Chapter 172 - 168: The High Priest Comes Out of Seclusion

The Priest Hall of Ten Thousand Beasts City.

Hu Qian, Ying Li, Bao He, and a group of ordinary junior priests were already gathered.

RUMBLE RUMBLE RUMBLE.

The dark clouds in the sky roiled, and before long, High Priest Long Yi burst through the wind.

A powerful, oppressive aura washed over them. His presence felt even stronger than before!

"Ying Li!" His deep voice cut through the thunder as lightning flashed across the sky!

Ying Li stepped forward and bowed. "Lord High Priest."

Before the eyes of the white-robed priests, the Black Dragon, Long Yi, transformed into his human form!

His long, raven-black hair cascaded down, and his beautiful eyes were like deep pools. With a single blink, he could make anyone, male or female, hold their breath.

He was so powerful, so handsome, that the priests of the Priest Hall often mistook him for the Beast God himself.

All the priests fell to their knees, their voices thundering as one. "Lord High Priest!"

Long Yi asked, "Have you found Zhinan?"

Zhinan.

Five years ago, he had arrived in Ten Thousand Beasts City and stirred up a storm for a whole month. He gained countless admirers and became as close as a brother to Long Yi, someone he could talk to about anything. But then, he suddenly vanished without a trace.

During that time, the priests of Ten Thousand Beasts City would often see their prim and proper High Priest joyfully leave the Priest Hall. He would disguise himself as an ordinary male and go out to play with a small Wise Man who always wore a long Beast Skin Skirt and kept himself completely covered.

The High Priest had considered Zhi Nan the Sage a soulmate. During that month of their friendship, he was visibly more relaxed and happy.

Ying Li even felt that if Zhi Nan the Sage had been a female, the High Priest would have likely broken off his marriage alliance with the City Lord to mate with Zhinan instead.

But one day, after a quarrel broke out between the High Priest and Zhi Nan the Sage, Zhinan suddenly disappeared.

The High Priest’s marriage alliance with the City Lord was also immediately called off.

During that period, Long Yi was in a terrible mood. He flew into a rage, once declaring with absolute certainty that Zhi Nan the Sage belonged to Ten Thousand Beasts City and would definitely return.

When Zhinan didn’t return, he launched a massive, widespread search that lasted for five years, but he was nowhere to be found.

’Zhinan is, after all, a rare genius of a Sage in Ten Thousand Beasts City. It’s almost to be expected that he can’t be found if he doesn’t want to be.’

It was just... their High Priest had seemed dazed and somber, as if he had lost something precious. He had even sealed himself away for a time, his spirits utterly crushed.

Ying Li shook his head. "My Lord, we have not found the Great Sage Zhinan."

A shadow fell over Long Yi’s eyes. He turned, returned to his High Priest’s throne, and sat down with an imperious air. "With Zhinan’s abilities, if he wants to hide from me, I’m afraid it will be very difficult to find him... Ying Li, tell me what happened in the Beast World while I was in seclusion. Is the situation at the mining area stable?"

...

"Okay," Nan Zishi said happily, picking Huo Jun up in her arms.

Chi Xiao finally breathed a sigh of relief. He transformed into a giant Red Eagle and turned his head to Nan Zishi. "Little Female Master, get on my back. I’ll take you flying!"

Nan Zishi sat on Chi Xiao’s back, and he took flight with her. Huo Jun quickly transformed into a little Red Eagle and followed behind his father and mother.

The Fire Red Eagle looked back at Nan Zishi and said, "Little Female Master, the desert looks one way from the ground, but it’s completely different from the sky. Look! From up here, doesn’t the desert seem incredibly vast and imposing!"

Nan Zishi gripped Chi Xiao’s feathers tightly. "Mhm!"

Chi Xiao grew excited. He soared through the air, doing several loops with Nan Zishi. "There are a few oases not far from here! I’ll take you and Junjun to see them!"

Chi Xiao flew very fast.

It was Huo Jun’s first time flying with his eyes open, and he was just as excited.

Nan Zishi looked down from the sky. "I heard that the oases are formed from the melted snow of the snow mountains."

"Is that so? I don’t know anything about that."

Nan Zishi laughed softly. "Chi Xiao, I think flying is so thrilling and exhilarating! Most importantly, it feels so free!"

"If you like it, I can take you flying often! I can also fly with you!"

Chi Xiao shot upward, then circled past the snow mountain where Nan Zishi had just been playing last night.

"When I came here to play with Wolf Day and Wolf Night yesterday, there was an avalanche."

"Really? Wasn’t that dangerous?"

"A little, but it was fine. It was exciting!"

Chi Xiao looked back. "Junjun, are you cold? Want to go play on the snow mountain?!"

Huo Jun accelerated and flew up beside Chi Xiao. "I’m not cold! I want to play in the snow too. Daddy, the snow is so pretty!"

Nan Zishi said excitedly, "Then let’s go play in the snow with Junjun!"

"Okay! Thank you, Mommy!"

The two Fire Red Eagles and Nan Zishi flew to the top of the snow mountain together.

Nan Zishi took a thick Beast Skin Skirt from her storage space and draped it over Huo Jun. She put on a thick one herself and gave one to Chi Xiao as well.

After the family had put on their Beast Skin Skirts, Nan Zishi started a snowball fight with Huo Jun.

"Junjun, watch out!" Nan Zishi threw a snowball at him.

After getting hit, Huo Jun quickly packed a snowball. "Mommy, look out!"

Chi Xiao joined in too, but the Fire Red Eagle didn’t know his own strength. He hit Huo Jun and Nan Zishi so hard they both fell over.

Huo Jun, lying in the snow: "..." ’This dad is hopeless, absolutely hopeless!’

Chi Xiao realized he had used too much force and grew flustered and embarrassed. "Are you okay? Is everyone okay?!"

Nan Zishi got up from the snow, laughing out loud. Then, in a surprise attack, she smashed a snowball right on Chi Xiao’s forehead.

Chi Xiao was stunned for a moment after being hit, then he too started chuckling.

Nan Zishi spread her arms and lay back in the snow, making an impression of her body.

Little Huo Jun lay down right next to Nan Zishi, making a little impression of himself as well.

Nan Zishi got up. "This one is Mommy, and this one is Junjun."

Chi Xiao quickly lay down on his side next to them, making an impression of his profile.

Nan Zishi: "...And this one is Chi Xiao."

Nan Zishi took Huo Jun aside to build a snowman.

She built a small snowman, carefully carving its nose and eyes, and showed it to Huo Jun. "Junjun, this one is you!"

Huo Jun built a big snowman. He patted it and said happily to Nan Zishi, "Mommy, this one is you!"

Chi Xiao built an even bigger one. This snowman was not only tall and strong, but it also had a pair of beautiful wings. "This one is me."

While Huo Jun was happily building snowmen, Chi Xiao gently tapped Nan Zishi’s shoulder. When Nan Zishi’s gentle gaze fell on him, the tall Red Eagle Beastman blushed. He fidgeted awkwardly and said, "Little Female Master, can we... go over there and talk for a bit?"

Nan Zishi smiled. "Of course."

Chi Xiao swept Nan Zishi into his arms and flew to a snow-covered pine tree on the mountaintop. They admired the beautiful snowy landscape while they talked.

He turned his head, his bright, piercing eyes fixed on Nan Zishi, a smile of natural joy on his face.

He stared at her blankly for a moment, then suddenly realized the conversation had stalled. He quickly plucked his most treasured plume from his body.

"Little Female Master, this is for you." Chi Xiao was a little shy, his face flushed red.

Nan Zishi accepted the feather and swung her legs. "This feather is so beautiful. Thank you."

Chi Xiao’s face grew even redder. In his excitement, he plucked out a handful of more feathers. "I have a lot more feathers, do you want them?"