Chapter 187: Chapter 187: Why Can’t Xiao Yu’s Tail Change Back?

"An’an!"

Lan Yin subconsciously knocked away the weapons others were aiming at Yu An, then excitedly pulled her into a hug.

"An’an, how is it you... no, that’s not right. An’an, I finally get to see you!"

Seeing the usually calm and composed Lan Yin acting like a madman, Ao Shan and the others were dumbfounded.

They had never seen Lan Yin so beside himself.

Fortunately, Yu An managed to calm him down in time. "There, there. I came to find you, didn’t I?"

Lan Yin clung to her arm and wouldn’t let go. Yu An let him hold on as she looked at the others. "Lan Yin, who are they...?"

"They’re friends I met here," Lan Yin said, barely suppressing his excitement. "An’an, let’s go inside to talk."

The door was closed. The people waiting inside saw that Lan Yin and the others had brought back a female and looked over curiously.

"Let me introduce everyone. This is my Female Master, Yu An."

"An’an, this is Third Brother Ao, Ao Shan. He’s Ao Wu’s third brother."

Ao Shan quickly said, "Sister-in-law, I’ve heard Lan Yin mention you." 𝙛𝒓𝓮𝒆𝔀𝒆𝙗𝓷𝒐𝙫𝒆𝙡.𝒄𝓸𝓶

Yu An didn’t reveal her true identity just yet, instead listening as Lan Yin introduced her to the others.

When he introduced five Merfolk, Yu An guessed they were also among the group brought to the Beast God Continent by the Poisonous Insect Granny.

Since Yu An was Lan Yin’s Female Master, that also made her their Queen. The five of them were much more solemn than the others.

After the simple introductions, Lan Yin couldn’t wait to ask, "An’an, how did you get here? Are you by yourself, or did anyone come with you?"

Yu An didn’t hide it. "Mo Yan and the others are all here. The only ones missing from our family are you and Lan Ying..."

"Xiao Wu came too?"

Hearing this, Ao Shan eagerly asked about Ao Wu’s whereabouts.

"Yes, he’s here too."

Yu An glanced at the Beastmen inside the cave. They were all listless and weak. She tugged on Lan Yin’s sleeve and said suggestively, "Let’s not talk about that for now. I brought food. Lan Yin, let’s go get it."

At the mention of the word "food," all the Beastmen’s eyes lit up.

"I’ll go with you," Lan Yin said, getting the hint. "Third Brother Ao, An’an and I can go by ourselves. You all wait here."

"Third Brother should come too. The two of us can’t carry it all."

Hearing Yu An say this, Lan Yin assumed she had already taken the food out of her spatial storage, so he didn’t think much of it.

Ao Shan, however, heard Yu An call him "Third Brother" and thought she was just following Ao Wu’s way of addressing him.

But a strange ripple spread through his heart, as if it was only natural for this female he had never met to call him that.

Shaking his head to rid himself of those unrealistic thoughts, Ao Shan went out with them.

When they reached a corner, Yu An waved her hand, and four baskets of steamed buns and water appeared out of thin air.

Ao Shan was startled. "Wh-wh-what is this!"

Lan Yin frowned. "An’an..."

Yu An smiled. "Third Brother is family. It’s fine for him to know."

"Third Brother, let me reintroduce myself. My name is Yu An."

"I know that," Ao Shan said, swallowing hard. "Sister-in-law, what is this... uh, a magic trick?"

"Never mind that for now," Yu An said, exasperated at being interrupted. "My Female Mother is Yu Huang, and my Beast Father is Ao Jin."

Ao Shan was stunned for a full three seconds, then jumped so high in shock he nearly hit the ceiling. Pointing at Yu An, he stammered, "You’re my li-li-little..."

Yu An spread her hands and feigned confusion. "First Brother and Second Brother never told me Third Brother was a stutterer."

"I’m not a stutterer, I’m just too excited!"

Ao Shan took several deep breaths before he could manage to speak properly. "Little Sister, are you really my Little Sister?!"

Yu An pointed to her own face. "Third Brother, look at my face and ask me that again."

Ao Shan couldn’t bring himself to ask.

He had felt it was rude to stare at his sister-in-law’s face earlier, so he had only taken a quick glance. Plus, it had been many years since he’d last seen Yu Huang, so he hadn’t recognized the resemblance at first.

But now, he recognized her.

Lan Yin was completely baffled; he had no idea what was going on.

It was only after Yu An explained everything that they understood the whole story.

"Let’s go," Yu An said with a grin. "I’m taking you all home."

"What about them?" Ao Shan asked, worried. "Little Sister, I’ve gotten to know these people. We can’t just leave them here..."

These Beastmen had been soaking in the pool’s water for so long that their bodies were too weak to even walk for extended periods.

He had been one of them, but fortunately, he had slowly recovered thanks to a type of water Lan Yin had given him to drink.

"Third Brother, I said I’m taking *you all* home."

Yu An explained, "I have a spatial storage that can carry everyone out, but I don’t want strangers to know about it."

"These steamed buns and water have been laced with a sleeping drug. After they eat and pass out, I’ll take them away."

"So that’s how it is," Ao Shan said, breathing a sigh of relief. "Then let’s go now."

The two of them each carried two baskets back. The Beastmen had never seen this kind of food before, but they trusted Lan Yin and Ao Shan.

After wolfing down the meal, the Beastmen grew drowsy one by one and passed out before they knew it.

After checking for any stragglers, Yu An gathered them all into her spatial storage.

"Third Brother, Lan Yin, you two go inside too. I’m going back now to find a chance to leave this place with Ao Wu and the others... Oh, right."

After sending Ao Shan into the storage, Yu An brought Xiao Yu out. "Lan Yin, take a look at Xiao Yu. What’s wrong with him? His fish tail won’t change back."

Waking up yet again, Xiao Yu rubbed his eyes. "Female Mother, were you looking for Xiao Yu... Beast Father!"

He was instantly wide awake. His chubby little tail wagged back and forth excitedly, and Yu An almost lost her grip on him.

Lan Yin quickly took him. "Don’t move, don’t move, be careful you don’t fall."

Xiao Yu’s excitement hadn’t faded. He hadn’t seen his Beast Father in so long that he clung to Lan Yin’s neck and wouldn’t let go, calling out "Beast Father" over and over.

Lan Yin felt a strange sense of gratification. "An’an, Xiao Yu finally likes me, his Beast Father, the most..."

"I like Female Mother the most," Xiao Yu’s expression changed in a flash. He lifted his little chin and said seriously, "I was just a little excited because I hadn’t seen Beast Father in a long time."

’No one can shake Female Mother’s place as my ’favorite’ in my heart, not even Beast Father.’

’Bad Beast Father, saying something like that is just trying to drive a wedge between mother and son!’

’For heaven’s sake!’

Lan Yin really hadn’t meant it that way. He just wanted to marvel at how affectionate Xiao Yu was being for once.

Back in the exiled land, because he had disappeared with Yu An for a long time, Xiao Yu had ignored him for ages. Even after their relationship had eased, it had never been this good.

He was dealt a critical blow. "Alright, then."

Yu An couldn’t help but laugh, ruffling her little Zaizai’s hair. "Good boy. Female Mother didn’t dote on you for nothing."

After the joking around, they returned to the serious matter. Lan Yin listened to Xiao Yu’s full story and pondered it carefully. "I’ve never seen a situation like this. Perhaps we can ask the past elders of the Merfolk Clan."

"Ask the elders? Doesn’t that mean we have to go back to the Beastman Continent first?"

They couldn’t go back for the time being, which meant Xiao Yu couldn’t recover for now.

Xiao Yu’s eyes dimmed. If he was stuck with a fish tail, he wouldn’t be able to play with his older brothers, younger brothers, and younger sisters.

"The *past* elders," Lan Yin corrected. "The ones who have passed away."