As Yi Wan recounted what Ping Mei and the others had done to his sons after he left, Zhi Li was so furious he clenched his fists and gritted his teeth.

"How dare they? Little Zhan and the others were all Ping Mei’s cubs. How could she be so heartless and just watch as two of her sons died?

And all those people in the tribe, didn’t a single one of them lend a hand?"

Yi Wan shook his head. "At least, no one dared to help openly. Those who helped in secret only gave them a little food. The three cubs were in their growing years and needed a lot to eat. That little bit of food was barely a mouthful.

But the cubs were young. It was easy for accidents to happen when they followed others out to forage... Zhi Li, Ping Mei is not a good female. She doesn’t deserve to be a Mother!

This time, now that you’ve returned from the Beast God, are you still going to stay with her?"

Zhi Li’s expression faltered. Since his rebirth, he had only been thinking about his three cubs and Yi Wan; he hadn’t thought much about Ping Mei at all.

He took a moment to feel for the connection, and his expression filled with delight. "No! Yi Wan, I can’t feel Ping Mei’s presence. This means we’re no longer mates!"

After a moment of joy, his usually sunny and righteous demeanor vanished, replaced by a cold, grim expression filled with hatred. "I will avenge my two sons. Why is it that my sons and I had to go report to the Beast God, while Ping Mei, Wu Chuan, and their child get to live on just fine?" 𝕗𝐫𝐞𝕖𝕨𝐞𝗯𝚗𝕠𝘃𝐞𝚕.𝐜𝗼𝚖

Zhi Le pressed his lips together and chimed in with his own complaint, "Father, Liwa, Mother and Wu Chuan’s son, conspired with Rogue Beasts to strip me of my talent.

If Father Yi Wan hadn’t been protecting me, and if someone hadn’t rescued me, I would have ended up just like my two older brothers, reporting to the Beast God."

Zhi Li clenched his fists, so enraged he puffed up like a pufferfish. His chest heaved, and veins throbbed on his forehead. If Ping Mei had been there, he probably would have lunged at her and torn her to pieces.

’How could the female he had cherished and protected with all his heart be so cruel to his cubs? All his passion had been doused with cold water, leaving his heart chilled with resentment. Anyone with even a shred of conscience wouldn’t treat their own children that way!’

"Grandpa, that female Ping Mei is Father’s Mother, and she used her status as an elder to bully Father all the time. But it’s okay now that you’re here, Grandpa. You’re the one Beastman with the most right to avenge our Father and two uncles," Xue Bao said angrily, pulling on Zhi Li’s hand. "You have no idea. Even though Father was rescued from the forest back then, his talent was gone. He was reduced from a Level 6 to a half-crippled Level 3 Beastman..."

"Grandpa, can you imagine how many contemptuous looks and how much ridicule Father endured back then? Those words were like soft knives stabbing him in the heart..."

"Grandpa, my Father was so pitiful. Everyone else chose a young female after coming of age and getting their marks, but he kept putting it off. If it weren’t for my Mother, he’d still be a bachelor now..."

One after another, the three cubs tattled, painting their father as a pitiful little thing who was bullied by everyone, waiting for their grandpa to get even for him.

The truth was, they were afraid that if Ping Mei put on a tearful display, all their suffering would be forgotten, and their naive, soft-hearted grandpa would be roped into being her workhorse again.

Zhi Li instantly felt the heavy weight of responsibility on his shoulders. He was carrying the grievances and pain of his three children—and even two and a half lives.

He narrowed his eyes and gritted his teeth. "Don’t you worry, cubs. This time, Grandpa will make them pay their debt in blood!"

The three cubs exchanged a look. They felt the fire of his anger was burning brightly enough, but whether it would last was another question entirely. They needed to go ask their Mother for a strategy.

Over the course of the three-to-five-day journey, Yi Wan and Xia Ming became inseparable. Meanwhile, the bond between Zhi Li and the other four—Zhi Le and his sons, three generations in all—grew so deep it was as if twenty years had never passed. With the three little ones constantly fanning the flames, Zhi Li’s hatred for Ping Mei and her family became bone-deep.

When they returned to Golden Lion City, the Flying Beasts that had been sent to notify the various tribes and Beast Cities to select Elite Beastmen for the trial had all returned to report. Many of the leaders of these factions had been on good terms with the former High Priest, Dao Yuan; some even had shady deals and collaborations with him under the table. So when they heard the High Priest had been replaced, they paid no mind to the messengers’ words, simply giving a perfunctory nod before shooing them out.

Yi Wan wasn’t surprised by this outcome. Ordinarily, he might have ignored it and waited for them to regret their decision until their guts turned green, but those factions had a considerable number of Elite Beastmen.

Reducing the number of Wild Beasts in the Southern Continent required everyone to work together!

While City Lord Xinba was hosting the tournament to select candidates for the Secret Realm trial, Yi Wan would have to take some men and make another trip in person.

However, he had only just mated with Xia Ming, and for now, he was her only Beast Husband.

"Ming’er," After finishing his discussion, Yi Wan turned his head and saw Xia Ming by the window, her chin in her hands, staring at him intently. His gaze darkened as he strode inside. "I might have to be away for a few days. The courtyard the Beast City provides for the High Priest is quite large. How about we have Zhi Le’s family move in for a while to keep you company?

I’m not comfortable taking you with me, but I don’t trust anyone else to look after you either."

Xia Ming nodded, smiling as she walked up and hugged his waist. "Okay. I heard from the little Snow Leopard cubs that their Mother is very beautiful, has a wonderful personality, and knows how to have fun. With her around, you can go handle your business without worrying, Brother Yi Wan."

Yi Wan pulled her into a tight embrace. "I don’t want to go. If I had known you were coming back, I never would have become this damn High Priest!"

It was rare to see this childish side of him, and Xia Ming laughed. "What silly things are you saying, Brother Yi Wan? If you hadn’t become the High Priest, Zhi Li and I might still be serving the Beast God right now.

The elders used to say that for every loss, there is a gain. Our brief separation now is for the sake of a much longer time together later.

Brother Yi Wan waited twenty years for me; this is just a separation of ten days or so..."

Hearing this, Yi Wan gripped her by the waist and kissed her fiercely. It was a long moment before he let her go, panting, and pressed his forehead against hers. "You little heartless thing. I’d almost forgotten until you brought it up. You made me wait twenty years, so you can wait twenty days for me. Then we’ll be even..." But as he spoke, he couldn’t bear the thought and began nuzzling her affectionately. "It’s not the same. I’m your Beast Husband now. I just want to hold you always..."

Xia Ming’s face reddened slightly. "I’ll miss you too, Brother Yi Wan."

"I’ll bring you back some tasty snacks and fun trinkets," Yi Wan said, giving her a kiss. He led her outside, and once through the door, he transformed into a magnificent tiger and dashed toward Zhi Le’s home.

Meanwhile, Zhi Li was walking home with Zhi Le and the cubs. This area was home to the Beastmen of the Luoni Tribe. They were astonished to see two Snow Leopards who looked seventy to eighty percent alike, especially since Zhi Le was the only Snow Leopard left in their clan.

"Zhi Le, who is this?"

"We’ve never heard your father mention having any relatives..."

However, all their questions vanished the moment Zhi Li shifted into his human form. They could only stare in astonishment, their eyes wide.

"This... it can’t be, can it? Is that Zhi Li?"

"No way. Twenty years have passed. Zhi Li should be our age now, but... that scent is definitely Zhi Li’s!"