Chapter 257: Chapter 257: She Is Not My Female Master

"What I mean is, you’ve been with Xiya for so long. If I just take her away like this, will you be...?"

"I’ll come visit you."

Hearing their conversation made Xiya even more upset. She threw herself into Xijing’s arms.

"I don’t want to leave Father, either."

A dark expression flickered across Xijing’s face. "Xiya, go with your mother for now. Once I’ve handled things here, I’ll come find you."

"Really?"

"Yes."

With Xijing’s assurance, Xiya’s tears finally gave way to a smile.

"Xixi, don’t worry about the Seven-color Salt Field. I’ll send the Salt Crystals we mine to the Black Panther Tribe later. The Merfolk Clan doesn’t need them, so please don’t refuse me, alright?"

Qiao Xixi murmured in agreement. "Thank you, Xijing."

A faint smile touched Xijing’s lips. "No, Xixi, I’m the one who should be thanking you. So please, don’t feel any guilt toward me."

Hearing him say that made Qiao Xixi feel even worse. ’I feel like a terrible person for taking his child away.’ But at least Xiya was willing to go with her to the tribe for the time being.

As for Xijing, all she could do was try to make it up to him as best she could.

"You should head back. The tide will be coming in soon."

"Okay."

Xijing walked Qiao Xixi and the others to the wooden cabin but didn’t come any closer.

"Why don’t you stay and have a meal with us?"

Xijing shook his head. "I already imposed last night, so I won’t intrude. Besides, I still have things to take care of at the salt field."

"Alright, then. You go on and take care of your work. Let me know if you need any help."

"I will."

Only after Qiao Xixi’s figure had vanished into the deepening twilight did Xijing turn and leave.

He hadn’t gone far, however, when Ximing emerged from the shadows.

He had just come to bring food for Qiao Xixi’s group, but he’d sensed something was off about the atmosphere. When he didn’t see Qiao Xixi or Xijing, he had decided to wait by the path.

"Brother."

Xijing stopped and turned to Ximing. "Yes?"

"Brother, I heard from my sister-in-law’s other cubs that they’re leaving soon. Is that true?"

"Yes."

"Are you leaving with them, then, Brother?"

Xijing shook his head.

Ximing looked astonished. "Brother, you’re not leaving with your female?"

Xijing cut him off softly. "Ximing, Xixi is not my female."

Ximing frowned. He knew the two of them hadn’t formed a bond, but he figured since they had Xiya together, bonding was only a matter of time. Besides, he could see how much his brother truly cared for Qiao Xixi.

"Brother..."

"Ximing, our Merfolk Clan suffered a devastating blow in the past. Besides the evil committed by Tiger Beast City and Huang Ying, the Shark Beast Clan also played a major role. Now, our most important territory is still in their hands. If I can’t take it back, how can I be worthy of the trust our clan has placed in me?"

Ximing’s fists clenched as he listened.

"This time, thanks to the help from Xixi and her beastmen, we were able to reclaim the territory around the Seven-color Salt Field. We’ve troubled them enough already. The rest is for us to do on our own. She... she’s a very, very good female. I’m sure she’ll take good care of Xiya."

’Now, his future was uncertain, a matter of life and death. Everything up until now had been a mere indulgence. It was time for that beautiful dream to end.’

That night, as they were going to sleep, Qiao Xixi could clearly tell that Xiya was still upset. She held the little girl in her arms, coaxing her softly. After a long while, the cub finally drifted off to sleep.

Qiao Xixi lay in bed and closed her eyes, but she couldn’t fall asleep. One moment, her thoughts were on Xijing’s situation, and the next, she was wondering how things were back at the Black Panther Tribe.

"Xixi?"

Sunxiao’s cool, clear voice sounded in the darkness. Tonight, Qiao Xixi and the cubs had returned to the wooden cabin to sleep, and Sunxiao was on guard inside. He knew Qiao Xixi hadn’t slept a wink. Judging by her tossing and turning, she clearly had something on her mind.

"Hm?"

Sunxiao rose and walked to the window. Qiao Xixi sat up as well.

"Can’t sleep?"

Qiao Xixi nodded, reaching her arms out to him.

Sunxiao lifted her out from the pile of children, turned, and lay down on the beast-hide blanket on the floor. After pulling her into his embrace, he began to gently stroke her back with his cool palm.

"Don’t overthink things. No matter what happens, we’ll be right here with you."

Leaning against his chest and inhaling the faint, grassy scent on him, Qiao Xixi’s troubled heart finally began to settle.

"Okay."

The night passed dreamlessly.

For a rare change, when Qiao Xixi woke up, the cubs and Sunxiao’s group were all still there.

Several of the cubs were gathered around the bed, curiously watching the little tiger cub who had already transformed. She was happily playing with her older brothers and sisters. When they teased her, her two little ears would twitch, and it was unbelievably cute.

Sunxiao walked in, holding a clean set of beast-hide clothes.

"Everyone get changed and come out to eat."

The cubs chorused in reply.

"Okay~!"

Her two older sisters, Xiya and Qiao Qiao, thoughtfully helped their youngest sister into a snug set of beast-hide clothes. Jin Ling had stayed up all night to make them. While they weren’t exactly exquisite, they fit her perfectly.

Once the cubs were all out, Qiao Xixi got up and changed as well.

Sunxiao brought her some water to wash up.

After wiping her face clean, Qiao Xixi looked up to meet Sunxiao’s earnest gaze and simply smiled at him.

Seeing her silly expression, the stern lines of Sunxiao’s eyes and brows softened.

"What are you smiling at now?"

Qiao Xixi tossed the hide into the wooden basin, cupped his face, and gave him a hard kiss before quickly pulling away.

The kiss was enough to make the corners of the great snake’s mouth twitch, struggling to stay down.

"Sunxiao, you were right last night. No matter what happens, as long as our family is together, there’s nothing we can’t overcome."

"Mm."

"Come on, let’s go eat."

Over the next few days, Qiao Xixi worked hard to refine the Seven-color Salt Crystals. Xijing personally led the merfolk to find and bring back large quantities of refining materials.

After the incident with the tiger cub wandering off, Jin Ling and the others were no longer comfortable leaving Qiao Xixi and her children alone in the wooden cabin. From then on, two of the beastmen would stay behind to accompany them each day, while Qiao Lie and the rest continued to help out at the Seven-color Salt Field, trying to mine as many Salt Crystals as possible before they had to leave.

The work of refining Crystal Stones at the Seven-color Salt Field only came to a temporary halt once two large chests were completely filled.

Qiao Xixi stored one of the chests in her spatial inventory, while the other was for Xijing.

When they left this time, in addition to the refined Crystal Stones, they would also be taking a portion of the raw Salt Crystals—something the tribe desperately needed.

When Qiao Xixi came out of the wooden cabin, Jin Ling and the others had already finished packing everything up.

In truth, she had taken most of their things out of her spatial inventory, so besides the Salt Crystals, there wasn’t much they actually needed to pack.

Just before they were about to set off, Qiao Xixi was waiting with Xiya outside the wooden cabin when they saw a figure approaching from a distance.

But as the figure drew closer, a look of disappointment appeared in Xiya’s eyes.