Hearing the voice, Bai Wanwan turned to look at Xin Shan standing by the stone house, not lowering the Stone Knife in her hand.
"So you had a hand in this too?"
"Yes. Let Aunt Wu go, and I'll tell you." Xin Shan did not deny it.
But Bai Wanwan wasn't so easily fooled. Xin Shan was the Clan Leader's son; she didn't trust him one bit.
She pulled the older female aside and fixed her gaze on Xin Shan. "How do I know you're not trying to trick me? You tell me first."
Xin Shan knew she had no reason to trust him. He took two steps forward and began to explain, "It was my Father Beast who wanted you to bond with me and Xin Yu. He sent you to the Female Cave so the Clan Witch could perform the carving for us."
The carving was a crucial ceremony in a Beastman bonding. Once it was done, there was no turning back.
Originally, Bai Wanwan had told the Clan Leader that she wanted Xin Feng to be her Beast Husband.
But the two of them had yet to undergo the carving. Since she had transmigrated, she didn't place much importance on it.
Xin Feng had agreed at the time for his own reasons, and since she never brought it up, he didn't either.
The Clan Leader, with his own schemes, was even less inclined to let them perform the carving.
So the matter had been set aside.
Having inherited the original owner's memories, Bai Wanwan knew exactly what the carving entailed.
It was like being force-fed a pile of shit. Bai Wanwan was utterly disgusted.
A successful carving signified that the two Beastmen involved had received the Mountain God's blessing and their relationship was set in stone.
That old bastard was planning to act first and report later, forcing her into the carving and leaving her no choice but to accept Xin Shan and Xin Yu as her Beast Husbands.
She snorted in anger. "Now that you've told me, you think I'll still go with you for the carving?"
Xin Shan shook his head. "You don't have to do the carving. I don't agree with my Father Beast's actions. Xin Yu and I have considered Hu Ya our Wife since we were children. It was our fault for being suddenly sent to your side by my Father Beast, putting you in a difficult spot."
Hearing this, Bai Wanwan's expression softened slightly.
"So what do you plan to do?"
"Don't worry, Xin Yu and I will bond with Hu Ya. That way, my Father Beast won't be able to force you."
They and Hu Ya were already considered partners, they just hadn't performed the carving yet. If their Father Beast weren't the Clan Leader, it would have been impossible for them to be with Wanwan.
Wanwan didn't like them, so them bonding with Hu Ya was the best outcome.
His gaze was sincere, but Bai Wanwan wasn't sure how much of what he said was true.
"Fine, I'll trust you this once. If the Clan Leader tries anything with me again, I'll leave. I'm sure other tribes would welcome me."
Xin Shan glanced at Chou Rong, who stood behind Bai Wanwan, before his gaze returned to her.
"Now, can you let Aunt Wu go?"
Bai Wanwan was just as direct. "Fine."
The moment she let go, the older female immediately turned tail and ran.
After settling things with Xin Shan, Bai Wanwan had no desire to deal with him further and turned to walk toward Chou Rong.
"Thank you for today. Including last time, you've saved me twice."
Bai Wanwan's feelings were a bit complicated. After what had happened, she had wanted to draw a clear line between them.
But somehow, she had ended up accepting his help twice.
Seeing him now, she couldn't help but remember the heat of his body that day, and the firm arms that had held her.
'They were so strong…'
Her cheeks suddenly grew warm.
"You are the Holy Female. Any male would have done the same." His voice was cold and flat.
Chou Rong looked down at the blushing female, his brow slightly furrowed.
The female before him seemed like a different person; there was no trace of the original Bai Wanwan in her.
'The old her, upon suddenly becoming the Holy Female, would have definitely made all the most powerful males in the tribe her Beast Husbands.'
'But she hadn't done that. It seemed she hadn't used her status as the Holy Female for anything.'
'Instead, she chose to bond with Xin Feng, without a trace of disdain.'
"Alright then. If there's nothing else, I'll be heading back."
He was a cold person, and Bai Wanwan didn't want to talk with him much either. After speaking, she turned to leave.
Chou Rong didn't stop her, but in the instant she turned, he caught a faint, fragrant scent.
It was so familiar, and it effortlessly made his heart pound.
His hand shot up uncontrollably, grabbing Bai Wanwan's arm.
The force made Bai Wanwan stumble, and she turned her head in suspicion.
"Is there something else?"
Chou Rong took a step closer, instantly closing the distance between them. The scent grew clearer.
'It felt familiar, as if it were carved into his very soul, yet he couldn't recall where he had smelled it before.'
'The only explanation was that night.'
'But he couldn't remember anything connected to that female.'
"Was it you?"
Under the pale moonlight, his eyes were deep, staring straight at her, his expression unreadable.
Bai Wanwan's heart skipped a beat. 'What did he mean by that?'
"What are you talking about?"
Chou Rong loosened his grip slightly, his sharp brows knitting together.
"I'll ask again. Were you the female with me that night?"
'So it was about that…'
His glare was so fierce it looked like he could eat her alive. Bai Wanwan's heart faltered, but she didn't let a hint of it show on her face.
She played dumb. "With you? When was I ever with you?"
Even as she said that, she was frantically calling out to the system in her mind.
'What's going on? Didn't you say you'd taken care of everything? Why is he suddenly suspicious of me again?'
'Host, the traces were indeed wiped clean. I'm not sure what went wrong either. But you can rest assured about one thing: he has no proof. Just don't admit to it.'
Chou Rong's gaze swept over her face like a blade, searching for any tell-tale sign.
Bai Wanwan blinked, committing fully to her act. "What on earth are you talking about?"
From a distance, Xin Shan's eyes fell on their two close figures.
He hadn't left. He watched Bai Wanwan and Chou Rong over there, who seemed to have long forgotten his existence.
'A pang of regret suddenly hit him. Wanwan was the Holy Female. Her future Beast Husbands should all be Beastmen with powerful Talents, like Chou Rong.'
This time, he averted his gaze and slowly turned to leave.
Bai Wanwan and Chou Rong were still at a standstill.
Chou Rong couldn't find any sign of guilt on her face, and the tumultuous emotions churning within him suddenly had nowhere to land.
'He couldn't even tell if it was anger or some other emotion.'
In truth, Bai Wanwan's heart was about to leap out of her chest. She quickly made an excuse, "I've been out for a while. Xin Feng will be worried, so I should head back."
As she spoke, her gaze shifted down to the arm Chou Rong was still gripping.
Her hint was so obvious, but Chou Rong acted as if he hadn't seen it.
She had no choice but to say it directly. "Chou Rong, let go. I'm going back."
Even after she said it, Chou Rong didn't let go.
The two of them remained in a standoff for a moment before Chou Rong finally released her.
"Bai Wanwan, you'd better not be lying to me. If I find out it was you that night, I won't let you off the hook!"
Bai Wanwan deliberately grumbled, "I have no idea what you're talking about."
With that, she turned and walked away, afraid Chou Rong would discover a clue.
She didn't have eyes on her back, but she could feel Chou Rong's gaze fixed on her as she walked away…