Clumsy Beast, Keep Your Paws Off Chapter 731: Brother, I Can Explain!

An Mo finally stepped back into the Beast World, the familiar icy wind brushing against his face as he walked along the snow-covered path toward the courtyard.

His golden hair swayed behind him as he stuffed both hands into his sleeves, muttering to himself with an annoyed expression.

"Why did Xuan Long come back so soon?" He clicked his tongue in deep irritation. "I thought he would stay in the Teng Clan for at least another week."

A moment later, he suddenly shivered as the icy wind blew past.

"...No, no." He quickly flipped his long golden hair over his shoulder and straightened his back proudly. "So what? What can he even do to me? I am not weaker than him!"

His supreme confidence lasted for exactly three seconds.

Then, he let out a long, helpless sigh. "He really poured cold water over my perfect plan. It would have been much better if everything had already been done before he returned. But no... he just had to come back so early."

He looked toward the cloudy winter sky with an exaggerated expression of total grievance.

"Is Teng Clan that peaceful now? Can’t he stay there for a few more days? What a hopeless love fool! He can’t even stay away from her for one week."

An Mo clicked his tongue again, shaking his head. "Really embarrassing. But..." His expression softened a little. "I suppose he was bound to find out sooner or later."

Just as those words left his mouth...

A calm, deep voice sounded right behind him.

"...what exactly should I know?"

An Mo froze completely. Every single hair on his body seemed to stand straight up. Slowly... very, very slowly... he turned his head around.

Standing quietly under a large tree was Xuan Long.

Snowflakes drifted silently around his tall figure. His light robes blended seamlessly with the winter scenery, while his deep emerald eyes rested calmly on An Mo without the slightest trace of emotion.

He had no expression whatsoever, which somehow made him ten times scarier than if he were roaring with rage.

For a brief, desperate second, An Mo genuinely wanted to pretend he was blind, see nothing, and simply turn around and walk away.

Instead, a dazzling, overly bright smile instantly bloomed across his face. His eyes lit up as if he had just reunited with his long-lost twin brother.

"Xuan Long!" An Mo cried out, his voice dripping with dramatic passion.

"My dear brother!"

He spread both arms as wide as possible and enthusiastically threw himself forward for a big, affectionate hug.

To his absolute surprise... Xuan Long did not move or dodge. He simply stood there like a mountain, allowing the overly dramatic angel to wrap both arms around him.

The courtyard became strangely, terrifyingly quiet.

After a long, agonizing moment... Xuan Long slowly lowered his eyes and looked An Mo up and down.

His gaze lingered on the shimmering, bright golden robes. Then on the impossibly expensive jade belt. Then on the countless shiny, chiming ornaments hanging from his wide sleeves.

Finally... he spoke.

"...Where do you think you are going..." Xuan Long’s emerald eyes lifted to meet An Mo’s face, cold and unblinking. "...dressed like a peacock?"

An Mo immediately gasped dramatically, stepping back to look down at his glorious outfit.

"What do you mean, peacock?! This is high fashion!" He proudly flicked his golden hair over his shoulder again.

"I refuse to become an old, boring man like someone here."

Xuan Long remained completely silent, watching him like a predator watching an idiot.

An Mo grinned even wider, winking. "After all... I have someone special I need to impress."

The air in the courtyard instantly dropped by ten degrees. Xuan Long’s eyes narrowed ever so slightly.

"...Someone?"

An Mo’s brain caught up with his mouth a second too late. He instantly realized what he had just blurted out. His blinding smile stiffened mid-air.

Then he laughed awkwardly, sweating under his heavy robes. "Haha... well... of course... you know her. It’s... a secret!"

Silence. A terrifying, suffocating silence fell over the snow.

The very next second...

Slick!

Sharp, gleaming claws quietly extended from Xuan Long’s fingertips.

Before An Mo could even process the sound, a heavy, rock-hard hand was already clamped around his neck. It wasn’t tight enough to choke him or hurt him, but it was just firm enough to remind him exactly who was holding him captive.

Xuan Long’s calm, icy voice sounded right beside his ear.

"Of course. I know."

The fake smile on An Mo’s face slowly crumbled away into pure terror.

"...Brother..." An Mo gulped hard, his voice squeaking.

"I suddenly remembered... I have something very important to do in the Upper Domain. I can explain! There is absolutely no need for unnecessary violence between family!"

Xuan Long gave him a faint, exceptionally gentle smile. It was the kind of soft smile that made An Mo’s soul nearly leave his body.

"You can explain." Xuan Long nodded lightly, his voice almost polite.

"While flying."

"...Flying?"

Before An Mo could even ask another foolish question...

WHOOSH!

Both of them vanished from the snowy courtyard like two streaks of blinding lightning!

A sudden blast of wind blew through the trees, and only a few peaceful snowflakes spun gently in the empty air where they had been standing a second ago.

***

A few moments later...

Su Qinglan pushed open the warm courtyard door and stepped outside, holding a small basket. She paused on the porch, blinking her eyes in confusion as she looked around the empty snow.

"...Strange," she muttered, tilting her head. "I could have sworn I heard An Mo’s loud voice just now."

She glanced down the quiet, empty snowy path before shaking her head with a soft chuckle.

"I must have heard wrong," she thought to herself. "If that guy were really back, he would have rushed straight inside the house to hug me already."

With that thought, she turned around and went back into the warm house to check on the cubs, completely unaware that far away, over the distant, icy mountains...

An Mo’s loud, miserable, and utterly pathetic cries were currently echoing across the entire sky.

"Xuan Long!!"

"I WAS WRONG!!"

"I WON’T BE SNEAKY!!’

"AT LEAST LET ME LAND FIRST, YOU CRAZY SNAKE!!"