Ten days later…

Long Mo and his group of beastmen continued southward, finally emerging from the dense forest. Beyond the forest lay an endless expanse of grassland.

In the distance, the plains merged with a range of rolling mountains, one lone, bald peak rising in the foreground. Its summit, shrouded in mist, looked like a solitary elder standing against the wind.

Each beastmen in the group carried large bundles of food for trading with sea salt. The heavy loads slowed their pace.

After half a day of carrying supplies, the group paused to rest on the grassland.

Due to the weight of the supplies, they hadn’t been able to bring much food, so the orcs hunted daily, taking turns during breaks. Fortunately, they were skilled hunters, so finding food was rarely a problem.

Today was Long Mo’s turn to hunt.

“Long Mo, I’ll go with you,” Long Wu offered just as Long Mo was setting down his load.

Long Mo turned, giving him a cold look, about to refuse.

“Good idea,” Ying Yuan interjected. “Two beastmen hunting will be faster. Just be quick—we still have a long way to go after eating.”

Long Mo said nothing, simply turned and left.

Long Wu flashed a quick smile at Ying Yuan, but the moment he turned, his expression darkened with a look of malice and calculation.

The two transformed into their beast forms and left one after the other.

Long Mo took the lead, immediately searching for prey. Once he had gone far enough from the resting site, he noticed Long Wu hadn’t kept up but didn’t bother to wait. Long Wu wasn’t here to help him hunt, after all. Whatever Long Wu’s plan was, as long as it didn’t interfere, Long Mo couldn’t care less.

A short time later…

A black dragon returned alone to the camp. Transforming back to human form, Long Wu approached the group.

“Long Wu, why are you alone? Where’s Long Mo? And the prey?” a beastman asked, puzzled.

Long Wu lowered his head apologetically, “Long Mo ran into some trouble out there. He sent me back to ask for help. Hu Qinglu, could you go lend him a hand?”

The beastmen turned to look at Hu Qinglu.

“Me? Help Long Mo?” Hu Qinglu raised a skeptical eyebrow. “Don’t tell me he’s too weak to even carry back his own prey?”

Though he grumbled, he didn’t refuse, quickly standing up. Turning to his older brother, Hu Qingshan, he said, “I’ll go give Long Mo a hand. I’ll be back soon.”

After seeing Long Mo in action against the wandering beastmen, Hu Qinglu had softened his attitude a bit. After all, Long Mo was his little sister’s mate, and if he could help him out, he might as well.

If something happened to Long Mo, those five little ones at home wouldn’t have a father.

Hu Qingshan merely nodded. “Go on.”

After ten straight days of traveling, everyone was tired and didn’t think much of Long Wu’s story.

“Let’s go,” Hu Qinglu said, patting Long Wu on the shoulder. He transformed into a graceful, agile white fox, signaling Long Wu to lead the way.

Long Wu forced a smile and transformed back into his dragon form, then shook off Hu Qinglu’s touch, disdain flashing in his dark eyes.

How dare this lowly fox touch him with those filthy paws.

The dragon and fox soon left the camp.

After following for a while, Hu Qinglu started to feel something was off. He stopped, looking at Long Wu suspiciously.

“Why did Long Mo need you to come get me instead of just asking for your help?”

The thought hadn’t occurred to him before, but now, the longer they walked without finding the hunting spot, the more questions piled up. He had even seen plenty of prey along the way—did Long Mo really need to go this far to hunt?

In the air, the black dragon stopped, turning back with sinister, dark eyes fixed on Hu Qinglu.

“Actually, it’s not Long Mo who needs help. It’s me,” Long Wu said, his gaze hostile.

Hu Qinglu tensed, sensing the malice in Long Wu’s eyes. “You? Why would you need my help?”

He already had a bad impression of this dragon orc. If it weren’t for Long Mo, he wouldn’t have followed him out here.

Long Wu let out a sinister chuckle. “I need you…to help me by surrendering your life.”

Before Hu Qinglu could react, the black dragon lunged at him. Thankfully, he leapt back just in time, evading the attack by mere inches as Long Wu smashed into the ground, leaving a massive crater.

Dust filled the air as Long Wu twisted in the dirt, crawling out and glaring at Hu Qinglu, his malicious gaze piercing.

“You won’t escape, Hu Qinglu. Surrender now, and I’ll make it quick.”

“Why are you trying to kill me?” Hu Qinglu demanded, eyes wary and full of confusion. He had never wronged this dragon, so what was the reason?

“Why?” The black dragon sneered, his voice a chilling laugh. “Blame it on the fact that you’re Hu Jiao Jiao’s brother. If I kill you and blame it on Long Mo, Hu Jiao Jiao will despise him, and I’ll have my chance with her.”

Hu Qinglu’s eyes widened in disbelief.

“All of this because you want to pursue Jiao Jiao?”

This is what it was about? Shouldn’t he be trying to win his favor, not kill him?

“If you like Jiao Jiao, why don’t you just pursue her openly? If you mess up the salt trade, you won’t be able to stay in the tribe. Think carefully!” he warned loudly.

The tribe didn’t forbid males from fighting over a female. As long as it was done under the Chief’s supervision, they could challenge each other honorably, life or death. But attacking a fellow tribesman in secret broke their code.

“Tch, what do you lowly beasts know? I am a noble dragon beastmen. If I want to kill you, I’ll kill you. And with my strength, do you really think the Chief would make me leave?” Long Wu scoffed.

“Don’t worry; I’ll take good care of Hu Jiao Jiao. Now, die peacefully!”

With that, his eyes flashed with cruelty. He whipped his tail and lunged again at Hu Qinglu.

Hu Qinglu’s face hardened. He wasn’t skilled in close combat, but he quickly dodged. Even so, the dragon’s tail struck his back, sending him hurtling through the air.

Long Wu prepared to pursue him, but Hu Qinglu swiftly threw a handful of yellow-white powder into the air.

The dragon backed away quickly, but as he moved, the powder followed in the breeze, coating his scales.

Realizing it was just harmless dust, Long Wu sneered and turned his attention back to Hu Qinglu, who was struggling to his feet.

“I thought you were capable of something, but it’s just dust—now, die!”