The Strongest Beast-Tamer (Transmigration)(GL) - Chapter 20

Could the Transformation Grass still be used? Yi Xian remembered throwing it by a tree when the birdman had tossed her down. What about the Purple Fruit? Was it found? She had no idea. The moment that beast, completely devoid of tenderness, flung her onto its back, she had vomited bl00d twice and lost consciousness.

She vaguely recalled being force-fed something, the taste strange and overwhelmingly foul. Whatever it was, it was so pungent that it nearly killed her twice from the stench alone.

When she finally opened her eyes, the familiar room and wooden chair came into view. She was back?

Yi Xian tried to move slightly, only to tug at her wound and gasp in pain. She almost cursed aloud. Something soft squirmed under the blanket, poking out a small, furry head. Seeing those sleepy blue eyes, Yi Xian quietly exhaled in relief. She had feared it might be something or someone else.

The cub whimpered softly, its babyish cry muffled as it pressed against her shoulder. It wrinkled its small, red nose and sniffed at her neck just like a certain beast always did. Truly, like mother, like child. Once reassured by her scent, the little one curled into a warm ball, its fluffy tail brushing lightly against her neck and tickling her.

Yi Xian poked at its drooping ears. The cub blinked open its eyes in mild annoyance. When she did it again, the little creature shook its head, a frown creasing its tiny face. Then, like a sulking caterpillar, it turned away and buried itself beneath the blanket.

It even had a temper.

Then again, this little one had always been bold enough to challenge Lan Tong.

“What’s this?”

“Arf.”

Yi Xian felt the blanket lift as something moved beneath it. One moment she felt a furry brush across her leg, the next a cold, slippery touch. The sudden shift between soft warmth and chill made her shudder. Just then, Lan Tong pushed open the door, glanced once, and lifted the blanket. She caught the culprit by the scruff of its neck.

A small, furry lion cub and a smooth purple yuanxiao.

Yi Xian watched as Lan Tong held the cub midair by its neck. The little one flailed all four limbs, growling tiny “arfs” of protest. The purple yuanxiao fared worse, kicked by Lan Tong straight across the room. It rolled like a ball until it came to a stop in the corner.

“Has the cub’s aptitude been tested?”

“It has.”

Yi Xian stared in shock, feeling like she had missed a fortune in her sleep. “The result… how was it?”

Lan Tong dropped the cub onto the floor. It landed on its paws, immediately darting off with boundless energy. Compared to when it had first transformed, it was like night and day. The little beast was agile and lively, clearly far more at home in its animal form than in its human one.

Lan Tong’s lips curved slightly. “Excellent.”

Excellent? That meant it passed?

Before Yi Xian could even rejoice, Lan Tong flipped the blanket down to her waist and pressed her body over hers.

What the—

Yi Xian’s joy lasted three seconds. She was still injured! This beast truly had no restraint. She didn’t even have words left to scold her.

Warmth swept over her back. Yi Xian froze as something soft and hot brushed slowly across her wounds.

“What are you doing?”

Lan Tong’s hand pressed firmly against her shoulder to keep her from moving. Her voice was low as she murmured, “Healing you.”

Yi Xian fell silent. Normally, sucking venom from a wound was a reckless move. If the poison entered through the tongue, it could easily spread to the other person. But if she really had been poisoned, then Lan Tong should have already been suffering by now.

Her back no longer burned as before. Though she couldn’t see it, Yi Xian suspected her wounds had closed much faster than they should have. “Could beastmen saliva have healing properties?” she wondered.

Lan Tong caught her staring off and, as if performing a trick, produced a bright red fruit. “Eat.”

Yi Xian looked from the fruit to Lan Tong, uneasy. “You didn’t find the Purple Fruit? What about the cub? And the Transformation Grass, I left it by the tree…”

Lan Tong interrupted, “I brought everything back.” Then, after a pause, she asked, “Did you see an elf?”

“An elf?” Yi Xian blinked, confused.

Lan Tong seemed to take her blank expression as genuine ignorance. “The arrow in that half-beastman’s forehead was from the elves. Was it an elf who saved you?”

Yi Xian nearly laughed. So that was what Lan Tong thought.

There was no elf but only a silver mouse. If she had waited for this beast to save her, her grave would already be sprouting grass three meters high.

It still felt surreal. If she hadn’t experienced it herself, she would’ve thought it was a dream. But one glance at the faint silver mark on her thumb proved it was real.

She blinked innocently. “Elf? What’s that? And half-beastmen, were those the bird creatures that attacked us?”

Lan Tong gave her a long look. “Rest and recover. We leave in three days.”

Leave?

Yi Xian’s heart leapt. Did that mean Lan Tong planned to take her away from Kus City now that the cub had passed its aptitude test? That was the best news she had heard in months. Nearly dying for a plant and a few fruits suddenly felt worth it. This trip had been truly enlightening.

Later, Lu Nan visited, confirming Yi Xian’s guess. When she saw the wound on Yi Xian’s back, she nearly burst into tears. If Yi Xian hadn’t stopped her, she probably would have cried herself hoarse.

“When Lan Tong brought you back, both of you were covered in bl00d. Everyone thought you were dead.”

Yi Xian sighed. Could they not at least hope for her survival?

Lu Nan stayed and chatted like an old mother, talking half the day. After fussing over Yi Xian’s injury, she excitedly spoke of the cub’s aptitude test. The whole city was talking about it.

The cub had been mocked, bullied, and pushed to transform. But it had not only succeeded, it had passed the test with outstanding results. It was the perfect tale of a downtrodden child rising against all odds.

Yi Xian could only imagine the scene. She almost regretted missing it.

Lu Nan continued, “You waking up is such a relief. Oh, by the way, I came from Zhu Yu’s place just now. Her eyes are swollen from crying.”

Yi Xian listened quietly. It turned out every beastman who went on the expedition had been injured, but Shi Liu suffered the worst. His arm, poisoned by the half-beastmen, had to be amputated after they found out too late.

For a beastman, losing a limb meant a drastic fall in strength and status. Worse, Zhu Yu’s cub wasn’t even born yet. How would they survive after this?

The thought unsettled Yi Xian. In a world like this, where medicine was primitive and life cheap, survival depended on knowledge. She had to learn medicine, or she might share the same fate.

When Lu Nan left, she ran into the cub chasing the purple yuanxiao. The little creature batted it with its paw, sending it rolling forward like a kitten chasing a butterfly. The sight melted the heart.

“Yi Xian, I’m so jealous,” Lu Nan said with a sigh. “You gave birth to such an adorable cub. If only I could have one with great talent too.”

Yi Xian could only smile faintly. Lu Nan had entirely adapted to this world’s ways. At least she was happy. Ignorance could be a blessing.

Yi Xian gave her all the fish she had stored, keeping only a small portion for the next few days of travel. Lu Nan was the only one in Kus City who had truly forgiven her and believed she could change.

Though the original Yi Xian had also been a victim, she had taken her pain out on others, on the cub and on humans. It was unforgivable. The others’ hatred was justified. Still, she would soon leave. There would be no need for more apologies.

Whatever Lan Tong had fed her worked. Apart from being forced to endure the beast licking her wounds every six hours, by the third day Yi Xian could finally walk again.

She roasted fish for the journey, preparing dried fillets for easier travel. The aroma tempted her enough to eat one herself. The cub devoured its share noisily, grease dripping from its mouth. If not for Lan Tong’s intervention, her supplies would have vanished entirely.

“Arf.”

“Eat this.”

Lan Tong handed the cub a purple fruit. “Pack up. We’re leaving soon.”

Yi Xian looked at the fruit and recognized it instantly. She wrapped the dried fish in cloth. The amount seemed plenty, but for Lan Tong and the cub, it was barely a snack. She often wondered if beastmen had bottomless stomachs.

Wait, something was off.

She counted again. Ten fish were missing.

Yi Xian glanced back suspiciously. Lan Tong had stepped outside, and the cub was still chewing its fruit while swatting at the purple yuanxiao. Neither looked guilty. And if Lan Tong had eaten them, it certainly wouldn’t have been just ten.

A thought struck her. Could it be… that little silver mouse? She remembered the small pouch it carried, a miraculous bag that could hold anything.

Yi Xian sat on Lan Tong’s back with the cub in her arms and waved farewell to the crowd. She spotted Lu Nan among them, waving enthusiastically. “Yi Xian! Come back and visit us someday!”

Yi Xian smiled and waved back, though she thought to herself, “By then, I’ll be long gone.”

Lord Lu led the group ahead, lounging lazily atop a wolf-beast mount. Behind her, Lan Tong and Hu Qing’s family followed at a slower pace. Two cubs had passed the aptitude test, hers and Hu Qing’s, which was considered a rare blessing for Kus City.

As they moved through the dense brush, Yi Xian caught a glint of silver in the corner of her eye. Hidden beneath a large green leaf, a pair of red eyes watched her intently. The tiny figure held a grilled fish in its paws, nibbling contentedly.

“That little thief!” she thought, suppressing a laugh.

Even now, the silver mouse was following them, disguised under its leafy hat, chewing away without a care in the world.