Chapter 56

Thanks to Latiao's efforts, Xia You had the first real chance to touch the White Tiger. The moment her hand felt the tiger's thick fur, Xia You's eyes lit up.

How should I put it?

Just as no two humans have identical appearances or personalities, in Xiayou's view, each big cat species has its own distinct temperament. Consequently, no two feline furs feel exactly the same to the touch.

Jaguars instinctively prefer to dwell in areas rich in water sources and with a humid environment. Yet, their migratory habits have enabled them to adapt to semi-desert regions. Their fur is thick yet sleek, resembling a lustrous, understated satin.

Siberian tigers, on the other hand, are inclined towards the northern habitats, with their dense fur serving as a shield against the bitter cold. Their fur is coarser to touch, exuding a dazzling aura of intimidation.

"Roarrrrrr!" Upon seeing Xiayou deeply engrossed in petting the tiger, Latiao couldn't help but vocalize.

Lu Yinghuai stood by Xiayou's side, always ready to intervene. He had even called back the black panther that was patrolling away from the camp, which now lingered nearby.

Initially, the black panther was a tad jealous seeing Xiayou pet the tiger. Noticing Xiayou's undisguised expression, it moved closer, flanking him on one side while Lu Yinghuai stood on the other, stretching its head to block Xiayou's view of the white tiger.

Xiayou: "…Ahem."

Snapping back to reality, Xiayou met the simultaneous gaze of Lu Yinghuai and the black panther, murmuring defensively, "I... I was just checking the wounds on my sister."

The black panther emitted a low growl.

"It's been so long, their fight wounds have already faded!"

Xiayou: "Ahem, I'll continue, I'll continue."

At such a moment, Xiayou wouldn't dare touch the white tiger's claws. Instead, he placed his hand on its body, closed his eyes, and delved deep with his psychic touch.

The white tiger paused momentarily. Then, with a sudden surge of strength, it shook its head vigorously, flinging the young tiger away with its front limbs.

The connection between Xiayou's palm and the white tiger's fur abruptly ceased. His psychic tendrils were forced out from within the tiger, merely clinging to its body, attempting to restrict its movements.

Seizing the opportunity, the black panther pounced, using its weight to pin the white tiger below. The two pristinely-colored big cats immediately engaged in a fierce biting duel.

The young tiger, having been thrown aside, stood up intending to help. However, it paused upon passing a catnip stand, swiftly snagged a few bundles, and rubbed them onto its white belly. Without hesitation, it dashed forward, tenaciously and resolutely latching onto the white tiger's head once more.

The white tiger, catching the strong scent of catnip, suddenly became still. Rolling over, it pinned the young tiger to the ground and began grooming it with its tongue.

The young tiger, its front paws gripping the white tiger's sturdy claws, tried to lift its head and cried out, "Roar!"

Xiayou gave a thumbs-up to Latiao, who had sacrificed his white belly, and once again sneakily approached, placing his hand on the white tiger's body.

The black panther returned to stand guard by Xiayou, while Lu Yinghuai glanced at his nephew being pinned and groomed, sending a message to the researchers to investigate the regrowth of companion-beast fur.

While a bald belly might be concealed when lying down, it's not the most dignified look, especially for the crown prince of the empire. Best to avoid balding altogether.

Xia You squatted down, intently closing her eyes. The ethereal tendrils of her spiritual power that had once draped over the white tiger began to merge into its body.

As expected, the volume of the gray substance within the white tiger was the most substantial. Even if one were to combine the gray matter she'd treated from all the other creatures, it still wouldn't equal the amount in the white tiger.

—And this was without even accounting for the gray matter in the white tiger's brain.

Using the same technique she'd employed while treating the brown bear, Xia You began to painstakingly remove the hardened gray matter, only to discover that the white tiger's condition was more than just a quantitative problem.

The gray substance had permeated its bones and blood vessels, unlike the other creatures where it just clung to the exterior.

Faced with this complexity, Xia You found herself in a quandary. However, given the white tiger's current state of disorientation, the immediate priority was to restore Lu Jiu Zhu's consciousness, rather than a complete cure.

They couldn't keep relying on La Tiao's fur sacrifices every time.

A few more such incidents, and La Tiao might become the empire's only bald spiritual companion.

Resolute, Xia You began the meticulous process of clearing the gray matter along the white tiger's muscles, bones, and organs.

But perhaps due to the long accumulation of the gray matter in the white tiger, Xia You felt an unprecedented strain as her spiritual tendrils consumed the extracted matter.

Half an hour later.

A pulsing pain surged through Xia You's temples. She swiftly retracted her spiritual tendrils, sweat beading on her forehead.

It was the shortest treatment session she'd ever conducted, but also the most exhausting.

And yet, all that effort only cleared an area roughly the size of a tiger's paw.

Her legs felt so numb!

Lu Ying Huai picked up the grimacing Xia You and placed her on a soft pillow beside him, kneeling to massage her calves.

Touching the pillow beneath her, Xia You blankly asked, "Where did this come from?"

However, realizing the obvious answer, she chuckled sheepishly.

It must've been fetched from the tent, of course.

There's no way something as plushy as this would be in Lu Ying Huai's inventory. It was one of Xia You's cherished possessions.

As Lu Yinghuai massaged his legs, Xiayou reflexively gasped for air. The tingling sensation from the blood circulation being cut off was already unbearable. Combined with the forceful kneading, it felt as though millions of ants were tearing at his veins from within.

"Next time, I won't squat while treating..." Xia You murmured quietly.

The numbness from squatting too long is truly uncomfortable, but once massaged out, the recovery is almost instantaneous.

Xia You, leaning on Lu Yinghuai's arm, stood up, hopped twice with gritted teeth, then finally felt relief.

The white tiger in front of them was engrossed in licking the belly fur of Latiao, the most enthusiastic furry when it comes to catnip.

"Sister's condition is quite severe," Xia You described in detail the internal state of the white tiger, her expression grave. "I haven't even checked her brain yet. Just treating her body could take a long time."

Lu Yinghuai gently ruffled Xia You's hair, "It's okay, take your time."

Xia You seemed to want to say something but ultimately stayed silent.

"Aaooowww!" The sudden cry from the little tiger pulled their attention.

The two quickly pulled Latiao away, then realized that for some unknown reason, in the midst of grooming, the white tiger had gently bitten him.

It must've been a light bite, not breaking the skin, but this was the first time the white tiger bit him, and it truly startled Latiao.

Nestling in Xia You's arms, Latiao whimpered.

With a heart full of sympathy, Xia You comforted the little tiger, stroking its head and paws.

The white tiger didn't chase after them, just glanced at the little tiger and then sized up Xia You. After a deep gaze, it went back to grooming its paw, looking no different from before.

The series of events had taken a toll on the little tiger, leaving it looking quite listless.

Xia You looked exhausted as well, prompting Lu Yinghuai to usher both of them into the tent to rest.

But Xia You examined Latiao from every angle and couldn't resist giving him a bath by the river.

Frankly, after the catnip and being groomed, and then smearing more catnip juice, Latiao's white belly was stained green, and his scent was... peculiar.

Even for someone who adores furries as much as Xia You, this was a bit hard to bear.

By the time Xia You returned with the scrubbed-down little tiger, Yuan Yuan was already nestled in the sleeping bag inside the tent.

Xia You still favored a sleeping posture reminiscent of a curled-up shrimp, nestled between a small tiger and the comforting presence of a panther, quickly slipping into dreamland.

Outside the tent, Lu Yinghuai brought a bowl of catnip water and gently placed it before the white tiger. Staring intently, he whispered, "The institute suggests this to stimulate your mental energy, but His Majesty doesn't approve of such treatment, favoring a more cautious approach."

"But if I were to fall into a deep slumber, leaving Xia You alone in the forest would be perilous. Whether my companion beast can remain tranquil in such a situation is uncertain, so I oppose her staying in the forest alone."

"Sister."

Lu Yinghuai reached out and touched the white tiger's ear. Its fluffy texture reminded him of childhood memories when Lu Jiuzhu looked after him with a spiritual presence.

"I want to take you with me."

The white tiger's eyes didn't reflect human-like thought or rationality. It merely snorted and shook off Lu Yinghuai's hand.

Unfazed, Lu Yinghuai stirred the catnip water and brought it closer to the tiger's mouth.

The white tiger let out a low growl, stood up, took a few steps to the side, and settled down in a new spot.

Lu Yinghuai: "Huh?"

The man hesitated for a moment, then directly offered another bowl of catnip to the tiger's mouth.

Yet, the white tiger didn't even bat an eyelid and turned its massive head away.

Lu Yinghuai: "..."

Could it be that the catnip from his hands and Xia You's was being treated differently?

However, when the spicy stick had earlier smeared some catnip onto its fur, the white tiger had clearly reacted.

Lu Yinghuai stood up, his gaze fixated on the white tiger.

Still, the white tiger maintained its meditative pose, its tail lazily swaying now and then.

The bowl of catnip water was left untouched beside it.

With a momentary rub of his fingers, Lu Yinghuai turned and retreated to his tent.

A few minutes passed, and the tent's curtain was abruptly lifted.

The white tiger remained motionless, lying in the same position as before.

Lu Yinghuai frowned and dropped the tent's flap down again.

*

When Xiayu awoke, the panther was still nestled beside him, its thick fur brushing against his cheek. The robust muscles of the feline felt irresistibly pleasing to the touch.

Having petted the panther enough, Xiayu lifted his gaze, searching for Lu Yinghui within the tent.

On the other side of the tent, a young tiger was squatting in front of Lu Yinghui with a look of utter disinterest. Lu Yinghui was initiating a video call, with the camera capturing the slightly balding spot on the tiger's forehead.

On the video screen, several researchers in white lab coats were visible.

The group of researchers diligently recorded a plethora of data. All the while, under his uncle's watchful gaze, the young tiger could only move its paws and shift its body when instructed, its claws retracted, resembling four innocent large lychees.

"Marshal, if you have energy fluid at hand, you might consider applying some extra to the Crown Prince during this period to see if it can stimulate spiritual growth."

The foremost researcher suggested.

Just then, Xiayu approached and naturally took a seat next to Lu Yinghui, reaching out to stroke the ears of Latiao.

Immediately, Latiao seemed to have found support, whining softly as if lodging a complaint to Xiayu.

Xiayu promptly caressed the big tiger's cheeks, gently squeezing them in consolation.

The moment Xiayu appeared on screen, there was a collective jolt among the researchers in the department. A few even adjusted their attire before unanimously greeting, "Mr. Xiayu!"

Xiayu was taken aback and nearly plucked a whisker from Latiao.

Latiao looked up at Xiayu with eyes full of reproach.

Xiayu momentarily overlooked the young tiger, turning to the researchers on the other end of the video. Momentarily flustered, he met Lu Yinghui's encouraging gaze, his fingers tightening and then relaxing. He emulated Lu Yinghui's usual courteous demeanor, nodding and greeting with a smile, "Hello."

Faintly, Xiayu thought he heard a soft chuckle from Lu Yinghui.

Stealing a glance from the corner of his eyes, Lu Yinghuai seemed to wear a profoundly serene expression.

The video call ended swiftly. Xiayu felt a gentle nudge on his knee and finally turned his attention to the disgruntled Latiao.

The composed and stately panther walked over, sitting regally next to Latiao. It lowered its gaze onto Latiao, seemingly indifferent to Xiayu's affectionate gestures towards the tiger.

Not at all.

Panthers shouldn't, or at least, they're not supposed to.

However, Lu Yinghuai suddenly reached out, grasping Spicy Stick's front paw, flipping the young tiger onto its back.

Both Spicy Stick and Xia You stared bewilderedly at Lu Yinghuai for a moment.

Lu Yinghuai gestured for Xia You to inspect the fur on Spicy Stick's belly.

Though puzzled, Xia You complied.

Spicy Stick, embarrassed to its core, tucked in its hind legs and tail, hiding its private areas meticulously.

Even though Xia You wasn't sure what Lu Yinghuai wanted him to inspect, after a close examination, he let out a soft exclamation.

Previously, Spicy Stick had merely rolled in catnip water, which almost got its fur licked clean by a white tiger. Yet, this time, having smeared catnip juice directly on its belly and then getting licked by the white tiger, there was no substantial hair loss.

It looked as if the white tiger exerted force only during the initial licks and then seemed to be genuinely grooming Spicy Stick with a gentle touch.

A possibility dawned on Xia You. He abruptly looked up at Lu Yinghuai, his eyes questioning.

Mindful of Spicy Stick's presence, Xia You kept his suspicions to himself.

Lu Yinghuai didn't respond but gestured for Xia You to step outside the tent.

In perfect unison, the two left behind the baffled Spicy Stick and headed out of the tent.

Spicy Stick hurried to follow but was once again flipped over by the panther's swift paw.

Having experienced so much that day and feeling rather aggrieved, Spicy Stick saw the panther's provocation and lunged, biting with gritted teeth.

From a tiger cub to a young tiger, Spicy Stick had indeed grown. However, it still paled in comparison to the panther.

Of course, Spicy Stick wasn't genuinely attempting to fight but merely seeking an outlet for its frustrations.

The panther elegantly lay on the carpet, occasionally using its front paws to playfully bat the young tiger, venting its playful energy. Only when the young tiger bit a cushion did the panther lift its paw, smacking Spicy Stick on the head, rescuing Xia You's favorite cushion from the tiger's jaws.

Xia You slept right through dinner time, and by the time he awoke, the sky was sprinkled with stars.

Tigers are nocturnal animals. After feasting, they typically choose to sleep or rest during the day, occasionally patrolling their territory at night if they've eaten well.

However, wearing a psychic suppressor, the white tiger hasn't ventured out for a patrol since arriving at the camp.

Xia You observed the white tiger for a while, locking eyes with its gray-blue gaze for several seconds, but saw no signs of full consciousness.

When the other cats regained human-like clarity in the past, their expressions distinctly changed. But this white tiger still exuded the same untamed wildness as when it first arrived.

Xia You stood straight, saying, "Your Highness, it doesn't seem quite right."

Lu Yinghuai was eyeing a bowl of untouched catnip water not far away, his brows slightly furrowed.

Xia You also noticed the bowl of catnip water. He stroked his chin and extended his psychic tendril into the water, stirring it vigorously.

The white tiger, which had been gazing deep into the forest, twitched its whiskers and turned its attention to the swirling catnip water.

Seeing this, Xia You channeled more of his psychic energy into the water.

As expected, the white tiger paused momentarily before approaching the bowl.

Before the white tiger could lower its head to drink, Xia You retracted his psychic tendril and concluded, "The catnip plant has been outside all along, yet she hasn't approached it. This suggests that while the catnip has some allure for her, it's not overwhelmingly enticing."

"The catnip seeds that attracted her the other day might have been due to my recent infusion of psychic energy."

"Of course, her grooming Spicy Stick this afternoon was indeed a bit out of the ordinary..."

Xia You's gaze remained fixed on the white tiger. He noticed how quickly she drank, even licking the bowl clean, ensuring no trace or scent of the catnip water remained—

Suddenly, a bold yet plausible hypothesis sprang into Xia You's mind.

While Lu Yinghuai's observational skills were indeed sharp, when it came to interpreting feline behavior, Xia You, once powered by love and now wholly enchanted by fluffiness, had a slight edge.

Xia You tugged on Lu Yinghuai's arm, signaling for him to bend down. He then whispered his thoughts into Lu Yinghuai's ear, lightly nibbling it as he did.

Although Spicy Stick was just a young tiger, he already possessed the keen hearing of a feline.

Lu Yinghuai, upon hearing Xia You's theory, swiftly exhibited a hint of surprise in his eyes. After a moment's contemplation, he gently squeezed Xia You's hand.

With the affirmation, Xia You grinned and dashed into the tent, murmuring mysteriously to Yuan Yuan and Spicy Stick.

After a while, one man and two big cats emerged from the tent. The panther remained poised and elegant as ever, whereas Latiao seemed a tad nervous, consciously avoiding glancing in the direction of the white tiger.

Xiayu moved to stand beside Lu Yinghui. Together, they stepped back several paces, leaving a vast open space in the camp for the big cats.

Visibly, Latiao performed an almost human-like deep breath, then lunged towards the panther with its front paws raised.

At first, Latiao and Yuanyuan playfully sparred, reminiscent of the times when Yuanyuan would teach Latiao hunting techniques. However, as time progressed, Latiao's movements became increasingly aggressive, prompting Yuanyuan to grow impatient and emit a low growl towards him.

On the other side, upon hearing the growl laden with warning, the white tiger, who had not even glanced in their direction before, suddenly stood up and approached.

Xia You tightly gripped Lu Yinghuai's arm, her eyes shimmering as she looked intently at a spot some distance away, her face a mix of anxiety and anticipation.

Lu Yinghuai, momentarily taken aback, hesitated before raising his hand to gently pat Xia You's hand.

Not far away, despite the panther's warning growl, the young tiger showed no signs of backing down. Instead, it lowered its front legs in a combative stance, circled the panther, and then lunged with a sudden bite!

The panther roared angrily, flipping the young tiger onto the ground with a swipe of its paw, its fangs bared, ready to strike at the young tiger's throat.

“Roar—!”

A furious roar erupted, and the white tiger pounced, grappling with the panther and rolling them across the clearing with such force that they nearly hit the nearby trees.

The two muscular cats were entangled in a fierce battle, fur flying everywhere.

From a distance, Xia You signaled the young tiger with a whistle.

The previously stunned Latiao (spicy strip, the young tiger's nickname) immediately responded, trotting over towards the white tiger.

As Latiao approached, the fighting panther and tiger locked eyes, exchanged roars as if exchanging threats, and then parted ways. They each retreated to a corner, vigorously shaking off and grooming their disheveled fur.

Latiao, eyes moist, approached and playfully rolled in front of the resting white tiger, rubbing its head from the white tiger's paw all the way to its neck, and then began licking the white tiger's cheek.

During this, Latiao repeatedly shoved its paw into the white tiger's open mouth. Even when the white tiger spat it out in distaste, Latiao seemed unfazed, snuggling closer as if trying to burrow into its mother's embrace.

Watching the scene confirming his guess, Lu Yinghuai turned to Xia You for insight, "How did Xiaoyu figure it out?"

Xia You, stroking the panther that returned to her side, replied with a triumphant smile, "Earlier, that whole bowl full of catnip water not only was finished by Sister (referring to the white tiger), but she also deliberately masked the remaining scent with her own."

"This shows that, in Sister's perception, while she likes catnip water, she also believes that this scent would attract other tigers, especially male ones."

In the natural world, it's not uncommon for male tigers to kill cubs.

Even after mating, once a female tiger realizes she's pregnant, she might even chase the male tiger away from her territory to ensure the safety of her offspring.

"So, this afternoon, when Latiao smeared himself with catnip juice, Sister's urgency in licking Latiao's belly fur was actually because she believed the lingering scent on him posed a great danger."

"In Sister's view, removing this scent from Latiao was even more urgent than the threat of Yuanyuan (the panther) at the time and my proximity."

Xia You spoke as she bent down, nuzzling the panther's triangular ears with her chin. She looked up, meeting Lu Yinghuai's gaze with a playful smile.

"In other words, even though my sister hasn't fully awakened and I'm unsure when this happened, she seems to recognize that the tiger cub, La Tiao, is her own."

Reflecting on this guess, in the afternoon, the white tiger suddenly bit the tiger cub, but without applying force. She must have hidden her canine teeth and used her incisors instead; Xia You checked, and there wasn’t a mark.

When tiger mothers discipline or carry their cubs by the neck, they usually open their mouths to bite.

Perhaps due to past traumas, La Tiao didn't even react in the afternoon.

Lu Yinghuai chuckled, glancing at the tiger cub that was continuously fawning over the white tiger. "Why does she still seem so unimpressed with the cub?" he teased.

"Hmm…"

That's a good question.

Xia You pondered for a moment, then gestured to signify La Tiao's size and had an epiphany.

"Logically speaking, a tiger of La Tiao's size would typically have been driven away from its mother's territory to fend for itself by now."

Not far away, the white tiger tried to stand but was hindered by the persistent cub. She laid back down, letting the cub snuggle into her embrace and gave it a few half-hearted licks.

The white tiger didn't lash out, choosing instead to place a paw on her head and feign sleep, much like a mother overwhelmed by a naughty child.

Listening to La Tiao's soft, melodious cries, Xia You couldn't help but chuckle.

"Tigers are territorial creatures. For La Tiao to pester her in her domain..."

"The fact that she didn't bite La Tiao means she's already at the pinnacle of motherly tolerance."

All of these are merely Xia You's speculations. If they want to understand when and how the white tiger recognized the cub and why she went against her instincts to indulge and tolerate La Tiao, they might only get answers once Lu Jiuzhu's consciousness truly awakens.