“This medicinal herb of mine was obtained by venturing deep into the heart of the mountains, risking my life to acquire it. You’re offering just a wild rabbit in exchange? No deal.”
“I beg you,” Gui Lianjun pleaded. “I truly need this herb. Once my Silver Wolf recovers from his injuries, I’ll give you half of all the prey he catches for an entire month, alright?”
Her Beast Husband, Silver Wolf, was currently bedridden at home, recuperating from injuries sustained during a hunt. His wounds were severe, and without treatment, his leg would likely be permanently disabled.
She had come to the Mutual Market today hoping to find herbs that could heal his leg injury.
Unexpectedly, she had actually found one, but the trader demanded more prey than she could afford. Among her three Beast Husbands, only Silver Wolf possessed Tier 3 strength—the other two were merely Tier 2.
Precisely when Silver Wolf was injured and unable to hunt, with children to feed at home and winter approaching, the situation was dire. If food supplies were insufficient, adult Beastmen might endure hardship, but the young ones could not!
Gui Lianjun genuinely couldn’t produce enough prey for the exchange at that moment.
Despite her humble pleas, the stall owner showed no mercy. Soon, another Male Beast approached and traded two high-quality prey for the herb.
“Is the value of medicinal herbs really this high in this world?” Chu Xuan asked the system in confusion.
System 38: [Host, you see, in this world, very few Beastmen can identify medicinal herbs. Moreover, the more effective herbs often grow in perilous locations. Scarcity increases value, so the worth of herbs naturally rises accordingly.]
Chu Xuan nodded. Seeing Gui Lianjun’s dejected expression, she approached her: “Sister Lian, are you facing some trouble? Feel free to share it with me—perhaps I can help you.”
“Sister Xuan…”
Gui Lianjun looked up at Chu Xuan as if seeing a savior, her eyes instantly reddening.
She explained her Beast Husband’s injury to Chu Xuan and pleaded, “Sister Xuan, I’m only asking this of you because I have no other options. Could you lend me some prey to help me exchange for that medicinal herb?”
The herb had already been taken by another Beastman. To reclaim it, she would need to offer even more prey than the previous buyer had given.
“I swear,” Gui Lianjun said earnestly, “once my Silver Wolf recovers, I’ll repay double whatever prey I borrow from you today.”
Chu Xuan glanced at the herb, pondered for a moment, and then said:
“Sister Lian, given your Beast Husband’s condition, that herb would have limited effect—it could only provide temporary relief. A complete recovery wouldn’t be possible.”
“I know,” Gui Lianjun’s face fell again. “But having something is better than nothing. At least there’s still some hope.”
After speaking, she realized that abruptly asking for so much prey was indeed presumptuous.
With everyone stockpiling winter provisions now, who had surplus prey to spare?
“Sister Xuan, I’m sorry—I was just too anxious earlier. Please don’t take my words to heart. I’ll find another way to get the herb.”
With that, Gui Lianjun strode away. Chu Xuan hurried after her: “Sister Lian, I can save your Beast Husband.”
Hearing this, Gui Lianjun abruptly halted her steps, looking at Chu Xuan in disbelief. “You? How can you save him?”
Chu Xuan didn’t speak but raised her palm. Slowly, a warm green light emerged in her hand.
“This is…” Gui Lianjun widened her eyes. “You awakened a healing ability?”
Too excited to control her voice, she drew the attention of many Beastmen nearby.
Chu Xuan nodded at her and withdrew her ability, but many Beastmen had already seen it.
“Oh my, Chu Xuan actually awakened a healing ability. That’s simply incredible.”
“That’s a healing ability! To this day, no female in our Tianshui City has awakened a healing ability. She’s amazing.”
“Sister Lian, take me to see your Beast Husband. I can heal him.” Ignoring the surrounding chatter, Chu Xuan spoke to Gui Lianjun.
Wiping the tears from her face excitedly, Gui Lianjun said, “Sister Xuan, come with me.”
Gui Lianjun’s home wasn’t far, and the group arrived quickly.
“Mother, you’re finally back.”
As soon as they reached the door, a young beast cub rushed out and threw itself into Gui Lianjun’s arms, crying and saying, “Hurry and check on Father. Father seems to be fading.”
Hearing this, panic flashed across Gui Lianjun’s face, and she rushed into the house.
The Silver Wolf lay on the bed, breathing weakly. The blood from the wound on his leg had soaked half the bed.
“Silver Wolf, don’t scare me. Look at me, I’m back.”
Gui Lianjun threw herself before the bed, calling out to him repeatedly, but the person on the bed showed little response.
Chu Xuan stepped forward. “Sister Lian, let me take a look.”
Suppressing her grief, Gui Lianjun quickly made room for Chu Xuan. “Sister Xuan, I’m counting on you.”
The Silver Wolf’s injury was mainly on his leg, caused by a beast bite. The wound hadn’t been treated promptly, leading to its current deterioration. Healing it wasn’t difficult.
Standing before the bed, Chu Xuan formed hand seals and activated the Returning Spring Heart Sutra. A faint green light reappeared in her palms, which she placed over the Silver Wolf’s wound.
The wound began to heal at a visible rate.
Within a quarter of an hour, all the injuries on the Silver Wolf’s body had healed completely. Gui Lianjun found it unbelievable.
She had initially thought it would be a miracle if the Silver Wolf survived, but she never expected Chu Xuan to heal his injuries outright.
“Sister Xuan, I truly don’t know how to repay you for your great kindness today…”
As Gui Lianjun was about to kneel, Chu Xuan quickly supported her and lifted her up. “Sister Lian, there’s no need for this. Over the past year, I’ve relied on your care as well. What I did was just a small effort. Please don’t take it to heart.”
“Sister Xuan, you’ve really changed. You’re so different from before.”
The old Chu Xuan had been flamboyant, arrogant, and domineering, always looking down on everyone with an air of superiority. Now, she had become much more composed.
Chu Xuan smiled faintly and said, “After going through so much, I had to grow up eventually. I can’t remain as immature as I used to be.”
[Ding! Mo Jingxing’s favorability +5, reward Points +5.]
[Ding! Jian Ze’s favorability +5, reward Points +5.]
[Ding! Yu Jinglan’s favorability +5, reward Points +5.]
[Ding! Shen Lingjun’s favorability +5, reward Points +5.]
After the system finished announcing the affection levels of the four Beast Husbands, there was still no report about Xie Xingwen. Chu Xuan couldn’t help but ask, “What about Xie Xingwen’s?”
38: [Host, no fluctuations in affection have been detected from Xie Xingwen at the moment.]
Chu Xuan: “…”
After what happened earlier at the Mutual Market, she thought she had finally cracked open the defenses of Xie the Rooster’s heart, but…
It was all for nothing!!!
This iron rooster still wouldn’t shed a single feather!