Chapter 229: Beast Continent

When Niu Bin opened his mouth, the Beastfolk—over a dozen people who had just finished eating food made from alkaline grass—upon hearing Lin Manzhi say that this alkaline grass could be turned into green dried grass for sale, their eyes were full of hunger, and they all turned to stare at Shi Jiadan, as if saying.

Buy it! Quickly buy me some green dried grass!

Shi Jiadan, being watched by everyone, even though he thought this so‑called alkaline grass didn't taste good—its flavor was the same as the grass on their own pastures—still believed Niu Bin and the others wouldn't lie; this alkaline grass is useful to their race's Spirit Core.

He also wasn't foolish, and immediately said eagerly: "Lord's Wife, it is our honor that you can bring alkaline grass to trade with the Beast Continent; may I ask what you need? I will certainly give you the greatest discount."

Lin Manzhi looked at the very enthusiastic Shi Jiadan; with him present, the negotiation proceeded very smoothly.

In the space, the alkaline grass can be exchanged: one jin of green dried grass for two jin of small cotton meat Exotic Beast meat, or for one hundred forty jin of consumed Exotic Beast meat.

Since the alkaline grass in the space only has medicinal effect for special races, being able to get this price made Lin Manzhi very happy; she then told Shi Jiadan the quantity of prey that needed to be replenished, and the trade with the Beast Continent was concluded.

The alkaline dried grass, as agreed with Lin Manzhi, will be exchanged for as much green dried grass as they wish, based on the prey they bring next time; when they next come to Kuangsha City, the green dried grass transaction will take place.

When Lin Manzhi finished negotiating with Shi Jiadan, Niu Bin and his companions exchanged glances.

Niu Bin hurriedly stood up and asked Lin Manzhi, who was at the head of the long table: "Lord's Wife, may we be allowed, before we depart this time, to use Beast Coins to buy some alkaline dried grass to take back, may we?"

Feeling extremely uneasy, the powerful lord sitting beside them glanced over, giving them an intangible chill.

But the alkaline dried grass was truly tasty, making the representative Niu Bin stiffen his neck and stand rooted.

Lin Manzhi: "Of course. We'll exchange at the price of fresh small cotton meat Exotic Beast meat: one jin of alkaline dried grass costs 1,360 Beast Coins. How much do you want to exchange? Later I'll have a guard come over; you can go to him to make the trade."

The piles of alkaline dried grass in the space were stacked high; if Niu Bin and his group took the alkaline dried grass back to the Beast Continent this time, they could imagine how many eyes would be drawn when they ate it, so selling it to them now provides both Beast Coins and free advertising—a win‑win.

Lin Manzhi left here with Mo Lie, and on the way she happily told him, "We've finally found a use for alkaline grass. Our space's prairie was originally for breeding; such a vast meadow can sustain over a thousand Beastfolk like Niu Bin as staple food. Now that Beastfolk treat it as a snack, we can harvest tons of alkaline grass and sell it to the Beastfolk of the Beast Continent."

Mo Lie, thoughtful, said: "Hmm… that meadow was used to raise the young?"

"Ah," Lin Manzhi was slightly startled, then widened her shining eyes and nodded: "Now that you mention it, that could work too!"

However, no Beastfolk would hand over their own offspring to others, and Lin Manzhi could not bring herself to steal others' young for experimentation.

She turned to Mo Lie, slightly curious, and asked: "Beastfolk male cubs follow their sire; Mo Lie, how big a black panther were you when you were born?"

Mo Lie turned his head toward Lin Manzhi, raising an eyebrow meaningfully: "Are you interested in how I looked when I was young?"

Lin Manzhi: "Hmm, I've been here so long and haven't seen any cubs yet."

Mo Lie curled his lips, leaned close, his slightly loose collar shifting to reveal a patch of pale neck skin; his deep blue eyes reflected Lin Manzhi as he said, "We can give birth to one; then you'll be able to see how I looked as a youngster."

When Lin Manzhi heard that again, she no longer blushed.

She fell silent: "…"

Beastfolk cubs are very fragile; parents never take them out before age five, so if one wants to see cute cubs, the only way is, as Mo Lie suggested, to have one of your own.

As for that, given her Pregnancy Value, conceiving wouldn't happen instantly.

That evening, at the banquet hosted by the Kuangsha City lord, the game brought back from the Beast Continent was slaughtered, and each Kuangsha City commander present received a piece of fresh meat.

In Kuangsha City, where game is scarce and food is mostly meat jerky, fresh meat is a rare delicacy, so Hu Jiao and the others were delighted.

The people from the Beast Continent who attended the Kuangsha City banquet set off for their return journey the next day.

Immediately after, Lin Manzhi arranged for the Planting Base to harvest Holy Maiden Fruit, settled the final payment with the Wushen Temple, and saw off its personnel.

…

Beast Continent.

When Shi Jiadan returned with his squad, the vast land was already blanketed in thick snow; the biting cold wind struck like a blade.

The Beastfolk warriors stationed on the walls of the Beast Continent city, clad in thick furs, gazed into the distance, watching the convoy approaching from the snowy horizon—thousands of giant oxen pulling cargo boxes twice their own size—while a Beastfolk in the middle hoisted a golden lion‑elephant banner of the Beast Continent's lord, fluttering in the cold wind.

"War General Jiadan has returned!" the city‑guarding Beastfolk exclaimed excitedly, "Quick, open the gates and report to the lord at once!"

No wonder they're excited; this time Shi Jiadan, on the lord's orders, completed a major deal, bringing back thick winter furs, warming black spheres, various potions from the Wushen Temple, and the Beast Continent's beloved green leaf dried goods, among other essential supplies.

Lord Shi Jiu, upon receiving the news, rose from the pile of warm blankets and headed toward the administrative hall of the Lord's Residence.

The lord's sleeping chamber is close to the administrative hall; Shi Jiu, seated on a Beastfolk guard's back, arrived within minutes.

"Lord."

Prime Minister Niu Yuan, who had been waiting in the hall, led forty or fifty officials in a bow; Shi Jiu lazily walked up to the lord's throne and sat down.

"Niu Yuan." Shi Jiu looked down, frowned, and asked, "Haven't you taken the spirit‑restoring elixir?"

Niu Yuan stood at the front of the crowd, closest to Lord Shi Jiu, and stepped forward when the lord asked.

On the Beast Continent, official ranks are determined by individual martial strength; as the prime minister—second only to the lord—Niu Yuan is naturally the strongest male beast after the lord.

During the early winter's resistance to an Exotic Beast tide, he fought at the front of all warriors, which is why his Spirit Core now suffers this problem.

His complexion was somewhat pale: "Lord, I've already taken six doses, but the energy in my Spirit Core remains depleted."

Everyone's previously smiling expressions paused at his words.

Shi Jiu's lazy demeanor also stalled.