Chapter 162 - 159: Reunion with the Oasis Family

Inside the cave, Nan Zishi was the only one sleeping on the stone bed.

Sensing the fluctuation of power in the air, Lu Ming slowly walked toward her.

Before him, a gentle white light appeared that only he could see.

"Father?" Lu Ming was shocked.

[Lu Ming.]

The young fledgling’s entire face lit up. His happiness was plain to see. "Father, did you also hear the name Mother gave me?"

The white light of the Beast God phantomly stroked the cub’s head and said gently, [Yes. It’s a very nice name.]

"Mhm, I think it’s a nice name too." The little deer cub’s ears twitched, and his tail swayed along with them.

"Father, I’m a little confused. Aren’t you already dead? Why are you inside Mother now?"

The Beast God’s physical body had been suppressed deep within the mining area. The High Priest had assigned five Eight Pattern Priests for the sole purpose of suppressing the Beast God’s body.

The High Priest had no idea that the Beast God had actually formed a pact with a female and had a little cub with her.

And this cub, low-key and intelligent, had grown up healthy all by himself in this dangerous, motley-crewed mining area.

The Beast God spoke gently to his cub: [I am indeed dead. This sliver of divine consciousness was left inside your mother with her permission back when we fell in love.]

[Lu Ming, it must have been hard for you, growing up all alone these years.]

Lu Ming shook his head.

A short, scorched black branch appeared within the white ball of light, and he gave the branch to Lu Ming.

[This was once my scepter... but there’s not much power left in it.]

[Lu Ming, your mother is a good person. No matter what choices she makes, they are the right ones. Do not interfere with her.

Your older brother Huo Jun, your younger brother She Yang, and your father Hu Bai all have congenital illnesses. I’ll leave their treatment to you.]

[I will now teach you how to use this... little branch.]

[I don’t have much strength left, so I need you to remember it all in one go. Can you do that?]

Little Lu Ming tightened his grip on the branch, his small face serious as he nodded. "Don’t worry, Daddy."

Watching the ball of light vanish before his eyes, the little deer cub lowered his head.

He had made it this far all by himself, struggling to grow up alone. And now, a day had actually come when he could see his mother and meet his father again.

"Lu Ming, why are you crying?"

Realizing his mother was awake, Little Lu Ming wiped away his tears and looked up. "I’m fine. I’m not crying."

Nan Zishi gently wiped away his tears. "Don’t cry. We have a lot of adults and cubs in our family. If something’s wrong, don’t carry it all by yourself. Remember to tell everyone."

Lu Ming’s frozen heart began to melt, bit by bit. He nodded. "Okay. I’ll try."

’I’ll try to let down my guard. I’ll try to fit into this family, try to accept the people in it, and try to love them.’

Lu Ming took two steps forward, his small, soft hand taking her large one. He silently called her ’Mother’ in his heart, then looked up at Nan Zishi and said, "You too. You don’t have to carry everything by yourself either."

Nan Zishi was slightly surprised, then her eyes curved into a smile. "You’re right. Me too."

Nan Zishi stood up and said to Wolf Ye, "Wolf Ye, go out and bring Xuan Jin and Wolf Day back for me. Be careful not to be seen."

"Okay." The huge Silver Wolf turned, rubbed himself in dust to disguise himself as a grey wolf, and ran out of the cave.

It wasn’t long before Xuan Jin and Wolf Day returned from their work in the mines. Wolf Ye came back a moment later, staggering their arrival.

The twins, disguised as a single person, had actually managed to avoid being discovered by the Beastmen here.

Xuan Jin asked with concern, "Did you sleep well? How are you feeling now?"

Nan Zishi nodded gently. "I’m much better."

Wolf Day said, "Female Master, you called for us so urgently. Is something the matter?"

Nan Zishi said, "I want us to leave the mining area for a while. I want to go see Lanxing, Hu Bai, Chi Xiao, and the others. We’ll be gone for some time."

Wolf Day replied, "Alright. Wolf Ye and I will make the arrangements."

After all, Nan Zishi was a female. Females were conspicuous, so slipping out of the mining area unnoticed would not be easy.

Xuan Jin and Wolf Day coordinated their efforts. After communicating with the Wandering Beastmen and the Beastmen from the rebel army, the two groups began to create a diversion to draw the attention of the other Beastmen away from Nan Zishi’s cave.

Xuan Jin carried Nan Zishi, Wolf Day carried Lu Ming, and Wolf Ye brought up the rear, sealing the cave with a rock to cover their tracks.

The rebel army’s prison guards, who were mixed in with the mine’s staff, cleared a path.

Just like that, the three Seven-striped Beast Kings, avoiding the notice of the other Beastmen, quietly left the mining area with the female and the cub.

...

In the Oasis outside the mining area.

Fox Qi, Huo Jun, Little Fu, and She Yang were still getting to know their new brothers, Wolf Envy and Wolf Admiration.

Fox Qi asked, "Really? Did Mother really say that? I’m number three? If big brother Huo Jun is the oldest, then who’s number two?"

Little Fu said in her milky voice, "Fufu is wittle four~"

She Yang wagged his tail. ’So I really am the youngest.’ He had thought Little Fu was the youngest.

Wolf Envy sat there nodding like a little adult. "I’m number five. Wolf Mu is number six."

Little Fu looked at Little Xian, Little Mu, and Little Snake Yang and called out in her milky voice, "Wittle bwothers~"

Wolf Envy and Wolf Admiration: "..."

She Yang’er: "..."

’What can you do? You just have to accept it.’

Although Little Wolf Envy put on a mature act, the tail behind him had already started to wag.

Little Wolf Mu’s tail wagged even more happily, nearly turning into a propeller.

’Oh my gosh, Little Mu has a home! Not just a home, but so many brothers and sisters. And they all seem so nice. Little Mu loves it!’

Hu Bai counted carefully.

Himself, Lanxing, Chi Xiao, Xuan Jin, Wolf Day and Wolf Night... that was six people. There were also six cubs. Just one more, and the whole set would be complete.

Just as he was thinking this, a few small black dots appeared in the distance.

He saw their female master, Nan Zishi, waving to her family in the Oasis. "Hu Bai, Lanxing, Chi Xiao!! Junjun, Aqi, Yang’er, Fufu, Little Xian, Little Mu!!! I’m back!!!"

"Little Female Master!! It’s Little Female Master!!!"

A smile blossomed on Chi Xiao’s face. He spread his wings and shot toward her without a moment’s hesitation.

Hu Bai was delighted, a smile instantly appearing on his face as well. "Female Master!" He immediately transformed into his beast form and ran toward Nan Zishi.

Then, Lanxing popped his head out of the water behind them. He quickly formed his legs, and since he couldn’t run fast, he ambled along slowly at the back. "Sister, Sister!"

After hearing their mother’s voice, the six cubs reacted, with Fox Qi being the first to shout, "Mother!!"

Huo Jun immediately shouted, "Mother!!!"

The remaining cubs, not to be outdone, cried out: "Mother~" "HISS HISS!" "Mother!" "Mother!!!"

Huo Jun picked up Little Fu’s large wooden bucket and ran in the direction of the voice.

Fox Qi, who had already run a short distance, stopped, turned around, and took the hand of the unsighted Huo Jun to lead him along.

The Fire Red Eagle was the first to dive down. The tall male didn’t care about anything else; this time, he was determined to be the first to hug Nan Zishi!

The High Mountain Fire Red Eagle swooped down and hugged her tightly. Nan Zishi’s head spun from the impact of such a large male.

But she was quickly snatched away and fell into another warm embrace. Hu Bai gently lifted her. "Are you alright?"

Nan Zishi shook her head. "I’m fine."

Lanxing ran over as well. After getting out of Hu Bai’s arms, Nan Zishi hugged Lanxing. "Lanxing, you really came. I thought you were angry with me."

Lanxing quickly shook his head. "Sister, I’m very magnanimous. I don’t get angry."

"Yes, yes, you’re the one in the family who cries the least."

Lanxing pouted. "Sister, you’re teasing me."

Nan Zishi’s heart felt warm.

Then, the six adorable cubs ran toward her from the distance.

The moment she saw this scene, Nan Zishi’s heart completely melted. "My cubs!"

Just calling them "cubs" wasn’t enough; she had to call out each of their names again.

"Aqi! Junjun! Little Fu! Yang’er! Little Xian! Little Mu!!"

THUD, THUD, THUD...

One after another, the soft, adorable cubs crashed into her arms.

"Mother, I missed you so much."

"Fufu missed you~"

"Mother, we all missed you so much."

"HISS HISS..."

"Mother, how did you get out?"

"Yeah, how did you get out?"

The males watched quietly from the side.

Nan Zishi crouched down, stroking the little heads of her good cubs one by one. "I missed you, so I came out."

"We missed Mother too." "Me too!" "We all missed Mother very much!"

Fufu came closer and gave Nan Zishi a gentle kiss on the cheek.

Seeing this, the other five, not to be outdone, all gave Nan Zishi a kiss on the cheek as well.

This was all the love from her Beast Husbands and cubs.

Nan Zishi’s heart was gently struck again and again, and gradually, a certain idea in her mind became completely firm.

She suddenly felt an unprecedented sense of relief.

’My family is so wonderful.’

She couldn’t help but smile, her eyes curving into crescents.

"Oh, right, let me make some introductions."

Nan Zishi pushed Wolf Day, Wolf Night, and Lu Ming forward.

"These are Father Zhuo and Night Daddy. They are Little Xian’s and Little Mu’s daddies."

The cubs, including Wolf Envy and Wolf Mu who joined in the excitement, all chanted in unison, "Hello, Father Zhuo! Hello, Night Daddy! Welcome home, Father Zhuo and Night Daddy."

Wolf Day and Wolf Night were flustered. "Hello, everyone, hello. Thank you, cubs."

"And this little one. Ta-da!" Nan Zishi pushed Lu Ming forward. "Your new brother, Lu Ming."

Lu Ming smiled and bowed. "Hello, older brothers. Hello, younger brothers and sisters."

"A new brother!" Fox Qi was the first to run up. The six cubs immediately surrounded Lu Ming, chattering away nonstop.

"How old are you?"

"Are you an older brother or a younger brother?"

"What do you like?"

"Are you a Deer Beastman? Does that mean you don’t eat meat?"

It was the first time Lu Ming had ever been so enthusiastically surrounded by so many siblings his age, and he was completely at a loss.