TFBAT -Chapter 58

To be honest, the chief’s lesson was a little bit hypnotic.

But Chi Yuyang remembered that all the little tigers sat upright and attentive during class, so she assumed that Hu Jin’s generation was probably the same.

Thus, Chi Yuyang imagined a lone fluffy white cub sleeping soundly in a sea of yellow tigers.

…It would be as conspicuous as it gets.

Shi Bai and his partner went ahead to report to their chief, while Hu Jin was still trying to recall what was taught in that lesson.

“As for the lion tribe, I remember the chief kept emphasizing…” Even when he fell asleep, woke up, or dreamed, he faintly heard the chief repeating the same line.

“Emphasizing what?” Chi Yuyang asked curiously.

“The lion tribe’s chief is female, but the status of females in their tribe is lower than that of males.”

“…” Chi Yuyang froze for a moment.

Thinking of that line, Hu Jin’s eyes flickered.

“They say because the status of females is too low, many lion females left their tribe. Wife, do you still remember Hu Wan and Hu Han?”

“I remember.” Chi Yuyang nodded.

In the chief’s cave, those two tigresses not only revealed their delusions about Hu Jin in front of her, but one of them had even publicly challenged her, so she remembered them very clearly.

“Their mother was apparently a lion tribe beastwoman.” Hu Jin sounded uncertain.

He didn’t know much about the two sisters, but when that lion female came to seek refuge in the tiger tribe, he had already been adopted by the chief, so he had seen their mother once in the cave.

Hu Wan and Hu Han strongly resembled their mother.

Chi Yuyang thought for a moment.

Aside from Hu Jin’s brothers, there were other beastmen with lion genes in the tribe?

Tigers and lions were both big cats, and in modern times, ligers and tigons existed. So it wasn’t strange for lion and tiger beastmen to pair up and have offspring.

For children born from a tiger–lion pairing, would they identify as lion or tiger?

Judging from Hu Jin and Yuan Wu, they probably cared more about the tribe in which they grew up.

But why were Hu Jin’s three brothers so close to the lion tribe?

Chi Yuyang couldn’t figure it out for now.

“You can come over now.” After meeting the chief, Shi Bai beckoned them over.

“Hu Jin, let’s go meet the lion chief first.” Chi Yuyang turned her head, noticing that Hu Jin was still deep in thought. “What are you thinking about?”

Hu Jin thoughtfully rubbed his chin.

“These years, our tribe has accepted many lion females. I even heard the witch doctor complain that lions have poor constitutions.”

Chi Yuyang kept that in mind.

…

Like the tiger tribe, the lions also lived in hidden caves within the forest.

Seeing the beastwoman playing with her cub with an affectionate motherly expression, Chi Yuyang shot Hu Jin a questioning look: “She’s the lion chief?”

Hu Jin’s nose twitched. He wasn’t certain, but he nodded.

The goat chief had third-stage strength, but this female beastman before them was only second stage.

“Chief,” Shi Bai began, “this is Hu Jin and his partner.”

“Mm.” Only then did the lion chief reluctantly set down the cub in her arms and look up at them. “Hu Jin, I’ve heard the cubs in our tribe talk about you. They all say you’re very energetic, so I’ve always wanted to meet you.”

She was around the same age as their tiger chief—technically a senior.

Hu Jin thought for a moment, then politely replied, “I’ve heard them mention you too. They say you’re very kind.”

In truth, they did not.

Most lions lost all strength after fighting him—so much so that they didn’t even have the breath to mention their chief.

And the few who were initially weak ended up too busy arguing with him to talk about anything else.

The lion chief, who had heard of Hu Jin’s “glorious deeds,” smiled but didn’t expose his polite lie.

She really had wanted to meet this tiger.

Hu Jin assumed she was being courteous. But Chi Yuyang noticed that the lion chief was subtly examining Hu Jin with a peculiar gaze.

It was well hidden—but not from a woman’s intuition.

And unlike past jealous rivals in the tiger tribe, this lion chief’s scrutiny was more complicated.

Chi Yuyang only had to shift her gaze slightly to see Hu Jin’s sharp, enticing features beside her.

…She didn’t doubt Hu Jin’s charm to young females, but this lion chief was clearly already a grown woman, wasn’t she?

“Is this your partner?” At that moment, the chief’s gaze moved to Chi Yuyang.

Their eyes met, and Chi Yuyang felt a sudden flash of panic.

It was as though the lion chief was silently saying: I know what you’re thinking.

Instantly, Chi Yuyang switched from romance-brain to rational-brain.

She discreetly pinched Hu Jin’s tail.

Shi Bai, oblivious to the undercurrent, asked, “Chief, is Shi Jiu nearby?”

The lion chief’s expression softened. “Yes. His partner is about to give birth.”

Then she added, looking toward a corner, “You and Shi Yue should work hard too.”

Only then did Chi Yuyang notice Shi Bai’s partner, Shi Yue, sitting quietly in the shadows.

If the lion chief hadn’t pointed him out, she wouldn’t even have noticed he was there.

Hu Jin, tail-pinched, got the message and asked, “I was planning to chat with Shi Jiu. Can we stay here a few days?”

“You can.” The lion chief agreed without hesitation, leading them toward their lodging.

“Chief, I’ll take them there.” Shi Bai offered.

Shi Bai’s tone was less formal than Hu Jin’s, but Chi Yuyang still sensed deep respect toward the female chief.

The lion chief just smiled warmly and kept walking.

Shi Yue silently followed.

…

They hadn’t walked far before an oblivious lion swaggered over.

“Oh? Hu Jin? Did the tiger tribe kick you out?”

This lion wasn’t handsome and bore no resemblance to Shi Bai.

Chi Yuyang felt his face looked unfamiliar.

Hu Jin lifted his eyelids, trying to remember his name—without success.

And he didn’t bother trying harder.

Chi Yuyang, seeing the lion repeatedly winking and provoking Hu Jin, silently mourned for him in advance.

Hu Jin already had a bad impression of lions. A provocation delivered to his face? Naturally, he’d return it double.

Like tigers, lion rank stripes were on their upper arms.

This lion had four black stripes—neat and obvious.

That was the source of his arrogance.

Seeing Hu Jin not respond, his expression stiffened. Trying to show off, he whistled flamboyantly.

Nothing came out.

Hu Jin didn’t give him face—he burst out laughing.

After laughing, he casually put fingers to his lips and blew.

“Fweee—”

Instant victory.

Chi Yuyang also laughed.

“Wh-what the hell are you laughing at!?” The lion’s face flushed bright red.

Trying to cover his humiliation, he turned to target Chi Yuyang instead.

She was clearly Hu Jin’s partner.

“You tiger tribe types always worship strength, even the tigresses—”

“Shi Mie.” The lion chief frowned, warning him.

Shi Mie?

Hu Jin searched his memory again—still no recollection.

But judging from his tone…

Hu Jin smirked and flexed his fingers.

He finally had a place to vent his aggression.

One-on-one fights were allowed in the lion tribe, and their chief was right here.

Perfect time to teach this loudmouth a lesson.

“But your partner—”

Before he could finish, Hu Jin appeared right in front of him.

More precisely, Hu Jin’s fist did.

“Say one more thing about my wife and see what happens?” Hu Jin smiled boldly, but his words were icy cold.

Originally he only planned a friendly spar.

But mentioning that topic?

Now it wouldn’t be simple.

Ordinary hand-to-hand fighting was already bloody. And with the power difference, letting this Shi Mie get pounded one-sidedly wasn’t exactly humane.

But Hu Jin was a tiger. Who cared about humane?

Chi Yuyang only thought: Good thing I packed extra hides. The bloody ones definitely can’t be worn again.

Shi Bai sighed as he watched the beating.

Tragic. Too tragic.

Good thing he had always avoided touching Hu Jin’s weak spots.

Hu Jin was much stronger than the last time he saw him. If he hadn’t seen the stripes on Hu Jin’s back with his own eyes, he might’ve thought Hu Jin had already advanced.

The lion chief opened her mouth several times, trying to intervene, but couldn’t get a word out.

Only when Hu Jin finally stopped did she hurry to catch Shi Mie, whose legs were about to give out.

Returning to Chi Yuyang’s side, Hu Jin looked in disgust at the blood on his hide.

“How is someone even dumber than my three brothers?”

Chi Yuyang immediately understood.

This idiot probably recognized him because he’d heard those three brothers talk.

“There’s an empty cave over there. I’ll take Shi Mie to the witch doctor. You two can rest.” The lion chief pointed them to a cave and hurried off.

Inside the cave, Chi Yuyang helped Hu Jin remove his hide.

She used water to wipe away the blood splatters on him.

“Hu Jin, I feel like the lion chief is weird,” she muttered. “And that Shi Yue too. Something feels off.”

…Huh? Why wasn’t Hu Jin answering?

Chi Yuyang looked up and saw the unusual color fading from his eyes.

Replaced by the glow of vertical pupils.

And the place she was sitting…was gradually reacting.

Oh no.

In just a moment of distraction, she’d touched every part of Hu Jin’s upper body.

And his lower half…

She didn’t need to touch anything.

“Wife.”

Hu Jin’s voice was forced out purely by stubborn willpower.

Water dripped down his sharp jawline… and slid into her clothes.

A little cold.

A little warm.

She nodded lightly.

…

While Hu Jin and Chi Yuyang enjoyed some rare uninterrupted partner time…

Elsewhere—

Shi Bai had taken the injured Shi Mie to the witch doctor, and his partner quietly went to the chief’s cave.

She reported what she saw when she encountered Hu Jin and Chi Yuyang.

“Fox tribe?” The lion chief gently patted the cub by her feet, her gesture soft but her words cruel. “They haven’t all died out yet?”

“Chief, that tiger’s partner…” Shi Yue no longer looked timid. Her voice carried a vicious edge. “Should we kill her?”

If Shi Bai were here, he would be shocked.

His partner had two faces.

“Not yet. If she dies here, Hu Jin won’t forgive us.” The once gentle-looking beastwoman now had only cruelty and calculation in her eyes. “Shi Bai said they plan to go to the snake tribe next?”

Judging from earlier behavior, the relationship between that tiger and his partner was stronger than expected.

Shi Yue nodded.

She added, “What’s with Hu Wan and Hu Han? That tiger is already too popular among our females—he’s a problem.”

Her voice dropped, but her frustration didn’t.

“We finally created an opportunity, gave them favorable conditions—but an outsider female snatched him away!”

“We planned for Hu Wan to take care of him after he failed his advancement. Feelings would naturally grow over time.” The chief rubbed her temples. “If only the ape chief hadn’t interfered…”

Footsteps outside the cave interrupted them.

When Shi Bai entered, he saw Shi Yue holding a lion cub and soothing it.

He smiled. “Let’s go.”

He was very satisfied with his quiet, gentle partner.

Shi Yue stepped out of the cave—once again docile and meek.

As if nothing had happened.