......

Yuanzhou.

Adjacent to the North Sea, spanning three thousand miles, the orcs have lived and multiplied here, evolving from a race into tribes and then into clans, a process that has continued for hundreds of years.

Over the centuries, caves and nests have gradually been replaced by houses, city walls have sprung up, and agriculture and animal husbandry have, needless to say, begun to take shape.

What shocked Mu Yunyun the most was—civilization.

In the south, people worship divine birds.

The totem of Dijiang is mostly six-legged and four-winged, resembling a yellow sac.

The north is bordered by the sea and reveres the Nine Yin Manual.

However, after the Beast God descended upon the laws of heaven and earth, his offspring withered away. The ancient Nine Yin lineage had no descendants and died young. Therefore, the Dijiang clan could be said to rule and dominate Yuanzhou.

Even before they arrived at Yanshan, where the Dijiang clan resided, the birthday banquet was already very lively.

Along the way, all the clans, large and small, heading towards Yanshan were there to present gifts to their clan leaders.

When we arrived at the foot of Yanshan Mountain, we were greeted by an even more magnificent sight.

Outside Yanshan City, high walls stand tall, and beneath them lies a moat used to defend against fierce beasts. Inside, the place is even more bustling with activity.

The crowd was bustling and jostling.

Even the houses are not the mud-brick houses you see from the outside, but wooden houses built with mortise and tenon joints, which are very grand and imposing.

Arriving at the territory of the Dijiang clan was even more awe-inspiring.

The houses stand tall, and in the very center stands a clay sculpture of Emperor Jiang, with red eyes and six wings, exuding an imposing aura.

They walked for several more miles before finally arriving at their ancestral home.

However, they were stopped before they could even enter.

"Please wait a moment, my lady." The lean old man bowed and tried to ingratiate himself: "Today is the birthday of the patriarch of my Dijiang clan. Many clans have come and gone. Please tell me your origins, so as not to treat our distinguished guest poorly."

After the old man finished speaking, he looked Mu Yunyun up and down, his expression becoming increasingly respectful.

Without him.

Mu Yunyun was so beautiful, like a goddess from the Jade Terrace. In the crowd, she was the most eye-catching, and it was hard not to notice her.

The clans that came to offer their congratulations also looked over frequently because of these words, as if they also wanted to know her background.

Mu Yunyun smiled generously.

"Returning to the Rainforest Tiger Clan, I have come back to my ancestral home today to congratulate the clan chief on his birthday."

Upon hearing the name Gui Yulin, the old man could no longer maintain his respectful demeanor.

"Guiyu Forest, is it the Guiyu Forest on the border of Yuanzhou?" The old man asked again, seemingly unable to believe it.

"Yes."

The affirmative answer made the old man lose his desire to entertain him.

He initially thought Mu Yunyun was a concubine from a powerful clan, but it turned out she was a poor relative who had been expelled from the main family. No wonder he was happy.

"In that case, let's go in first."

The clansmen around them exchanged glances and then looked away.

It turns out they were a collateral branch of the Jiang clan who had submitted to Emperor Jiang, and they were not even from the Yanshan region. They must have been an outsider who had been driven out of the main family. Such a status was not enough for them to curry favor with.

"Master, what are you looking at?"

The great shaman looked puzzled when Qi Yue suddenly stopped.

Qi Yue withdrew her gaze: "It's nothing, let's go."

......

Upon entering the main residence, Mu Yunyun realized what true grandeur meant.

The meticulously crafted stone walls, the mortise and tenon jointed corridors, and the feather-bone roofs all showcase the scale of this large clan.

Mu Yunyun and Di Xi were led to a corner to sit down.

"Please take a seat, my lady."

"Thank you."

Mu Yunyun sat on the ground and looked around.

The main seat was in the very center, while the people on the tables to the sides below were mostly dressed in hemp clothing and skirts, clearly distinguished guests from prominent clans.

Further outwards, you'll find mostly large and small races covered in animal hides with rough skin.

The clan chief hadn't arrived yet, and everyone was exchanging pleasantries and chatting, creating a lively atmosphere.

"Who do we have here? It's just a stray dog. What's wrong? Can't make it in Guiyu Forest anymore? Trying to curry favor with the clan chief for some scraps?"

Mu Yunyun turned around and saw a male walking slowly towards her, accompanied by a short slave.

The male was tall and strong, with a muscular body, comparable to Tiger Two Strong, only he was wearing a coarse cloth, which made him less rugged.

When Di Xi saw the person who had arrived, his veins bulged instantly.

"Emperor! Yan!"

"How dare you! You dare call an adult by his name!"

The slave beside him snapped at him, his tone very rude.

"Look carefully, this is Lady Yao Ji's companion. Since your Tiger Clan has submitted to our family, you should kneel and kowtow to your master to show your respect. Have you forgotten all the rules?"

"never mind."

Emperor Yan raised his hand to stop the slaves beside him.

He looked at Di Xi with a playful expression.

"In the end, he and I are of the same lineage, so there aren't so many rules. Besides, if it weren't for the offerings from your Tiger Clan all these years, how could I have formed a pact with Lady Yao Ji? Don't you think so, cousin..."

Di Xi clenched his fists tightly.

He and Di Yan were of the same clan, but he was forced to leave the main family due to interests. He thought that going to Guiyu Forest would keep him away from trouble, but the other party still refused to let them go.

First, the excessive offerings suffocated them. Later, he secretly instigated his elder brother and father to sell slaves. After he succeeded to the throne, in order to counterbalance the Tiger Clan, he made him form a contract with his own family's servants.

All of these things were the work of his cousin's lineage, so how could he not hate them!

Thinking of his mother's bitter death, Di Xi trembled and gritted his teeth.

Mu Yunyun had never seen Di Xi like this before. She instinctively stepped forward, took his hand, and gently squeezed it, her face full of worry.

Di Xi snapped back to his senses and gave her a reassuring smile.

He's fine.

I've heard these things before.

He's used to it.

"What's wrong? Why are you shouting like that?"

"Lord Yao Ji!"

All the disciples of the clan around him knelt down in unison.

Di Yao walked over with her slaves in a grand procession. She glanced around and finally fixed her gaze on Mu Yunyun.

The two were about the same age, but Mu Yunyun was dressed very poorly, wrapped in animal skin, and her hair was tied up with a wooden hairpin, revealing a small face the size of a palm and eyes as dark as ink.

Di Yao frowned.

This is the family's banquet, not a guest banquet. Those who have come to attend are all from various clans, large and small, who worship Emperor Jiang as their lord. According to clan rules, they should kneel and bow to welcome her.

But Mu Yunyun was standing there, and dared to look her in the eye. Di Yao felt a little uncomfortable, but she couldn't figure out Mu Yunyun's identity, so she just asked a question.

"Who is this?"

Mu Yunyun stepped forward and bowed, saying, "Guiyulin, the Snow Weasel Clan, greets Lady Yaoji."

She spoke humbly and cautiously, after all, she needed someone's help today.

"The Snow Weasel Clan?" Di Yao glanced at her from head to toe, feeling even more displeased. "What Snow Weasel Clan? Never heard of it. How come you let just any Tom, Dick, or Harry in? Men, drag her out and beat her to death."

what!

Mu Yunyun looked up instantly.

Di Xi panicked and stood in front of Mu Yunyun. Just then, a slave next to Di Yao suddenly struck out with a palm, the powerful force sending Di Xi flying and crashing heavily to the ground.

Behind them, a broken pottery jar tied with hemp rope lay scattered on the ground.

"Emperor Xi!"

The movement was so fast that Mu Yunyun couldn't react at all.

She stepped forward to support him: "Are you alright?"

Di Xi felt a sweet taste in his throat and spat out a mouthful of stagnant blood, which splattered onto the scattered tiger seedlings on the ground.

"Master, I'm alright."

"Owner?"

Di Yao frowned, only then noticing the contract totem on Di Xi's neck.

Di Yan's expression changed.

"You tiger clan have quite the audacity to unilaterally enter into a contract!"

Tiger Clan?

Di Yao's gaze fell on Di Xi, and only then did she remember his identity.

Judging from the Guiyu Forest Tiger Clan, her retainers, and the close relationship between the two, what else could Di Yao not know?

"Good, good, good." She slowly walked up to Di Xi and looked down at him: "What a treacherous and ungrateful wretch! Guards, skin him alive and let everyone see the consequences of betraying one's master."

"Yes!"

"Yes!"

"Yes!"

The burly slaves beside him stepped forward, and Di Xi shielded Mu Yunyun behind him, instantly transforming back into his original form.

"Master, run!"

Mu Yunyun stumbled and fell to the ground. It all happened so fast that Mu Yunyun didn't even have time to react.

She watched Di Xi fight to the death, while the people around her seemed to regard her as an ant.

She stared blankly at the ground again.

There were broken pottery jars scattered all over the ground, and tiger grass was strewn everywhere.

And so, they were trampled underfoot.

No!

No!

No!

Mu Yunyun panicked completely.

She never expected this to happen.

Before the powerful clans, life and death were decided by a single word from them.

It felt like a heavy hammer blow to her face.

What kind of cooperation?

What kind of offerings?

In the eyes of the powerful clans, these people were nothing more than dogs, to be killed at will!

"Stop!" Stop right now!

Mu Yunyun stood up, trying to stop them.

But her resistance was utterly insignificant in the eyes of the crowd.

Di Yao smiled and said, "And that female too, chop her up and feed her to the dogs. What kind of creature dares to be so insolent in front of my Di Jiang clan?"

Upon hearing this, Di Xi grabbed Mu Yunyun's skirt and made her ride on his back.

He had only one thought.

escape!

The farther you escape, the better!

But as soon as he made a move, he was stopped.

It's Emperor Yan!

"You unilaterally concluded a contract, refused to atone with your death, and remain unrepentant. Do you expect my Tiger Clan to be buried with you?!"

The powerful metal-elemental spiritual vein transformed into a taut whip, tightly constricting Di Xi's neck.

He then looked at Mu Yunyun on the tiger's back.

"What Snow Weasel Clan? They tricked the Tiger Clan into forming a pact, attempting to curry favor with my Emperor Jiang Clan. Their intentions deserve to be punished!"

Done.

A swift and powerful golden arrow materialized in mid-air and shot towards Mu Yunyun in an instant.

Di Xi's face turned pale.

He tried to struggle, but the powerful spiritual veins pressed down on him like mountains, his eyes turning bloodshot and his face filled with despair.

Thousands of arrows whistled fiercely.

Mu Yunyun watched numbly, then resignedly closed her eyes.

'Yunyun, my Snow Weasel clan will fight to the death to protect you and help you escape.'

"My Eagle Clan has plenty of warriors. Just tell me which one you like, and I'll make the decision for you."

'The law of the jungle prevails; the strong are respected. Only by expanding our race can we avoid being bullied.'

"A divine pact is forged, witnessed by heaven and earth! We are bound by fate and heart, until death do us part!"

You don't need to worry about things at home.

'Mother—'

Mu Yunyun opened her eyes instantly.

A fierce wind carried arrows, their whistling sound piercing her eardrums as they hurtled straight at her face.

She can't die!

Behind her stood the entire Snow Weasel clan!

'Skin him alive!'

'Chop it up and feed it to the dogs!'

Anger swept through her limbs and bones, burning Mu Yunyun's meridians as if they were being roasted by fire.

close!

close!

The killing intent surged forth like a monstrous wave!

Sudden.

A cluster of flames suddenly ignited in the air.

Amidst the flames, the divine bird of the nine heavens rose from the ashes, its wings sweeping away countless arrows and illuminating the sky with a sudden burst of light!

"This is!"

"Fire-type spiritual vein!"

Di Yan looked on in disbelief.

How can it be!

Mu Yunyun slowly opened her eyes, her burning gaze revealing a resolute determination to fight to the death!

"Useless trash, hurry up and do it! All of you, come at me together!"

Di Yao snapped at him, her face full of impatience.

Once everyone realized what was happening, they all stepped forward, ready to finish the fight quickly.

Just then, someone suddenly blocked Mu Yunyun's way.

The dragon-patterned silk fluttered in the wind, its patterns shimmering in the light—the clan emblem of the ancient Qi clan.

"Wait a minute."

Two words.

This brought everyone's movements to a halt.

The man was as still and majestic as a mountain, with a face as bright as the moon, like a deity banished from heaven.

"Qiyue."

Di Yao didn't expect him to show up.

"What, does Jiang Shuiqi also want to meddle in other people's business?"

The great witch doctor rushed over.

Just now, he and his master went to pay their respects to the clan chief, but they did not expect to see this scene when they arrived at the banquet.

Seeing Mu Yunyun's pale face, he angrily said, "What does your Dijiang clan mean by attacking without warning? This is a distinguished guest of my Qi clan."

what!

Everyone looked at each other.

He looked completely incredulous.

The Jiang Shuiqi clan is a sixth-tier major clan in Yingzhou, an ancient lineage.

This woman is so willing to stand up for others; what is her background?

Di Yao was humiliated in public, and her face turned ashen: "My Di Jiang clan never intermarries with other clans. This person has arbitrarily entered into a contract with my Di Jiang family servant. According to the rules, killing him to vent my anger is wrong."

"Lady Yaoji, we still need to give Jiang Shuiqi face," the wet nurse anxiously reminded her.

Those who can awaken spiritual veins are all from large clans. Not to mention, even the Jiang Shuiqi clan treats them as honored guests, making their status even more obvious.

Just think about it. If they weren't from a major clan, why would they brazenly appear at a birthday banquet? Wouldn't that be courting death?

The wet nurse was extremely anxious, fearing that Di Yao might offend someone, which would be disastrous.

"The little Qi clan is nothing to my Dijiang clan."

"Alright, how long are you going to keep this up?"

"Mom!"

Di Yao's words, intended to be spoken quickly, were abruptly cut off in her throat.

"Clan Chief—"

"Clan Chief—"

"Clan Chief—"

An elderly woman slowly walked to the banquet table.

He was around sixty years old, with gray hair at his temples, but he was still very energetic, with sharp eyes like an eagle.

She scanned the entire room, finally fixing her gaze on Qi Yue with an apologetic expression.

“My son is still young and doesn’t know his place. He has offended you all. Please forgive him.”

"Mother, why be so polite with them!"

"Shut up!"

The old woman shouted angrily.

"Mom!"

"It's alright. After all, we have disturbed the clan elder's birthday banquet. Our Qi clan should apologize first. Please don't take offense, clan elder." The gentle voice was like a breeze in the mountain stream, which made the clan elder breathe a sigh of relief.

She then looked at Mu Yunyun.

"The Tiger Clan submitted to my Dijiang Clan in the early years, but they have long since broken away from our main family. This lady has come here today, so I suppose she is genuinely fond of us. Therefore, there is no reason for my Dijiang Clan not to agree."

"Someone, please summon the witch doctor and give this lady a proper examination."

"No need." Upon hearing this, Mu Yunyun seemed to deflate instantly: "After all, it was I who took it upon myself to make the contract. I came here today to ask the clan chief not to blame me."

She gritted her teeth and climbed off the tiger's back, feeling pain in every vein.

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