The Green Bull Beastman found the sub-female before him quite agreeable. Seeing her confused expression, he spoke with professional patience, "If you’re a vegetarian and have a calmer disposition, I’d recommend Nantong City. It’s a bit poor, but the people there aren’t very confrontational."
Feng Si nodded.
’Beastmen who prefer a vegetarian diet do have calmer temperaments.’
The Green Bull Beastman said, "If you prefer eating meat, then there are no restrictions." He figured that if she had grown up in Cang City, she would be accustomed to the several brawls that broke out every day.
Feng Si understood the deeper meaning in the Green Bull Beastman’s words.
After a moment’s thought, she said, "I’ll go to Nantong City."
"Alright. Nantong City is eighty-three mountains away from here. That will be eight hundred coins." Having successfully secured a customer, the Beastman gave an honest, simple smile.
Feng Si didn’t haggle. She took out four two-hundred-coin notes and, imitating the others, paid her fare and stood beside the Green Bull Beastman to wait.
Soon, there were ten people. The Green Bull Beastman went to the squad of Beastmen guarding the city gate and spent five hundred coins to rent a passenger saddle rack.
The Green Bull Beastman then retreated to an open space and, with a WHOOSH, transformed into a four-meter-tall water buffalo. The city guard Beastmen placed the saddle carriage on the buffalo’s back, then fastened a series of ropes around its front, middle, and rear, securing the carriage firmly to its back.
The great water buffalo, carrying the large saddle carriage on its back, walked over with a CLIP-CLOP and stopped in front of the customers.
Feng Si tilted her head back.
’Wow!’
’He’s so tall, taller than a single story of a modern building!’
The beast forms of the Beastmen here were at least ten times larger than their modern counterparts.
As Feng Si watched, the water buffalo lowered its head to look at her. Its long, curved horns glinted like bronze, and its large, bell-like eyes seemed particularly harmless.
It naturally knelt on its front legs and leaned to one side. The seats on its back, now level with its flank, were at the perfect height for a human-form customer to step into. A white, short-tailed sub-female in front of Feng Si grabbed the seat, hopped up with both legs, and settled herself inside.
Feng Si deliberately stayed at the back of the line, watching how the others did it from the corner of her eye. She did her best not to act like a naive sub-female, fresh out in the world and easy to deceive.
The seats were similar to an open-air ski lift from the modern world. There was no cover above or around them, and each seat was separated by a meter, which was very friendly to introverts.
By the time she sat down in the last seat on the right, near the buffalo’s tail, she was able to naturally pull out the beast-hide rope behind the seat and fasten it around her waist.
She swung her leg over and settled into the seat with practiced ease, like an experienced sub-female accustomed to traveling in the wild.
In reality, Feng Si was gritting her teeth and forcing herself to endure it.
’I still haven’t recovered from last night’s exhaustion!’
She took a deep breath and looked up at the sky.
The misty blue had deepened to a dark azure. Large clouds floated on the horizon, and two blinding, side-by-side suns had risen from behind the mountains, illuminating the land.
’On such a hot day, I forgot to ask how long the trip to Nantong City will take...’
Before Feng Si could ask, a canopy gradually rose up from the carriage, enclosing them like a modern shuttle bus. Once all the passengers were settled, the great water buffalo stood up and galloped toward the forest.
It was like a raging bull charging through the forest. Judging by the speed at which the scenery rushed past, it was no slower than a high-speed train.
Feng Si lurched just once, but after that, there were no more major bumps. Amidst the gentle swaying, she only felt the wind rushing past her ears, bringing a hint of coolness to the gradually warming air.
The wind also blew back the wolf ears of the freckled sub-female.
Her expression unchanging, she reached up to hold them in place. Then, unhurriedly, she put on a wide, black cloak, blending in with the other passengers who were all wearing sun-protection cloaks. She became even more low-key and inconspicuous.
「...」
The hot springs on the mountaintop were located south of Cang City, by the shore of a lake that bubbled and steamed with a white mist.
Twelve burly figures stood silently to the side, heads bowed. They wore earth-yellow combat uniforms, and on the left side of their chests was a black, ’Chi’-shaped insignia. They were clearly a well-trained, elite military unit.
Beside the steaming hot spring, one of the warriors, who had a Black Hawk embroidered on his shoulder, frowned deeply. His sharp gaze was filled with profound worry.
"Young Master Jie, all of Cang City’s un-partnered Advanced Females have been gathered at the Sacrificial Hall. Please return to the Sacrificial Hall as soon as possible to have your Original Value tested."
Chi Jie sat on a rock by the shore. His black, form-fitting combat suit outlined a tall, handsome figure. Perfectly toned muscles were hidden beneath the fabric, yet even his restrained aura couldn’t conceal the explosive power radiating from his body. He was like a fierce beast, poised to strike.
He had a pair of golden, blazing eyes that looked cold and dangerous. He coolly lifted his eyelids and said, "There’s no need."
Anxiety flashed across Ying Kong’s face.
He was from the Black Eagle Clan, the primary vassal clan that had followed the Second Young Master of the South Desolate Empire since childhood. He served as the air force commander of the Second Legion, which was under Young Master Jie’s control, and also acted as his loyal personal guard.
The Southern Wilderness’s Beast King Clan were descendants of the dragons of legend. Their beast forms were just like the depictions of legend, only lacking a pair of dragon horns. With their incomparably powerful beast forms, they had ruled the entire South Land of the world for two thousand years.
To the loyal Ying Kong, even though this world revered females, any matter concerning the Southern Wilderness’s Beast King Clan made even the rarest and most precious female seem insignificant.
Therefore, his usually unflappable face was now etched with worry. He leaned his upper body forward slightly, his posture almost frantic.
"The calming power of an Advanced Female might not have much of an effect on you, but among the three females in the main city that you were dissatisfied with, one might suffice in an emergency. I will clean up afterward. Please, prioritize your own well-being."
Chi Jie lowered his gaze, staring fixedly at the stone slab beneath him. He acted as if he hadn’t heard the desperate suggestion offered by his subordinate.
Even when his life was on the line, he still maintained the effortless composure of a superior.
Worried on his Young Master’s behalf, Ying Kong sighed deeply and continued his slow persuasion, "On the battlefield with the Northern Plain, without your presence to hold the line, the First Young Master and the Third Young Master have been leading the army recklessly. The Southern Wilderness has already suffered three consecutive defeats. I’m afraid it won’t be long before the Northern Plain’s Flame Tiger Beast King deduces that something has happened to you..."
Chi Jie’s eyes darkened.
The Bei Yuan Empire, the second-strongest power on the continent.
It was ruled by the powerful Flame Tiger Clan and occupied a vast territory to the north of the continent.
There could never be two masters of the land. For seven years, conflict had been ceaseless along the border between the two nations.
His father, the King, was already two hundred and seventy years old. Even the fiercest beast’s combat prowess would decline significantly upon entering old age.
As for his two brothers, after their combat power was rated as Advanced in their youth, they had spent all these years focused on vying for power. Now, only their appearances were still intimidating.
This was why, at the young age of twenty-four, his Original Value had reached a critical level.
—Seven years of continuous battle. Even the vastest Spiritual Domain would eventually fall into chaos.
But now, his long-troubled Spirit Domain was completely clear.
Chi Jie looked up. In the sunlight, his golden eyes shone like liquid gold. An unknown fire burned in their depths, conveying an inscrutable meaning.
"I said there’s no need. I have already found my... female."