Ye Zhizhou exploded with anger, and it was a powerful explosion indeed.
"I won't allow it!"
"But, haven't you been urging me to find a partner all this time..."
"But I didn't ask you to find Jin Yang!" Ye Zhizhou glared at Tong Jia, who had shrunk into a corner, and started banging on the table again. "Weren't you afraid of him before? Why do you find him cute now? Tell me, when did you become close with him?"
Tong Jia trembled under the pressure exuding from Ye Zhizhou, his ears frozen, not daring to move. He replied obediently, "I, I met him during the annual festival of the Four Great Tribes... After the Rabbit Tribe's festival, I sneaked into the Four Great Tribes for a look around, and I almost got bullied. He helped me that time..."
It was during the festival of the Four Great Tribes! Right under his nose!
Ye Zhizhou became even angrier. "When you went to the Four Great Tribes' festival, why didn't you find me? You had to do it secretly!"
"I saw you were busy and didn't want to disturb you... I can play on my own..." Tong Jia, still trembling, now with even redder eyes, with tears forming, said, "Brother, I misunderstood Jin Yang before. He's actually quite cute. Can you let me be with him?"
Ye Zhizhou looked at his pitiful appearance and softened a bit. He wanted to say there was something wrong with Jin Yang, but he didn't know how to bring it up. The matter of Xuan Yuan Hong was known only to a few old-generation beasts and tribal leaders. To avoid causing panic, investigations into young beasts from various tribes had been conducted secretly over the years. Tong Jia was impulsive and easily fooled, making him unsuitable to be informed about such a sensitive matter. But the current situation...
"Yumu," Dongfang Shu put down his formation book, walked over to Ye Zhizhou, and stroked his hair, instructing, "Take Tong Jia downstairs. Don't let him leave the temple for the next few days. He needs some time to calm down."
Compared to Ye Zhizhou's rage, Tong Jia was more afraid of Dongfang Shu's indifferent expression. Though unwilling, he obediently followed Yumu out.
"Don't be angry," Dongfang Shu sat beside Ye Zhizhou and comfortingly held him, shaking him gently. He spoke in a warm tone, "This matter can be resolved easily. We just need to capture Jin Yang; he'll be caught sooner or later."
"But what about Jia Jia..."?
"It's better to get it over with quickly." Dongfang Shu looked at the distant temple buildings and spoke calmly, "While their feelings aren't too deep yet, it's easier to handle. Let's act decisively."
Ye Zhizhou fell silent, pondering for a moment. He gritted his teeth and nodded, "Alright, I'll follow your plan. I'll personally capture him. But I haven't figured out who's in his harem yet, so we'll have to separate him from any beasts with ambiguous relationships when we capture him. It might be a lot of work."
"You're responsible for capturing him, just make sure not to harm him. Otherwise, the laws of nature will expel you. I'll handle the rest afterward." Dongfang Shu patted Ye Zhizhou's hair and kissed his forehead. "It will be resolved quickly."
With the capture plan in place, Dongfang Shu became busy again, and Ye Zhizhou began preparations for the capture. Since he couldn't directly harm the main character, he couldn't use his previously deadly weapons. He had to switch to gentler ones, which he found frustrating.
"I can't believe I have to worry about not hurting the bad guy. Annoying," he grumbled as he dismantled the dual blades Dongfang Shu had crafted for him and replaced them with the standard long sword that Yumu had provided. He scowled as he sharpened the blade. "I won't let him shed blood, but can I at least give him a good beating?"
Yumu took a step back to avoid the unintentional dragon aura emanating from Ye Zhizhou. He adjusted the leather straps on his bow and arrow and said, "You should be able to... but be gentle."
"Rest assured, I'll be careful." Ye Zhizhou smirked and sheathed his weapon, then asked, "Where has Jin Yang been these past few days? Did he come to see Jia Jia? How is Jia Jia's mood these days?"
"No, Jin Yang has been going up the mountain every day recently and hasn't visited the temple. As for Jia Jia, he has been playing with the little beasts in the temple these days. Although he seems a bit down, it's not too bad," Yumu replied.
Ye Zhizhou nodded in understanding and began preparing various potions he might need. "You should also get ready. We'll start the capture tonight."
Yumu respectfully agreed and withdrew with his weapon.
During dinner, Tong Jia requested to see Ye Zhizhou but was denied by Dongfang Shu.
"Why don't you let Jia Jia come over? Maybe he's had a change of heart," Ye Zhizhou questioned.
"I'm afraid you'll be distracted," Dongfang Shu said as he cut some grilled meat for him and added some vegetables. "Be careful tonight. Do you need me to accompany you?"
"No," Ye Zhizhou quickly declined. "I can handle it myself. You rest well. What's been going on with the Feather Clan that has been keeping you so busy? You've been leaving early and coming back late."
"There were some issues with a newly born batch of young beasts. I had to make some medicine for them, and now they're fine," Dongfang Shu lied effortlessly, with a sincere tone. "I didn't tell you earlier because I didn't want you to worry."
Ye Zhizhou frowned upon hearing this. "What illness is it? This world is problematic in terms of healthcare. The medical standards are too low, and the physical conditions of different tribes vary. Seeking medical treatment and taking medication are significant challenges here. Once we resolve the main character's issue, we'll need to focus more on this aspect."
"Right, we'll take it step by step," Dongfang Shu responded casually, then changed the topic. "Jin Yang is from the Tiger Tribe, so he must be quite powerful. If he resists strongly, let Yumu handle the capture. You stay out of it."
"I understand," Ye Zhizhou never had any defenses in front of his lover. He went along with whatever Dongfang Shu said, and it was effortless to steer the conversation in another direction.
Dongfang Shu watched him with a smirk. Soon, they would be able to live their lives freely after tonight.
At midnight, on the mountains near the temple.
"Damn it, is Jin Yang a tiger or a mouse? He's really good at hiding," Ye Zhizhou grumbled while messing with his hair and looking at Yumu beside him with a frown. "If it weren't for the fact that only you and I know about the capture plan, I would have suspected that there's a spy among us. Jin Yang seems to know our movements, and he's running pretty conveniently."
Yumu nodded earnestly. "It does seem too convenient. I'll investigate in both the Feather Clan and the temple to see if Jin Yang has managed to buy someone off."
"...The capture plan is known only to you, me, and Dongfang. Are you suspecting Dongfang of being a spy?"
"...I wouldn't dare." But he was.
Suddenly, there was a slight disturbance in the extended spiritual power network. Ye Zhizhou's spirit shook, and he quickly grabbed his weapon and ran in the direction of the disturbance. "Quick! We've got a trace! Over by the ancient formation. That guy hasn't given up on the ancient formation!"
Hearing this, Yumu also rushed to follow.
Inside the temple, Tong Jia opened his eyes and transformed back into his beast form, leaping off the bed and running outside. He passed through the garden and the separate ritual halls of the various tribes, arriving at the entrance of the main hall. He stealthily entered.
The main hall was pitch dark and somewhat eerie at night. Tong Jia, who knew his way around, dashed to the small square behind the main hall. There, he approached the formation that had once trapped Xuan Yuan Hong, secretly activated it, and then returned to his human form. He dripped four drops of blood into the formation's eyes, which he had hidden there before.
The formation's ripples slowly spread. Tong Jia's eyes showed a hint of excitement, which he quickly concealed. After glancing around cautiously, he carefully stepped into the formation. He pricked his finger, dripped blood into the formation, transformed back into his beast form, and began releasing his beast power.
The entire world of beasts was asleep, seemingly unaware of the conspiracy unfolding here.
In the sky above the ancient formation, Dongfang Shu sat on a flying beast, his gaze cold as he looked down at the nearly invisible formation below. He asked indifferently, "Is it uncomfortable?"
A woman in a sleek short robe, drenched in cold sweat, lay flat on the back of the flying beast, closing her eyes in distress. "Jia Jia really... why does he not care at all about these years of our feelings..."
On the back of another flying beast, Jin Qiu, although not collapsed, had turned pale. He stared at the formation below with a tense expression, his chest heaving violently, showing his emotional turmoil. "No, Jia Jia can't... he's so innocent, I don't believe it!"
"Then, you two should experience it a bit more." Dongfang Shu took out a small formation plate and gently flicked it. "The previous formation was modified by me. Now, this is the original version. Feel it properly. This is what Tong Jia truly intended to do to you."
Yaei suddenly covered his chest and spurted out a mouthful of blood, and the light in his eyes quickly dimmed. The beast power within Jin Qiu began to crazily dissipate, and there were streaks of blood on his body.
In the ancient formation below, Tong Jia let out a relaxed sigh, and the fluctuations of his beast power grew stronger. He shook his long ears, the confusion in his eyes dissipated, leaving only satisfaction. The earlier anomaly might have been because the formation hadn't been used for too long... It was indeed the power of atavism, exceptionally formidable.
"You all treated him like family, like close friends, like a child, but he regarded you all as nourishment," Dongfang Shu adjusted the formation plate again and then handed two pills to each of them. He spoke coldly, "The scheme began when he arrived at the temple and secretly tried to take Ye Zhizhou away."
The pain in Yaei and Jin Qiu gradually diminished, and they fell silent upon hearing this.
"He's very clever. He didn't choose the Four Great Tribes, which were the most heavily guarded, nor did he choose the other major tribes that Ye Zhizhou paid special attention to. Instead, he chose the Tong Li family, which had no connection to this matter but had some ties with Ye Zhizhou." Dongfang Shu glanced in the direction of Mengshan, then looked back at the two silent individuals. "Ye Zhizhou is kind-hearted and never guards against people close to him. He exploited this flaw perfectly. Think about it carefully; isn't the death of the Tong Li family suspicious?"
Yaei had been a city lord for decades and had a faster mind than Jin Qiu. He closed his eyes in despair. "Indeed, it is suspicious... The innocent and harmless image of the Rabbit Tribe is very easy to gain the trust of others, especially since he was only a few years old at the time..."
"He always called Ye Zhizhou his younger brother, and Ye Zhizhou naturally included him in the family. Later, when the Tong Li family died, he became an orphan. Given Ye Zhizhou's character, adopting him was almost a certainty." Dongfang Shu covered his clenched fists with his sleeve, his tone growing colder. "With Ye Zhizhou as a bridge, it became very easy for him to get to know you, the atavistic bloodlines, and outstanding individuals from various tribes. And those mountains around the temple with ancient formations, besides him, who else could stay there for a long time without arousing suspicion?"
Yaei was rendered speechless, and Jin Qiu gritted his teeth. After taking a few deep breaths, he suddenly raised his hand and punched himself in the forehead, cursing softly, "Damn it! I... I've always... always..."
Dongfang Shu withdrew his gaze, focusing back on the formation plate. His heart was seething with murderous intent. Pure malice wasn't terrifying; it was the hidden knives cloaked in emotions that were truly frightening. With Ye Zhizhou's intelligence, Tong Jia's odd behavior should have been discovered long ago. However, due to trust and decades of friendship, Ye Zhizhou unconsciously removed Tong Jia from the list of suspects. He even worried about Tong Jia getting hurt. If Yaei and Jin Qiu, who had a shallower emotional connection with Tong Jia, were in such agony after learning the truth, how would Ye Zhizhou react when he found out?
Below, the ancient formation had reached its peak, and Dongfang Shu adjusted the formation plate once again, hoping to deal with Tong Jia before Ye Zhizhou returned.
Outside the ancient formation in Mengshan, Ye Zhizhou was frustrated and wanted to smash the formation plate in his hand.
"What's going on with the illusion formation here? Why did it suddenly become more complex?" He adjusted the formation plate again and checked the small formation eyes around him, feeling extremely exasperated. "Last time, when Dongfang fixed the formation for me, he clearly said that the activation point was here. But how did it suddenly change?"
Yumu had told so many lies today that he was starting to feel numb. "Maybe a small animal came in and moved the formation stone."
Ye Zhizhou gave him a sideways glance. "The formation stones are buried underground, and there's a camouflage formation around them to deter small animals. Are you implying that your clan leader is not very smart?"
Yumu remained silent, serving as the background.
"Sorry, I'm a bit anxious," Ye Zhizhou said, realizing that his tone was less than friendly. He quickly apologized.
Yumu shook his head. "It's okay." He was more concerned about the bird feathers on the clan leader after tonight.
"We can't delay any longer," Ye Zhizhou put away the formation plate and checked the sky. He said in a deep voice, "If we delay any longer, it will be dawn soon. Let's go. Since we can't break the formation, then we—"
[Detecting the host's physical condition... the body is healthy, with no hidden illnesses.]
He stared at the sudden appearance of the screen in front of him, tears streaming down his face without warning. "Tongtian! Tongtian, you've finally returned!"
[Checking the mission status... not completed. Checking the soul flag status... eight flags removed, no anomalies.]
[Detecting the main character's soul fluctuation... fluctuation disappeared. The probability of affection between Yaei and the main character has dropped to 0%, congratulations, host, please continue your efforts.]
Ye Zhizhou was stunned. "Eight flags removed? So, after Xuan Yuan Hong died, only two flags were restored? Wait, why is the flag with Yaei, when Jin Qiu and Yaei had no prior..."
[The probability of affection between Jin Qiu and the main character has dropped to 20%, please continue your efforts.]
Ye Zhizhou was dumbfounded. His emotions rapidly fluctuated, leaving him in a state of confusion.
Yumu couldn't see the screen and thought that Ye Zhizhou had gone mad due to the formation. He tried to console him, "Jin Qiu is trapped in the formation too, no need to worry. We've been away for quite a while, and the clan leader will definitely be concerned. He'll probably come looking for us soon, and then..."
"Yumu," Ye Zhizhou interrupted him, took a deep breath, and turned to look at him. His eyes were slightly red, but his expression was calm. "It's not Jin Qiu, is it?"
Yumu's expression froze.
"It's really Jia Jia, isn't it..." Ye Zhizhou forced a smile, his mouth twitching slightly. He reached into his spatial storage and took out a small round mirror. He gently touched the now-repaired surface of the mirror, closed his eyes, took a deep breath to suppress his emotions, and clenched his fist. "Tongtian, I'm going to avenge you." He released his beast power and spiritual power simultaneously, rapidly destroying the surrounding formations. After storing the small round mirror, he dashed towards the direction of the temple.
Yumu was pinned in place by the powerful force, unable to move. He could only watch Ye Zhizhou run off in a panic. He was extremely anxious. The clan leader's feathers would definitely be plucked once he discovered the truth!