Xin Feng froze, his entire face starting to burn.
By the time he came to his senses, the little female had vanished.
Bai Wanwan ran out of the cave and stopped a female beastman who was also happily joining the excitement.
"Bai Yun, where are the Traveling Merchants?"
Bai Yun was still an underage female and hadn't bullied the original owner of this body with Hu Ya and the others.
She happily pointed ahead. "They're right in the central plaza. Do you want to go with me?"
"Yes," Bai Wanwan said with a grin and a nod, following Bai Yun to the plaza.
They arrived late, and the plaza was already teeming with beastmen.
The most eye-catching among them were the twenty or thirty beastmen in the center with unique styles.
The Cat Clan Tribe was in a remote location, so most of its beastmen looked like savages. They wore nothing but a single beast skin wrapped around their bodies.
Chou Rong and Xin Feng were the same, but they were so handsome they'd look good even in a burlap sack.
But the group in the center all had their hair combed up, and they even wore hair ornaments adorned with colorful feathers.
Even the styles of their clothes varied. Some wore fine cotton, while others wore beast skins.
But every piece of clothing was more exquisite than anything from the Cat Clan Tribe.
Many females had gathered around them. As Bai Wanwan and Bai Yun walked over, they happened to hear a female boldly expressing her affection.
"My name is Xin Wu. I just came of age this year. I have average fertility. I like you very much, and I want you to be my Beast Husband."
The other females, not to be outdone, also made bold declarations of love.
"I only have three Beast Husbands. Do you want to be my fourth?"
'Tsk, tsk.' Wanwan was amazed. It was her first time witnessing firsthand how simple and direct beastmen were about their feelings.
After watching the spectacle for a moment, she shifted her attention to the various goods spread out on the ground.
After all, she wasn't here to find a Beast Husband; she was here to find a Fire Stone.
Bai Wanwan moved slowly along the stalls on the ground, examining them one by one.
She found that most of it was food. There weren't many daily necessities, and the most common items were salt, some ores, and… roots?
"Hua Sheng, are there any Fire Stones among these rocks?" Her system had told her two days ago that it had a name: Hua Sheng.
Bai Wanwan readily accepted this and started calling it by its name.
"No."
Bai Wanwan was deeply disappointed, her spirits instantly plummeting.
Someone suddenly approached her side. Bai Wanwan didn't notice and simply took two steps away.
"Beautiful female, may I ask what you're looking for? I would be delighted to help you."
Only then did Bai Wanwan turn her head. She saw a handsome enough face. His features weren't particularly outstanding, but he knew how to dress himself up. He wore a hair ornament with a jade-like texture, and his fine linen clothes even had patterns.
Even more extravagantly, the beast-skin belt tied at his waist was embedded with gemstones.
Among the mostly plain-looking beastmen, he was especially "eye-catching."
The curve of his lips seemed very aggressive.
"I need a type of stone that can start a fire. Do you have any?"
"A stone that can start a fire?" His tone was lazy, his gaze indolent. "What do you want that for?"
"I'm just curious. I want to trade for one to play with," she fibbed.
The male suddenly leaned in, his small eyes filled with aggression. "Little female, a stone that starts fires is not something to be played with."
Bai Wanwan pressed a finger against his approaching forehead. "Is that so? Well, you shouldn't be getting so close to me, either."
After she said this, Roger threw his head back and laughed.
Just then, a hand tightened on Bai Wanwan's arm. She was pulled a few steps to the side, and a figure stepped in front of her.
"Xin Feng, what are you doing here?"
Bai Wanwan immediately grew tense and leaned to the side to look at his leg.
Only then did she realize he was standing on one foot, with the other just barely touching the ground.
Even so, his forehead was covered in sweat.
"Xin Feng, long time no see."
The leader of the Traveling Merchants, Roger, glanced at Xin Feng in surprise. Then, his gaze went past him and landed on Bai Wanwan.
"Is this your female?"
Xin Feng held Bai Wanwan's hand, pulling her completely behind him as he stared directly into Roger's eyes.
"That's none of your business."
"How could it be none of my business? I'm very interested in your female."
Roger took a step to the side, meeting Bai Wanwan's gaze.
With a smile playing on his lips, he said to Bai Wanwan, "Little female, I like you. Are you willing to be my mate?"
Xin Feng's expression darkened. "Roger, you…"
"I'm not willing!"
Bai Wanwan's refusal rang out at almost the same time as Xin Feng's voice.
Xin Feng turned his head to look at her, but she just squeezed his hand tighter.
'How could I not see that this guy and Xin Feng don't get along?'
'Xin Feng is so good. Anyone who has a problem with him must be a bad person.'
'Of course, I have to defend my own Beast Husband.'
Xin Feng's expression softened. "Wanwan, you should go back first. I'll trade for the thing you want."
Bai Wanwan glanced at the male beside them, feeling doubtful.
'These two clearly don't get along. Would he really agree to give the Fire Stone to him?'
Seeing his concern, however, she chose to trust him.
'Besides, the Traveling Merchants won't be leaving in a day or two.'
'I can always come back later to see what other good things they have.'
"Okay, I'll head back first then."
Only after Bai Wanwan had left did Roger straighten his belt and say, "Xin Feng, I never thought you'd actually get a Wife."
"That's none of your business."
Roger sneered. "Won't even let me look, hiding her so tightly? Don't tell me you don't plan on letting her have other Beast Husbands?"
Xin Feng frowned. "If there's a male she likes, I won't stop her. But you can forget about it."
Roger let out a "Ha!" and circled him. "You suffered a severe injury that ruined your Talent, yet you still managed to find that pretty little female. Did she not mind, or is her fertility just that bad?"
His words were filled with ridicule.
Xin Feng's face showed neither anger nor shame, but he had no desire to reminisce with him.
"She wants a Fire Stone. I can trade a Golden Lion Beast Skin for it."
"Trade a Golden Lion Beast Skin? Are you willing to part with it?" Roger raised his eyebrows, glancing at him in astonishment.
Xin Feng nodded without hesitation. "Yes. Is it a deal?"
The Traveling Merchant leader stared at him for a moment, then suddenly said with a smile, "It seems you care a lot about your Wife, huh? How about this: I'll become her mate too, and we can take care of her together from now on?"
"Roger, you'd better get that idea out of your head. If you dare to harm her, I won't let you get away with it."
Roger laughed arrogantly. "You're just a cripple now. How exactly are you going to 'not let me get away with it'?"
"That's my business. If you provoke her, I'll find a way to make you pay!" Xin Feng's tone was calm, but it left no room to doubt the truth in his words.
Roger looked at him, a dark glint in his eyes. He chuckled, then reached into his clothes and pulled out two stones.
"Fire Stones. Consider them my gift to the little female."
Xin Feng reached out and took them directly, but his attitude remained distant. "No need. I'll go get the Golden Lion Beast Skin you want right now."
With that, he turned and left.
Roger folded his arms, watching his limping back as he departed, finding the whole thing rather strange.
The grudge between them was a long story. The old Xin Feng was arrogant and looked down on everyone. After he became a cripple, Roger had a good long laugh at his expense.
It had only been half a year since they'd last seen each other, yet Xin Feng now had a female and was even very protective of her.
'Interesting…'