021 Was she actually going to give him the green-tier beast crystal?

Qi Si was faint, and the other beast tamers were all injured as well. They certainly couldn’t continue on with wounded men in their midst.

Suddenly, she recalled from the book that the energy contained within beast crystals could be absorbed to restore some mental strength.

Without hesitation, she handed the green-tier beast crystal to Chi Yu and said, “Chi Yu, give this beast crystal to Qi Si. Let him absorb it; maybe it will help him wake up sooner.”

Though this single green-tier beast crystal might not be enough to immediately upgrade Qi Si from his yellow-tier status, it could at least help him regain some mental strength.

The novel didn’t specify exactly when her father encountered danger; she only remembered that it was after the rainy season when several villains learned of his death and tore off their beast marks in response.

Therefore, arriving before the rainy season should still allow them to rescue her father.

With the rainy season not far off, she did not want to delay their journey any longer.

But when Li Yue produced the green-tier beast crystal and was about to give it to Qi Si without hesitation, the other beast tamers were visibly shocked.

Previously, she had entrusted a beast crystal to You Lie because he was about to upgrade, and an extra green-tier crystal would benefit them all.

But even if Qi Si absorbed this crystal, it would not allow him to upgrade immediately. Was she really going to give him the green-tier beast crystal?

Chi Yu looked at the beast crystal in his palm and cautioned, “Although this is a green-tier beast crystal, even if Qi Si absorbs it, he won’t be able to upgrade. Are you sure you want to give it to him?”

Li Yue nodded resolutely, “At least by absorbing the beast crystal, he can restore his mental strength, right? Didn’t he completely exhaust it?”

Only by restoring his mental strength could he treat the injured beast tamers, allowing them to set out sooner.

Hearing Li Yue’s words, all the beast tamers’ gazes fixed sharply on her.

She was thinking of Qi Si so thoughtfully?

You Lie’s expression darkened completely. His deep red eyes grew more somber as he looked at Li Yue, his gaze taut with some indefinable tension.

He recalled how, after she had cried earlier, she deliberately kept her distance from him. His chest felt constricted, stifled.

He knew that among these beast tamers, only Qi Si had not been forcibly taken by Li Yue’s father; they had long known each other. Though their pact bore some coercion, their relationship was different from the others’.

Perhaps to Li Yue, Qi Si was always special.

Even a precious green-tier beast crystal was given to him without hesitation, even if it could only restore mental strength and not upgrade him.

Chi Yu held the beast crystal, glanced at You Lie’s gloomy face, then at Li Yue’s determined eyes. In the end, he said no more and turned to Qi Si, carefully bringing the beast crystal to his lips.

The beast crystal felt solid, but once it touched his mouth, it dissolved into a faint green light that seeped in with his breath.

After a while, Qi Si fully absorbed it. His eyelids trembled slightly before he slowly opened his eyes. His complexion was still somewhat pale but much improved.

Li Yue looked over at Qi Si and noticed the yellow beast ring on his arm now faintly glowing green at the edges.

It seemed the beast crystal was not wasted. If they could gather another green-tier beast crystal, he might just be able to upgrade.

“You’re awake?”

Chi Yu spoke first, nodding at Li Yue. “Li Yue just gave you the green-tier beast crystal from the Iron Feather Eagle. How’s your mental strength now?”

Qi Si turned sharply to Li Yue, amber eyes wide with shock.

He knew well the value of a green-tier beast crystal. Li Yue could have traded it for many things, yet she chose to give it to him, simply to help him restore his mental strength?

His gaze swept over the animal hide wrapped around Li Yue’s shoulder, still stained faintly with blood, evidence of a serious wound.

He immediately propped himself up and approached her, reaching to unwrap the hide. “Let me treat your wound.”

Li Yue quickly stepped back, avoiding his hand. “No need, You Lie already bandaged it for me.”

She paused, then glanced toward Jin Ye and Lan Xi, who were both injured. “You just restored your mental strength. Treat their wounds first—they’re hurt worse than I am. The sooner they heal, the sooner we can set out.”

Li Yue thought that although Qi Si had regained some mental strength, her beast tamers were badly injured. Each would require mental strength to heal, which wouldn’t be enough.

The best way to avoid delaying their journey was to have Qi Si use his mental strength to heal the most severely injured tamers, while she quietly healed her own wounds with the spirit spring water.

But her suggestion sounded very different to the ears of the other beast tamers.

Qi Si’s movement halted instantly, his amber eyes full of astonishment.

Before he lost consciousness, he had clearly seen the Iron Feather Eagle’s talons sink into Li Yue’s shoulder—a wound far from light. Yet she was willing to endure the pain herself, prioritizing healing the others first?

Looking into Li Yue’s earnest eyes, a complicated emotion stirred within him, soft and indistinct like cotton soaked in warm water.

Qi Si frowned slightly, his voice steady and resolute, allowing no room for refusal.

“They’re males, tough and sturdy, not so delicate. I’ll treat your wound first. Since you just absorbed the beast crystal, you must have plenty of mental strength left. After healing you, I’ll give them a simple treatment. It won’t delay our journey.”

Li Yue had intended to conserve Qi Si’s mental strength. But hearing it wouldn’t hold them up, she immediately relaxed and nodded, “Alright, then.”

Though she had spirit spring water, it was scarce, and she wasn’t sure if a few drops could fully heal her wound. Since Qi Si assured her it wouldn’t delay their journey, she didn’t want to push herself unnecessarily.

Qi Si stepped forward carefully and unwrapped the animal hide from her shoulder. The wound still oozed blood, its edges swollen and red—worse than he had imagined.

A faint glow appeared at his fingertips as he gently placed them over the wound. A warm aura enveloped the pain, dulling the sharp ache as if dissolved by warm water.

In moments, the wound visibly healed before their eyes, leaving only a faint red mark that soon vanished. The skin on her shoulder was smooth and flawless once more.

“All done,” Qi Si said, withdrawing his hand as the glow faded. His complexion paled further.

Li Yue joyfully touched her shoulder, feeling no pain. Yet she worried about Qi Si’s mental strength.

“He must have used a lot to heal me. Can he still treat the others? Will it affect our travel plans?”

Qi Si moved to Jin Ye, saying, “Their wounds only need simple treatment. It won’t require much mental strength and won’t delay our journey.”

He first treated Jin Ye’s arm wound. A pale golden light fell over the deep, bone-exposed injury, quickly stopping the bleeding and significantly reducing the swelling.

Then he tended to Lan Xi’s mermaid tail and You Lie’s serpent tail scales with simple treatments. Though not fully healed, their conditions no longer hindered their movement.