At noon, the sun hung high overhead.
The bowls, chopsticks, and wooden basin that Shu Ning had carved were starting to look quite decent.
She then went to fetch some water, placing the full basin by the bed.
Next, she took a clean animal hide and laid it beside him.
Looking at the man’s sleeping form, she saw his skin was as pale as paper, exuding a kind of sickly beauty.
Inky black hair was strewn across his handsome face.
Shu Ning leaned over gently, her fingers brushing his hair as she tucked a few stray strands behind his ear.
Then she stood up.
She had decided to go find the Holy Female.
“Ningning, you’re here.” Mu Xia smiled in greeting when she saw Shu Ning arrive.
“Amma, I need to talk to you about something,” Shu Ning said.
“What could be so important that my Ningning would come all this way to find her Amma?”
Ever since Mu Xia had arranged for the original owner of this body to take her first Beast Husband, Xuan Lin, she had stopped providing her with food.
No matter how much of a fuss she kicked up or what tantrums she threw, it hadn’t worked.
At the time, Mu Xia had looked at the increasingly obese Shu Ning—so overweight that even walking was a struggle—and felt that without some drastic measures, she would never change.
‘It’s my fault for spoiling her so much,’ she’d thought.
‘I should have controlled her diet sooner.’
When the original Shu Ning saw that Mu Xia was cutting off her food supply, she threatened to disown her as a mother and rarely took the initiative to visit her again.
What Mu Xia didn’t know at the time was that Xuan Lin couldn’t have cared less if the original Shu Ning lived or died.
No matter how she cursed him or tried to curry his favor, he remained completely unmoved, keeping his distance from her after they were wed.
The original Shu Ning was too proud.
She didn’t want anyone, especially her Amma, to know that her Beast Husband wouldn’t even provide her with food.
So, it wasn’t long before she plotted with a few other Beastmen to ensnare Xuan Mo.
She knew Xuan Mo wasn’t from the Wolf Clan, so he definitely wouldn’t tell anyone about her situation.
With Xuan Mo’s abilities, he could have easily escaped on his own after his injuries healed.
But he didn’t.
Of course, he didn’t find any food for her, either.
Seeing that this Beast Husband was also useless, the original Shu Ning grew furious and decided to find another.
Once, while out near a canyon, she happened upon the dying Yiyuan.
She demanded he become her Beast Husband as the price for saving him.
Yiyuan agreed.
He also promised to bring her food after they were wed, but he treated it like he was simply completing a task.
He had decided to bring her food for one year, and then he would leave.
“Ningning, you’ve really lost weight!” Mu Xia said, looking at the Shu Ning before her, her face full of delight.
‘It seems my decision was the right one.’
“Amma…” This was the first time since she started trying to lose weight that someone had complimented her on it, and a smile instantly spread across Shu Ning’s face.
However, she wasn’t here to chat today.
“Amma, I came to you today to talk about Xuan Mo.”
“Xuan Mo?
What about him?” Mu Xia’s smile vanished.
“Xuan Mo was captured yesterday.
I want to know if this was on your orders, Amma,” Shu Ning said, looking Mu Xia straight in the eye.
“It was.
Weren’t you attacked by the Black Snake Clan a few days ago?
The Beastmen who went to the Jiao Clan with you all said Xuan Mo was involved.
I couldn’t show favoritism,” Mu Xia said.
“Amma, how could you just let them seize Xuan Mo without distinguishing right from wrong?
You let them beat him, and he was nearly sacrificed,” Shu Ning said, her voice rising with agitation.
“Sacrificed?
I only told them to capture him for questioning,” Mu Xia said with a frown.
“If I hadn’t found him in time, he would have died on the Sacrificial Altar!”
“Ningning, calm down first.
How is Xuan Mo now?”
“He’s fine now.”
“As long as he’s fine.
Don’t worry, Ningning, I will have someone investigate this thoroughly,” Mu Xia said reassuringly.
“Guards, bring Fang Yu and Fang Shi here.”
A moment later, Xiao Chong entered with the two Beastmen from yesterday.
“Speak.
Why did you frame Xuan Mo?” Shu Ning demanded.
“We…” one of the Beastmen began.
“Weren’t you swearing up and down yesterday that you saw Xuan Mo?
Cat got your tongue now?” Mu Xia said, her voice laced with anger.
“Holy Female, if it wasn’t for him, how would we have been ambushed by the Black Snake Clan?” the other Beastman retorted.
“It wasn’t him,” Shu Ning stated.
“The Black Snake Clan was already near the Jiao Clan’s territory at the time.
The day before we were attacked, they had ambushed the Jiao Clan.”
The two Beastmen were stunned.
“How do you know?” Fang Yu asked.
“Do you remember the Eldest Prince of the Jiao Clan?”
The two Beastmen looked confused.
“The one who came to thank me at the banquet.
He was injured by the Black Snake Clan and only recovered after using a Xuan Crystal Stone.”
“No wonder we were attacked by the Black Snake Clan so soon after leaving the Jiao Clan’s territory.”
It suddenly dawned on Fang Shi.
“They weren’t actually trying to attack us, but Mo Li!”
“Exactly.
If they had captured Mo Li, they would’ve had a hostage,” Shu Ning said.
“Besides, I am certain it was not Xuan Mo.
I saw him the day before we departed, and there was nothing unusual about his scent,” Shu Ning explained.
“So, we really did misunderstand him,” Fang Yu said.
“And we almost got him killed,” Fang Shi added.
The two of them hung their heads.
“Holy Female, Shu Ning, just tell us.
What can we do to make up for our mistake?”
“You can decide for yourself,” Mu Xia said, looking at Shu Ning.
“Since you didn’t do it on purpose, and I’m not a cruel person, I want you to go apologize to Xuan Mo.
He’s very weak right now.
You are to hunt for him until he has fully recovered.”
“Yes, yes…
we’ll go right now.
Thank you, Holy Female and Shu Ning, for your forgiveness.”
With that, the two of them exited.
Mu Xia looked at Shu Ning, her eyes filled with gratification.
‘My Ningning has finally grown up.’
Xiao Chong, who had been watching from the side, had a flash of surprise in his eyes.
‘This female has changed a lot recently.’
“Amma, thank you,” Shu Ning said gratefully.
“What’s there to thank me for?
This is what a mother should do.”
“If there’s nothing else, I’ll head back now,” Shu Ning said.
“Alright.
Come find Amma again if anything happens.
Amma will stand up for you.”
After saying her goodbyes, Shu Ning headed back.
“Xiao Chong, you’ve also noticed Ningning’s recent changes, haven’t you?” Mu Xia said to Xiao Chong.
“Yes, she has indeed changed a lot,” Xiao Chong replied.
An imperceptible emotion flickered in his eyes, and the corners of his mouth turned up slightly.
Shu Ning was in a great mood on her way back.
Suddenly, she thought of last night…
and a blush crept onto her cheeks.
“Congratulations, Host.
Main quest completed.”
“Wait…” Shu Ning interrupted upon hearing the system.
“Is it time for an upgrade?”
“Correct.”
“Can you upgrade in a few days instead?”
…
“Affirmative.
The system will upgrade in seven days.”
“Besides the upgrade, are there any other rewards?”
“Negative.”
Shu Ning was speechless.
“There is no reward for the main quest.
However, completing the hidden side quest ‘Save Xuan Mo’ does have a reward,” the system said.
Shu Ning hadn’t expected saving Xuan Mo to be a hidden quest.
“What’s the reward?” Shu Ning asked, full of anticipation.
“The reward is one bomb.”
…