Encounter with the White - Raccoon Clan

On the winding path in the Southern Wilderness Jungle, sunlight filtered through the layers of branches and leaves, casting a mottled and colorful glow. Zhou Min, in simple clothes, his figure slender, walked with steady and forceful steps. His lips moved as he muttered, "Heaven and earth are the inn of all things; time is the passing traveler of all generations. And floating life is like a dream. How much joy can we have? The ancients used to wander at night with candles in hand, and there is indeed a reason for this." His voice was deep and mellow, carrying the long - standing charm and myriad thoughts from another world.

"What are you mumbling about, meow?" A clear and lively voice suddenly rang out, shattering the tranquility. Miao Fei'er, as lively as a fawn, bounded out from the side. Her figure was petite and delicate, her face exquisitely beautiful, and her big, watery eyes were like twinkling stars in the night sky. At this moment, they were filled with curious looks as she stared intently at Zhou Min. Her ears twitched playfully, the fluff on her head glistened softly in the sunlight, and her tail swayed gently behind her, betraying her excited mood.

"These are the words of a great poet from my hometown," Zhou Min turned his head upon hearing this, a faint smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. There was a nostalgic hint for the past in his smile, as well as gentle and patient expressions for the young girl in front of him. His eyes were clear and bright. Even though he was in this strange world, there was a firm and wise look in them.

"A poet? What's that? Hurry up and tell me!" Miao Fei'er's eyes sparkled with excited light. She couldn't wait to tug gently at Zhou Min's sleeve, as eager as a child about to unwrap a gift. She was lively and cheerful by nature, with a strong curious feeling about all things unknown. The monotonous life in the Southern Wilderness Jungle had never dampened her enthusiastic mood for exploring the outside world.

Zhou Min pondered for a moment and then said, "Let me put it this way. I'll recite a poem for you, and you can feel it." He paused, cleared his throat, and recited with great emotion, "Between Jingkou and Guazhou, there's but a river wide; Zhongshan's but a few mountains away on the other side. The spring breeze has turned the south bank green again; When will the bright moon shine on my homeward way?"

"Is that all?" Miao Fei'er's eyes widened in disbelieving looks, looking as if she had been expecting a grand show but saw the curtain fall too soon. She pouted slightly, her face filled with confused and unfulfilled expressions.

"Yeah, that's all," Zhou Min nodded, a fleeting trace of melancholy flashing in his eyes, a deep longing and homesick feeling for his hometown.

"What does it mean? Hurry up and explain it to me," Miao Fei'er urged, tugging at Zhou Min's arm coquettishly, her eyes full of eager looks for knowledge.

Zhou Min took a deep breath and patiently explained, "This poem was written by a very famous scholar in my hometown when he was at a low point in his life. It means that Jingkou and Guazhou are only separated by the Yangtze River, and Zhongshan is just a few mountains away. The spring breeze has turned the fields in the south green again, but when will the bright moon in the sky shine on me and let me return to my hometown?"

Miao Fei'er listened, her expression gradually softened. She asked softly, "Do you miss your home?"

Zhou Min stopped in his tracks, his gaze became a bit vacant as he looked into the distance. His voice involuntarily dropped, "Yes, I don't even know where this place is, let alone what the future holds. I don't know if I can go home or see my parents again..." He suddenly turned his head, his eyes filled with confused and struggling looks as he stared intently at Miao Fei'er, "The future is so uncertain. This is a huge crisis for me. And I even doubt whether this world is real or just a dream of mine."

"Don't say that..." Miao Fei'er's voice was gentle and soothing. She tiptoed slightly and patted Zhou Min's shoulder gently, "Although I've never left the Southern Wilderness Jungle and have never seen the outside world, I can understand your feelings. Don't worry. The Black - Raccoon Clan has some prestigious influence here. If you want to stay, you can definitely live a stable life; if you want to leave, we won't stop you. The old ancestor saved you really just as a casual act, with no other intentions." Miao Fei'er was kind - hearted, simple, and always put herself in others' shoes.

"I'm not targeting you all. It's just that when I think about these things, my mind gets all muddled. I don't know if I can integrate into this world, nor do I know if this world will accept me," Zhou Min sighed slightly, his heart full of worried thoughts like dark clouds. He was steady - tempered. Even though he was anxious inside, he tried his best to remain calm and rational.

Miao Fei'er patted Zhou Min on the shoulder and said with a smiling face, "Don't think so far ahead. The most important thing is to live well in the present. When we get back to the ancestral land, I'll take you around. It's really interesting!"

Zhou Min took a deep breath, a glimmer of light reignited in his eyes. He looked firmly at Miao Fei'er and said, "You're right. We have to take one step at a time and eat one bite at a time. I've been telling myself this for the past two days, to live the present life well." With that, he took a step forward again, as if trying to leave all his confused thoughts behind.

Along the way, Miao Fei'er was like a chirpy little bird, chattering non - stop. She had never been out of the Southern Wilderness Jungle and was curious about everything outside. Zhou Min's appearance was like a door to a new world opening in her plain life. Although Zhou Min was equally strange to this world, he came from a completely different civilization. Those novel knowledge and unique insights were like precious treasures to Miao Fei'er.

Although Zhou Min was a science student, he had a solid literary foundation. The two of them talked from the poems of the Tang and Song dynasties to folk customs, from historical allusions to various aspects of society. The broad and deep topics even made the taciturn ancestor of the Black - Raccoon Clan prick up his ears and occasionally show a thoughtful look.

"Stop!" A deep and serious voice suddenly rang out, breaking the relaxed atmosphere of the journey. Miao Wenxiong, with a tall and burly figure like a towering mountain, his muscles taut, as if each one contained endless strength. At this moment, his expression was solemn, his thick eyebrows knitted tightly, and he raised one hand high, motioning for the team to stop. As the person in charge of security, he was always on high - alert and didn't let any abnormal situation slip by. Although he was also curious about Zhou Min's novel remarks, protecting everyone's safety was his top - priority. He was firm - willed, highly responsible, and meticulous in his tasks.

"Something's wrong. Ancestor, you and Fei'er come closer," Miao Jiayin reacted quickly and walked briskly to the back of the team. He was also tall and imposing, with sharp eyes like an eagle, scanning the surroundings as if he could see through all hidden dangers. There were traces of time on his face, and a scar extended from the corner of his eye to the corner of his mouth, adding a bit more cold and vicissitudinous looks. As the clan chief, Miao Jiayin was steady, decisive, calm in the face of things, and always put the safety of the clan members first.

Miao Wenxiong and Miao Jiayin, one in front and one behind, closely protected the ancestor of the Black - Raccoon Clan, Miao Fei'er, and Zhou Min in the middle. Everyone stopped in their tracks, not daring to make a sound. The tense atmosphere was like an invisible net, tightly enshrouding everyone. All that could be heard was the "rustling" sound of the breeze blowing through the leaves. Otherwise, it was deathly silent.

"Could I be too sensitive and have heard wrong?" Miao Wenxiong frowned and asked Miao Jiayin in a low voice, his eyes revealing confused and uneasy looks. It was understandable for one person to have an illusion, but if both of them sensed something strange at the same time, things were not that simple. Either there was really danger lurking, just hidden for the time being, or the opponent was too powerful, and the sense of oppressive feeling had made them feel a strong sense of crisis.

"Friend, since you're here, show yourself," the ancestor of the Black - Raccoon Clan looked calm. He walked forward a few steps unhurriedly, his voice steady and powerful, carrying the dignified feeling of having weathered countless storms. His hair was white, his face was covered with wrinkled lines, but the wise and profound look in his eyes was hard to hide. He had experienced countless trials and was the spiritual pillar of the Black - Raccoon Clan.

"Hahaha, Old Black, after all these years, your perception is still so sharp," a hearty laugh came from all directions, making it impossible to tell the direction. Before the voice faded, a white figure darted out from the forest like lightning and instantly appeared in front of everyone. Immediately after, several people slowly walked out from the shadows of the forest, their figures gradually becoming clear.

"Li Ruhai, the ancestor of the White - Raccoon Clan. You, the dignified clan chief, why are you acting so furtively? What do you want with me?" Miao Tianfang, the ancestor of the Black - Raccoon Clan, looked cold - faced and asked bluntly.

"It's Li Ruhai!" Miao Fei'er couldn't help but exclaim in a low voice, a trace of fear flashing across her face. She subconsciously hid behind Zhou Min, tightly grasping the corner of his clothes, her fingers trembling slightly due to nervousness.

"Presumptuous! Is the old ancestor's name something you can call directly? Even your clan chief has to address him with respect!" Someone in the White - Raccoon Clan team shouted sternly, their tone full of angry and dissatisfied feelings.

"Old Black, I really have something important to discuss with you," Li Ruhai looked calm, his tone indifferent, as if everything that had just happened had nothing to do with him. His face was fair, his temperament refined, but there was an unfathomable depth in his eyes. As the ancestor of the White - Raccoon Clan, he was deep - minded and resourceful.

"Okay," Miao Tianfang turned around, looking firmly at everyone, "You all stay here and don't move. I'll go talk to Old Li."

"Ancestor, be careful of tricks!" Miao Jiayin looked worried, taking a step forward, his eyes full of concerned and uneasy looks.

"Don't worry," Miao Tianfang nodded slightly, giving Miao Jiayin a reassuring look, and then strode forward.

The figures of Li Ruhai and Miao Tianfang soon disappeared from everyone's sight. Miao Jiayin immediately walked to the front of the team, staring intently at the people of the White - Raccoon Clan. He arranged his own people in a slightly backward position, with the dense forest behind them, so that they could have a way to retreat in case of danger. The two sides confronted each other like this, and the atmosphere was so tense that it could explode at any moment.

"Fei'er, are you hungry? I have your favorite snacks here," a familiar voice came from the White - Raccoon Clan team. Immediately after, a figure floated in front of everyone like a ghost.

The person who came was tall and slender, wearing a blue shirt, holding a delicate long flute in his hand, and his long, black hair fluttered in the wind. He looked somewhat similar to the people of the Black - Raccoon Clan, but with more elegant and free - spirited looks. He was Li Baocai, a strong contender for the next - generation leader of the White - Raccoon Clan. He was arrogant and persistent, and he never gave up easily on what he had set his mind to.

"Li Baocai, you still dare to come to me? Wasn't the last lesson enough?" Miao Fei'er's delicate eyebrows knitted in anger, and she glared fearlessly at the person coming, her eyes full of disgusted looks. She was straightforward and clear - cut in her likes and dislikes, and she was very annoyed by Li Baocai's pestering.

"Fei'er, everyone in the clan knows about our marriage. This is the joint decision of the elders' council. We grew up together and have feelings for each other. We're a match made in heaven. What exactly are you resisting?" Li Baocai looked confident, as if this marriage was a certainty.

"Pah! Who has feelings for you? Who wants to marry you? Don't be so self - absorbed. I don't even want to hear you talk!" Miao Fei'er looked disgusted and stepped back repeatedly, hiding behind Zhou Min, her hands tightly grasping the corner of his clothes as if he was her strongest support.

"Who is he?" Li Baocai's gaze instantly turned cold, like a sharp blade, shooting towards Zhou Min.

"Friend, you look very unfamiliar. Are you from the outside?" Li Baocai forced a smile, cupping his hands towards Zhou Min insincerely, seemingly polite but actually hiding hostile feelings.

Just as Zhou Min was about to open his mouth to explain, Miao Fei'er stepped in first and shouted loudly, "None of your business! Let me tell you, he's my man!"

"Great. Now I've somehow gotten myself into this mess of being accused of stealing someone's wife. I can't clear myself even if I jump into the Yellow River," Zhou Min groaned inwardly, but could only show a wry smile on his face. He knew well that he had been drawn into this complex dispute.