Chapter 478: Is that how it turns out?

At that moment, all the looks directed at the clan chief were bright; the clan chief is really too smart.

The small tribe's chief gave a disdainful glance at the surrounding tribespeople—a bunch of brainless fools; how could they possibly compare to him?

Snow Moon Tribe's encampment.

"That small tribe today had some strangers arrive; the leader is a half-beast warrior; hearing from the small tribe's people, it seems they are from the East Mulberry Tribe."

Ying Yan shared the information he gathered today from the small tribe.

"It seems this small tribe has indeed made contact with the East Mulberry Tribe; I don't know if these East Mulberry Tribe people were invited by this small tribe to deal with us."

Wu Yue looked around; their small tribe really is just a couple of little cats, but this cat is not that cat—the few cats here all have off-the-charts combat power.

"It's probably related to the people that small tribe captured a few days ago; the East Mulberry Tribe keeps clearing out nearby small tribes, and those unwilling to submit have fled—maybe these people are the pursuers coming after them."

Yuan Lang spoke, then coldly snorted: "Even if they really came to help this small tribe, they're just delivering vegetables."

Ying Yan swallowed the roasted meat in his mouth: "Delivering vegetables? The East Mulberry Tribe is still sending us vegetables? When I went out to gather news, what happened?"

Wu Yue glanced at Yuan Lang's stiffened handsome face, speechlessly pressed his forehead, then forced a laugh and explained: "It's not that they're sending us vegetables; Yuan Lang means those East Mulberry Tribe people are like wild weeds—you can swipe them away with a claw, they pose no threat."

Ying Yan nodded with an expression of sudden realization: "Oh, that's how it is."

Wu Yue forced a laugh: "Isn't that exactly it?"

The warning glance, however, flicked toward a certain beastman warrior whose eyes were darting around—be careful with your words from now on; if there's a next time, you'll have to explain yourself!

Upon receiving the little female's warning glance, Yuan Lang offered a "that's not necessary" appeasing smile.

The swollen small tribe didn't keep them waiting long; on the night two days later, rustling sounds arose in the forest around the encampment.

On the other side, Da Man and a few people in the cave were still dead-to-the-world asleep, while Yuan Lang and the others had already sat up.

And the night watch Ying Yan wasn't guarding by the fire either; he had long been hiding in the trees.

Watching a group stealthily approaching not far beneath the trees, sure enough, among the two leaders appeared the figure of that East Mulberry Tribe half-beast—indeed they had come.

"Is this the new tribe you mentioned before?"

The East Mulberry Tribe half-beast warrior looked puzzled at the unpatrolled encampment ahead, and asked the small tribe's chief beside him in confusion.

The small tribe's chief nodded: "Last time I brought my people here, I wanted to seize this place, because the previous tribe had all died off in winter; I never expected to find it occupied by this new tribe when we arrived."

The East Mulberry Tribe half-beast warrior looked at him: "Just because this new tribe has two half-beast warriors, you dare not attack? Pfft~"

Saying that, he snorted with laughter, inwardly labeling the small tribe's chief a coward.

He then stood up straight and walked toward the encampment where the fire was still burning: "There are only two half-beast warriors; what's there to fear? Just go up and kill them."

Seeing that half-beast warrior no longer hiding, obviously full of confidence, the small tribe's chief felt great joy and also rose to call his underlings to follow.

The group's footsteps were no longer concealed, clearly audible in the pitch-black night.

Wu Yue picked up the animal-skin coat nearby, put it on, slowly laced on the animal-skin boots, and walked out of the small cave.

At this moment, Yuan Lang, Teng Qian, and Teng Kun were already standing in the open space outside the cave; directly ahead of them were the small tribe's chief and the East Mulberry Tribe half-beast party.

But at this moment, the East Mulberry Tribe half-beast warrior's face had completely lost its earlier confidence, instead being utterly gloomy.

If looks could kill, the small tribe's chief would probably have been stabbed to death seventeen or eighteen times already.

He gritted his teeth angrily and whispered: "Is this the two half-beast warriors you spoke of?"

Damn it, just a moment ago, although only one person was emanating pressure, that familiar feeling was definitely that of a beastman warrior, no mistake.

Thinking about how the small tribe's chief, that idiot, had tricked him into coming forward to attack the beastman warriors, the East Mulberry Tribe half-beast warrior wanted to give himself a few hard hits.

If he had eaten some vegetable dumplings at dinner, he wouldn't be feeling so light-headed just now!

The small tribe's chief felt bitter inside; last time he came here, he clearly didn't feel this way—after not seeing each other for a while, did they evolve?

"Hmph, I'll deal with you again when we get back!"

The East Mulberry Tribe half-beast warrior's originally fierce face showed a hint of a smile; he respectfully saluted Teng Qian: "I didn't expect there to be such powerful beastman warriors here; I am the captain of the East Mulberry Tribe's hunting squad—may I ask who you are?"

The East Mulberry Tribe half-beast warrior was afraid, his heart trembling; facing a powerful beastman warrior, they had no hope of victory, so they quickly invoked the East Mulberry Tribe.

He felt immense relief, relieved that he hadn't had time to act against this tribe; otherwise, he would probably already be on his way to see the Beast God.

Seeing the beastman warrior's attitude so friendly, even somewhat humble, Wu Yue and the others couldn't help but raise their eyebrows.

"So you're a person from the East Mulberry Tribe; I don't know what business you have coming onto our tribe's territory."

Seeing that the beastman warrior didn't come up and give him a claw, the East Mulberry Tribe half-beast warrior let out a deep sigh in his heart, feeling as if he had escaped death.

They and their group, in such a pitch-black night, the people from the small tribe who brought them here still held various crude weapons in their hands—one glance and you knew their purpose.

The East Mulberry Tribe half-beast warrior felt no shame in betraying the small tribe; instead, he readily told Wu Yue and the others about the small tribe chief's 'plot,' and even timely expressed his own indignation.

Seeing that the large tribe's half-beast warriors reacted this way toward the few people of the new tribe, the small tribe's chief had nothing more to misunderstand—his face instantly turned pale.

"Beastman Sir, I don't know how many exalted ones live here; when I came before, I only saw a few pure human males, so I dared to have designs on this encampment—please spare me."

The small tribe's chief prostrated himself on the ground, as if placed in an icy snowfield, shivering; the cold sweat on his forehead fell like beads of water from a large leaf, dropping onto the ground and making small pits, not very large.

Teng Qian snorted: "You actually wanted to kill us and then occupy our tribe; now we give you two choices—either become slaves of our Snow Moon Tribe, or be sent to see the Beast God."

The small tribe's chief's face went black; this is called two choices, but clearly there's only one good option, right?

If one can stay alive, who would willingly go to die?

A flurry of wing flaps accompanied the rustling as trees were parted, and two tall figures walked out of the forest—indeed the previously hidden Ying Yan and Teng Kun on the side.

"Four... four?"

The East Mulberry Tribe half-beast warrior's face turned green—good grief, this tiny tribe actually has four powerful beastman warriors!

With such formidable combat power, this small tribe will surely become one of the strongest tribes in this forest, perhaps even the strongest.

Thinking about how the chief has been going around conquering nearby small tribes lately, the half-beast feels a bit embarrassed; he'd better head back to the tribe and inform the chief of this news.

Looking at the still-kneeling, pallid-faced small tribe chief, Wu Yue's clear voice rang out in the silent clearing: "Send someone back to bring all your tribe's people here, including those you captured outside a few days ago."

In the deathly still atmosphere, a voice like a tinkling spring suddenly rang out, causing everyone to startle and lift their heads toward the direction of the sound.

The female standing at the cave mouth, her beautiful face like a bright moon, seemed to be suffused with a dreamy halo in the firelight, making everyone present feel dazed.

"Didn't you hear the shaman's words?"

The beastfolk's low voice, laced with a chilling cold, seemed about to freeze the surrounding air, instantly sobering those who had just been dazed.

But the next moment, they unconsciously looked with fervent eyes again at the young female standing at the cave entrance, and even the beastfolk's icy gaze was not so intimidating.

"Shaman..."

The legendary shaman...

In their small forest, shamans had existed long ago, but because the tribe here was too weak, those shamans, after awakening, all went to the big tribes or super tribes across the river.

Thus, shamans, who were common across the river, became legendary beings in this forest.

Wu Yue caught a glimpse of deep meaning in the beastfolk's eyes beside her with her peripheral vision; her lips curled slightly, and her fair hand waved lightly—on the roaring fire, a thick arm‑sized flame seemed to be controlled by something, swirling around her as she moved her fingers, as if it had come alive.

This phenomenon again drew gasps from the surrounding people.

The bored young female waved her fingers, and the flame that could easily take their lives swirled around her like seeing A Mu's offspring—such miraculous power meant the young female must be a great shaman.

Now, no longer out of fear, everyone knelt devoutly: "Great shaman."

Wu Yue slightly turned her head to glance at the beastman warrior beside her; Yuan Lang's deep eyes narrowed slightly, his expression showed no obvious change, but the faint upturn of his lips was caught by Wu Yue.

Unconsciously, a smile appeared in his eyes as well: "Get up."

Thereafter, his indifferent gaze fell on the small tribe's chief: "Hurry and bring all the tribespeople here."

Then he looked toward the Half‑Beast warrior of the East Mulberry Tribe kneeling not far from the others: "People of the East Mulberry Tribe, come into the cave."

The East Mulberry Tribe's Half‑Beast warrior, flattered and startled, followed behind several beastman warriors into the cave.

The dry cave lacked the strange smell of the small tribe's earlier cave; instead, it was filled with a very pleasant herbal aroma.

In the cave there was also a burning firepit, around which lay several flat stones; a stone pot sat atop it, from which an enticing fragrance occasionally drifted.

"Great shaman."

The Half‑Beast warrior stood there somewhat nervously, feeling a bit light‑headed today after seeing so many important figures at once; he was anxious, feeling as if he were dreaming.

Wu Yue pointed to the spot against the cave entrance: "Sit down, I have something to ask you."

The Half‑Beast warrior repeatedly bowed his head and nodded, then sat cautiously on the spot lined with dry grass.

"Is this still the Yun Wu Shan Mai?"

Wu Yue's crescent‑shaped brows furrowed slightly, as if she were truly full of doubt.

Seeing this, Yuan Lang and the others struggled to suppress their smiles, lowering their heads and pretending to be busy.

The East Mulberry Tribe's Half‑Beast warrior felt certain, confirming his earlier speculation.

Indeed, these people were not from this forest; perhaps they came from the opposite bank.

But facing the shaman who represented the Beast God, he dared not lie, saying respectfully: "Honored shaman, this is the Yun Wu Shan Mai."

Seeing the young shaman's brows slightly furrowed, as if doubtful, he spoke again respectfully: "Our forest lies on the other side of the Forest River; the powerful tribes and super tribes are on the river's other side."

Upon hearing this, Wu Yue blinked, a flash of realization appearing in her eyes: "In that case, after we fled the migrating beast tide last time and reached shore, we ended up on the other side of the river."

One question seemed casual, the answer given carefully; in this exchange, Wu Yue and her companions learned more about the forest, and this Half‑Beast warrior of the East Mulberry Tribe also received much information Wu Yue wanted him to know.

"In that case, the safest method would be to follow those who organize competitions with the super tribes across the river?"

The Half‑Beast warrior nodded, then cautiously glanced at Ying Yan, whom he had just seen was a flying beastman warrior: "Although flying beastman warriors also have a certain chance to fly over the Forest River, it is too dangerous."

If the flying beastmen fly too low, they will be attacked by water beasts in the Forest River; if they fly too high, they will draw the siege of ferocious wild beasts in the sky—very dangerous.

Our forest has too few beastman warriors, especially flying ones, so the only chance for us to reach the opposite forest is to join the competition; only the super tribes will send strong beastman warriors to protect the victorious tribe across.

After asking for more information they wanted, Wu Yue and her companions summoned Da Man, then took the Half‑Beast warrior down to rest.

After a moment of silence in the cave, Wu Yue and her companions all looked at Ying Yan: "Last time, you were the only one who stayed conscious—never mind the water beasts in the river, what are those flocks of flying wild beasts in the sky like?"

Ying Yan blinked, then sheepishly scratched his head: "That day I didn't fly very high; after bringing Yuan Lang up, I also passed out, so... I haven't seen them either."