CHAPTER 36: CHAPTER 32 XI QING FINALLY CALLS FOR MOTHER_1

Tai Seng sniffed the air. The Wolf Clan’s sense of smell was keen, and he quickly found Xi Qing’s location.

Si Yan ran after Tai Seng.

Xi Qing was curled up, hiding in a secluded cave within the forest on the back mountain.

He hugged himself tightly, shivering with fear.

She saw it. She saw it. She *really* saw it. The gentle mother who cooked for him would no longer exist. She would push him into the fire; she would let the fire burn his face. So terrifying, so frightening. Mother... Mother... Xi Qing is so scared...

"Si Yan, Xi Qing is in the cave up ahead," Tai Seng said.

Si Yan took a couple of hurried steps forward, but as she neared the cave entrance, she hesitated.

Tai Seng walked over to Si Yan and asked softly, "Si Yan?"

Si Yan pursed her lips and shook her head, complex emotions swirling within her. Suddenly, she said, "I am not a good mother."

"Si Yan, why would you say that?" Tai Seng had barely finished speaking when he realized Si Yan seemed to want to vent.

Si Yan said somberly, "I sold off Dongchi and Nan Mo, so Dongchi and Nan Mo hate me. I burned Xi Qing’s face, so Xi Qing also hates me."

"I didn’t understand before. I thought the children were just naughty and unruly, difficult to discipline. Now, I feel that being shunned by them... perhaps I deserve it."

She understood now. The original owner of this body was deceased. Since she had taken over this body and enjoyed its benefits, she should also bear its responsibilities. And... carry its burdens...

"Si Yan..." Tai Seng didn’t know how to comfort her.

Si Yan took a deep breath, gritted her teeth, and composed herself. She walked toward the hidden cave.

However, the footsteps outside the cave alerted the sensitive snake child inside. He cried out sharply, "Who’s there?! Don’t come any closer! Don’t come any closer!!"

Agitated and on edge, the cold-blooded snake child’s scales instantly bristled.

Si Yan had just stepped into the cave when a small stone, snatched up hastily by Xi Qing, struck her on the head.

Hearing the sound, Tai Seng immediately rushed in. He saw Si Yan inside the cave, her head bleeding where the stone had struck.

The sight of blood startled the snake child, who was clearly overwhelmed and didn’t know what to do.

"I... Don’t come closer! Don’t come closer!!!"

Tai Seng roared, "Xi Qing! You’ve injured your mother! In Rock Village, no cub is allowed to harm their mother!"

Xi Qing trembled with fear, crying out repeatedly, "Don’t come closer! Please, don’t come closer!"

Si Yan stopped Tai Seng. She took a deep breath and slowly walked towards Xi Qing. "Xi Qing, don’t be afraid. It’s me, your mother."

"Mother..."

"It’s me." Si Yan tried to use her gentle tone to calm him.

However, the look in Xi Qing’s eyes changed instantly; his snake pupils dilated, filled with terror and fear.

His body convulsed, and he instantly transformed into a green Sen Ran. Not daring to attack Si Yan again, he slithered out of the cave at tremendous speed!

He was so fast that Si Yan couldn’t stop him in time. She could only chase after him, calling out, "Xi Qing!"

She saw. She came. She hates me... She’ll never like me again, never ever like me again...

Overwhelmed and agitated, Xi Qing couldn’t register what Si Yan was saying. He slithered quickly, covering a great distance in moments.

This was already a dangerous forest. As dusk deepened and the sky grew darker, some of the forest’s dangerous beasts began to emerge.

"Si Yan! Don’t go after him!" Tai Seng cried out urgently.

Si Yan was frantic. "He’s just angry with me, and I frightened him again! It’s getting dark, and the jungle is dangerous. I have to find Xi Qing!"

Tai Seng immediately shifted into his beast form and gave chase.

As they ran, Tai Seng grew increasingly astonished.

A Sen Ran in snake form was notoriously fast—that was a given. But Si Yan, a female, why was she also this fast?!

The powerful male, Tai Seng, sped to Si Yan’s side and shouted, "Si Yan, get on!"

But his shout was useless. Si Yan had already grabbed a vine and was using it to swing swiftly through the air.

The female’s speed left Tai Seng somewhat dumbfounded; he could only follow close behind.

Little Xi Qing hadn’t expected Si Yan to catch up even when he moved so quickly. His panic intensified.

"Don’t come any closer!! Don’t you come any closer!!!" Xi Qing darted about erratically, with no sense of direction.

His frantic movements were not subtle and attracted the attention of the forest’s predators.

Predatory birds soared in the sky above, and a powerful gray hawk had already locked its gaze on him!