash the oil from her skin.
Lost in her thoughts, Shu Ning was nearly thrown off by a sudden jolt from Mo Li.
“Hold on tight!” Mo Li shouted.
“What’s going on?” Shu Ning asked.
“We’re under attack!” Xiao Chong answered.
“The fog is too thick here!
I can’t see the enemy!
Everyone, be careful!”
All the Beastmen raised their guard, gripping the Beast Bone Blades in their hands and staring intently into the surrounding fog.
The surroundings were terrifyingly quiet, with only a faint HISSING sound.
Suddenly, a black snake tail shot out, coiling tightly around one of the Wolf Clan Beastmen, pinning his limbs so he couldn’t move.
As the other Wolf Clan Beastmen moved to help, an urgent male voice suddenly echoed from within the fog.
“Get the big one!
He’s the Third Prince of the Jiao Clan!”
Suddenly, countless more black snake tails shot out from all directions, striking toward Shu Ning and Mo Li.
As the black snake tails drew closer, Xiao Chong and Mo Li fought back furiously.
But as soon as they repelled one wave, another quickly followed.
No matter how powerful they were, the few of them could hardly hold back their opponents.
Seeing that everyone was nearing exhaustion and watching the endless tide of black snake tails, Shu Ning suddenly thought of her Instant Teleportation ability.
‘It can move objects…
I wonder if it can move me and everyone else away.’
She squeezed her eyes shut, imagining the direction of the Wolf Clan…
When she opened her eyes again, she found that she and the others were still in the forest.
But they were no longer in the same spot.
One moment, everyone was fighting the Black Snakes; the next, they suddenly found that the snakes and the fog had vanished.
They looked at each other in bewilderment but remained on high alert.
Shu Ning was also confused.
Logically, they should have been back in the Wolf Clan’s territory by now.
‘Is my Instant Teleportation ability not strong enough?’
‘Whatever.
It’s good enough that we escaped the danger.’
“Is everyone alright?!” Xiao Chong asked, looking around warily.
“We’re fine,” the other Beastmen replied.
But in reality, some were wounded and some were bleeding.
As long as no one was dead or had lost a limb, in their eyes, it counted as “fine.”
After a while, seeing no more Black Snakes, the group finally let out a sigh of relief.
They rested where they were, bandaging each other’s wounds.
“Are you okay?” Xiao Chong asked Shu Ning.
“I’m fine,” Shu Ning replied.
She turned and saw blood flowing from a wound on Mo Li’s arm.
She went over, tore a strip from her own beast-hide clothing, and began to bandage it for him.
Mo Li’s arm was taut with muscle, veins bulging, and the blood flowed quickly.
“Don’t move,” Shu Ning commanded, seeing Mo Li’s other hand about to stop her.
Just like that, Mo Li allowed the female before him to bandage his wound.
His tense expression finally relaxed, and his brows softened slightly.
After finishing the bandage, Shu Ning looked with satisfaction at the arm, which had temporarily stopped bleeding.
‘We need to get back quickly and put some medicine on this,’ Shu Ning mused.
Watching this scene, a flash of jealousy crossed Xiao Chong’s eyes.
After a short rest, not daring to linger, the group got up and continued on their way.
The journey back always seems to go by so quickly.
Soon, the group returned to the Wolf Clan Tribe.
After they parted ways, Shu Ning returned to her cave and opened her encyclopedia to look for herbs that could treat wounds.