Chapter 97: Chapter 97: Time to Leave
In the pitch-black cave, a small piece of thumb-thick branch with a golden glow fell onto the ground.
Wen Shu was stunned for two seconds and realized what it was.
So, Wu Xuan has been able to remain rational, all thanks to this Divine Tree Leaf.
But she couldn’t bring herself to care about that right now.
"You can talk?"
Wen Shu’s eyes sparkled with joy, and she hugged the Black Panther’s furry head tightly.
Feeling the warm and soft body of the female pressed against his face, Wu Xuan’s body trembled, and the entire beast froze in place, with only one thought racing through his mind.
The female is embracing him.
Ashu actually hugged him voluntarily!
His whole body warmed with excitement, wanting to transform back into human form, to hug her, kiss her, and let her know how much he missed her during this time!
But when his gaze fell upon that branch, his round ears drooped down, and he couldn’t help but think of his current ugly appearance.
No... he couldn’t let the female see him like this.
Noticing his low spirits, Wen Shu thought he was still worried about his injuries, so she stepped back a few paces and cupped his large furry head with her hands.
Looking into his golden round eyes, she seriously said, "In just a few days, your injuries will heal, and then, we will leave Alentia together."
She gazed deeply into Wu Xuan’s eyes, recalling everything that had happened tonight in her mind.
These repeatedly advanced storylines felt like a series of death summons, and she no longer wanted to wait until everything was ready.
Now she was at the Fifth Rank, and ordinary Seventh Rank Beastmen were no match for her, which meant she had developed a life-protecting capability in this dense forest.
Plus, Wu Xuan was there to accompany her.
As for other people or matters...
Mious must have already left, Nan’s injuries were healing, and the debts owed by the original owner she had already repaid.
She had no attachments in Alentia, and the only problem was the Crystal Coins,
but Crystal Coins can be earned in other countries, while without life, she’d have no chance to earn at all.
Settling her mind, Wen Shu curved her lips into a smile, her eyes tinted with joy, and looking straight into the golden eyes before her, said, "It’s time, Wu Xuan, do you still want to go with me now?"
Her gleaming eyes were so close, Wu Xuan’s pupils slowly enlarged, and his heart seemed to skip a beat.
He gazed quietly at her.
Feeling like this dark tree hole that had held his countless painful days and nights was also illuminated with the bright colors of her gentle gaze, making it less suffocating.
And the female’s question was so familiar.
His throat felt a surge of heat, and he restrained his heavy and chaotic heartbeat, saying the exact same words as before, "I am willing."
Still, it was a reply without hesitation.
His golden eyes flickered with fragments of light, as he lowered his head and rubbed against Wen Shu’s cold cheek, firmly stating, "Of course, I’m willing."
The furry touch grazed along her cheek, and Wen Shu’s heart melted into a puddle, unable to control the urge to embrace the nearby Black Panther, burying her face into the soft fur on his chest.
The drumbeat of the male’s heart, echoing in her ears, she felt the burning heat on the side of her face, sensing that even the cold hard guard within her heart was scorched away.
The tree hole was filled with a warm tranquility.
Ever since vague immersion in this book, Wen Shu had never felt so warm and stable.
She quietly nestled in the Black Panther’s chest, her weary spirit slowly relaxing, and with the gentle breathing beside her, she gradually fell asleep.
Feeling the female’s dependence, Wu Xuan’s breath slowed, his gaze falling silently on her sleeping profile, only feeling his heart swell with a gentle tremor.
Man and beast nestled into dreamland.
Yet in the dark corner, that dimly glowing branch suddenly lit up for a moment, then quickly returned to silence.
The next morning, a strong aroma of meat awakened Wen Shu from her slumber.
She stretched languidly, walked slowly to the source of the smell, and nearly couldn’t suppress her laughter at the absurd scene before her.
By the crackling fire, Black Panther-formed Wu Xuan solemnly squatted, using his sturdy tail to wrap around a tree branch, clumsily roasting rabbit meat.
Hearing footsteps, he turned his head toward her, with his golden eyes filled with a deep, passionate affection.
"Ashu, you’re awake!"
His eyes lit up, his excitement causing his movements to be frantic, his sturdy tail wavered, leaning towards the fire, and suddenly burst into flames!
Wen Shu was stunned for two seconds, yet Wu Xuan remained oblivious, slowly approaching her.
This time, she couldn’t laugh, quickly grabbing animal skin to extinguish the fire, while still remembering to remind him, "Your tail is on fire!"
After the brief interlude, Wen Shu looked suspiciously at the purified and well-processed rabbit meat, her gaze fixed on the Black Panther.
Apart from human hands, she couldn’t think of any animal that could peel off rabbit skin so cleanly.
But the leopard face opposite her was filled with seriousness, meeting her gaze with more genuine confusion, as if completely unaware of her suspicion.
Though Wen Shu could guess the reason he didn’t want to transform into human shape...
She munched on a rabbit leg while considering the treatment for him, her eyes scanning the mundane tree hole around her.
Yet when her gaze landed at the cave entrance, she was suddenly confronted by a pair of old and muddled eyes.
Wen Shu abruptly stood up, immediately seeing Yining’s tall figure leap into the entrance.
Meeting her gaze, Yining’s light brown eyes flashed with surprise, but upon seeing the Black Panther behind her, they turned into worry, "Wen Shu female, are you okay?"
And seeing them suddenly appear, Wu Xuan quickly went on alert.
The meticulous Priest Bona glanced at him, surprise flickering in his eyes, before shifting his attention back to Wen Shu’s face.
"Hand over the item!"
His deep voice carried a tinge of stern anger.
His eyes filled with vigilance and threat, as if firmly believing the female before him was a cunning thief hiding treasures.
Wen Shu certainly knew what he was referring to.
Although she didn’t like Priest Bona’s attitude, she was about to leave soon and didn’t want to cause any conflict with them.
More importantly, that piece of Divine Tree Leaf was crucial for Bai Qiao to save the Beast World, and she needed to survive here too, so naturally, she wouldn’t deliberately destroy it.
"Just a moment."
She touched Wu Xuan’s back and whispered, "They’re here for that branch."
Afraid that Wu Xuan wouldn’t understand the importance of this thing, she added, "That should be a Holy Object, very important to Beast City."
Understanding her meaning, Wu Xuan had no doubts; he walked boldly into the cave, retrieved the branch with his mouth, and handed it to Wen Shu.
Yet the prejudiced Priest Bona, upon seeing they indeed hid the Divine Tree Leaves, became even more aggressive, "Quickly hand it over, you cannot bear the consequences of stealing such a precious item!"
He was annoyingly noisy, and Wen Shu held back her temper, stepping forward with the intention of dropping it in his hand, but Priest Bona suddenly reached out, grabbing the branch.
And just as he touched the leaves, his chest suddenly emitted a golden light, shooting straight towards the branch at Wen Shu’s fingertips.
Startled, she wanted to dodge, but her fingers held the branch, its golden light flaring intensely, instantly wrapping around her palm.