All the Bear Clan warriors knelt in perfect alignment, looking up at Mei Xueyan. No one answered. Then, simultaneously, every head lowered again. From some throats, a sound of irrepressible choking could be heard...

"Out of six thousand brothers, why are only a few of you left? Tell me, where are the others? Did they go searching for traces of the enemy?"

Mei Xueyan looked at her wounded brothers, her gaze distant, muttering reasons even she couldn't believe. Still, no one answered. Suddenly, Mei Xueyan roared with a voice sharpened to the edge of agony, "Why won't you answer me? Where are the other brothers?! Where are they?! Ah?! Where is Eagle King? Where is Bear King? You two bastards, where have you run off to? Speak! Answer me!!!"

At this moment, Mei Xueyan possessed not an ounce of her usual composure, not a shred of the majestic bearing of the Heavenly Punishment sovereign. Nearly hysterical, she was teetering on the brink of collapse...

A shadow flashed, and Jun Moxie, his face ashen, landed beside Mei Xueyan.

The warriors remained silent, yet they finally parted to form a clear path.

Jun Moxie moved again, placing himself squarely in front of Mei Xueyan, blocking her line of sight. He looked at her intently, his voice trembling, "Xueyan..."

"Move aside!" Mei Xueyan looked up furiously, her once beautiful eyes seeming ready to spew fire. "Jun Moxie! Get out of my way!"

Seeing Jun Moxie still looking at her with infinite tenderness but showing no sign of moving, Mei Xueyan exploded in rage. She shrieked, "Get lost!!~!!" Her voice cracked into a high, unnatural pitch!

The usually gentle and composed Mei Xueyan now looked as if she were moments away from resorting to physical violence over a simple disagreement!

"I must go to my brothers! No one will stop me!"

Jun Moxie sighed sadly, lowering his head, but he did not budge. If Xueyan needed to vent her fury upon him, so be it.

Mei Xueyan froze for a beat, her body suddenly swaying, and then she shot past Jun Moxie in a swift blur...

Immediately, a cry of heart-shattering grief rose from behind Jun Moxie.

"Ah~" Mei Xueyan screamed to the heavens, the aura around her body erupting outwards. Her voice was like the lament of canyon apes or the bleeding cry of the cuckoo—hollow and echoing into the distance. Everyone who heard her voice was infected by the sorrow burning within her. Even those unaware of the events could clearly feel the very taste of heartbreak...

In the center of the clearing, the mangled body of Eagle King lay still upon the ground. Beside him, Bear King lay side-by-side, covered in blood, a crimson stain still clinging to the corner of his mouth.

The only difference was that Eagle King's body showed absolutely no sign of life.

Bear King, however, still drew shallow breaths... Mei Xueyan's wail jolted Xiong Kaishan out of his state of near-unconsciousness brought on by extreme grief. The moment he awoke, he violently coughed up a mouthful of blood before leaping up, frantically scanning the surroundings with a deranged expression. "Big Sister! Big Sister is here! Quick! Quick... Quick, save Little Eagle! Save Little Eagle..."

His words tumbled out incoherently, a wild plea. Mei Xueyan was standing right before him, yet he seemed not to see her at all.

"Little Eagle..." Mei Xueyan felt as if struck by lightning; her delicate frame trembled violently. Crystalline tears slowly welled up, tracing paths down her pure, white cheeks before dripping onto the ground.

She walked over slowly, gently, her movements unnaturally soft and deliberate, as if fearful of disturbing her little brother's deep sleep.

Every step of those few short paces seemed to demand all the strength she possessed. Finally reaching Eagle King, she slowly bent down, her trembling fingers lightly caressing the cheek of the corpse—already cold and stiff, yet retaining an arrogant cast. She murmured, "Little Eagle... Big Sister has come. Big Sister came to see you. Don't be afraid, Big Sister is here. Don't... be afraid..."

Mei Xueyan reached out and slowly gathered Eagle King’s chillingly cold body into her arms, hugging him tightly. "Little Brother... why are you always so mischievous? The ground is so cold, so dirty. Are you not uncomfortable lying there? Get up now. Big Sister is holding you..."

Her gown, as white as freshly fallen snow, was instantly stained with patches of blood. Eagle King's body was large; as Mei Xueyan held him, his legs still trailed awkwardly on the ground. As if sleepwalking, she slowly began to walk, holding him close. "Little Eagle, Brother! Big Sister is taking you back, taking you home... Don't be afraid, be good..."

Her foot suddenly stumbled, but she stubbornly forced herself upright, maintaining a steady hold on the corpse with surprising strength. A flush immediately rose to her face. With a choked cry, she spat out a mouthful of blood. Before she could take another step, her legs finally gave way, and she collapsed to her knees. Her eyes closed, and she fainted dead away.

Even as Mei Xueyan swooned, her hands refused to release the body of her brother, holding fast!

It is often said that a sister-in-law is like a mother, and within the Heavenly Punishment family, Mei Xueyan’s role as Big Sister was akin to that of a mother to the other Beast Kings—perhaps even more so.

All these brothers were younger than her. From childhood, Mei Xueyan had led them, nurturing their growth step by painstaking step, consuming countless hours of her heart and energy.

From fledgling wings to becoming an aerial king, a generation’s overlord—Mei Xueyan had borne witness to their entire journey!

Every time they fell, Mei Xueyan was the one to lift them up; every success, she shared their joy. Every achievement was subtly underpinned by her sincere teachings.

And whenever these brothers experienced sadness or elation, their first impulse was always to share it with this Big Sister!

But now, Eagle King lay cold in Mei Xueyan's embrace, and for the call of the Big Sister he respected and cherished most, he could no longer answer.

Mei Xueyan felt as though her heart had been brutally torn out—ripped, bloody, and shattered into countless pieces!

After a long, long while, Mei Xueyan slowly awoke to find herself leaning against Jun Moxie.

Jun Moxie’s deep eyes gazed at her tenderly, filled with pity and pain, yet simultaneously radiating murderous intent!

"Big Sister! Big Sister!" Xiong Kaishan cried out, scrambling over and throwing himself before Mei Xueyan, then began knocking his head against the ground frantically. "Big Sister! Kill me! I don't want to live anymore, I truly don't want to live... Little Eagle, Ninth Brother... Ninth Brother died saving me... I failed to protect Ninth Brother, and I even became a burden to Little Nine. I deserve to die! I deserve to die! Why wasn't it me who died?" Xiong King convulsed, then suddenly knelt bolt upright, slamming his palms viciously against his own face. "I'll beat myself to death! You damned Bear, you caused the death of my Ninth Brother, my Ninth Brother..." He struck himself with such force that after only a few blows, his massive bear head was already a bloody mess.

Mei Xueyan stared blankly at the sky for a very long time. Finally, she lowered her head, and the focus in her pupils began to return. She looked down lovingly at Eagle King in her arms, and a fresh stream of hot tears escaped.

Then she lifted her gaze to Xiong King, her voice trembling but unnervingly firm. "Stand up!"

Xiong Kaishan sobbed, his body seemingly devoid of bone... "Men shed blood, not tears! Stand up! Stand up like a man! Xiong Kaishan, do not make me look down on you again!" Mei Xueyan's tears flowed silently down her face, but her voice was already calm. "You just said that Ninth Brother died saving you; then I do not wish for the person Ninth Brother saved to be the whimpering failure you are now! If so, I would feel it was undeserved for him!"

Mei Xueyan's eyes suddenly snapped into focus, and she roared, "Xiong Kaishan! Stand up for me!"

This severe command actually caused the very ground beneath everyone's feet to tremble slightly!

Xiong Kaishan flinched violently and, through sheer reflex, sprang to his feet, standing rigidly straight!

Mei Xueyan's eyes were bloodshot as she stared fiercely at him, her voice low. "Ninth Brother is dead. He died saving you! What will you do? Tell me!"

Xiong Kaishan clenched his jaw, his eyes red, and answered without hesitation, "If I die in this battle, naturally I will reunite with Ninth Brother! But even if I miraculously survive, I will seek out Ninth Brother after the fighting ends! Even in the Nine Hells of the Underworld, I, Xiong Kaishan, will still be Ninth Brother's Fourth Brother! Forever!"

"Bang!" Mei Xueyan trembled with rage. First came a heavy slap that spun the Bear King completely around. Still not appeased, she followed up with a fierce kick that landed squarely on Xiong Kaishan’s broad chest!

Then Xiong Kaishan’s powerful body flew as if riding the clouds, slamming hard onto the ground.

"Excellent! Excellent! Xiong Kaishan, you are magnificent! Truly magnificent!" Mei Xueyan’s voice shook with anger as she nodded fiercely. "Ninth Brother risked his very life to save yours; it turns out he did it so you could commit suicide and join him! Heh, Xiong Kaishan, you are something! You really are something! Such deep brotherly affection! I admire you!"

With every word she spoke, she rushed forward to kick him again, relentlessly. She pounded him until Xiong Kaishan was tumbling and crawling on the ground, blood gushing from his nose and mouth, yet Mei Xueyan showed no sign of stopping! Every punch landed solidly, with wet thuds, showing no mercy!

Even Jun Moxie watched sideways, having seemingly never witnessed Mei Xueyan display such fury. Yet, given the situation, Jun Moxie knew he absolutely could not intervene, nor even attempt to offer counsel.

Finally, Mei Xueyan grabbed Xiong Kaishan by the front of his tunic, slammed him hard onto the ground, and then dragged him, like a dead dog, in front of Eagle King. She released him abruptly, her face deathly pale, and hissed, "Ask Little Eagle! Ask Ninth Brother! Why did he save you? Why did he risk his own life to save you? Xiong Kaishan, your life was purchased with Ninth Brother's life! Ask him if he would have wanted you to die! Does this life you have now even belong to you? Do you have the right to decide its fate?!"

Xiong Kaishan looked at Eagle King’s face, let out a muffled sob, and then froze.

"If you believe that dying is the only way to repay Ninth Brother, then you can die right now!" Mei Xueyan glared at him fiercely. "I will not stop you!"

With that, she threw a broad saber clattering onto the ground in front of the Bear King.

Xiong Kaishan suddenly looked up, his eyes blazing as he stared at the gleaming blade, and a spark ignited within them.