TFSB 08

Chapter 08

Ling Cheng’en pulled Ling Xiao a little farther away, thanked the others in the tribe, and said with a smile, “Father, hurry and divide up the prey. As for whether Chong Zhen stays or leaves, let him decide for himself.”

Ling Xiao looked at his eldest daughter, who seemed completely unconcerned, unable to figure out what she was thinking. “You really aren’t worried he’ll just go back with the Medicine Vine Tribe?”

Ling Cheng’en tore off a large piece from the roasted chicken she had prepared earlier and handed it to him. “If he leaves, then he leaves. It’s not like I’ll lose a piece of flesh without him. It’s already late, Father, hurry up. Once you’re done, we should eat dinner.”

Still confused, Ling Xiao stuffed the meat into his mouth. He had still been thinking about whether Chong Zhen would stay or leave, but the flavor exploding in his mouth instantly overwhelmed his thoughts. He immediately turned toward Ling Cheng’en, who was crouched beside the fire, busy cooking.

“This is roasted meat? Why does it taste completely different from what you used to make?”

Ling Cheng’en replied helplessly, “Am I not allowed to improve a little?”

Ling Xiao sniffed the oily fragrance lingering on his fingertips in shock and nodded. “This isn’t ‘a little improvement.’ It’s like the Beast God possessed you.”

“Yes, yes, the Beast God possessed me. Now hurry up already, I’m starving.”

Ling Cheng’en didn’t want to continue that topic. She was genuinely hungry. One chicken at noon had barely filled the gaps between her teeth. After working so long and still not getting dinner, she was really starting to get irritable.

Ling Xiao stopped dwelling on Chong Zhen’s situation. The delicious aroma of the roasted meat beside him had already made him drool. Slapping his thigh, he declared, “Alright, alright! I’m going right now.”

The tribe had brought back plenty of prey that day, and with the additional batch sent by the Medicine Vine Tribe, dividing everything up took time and effort.

But Ling Xiao only wanted to hurry up and eat that richly flavored roasted meat, so he immediately led the tribe’s warriors in distributing the prey.

Meanwhile, on the rocky riverbank not far away, Chong Guang and his son sat together alone, speaking in low voices.

Looking at the freshly re-bandaged wound on Chong Zhen’s leg and his pale complexion, Chong Guang said guiltily, “A’Zhen, it’s because your father is useless that you ended up like this.”

Leaning against a rock, sweat beading faintly on his forehead from the pain, Chong Zhen remained calm and composed as he replied, “Father, this isn’t your fault. This was my own choice.”

“And although Ling Cheng’en speaks harshly, she’s right. Staying in the Stone Forest Tribe is the best option—for me and for the tribe.”

“If the tribe has to exchange prey to bring me back, then the cubs and elders will go hungry. And even if I survive, my leg might never fully recover.”

Although Chong Zhen had spent much of the day unconscious, he hadn’t been completely unaware.

The wound on his leg had become infected and rotten. The Stone Forest Tribe’s healer had first cut away the decayed flesh and used wood-element abilities to perform basic treatment before reapplying medicine.

The Medicine Vine Tribe also had two wood-element beastmen, but one was only a ten-year-old cub, while the other was an elderly shaman healer.

The cub’s healing techniques were still rudimentary and barely effective.

As for the old healer, lacking proper inheritance and teachings, the healing methods he had developed were mediocre at best.

On top of that, the healer’s power was weak. Faced with injuries as severe as Chong Zhen’s, exhausting all his abilities could only barely keep him alive temporarily.

Even now, the healer’s power still hadn’t recovered enough for a second treatment.

Chong Guang still refused to give up. Chong Zhen was the son he was most proud of—not only handsome, but also the smartest. As he grew older, he had already become the tribe’s strongest warrior.

If not for the pack of feral beasts they encountered a few days ago, and Chong Zhen risking his life to cover the tribe’s retreat, he never would have ended up on the brink of death.

“Chong Zhen, come back with us. You’re the future of our tribe.”

Chong Guang’s back looked slightly hunched. He only had this one son. If Chong Zhen stayed in the Stone Forest Tribe as Ling Cheng’en’s beast husband, what future would he still have?

Chong Zhen lowered his gaze. After a long silence, he looked toward Ling Cheng’en in the distance, crouched beside the fire, and at the lively Stone Forest Tribe members dividing prey nearby. Slowly, a larger plan formed in his mind.

“I won’t go back,” Chong Zhen said gently, but with unwavering determination. He reached out and held Chong Guang’s hand. “Father, I have an idea.”

“Today, after interacting with Ling Cheng’en, I realized she isn’t as vicious as the rumors claim. And compared to what I want to accomplish in the future, becoming her beast husband isn’t that unbearable. Let me try.”

Chong Guang listened carefully to his plan, his expression growing increasingly hesitant. Finally, he asked uncertainly, “Do you really think… this can work?”

Chong Zhen raised his eyes. The corners of his eyes still carried a sickly redness, but his dark pupils shone brightly.

“It can work. Even for the sake of the cubs in the tribe, I have to try.”

Unable to persuade his stubborn son, Chong Guang could only leave dejectedly with the tribe’s warriors, disappearing into the night on their way home.

Once the rocky riverbank fell silent again, Chong Zhen touched the wound on his leg and looked toward the cheerful father and daughters not far away.

When he lifted his head again, someone was already standing beside him.

Ling Cheng’en looked down at him calmly. “You’ve got quite the ambition—wanting the Medicine Vine Tribe to merge into the Stone Forest Tribe.”

Chong Zhen’s pupils contracted. “You heard that?”

Ling Cheng’en narrowed her eyes slightly. “Mm. Forgot to tell you. My ability is spiritual power. As long as I want, I can hear anything within a certain range.”

“Spiritual power?” Chong Zhen stared at the clean lines of her jaw in shock. “I’ve never heard of an ability like that.”

On the Beast Plains, abilities were traditionally divided into five categories: metal, wood, water, fire, and earth.

Metal abilities were rare, usually granted to beastmen living near mines. They possessed powerful offensive strength, though the energy consumption was enormous.

Wood abilities were also relatively uncommon and split into healing and combat branches. Most wood users focused on offense, while only a few with proper inheritances specialized in healing.

But medical inheritances were exceedingly rare on the Beast Plains, especially in the Northern Plains.

Chong Zhen himself possessed an earth ability. Its offensive power was mediocre, but its defense was decent. Still, his rank was only around level six.

As for Ling Xiao’s fire ability, he publicly claimed to be level ten, but after this tribal battle, they suspected he was already close to the maximum level.

Seeing Chong Zhen’s confusion, Ling Cheng’en directly connected her spiritual power to his mind and casually greeted him.

A thunderous voice exploded inside Chong Zhen’s head. He instinctively raised a hand to cover his forehead, a sharp pain piercing through him.

Ling Cheng’en immediately withdrew her spiritual power and snorted with amusement. “Your mental domain is really weak. I hadn’t even spoken yet and you already got a headache.”

Then she bent down, scooped him up effortlessly, and said smugly, “Alright, think about it all you want. My father and the others are waiting for you to eat dinner with us.”

Pressed against her back, Chong Zhen wrapped an arm around her shoulders and asked softly, “Since you heard everything, I won’t hide it. Do you think it’s possible for the Medicine Vine Tribe to merge into the Stone Forest Tribe?”

Carrying him steadily forward, Ling Cheng’en replied leisurely, “Whether it’s possible depends on whether the Medicine Vine Tribe is willing to work hard enough.”

“What do you mean?”

Ling Cheng’en countered, “If you were in my position, and a tiny tribe with nothing to offer and only capable of dragging everyone down wanted protection, wanted to merge in and receive more resources—would you agree so easily?”

“Do you think I’m the Beast God your tribe worships? So selfless and benevolent?”

Chong Zhen tightened his arm around her neck slightly. “So there’s no possibility at all?”

“There is.” Ling Cheng’en tilted her head slightly, lips curving upward. “But why should I tell you the answer? Figure it out yourself. Anyway, you can’t do anything right now. Since you’re lying around all day, you might as well spend the time thinking about it.”

“I only have one principle—I don’t keep useless trash around me.”

Chong Zhen looked at her delicate ear and the full, crimson lips glowing under the firelight, his gaze lowering slightly.

“The beastmen of the Medicine Vine Tribe are naturally smaller and weaker. We’re disadvantaged in hunting from birth. No matter how much training we do, we can’t become fierce warriors like your tribe.”

Ling Cheng’en set him down on a rock and pinched his chin, forcing him to look up at her.

She leaned in close, her lips curved in a devilish smile as she whispered softly, like a demon descending into the mortal world.

In the cool spring night, her warm breath brushed directly against his nose and lips.

Her eyes were deep and dangerous, impossible to see through—yet in that instant, he found himself sinking into them without realizing it.

“Is your brain made of wood?”

“Everyone in this world has something they’re good at.”

“Combat strength isn’t the only measure of whether someone is useful.”

“Understand now, stupid fox?”