Chapter 81: He

Shan Yan and a few others waited on both sides but the chief never came to inform them, so they, bearing the items they had prepared, went of their own accord to the chief's house, where Luo Ji sternly refused them.

Since it concerned the most essential food, Shan Yan and his companions had no choice but to seek the decision of Shamaness Oti, who held a rank higher than the chief within the tribe.

Luo Ji thought that Shan Yan's group of male Beastfolk dared to lodge a complaint with the Shamaness, which was despicable—he almost wanted to kick them to death. Shan Yan felt that Chief Luo Ji was openly targeting them, and that without resistance they would have no foothold in the tribe.

The two sides quarreled in front of the Shamaness, and Shamaness Oti, seeing that neither would yield, simply ordered them to duel.

Among male Beastfolk, the rule is that whoever lands a punch on the other gains the right to make the decision.

Normally they would fight in the desert outside the tribe, but now, with this vast open area at the lake's bottom, they began to fight here.

"Today Shan Yan acted rashly; even if he's the strongest of the four, he's still a bit short of the chief."

"The chief is still in his prime, not yet weakened by age; Shan Yan's provocation must be something he can't swallow."

"Shan Yan will definitely lose!"

"They four have seriously offended the chief; he said at the outset that if he wins this bout, no one in the tribe may trade food with them."

The watching Beastfolk murmured among themselves, and Lin Manzhi, amid their back‑and‑forth, watched the two combatants in the center.

Beastfolk generally live over two hundred years; according to what she read, once they reach adulthood they remain in the peak of youthful vigor until the final few years of life, when their appearance and bodily functions gradually show aging.

It's like the abrupt aging pattern of birds.

At a hundred years old, Luo Ji is in the prime of strength, and his age grants him abundant fighting experience, as everyone in the tribe says.

In the center of the arena, Luo Ji almost pinned Shan Yan, each time skillfully dodging Shan Yan's spear‑sharp horns, then swinging his long neck to strike precisely at Shan Yan's vulnerable neck.

Shan Yan 'Mianmian' roared in anger, but being lighter and smaller than the camel, he was knocked down heavily onto the mud once more.

The heavy object hit the ground with a 'Boom', a huge clang, and even Lin Manzhi by the lake felt the ground tremble slightly.

If this were on a mountain rather than a flat, spacious area, Shan Yan might have been able to use the terrain advantage to spar with Luo Ji.

Now Shan Yan, driven only by his inner resolve, crawled up from the mud, his whole snowy white wool coated in thick filthy mud, and again thrust his double horns at Luo Ji.

Luo Ji watched Shan Yan charge forward and thought darkly.

Xi Tao is female; he can't trouble a female, let alone Lin Cixing and Mo Lie, and he knows he can't afford to offend them.

But how can this group of single male Beastfolk dare to defy him, the chief?

The camel pinned the goat, seething with hatred, and bit the goat's forelimb; fighting in the tribe may not kill, but injuries are unavoidable.

The massive goat was pressed to the ground, immobile; the pain in its forelimb bone socket made Shan Yan unable to endure, and with a scream he transformed into Human Form.

Luo Ji intended to bite off Shan Yan's other arm, but with the tribe watching, he, as chief, could not harshly strike a tribe member who had lost energy and reverted to Human Form.

Luo Ji could only revert to Human Form and, on the rainy day, looked up and let out a roar.

Male Beastfolk revere strength; with Luo Ji's victory, they echoed the chief's display of might by howling along with him.

No one paid attention; in the center, the defeated Shan Yan hung his arm by his side, drenched in fresh blood, rain washing over it, exposing the pale hand bone within, his face a pallid mask of pain.

The other three, seeing Shan Yan's grim state, stood nearby like gray quails, no longer daring to approach Luo Ji nor to help Shan Yan.

Luo Ji glanced toward the crowd, saw Mo Lie and Lin Manzhi there, felt extremely smug, wiped the rain from his face, and let out another roar.

He addressed the crowd: "Shan Yan didn't heed my words and still dared to challenge me; during the dry season no one may trade food with him."

"What good is a Water Cellar? I'll let you drink your fill yourself; you didn't even think to bring a pot of water for exchange."

The crowd dared not speak, the rain fell harder, and they heard Luo Ji's command without uttering any objection.

The blood still streaming from Shan Yan's arm behind him turned his face ashen pale at the proclamation.

His own arm was gravely injured, nearly broken off; in this state he couldn't go out and needed a large amount of food to replenish energy to gradually heal this wound.

Luo Ji's words strangled his only lifeline, forbidding anyone in the tribe from trading food with him—

"Is this meant to kill him?"

Shan Yan, shaken by the impact, swayed, standing on the mud as if about to collapse.

Lin Manzhi frowned.

At that moment, Lin Manzhi heard a low, calm voice beside her break the rain‑filled silence and said coldly, "I want your Exotic Beast Skin, at the market price you usually trade."

The crowd, hearing the voice, turned together to look at Mo Lie standing at the front of the crowd.

Luo Ji, seething with anger, looked toward the one who dared speak; it was easy to find, as everyone's gaze led him to the speaker.

He felt a surge of fury choke his throat, staring at Mo Lie standing quietly in the rain, who emitted not a hint of oppressive aura, yet still made it almost impossible for him to speak.

"Fuck Mo Lie."

Luo Ji only dared to curse in his mind, but it seemed he could hear his own inner swearing as Mo Lie turned his gaze toward him.

Mo Lie lifted his eyes, scanning Luo Ji a short distance away with a scrutinizing look, and said lightly, "What's the matter? If you have an issue with my decision, you may challenge me; if you win, I'll listen to you."

Luo Ji choked, watching him simply stand there, his whole presence exuding a calm, terrifying authority that only a top‑tier veteran who has long held power possesses.

He had experienced Mo Lie's oppressive pressure, as suffocating as being buried up to the chest in earth; only madness would drive him to seek a fight with him.

He stood rigidly in the rain, his gaze avoiding Mo Lie, unwilling to look directly at him.

Avoiding battle was an obvious choice.

Mo Lie let out a low laugh.

"And…" he turned toward the crowd, his ice‑blue eyes flickering, and said, "Anyone in need can also trade Exotic Beast Skin for Meat Jerky."

As his words fell, the crowd's faces instantly brightened with joy, while Luo Ji's complexion turned as black as a pot's bottom.

What does Mo Lie mean?

Is he deliberately opposing him, striking at his dignity as chief!

Lin Manzhi was also stunned; moments ago Mo Lie offered to help Shan Yan, and now he's offering to help everyone.

??

What's going on?

Mo Lie isn't that kind of good‑natured character, right?