Chapter 6: Accumulating Three Times for the First Drop of Blood

Li Yue was dreaming of her Father handing her a skewer of sizzling, greasy beast meat when she suddenly felt something wrap tightly around her neck, a suffocating sensation surging over her like a tide.

She struggled desperately, trying to scream, but no sound came out. The roasted meat in her vision blurred into a dark shadow, all her strength seemed to drain away, and her eyelids felt glued shut, impossible to open.

"Mmm..." A faint whimper escaped her throat as her consciousness flickered between awareness and unconsciousness.

The cave fire cast Lanxi's shadow on the rock wall, making him appear unnaturally tall.

He lowered his eyes, his long lashes casting a shadow beneath them, but his amethyst-like eyes churned with an unyielding, viscous malice. The grip on Li Yue's neck tightened relentlessly.

Her face gradually turned from flushed red to purplish-blue, her lips trembling, and involuntary tears welled in the corners of her eyes, sliding down her cheeks to disappear into her temples.

Just as her consciousness was about to fade, Lanxi's wrist was suddenly seized with brutal force, the grip so powerful it threatened to crush his bones.

He was forced to release her, and Li Yue slumped down like a broken puppet, collapsing onto the dry grass. She coughed violently, gasping for air, her chest heaving wildly.

"Lanxi, are you insane?" You Lie's voice was icy.

He stared intently at Lanxi, his dark crimson eyes blazing with fury. "Do you want to drag us all down with you?"

The Beast World's iron law was clear: if a contracted female were killed by her mate, all males bound by the same contract would suffer a Beast Mark backlash and explode on the spot.

Lanxi didn't turn to look at You Lie, his gaze fixed on Li Yue's trembling back. The coldness in his eyes could freeze rock.

After a few seconds, he abruptly withdrew his hand and strode out of the cave without a word. The green Beast Ring on his ankle flashed faintly.

You Lie watched him disappear, his brow furrowed.

He understood Lanxi's hatred—the torn scales, the endless torment... anyone would lose control in his place.

But today, Li Yue... she was indeed different.

He turned to look at Li Yue, who was still coughing.

She hadn't fully regained consciousness, likely still disoriented by the mental power Lanxi had used on her.

The tear-streaked corner of her eye, still damp and clinging to a few bits of dry grass, made her look particularly pitiful.

You Lie's icy gaze fell on her hand resting by her side. The wound slashed by the necklace still gaped open, its edges inflamed and glaring.

He remained silent for a few seconds before, for some reason, crouching down.

He pulled a small handful of dried blood-stopping grass from his robe—a gift from Si Qi that he had been reluctant to use until now.

You Lie stuffed the herbs into his mouth and chewed them thoroughly. The bitter taste spread across his tongue.

He reached out, stiffly lifting Li Yue's hand, and pressed the mashed herbs against her wound.

The cool herbs made Li Yue flinch, a faint whimper escaping her throat.

You Lie paused, then tore off a relatively clean piece of animal hide and carefully wrapped it around her fingertips, tying a knot.

After finishing, he looked at his hand, now stained with grass residue, and suddenly felt awkward. He stood up abruptly and walked to the cave entrance, turning his back on Li Yue and standing like a stone statue, guarding the opening.

Inside the cave, only Li Yue's steady breathing and the crackling of the fire remained.

Li Yue was awakened by a dry, itchy sensation in her throat. As soon as she opened her eyes, she felt as if a blunt object had crushed her neck; even the slightest movement sent a throbbing pain through the area.

She propped herself up and tried to call out for water, but the hoarse, raspy sound that emerged startled even herself.

"Hiss..." She gasped, instinctively reaching for her neck. Her fingertips met skin that was burning hot and slightly swollen.

What's going on?

Li Yue stumbled to the water jar and leaned over to look at the surface.

The murky water reflected a blurred image, showing only a faint red mark on her neck, too indistinct to make out clearly.

"Must have caught a cold last night," she murmured, cupping her hands and splashing cold water on her face.

In this medicine-scarce Beast World, a cold could be serious—ranging from dizziness and weakness to potentially collapsing her body.

But the thought of her Father being in danger spurred her on.

Now that her Father was her only support, she couldn't let a minor illness delay their journey.

Even if it meant going out in a blizzard, she had to leave today.

She rinsed her mouth with plain water and splashed some on her face. The icy touch helped clear the fog in her mind.

When she raised her hand, her fingertips brushed against a circle of rough animal hide. Only then did she realize her wound from yesterday had been carefully bandaged, a thin layer of scab already forming. The cool herbal scent seeped through the hide, and the pain was gone.

Li Yue froze.

Who did this?

She distinctly remembered curling up to sleep last night, and she hadn't heard anyone enter... Could it have been one of the beast husbands?

Whoever it was, such behavior deserved encouragement. She had to praise them on the spot to make them treat her better.

Though she knew their kindness wasn't genuine, it might at least lessen their resentment.

Regaining her composure, Li Yue walked to the cave entrance, cleared her still hoarse throat, and called out in a clear voice, "Come in, all of you."

The moment she finished speaking, figures began to appear at the entrance.

Si Qi, You Lie, Chi Yu, Jin Ye, and Lanxi, trailing behind the others, entered the cave one after another. Their gazes all fell on her neck simultaneously, their eyes instantly filled with complex emotions.

Si Qi's eyelashes fluttered, and he instinctively tightened his grip on the pouch of herbs in his hand.

Chi Yu raised an eyebrow, his gaze shifting between Lanxi and You Lie.

Jin Ye frowned, his ice-blue eyes filled with complex emotions.

Only Lanxi and You Lie remained inscrutable, one with his eyes downcast, the other staring at the ground.

The other three beast husbands exchanged glances, clearly guessing something from Lanxi and You Lie's reactions.

Something must have happened last night, and it was likely related to Lanxi.

Unaware of their silent communication, Li Yue smiled and asked, "Who did it last night?"

The cave fell silent for a few seconds.

It seemed Li Yue had noticed, and now she was going to find the culprit.

Even before, she would have found any excuse to torment them. Now that someone had tried to strangle her, would she really try to kill them outright?

Lanxi suddenly stepped forward, his purple eyes cold and defiant, his voice clear but taut with tension. "I did."

He met Li Yue's gaze with a straightforward tone. "Punish me however you want. Just don't involve the others."

His reaction took Li Yue aback. "Punish you? Why would I punish you?"

She shook her bandaged finger, her smile becoming more genuine. "I should be thanking you for treating my wound. How about this: whoever bandages my wounds three times will get a drop of my blood each time. What do you think?"

Her words stunned not only Lanxi but also the other beast husbands.

She wasn't referring to the wound on her neck, but the bandage on her finger?