According to the system, she still needed to drip blood on it to bind it.
Chu Liangyu gritted her teeth, braced herself against the pain, and cut her finger.
The bronze short knife flashed, absorbing the blood.
The short knife was completely transformed. Unlike before, it now looked thicker and more substantial, with a solid metallic texture.
Chu Liangyu was very pleased and toyed with it, turning it over and over in her hand.
Suddenly, a pale golden bead fell out.
Only then did Chu Liangyu remember it. She’d been so busy checking her new items that she’d completely forgotten about it.
The mist had dispersed quickly after she came ashore. Sunlight now streamed into the woods, and where it touched the pale golden bead, the orb seemed to merge with the light itself.
Alarmed, Chu Liangyu quickly snatched the bead up.
’Are you kidding me? I went through hell to get this thing. It’s not just going to vanish on my watch.’
"Still, what is this thing, and what does it do?"
[Ding! The Omniscient System is now online.]
[Carp Essence: Having been nourished by the Ancient Green Lotus for a long time, it can clarify the mind, sharpen vision, and dispel most illusions and poisonous miasmas.]
[It can also conceal your aura for stealth.]
’Huh... Why am I a little disappointed?’
’I thought it might be a demon beast’s inner core, like in a cultivation novel. Well, at least it’s somewhat useful.’
Wiping the dirt from it, Chu Liangyu glanced around. ’Right, I don’t seem to have anywhere to put all this.’
"The last one could store items. Can you?"
[Ding! Storage grid unlocked.]
[Deposit all items?]
The familiar phrasing made her fall silent.
Chu Liangyu suddenly recalled a time she had argued with the system.
To force her to compromise, the system had sealed away everything she had accumulated over the years, refusing to give her access.
During that time, she was thrown into dire straits; she’d even nearly starved to death.
Ultimately, Chu Liangyu had no choice but to compromise.
From then on, it was as if the system had found her weakness.
It began putting all her rewards into the System Space, only giving them to her when she absolutely needed to use them.
Her just-brightened mood instantly plummeted. "That won’t be necessary," Chu Liangyu said, her tone flat.
’This thing seems to have had its consciousness wiped. It’s more like a tool.’
But even so, Chu Liangyu couldn’t let her guard down.
The Childbirth System had taught her that she couldn’t trust anyone.
’No matter what, the only things that are truly mine are the things I’ve learned, the things I can control myself.’
Chu Liangyu was impatient to increase her strength. She found a relatively safe place and began studying the first Chapter.
The Vajra Scripture Body Technique was divided into nine Chapters. The first Chapter was a fist form named Taiyin Fist.
It had thirteen movements. They looked simple, but that was precisely what made them so difficult. Just starting out, Chu Liangyu found her stamina draining rapidly.
By the time she was only halfway through, she had no strength left to continue.
She looked as if she had just been fished out of the water. Under the sun, wisps of steam rose from her body.
It was so dramatic that anyone who didn’t know better might have thought she was in a sauna.
RUMBLE RUMBLE...
The sound startled Chu Liangyu. She immediately sat up, scanning her surroundings warily.
She looked around, but there was nothing there.
"Was that thunder?"
The rumbling sounded again. Chu Liangyu looked embarrassed—it turned out to be her own stomach growling.
It seemed the Taiyin Fist had consumed too much of her energy. She needed to get something to eat, and fast.
On the other side of the forest, her Beast Husband, Xiong Xian, was looking for her. Trailing behind him was another female bear Beastman, Xiong Jiaojiao.
Xiong Jiaojiao gazed at his broad back and gulped. "Thank you for saving me just now. If it weren’t for you, I would have been eaten by Wandering Beasts."
"It’s nothing, it’s nothing. I was just passing by." Xiong Xian scanned the area, trying to see if she was nearby.
"Are you a Beastman of the Bear Clan?"
"I am."
"Me too. I just got separated from my Beast Husband. Could you take me back? I’m afraid I’ll run into those Wandering Beasts again," Xiong Jiaojiao pleaded in a small voice.
She wasn’t unattractive, and most male beastmen wouldn’t refuse her.
Xiong Xian hesitated. "But... I have something else to do."
Hearing this, Xiong Jiaojiao’s eyes immediately reddened, her voice choked with tears. "Then... you should go."
As she told him to go, she unconsciously clutched the corner of her clothes.
Whether intentionally or not, her hand brushed against Xiong Xian.
Xiong Xian immediately shook her hand off, wiping his own vigorously on his beast-hide tunic. "Fine, I’ll take you back. There’s no need for that."
The exchange between the two bear beastmen was witnessed by Chu Liangyu, who wasn’t far off.
The forest wasn’t large. Chu Liangyu, out looking for food, had run into her own Beast Husband... who was with a strange female.
’So it’s a classic hero-saves-the-damsel scene, and the hero is my own Beast Husband.’
For a moment, Chu Liangyu didn’t know what expression to make.
’It’s not that I’m angry... I don’t really feel anything. It’s just... weird.’
Over there, Xiong Xian spoke again. "Is it far? We need to hurry."
"Ah, you agreed?"
"Yes. Let’s go."
A smile appeared on Xiong Jiaojiao’s face, and she followed behind him with a cheerful spring in her step.
"You said you had something to do earlier. Can you tell me about it? Maybe I can help."
"I’m... looking for a female."
Xiong Jiaojiao’s bouncing steps stopped. She asked cautiously, "Are you looking for your Female Master?"
Xiong Xian’s brow furrowed. He considered it for a moment. ’A woman who killed her own cub... She doesn’t deserve the title.’
He replied decisively, "No!"
Chu Liangyu hid behind a bush, not revealing herself to them.
She stared at the pair, but her thoughts had already drifted far away.
’I’ve been wondering about something ever since I came out here. My strength is still lacking. If I were to drop everything and leave the tribe, could I survive long enough to get strong?’
’If I could, I’d ditch my Beast Husband without a second thought.’
Across from him, when Xiong Jiaojiao heard he wasn’t looking for his Female Master, she couldn’t help but beam. "Oh, that’s great! When we get back, I’ll be sure to treat you well. I’ll give you lots and lots of delicious food."
"Thank you, but—"
Xiong Jiaojiao interrupted, "No buts. A meal won’t take long."
As they spoke, three figures appeared up ahead. They were Xiong Jiaojiao’s Beast Husbands.
Xiong Jiaojiao’s heart tightened. She then feigned excitement, pointing at them with sparkling eyes. "There they are! My Beast Husbands."
The three males glanced at Xiong Xian, then moved to pull Xiong Jiaojiao toward them. "Female Master, where have you been?" one asked anxiously. "We’ve been looking for you for so long."
But Xiong Jiaojiao suddenly put her hands behind her back. The atmosphere grew strangely awkward.
She changed the subject. "Ah, well, it’s thanks to him that you’re seeing me at all. You should get some food and treat him well."
The other two exchanged a look, then smiled at Xiong Xian. "We’re so grateful to you! Come on, let’s go inside and get a bite to eat!"
Before anyone could say anything else, two of them flanked Xiong Jiaojiao, putting their arms around her and leading her into the house.
"Did you think you could get away?" one of them hissed. "If you hadn’t brought back a piece of meat, you’d be in for it today!"
Xiong Jiaojiao trembled. "I-I know. I won’t do it again."
"That’s more like it. We’ll let you go when you’ve given us brothers some cubs."
Chu Liangyu had been following them the whole time, watching coldly and overhearing their conversation.
Xiong Jiaojiao’s situation made her heart sink, and she temporarily shelved the idea of leaving the tribe.
’Freedom is great, but only on the condition that I have the strength to back it up.’
’I need to change their attitudes, get them to protect me for now. It’s necessary until I’m stronger.’
’Or rather, if I can win them over and secure their support, it will be much easier to increase my strength.’
’How am I going to do it...?’
Chu Liangyu rubbed her chin. Seeing Xiong Jiaojiao’s retreating back, an idea suddenly flashed through her mind.
’I’ve got it!’
’I’ll pull a little self-injury gambit, with a "beauty saves the big dumb bear" twist.’
Inside the house, the group was soon chatting together.
"This is called a drunk fruit. Eating it makes you feel really comfortable, like you’re basking in warm sunshine. Try it."
A pale purple fruit was pressed into Xiong Xian’s hand. He found it quite novel; it was the first time he’d ever heard of it.
He usually ate meat and didn’t know much about things like this.
Seeing that he wasn’t eating it, the three men secretly exchanged glances, then all looked at Xiong Jiaojiao.
The hand Xiong Jiaojiao held a fruit in trembled slightly before returning to normal. "It’s really delicious. Go on, try it."
The fruit was brought to his mouth. Startled, Xiong Xian opened his mouth instinctively.
The fruit was sweet and fragrant as it entered his mouth. It really was delicious.
Licking his lips, he found the taste quite unique. But he liked it, and he unconsciously ate a few more.
The emotion in Xiong Jiaojiao’s eyes was complex. She opened her mouth as if to say something, but was scared into lowering her head by the glares from the three men.