I'm caught in the cycle of endless competition, you're waiting for me in the apocalypse.

"Master Witch Doctor! Wait for me!" Wu Ran came running from afar, carrying a large bamboo basket on his back.

"Ah Ran?"

"Master Witch Doctor, I have already spoken to my father. I will follow you from now on!"

"What? You want to come with me? Why?"

I thought he was just saying goodbye, how could he be here to follow me?

An Xin's doubts were obvious, so Wu Ran had no choice but to explain his thoughts in detail: "I want to learn from the witch doctor and become stronger! I have been observing and learning a lot around you these days, but the more I learn, the more I realize how true your saying 'learning is endless' is."

What will happen to your father?

“My father said he is in his prime and was cured thanks to your treatment. He also learned a few skills, so he supports my coming to find you. Moreover, the Black Panther Clan Chief has already asked my father to stay in the Black Panther Tribe permanently, so you don’t need to worry!” Wu Ran’s sincere eyes revealed a hopeful light.

“Alright, if that’s the case, then we’re partners on the same journey. Don’t call me ‘Master Witch Doctor’ anymore, just call me A-Xin!” An Xin was genuinely happy that her little assistant had returned.

"No...no, how can this be..." Wu Ran lowered his head, clutching the animal hide in his hands, and stammered.

"Do you want to come with me? Be a good girl!" An Xin pouted, feigning anger.

“…Then, may I call you sister?” Wu Ranren looked up at An Xin and saw that she wasn’t really angry. She felt a little embarrassed about her earlier request, blushed, and quickly lowered her head.

"Sure, our Aran is still young, it's perfect for him to call me 'older sister'!" She walked up to the boy who was taller than her, raised her hand and ruffled his hair, smiling broadly.

—That thick, black hair shimmered with iridescent light in the sunlight. So fluffy and clean, it's so nice to pet! But I just want to listen to it again… you lazybones, still not awake.

"Alright, let's go!" Hu Nuo teased, putting his arm around An Xin's shoulder. "Hehe, so An Xin likes this kind of thing!"

"What? Arno, thank you so much... You're supposed to be the priest, how can you be so irresponsible? Does your mother know?" An Xin laughed and scolded, while pinching the soft flesh on her waist.

"Ouch, ouch, Ah Xin, let go! I won't say anymore, I won't say anymore!" Hu Nuo rubbed his waist and said again, "We are priests, it's not like we can't get married! Being too serious will make you age faster!"

"You...you! You're talking nonsense again. Don't lead the children astray!" An Xin covered her mouth with her hand, afraid that she would say something else.

We were laughing and joking all the way, but before we knew it, dark clouds started gathering again.

"Ah Ming, it's going to rain again. Should we find a cave to take shelter in?"

An Xin knew he traveled this route every year and should be familiar with the area, so asking him about anything along the way was the right thing to do.

"Hmm, but it should be a light rain! Ferocious beasts often roam this area, so it would be best to get through quickly." She Ming looked up at the sky and decided to brave the rain.

“Priest, there aren’t many ferocious beasts here. Why not just exterminate them? That would be a good thing.” Hu Nuo always felt a strange pressure in front of She Ming, so he was more respectful when asking him questions.

"There are high-level ferocious beasts here that have collapsed and lost their minds. I can sense them!"

"You can't even beat you?"

“I can defeat them, but high-level ferocious beasts that have lost their minds will be more troublesome. They only have their enhanced physical forms, and it will take me a lot of effort to subdue them. Your safety will be difficult to guarantee.” She Ming’s voice remained calm and even, but the frown on his brows as he looked at An Xin betrayed him.

"It's better to avoid trouble. Let's go quickly," An Xin decided after a moment's thought.

"Sister Xin, come up on my back, I can fly fast." Wu Ran transformed into a large crow and landed in front of An Xin.

"Okay, can we bring Hu Nuo along?" An Xin didn't mince words. If She Ming was worried about something, it must be something serious. She didn't want any unnecessary complications, so it was best to act quickly.

"Yeah, no problem!"

So, Wu Ran carried An Xin and Hu Nuo, flying at low altitude. She Ming and Ao Jue transformed into two giant snakes, slithering across the ground at a speed no less than Wu Ran's.

………………

"Ah Qing, wait! It's raining, why don't you come and take shelter from the rain with us! Ah Ling, come over here and try to persuade your brother!"

With a concerned and comforting expression, Foxna pulled Fox Ling out of the cave and rushed out.

“…Brother, brother…wait for Ah Ling…” Hu Na pulled Hu Ling forcefully, throwing him toward Hu Qing.

With a stumble, Hu Ling fell at Hu Qing's feet.

Seeing her younger brother's miserable state, she couldn't bear it any longer. She stopped and helped the filthy Hu Ling to his feet, feeling both heartache and helplessness: "Why did it have to come to this..."

“Brother…” Hu Ling choked up.

There was a time when Fox Ling harbored a deep-seated jealousy towards her aloof older brother.

They were born of the same mother, but their mother favored Hu Qing's father, and even showed favoritism towards her brother.

In order to find a master to guide him, he was later chosen as the successor because he was appreciated by the priest.

Hu Qing was exceptionally handsome, possessed a unique temperament, and was remarkably talented. When Hu Xin, the only bloodline of the Fox Clan Chief, was born, he was chosen as the Fox Queen's lord.

This once aroused Hu Ling's jealousy and resentment.

After that, for some unknown reason, Hu Xin was unable to transform into human form for a long time, and there was not even a trace of spiritual energy fluctuation...

Eighteen years later, on Hu Xin's birthday, they were still unable to find him.

As for Hu Ling, the most beautiful male fox in the fox clan, he was chosen by the Red Fox Princess as her consort.

Although the Red Fox Princess was adopted from the Red Fox Clan, she was stunningly beautiful and exceptionally talented, making her one of the best in the fox clan in every way.

Hu Ling felt that she could finally hold her head high in front of Hu Qing, and a trace of pity for him arose deep in her heart.

But when he discovered Hu Na's intentions towards Hu Qing, he panicked. Having learned his lesson from the last time, he felt a vague fear and aversion towards Hu Na, but he would still obey her every word.

Although he didn't know why he obeyed her so obediently, he knew that he was now Hu Na's concubine, and their fates were intertwined.

The girl, her face streaked with tears, looked up and said in a tearful voice, "Brother, Ana just wanted you to go into the cave to take shelter from the rain and rest. Besides, I also wanted to catch up with you. Don't disappoint her good intentions."

Hu Ling squeezed Hu Qing's wrist, then lowered his head, feeling uneasy.

"Alright... I can talk to you right now!" Hu Qing patted Hu Ling's hand reassuringly.

Hu Ling looked up in disbelief, her face still streaked with tears.

Before he could speak, Hu Qing pulled him toward the cave.

Fox Na, who had just entered the cave, was stunned for a moment when she saw Fox Qing and Fox Ling walking towards her together, but her face immediately lit up with joy.

"Hurry up and change your dirty clothes. You're usually so tidy, how can you stand this?" After entering the cave, Hu Qing didn't even glance at Hu Na, but only urged Hu Ling to change.

"Ah Qing, don't worry about him, come and sit down." Fox Na patted the animal skin next to her with a charming smile.

Watching Hu Ling walk alone and forlornly towards the deepest part of the cave with the clothes, Hu Qing clenched her fists.

"Red Fox Princess, A-Ling is, after all, your newlywed concubine. You should show him the most basic respect!"

Hu Qing's words had a double meaning: they emphasized that she must care about her concubine, while also warning her not to covet her concubine's brother.

Foxy Na could easily understand the meaning behind those words. She was furious at being humiliated, but she couldn't show it in front of outsiders. She could only suppress her resentment for the time being, keeping her head down and remaining silent, which made her seem weak and aggrieved.

"Hu Qing, you are so ungrateful. Chi Hu Ji was just kindly letting you take shelter from the rain, why are you so hostile?" The warrior leading the Chi Hu clan this time was Hu Hua, Hu Na's childhood sweetheart.

He already had feelings for Hu Na, and seeing that she had feelings for Hu Qing, he felt a surge of resentment.

Now is the perfect opportunity to make a name for myself in front of Foxna.

"I never intended to travel with you. If it weren't for A-Ling's sake, I would have already left the Tushan area!" Hu Qing appears to be very tactful, but when she encounters troublesome or ungrateful people, she prefers to be straightforward.

He turned around and bowed slightly to Fox Girl, saying, "Please, Red Fox Princess, show some respect. After all, I am the White Fox Princess's chosen lord."

This is a public execution of the Red Fox Princess's coveting of the White Fox Princess's lord and her brother, who is also her concubine!

The remaining fox-beastmen inside the cave began to whisper among themselves.

“Brother…Ana didn’t mean that…” Hu Ling, who had just changed his clothes at the back of the cave, immediately tried to save face for Huna.

"I really don't know what kind of drug she gave you, to be treated like this and still so stubborn." Hu Qing said in exasperation, throwing down her wide sleeves and turning to leave.

"Do you like Hu Xin that much? But she can't even transform into human form. Are you really going to do this for her?" Hu Na couldn't help but question Hu Qing.

"My affairs with the White Fox Princess are not for outsiders to discuss. Today, I only advise you to treat A-Ling well, otherwise our Black Fox Clan is not to be trifled with!"

After saying that, he turned and left.

The cave was silent for a moment, with only the sound of pattering rain outside.

………………

On the other side, the "useless trash who can't transform" is having a great time fighting with several ferocious beasts.

The story begins a moment before an incense stick had burned.

Seeing that it was about to rain, Wu Ran flew even lower. Little did he know that a scorpion-like beast was lying in ambush in the treetops.

As Wu Ran flew by, the scorpion suddenly plunged its stinger into his lower abdomen.

Fortunately, he flew fast, and the poisonous stinger did not remain in his body for too long, so the injection of the toxin was not fatal!

An Xin and Hu Nuo leaped off Wu Ran's back. Hu Nuo transformed, and his powerful tiger-beast claw slammed into the beast's head. With a "crack," the beast shattered like a watermelon, spraying red and white matter everywhere.

"Well done!" An Xin was really pleased with her friend's brave and decisive manner.

Turning around, he saw Wu Ran had already landed, nearly eliminated. He took a few deep breaths and teleported in front of him.

Carrying the naked man who had returned to human form from the ground, An Xin had no reason to be shy. She cast light-type shields on herself, Wu Ran, and Hu Nuo, and then teleported into the nearest tree hole.

I gave Wu Ran some spiritual liquid to drink, and then used light-based healing power to heal his wounds and remove toxins.

An Xin pulled a cloak from his spatial dimension and covered him with it. He then flew away and hid in a tree canopy, using his Heavenly Eye to observe the distribution of the beastmen.

At this moment, Ao Jue and She Ming were already tied up by high-level ferocious beasts and had no time to spare.

It turned out that the beastmen's target was An Xin and Hu Nuo. They used several high-level, mindless beasts to hold back the powerful She Ming, while more than ten other beastmen surrounded and captured them.

"Huno, the vanguard consists of 13 level 2-3 ferocious orcs. You have 6, and I have 7. How does that sound?" Anxin communicated with Huno, who was a few trees away from her, from the treetop!

"No problem, you're underestimating me with just these levels!" Hu Nuo smiled confidently, revealing a tiger tooth.

Hu Nuo observed for a moment, then ran to the left, while An Xin leaped up and rushed straight ahead.

With more than 20 meters to go before the beast, An Xin stopped and hid in the tree canopy, already holding several silver needles in her hand!

—Hehe, I don't have an advantage in terms of level, but I have some underhanded tricks! Didn't expect that, did you?

Just as the four ferocious beastmen were about to arrive, An Xin reacted quickly, flicking out silver needles with both hands, and the beastmen immediately froze in place.

The other beastmen, seeing that the four people in front of them were not moving, did not know what had happened and went forward to check.

The four people stared wide-eyed, their eyeballs darting around frantically.

Before they could figure out why, the three of them were stuck in place.

An Xin rushed to the left and saw that Hu Nuo had already dealt with 3 beastmen and was still fighting with another 3.

With her Heavenly Eye activated, An Xin discovered that the main force of the evil beasts was approaching, so she threw out a few more silver needles to immobilize the remaining three evil beastmen.

He jumped down from the treetop, grabbed Hu Nuo, and ran towards Wu Ran: "Anuo, the main force of the orcs is here, nearly 50 people. Let's go hide in the cave where Wu Ran is hiding for a while."