Chapter 534 - 531: The Tracking Bird Returns

Chapter 534: Chapter 531: The Tracking Bird Returns

After three full days of non-stop flight, the familiar scenery below indicated they were getting closer and closer to the Tiger Clan Tribe.

The novelty of continuously riding the airborne vehicle had long been replaced by the exhaustion of the long journey.

Bai Wanwan was nestled in Zhu Xiu’s strong arms, having found the most comfortable position to lean against him. She spent most of the time in a drowsy sleep, feeling as though the constant jostling would rattle her bones apart.

She woke up again midway through the journey, rubbing her drowsy eyes. She managed to sit up a little straighter and peered down below.

The rolling mountain ranges took on a familiar shape. Her voice, hoarse from sleep, asked, "How much longer until we arrive?"

"We’re close," Xin Feng, who had been keeping a watch on their surroundings, replied with a gentle smile and handed her a waterskin. "I estimate we’ll be back at the tribe in about another day."

Bai Wanwan took the waterskin and had a drink. She stretched out long and luxuriously, feeling her stiff muscles loosen a bit. "That’s wonderful... This journey is just too long. It’s a good thing we have Yin Ze, or I don’t know how many days it would have taken just to cross the forests and mountains."

She sighed with genuine feeling. Flying really did shorten the travel time considerably.

The little cubs in the basket seemed to have been woken by her movements and voice. One after another, their fluffy little heads popped up over the edge of the back-basket Yan Lie was watching over. Blinking their large, round eyes, they let out tiny AWOO AWOO sounds and tried to climb out.

Shuang Hua was also exhausted, so Yan Lie had been looking after the cubs during the journey.

He quickly and carefully cupped his hands around the edge of the basket to prevent them from falling out. "Good cubs, don’t move around. It’s dangerous up this high."

Seeing this, Bai Wanwan held out her hands. "Here, give them to me. They’re probably hungry now that they’re awake."

She took the heavy back-basket from him and placed it by her legs. Then, from the leather pouch she carried, she pulled out strips of dried meat she had prepared and handed them one by one to the cubs, who were eagerly stretching out their little paws.

The cubs sat obediently in the basket, holding strips of jerky bigger than their faces with their two little front paws. They gnawed on them with effort, making contented PURRING sounds. Their charmingly clumsy appearance melted Bai Wanwan’s heart, and she couldn’t help but let her eyes curve into a smile, her exhaustion vanishing completely.

She reached out and gently poked the fluffy forehead of one of the little tiger cubs, saying softly, "You little gluttons, eat slowly. We’re almost home. You’ll get to see your tiger Father Beast soon."

Speaking of which, a flicker of guilt crossed her mind.

When she had been pregnant with her own two litters of cubs, Chou Rong hadn’t been by her side. The cubs hadn’t met their own biological Father Beast until long after they were born.

The cubs, however, were not burdened with her worries. After finishing one strip of jerky, they lifted their moist, sparkling eyes to gaze at her expectantly, clearly not having had their fill yet.

Bai Wanwan smiled and shook her head, pulling out more jerky to continue enjoying this brief, sweet feeding time.

Just then, a notification sound suddenly went off in her mind, immediately followed by Hua Sheng’s distinctive electronic voice: "Host, the Tracking Bird is sending back a signal. It’s circling in the nearby area. Have Yin Ze land immediately."

Bai Wanwan’s heart skipped a beat.

’The Tracking Bird?’

’It’s back? Does that mean... there’s news of Hua Han? Is he nearby?’

"Yin Ze!" The name burst from her lips before she could explain in detail, her tone urgent. "Quick! Land! I have something urgent!"

Yin Ze didn’t hesitate at her words for a second. His huge phoenix wings immediately adjusted their angle. He let out a low cry, signaling for everyone to hold on tight, and then began to dive, heading for a landing in the dense mountain heartland below.

The powerful airflow made it nearly impossible to open their eyes. Zhu Xiu’s arms tightened protectively around Bai Wanwan and the cubs.

Shortly after, Yin Ze landed steadily in a relatively flat forest clearing. The powerful impact sent the surrounding beasts scattering in terror, clearing the area in an instant.

Shuang Hua was nearly thrown off, but thankfully, Yan Lie’s quick reflexes saved her with a steadying pull.

Bai Wanwan was also startled. She hurried forward to steady her. "Aunt Shuang, are you okay?"

"I’m fine. I was just groggy from sleep."

Shuang Hua was wide awake now. She looked around and asked, "Are we stopping to rest?"

"Yes, Aunt Shuang, we’ll rest for a bit. There’s something I need to do."

She didn’t have time to explain much to Aunt Shuang and turned to scan her surroundings.

But after looking for a while, she still couldn’t see any sign of the Tracking Bird. ’Hua Sheng, where is the Tracking Bird? I don’t see it,’ she asked urgently in her mind.

"Host, please be patient. The Tracking Bird is approaching," the system responded calmly.

Her unusual anxiety and actions immediately put all the Beast Husbands on high alert.

"Wanwan, what’s wrong?" Zhu Xiu and Xin Feng asked at almost the same time, their sharp gazes scanning the surroundings for any potential danger.

Yan Lie adjusted the back-basket with the little cubs onto his back and quickly moved to her side, his eyes filled with concern and vigilance. "What happened? Are you not feeling well somewhere?"

Bai Wanwan took a deep breath, trying to calm herself. "It’s the Tracking Bird... It’s back. There might... there might be news of Hua Han. He could be nearby."

The name "Hua Han" caused a subtle shift in the expressions of the several males.

Zhu Xiu’s red-glowing eyes narrowed slightly.

A complex expression flickered across Xin Feng’s gentle face. "He knew you were in the Merfolk Palace, yet he came here all by himself?"

"I’m not sure what happened either. I’ll have to ask him properly when I see him."

As they were speaking, a small, strangely shaped bird, its entire body shimmering with a faint silver light, shot out from the depths of the dense forest like a bolt of lightning. Its speed was astonishing, its trajectory difficult to track.

It expertly dodged branches and leaves, flying straight for Bai Wanwan before landing lightly on her outstretched palm.

The moment the Tracking Bird landed, a series of clear images flooded into Bai Wanwan’s mind like a tidal wave.

In the images, a battered Hua Han was leaning against a moss-covered rock. His once dazzling, fiery-red fur had turned dull and was matted with blood from wounds so deep the bone was visible.

He was panting heavily, his chest heaving. Although his eyes still held the characteristic cunning of the Fox Clan, they couldn’t hide his deep exhaustion and weakness, as if he had just escaped a life-or-death struggle.

Bai Wanwan’s heart clenched violently, as if squeezed by an invisible hand, the pain so sharp she could barely breathe.

"He’s injured!" she cried out, her voice cracking. She looked up sharply at her Beast Husbands, her eyes filled with worry. "Quick! We have to find him! The Tracking Bird will lead the way."

The moment she moved, her wrist was gripped firmly by Zhu Xiu.

Zhu Xiu’s expression was unusually solemn, and his voice was steady as he spoke. "Wanwan, we’re almost back to the Tiger Clan. The safest plan is to return to the tribe first. We’ll get the cubs settled and safe, and then I can accompany you, or we can all come out together to look for Hua Han."