Chapter 30

Faced with the tiger cub's hopeful gaze, Xia You reluctantly pulled out a dagger from her spatial knot, lifted the rabbit from the ground, and walked to the water's edge.

Once the rabbit was cleaned and placed in a basin, Xia You took a piece, feigned eating it in front of the tiger cub, and then patted her stomach to indicate she was full.

In reality, the meat had been briefly stored in her spatial knot and was quietly returned to the basin.

Fortunately, the tiger cub was easy to deceive. Seeing Xia You 'eat', it opened its mouth to take the cut piece of meat, holding it down with its paws to gnaw.

The rabbit was neither too big nor too small. Xia You intentionally didn't cut it into smaller pieces, aiming to let the cub hone its biting strength.

The cub, lacking the grace of a black panther, lifted its head halfway through its meal. Xia You was met with a messy sight of an orange-black tiger head.

The civet was off-limits, and the tiger cub was focused on gnawing the rabbit.

Xia You gestured for the livestreaming orb to come closer, adjusting the angle to focus on the feasting cub, laughing, “Let everyone see today's little hunting hero."

The tiger cub, hearing Xia You speak, looked up momentarily.

Fearing the cub might try to feed the bipedal creatures incapable of hunting, Xia You quickly said, "Keep eating."

The tiger cub licked its lips and returned to its meal.

The rabbit skin Xia You had removed earlier was soaking in water. Now, with some free time, she took it out, gave it a scrub, and casually hung it on a nearby branch to dry.

Inside the livestream room, a barrage of comments Xia You couldn't see continued to flood in. Clearly, many viewers had been watching from the start—

[What did the Marshal's wife just say?]

[Judging by lip-reading, probably showing us the tiger cub?]

[Speaking of which, a spirit form starting to hunt and consume raw meat might be a sign of restless spiritual energy, right?]

[Yes, normal spirit forms are intangible, deriving life from spiritual energy and naturally wouldn’t consume food like this.]

A line of golden educational comments gracefully slid by:

[Only those diagnosed with Spiritual Energy Disorder undergo an artificial intervention, temporarily separating the spirit form from their bodies. The spirit then takes on a beastly form, relying on hunting instincts to release restless energy, aiming to weaken and stabilize their spiritual power.]

[I've never heard of someone's spirit form manifesting as a young cub though. This little tiger might very well be a real beast cub.]

[I think so too. The requirements to awaken a spirit form are strict. I've been at S-class spiritual energy for three years and haven't felt a hint of my spirit form. If it were truly a cub, it must have at least base-level S-class energy from birth, right?]

[+1. It's improbable. Even if true, a baby can't control or consolidate their spiritual energy, making survival challenging.]

[I'm more curious about that civet. Could the Marshal's wife switch the camera view?]

[I think the Marshal's wife can't see the comments. She hasn't interacted with the stream since it started.]

*

Imperial Capital Star - Fan Residence

The Fan family patriarch's face was dark with displeasure, while the lady beside him had already wet her handkerchief with tears. Fan Mi, who wanted to leave but had to provide the livestream display, sat on the opposite side of the couch, focusing inwardly, behaving as if he were merely a tool for broadcasting.

"That's Yu Xin! I'm his mother, how could I not recognize him?!" The usually dignified and gentle lady had swollen eyes, her gaze fixed intently on the live screen, "Such deep wounds... such grave injuries!"

The patriarch took a deep breath, speaking gravely, "Tomorrow, I'll request an audience with the Emperor. But I fear he might find an excuse to avoid seeing me."

"Right now, the priority is determining our relationship with the Duke's mansion."

"Our initial intention for this marriage alliance wasn’t Xia Qing. It's not too late to reconsider."

"But..." The teary-eyed lady hesitated momentarily, her brows furrowing, "Bai Xiaoxiao has something over us that isn’t favorable. She's notorious for her underhanded tactics. And now, she's at a low point. If we call off the engagement with Xia Qing, I fear the situation might spiral out of control."

"Moreover, originally Yu Qiao had begun connecting with others. But after Xia Qing lost the use of one leg, Yu Qiao was completely taken in, seeing only him."

The patriarch looked up at the screen. In the livestream, a blonde youth was skillfully skinning and deboning the prey killed by the tiger, even naturally preserving the rabbit's pelt.

This Xia You, contrary to the records of a feeble, easy-to-manipulate, healing-natured young noble, seemed entirely out of place.

The lady too was fixated on the youth on the screen, her grip tightening on her handkerchief.

If not for the accident, this young man was supposed to be the support for her second son...

"After all, Xia You was raised by Bai Xiaoxiao. Such a scheming woman as Bai Xiaoxiao is unlikely to be caught off guard. Even though there was a huge fuss about the poisoning incident before, it seemed to have settled down afterwards, as if everyone was willing to let it go. As for Xia You's attitude... it should still be fine."

Lady Fan might say so, but the head of the Fan family doesn’t seem to think that way.

"I inquired, and the decision about Xia Qing’s leg came from the Marshal."

After a long pause, Lady Fan whispered, "But how much longer can the Marshal live?"

Fan Mi, sitting aside, curled his fingers and remained silent.

The head of the Fan family, with a keen glance at his nephew, made a decisive statement, "Alright, let's find a reason to postpone the wedding first and observe the new developments. If it comes to making a choice—"

Lady Fan interrupted, "I'll deal with Bai Xiaoxiao and her son."

At any cost, her own son must not be involved.

The head of the Fan family gave a slight nod, not continuing the topic.

It wasn't long before Fan Mi was dismissed from the study.

Back in his room, Fan Mi hesitated for a moment but eventually encrypted everything that happened today and sent it to Fan Yuxin, the once heir of the Fan family.

If only his elder brother could wake up...

Fan Mi sat in a daze for a while, then turned on the Blue Star live stream again.

*

The little tiger, having had its meal, went to the stream and bent down to sip the water. Seizing the opportunity, Xia You playfully ruffled its head with a towel.

The little tiger, capable of housing fish in its pond, wasn't afraid of water at all. Seeing the situation, it playfully jumped into the stream and swam around gracefully.

As the little tiger came ashore, Xia You's eyes widened, and he quickly stepped back.

However, his retreat was much slower than the speed at which the little tiger shook off the water, and he ended up getting splashed.

Chilled, Xia You shivered and exclaimed, "... Spicy sticks!"

The now dry little tiger scampered over to Xia You, meowing and rubbing against him.

Crouching down, Xia You, rubbing the little tiger’s head, said with feigned annoyance, "Naughty kitty."

Using a towel, Xia You wiped down the little tiger once more, and together, they returned to the fireside.

The civet, which had been engrossed in picking at the gauze with its teeth, looked up sharply.

Xia You checked the time, realizing it was late, and signaled to end the live stream.

[Don't go!!! I didn't even mind the silence in the stream. Why end it now?!!!]

[Just leave it on! We can help keep watch!]

[Silent acting works too! Don’t turn it off—]

However, Xia You couldn't see the comments in the live stream, and without hesitation, he turned it off.

He walked over to inspect the gauze bandaging the civet's hind leg.

The animal-specific gauze was designed considering the possibility of animals tearing at it – breathable yet durable.

Returning to his small stool, Xia You took out pen and paper from a pocket dimension, writing down the terms: Military, Senate, and Royal Family. Following the interconnected triangle of these power structures, he further branched out.

While pondering what Lu Yinghuai told him earlier that day, Xia You jotted down scattered thoughts, occasionally pausing to pat the little tiger resting beside him.

As he continued, Xia You's innate playful nature surfaced, and he began doodling cats on the paper. Having previously learned to draw, with just a few strokes, he sketched a focused tiger grooming itself.

Xia You's pen suddenly halted, his gaze fixed on the little tiger.

Come to think of it, he still didn't know the gender of the spicy stick (the tiger's nickname)?

Seeing the little tiger engrossed in its grooming, Xia You slowly extended his hand, sneaking it toward its hind leg, readying to use a familiar tactic.

“Roar!”

A deep growl echoed, causing the little tiger to sit up instantly, searching the direction of the sound.

Xia You froze mid-action, but as he was about to flip the tiger to see if the spicy stick had testicles, a warm hand grabbed his wrist.

Xia You: "…?"

The young man looked up, facing Lu Yinghuai, who had quietly approached him from behind.

Not long after Lu Yinghuai approached, Xia You's keen senses had already detected his presence.

The little tiger had scampered off to tease the panther. Lu Yinghuai released his grip on Xia You's wrist, took the pen from him, and added a distinct bowtie to the doodled tiger.

Xia You blinked in understanding, took the pen back from Lu Yinghuai, and meticulously drew a round 'W' at the base of the tiger's tail.

Lu Yinghuai: "..."

The marshal shifted his gaze away momentarily, then returned it for another brief glance.

Feeling Lu Yinghuai's gaze, Xia You generously tore off the tiger portrait and handed it to him, "Your Highness, do you draw as well?"

"I learned a bit of everything as a child."

Lu Yinghuai accepted the paper, carefully folding it, intending to have it framed and sent to the palace later.

He didn't consider at all how his nephew would feel upon seeing the drawing.

With enthusiasm, Xia You turned to a fresh page, "If Your Highness likes it, I can draw another one for you featuring Yuan Yuan."

Lu Yinghuai: "?"

"No need to..."

Familiar with the panther's form and using just a few quick strokes, Xia You sketched a majestic black panther gracefully carrying the little tiger in its mouth.

Although it was a simple sketch, the panther's majestic aura was captured flawlessly.

Compared to the playful depiction of the little tiger lying on the grass chasing butterflies, Xia You's fondness for the panther was evident.

Studying the sketch, Xia You felt something was missing. After some thought, he rummaged through his spatial ring and took out two colored pens, coloring the panther's eyes—one gold and one purple.

After adding the colors, Xia You nodded in satisfaction.

He then artistically signed "Dragon"

And "Phoenix Dance" in the bottom right corner of the drawing.

Lu Yinghuai lowered his eyes to the bi-colored irises of the panther in the drawing, his pupils constricting as he softly asked Xia You, "Why did you draw it this way?"

"Hmm..." Xia You tilted his head, reaching out to pat the panther resting on his shoulder, smiling, "Just a hunch."

"It's just a feeling, Yuan Yuan looks the handsomest this way!"

Lu Yinghuai chuckled softly, not saying much. He also carefully folded the sketch and stored it in his spatial ring.

"By the way," Xia You said, cuddling with the panther, "Did Your Highness find what you were looking for?"

Although they hadn't spent much time together, Xia You had come to realize that Lu Yinghuai wasn't one to idly wander without purpose. Especially since just before leaving, the prince had consulted a map, indicating he was searching for something.

"Yes, I found it."

Lu Yinghuai settled onto another small stool, the tall and broad-shouldered man lounging casually, an air of gentle aristocracy about him, a relaxed smile gracing his face.

Xia You's curiosity piqued: "What is it?"

Lu Yinghuai: "Teaching props."

Xia You paused, puzzled: "Huh?"

Lu Yinghuai scanned their surroundings, noticing no active live-streaming device. After confirming on the holographic interface that Xia You had shut down his live stream, he gestured towards an empty spot.

Something heavy dropped from the spatial ring with a thud, and the air was instantly filled with the metallic scent of blood.

Xia You: "!!"

The little tiger stopped grooming and slowly approached the still fresh and large prey.

The panther, at some unknown point, had taken to a tree, with only its tail lazily swaying down below.

Xia You took a few steps forward and crouched to examine the creature, then looked up at Lu Yinghuai with a hint of uncertainty: "Is this... a deer?"

This type of deer is among the largest of its species. While they're on the menu for some predators, any that could single-handedly hunt such prey would surely be an apex among its kind.

Xia You had initially assumed the deer was the panther's kill, but jaguars typically kill by using their strong bite force to sever the prey's throat or head directly.

For larger prey like deer, they'd use their sharp claws to target vital areas.

However, the only visible lethal wound on the deer lying before them was a clean cut at its throat, seemingly from a blade, with no other evident fatal injuries.

Rather than looking like the work of a wild beast, it seemed more like...

Xia You looked up at the upright Marshal and stuttered, "Your Highness, is this for you...?"

Lu Yinghui nodded and replied, "The size of this deer is just right for your lesson."

Xia You: "..."

The young boy glanced at the large black panther on the tree, which had closed its eyes in preparation for sleep.

— This is the fierce predator that maintains order in the group.

The boy then turned his gaze to the young tiger, fiercely tearing at its prey, shaking its entire head with force.

— This is the team's rising star, who had hunted a wild rabbit on its own and even tried to feed it to him.

Once more, the boy looked at the teasing-eyed Marshal and discreetly poked the soft belly of the prey.

— This is the ultimate assassin in the group, who silently hunted a full-grown deer.

Xia You recalled the words spoken during the day in the car, "The weak can't fight," and remained silent.

So, in the group, only he, the healer, was truly "fragile." Due to his physique, no matter how much he trained, he could only handle ordinary people. Fighting beasts solo would probably be impossible for him in this lifetime.

Lu Yinghui checked the time and lightly patted the sullen Xia You, who was squatting next to the prey, chuckling, "Don't want to take the lesson?"

Only then did Xia You recall what Lu Yinghui had said earlier. Lifting his head in confusion, he asked, "Is there another lesson today?"

Even though he was traveling, and even if he had a teacher with him, it seemed the only classes available were academic ones, right?

Lu Yinghui searched the StarNet for the anatomical structure of the prey in front of them, and enlarged the display screen between the two of them.

"Xia You, release your psychic energy."

"Oh."

The little tendrils of psychic energy eagerly emerged, but before they could harass the furry creature, Lu Yinghui grabbed them.

Xia You took a sharp intake of breath, feeling a tingle on his scalp.

"I remember, Xia You's psychic energy can be dispersed into many slender threads, right?"

As Lu Yinghui's words fell, the psychic tendrils he held transformed into a sky full of thin strands, loosely encircling the two like an unwoven net.

"Just as you did with other prey before, Xia You, you need to use only your psychic energy to skin and debone this animal, dividing it into evenly sized pieces."

Xia You blinked in surprise. Though uncertain about Lu Yinghui's intentions, she started manipulating the tendrils of her psychic energy to slice through the prey's fur, referencing the anatomical structure displayed on the screen.

Initially, it was manageable, but Xia You soon realized that her psychic energy, not being inherently sharp, required significant effort to separate the flesh from the fur. The energy output became increasingly substantial. With every slice, she expended vast amounts of psychic energy, making it near impossible to dissect an entire deer this way.

"Xia You, think of another approach."

"One more suited to you."

As Lu Yinghui's gentle guidance reached her ears, Xia You gathered the dispersed psychic tendrils around the prey, slowly weaving them into a net-like structure that enveloped the creature. The energy then melded with the prey's skin, seeping into its flesh and touching the bones.

Beads of sweat formed on Xia You's forehead, but her ocean-blue eyes lit up.

It's working!

Her continuously emitting psychic energy roamed within the prey, with the fine tendrils gradually separating the flesh from the bones.

As more of Xia You's energy was channeled, her eyes gleamed brighter, shining like radiant sapphires, surpassing even the brightest stars in the forested mountain sky.

Twenty minutes later, Xia You abruptly retracted her energy, stumbling forward into Lu Yinghui's waiting arms.

With shaky legs, Xia You leaned into Lu Yinghui's sturdy embrace and quickly looked towards the prey.

A few steps away, the massive 200-kilogram prey collapsed moments later, leaving behind a clean, intact skeleton. Chunks of meat and fur lay scattered around.

Nearby, a little tiger, its face splattered with blood, tucked its tail between its legs and retreated several steps, before darting towards the panther and frantically clawing at the tree's base.

In the tree, the black panther, disturbed by the commotion, lazily opened its eyes. It licked its paw leisurely, shifted its position, and dozed off again.

Turning her gaze to Lu Yinghui, Xia You's sparkling eyes pleaded for praise, "Your Highness, I did it!"

"Excellent," Lu Yinghui generously commended, "How do you feel?"

Xia You paused to assess, then honestly responded, "A bit drained of psychic energy, but I think consuming some energy stones will replenish it."

"Compared to your limit, how much energy did you use?" Lu Yinghui inquired meticulously.

Xia You estimated, "Perhaps I have about a quarter of my psychic energy left? But if I push it too far, I'd probably get a headache."

In the post-apocalyptic world, Xia You was initially unfamiliar with her psychic powers, having overextended herself many times while calming zombies.

The sensation felt as if someone was chiseling her brain repeatedly, and it took her several days to recover each time.

"I understand," Lu Yinghui noted the data discreetly, adjusting Xia You's psychic training regimen in his mind.

Elsewhere, the little tiger noticed the panther not descending, took a glance, and sneakily approached again.

Picking up a piece of deer meat in its mouth, the tiger didn't eat it. Instead, unexpectedly, it placed the meat in front of the civet.

Observing the little tiger's actions, Xia You quirked a lip, "Is the tiger... testing the meat's safety on the civet?"

It's really hard to evaluate the little tiger's personality.

One might think it's smart when it destructively races around the house, neglects learning hunting techniques from the panther, gets distracted, and constantly seeks attention in a cute manner. But on the other hand, it's never overly burdensome, never falls behind in hunting, and sometimes even exhibits clever actions that leave one speechless.

Lu Yinghui found himself at a loss for words too, "... Explosive prey can indeed intimidate animals."

But the civet didn't care. Since earlier, it had been inching closer to the deer, and now it bit into the deer meat voraciously, tearing into the flesh with a vigilant and cold gaze directed at the duo and the tiger.

Although the civet ate ferociously, only the area around its mouth was stained with blood.

Most adult felines possess an innate elegance, maintaining cleanliness and grooming themselves instinctively.

As Xia You watched, her stomach suddenly growled.

Lu Yinghui looked down at her.

The little tiger's ears twitched, and it ran over, looking at Xia You with a mix of concern and reproach.

It seemed to say: Should've eaten properly earlier, huh? Now you're hungry!

Xia You was the kind whose ears turned red when embarrassed. Standing straight, she gently extricated herself from Lu Yinghui's supporting arm, hesitated for a moment, then softly said, "I expended too much energy earlier..."

The rustling sound from behind caught their attention. Turning around, Xia You saw the panther that had been lounging in the tree now making its way stealthily into the forest.

The apex predator, having been resting, signaled its intent to hunt.

*

Forty minutes later...

In front of the civet was a large bowl filled with deer meat, streaked with deep red veins. The big cat feasted heartily, occasionally glancing around.

A pot was set above a fire, boiling with clear broth that bubbled softly.

The little tiger was pestering the panther for hunting lessons. Raising its forepaw, it lunged at the panther, but was often effortlessly flipped over by the mature panther's swipe.

Another campfire blazed in front of Xia You and Lu Yinghui. Atop it, a small game animal was skewered by thick branches, sizzling and dripping with fat.

Both held daggers in their hands, slicing and eating the meat in tandem.

Initially famished, Xia You ate with gusto but soon let out a small burp. Then, she sneakily started to steal glances at Lu Yinghui.

Lu Yinghui’s eating manner wasn't exactly aristocratic.

He would spear the meat with the tip of his dagger and directly feed himself, eyes half-lidded, exuding a calm yet fierce wildness.

This demeanor starkly contrasted the impeccably uniformed Marshal from the mansion.

Yet, after momentarily being dazzled by his charm, Xia You's thoughts weren't on this.

"Uhm... Your Highness, please have more," Xia You said, slicing quite a bit of meat and piling it on her dagger. She then presented it to Lu Yinghui like a cherished gift.

Lu Yinghui raised an eyebrow, his gaze knowing, "What's on your mind?"

Xia You touched her nose bridge, clearing her throat softly before speaking, "Your Highness, ever since we entered this forest, my physical training has been on hold. But maintaining regular physical workouts is essential for effectiveness, right?"

The corners of Lu Yinghui’s eyes crinkled, his dagger twirling skillfully between his fingers, "And?"

Xia You dragged a small stool a little closer to Lu Yinghui’s direction.

"So... can you teach me, um," she cleared her throat and continued formally, "hand-to-hand combat techniques?"

Lu Yinghui held back his laughter for a moment, but then burst out laughing, seeing Xia You's eager eyes.

Xia You, a bit puzzled at first, quickly caught on, "You were planning to teach me anyway?"

Lu Yinghui reached out, giving Xia You's soft short hair a gentle tousle.

A fleeting touch.

Xia You also lifted her hand to rub her head, feeling that the way Lu Yinghuai had ruffled her hair earlier seemed strangely familiar.

Lost in thought, Xia You's gaze drifted to the black panther.

Xia You: "..."

Xia You: "......"

"Your Highness!" Xia You looked at Lu Yinghuai with exasperation, "Did you mistake me for Yuan Yuan?"

That gesture from His Highness just now was exactly how he'd pet Yuan Yuan!

"Who was it that once told me they wanted me to take care of them just like I do with Yuan Yuan?" Lu Yinghuai said, completely at ease.

Xia You was rendered speechless.

Having teased the young one, Lu Yinghuai reached out to retrieve the dagger skewered with meat from Xia You's hand.

Seeing Lu Yinghuai accept her tribute, the resentment on Xia You's face also faded.

Lu Yinghuai stood up and gestured for Xia You to come over.

Xia You quickly stood up and followed.

"Your Highness?"

"There's a meadow up ahead; it's less likely you'll get hurt there."

"Mmm, did Your Highness encounter a wild deer there earlier? If it were me, could I achieve the same with my skills?"

"Deer are herd animals; it's best not to provoke them unless necessary. I'll teach you some self-defense techniques first. But Xia You, there's one thing you need to understand: instead of close combat, your strength lies in the use of your psychic powers..."

……

Only three different-sized cats remained at their temporary resting place.

After eating all the deer meat in the bowl, the lynx lay on the ground, closing its eyes for a good while, then slowly opened them, sitting up.

In those uniquely feline pupils, there was a clarity that belonged only to humans.

The grey-brown big cat turned its head to look at its bandaged hind leg, then lowered its gaze to the now spotlessly licked bowl.

The black panther and the young tiger looked over upon hearing the noise, their three pairs of animalistic eyes gleaming eerily in the darkness.

The lynx hesitated for a moment before struggling to its feet.

However, the lynx didn't leave. Instead, it limped over to the deer's skeletal remains, lowering its head for a gentle sniff.