Chapter 48: Chapter 48: I’m Not Here to Break Up This Family

The manor was just as Yu An had seen it from the outside—European in style, with a castle, a fountain, a garden... it had everything.

The grounds were vast and spacious. Just a simple tour took the two of them a long time.

"I’ve lived here by myself for a very, very long time," the man said softly. "If it’s alright, could it perhaps welcome its new owner?"

Yu An took two steps back, her smile forced. "What do you mean, ’by yourself’? Aren’t the Cloud Beasts here too?"

"We’ve finished the tour. I think finding who I’m looking for is more urgent. Why don’t we just..."

"But they don’t like me," the man sighed. "And you don’t like me, either."

"Little female, I’m so lonely. I know you don’t want to stay at all. If you’re going to leave, can you take me with you?"

"I can accept that you have other Beast Husbands, and I’ll get along with them peacefully. I’m not here to break up this family, I want to join it..."

Yu An was silent for a moment. "I’ll think about it. We just met, after all. You’re still a stranger to me."

The man was taken aback for a second, then chuckled. "Alright. Take your time thinking it over. But I’m confident I’ll become your new Beast Husband."

"Oh, right. You still don’t know my name. Allow me to introduce myself. I’m Ao Wu."

Yu An looked baffled. "Awoo? Your name is so cute."

"It’s Ao Wu," he corrected helplessly. "The ’Wu’ of the Wutong tree."

"I’m the fifth in my family, so they gave me a name like that. It’s a pun. And you?"

The moment Lan Yin arrived, he saw Ao Wu’s hand reaching for Yu An. His expression turned grim, and he charged forward.

Sensing the rush of air behind him, Ao Wu spun around and clashed with Lan Yin.

The two men fought bare-fisted, like they were mortal enemies, each punch stronger than the last, as if trying to beat the other to death!

Yu An was stunned for a moment before she yelled, "Stop! Both of you, stop fighting!"

Her words, obviously... had no effect. The two fought even more fiercely, their fists seeming to have grown eyes as they aimed exclusively for each other’s faces.

Yu An took a deep breath. "Lu Lu, separate them!"

Empowered by her superpower, Lu Lu grew rapidly, wrapping around both men from either side and pulling them apart.

The Cloud Beasts also came to help, conjuring a shower of sleet over each of their heads. The shock of the icy water finally cooled them down.

"Cooled off now?"

Yu An said irritably, "Can you let me finish what I was saying?"

Ao Wu pouted. "He started it."

Lan Yin ignored him, stepping forward to take Yu An’s hand. "We’re leaving."

"Hey," Ao Wu snorted. "Am I invisible? You can leave, but you’re not taking An’an with you!"

Seeing them at each other’s throats and about to fight again, Yu An quickly stepped between them. "Lan Yin, listen to me..."

She explained what had happened to Lan Yin, whose emotions stabilized somewhat. "You really want to take him with us? Rumors may be rumors, but a lot of people have died. Some of them must have died by his hand."

"You’ve seen his strength for yourself. What if he goes on a murderous rampage after we leave?"

’Besides, the only way to get an unfamiliar male out of the Endless Sea... was for him to become Yu An’s Beast Husband.’

’His gaze swept unconsciously to Yu An’s lower abdomen, where their serpent Zaizai were growing.’

’Xiao Yu was excited for his Little Serpent siblings. For Xiao Yu’s sake, he had to protect both Yu An and their children.’

’That was a problem.’

’Yu An didn’t consider herself some great Samaritan, but she couldn’t let a "Fierce Beast" run loose and slaughter the innocent.’

"If that’s what you’re worried about, An’an, you can put your mind at ease."

Ao Wu wasn’t angry at all. On the contrary, he just beamed and beckoned to a Cloud Beast. The creature floated over his palm and dropped a large and a small... collar?

"The small one is a bracelet, forged from my Reverse Scale. As long as you wear it, you can control me."

Ao Wu quickly fastened it onto Yu An’s wrist. She instinctively tried to pull away, but the moment the bracelet touched her skin, it vanished, leaving only a scale-shaped mark behind.

Then, Ao Wu put the larger one on himself. "This one actually is a collar. For me to wear."

Just like the bracelet, it only left a faint mark on his neck.

"You..."

’This is the first time we’ve met, right?’ For a moment, Yu An didn’t know what to say. ’And he just handed over the key to his very life and freedom?’

Ao Wu fluttered his eyelashes, the corners of his eyes drooping pitifully. "An’an, I’ve placed my life in your hands. You can’t betray my trust~"

Yu An sighed. "Can’t it be taken off?"

"Nope," Ao Wu said with a beaming smile. "Once worn, it can never be removed, for all of eternity."

’Once I’ve chosen, it’s forever.’

Yu An struggled with her thoughts for a moment. "In that case... just give me a room for now. I need to treat Lan Yin’s wounds."

"Pick any one you want. You can have mine, too, you know~"

Lan Yin physically blocked the flirtatious glance Ao Wu threw her way. He shot Ao Wu a frosty glare before letting Yu An pull him into the castle.

The castle felt a little eerie, and Yu An pulled her clothes tighter around herself as she entered.

She picked a room at random and pulled Lan Yin inside.

"What about me?" Ao Wu asked, clinging to the doorframe, his eyes filled with longing. "Can I come in?"

Lan Yin pulled Yu An back and shut the door with a deadpan expression, narrowly missing Ao Wu’s hand.

"Yu An, are you really going to take him away from here?"

"What other choice is there?" Yu An said, looking down to tend to his wounds. "You think I want to? He said his spiritual power is Divine level. Do you think you can beat him?"

"Divine level?"

Surprise flashed in Lan Yin’s eyes. "How is that possible! Divine level is a legendary rank of spiritual power. No one has ever reached it!"

Yu An tilted her head. "Well, that’s what he said. And from what I saw, he does seem a little stronger than you."

It was more than a little; Lan Yin had been completely powerless against him. Yu An was just saying that to spare his pride.

In truth, Lan Yin knew it as well. He had sensed it the moment their fight began.

Ao Wu hadn’t even been using his full strength. If he had, Lan Yin would have been defeated in a single blow.

’It was all his fault. If he hadn’t tried to take Yu An away, if his Instant Teleportation hadn’t malfunctioned...’

"Don’t dwell on it," Yu An said after she finished bandaging him. She wiggled her wrist, showing the scale-shaped mark. "At least I can control him."

"Just focus on recovering. Once we get back, I’ll dissolve our contract. But you can’t take Xiao Yu. He’s my Zaizai."

’A melon forced from the vine is never sweet. Besides, her melon patch was overflowing; she wasn’t short on this particular one.’

Lan Yin was silent for a moment. "Let’s not dissolve it. I... I’ll stay. To protect you and the Zaizai."

"Xiao Yu and I have protectors..."

Lan Yin lowered his gaze, his voice muffled. "But I’m Xiao Yu’s biological father. It’s my responsibility."

Yu An shrugged. "Fine."

Only now did she have time to survey the room. The soft, large bed, the exquisite furnishings... none of this was something you would find on the Beastman Continent.

’Who exactly was this Ao Wu?’

As she was pondering this, a knock came at the door, followed by Ao Wu’s voice from the other side. "An’an, can you come out for a moment?"

"I want to discuss the method for taking me away from here."

’What other method could there be? Only for the two of them to become a married couple and form a contract.’

’On the Beastman Continent, the only way for a female and a male to establish a contract... was to sleep together.’