Chapter 226
Chapter 226
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>Translator: Ryuma
>Chapter: 226
>Chapter Title: Home at Last
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Chun Xiaoman continued wiping down Bai Lingmiao’s body.
“I don’t think there’s anything to it. You’ve already consummated with Li Huowang—what can’t you say? Don’t shrink back like that. Stand up straight.”
“...”
The bashful Bai Lingmiao could only stay silent in response.
She still felt that such private matters shouldn’t be shared with others.
The group of women splashed around in the water for a long time, not returning with their clean laundry until dusk was falling.
They’d set out before dawn that day, and by nightfall, everyone was exhausted. Aside from those on night watch, they all turned in early.
“There’s too much hair on me—I can only wipe you half-dry. Don’t mind it.”
In the blankets, Bai Lingmiao heard this and spread her arms wide, hugging Chun Xiaoman tightly. She happily buried her face in the thick black body hair and rubbed against it.
“How could I? I like you so much, Sister Xiaoman.”
Xiaoman naturally lifted her fuzzy legs and rubbed them against the other’s smooth bare skin.
“Haha, don’t do that, Sister Xiaoman—I’m ticklish.”
“You like me? But I can’t compare to your Senior Brother Li. Bet as soon as I fall asleep, you’ll slip into a bellyband and sneak into his bed.”
“Senior Brother Li’s wounds haven’t healed yet. I’m just going to take care of him.”
“Does he even need taking care of in that state? Aside from that sort of thing, I don’t think there’s much you can do for him.”
“How come even you’re saying that, Sister Xiaoman?”
As the two whispered to each other under the covers, they suddenly spotted a shadowy figure slinking furtively toward the riverbank.
“Who’s that?”
“Who else? Sun Baolu, of course. He’s always like this—never bathes with anyone else. He’s more shy about being peeked at than we women are.”
That night passed without incident, save for distant wolf howls.
The next morning, before dawn, Li Huowang slowly opened his eyes with Bai Lingmiao in his arms.
“You had a nightmare, Senior Brother Li.”
The heartbroken Bai Lingmiao gently stroked his chin with her soft fingers.
“It’s nothing. I’m used to it.”
Li Huowang sat up, dark circles under his eyes. He glanced once more toward Woman Mountain, and the wariness in his heart eased just a bit more.
“I don’t think I gave anything away back there. They might not even know I’m a heart elemental. And those were just apprentices. No matter whether Dance Lion Palace is good or bad, we should be safe now.”
After washing up, Sun Baolu brought a bowl of brownish liquid over to Li Huowang.
“Breakfast, Senior Brother Li.”
“What’s this?”
Li Huowang’s sharp nose made him involuntarily lean back. It reeked.
“Fresh sheep milk mixed with fresh sheep blood, plus a bit of salt—blood-milk stew. Tastes great. And it’s good for healing wounds.”
He took a sip himself before offering the bowl to Li Huowang again.
Li Huowang nearly gagged after one taste, but he forced down the vile milk-blood concoction.
It was nutritious, sure—but it tasted like hell.
Sun Baolu stood there excitedly.
“See, Senior Brother Li? I told you—bring enough sheep, and we never have to worry about three squares a day!”
Li Huowang wiped his mouth with his sleeve and shoved the bowl back into Sun Baolu’s arms.
“Enough chit-chat. We should be out of Woman Mountain by now—your home can’t be far, right?”
At those words, Sun Baolu’s face lit up.
“Right, right! Let’s go! They’re just up ahead!”
The endless blue skies and green fields looked the same to Li Huowang and the others, but Sun Baolu clearly saw differences everywhere.
“Look! That mountain over there! That’s where I grazed the sheep! I knocked out my back left molar right there!”
“Over on the east side, that’s where I saw a white wolf! No joke—a real white wolf! My parents said there’s no such thing, but I saw it clear as day!”
“Look at this! See those marks under the grass? That’s from our tribesmen pitching tents! No mistaking it!”
Sun Baolu grew more and more excited as they went, drawing ever closer. The last two days, he couldn’t sleep at all—he took over all the night watches himself.
Finally, after cresting a small hill, a patch of white appeared amid the distant green: sheep. And some black shapes: cattle.
Beside the sheep stood a sprawling cluster of tents, dotted with tiny ant-like figures.
“Hey!!!”
Tears streaming down his face, Sun Baolu bellowed at them in the Qingqiu tongue. He dropped everything and charged toward them in a frenzy.
By the time Li Huowang and the others caught up, they saw Sun Baolu surrounded by Qingqiu folk, sobbing and embracing them in wild excitement.
Though Li Huowang didn’t understand the Qingqiu language, he could hear the raw emotion in their voices.
A faint warmth stirred in his heart. He was glad to have finally brought Sun Baolu home, but even more glad at how his family treated him.
Just then, Li Huowang spotted a Qingqiu woman emerging from a nearby tent, carrying a basin of milk.
When she saw Sun Baolu, her expression froze. The basin slipped straight from her hands and crashed to the ground.
The noise drew Sun Baolu’s gaze. When he saw her, he burst into tears.
Under everyone’s eyes, the two embraced, their wails tearing at the heart.
“So the kid wasn’t bluffing—there really was a woman waiting for him.”
Gouwa spoke in an envious whine.
As they clutched each other, oblivious to all else, a shaky old man with a colorful ring around his neck shuffled over.
He said something to Sun Baolu in the Qingqiu tongue.
He was clearly a respected elder here—his words calmed the embracing pair.
After a brief exchange with the old man, Sun Baolu bounded over to Li Huowang, thrilled.
He clapped Li Huowang enthusiastically on the shoulder and began introducing him to his tribesfolk.
Language barrier or no, Li Huowang couldn’t follow their words.
But when steaming, fragrant roast lamb racks and honeyed water were pressed into his hands, he got the message.
With a full meat feast for once, no one could hold back. Seeing Li Huowang accept without protest, they dove in with both hands.
A bonfire roared to life. The group encircled Sun Baolu, roaring and shouting. Sun Baolu responded fiercely, a horn cup of liquor in each hand as he spun in circles.
Li Huowang watched the merry chaos and took a swig from his horn cup.
“Is this honey? Damn sweet—and it doesn’t cloy at all.”
“Not honey—ant honey. Made by ants. Tastier than honey, and rarer too.”
Li Huowang looked up to see a handsome woman. Though dressed in Qingqiu hides, her fair skin marked her as no local.
Catching Li Huowang’s gaze, the red-eyed woman knelt on the ground and solemnly kowtowed to him.
“Thank you, Real Person Li, for going to such lengths across a thousand li to bring my son home!”