The old bull looked at her for a long time before finally sighing. "There is no fox tribe here, female. In the nearest forest... I don’t remember anyone from the fox tribe. Maybe long ago there was one, but not now."
Su Qinglan’s eyes dimmed. Her fingers tightened around the sack in her lap.
Did that psycho beastman really drop her in some hellhole?
Just how far had he taken her away from her tribe?
She still remembered the day...how he had grabbed her so suddenly, flying so fast through the sky that she couldn’t even open her eyes properly. Everything had passed by in a blur. She couldn’t see the mountains, couldn’t see the rivers, and couldn’t remember the way back.
She had always guessed they might be far from her tribe... But hearing it from the old bull made her chest feel heavy.
She bit her lip and asked again, a small hope still flickering inside her. "Are you sure? Maybe you just forgot? Maybe someone came by before..."
The old bull looked at her kindly but still shook his head. "We don’t go far from our tribe, child. So maybe we have not seen much of the world. That’s why we don’t know. You should ask the snake lord. He’s been here for many seasons, long before we came. If there is anyone who knows about this land, it’s him."
Su Qinglan nodded slowly. "I see..." she whispered.
So in the end, it all came back to Xuan Long again. He was her only hope...the only one who might know where her tribe was or how far she had come.
She sighed softly, feeling a bit tired. Her body was not as strong as before, and carrying cubs made her back ache all the time. Maybe it is because so much happened in a single day. She shifted a little to find a better sitting position... but then she froze.
A sudden burning sensation spread across her lower back; it was hot and searing, like someone had pressed a heated stone there.
"Ah...!" she gasped softly, her hand flying to the spot, but she couldn’t reach it properly. It was right above her tailbone, burning and tingling at the same time.
"What... what is this?" she muttered under her breath with furrowed brows.
She rubbed the edge of her back, trying to ease the pain, but the heat only grew stronger. Her heartbeat sped up.
Did she get bitten by something? Or was it because of the mark Xuan Long had placed before on her cubs?
Her mind spun in confusion as the pain pulsed again, almost like something inside her skin was responding to something.
She gritted her teeth, sweat forming on her forehead. "Damn it... what’s happening to me?" She whispered, her voice trembling slightly as she tried to steady herself.
The old bull noticed her strange expression and asked worriedly, "Female, are you alright?"
Su Qinglan forced a smile, shaking her head. "It’s nothing... maybe just... a cramp."
But inside, she knew it wasn’t just that. The burning feeling... it is too strange.
Xuyu suddenly came back online with a sharp buzzing sound in her head.
"Host! Hu Yan is in danger!" his panicked voice echoed in Su Qinglan’s mind.


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