Chapter 308 - 306: Tiger King’s Tooth

Chapter 308: Chapter 306: Tiger King’s Tooth

He frantically pulled out a lustrous, translucent tiger tooth from behind his back that pulsed with a faint power.

It was the most precious Tiger King’s Tooth, something he had treasured for many years.

Now, however, he gingerly held it out to Wubao, his eyes filled with a mixture of eagerness to please and unease.

Inside the courtyard, Huang Ziyue, Ye Lüqi, and the others had all noticed the commotion at the gate.

They all looked over, their gazes cool and detached as if they were watching a show. Not a single one of them stepped forward to speak on his behalf.

Shen Yue stood in the doorway, casting a cool glance at the man and the child at a standstill outside the gate.

She didn’t say a word, just watched quietly.

’She wanted to see just how much this once insufferably arrogant White Tiger King was willing to humble himself.’

She knew about the Tiger King’s Tooth. It was one that Yun Lie Ting had shed when he became the Forest Beast King.

Each King of the Forest Beasts would leave behind such a tooth, imbued with their own innate spiritual power.

Wearing it was like having an indestructible talisman.

’She hadn’t expected him to be willing to give his own Tiger King’s Tooth to Wubao.’

’After all, the man had hardly spent any time with Wubao. The last time they met, he had been screaming about killing him.’

Wubao looked at the tiger tooth Yun Lie Ting offered. His eyes lit up for a second, but in the next moment, his little face was puffed up in a pout again as he turned his head away.

"Wubao doesn’t want your stuff!!"

It was obvious the little one actually wanted it, but he was holding a grudge and being stubborn.

The adults in the house knew. After Yun Lie Ting had left to wash up, Wubao had kept glancing toward the courtyard gate.

The moment Yun Lie Ting returned, Wubao, who had seen him through a crack in the door, had deliberately opened it.

Shen Yue understood, of course. Though the little one claimed to hate Yun Lie Ting, he actually cared for him and desperately craved his own father’s affection.

Just then, Yun Lie Ting squatted down in front of Wubao and spoke again.

"Wubao, be good. Father doesn’t have much to give you, only this Tiger King’s Tooth. It has my spiritual power on it, so it can protect you."

"I haven’t been by your side since you were born, and that’s my fault. Please, take this Tiger King’s Tooth as my apology, alright?"

Wubao listened, lifting his little face with a haughty sniff, but didn’t answer.

Yun Lie Ting saw right through his little act.

"If you don’t say anything, I’ll take that as a yes."

With that, he placed the Tiger King’s Tooth directly around the little one’s neck.

Wubao, now wearing the tooth, said aloud:

"I don’t want it. It’s not even pretty."

But he didn’t pull it off. Instead, he turned and ran into the courtyard.

Seeing this, Yun Lie Ting breathed an inward sigh of relief.

He looked up and met Shen Yue’s startlingly bright eyes, and his mouth fell open awkwardly.

"Shen Yue, I—can I talk to you...?"

"Beastmaster Yun, you’ve had a long day. You should go home and rest. We can talk another time. I won’t keep you."

Shen Yue cut him off, showing him the door.

The courtyard gate slammed shut, cutting him off from the fragrant aromas and joyous laughter within.

He stood at the gate, a sudden sense of disappointment washing over him, his heart in turmoil...

’She left a steamed bun for him this morning, but now she wouldn’t even let him in the courtyard...’

’Smelling the delicious aromas wafting from inside, he’d thought that after shoveling dung all day, he might at least get to go in for a hot meal...’

His ears drooped. Too embarrassed to brazenly linger at the gate, he had no choice but to turn and leave.

Inside the courtyard, Huang Ziyue and the others had prepared a rich spread of dishes: steamed, pan-fried, stewed, and roasted...

A symphony of savory aromas mingled in the air—all delicacies Yun Lie Ting had never seen, let alone tasted.

He hid in the shadows, watching Shen Yue and the six men seated around a table, while the children chattered excitedly, clamoring for food.

Wubao held a chicken leg in his left hand and sipped some kind of juice he’d never seen before with his right, his little face beaming with unconcealable delight.

The harmonious scene in the courtyard formed a stark contrast with his solitary figure lurking in the darkness.

Two of his subordinates stood beside Yun Lie Ting, watching as their king stared intently at the scene below, looking utterly dejected...

’Their king had been shoveling dung all day, for crying out loud...’

’And he didn’t even get a single hot bite of food...’

’Compared to those six men, his treatment was just awful!’

Not ones to accept defeat, the two immediately started cheering Yun Lie Ting on.

"Your Majesty, we think you’ve done exceptionally well today! At the very least, the young Beast King accepted the Tiger King’s Tooth. That’s the best possible start!"

"That’s right! You’re not the least bit inferior to those six men in the courtyard. As long as you’re willing to go all out like you did with the dung today and swallow your pride, Miss Shen Yue is bound to see you in a new light and let you join them for dinner!"

"Exactly, Your Majesty, you can’t lose heart! Just because you couldn’t eat with them today doesn’t mean you won’t in the future. You have to find a way to make Miss Shen Yue notice you!"

His subordinates’ words were like a tiny spark, instantly reigniting the competitive fire in Yun Lie Ting’s heart.

He straightened up abruptly, pulled a few pieces of dry, tough jerky from his robes, and shoved them carelessly into his mouth.

Its woody texture was nearly impossible to swallow, especially when compared to the fresh, fragrant food in the courtyard.

He looked at the jerky in his hand, then thought of the fresh, tender meat Shen Yue cooked every day. A fighting spirit immediately ignited in his eyes.

An idea flashed in his mind. With a flicker of his body, he transformed into a snow-white blur and shot off toward the distant, rolling mountain forests.

Meanwhile, in the small courtyard, Shen Yue and the children ate and drank their fill. After cleaning up, they went to bed early and slept soundly through the night.

...

The next day, just as the sky was beginning to show the pale white of dawn, Shen Yue was awakened by a strange commotion outside the courtyard.

There were the low growls of wild beasts, the fluttering of fowl, and the sound of hooves stamping the ground—a chaotic mess...

She threw on a robe, rose, and pulled open the door in confusion. The sight before her made her freeze on the spot.

The small courtyard was somehow crammed full of birds and beasts!

Docile mountain goats were curled up on the ground. Plump wild boars lay obediently in a corner. Well-plumed pheasants waited quietly by the wall, and fluffy wild rabbits hopped about, not daring to stray too far. There were even graceful wild deer with their heads bowed...

All sorts of live prey crowded the courtyard, leaving almost no room to stand.

The animals all seemed to be subdued by some immense pressure, not daring to make the slightest fuss. They waited quietly in the courtyard as if someone had intentionally herded them there.

Shen Yue: "..."

’She didn’t even have to guess who was responsible.’

Wubao and the other children, also woken by the noise, came running out rubbing their eyes. Seeing the courtyard full of small animals, they immediately began to shriek with excitement.

"Wow, so many bunnies!"

"So many beautiful pheasants!"

"Baa-baa sheep! Its fleece is so warm!"

The little ones hopped and skipped around the captured animals.

Huang Ziyue, Ye Lüqi, Mu Silin, and the others also emerged from their rooms one by one. Seeing the incredible scene, the corners of their mouths all twitched in unison...

All their eyes shot in unison to the top of a tree just outside the courtyard wall.

There, in the first light of dawn, stood Yun Lie Ting. Dressed in martial attire and still dotted with morning dew from the forest, he stood proudly atop the wall.

His handsome face was tense, his chin raised in a forced display of nonchalance.

But his tiger-like eyes kept darting toward Shen Yue, unable to hide his blatant desire for praise...

He looked just like a big white cat that had gone to great trouble to bring back its prey, now waiting to be praised.