Julian’s eyes turned cold, his knuckles straining. "This place is ravaged by toxic gas. Rask said nothing could survive in the poisonous mist, so why has a Snow Ferret suddenly appeared? There’s something strange about it. We can’t let it live!"

His voice was laced with a chill, his expression wary, and his gaze never left the Snow Ferret.

Evangeline glanced at the Snow Ferret as it leaped nimbly from her left shoulder to her right, and she nodded in agreement. "It certainly is strange."

Her slender fingertip gently tapped the Snow Ferret’s damp nose. The little creature flinched, seeming to recoil from such close contact. Evangeline chuckled softly. "Unfortunately, it seems we’re helpless against it."

Julian’s pupils constricted. "What do you mean, ’helpless against it’?" he said in a low voice. "What is that supposed to mean?"

Evangeline calmly met his gaze and said lightly, "All right. We’ve been out too long. It’s time to go back."

As she spoke, her gaze flickered almost imperceptibly over the Snow Ferret on her shoulder. The small, white bundle was curled up contentedly.

’If she couldn’t handle this Snow Ferret, what chance did Julian have?’

’Besides, its intelligence was likely far greater than they imagined. After all, even the lethal poisonous mist in the cavern—deadly to the touch—couldn’t harm it. If it really was the source of the poison, she dared not imagine the consequences if Julian angered it.’

At this thought, a dark glint flashed in Evangeline’s eyes. She subtly shifted her body, blocking Julian.

"Evangeline!" Julian’s fingers clenched into a fist, his knuckles letting out a soft crack.

He suddenly took a step forward, grabbing her wrist and pressing her hand to his chest. His molten-gold eyes locked onto Evangeline. As their gazes met, his Adam’s apple bobbed heavily. "I have an Eight-Star Pattern now. I can help you!"

Julian’s voice was terribly hoarse, laced with a stubborn anguish.

’He hated it when she was like this, bottling everything up!’

’No matter how powerful she was, she was still just a female. On the Beastman Continent, females were meant to be cherished and protected by males. All hardships and dangers should be handled by males, not left for her to bear all by herself!’

’But she had never been the type who needed protection.’

Evangeline stared at the center of Julian’s forehead, where the brilliant Eight-star pattern was dazzlingly bright.

She tilted her head, a faint curve gracing her lips. "Well, congratulations, then. A prodigy with an Eight-Star Pattern. I was worried that with you being away from the Goldeagle Tribe for so long, your position as leader might become unstable. Now, it seems it’s as solid as a rock."

Julian stared blankly at her calm, placid eyes, and the sweet, metallic taste of blood suddenly welled up in his throat.

’He didn’t understand. This female was right before him, yet why did it feel like an entire world separated them?’

Evangeline’s lips curved slightly as she said, "The herbs are all gathered. I’m heading back."

With that, she turned without another moment’s delay and started walking toward Blackwater Swamp.

’She had originally planned to use a Teleportation Scroll for the return trip, but now, with this unfathomable Snow Ferret, it was better to be cautious. Special tools should be saved for special occasions. Who knows? It might produce an unexpected result in the future.’

The Snow Ferret rested quietly on her shoulder, like a fluffy snowball. Bobbing with Evangeline’s steps, its jet-black eyes glanced at the stone cavern shrouded by the great formation before it lowered its gaze again.

Julian watched Evangeline’s retreating figure, his gaze fixed on the Snow Ferret perched on her shoulder, his brow deeply furrowed.

He suddenly turned and strode toward the stream. He shot streaks of golden light into the deep pool, sending splashes dozens of feet into the air. The water caught the sunlight, refracting it into a brilliant shimmer as the droplets rained back down.

Hearing the commotion, Evangeline glanced back, one eyebrow slightly raised.

’She’d almost forgotten. There was an "acquaintance" hiding in the stream’s deep pool: the Toad Beastman.’

A moment later, the surface of the deep pool began to froth with fine bubbles.

"SPLASH—"

A slender figure burst out of the water.

Rask’s soaking green hair clung to his pale cheeks, and water dripped from his chin. His handsome face, now wet, had a unique sort of charm. He wiped a hand across his face and snarled, "Julian, you’d better have a good reason for this!"

He had been spending all his time with Julian lately, and while they weren’t quite friends, they were at least familiar faces to each other.

Just as Rask was about to unleash his temper, he suddenly felt another gaze on him, so intense it was almost tangible.

His heart lurched. As he turned, he met Evangeline’s narrow eyes, which held a look that was not quite a smile. Instantly, his pupils contracted. His whole body tensed, and even his soaking hair seemed to freeze. "You... You actually..."

His gaze darted mechanically between Evangeline and the cavern entrance. "You actually made it out alive?!" he shrieked.

At that moment, no one could possibly comprehend the tempest raging in Rask’s heart.

’For the past half-month, all sorts of strange phenomena had been occurring in The Venom Pit. It was clearly not normal. The poisonous mist inside was lethal! Even an Eight-star Poison Attribute Beastman like him couldn’t withstand it, so how could a pregnant female?’

’In his mind, no matter how powerful this female was, she should have died in there!’

’But what was he seeing now? Her beast skin was spotless, and her hair even had a pearlescent sheen. The curve of her belly was even more pronounced. There were no festering, corrosive wounds on her body. Her breathing was even steady and calm!’

’She actually came out safely! And she was standing here, completely unscathed?’

The realization made Rask’s breath come in sharp gasps. His eyes, fixed on Evangeline, churned with an irrepressible fervor.

’A female who could come and go as she pleased in that toxic mist... To a Poison Attribute Beastman, she was beyond precious.’

While Rask was still dazed, Julian grabbed his arm and, without a word, dragged him in front of Evangeline.

Rask stumbled a few steps. He was about to start cursing when he saw Julian pointing to Evangeline’s shoulder. "You’ve been here a long time, and you’ve entered The Venom Pit yourself," Julian said coldly. "Take a look. Do you recognize this thing?"

Rask shook his aching wrist and muttered unhappily.

His gaze followed Julian’s pointing finger. When it landed on Evangeline’s shoulder, he looked surprised. "A Snow Ferret?"

Rask subconsciously rubbed his chin, a flicker of confusion in his eyes. Then, as if struck by lightning, his voice shot up. "Wait—what are you getting at? You... you can’t be... Are you saying this little thing came out of The Venom Pit? The Venom Pit? There are living creatures in there?"

A cold glint flashed in Julian’s eyes. He looked at Evangeline, took a deep breath, and declared, "You heard him. We absolutely cannot let this thing live!"

Rask sucked in a sharp breath. "So it really did come out of The Venom Pit?"

As he spoke, beads of cold sweat broke out on his forehead. He instinctively took a step back, not daring to get any closer to the Snow Ferret.

’To him, the female making it out alive proved she was a powerful witch, truly favored by the Beast God. But a Snow Ferret that could survive in The Venom Pit? He’d never believe it wasn’t poisonous.’

Rask stared at the seemingly harmless Snow Ferret as if it were a vortex of poison gas, ready to erupt at any moment.

Sensing Julian’s aura grow increasingly tense, Evangeline slowly lifted her gaze.

"Julian," Evangeline said, her red lips parting slightly. "This business with the Snow Ferret ends here."