014 Beast crystals will be allocated according to rank thereafter.

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Li Yue stared at the green beast crystal in her palm, belatedly recalling the rules of the beast world. Regardless of the level of fierce beast a male hunts, the beast crystal must be handed over to the bonded female. Her fingers gently brushed the smooth surface of the crystal, a flicker of disappointment crossing her heart. If only it were a transparent beast crystal, which could directly enhance physical strength—her fragile body simply could not endure another danger. But then she reminded herself that green-grade beast crystals were rare, and finding one inside a giant crocodile python was already a stroke of incredible luck.

Clenching the beast crystal tightly, she raised her eyes and called to the beast men, “All of you, come here. I have something to say.” The men exchanged glances but obeyed, gathering around her. Standing before her were several tall, burly males, and Li Yue inexplicably felt pressured. Composing herself, she scanned the beast rings on their arms; only Lan Xi’s ring was on the ankle.

Si Qi’s yellow-grade beast ring emitted a faint orange glow, indicating he had recently broken through from orange to yellow grade. Chi Yu and Jin Ye’s rings were bright yellow, stuck at the mid-level of yellow grade. The edges of You Lie’s beast ring bore a faint green hue, just one step from green grade, while only Lan Xi’s ring was deep green, firmly at green grade.

Without hesitation, Li Yue extended the beast crystal toward You Lie. “This beast crystal is for you. You’re closest to green grade; with this, you should be able to break through directly, right?” You Lie’s pupils shrank suddenly, his dark red eyes filled with shock. Almost instinctively, he clutched the crystal before abruptly looking up at her, disbelief coloring his tone. “You… really giving it to me?” This was a precious green-grade beast crystal, worth a great deal. Yet Li Yue was giving it to him instead of exchanging it for something else?

Li Yue nodded seriously. “Your combat strength is too weak right now.” She recalled the peril during the giant crocodile python’s ambush, shuddering as she added, “It was so hard to handle just one green-grade beast. If we encounter something stronger, we won’t survive long enough to find Father. If you break through to green grade, our journey will be safer.” You Lie tightened his grip on the crystal, complex emotions flickering through his dark red eyes. So she thought their strength insufficient to protect her?

Whether her motive was truly to find her father or to consider their welfare, this beast crystal was a lifesaver for him. Stuck at yellow grade for too long, this crystal would likely push him into green grade, greatly enhancing his power. Suppressing his mixed feelings, You Lie pocketed the crystal. His tone was still cold but carried a newfound sincerity: “Alright. After I break through, I will protect you until we find your father.”

Jin Ye, watching beside them, grew impatient and shouted, “Why give it to You Lie? I want to break through too!” Puffing out his chest to assert his usefulness, he added, “I run faster than him; carrying you on the road is steadier with me!” Chi Yu smiled sweetly, voice soft, “Li Yue, next time there’s a beast crystal, can you give it to me first?”

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Li Yue pondered for a moment and decided to explain why she gave the crystal to You Lie. “You can all see that You Lie is just one step away from green grade. With this crystal, he can break through, and an additional green-grade male means more protection for us. Next time we hunt a beast crystal, I’ll distribute them based on your levels. Any objections?”

Her words stunned the beast men. They’d thought her giving such a precious beast crystal to You Lie was a whim, but she’d planned the future distribution and had no intention of trading the crystals for goods, instead sharing them among them. Jin Ye opened his mouth but could not find words, struck by the earnestness in Li Yue’s gaze. Chi Yu’s smile faded slightly, his aquamarine eyes showing genuine surprise. He had only half-joked about claiming a crystal; the value of a green-grade beast crystal was enormous, able to be exchanged for rare supplies. Yet she promised to share them in the future?

Si Qi was the first to recover, nodding lightly. “This distribution is reasonable; it will rapidly increase our combat strength.” As the sole priest, he understood what gaining another green-grade male meant. Next time they faced beasts like the giant crocodile python, they wouldn’t be so helpless. Lan Xi also nodded, his violet eyes losing some of their aloofness. He seemed increasingly unable to read Li Yue; she had even planned out the crystals they would receive? Could it be… she had really changed?

You Lie’s grip on the crystal tightened, his dark red eyes clouded with complex feelings. He still couldn’t fathom Li Yue’s true intentions, but he was the first to benefit tangibly. His Adam’s apple bobbed as he said, “After I break through, I will deal with high-grade beasts.” Seeing no objections from the others, Li Yue knew they understood and quickly asked, “You’re all injured—can you still travel?” Her gaze swept their wounds anxiously. The earlier fight with the beast had wasted time; if they didn’t reach the resting point before nightfall, it would be dangerous.

Jin Ye straightened up, patting his shoulder. “No problem! I’ve been applying hemostatic herbs for a while; the bleeding has stopped. It won’t affect carrying you.” He shook his body deliberately, as if proving his condition, though anticipation glimmered in his eyes. The others nodded in agreement.

Relieved, Li Yue said, “Then let’s set off now and try to reach the mountain cave before dark.” As they packed up, You Lie approached the dead giant crocodile python and cut off a piece of skin, placing it in a beast-skin pouch. Jin Ye shifted into his lion beast form, black mane gleaming in the sunlight. He bent slightly, deliberately adjusting the curve of his back to flatten the protruding bones, careful not to jostle Li Yue.

Without hesitation, Li Yue climbed onto his back, gripping his mane with both hands.

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“Let’s go.” Jin Ye growled low, breaking into a run. His speed was no slower than that morning, but Li Yue felt far less jostling. He seemed to deliberately avoid stones and potholes, each step steadier than before. The wind brushed past her ears, carrying a faint scent of grass and wood from her body. Jin Ye’s heartbeat quickened, breath growing heavier as images from earlier that day by the river flashed involuntarily through his mind.

She was half-submerged in water, her deep purple hair clinging to her shoulders and beyond... He shook his head, suppressing the thoughts, though his ears burned uncontrollably. Li Yue noticed nothing unusual, focused solely on their journey, occasionally glancing up at the sky.

Their travel went more smoothly than expected, with no further beast encounters. By dusk, they finally found a dry mountain cave deep in the woods. The beast men entered first to check, and after confirming no wild beasts lurked, they spread out beast pelts and lit a fire. Then all turned to Li Yue, staring intently.

Puzzled, she frowned. “What is it?” Chi Yu smiled and explained, “We finished all the beast meat at noon. Now we need to send two people hunting, but it’s dark, so we might not catch anything.” He actually wanted to see if Li Yue would get angry, but she simply waved him off.

“I’ll just eat some wild fruit. I’m tired; I want to sleep.” She pulled wild fruit from the beast-skin pouch and bit into one; the sweet and sour juice eased her fatigue. “You all handle dinner yourselves; don’t worry about me.” The beast men had expected a fuss but were surprised at her easygoing nature.

Si Qi took the remaining wild fruit from the pouch and placed it beside her. “If you get hungry, eat some more. We’ll be back soon.” With that, You Lie and Jin Ye left the cave, while Si Qi, Chi Yu, and Lan Xi stayed near the entrance, guarding against nighttime beasts.

Li Yue ate another fruit, her sleepiness deepening. She lay down on the prepared pelts and soon fell into a deep sleep. The embers of the fire cast faint shadows on her face; her long lashes drooped softly, making her look gentle and harmless.

In the middle of the night, a tall figure silently slipped into the cave. In the dim firelight, his gaze locked onto Li Yue’s sleeping face. He approached her, suddenly bending down with hands on either side of her, then lowered his head sharply, pressing his lips against hers.