Xuan Long walked into the house with a calm and steady stride. The moment he appeared, the stunned atmosphere left behind by the Lion King seemed to vanish, replaced by a cool and peaceful energy.
Su Mingxuan looked up, his face breaking into a bright, warm smile. He no longer looked like a tired leader; he looked like a proud grandfather. "Xuan Long! You’ve come just in time," he said in a heartwarming tone.
He carefully handed the tiny snake cub back to his father. "Congratulations again on becoming a father. He is a strong, healthy boy."
He chuckled, patting Xuan Long on the shoulder. "I hope you and Qinglan have many more cubs in the future. I want my arms to always be full of healthy and strong grandchildren!"
Su Qinglan’s face turned a soft shade of pink.
"Father!" she chided him, her voice full of embarrassment. "Xiao San is only two days old, and you are already asking for more? Stop teasing us."
Xuan Long didn’t say much, but he tucked the tiny, hooded cub securely against his neck, his emerald eyes softening as he looked at his mate. He was ready to take her home and leave the crowded tribe center behind.
However, just as the couple turned to leave, Su Mingxuan’s expression suddenly changed.
The joy in his eyes faded, replaced by a deep, solemn look. "Lan Lan," he whispered, calling her by her childhood nickname.
Su Qinglan stopped in her tracks. Her heart skipped a beat when she saw the serious gaze in her father’s eyes.
She knew that look; it was the look of a man who had made a life-changing decision.
"My child," Su Mingxuan said, his voice low and steady.
"I have decided. I want to go and find my mate. I cannot stay here in this house knowing she is out there somewhere, alive and alone. I have wronged her for too long."
Su Qinglan felt a lump in her throat. She knew her father had been suffering since the truth came out, but she hadn’t expected him to leave so soon.
"But Father, what about the tribe? You are the leader."
Su Mingxuan looked at her with a resolute expression. "If I leave, the tribe will be in your hands. You are my daughter, the Princess of the Fox Tribe. When I am gone, the new tribe leader will be one of your husbands, whomever you and the elders choose to lead."
He stepped forward and gently squeezed her hand. "Don’t look so worried. I won’t just disappear tonight. When the time comes to leave, I will arrange everything properly so the transition is smooth. You just have to be prepared, Lan Lan. You will have bigger responsibilities."
Before she could protest or ask more questions, Su Mingxuan waved his hand, dismissing them. "Go now. Go home to your other cubs. Don’t think too much about it today."
Su Qinglan walked out of the house in a daze, with Xuan Long walking silently beside her. Her mind was a whirlwind.
Her father was leaving, the Lion King was merging their tribes, and she was expected to take over the future of the Fox people.
But what she didn’t notice was that her father’s expression became painful as he watched her back, and then he suddenly looked toward the wall, a silent tear escaping his eyes.
Xuan Long noticed her pale face and stopped walking. He leaned down and tenderly kissed her cheek, his touch cool and comforting.
"Don’t overthink it right now, Lan Lan," he murmured, his voice like silk.
Su Qinglan looked into his calm emerald eyes and felt a bit better. She didn’t want to burden him with her heavy thoughts just yet, so she forced a small smile and changed the subject.
"You’re right. But Xuan Long, can you check on the cub? I don’t know why, but he suddenly got so angry while he was in the Lion King’s hands. He hissed and bared his fangs. I’m worried he’s uncomfortable or sick."
Xuan Long paused, his expression becoming thoughtful. "The Lion King? Is that the same man I just bumped into outside your father’s door?"
"Yes, that’s him," Su Qinglan replied, nodding. After all, the Lion King had already left when Xuan Long entered.
"He was holding Xiao San so gently, but then the baby just snapped."
Xuan Long’s eyes narrowed slightly. He reached into his neck and pulled out the small, hooded bundle. He lifted Xiao San up to eye level.
The moment the hatchling saw his father, he began to hiss multiple times, his tiny body vibrating with grievance.
He was pouring out all his anger, trying to tell his father that the golden-haired stranger had actually dared to touch the small, sacred bumps on his head.
Xiao San was terrified and offended. In his little mind, those bumps were his most precious jewels, and no stranger should ever be allowed to lay a finger on them.
Xuan Long’s eyes suddenly widened, and then they darkened with a cold, sharp light. Touching the horns? he thought.
How did he even notice that? No normal person should notice them, as they are almost invisible unless someone pays close attention to them.
He realized immediately that the Lion King was not simple at all, or else he would not have found the existence of the tiny bumps so soon.
Even Su Mingxuan and Su Qinglan still had not noticed them.
Su Qinglan saw the change in Xuan Long’s face and stepped closer, her voice full of worry. "What is it? Is something wrong with him?"
Xuan Long quickly masked his expression, returning to his usual calm state. He didn’t want to tell her that someone was now suspicious of their son’s divine lineage.
"There is nothing to worry about, Lan Lan," he said smoothly. "He is just a little afraid of strangers. He has a strong personality for such a small cub."
Xiao San was stunned. Afraid of strangers? he thought, rambling in his little head.
Father, that man touched my horns! My most precious jewels! Why are you being so calm? He continued to wiggle and hiss, trying to get his father to understand the gravity of the situation.
Xuan Long gently stroked the cub’s back, using a tiny bit of his cold energy to soothe the baby’s agitation. "Shh, little one. It’s over now," he whispered.
As they continued walking back toward the treehouse, Xuan Long remained silent, but his mind was alert.
He had not given much attention to the man before, but now it seemed he would have to take extra care around him.