As the sun set, each family concluded their day’s hunt.
Feng Ci’s hundred-member team also returned with the day’s spoils. Two massive, blood-soaked second-level Silver-Striped Deer lay on the open ground, each estimated to weigh over a thousand jin. A group of Martial Spirit Masters swiftly butchered them with Spirit Swords.
Ordinary storage rings couldn’t preserve freshness, but the flying boat had a dedicated warehouse for storing food to keep it fresh.
Deer antlers and velvet could be used as spiritual medicine, while tendons, bones, and hides were materials for crafting weapons. The venison was chopped into chunks and carried into the flying boat by the Martial Spirit Masters.
Feng Ci frowned slightly and summoned Feng Shan, asking, “Have Feng Qing and Feng Yi not returned yet?”
Feng Shan shook his head. “Haven’t seen them. Madam hasn’t returned either.”
“Go attend to your duties.” Feng Ci took out the spirit communication stone, channeled Spirit Power into it, and the palm-sized stone emitted an orange-yellow glow. A woman’s exclamation came from the other side: “Feng Qing, come quickly!”
Feng Ci’s expression darkened. “Feng Yi, what happened?”
On the other end, Feng Yi looked at the dozen large baskets filled to the brim and shook his head. “Young Master, nothing’s wrong. It’s just that we’ve gathered quite a lot today—we might need a few people to help carry it back.”
Hearing that nothing was amiss, Feng Ci’s expression eased slightly. He curtly said, “Wait,” cut off the spirit communication stone, and quickly selected two Martial Spirit Masters to leave with him.
While Feng Yi was communicating with Feng Ci, Song Liuhua and Feng Qing caught over a dozen more young Rabbit-like Beast kits.
In just one afternoon, they had captured a total of 120 adult Rabbit-like Beasts and 68 kits.
Enough to fill over a dozen large baskets.
Song Liuhua patted one of the baskets, only now feeling the ache throughout her body.
When Feng Ci arrived, he saw his wife leaning inelegantly against a tree stump, dozing off.
He scooped her up horizontally and, passing by the ten baskets of wild vegetables on the ground, paused. “Bring back the wild vegetables Madam gathered.”
With that, he turned and left first.
Feng Wu and Feng Liu were twin brothers. They each punched Feng Qing and Feng Yi in the shoulder. “The Young Master told you to protect Madam! Where did you two wander off to? The Young Master’s face was dark the whole way here—do you have any idea how nervous we were?”
“My brother’s right. The clan doesn’t rely on you gathering a few baskets of wild vegetables to survive. If you take Madam out to play, at least come back earlier?” Madam’s status was no secret among them; everyone knew Song Liuhua was a talentless waste who hadn’t awakened any abilities and could do nothing but dig for wild vegetables.
Feng Liu, who had a red mole in his left eyebrow, curled his lip. “Today, we took down two second-level Silver-Striped Deer—over two thousand jin of meat alone. You’re in for a treat tonight.”
Feng Qing remained silent, hoisting one large basket on his back and carrying another in his hand, ready to leave.
Feng Yi grinned and pulled back the wild grass covering the top of a basket. “Let me show you—following Madam today, our harvest wasn’t small either!”
The basket was crammed full of dense rabbit heads. Feng Wu and Feng Liu were instantly dumbfounded. “Rabbit-like Beasts!”
Their eyes swept in unison to the other baskets. “Don’t tell me those are full of them too!”
Feng Yi puffed out his chest and pointed at the one on Feng Qing’s back. “They all are.”
Feng Wu and Feng Liu pulled back the grass covering the other baskets—the soft, wriggling Rabbit-like Beasts were dazzling to behold.
The two brothers stood stunned for a moment before bursting into joyous laughter. “Excellent! Dinner tonight is going to be fantastic!”
Feng Yi gave the grinning twins a punch each, then grabbed two baskets and ran off swiftly.
Feng Wu and Feng Liu snapped out of their daze, picked up the remaining baskets, and chased after him while grumbling.
Song Liuhua was sleeping soundly when she suddenly caught a whiff of smoke and the aroma of meat. Her small nose twitched, and she slowly opened her eyes.
She met a pair of slightly amused eyes. “Awake?”
Covering her mouth, she let out a delicate yawn before realizing Feng Ci had carried her all the way back.
She struggled to get down, linked her arm with his, and excitedly told him about the day’s harvest. “Feng Ci, we caught so many Rabbit-like Beasts today. We’ll treat everyone to an extra meal tonight.”
After a moment’s thought, Feng Ci realized he had misunderstood—those baskets of wild vegetables were likely just a cover.
The Qin family, one of the ten great southern clans, had set up camp to the right of the Feng family’s team. Their leader was the seventh young master of the Qin family, Qin Ye.
He walked over from the Qin camp and said with a laugh, “Feng Ci, so this is your new wife? Tsk tsk… you’ve kept her well hidden. I just didn’t know your taste had sunk so low.”
Qin Ye was dressed in white martial attire, broad-shouldered and long-legged, with handsome features and narrow phoenix eyes. The disdain in his gaze toward her was unmistakable.
Song Liuhua hated people like him the most. Planting her hands on her hips, she retorted angrily, “No matter how flawed I am, I’m still better than your sister, who abandoned her fiancé when he was injured and kicked him while he was down!”
After marrying Feng Ci, she had learned about this absurd drama. On their wedding day, his fiancée had run off with someone else. That fiancée happened to be the tenth young lady of the Qin family, Qin Rui. And not only did she run away—she chose to do it on the wedding day itself, thoroughly humiliating the Feng family.
Enraged, the Feng family head—Feng Ci’s father—had disowned Feng Ci.
Song Liuhua thought Feng Ci had remarkable resilience—despite all that, he hadn’t turned bitter.
Now, here was a member of the Qin family looking down on her? Absolutely unacceptable.
Qin Ye’s face darkened instantly. “Truly, those from humble backgrounds lack decorum.”
“I may lack decorum, but at least I’m not the one with a troublemaking sister~” Song Liuhua deliberately pitched her voice to annoy him.
“Women and petty men are the hardest to deal with—I won’t argue with you!” Qin Ye snorted coldly and turned to Feng Ci. “I admit my sister wronged you. That girl acted foolishly, and I apologize on her behalf. Let’s put this matter behind us. We’ve been friends for years—it’s not worth falling out over two women.”
Feng Ci replied calmly, “I never took Qin Rui’s actions to heart. If you still consider me a friend, please respect my wife.”
Qin Ye glanced at Song Liuhua and reluctantly said, “Fine.”
Over there, Song Yuan waved at her, holding a plate of Exotic Beast Meat.
Song Liuhua snorted and ran over.
Qin Ye mimicked her, “Hmph~”
Feng Ci twitched his lips. “We’re roasting deer meat tonight. Care to join?”
Qin Ye curled his lip. “Forget it. If I went, your wife would probably glare me to death. I’m heading back. Let’s get Wen Xiu and Lu Yuan together sometime.”
“Alright.”
By the time Feng Ci returned to the flying boat, Song Liuhua had already fetched their dinner. Martial Spirit Masters had large appetites, so Feng Yin had served nearly ten pounds of roasted deer meat on an enormous platter. The Silver-Striped Deer meat was tender, brushed with oil and sprinkled with spirit pepper powder, roasted until golden brown on both sides—absolutely fragrant.
She had caught quite a few Rabbit-like Beasts with Feng Yi and Feng Qing, and Feng Yin, who was in charge of cooking, generously prepared a spicy diced rabbit dish for her.
Combined with the Spirit Fruits and snacks Feng Ci had set out earlier in the day, dinner was quite lavish.
Seeing him arrive, Song Liuhua waved her hand, “Come quickly, come quickly! The venison and Rabbit-like Beast meat today are so fragrant.”
Feng Ci smiled gently and served her a generous portion of roasted venison, “You should eat more too.”
Song Liuhua didn’t stand on ceremony either, nodding before burying her head in her meal.