Feng Xun had the injured rest while he returned to the forest to hunt. With so many more mouths to feed, he needed more prey.

Following his orders, Hu Sheng and Bao Cheng crossed the Siguo Bridge, tied up the unconscious beastmen on the opposite shore, and carried them back without resistance.

It took two trips to transport everyone. By then, Feng Xun had already returned with three giant-horned beasts.

Xiong Ye, Yang He, Xiong Hong, Yang Ye, and Lu Duan now understood Feng Xun’s strength more clearly. In the past, he’d been skilled at hunting—but it still took time.

Yet now, before Ying Xiao could even finish wiping the blood and dirt off Xiong Ye with hemp cloth—Feng Xun was already back with prey!

Too fast!

Unbelievable!

Hu Sheng, Bao Cheng, and Ying Xiao dragged the three giant-horned beasts to the river to skin them. The earlier mud-beast was already roasted, so Feng Xun let Xiong Ye and the others eat first.

Aside from Xiong Ye, the other four weren’t as severely injured. After consuming the Beast Spirit Flowers, their conditions had improved significantly, but they were still wounded and needed plenty of meat to recover. They didn’t stand on ceremony with Feng Xun either, taking the skewered meat from the branches and devouring it in large bites.

Xiong Ye’s back wound was too serious. Even after eating the Beast Spirit Flowers, he remained weak, lacking the strength to chew meat properly. Leaning against a rock, he slowly gnawed at the piece of meat in his claws.

Feng Xun made another trip to the opposite shore, lowering the Siguo Bridge back into place before rowing the small boat back slowly.

He was starving too. The bark canoe was difficult to paddle—only his sheer strength kept it from being swept away by the current. Grabbing a piece of mud-beast meat, he also began eating voraciously.

“Feng Xun.” Xiong Ye propped himself up with the paw not holding meat and shuffled closer to Feng Xun. Hanging his head, he muttered gloomily, “I’m sorry. Back then, we should’ve gone with you to the Wild Continent.”

At the time, Feng Xun had been betrayed by the beastman closest to him, left utterly broken. Yet Xiong Ye hadn’t accompanied him, letting Feng Xun go to the Wild Continent alone.

He had failed his good friend.

And now, this same friend, upon merely hearing about his conflict with the High Priest, had rushed to the Holy Temple without hesitation to save them.

The contrast filled him with shame.

The other four beastmen, hearing this, also lost their appetites for the roasted meat. Their thoughts mirrored Xiong Ye’s—one by one, they lowered their heads and apologized to Feng Xun.

Back then, they had only prevented the High Priest from killing Feng Xun. As for what a crippled Feng Xun might face alone in the Wild Continent, they hadn’t given it much thought.

But during their escape from the Holy Temple, they had pondered deeply about the future.

They knew little of the Wild Continent—only that its beastmen were primitive, ignorant, and closer to wild animals.

Prey was scarce there too.

Even with all their limbs intact, the road ahead filled them with uncertainty and dread.

Feng Xun had been far worse off—crippled and alone. What had he felt then? How was he faring now?

The more they reflected, the more they realized how little they’d done for him. Yet guilt and regret couldn’t change the past.

Never had they imagined that at their most desperate hour, Feng Xun would appear to save them!

Compared to what Feng Xun had done for them, they wished they could dig a hole and hide in it.

Seeing the five dejected heads before him, Feng Xun smiled faintly and shook his head. “It’s fine. Back then, none of us knew the High Priest’s true nature. Leaving the Holy Temple is no small decision—it’s not something to take lightly.”

To beastmen, the Holy Temple carried immense weight—it was akin to the Beast God itself.

Leaving it meant betraying their faith. Like him, these companions had grown up in the Holy Temple. It was their home and their belief. How could they abandon it so easily?

“You… really don’t blame us?” Xiong Ye tilted his head, round eyes filled with unease.

“No.” Feng Xun shook his head again.

How could he blame them? When the beastman he’d trusted most had turned on him, these friends had defied overwhelming pressure to spare his life. That alone was remarkable.

Had he stayed in the Holy Temple, they would’ve surely shared their meat with him.

But exiled to the Wild Continent, separated by such distance, there was little they could’ve done.

Feng Xun’s words eased the tension in Xiong Ye and the others. No resentment—that was enough.

Noticing their lingering gloom, Feng Xun walked aside and rummaged through his animal-skin bag, pulling out a waterskin filled with honey—a rare find from days prior that he, Hu Sheng, and the others had saved.

Plucking a few large leaves, he poured honey onto them and handed them to Xiong Ye’s group. “Dip the meat in it. It’s delicious.”

Of course, he didn’t forget Yang Mie—his leaf held the most honey.

The five stared at the honey in astonishment. They’d never eaten it this way before. In the Holy Temple, honey was a luxury—with so many beastmen nearby, any discovered would be snatched up before they could get to it.

Following Feng Xun’s suggestion, they dabbed their roasted meat into the honey. The previously plain salted meat instantly became far more flavorful.

“So good.”

“Amazing! Who knew our first meal in the Wild Continent would be this delicious?” Yang Ye couldn’t help but laugh.

This was infinitely better than they’d imagined!

“The Wild Continent can’t compare to the Central Continent—but that was before. Now, the Beast God has chosen a new High Priest, one who’ll lead beastmen to a life where meat is eaten every day, every meal.”

“You’ll understand once you reach Waterfall Tribe.”

Speaking of Fan Zhou, Feng Xun’s face and voice brimmed with pride.

That was his mate.

“Is that your mate, Tu Zhou?” Xiong Ye asked curiously.

Earlier, when Hu Sheng, Bao Cheng, and Ying Xiao had described Feng Xun’s strength, they’d mentioned Tu Zhou—the new High Priest chosen by the Beast God. Now, he was beyond curious about this figure.

Yang He and the others also widened their eyes, staring intently at Feng Xun.

“That’s right.” Feng Xun nodded, a smile unconsciously spreading across his face.

“The Beast God performed a miracle through him. He can cultivate Beast Spirit Flowers—the ones you just ate were all grown by him. He also knows how to…”

He launched into an endless stream of Fan Zhou’s virtues, utterly unable to stop.

There were too many. Impossible to list them all. Absolutely impossible.

Just then, Hu Sheng, Bao Cheng, and Ying Xiao returned with the cleaned giant-horned beasts. Starving, they skewered chunks of meat on branches and began roasting them.

Hearing Feng Xun praise Fan Zhou, they couldn’t resist chiming in—any beastman from Waterfall Tribe would do the same in this situation.

Initially, Feng Xun’s solo narration had already left Xiong Ye’s group dumbfounded. Now, with these three adding their voices, the five listened even more raptly.

How could such a beastman exist…? Tolerant, benevolent, generous, brimming with wisdom—this was exactly how they’d imagined the Beast God!

Just as they were growing enchanted by the prospect of Waterfall Tribe, a pained groan sounded nearby. Simultaneously, they turned to look. By the firelight, they saw Hu Rong struggling to sit up.

Hu Sheng and Bao Cheng didn’t have rope, so they’d bound the captives with vines—flimsy restraints Hu Rong could easily break with his strength.

Feng Xun walked over and delivered a swift chop to the neck. Hu Rong immediately collapsed, unconscious.

He repeated the process with the others.

Better to stay unconscious for now. They could wake up after he found sturdier bindings.

“Um… Feng Xun, what do you plan to do with Hu Rong and the others?” Xiong Ye couldn’t help asking.

“Take them to Waterfall Tribe. The tribe is short on labor.” Feng Xun sat back down by the fire, picking up another piece of meat to roast.

“Won’t they escape? And what about the Siguo Bridge?”

“Tu Zhou will hold a public trial for them. If guilty, their punishment will match the severity of their crimes—the worst offenders will have their legs broken. But even then, they’ll still work.”

“If innocent, they’ll still work. To prevent escapes, they’ll be kept perpetually hungry.”

“As for the bridge, don’t worry. The Holy Temple will send replacements soon enough.”

Feng Xun wasn’t concerned about the bridge.

Once the High Priest realized Hu Rong’s group hadn’t returned on time, he’d have to dispatch more beastmen. The bridge itself wouldn’t break, and ordinary beastmen didn’t even know how to operate its mechanism.

Even if someone stumbled upon the mechanism and sneaked into the Wild Continent, so what? The new Holy Temple would need more beastmen, not fewer.

Though the odds of that were slim. Who’d willingly leave the Central Continent for the Wild Continent?

“Exactly! Don’t worry—once they reach Waterfall Tribe, even the most unruly troublemakers will behave. Take me, for example!”

Hu Sheng immediately offered his own experience to support Feng Xun’s point.

Back then, he’d been truly starving—gnawing on tree bark starving. And even when dizzy with hunger, he couldn’t slack on farm work, or he’d face the whip.

The ordeal had been agonizing. Even now, living comfortably, the memory still terrified him.

Tu Zhou’s mercy rivaled the Beast God’s.

But when angered? He was fiercer than the most vicious rogue beastmen!

Xiong Ye and the others exchanged glances after hearing this.

So Tu Zhou had that side to him too…

“Don’t worry. As long as you don’t slack off, Tu Zhou will treat you well.” Seeing their silence, Hu Sheng hastily added.

After all, they were Feng Xun’s close friends.

And this Xiong Ye was a panda!

Every beastman knew Tu Zhou adored pandas! Xiong Jing could laze around all day, and he’d still share delicacies with her.

Even if Xiong Ye slacked, Tu Zhou definitely wouldn’t get mad.

Sigh. Why couldn’t he have been born a panda?

Chewing his freshly roasted meat, Hu Sheng sighed wistfully.

“What Hu Sheng said is true. Just like in the Holy Temple, when it’s time to hunt, you’ll join the hunting team. When it’s time to plant grass seeds, you’ll work alongside everyone else. Tu Zhou has a very good temper.”

Feng Xun added.

Hearing this, Xiong Ye and the others immediately sighed in relief.

None of them were lazy—they were all hard workers.

Soon, the roasted meat was finished. One mud-beast and three giant-horned beasts had all been devoured, mostly by Xiong Ye’s group. They had been on the run for days without proper meals, and now that they could finally relax, they accidentally overate.

A full stomach easily brings drowsiness, and as injured individuals who had been traveling nonstop, their stamina had long since reached its limit.

Yang Ye was the first to succumb, falling asleep mid-conversation while holding Yang Mie.

Seeing this, Feng Xun took out a thick piece of hemp cloth from his animal-skin bag—originally meant for making sacks, it was coarse but sturdy.

He cut down four small trees, planted them around the fire, and draped the cloth over them.

A makeshift tent appeared before everyone.

It couldn’t fully block wind or cold, but it was much better than sleeping out in the open.

As soon as the tent was set up, Xiong Ye and the others crawled inside.

Bao Cheng and Ying Xiao also went in to sleep first, while Feng Xun and Hu Sheng took the first watch.

The two of them would take the latter half of the night.

Feng Xun didn’t idle. Holding a torch, he scouted the nearby area and, luckily, found a type of flexible vine that could serve as a substitute for rope.

Using these vines, he bound Hu Rong and his group’s hands together. Now he could finally relax.

Hu Sheng was so exhausted he could barely keep his eyes open. Dragging his heavy steps into the tent, he kicked Bao Cheng and Ying Xiao awake before collapsing into sleep.

Feng Xun exhaled and looked up at the sky.

The moonlight was bright, but the air was thick with damp moisture. Autumn dew was heavy. Rubbing his arms, Fan Zhou’s face flashed through his mind.

I wonder if the rabbit is sleeping soundly now…

Before, fearing that missing him too much would make him turn back to Waterfall Tribe, he hadn’t allowed himself to dwell on the longing. Now that the mission was complete, he could no longer suppress his yearning for the rabbit.

If he were in the tribe right now, the rabbit would bury his face against his chest, legs tangled with his, sleeping like the dead.

And he would sleep just as contentedly, one arm wrapped around the rabbit’s waist, the other clutching his tail.

Taking a deep breath, he pressed his lips together and glanced at Hu Rong and the others nearby.

If he broke their legs now, he could return to the tribe early. Hu Sheng and Xiong Ye could lead them back slowly.

…

The thought sprouted like weeds, spreading wildly in his mind. His legs seemed to move on their own, carrying him toward Hu Rong.

But just then, Bao Cheng’s yawn sounded behind him, followed by Ying Xiao’s sleepy mumbling. As if startled awake, he froze.

He—

Had he gone mad? How could he entertain such a vicious idea?

When he became the Enforcer, he had engraved the Beast God’s laws in his heart: No private punishments.

The rabbit had also said that for beastmen who committed crimes, judgment must follow a public trial, ensuring justice was served according to collective will. Only fairness could win hearts.

But what had he just been about to do…?

He covered his face with his hands. How was he any different from the High Priest or the old Beast King with thoughts like that?

“Feng Xun, what’s wrong?” Bao Cheng rubbed his sleep-crusted eyes, confused.

What was Feng Xun doing?

“Nothing.”

Feng Xun took a deep breath and lowered his hands. “Keep watch carefully. Don’t let your guard down.”

After the reminder, he swiftly entered the tent.

Bao Cheng stared at the swaying hemp cloth, still puzzled, but drowsiness assaulted him again. Yawning, he sat down by the fire with Ying Xiao.

Suddenly, he jolted awake and elbowed the half-asleep Ying Xiao. “Did Feng Xun just… cry?”

“Cry? Feng Xun?

These four words entered Ying Xiao’s mind and instantly chased away all his sleepiness.

“He’s definitely crying. He’s covering his face with his hands, he still hasn’t looked at us.”

“What’s he crying for?” Ying Xiao was confused.

Although Xiong Ye and the others were injured, they were still alive.

“Idiot, he’s crying because he misses Tu Zhou,” Bao Cheng looked at Ying Xiao with some disdain. With Feng Xun’s strength, the only one who could make him secretly wipe away tears—who else could it be besides Tu Zhou?

Ying Xiao froze for a moment, then nodded heavily. That’s right—the only one who could make Feng Xun cry was Tu Zhou!

He clicked his tongue. Then it seemed he really needed to hurry up. The three-month journey had suddenly been cut in half, so he had to work harder to prove that he had also put in effort!

Dawn broke quickly.

When Hu Rong woke up, he only felt a sharp pain in the back of his head, and his whole body was numb and uncomfortable.

Thinking about the person he had seen before he passed out, it felt like a heavy stone was pressing down on his heart.

He didn’t move, just listened to the thunderous snores not far away, then closed his eyes again.

After a while, light footsteps sounded nearby and slowly moved away.

Before long, the footsteps returned, but they were much heavier.

Immediately after, there was the sound of something heavy being dropped, with a loud bang that interrupted the thunderous snoring.

“Bao Cheng, Ying Xiao, stop sleeping. Go deal with these three big-hornbeasts.” Feng Xun gave Bao Cheng and Ying Xiao a light kick, then went into the tent and woke up Hu Sheng.

The several wounded still slept deeply—this stretch of fleeing had truly exhausted them.

Hu Sheng stood up and walked out of the tent drowsily. He, Bao Cheng, and Ying Xiao quickly butchered the big antlered beasts, then lit the fire and began roasting them.

The delicious aroma soon drifted out—it was very tempting. Hu Rong’s stomach couldn’t help but let out a gurgle.

“……”

Damn it. He tightly shut his eyes.

“Huh? A beastman woke up.” Hu Sheng looked over.

But he saw that no one was moving, just lying there in a chaotic mess like the night before. He chuckled twice—pretending to be dead, huh.

“Anyway, there’s no share of the roasted meat for you all. Go hungry first.”

There were so many people, more than twenty altogether. Even if they just ate wild vegetables, it’d be a huge pile!

They couldn’t afford it, they couldn’t afford it. Let them go hungry first—saves them from having the strength to run away after eating.

Hu Rong didn’t speak, just clenched his teeth and tried hard not to let his stomach make any more sounds.

But the aroma was getting stronger and stronger. And, the other beastmen lying beside him had also woken up.

Unlike him, the other beastmen couldn’t hold back as well. The moment they smelled the aroma, they struggled to look toward its source. When they saw Feng Xun, they were naturally shocked and furious.

Of course, there was also fear.

Hou Gen shouted loudly, “Feng Xun, you traitor! What do you think you’re doing?! Let me go right now, or when the High Priest finds out, he’ll definitely send beastmen to capture you and bring you back!”

“?”

Ying Xiao frowned. That insult was way too nasty.

He handed the roasted meat in his hand to Hu Sheng, flicked away the red hair that was partly blocking his eyes, then rushed over to Hou Gen and raised his palm.

Pa! A crisp slap sounded, and Hou Gen let out a miserable cry.

Ying Xiao shook his right hand, which hurt terribly. A bit puzzled—why did slapping someone in humanoid form hurt this much? It hurt more than using his wings.

Still, seeing the clear handprint on Hou Gen’s face, he was satisfied. He placed his hands on his hips and scolded loudly, “Who are you calling a traitor? Say it again if you dare!”

Hou Gen was seething inside. He turned his head back straight from where it had been slapped sideways and glared viciously at Ying Xiao.

But seeing Ying Xiao raise his hand again, he quickly swallowed the words that had reached his mouth.

“Don’t act like you’re wronged. Ying Xiao even beat Xiang Er. What’s wrong with you getting slapped?” Feng Xun also handed the roasted meat in his hand to Hu Sheng, then walked up to Hou Gen.

He explained to Ying Xiao, “Hou Gen is a priest from the temple, but he doesn’t have any skills. He only became a priest by sucking up to the High Priest.”

According to Tu Zhou’s way of putting it, that was someone who climbed up by flattery and bootlicking.

“Wow, a priest! No wonder he reminds me a bit of Xiang Er.” Ying Xiao suddenly understood. This arrogant and defiant attitude—ordinary beastmen really didn’t have it.

“What did you do to Xiang Er?” Hou Gen felt a bad premonition rising in his chest.

“He killed a beastman, violating the Beast God’s commandments. After a public trial by the entire tribe, Tu Zhou broke one of his legs,” Ying Xiao declared proudly.

“Oh right, you don’t know Tu Zhou. Well, listen up, all of you!”

“Tu Zhou is the new High Priest chosen by the Beast God! The Beast God has been watching over him this whole time! Hmph! That High Priest and Beast King of yours betrayed the Beast God—that’s why the Beast Spirit Flowers went extinct!”

“But Tu Zhou can grow Beast Spirit Flowers! He is the light and hope the Beast God left for us beastmen!”

After his speech, Ying Xiao glanced at Hu Sheng and Bao Cheng nearby. “Quick, show these traitors your Beast Spirit Flowers!”

“I’ll do it,” Feng Xun interjected.

Bao Cheng and Hu Sheng only had two Beast Spirit Flowers each—too few. He still had over twenty left. Before leaving the tribe, the rabbit had made him take most of their stock.

Hou Gen and the others looked as if struck by lightning, frozen in shock. Hu Rong, no longer pretending to sleep, immediately opened his eyes and struggled to sit up.

The reason the Beast Spirit Flowers went extinct was because the High Priest and the old Beast King betrayed the Beast God?!

He gritted his teeth. Many beastmen in the Holy Temple knew the High Priest and old Beast King hadn’t strictly followed the Ten Commandments. Calling them traitors wasn’t entirely wrong…

But was this really why the Beast Spirit Flowers vanished?!

As his thoughts raced, Feng Xun approached with the Beast Spirit Flowers. At the sight of the dried flowers in his hand, Hu Rong’s pupils shrank, his heartbeat accelerating.

These were definitely Beast Spirit Flowers that had withered recently!

Though dehydrated, they hadn’t fully dried out—traces of moisture still lingered in the petals.

At least one thing that red-haired brat said was true: Someone in the Wild Continent could cultivate Beast Spirit Flowers!

The remaining beastmen, including Hou Gen, shared Hu Rong’s realization. The Wild Continent now had Beast Spirit Flowers too.

The Holy Temple’s monopoly was over!

Ying Xiao grinned at their stunned expressions. “Don’t believe me? Fine. Once you reach Waterfall Tribe and see entire fields of Beast Spirit Flowers, you’ll have no choice but to believe.”

Feng Xun gave a hum, tucking the Beast Spirit Flowers away. He motioned for Ying Xiao to return to roasting meat—they’d said enough. He couldn’t be bothered to waste more words on these people.

If not for these beastmen, he would’ve set off back to the tribe last night.

He owed them no kindness.

Ignoring the thunderstruck captives, Feng Xun resumed roasting meat. By the time it was nearly done, Xiong Ye and the others finally woke up.

The long rest had done wonders. New flesh had already grown over Xiong Ye’s back wound. Though not fully healed, his spirits were much improved.

Xiong Hong and the others, with lighter injuries, had recovered even better—ready to travel without issue.

After breakfast, they packed the tent and set off for Waterfall Tribe.

Ying Xiao fashioned a whip and took up the rear, herding Hu Rong and Hou Gen’s group ahead of him, while Feng Xun and Xiong Ye led the way.

If the Holy Temple beastmen slackened their pace, the whip would crack down. If they couldn’t even walk properly, how could they be expected to work hard in Waterfall Tribe?

They had to understand their current predicament!

At noon, when they stopped to rest, Ying Xiao busied himself—starting the fire, cooking, playing with Yang Mie, even roasting meat for Xiong Ye.

The tiny figure was swamped.

Xiong Ye was grateful but declined the roasted meat—he could handle that himself now.

Remembering how Ying Xiao had wiped him down the night before, he awkwardly thanked him again. Ying Xiao grinned, flicking the red hair from his eyes.

“Just praise me in front of Tu Zhou once we reach Waterfall Tribe!”

“Alright,” Xiong Ye agreed.

Hu Sheng, watching this, rolled his eyes. Tu Zhou loved pandas—looks like this idiot Ying Xiao finally got smart.

Still, he stuck to his own theory: To win Tu Zhou’s favor, the key was Feng Xun. Tu Zhou adored him most of all.

So, three days later, once he confirmed the Holy Temple beastmen were too weak to walk without canes, he urged Feng Xun to return to the tribe first.

Even the most severely injured, Xiong Ye, had fully recovered—let alone Xiong Hong and the others. With him and Bao Cheng guarding the captives, they had it covered.

Bao Cheng, recalling how Feng Xun had secretly cried from missing Fan Zhou, also supported letting him go back early.

After days of observation, Xiong Ye’s group fully grasped just how deeply their friend cherished his mate. They, too, urged Feng Xun to leave.

Seeing their genuine insistence for him to return first, and with Hu Rong posing no real threat to them anymore, Feng Xun gave them a few earnest instructions, left them several Beast Spirit Flowers, and immediately dashed off.

He was going back to see the rabbit.

He truly couldn’t wait another moment!

Watching Feng Xun vanish like the wind before their eyes, Hu Sheng ignored the stunned expressions of Xiong Ye and the others. He chuckled a few times, his heart swelling with pride.

He was definitely going to claim credit when he got back!

If Tu Zhou was pleased, he might even reward him with a few extra Beast Spirit Flowers.

__________

The Waterfall Tribe was bustling.

The Divine Sacrifice was about to begin.

The beastmen from Giant Bear Tribe had already arrived, and with them came Shell Tribe and Kelp Tribe.

After Shell Tribe had traded for hemp cloth from Giant Bear Tribe last time, disputes had broken out among their own people over the uneven distribution.

There was too little cloth and too many beastmen in Shell Tribe. Left with no choice, the chieftain organized another expedition to Giant Bear Tribe.

The Kelp Tribe was Shell Tribe’s neighbor, the two settlements not far apart. However, the Kelp Tribe’s location was more favorable—their terrain was flat, abundant with grass seeds, so they hadn’t needed to travel all the way to Giant Bear Tribe for trade.

But now that Shell Tribe had obtained hemp cloth, the Kelp Tribe’s beastmen were tempted. This was good stuff! So they joined Shell Tribe on their trip.

Yet, upon arriving at Giant Bear Tribe, they learned about the Divine Sacrifice at Waterfall Tribe.

Xiong Wu enthusiastically invited them to attend.

This wasn’t part of their plan, and they were skeptical of Xiong Wu’s claims—new High Priest? Divine miracles? It sounded like a scam.

But the hemp cloth did come from Waterfall Tribe. If they went, they could bypass Giant Bear Tribe and trade directly in the future.

So they set off together.

____________

The Treehouse Tribe had also arrived. The beastmen who had traveled with Bao Cheng, worried about missing the ceremony, rushed back to report to Quan Zhi and their kin.

Upon seeing the sesame oil and paste, and learning that Ying Ao and Xiang Er had been captured by Fan Zhou, Quan Zhi and the others didn’t dare delay. They hurried to Waterfall Tribe at top speed, seeking Fan Zhou’s mercy.

Thus, despite being their first Divine Sacrifice, hundreds of beastmen attended—several times Waterfall Tribe’s population.

The sudden influx left Fan Zhou, the High Priest, swamped.