Chapter 224: Going Home

Chapter 224 Homecoming

Chun Xiaoman continued to help Bai Lingmiao wipe her body. "I think it's nothing, you've already shared a bridal chamber with Li Huowang, so what cannot be spoken of? Do not shrink back, stand tall."

"..." The shy Bai Lingmiao could only respond with silence.

She still felt that such private matters could not be shared with others.

This group of women fussed in the water for a long time, waiting until near dusk before returning with their washed clothes.

They departed before dawn today, and when night fell, everyone was weary; except for the watchman, they all slept early.

"My fur is thick, I can only wipe myself half-dry, please do not despise it."

Inside the bedding, hearing this, Bai Lingmiao spread her arms and hugged Chun Xiaoman tightly, happily burying her face in the dense black fur to rub against it. "How could I, I like Sister Xiaoman very much."

Xiaoman naturally raised her furry legs and rubbed them against the other's smooth body.

"Haha, don't do that, Sister Xiaoman, I'm afraid of tickles."

"Like me? But I cannot compare to your Senior Brother Li. I fear once I fall asleep, wearing only a bodice, I will burrow into your Senior Brother Li's bed."

"Senior Brother Li's injury has not healed, I am going to take care of him."

"Does he need care in that state? Besides that kind of matter, I don't think there is anywhere you can take care of him."

"Sister Xiaoman... why are you like this too..."

Just as the two were whispering inside the quilt, they suddenly saw a shadowy figure sneaking towards the riverbank.

"Who is that person?"

"Who else could it be but Sun Baolu? He has always been like this, he never bathes with others, he is simply more afraid of being watched than us women."

That night, aside from the distant howling of wolves, nothing else happened.

Early the next morning, Li Huowang slowly opened his eyes while embracing Bai Lingmiao.

"Senior Brother Li, you had a nightmare." Filled with concern, Bai Lingmiao gently stroked his chin with her soft fingers.

"It's nothing, I'm used to it." Li Huowang, with dark circles under his eyes, sat up and glanced towards Women's Mountain again, lowering his guard slightly in his heart.

"I did not reveal any flaws back then, they may not know I am a Heart Pure One, plus those people were apprentices, regardless of whether the Dance Lion Palace is good or bad, we should be safe."

When finished washing up, Sun Baolu placed a bowl of brown liquid before Li Huowang. "Senior Brother Li, time for breakfast."

"What is this?" Li Huowang's keen sense of smell made him involuntarily lean back, it was too pungent.

"Fresh goat milk mixed with fresh goat blood, with some salt added to make blood-milk gruel, it tastes wonderful. And it benefits wound recovery." He took a sip himself, then held it out to Li Huowang again.

Li Huowang took a sip and nearly vomited, but he suppressed the nausea and drank the entire milk-blood mixture.

It was nutritious, certainly, but truly difficult to drink.

Sun Baolu stood there excitedly saying, "Senior Brother Li, see, I told you right? As long as we bring enough goats, we need not worry about three meals a day!"

Wiping the corner of his mouth with his sleeve, Li Huowang pushed the bowl into his embrace, "Enough nonsense, after leaving Women's Mountain, shouldn't we be close to your home soon?"

Hearing this news, Sun Baolu instantly brightened up, "Yes, yes, yes! Hurry! They are right ahead!"

Although this blue sky and green earth looked the same to Li Huowang and the others, in Sun Baolu's eyes, clear differences were visible.

"Look! That mountain over there! I grazed sheep there! One of my left molars broke falling there!"

"I saw a white wolf over there in the east! Really not lying to you, a white wolf! My parents said there were no white wolves, but I definitely saw one!"

"Look here! See the marks under this grass! These are traces left by our tribe setting up tents! Cannot be wrong!"

As Sun Baolu became increasingly excited, they drew closer, and for the final two days, Sun Baolu could not sleep at all, taking over all the watch duties himself.

Finally, after crossing a small hill, a patch of white appeared among the greenery in the distance, those were sheep, and some black spots, those were cattle.

Beside the sheep lay a vast cluster of tents, and tiny figures the size of ants.

"Hey!!" Sun Baolu, tears filling his eyes, shouted wildly in the Qingqiu language towards that side, then immediately left the others behind and rushed over excitedly.

When Li Huowang and the others approached, they saw Sun Baolu surrounded by a group of Qingqiu people, crying and shouting excitedly, hugging and holding each other.

Although he did not understand the Qingqiu language, Li Huowang could hear the strong emotion in their voices.

At this moment, a warmth rose in Li Huowang's heart; compared to finally sending Sun Baolu home, he was happier about the attitude of Sun Baolu's family towards him.

At this time, Li Huowang saw a Qingqiu woman carrying a milk basin step out from a tent nearby.

When she saw Sun Baolu, her expression froze, and the milk basin in her hand dropped straight to the ground.

The sound drew Sun Baolu's gaze, and looking at that woman, he wept.

Under the gaze of everyone, the two embraced, simultaneously emitting heart-wrenching sobs.

"So this kid wasn't bragging... there really is a woman waiting for him..." Gouwa said sourly.

While they were lost in their embrace, an old man with a colorful ring around his neck walked over shakily.

He said something to Sun Baolu in the Qingqiu language.

His status seemed highly respected here, and his words finally calmed the embracing pair down.

Sun Baolu spoke with the old man for a moment, then came to Li Huowang's presence with excitement.

He enthusiastically placed his hand on his shoulder and began introducing him to his own people.

Due to the language barrier, Li Huowang could not know what they were saying.

But when fragrant roasted lamb chops with steam and honey water were placed before him, he could understand their meaning.

Rarely having a full meat feast, how could others hold back; seeing Li Huowang had no intention of refusing, their hands directly reached up to grab.

The bonfire rose, the group roared around Sun Baolu, Sun Baolu holding a cup of wine in both hands responded intensely, spinning around constantly.

Li Huowang watched this lively scene, picked up the horn cup and took a sip, "Is this honey? It's so sweet, and not greasy at all."

"This isn't honey, this is ant honey, a honey brewed by ants, better tasting and rarer than honey."

Li Huowang looked up and found a beautiful woman, although she wore Qingqiu leather clothing, her fair skin proved she was not a local of Qingqiu.

Seeing Li Huowang staring at her, her eyes reddened, she squatted on the ground, bowed her head solemnly towards Li Huowang and kowtowed.

"Thank you Master Li, for enduring hardships and traveling thousands of miles to send my son home!"