Chapter 336

It was only after Bao Tan and his entourage left that Shu You finally released Cang Xie’s arm. Just now, if he hadn’t used the excuse of pouring tea to press Cang Xie back into his seat, this guy would have rushed up to fight them.

Cang Xie was furious with Qi Bai and Lang Ze’s polite attitude. His gaze was dark.
“Why stop me? They should have been taught a lesson.”

He was used to robbing others—never before had anyone dared to snatch something from him.

Shu You glared at him. Those were envoys from the Upper City—how could they be provoked so easily?

Sheep Luo furrowed his brows and sighed heavily. Faced with the current dilemma, he truly didn’t know what to do.

“To antagonize them…” Priest Yun Zhang shook his head. “Would we then be giving up the chance to enter Beast God City—to enter the God Temple?”

His words stirred visible hesitation and reluctance among those present.

For beastmen like them, raised since childhood on tales of the sacred Beast God City, it was the purest, most beautiful place in all their hearts. Countless beastmen risked long journeys just to glimpse the city with their own eyes.

To see beastmen from that city, to hear promises of being allowed inside… how could their hearts not pound?

Miss this chance, and they might never have another…

Cang Xie frowned.
“What Beast God City, what Upper City? Aren’t they using Hei Yao’s wagons? Aren’t they wearing Hei Yao’s clothes? I don’t think they’re that special. Why are you all hung up on that so-called sacred place?”

“This…”

Strangely enough, the “ignorant outsider” actually made a point that rang true.

If Beast God City was really that powerful, why didn’t they have their own wagons? Why were they wearing Hei Yao’s woolen clothes and furs?

And even those, only Bao Tan himself wore—the four guards’ fur coats looked worse than what commoners in the city had.

“Let him go.”

Everyone in the hall froze, turning toward the main seat where Lang Ze sat.

Yun Tan thought he’d misheard.
“Go… go do what?”

Lang Ze fixed his gaze on Cang Xie.
“They are from the Upper City. Do you truly dare make enemies of them?”

Excitement flashed in Cang Xie’s eyes.
“What’s there to fear?”

Sheep Luo raised his hand nervously.
“Wait—you’re thinking of—what exactly?”

Lang Ze rose from his seat, leaning forward on the table with both hands.
“Hei Yao is no lamb with its neck bared. Bei Zhou is no unclaimed land of jewels. If they want to scheme against Hei Yao, then they must bear the cost of angering us.”

---

At dawn the next day, Cang Xie led a squad straight to the envoy’s temporary camp outside the city.

“What did you say!!”

“Didn’t hear it clearly?” Cang Xie’s lips curled. “Then I’ll say it again.”

“Your envoy, Bao Tan, has been detained by us. If you want him back, hand over the forty slaves you brought.”

The envoy guards nearly shrieked:
“Do you know who Bao Tan is? How dare you detain him!”

Hmm… Cang Xie honestly didn’t know who exactly Bao Tan was. He lazily lifted his eyelids.
“Whether his identity is important—that’s your problem. What I do know is that those slaves are worth quite a lot. Just forty of them equaled forty sacks of salt.”

He smiled faintly.
“Looking at it this way, I understand if you don’t want to trade. But if I don’t get what I want, you won’t be getting your envoy back.”

At the mention of forty sacks of salt, Bao Zao’s heart skipped a beat.

He stepped forward toward the indignant guard.
“Forty sacks of salt? Isn’t there some misunderstanding here?”

It was true they’d spent quite some time gathering those slaves, but it hadn’t been that difficult. They’d simply passed word to the Mid-City, and the Mid-City arranged for a subordinate city, Qi Tu, to send them.

Bao Zao’s original plan had been to deliver them freely to Hei Yao. Any wise city lord would reward them grandly for such a “gift.” Then, with the lure of Beast God City, they could make further demands. Surely Hei Yao would gratefully agree, and the profits would be huge.

But Bao Tan, as the grandson of a Shen Si, thought otherwise. Giving the slaves freely was “stooping to flatter Hei Yao.” He wanted Hei Yao to pay far above their worth, like every other city did.

Bao Zao, as the Shen Si’s personal divine envoy, knew better than anyone the old man’s intentions: this whole mission was paving Bao Tan’s path. Once Hei Yao was absorbed, it would be recorded under Bao Tan’s achievements—his stepping stone to becoming Shen Si.

Bao Tan didn’t understand. But Bao Zao had indulged him anyway.

They had agreed that the price would be one sack of salt per slave—already steep. How had it, in just one night, turned into forty sacks?

“Misunderstanding? Bao Tan himself said it. I heard it with my own ears. What’s there to misunderstand?” Cang Xie’s tone was impatient. “So—will you trade or not?”

“We’ll trade!”

Bao Zao cut the guard off firmly.

The guard panicked. Bao Tan was the Shen Si’s grandson—how could anyone dare harm him? Yet here Bao Zao was, bowing to threats?

“Divine Envoy…”

Bao Zao’s face chilled. He glared at the guard.
“If the envoy comes to harm, how many lives of yours could pay for it?”

The guard faltered under his stare, though he stubbornly held his ground.

Bao Zao ignored him. “Bring the slaves.”

Soon, his attendants drove forth a line of captives. Bao Zao gestured for Cang Xie to inspect.

Cang Xie tilted his head at his men, telling them to lead the slaves away.

He wasn’t from Black Mountain—he had no idea if these were the right people or not. Didn’t matter. Hei Yao would check for themselves later.

As Cang Xie turned to leave, Bao Zao hurried after him.

Cang Xie suddenly “remembered”:
“Ah—your envoy. He’ll be returned to you today.”

Bao Zao dared not let them walk off without confirmation. If Hei Yao shut its gates and denied everything, how would he explain to the Shen Si?
“Allow me to accompany you, to personally take our envoy back.”

“You alone?”

“Just me.”

Cang Xie gave him a look—this one at least had some backbone.
“Fine. Come.”

---

When Bao Zao entered the guesthouse, Bao Tan was still snoring soundly in his luxurious room.

Woken, Bao Tan sat up irritably, ruffling his hair.
“What are you doing here?”

Seeing the lavish furnishings, Bao Zao finally breathed easier. Hei Yao had housed Bao Tan well, not thrown him in a cell. Clearly, they weren’t eager to break things completely with the Ling Bao clan.

“Bao Tan-daren, did you really demand Hei Yao pay forty sacks of salt for forty slaves?”

At this, Bao Tan leapt up, eyes glowing as he stroked the colorful rugs and fine ceramics.
“Look! See? Clayware just lying about as decoration! And these patterned carpets—the ones Luo Shu took back were tiny, but here, they have huge ones spread right on the floor!”

Bao Tan spread his arms, inhaling deeply.
“Hei Yao is richer than we imagined. Forty sacks of salt is nothing to them! In fact, I should have asked for more!”

Bao Zao turned aside, frowning deeply.

Inwardly, he sighed. The Shen Si was old—his judgment dulled.

The Shen Si had had two sons, both prodigies. Yet the elder could never compare to the younger—the true genius, who died tragically in his twenties. That loss was the Shen Si’s lifelong regret.

All his love had shifted to the dead son’s only child—Bao Tan. Especially when Bao Tan surpassed his uncle, Bao Xi, by becoming a second-tier warrior while still young. The Shen Si’s bias had grown overwhelming.

But Bao Zao saw clearly: Bao Tan was not that man. The Shen Si’s hopes were doomed to disappointment.

“My lord,” Bao Zao thought bitterly, “you see only Hei Yao’s wealth. You forget—they are still untamed, lawless beastmen.”

Bao Tan sensed something was wrong.
“What happened?”

“This morning they told us—you were detained. Unless we handed over the slaves, they wouldn’t release you.”

“They dare! I’m an envoy of the God Temple!”

“Why wouldn’t they dare? Remember—Hei Yao slew even Cang Shen Si, and he had nearly ten thousand troops. You are not a Shen Si, and we brought only a few hundred. What’s there for them to fear?”

Bao Tan froze, then shuddered violently.

He grabbed Bao Zao’s arm, gasping like a fish out of water.
“You… I… the slaves—”

Bao Zao pressed his grip firm.
“I’ve already given them to Hei Yao. They’ve agreed to release you. I’m here to take you back.”

Bao Tan nodded frantically.
“Go! Now!”

They left the city without incident. Bao Tan kept his head lowered the whole way, as if terrified to be seen.

Back at the camp, he immediately ordered everything packed.

By the time the Sung Wu and Sheng Ling beastmen realized, they had been abandoned.

Still standing outside the gates, dumbstruck, they watched as Xun and Ling Ping, delighted, headed into the city.
“Come on, I booked us rooms in the guesthouse! We’ll stay inside Hei Yao!”

---

In the palace of pure white bird-bone,

A tall beastman in a white robe stood before a carved window.

His long black hair flowed like a waterfall. Lifting his gaze, he studied the blossoms swaying beyond the wall.

“So… Hei Yao truly cast out the grandson of Yong Shen Si?”

The attendant bowed low. “Yes.”

Soon, the sound of blossoms shivering came, and with it a faint fragrance.

That man’s voice was soft, almost gentle:

“Invite him to the Temple.”