Chapter Seventy-Nine: A Formal Visit

“There’s no need for such formalities, my friend,” Chen Mu said directly. “I’ve come here to ask for your help with a few matters.”

“Please speak, honored guest. If it’s within our abilities, we will do our best,” the giant azure-scaled serpent, Qing, replied through telepathic speech.

“No need to call me ‘honored guest’—just use my name, Chen Mu. That’s what I’m called among humans.”

“Very well, Chen Mu. You may call me Qing, the name I have chosen for myself. So, what is it you need from me?”

“Qing, I hope you can look after the twenty or so people I brought with me. They’re all from Starwatching Valley. Our sect was destroyed, so I wish you would shelter them here for a while.”

Qing glanced at the group of nervous disciples from Starwatching Valley’s Pill Pavilion, who dared not approach, and nodded. “As long as I am here, no other beasts will disturb your companions.”

“And another thing—could you introduce me to the other third-level beasts in the Starcrest Mountains? I wish to ask their help in fighting my enemies. Of course, I’ll pay compensation to you and the other beast folk.”

“No problem. Once your companions are settled, I’ll take you to visit the other lords of the region.”

“Thank you,” Chen Mu said, clasping his fists in gratitude before turning to Qu Rou and the others.

“I’ve worked things out with Qing. You’ll stay here for now; he’ll protect you. As long as you remain within his territory, you should be safe.” Chen Mu reassured them and led them to stand before Qing.

The group was cautious, afraid to offend the giant serpent. The idea of living alongside a beast was so shocking—never had they heard of humans managing such a thing.

But when they heard Qing’s telepathic voice, they all stiffened in surprise. It was their first time realizing a third-level beast could communicate with humans through spiritual sense. Before, humans and beasts had always been mortal enemies.

To actually converse with a beast was an incredible experience. Of course, only higher-level beasts with awakened intelligence could do this—the mindless lower beasts were another matter.

Chen Mu took out a storage pouch and instructed them, “Camp by the lakeshore. Listen to Elder Qu; focus on pill refinement. Let Elder Qu periodically venture out to trade for resources to rebuild our sect. Inside the pouch are materials and resources I’ve gathered. Use them as needed—they should last for a while. If you run out, ask Qing to send his snake kin to protect you while you gather medicinal herbs nearby. I’ll be going with Qing to visit the other beast lords soon. Stay here and don’t cause trouble, understood?”

Seeing them all agree, Chen Mu and Qing departed.

The first beast Qing took Chen Mu to visit was the Fire-Eyed Red Tiger, a late-stage third-level beast strong enough to fight an early Nascent Soul cultivator.

The Fire-Eyed Red Tiger was a solitary creature, the most carefree among the mountain lords. It took life as it came, but now that winter had arrived, it had surely returned to its lair to keep warm.

As Chen Mu and Qing approached, the tiger sensed the dragon bloodline in Chen Mu from afar. It was startled—when had such a presence arrived in the Starcrest Mountains?

Unable to ignore the significance, the Fire-Eyed Red Tiger changed its usual lazy demeanor, emerging from its cave to greet Chen Mu and Qing formally.

Qing flicked its tongue, sending a message, “Brother Redfire, I hope you’re well. Winter is here—I guessed you’d be in your lair, so I came to find you.”

“So it’s little Qing. Why aren’t you guarding your shabby lake? What brings you here? Is this... a human with a dragon bloodline? A human carrying beast blood? That’s rare indeed...” The tiger eyed Chen Mu cautiously.

“May I ask what business brings you here?” Redfire’s words were careful, though Chen Mu appeared to be only late Foundation Establishment, he exerted a suppressive presence.

Not only was the dragon bloodline oppressive, but there was another indescribable force at work—perhaps the dragon bloodline suppressed lower bloodlines, but Redfire, being a tiger without dragon ancestry, felt its effect was limited.

Yet the other, mysterious bloodline was overwhelmingly dominant, making Redfire unwilling to resist—it felt as if the source of all things was contained within. Unbeknownst to the local beasts, it was the blood of the gods.

The beasts of Starcrest Mountains had no concept of the divine race—without written history, they didn’t even know of demons, only the humans as enemies.

“My friend Tiger, I’ve come to ask a favor. My sect in the human world was destroyed. I wish to take revenge, but lack the manpower, so I seek your aid.”

“You want me as your enforcer?” Redfire pondered for a long time.

Chen Mu was embarrassed at being so bluntly exposed, just as he was about to promise compensation, Redfire surprised him: “Alright, I’ll help you—but on one condition: let me follow you from now on.”

Chen Mu was stunned—this was like offering himself up, not only agreeing to help, but wanting to become his beast companion.

Seeing Chen Mu hesitating, Redfire pressed, “Don’t... don’t want me?”

Chen Mu snapped out of it, replying quickly, “I do, I do—who wouldn’t want a free enforcer?”

Hearing this, Redfire finally relaxed, shyly saying, “Then from now on, I’ll be loyal to you. My name’s Redfire—you can call me Little Red. I haven’t asked your name yet; how should I address you?”

Chen Mu twitched—such a huge tiger called Little Red, did it think it was a kitten? He didn’t comment, only forced a laugh. “No need for ‘master’—I’m Chen Mu, just call me by name.”

Redfire pondered a moment, then spoke, “Alright, Chen Mu, boss. From now on, your little brother will follow you.”

Hearing Redfire’s gangster-like address, Chen Mu twitched again—this tiger seemed unreliable. Was such eagerness a good thing? Weren’t beasts supposed to hate humans?

But Chen Mu didn’t know—besides the dragon bloodline, his divine bloodline made beast folk instinctively revere and fear him. The ancestor of beast folk appeared after the divine race, and the current beast clans and true spirits were all descendants of the beast ancestor, making them view the divine race as elder kin.

Among beasts, the true spirits were a special group, most akin to the beast ancestor, and closest to the gods.

Thus, with both true dragon and divine bloodlines, Chen Mu exerted a dual oppression over most beasts—they both revered and feared him, unable to disobey. That was why Redfire was so eager to pledge himself.

Qing, seeing Redfire submit to Chen Mu, felt immense pride. After all, the dragon bloodline made Chen Mu its superior, and witnessing its superior win over a strong beast unrelated by blood was a source of pride—Qing was basking in Chen Mu’s glory.

With Redfire now under his command, Qing and the tiger discussed which beast to visit next.

After deliberation, they set their sights on an old ape, lord of one of the mountains in Starcrest, whose monkeys were too numerous to count.

The old ape was also a late-stage third-level beast. Redfire and it never got along, but with so many monkeys under its command, Redfire dared not provoke it.

Three days later, Chen Mu and his two beast companions crossed mountains, finally arriving at the old ape’s domain, where they heard its voice cursing from afar: “Redfire! I can smell your feline stench from miles away! Why aren’t you in your lair, keeping warm, instead of coming here?”

Redfire shot back without hesitation, “Yuan Shan, you old fool, stop shouting or you’ll scare my guest!”

The old ape, Yuan Shan, called out, “Qing’s here too? And this one... hmm, bloodline suppression? A human with beast blood—now that’s rare. How should I address you? I suppose you’ve brought Redfire and Qing to see me?”

Before Chen Mu could answer, Redfire interrupted, “This is my boss, Chen Mu. His sect in human territory was destroyed, so he’s gathering allies for revenge. Yuan Shan, I thought you’d be a good choice, so we came to find you.”

Chen Mu could only look helplessly at Redfire’s eager, subordinate attitude—so much for being a solitary mountain lord! Where had its dignity gone?

Yuan Shan glanced at Redfire, then at Chen Mu, and finally said, “I respect those of higher blood, but I disagree with your approach. You should rely on your own strength to defeat your foes, not seek stronger allies to avenge you. What meaning is there in such revenge?”

Chen Mu sighed, “Yuan Shan, you misunderstand. It’s not that I can’t defeat my enemies, but they are too numerous. Even as a late-stage Nascent Soul, what can I do against a crowd? To me, early Nascent Soul cultivators are beneath notice.”

Yuan Shan raised an eyebrow, “Bold words—how does someone at Foundation Establishment dismiss Nascent Soul cultivators?”

Chen Mu grinned, “Shall we spar and see?”

“Good. Don’t cry if you lose, honored one. If you can defeat me, Yuan Shan, I’ll join you in destroying that damned human sect!” Yuan Shan, being a combative beast, was now thoroughly intrigued.

Yuan Shan leaped down from his mountain cave, landing ten meters from Chen Mu. Both stared at each other, fierce fighting spirit blazing in their hearts.

Yuan Shan beat his chest, booming with excitement, his emotions rising as the battle approached.