You’re hungry, so drink my blood first. After that, we’ll handle important matters…”
Lin Qinghe’s eyes narrowed slightly. Her cheeks flushed and felt hot from the kiss. Perhaps embarrassed, she didn’t know what to say to You Rong. She softly hummed in agreement, wrapped her arms around his neck, and bit down.
The familiar taste from memory was something Lin Qinghe greatly enjoyed. She drank to her heart's content.
You Rong picked Lin Qinghe up and sat her on his lap, his arms encircling her slender waist. His well-defined hands gently stroked her back. He looked down at her dotingly and said softly, "It's alright, drink more. You've been hungry for too long this time…"
Lin Qinghe drank until she was thoroughly satisfied, finally licking the bloodstains from the corner of her lips. This languid and noble appearance made You Rong’s gaze darken.
Lin Qinghe licked You Rong’s neck. The wound instantly healed. Only then did You Rong slowly begin to button up his shirt, resuming his role as the aloof leader known to the werewolf tribe.
You Rong said, “Qinghe, wait here. I’ll come back for you after I’m done. Don’t wander off. I’ve ordered them to bring the patriarch of the Chu family and Steward Zhang here.”
Lin Qinghe had heard every word Meng Bei had said earlier and naturally knew what You Rong intended to do. She grabbed his arm. “I’ll go with you.”
“You don’t need to go with me. Those beast tribe leaders have already been subdued and won’t pose any harm to me. I have a way to make them obediently submit to me.”
Lin Qinghe raised an eyebrow and smiled, “I’m not worried about you being in danger. It’s just that bringing my bloodline ancestor along will be more intimidating, won’t it? It will make things easier for you, wouldn’t it?”
You Rong’s expression showed hesitation. He wanted Lin Qinghe to rest well here, especially since she had just awakened from hibernation and had rushed to the werewolf tribe. He was concerned about her health.
Lin Qinghe saw through You Rong’s thoughts and tugged on his arm, deliberately acting spoiled. “Please, let me go with you. If we finish things quickly, you’ll have more time to spend with me. I have a lot to talk to you about…”
Without a doubt, You Rong’s heart softened immediately. He clasped Lin Qinghe’s hand. “Alright, let’s go together.”
Lin Qinghe smiled. “Okay!”
They returned to the reception area. The leaders of the lion tribe, cat tribe, and others were all bound and unconscious.
Meng Bei saw You Rong and Lin Qinghe enter hand in hand. He cast a suspicious glance at You Rong, whose expression remained indifferent, though not exactly unapproachable.
Was this the leader who had just berated him in anger?
He didn’t look like it.
Could he have been mistaken?
Meng Bei shook his head, pushing away his jumbled thoughts. He stepped forward and said, “Leader, you’re here. The other beast tribe leaders have been controlled. Should we wake them up now?”
You Rong’s gaze fell on Meng Bei. He gave him a displeased cold stare, sending a chill down Meng Bei’s spine. Frightened, Meng Bei quickly lowered his head, silently thinking that his earlier impression of the leader being amiable was his biggest mistake!
Meng Bei heard You Rong’s cold voice. “Wake them all up.”
“Yes, Leader!”
Meng Bei walked over, took the antidote for the sleeping medicine from a subordinate, and placed it into the mouths of the leaders. After a moment, the beast tribe leaders gradually woke up, looking around in confusion. The lion tribe leader’s gaze then fixed on You Rong. As if realizing what had happened, he roared, “You Rong! You despicable scoundrel! You said you were holding a mating ceremony and invited us to attend, and also to discuss territory distribution. You were clearly extorting us!”
The cat tribe leader indignantly added, “Exactly! You Rong, you are too despicable! Release us quickly! Otherwise, the northern beast tribes will never let your werewolf tribe off the hook!”
You Rong was unfazed. He pulled over a chair for Lin Qinghe to sit down and walked in front of the enraged beast tribe leaders. With a calm and composed demeanor, he said, “I resorted to this desperate measure because it was unavoidable. I’ve always wanted to sit down and discuss matters with you leaders, but you’ve always refused. So… I merely took measures to ensure we could have a calm conversation.”
“You… you’re talking nonsense!” the lion tribe leader furiously cursed.
Imagine being tricked, then tied up, and being told they just wanted a calm conversation. Would you believe it?
The leaders from the northern beast tribes clearly didn't.
The cat tribe leader followed up with an insult, “You Rong! You want all the beast tribes to obey your command? Who do you think you are! Are you worthy! Why should we bow down and serve you? I don’t know what the Spirit Fox tribe or the Tiger tribe are thinking, agreeing to submit to you, but we won’t be such cowards! I’m telling you, this is a pipe dream! Forget about it!”
“That’s right! We won’t be so cowardly!”
“We’d rather die than submit!”
Seeing the enraged beast tribe leaders, Lin Qinghe thought You Rong had done the right thing by incapacitating and tying them up. With such tempers, if they weren’t bound, a fight would have likely broken out between both sides by now.
You Rong’s expression barely changed in response to their fierce reactions, which seemed to be within his expectations. He casually swept his gaze over them and continued, “I don’t want you to submit to me or to do as I say. Recently, there has been constant infighting and open conflict among the beast tribes. For territory, for other things, the major beast tribes have been fighting tooth and nail. The Spirit Fox tribe was even nearly wiped out. Do you think we will achieve anything good by allowing this to continue?”
Of course, You Rong wouldn’t tell them that the unrest and internal conflicts within the beast tribes were his doing.
The leaders of the lion tribe and cat tribe exchanged glances, remaining silent, seemingly trying to decipher the meaning behind You Rong’s words.
You Rong’s gaze flickered slightly. “If this continues, before the foreign races can attack us, we will be severely weakened by our own infighting. Perhaps fighting for territory, you snatching and I grabbing, you dying and I living, the beast race will eventually dwindle to a mere handful. Is this what you want to see?”
The lion tribe leader’s resolve seemed to falter, and his expression showed hesitation, but his tone remained strong as he cursed, “Don’t try that! If you don’t want us to submit to you, then what do you want?! Why are you trying to win over so many beast tribes? I see your intentions are as clear as day!”
“It’s very simple…” You Rong met the lion tribe leader’s gaze and said, enunciating each word, “I want to form a beast tribe alliance!”
The lion tribe leader froze. “What do you mean by that?”
“I said, I want to form a beast tribe alliance.” You Rong paused. “All beast tribes will belong to the alliance’s jurisdiction. The alliance will rationally allocate the territories and resources of all beast tribes and will do its utmost to provide the best welfare for the beast tribes. When encountering foreign invasions, if one beast tribe is attacked, the alliance will absolutely not stand by and watch. It will convene all other beast tribes within the alliance to provide assistance. In this way… the beast tribe alliance will be an entity that benefits both the collective and individual beast tribes!”