022 Spending the Night with the Deer Tribe Tonight

When Si Qi finished, his mental energy was completely exhausted. He leaned against a tree trunk, closing his eyes to rest; he didn't even have the strength to lift his hand.

Chi Yu was uninjured. While Si Qi was treating the others, he had already started a fire to roast meat. Seeing that they had all finished dressing their wounds, he hurriedly handed over the golden, roasted beast meat, giving the tenderest piece to Li Yue first.

"Eat quickly, it's fresh off the fire. Replenish your strength so we can get back on the road."

After distributing meat to the other beast husbands, he finally took a piece for himself and began to eat.

Li Yue took the roasted meat and bit into it. The texture was tender and fresh, even better than the meat they had this morning. She smiled at Chi Yu and said, "Chi Yu, you’ve already cooked four meals. Make one more, and I’ll give you my blood."

Chi Yu nodded gently, his expression largely unchanged.

As she ate, Li Yue looked over at the resting Si Qi and the other beast husbands. She secretly sighed with relief; fortunately, they had Si Qi’s healing abilities, otherwise, their journey would have certainly been delayed today. Now that everyone’s injuries were treated, they could continue their journey after eating and should be able to reach the next resting point before dark.

You Lie sat not far away, holding his portion of meat, but his gaze drifted to Li Yue from time to time. When Si Qi was treating her earlier, the pleasant surprise in her eyes had been so obvious, and her attitude toward Si Qi had become noticeably gentler. A stifling feeling welled up in his chest for no reason. He took a bite of the meat, but it tasted like nothing to him, and even the flicker of joy he had felt earlier when she received the shoes he gathered for her seemed to fade.

After finishing the meat, Li Yue was just about to stand up when she saw You Lie walk over to her first. He leaned down slightly, clearly preparing to carry her on the road as he had done before.

Li Yue instinctively turned her head and took a small step back. "No need. I’ll let Jin Ye carry me."

She looked at You Lie, noting that his face showed nothing out of the ordinary and the restless agitation of his mating season had vanished from his dark red eyes. She figured his state had stabilized, so there was no need for physical contact to soothe him. Besides, she felt a bit uncomfortable being carried all the time. Moreover, You Lie had been fierce to her today, and she had a temper too; why should she cling to a villain who treated her so harshly?

You Lie’s hand, reaching out mid-air, froze. A flash of hurt crossed his eyes, as if he had been lightly pricked by something, but he quickly suppressed it, his voice devoid of emotion.

"Since you like Jin Ye, let him carry you."

Li Yue frowned. What did he mean by "since she liked Jin Ye"? It sounded so awkward. However, she didn't offer any explanation. She turned and walked over to Jin Ye, looking up at him. "Can you carry me? Even though there's only half a day left today, I'll count it as a full day for you, and I’ll give you my blood tomorrow."

When Jin Ye first heard that Li Yue wanted him to carry her, his ears had perked up, and his eyes were full of joy. But upon hearing her words, his brows furrowed again. "No, a half-day should count as a half-day."

Li Yue raised an eyebrow slightly. What was going on with these beast husbands? They had been squabbling over the count for blood donations before, and now they were being polite to her? She quickly reasoned that since they were all future great villains with meticulous minds, they were probably just keeping clear accounts and didn't want to owe her any favors over such a small matter.

She reached out, grabbed Jin Ye’s mane, and hopped onto his back.

Seeing that Li Yue didn't insist, Jin Ye’s tense shoulders relaxed instantly. His tail gave a light flick behind him, and even his eyes took on an imperceptible brightness. When You Lie had walked over earlier, he thought he had lost the chance to carry her today, but the unexpected turn of events made his fingertips curl with joy. The soft body of the little female pressed against his back, carrying her unique, faint fragrance, finally made his heart feel at ease.

Jin Ye’s black mane was soft and warm, carrying the scent of sunshine, though the weather was a bit hot. As soon as Li Yue settled in, she felt Jin Ye shift his body slightly to adjust to a comfortable position before he began to stride forward. His speed remained the same, but his back was much steadier than the day before, with far less jolting. Li Yue didn't need to cling tightly to his mane as she had done previously; she only needed to rest her hands lightly upon it.

Li Yue asked, "Jin Ye, where are we resting tonight?"

Jin Ye’s voice was muffled but clear. "We’re almost at the Deer Tribe. I’ve dealt with the chieftain of the Deer Tribe before; he should let us stay in the tribe for the night."

Li Yue’s eyes lit up. Staying in a tribe was safer than being out in the wild, and it gave her a chance to ask if anyone had news of her father.

You Lie followed behind Jin Ye, his dark red eyes locked onto Li Yue. Seeing her perched on Jin Ye’s back, a faint smile on her lips as she spoke to him, an unknown emotion surged in his chest. His heart felt stifled and flustered, and his gaze toward Jin Ye turned sharper. The other males also had their eyes on Li Yue, their moods somewhat complex.

The journey remained smooth, and they didn't encounter any more fierce beasts. As the sun set, the outline of the Deer Tribe finally appeared before them. The perimeter of the tribe was fenced with sturdy logs, and two Deer Tribe warriors were patrolling at the entrance. Upon seeing them approach, they looked on with vigilance, only relaxing when they recognized Jin Ye.

"It’s Jin Ye, long time no see," one of the patrolling warriors greeted with a smile.

Jin Ye nodded. "We’d like to stay in the tribe for one night and leave early tomorrow morning."

The patrolling warrior glanced at Li Yue, his eyes lighting up. Females were rare in the beast world, and a beauty like Li Yue was even rarer. He quickly cleared the way. "Come in, the chieftain will surely welcome you."

Entering the tribe, Li Yue realized the Deer Tribe was not small, filled with houses constructed of wood and animal skins. Many beastmen were busy along the roadside, and upon seeing their group—especially upon seeing Li Yue—they couldn't help but stop and look curiously.

Soon, a sturdy, middle-aged beastman approached. He wore a skirt of animal skin, and the beast ring on his arm was green, marking him as a powerful beastman; he was the chieftain of the Deer Tribe. The chieftain’s eyes landed on Li Yue and brightened instantly. He hurried over to greet them enthusiastically. "Welcome, welcome! I am the chieftain of the Deer Tribe, my name is Qingshan."

As he spoke, he appraised Li Yue, secretly calculating. The entire Deer Tribe only had a dozen or so females; if he could persuade this female to stay in the tribe, it would be a tremendous boon.

"Chieftain Qingshan, we only wish to stay for one night. Sorry for the trouble," Li Yue replied politely.

Qingshan waved his hand with a smile. "No trouble at all, no trouble! We are more than happy to have you!"

He led them deep into the tribe and stopped in front of a wooden house that was significantly larger than the surrounding ones. "This house is empty; you can stay here. It’s very clean inside."

The house was not only large but also had a roof covered in thick animal skins, looking quite luxurious. Li Yue was flattered and quickly waved her hands. "Chieftain Qingshan, there’s no need for such trouble. Just give us a small, unused hut; we’ll be leaving early tomorrow."

Qingshan insisted, "It’s no trouble at all. This house is vacant, so please rest easy. By the way, there’s a bonfire party in the tribe tonight. If you’re interested, Li Yue, you’re welcome to join us; it’s very lively."

Li Yue had wanted to refuse, as they needed to travel tomorrow and she wanted to rest early, but seeing Qingshan’s enthusiasm and remembering his kindness in letting them stay in such a nice house, she couldn't find a way to decline. She nodded in agreement, though she secretly decided to just make a brief appearance and return early so as not to affect their departure tomorrow.

Seeing her agree, Qingshan’s smile broadened. After exchanging a few more polite words, he turned and left. As soon as he returned to his own home, he hurriedly called for his son, Qingze. Qingze was tall and well-built, with a green beast ring on his arm, looking quite spirited.

"Father, did you call for me?"

Qingshan patted his shoulder and laughed, "A beautiful and kind female has arrived in our tribe. You must seize this opportunity!"

When Qingze heard this, his cheeks flushed instantly. He had noticed her the moment she entered the tribe. She was perched on Jin Ye’s back, her profile catching the sunset, looking gentle and beautiful. But then, thinking of the five beast husbands trailing behind her, his voice lowered.

"Father, she already has five beast husbands. She won't accept me."

Qingshan, however, was unbothered. "I’ve checked. There are no male beast marks on her, which means she hasn't fully accepted those husbands. Furthermore, among those beast husbands, only two are of the Green Rank. Your beast ring is about to upgrade—you definitely have a chance!"