Chapter 510: A Dangerous Proposal
Rong Yanchen only smiled, the curve of his lips slow and confident. Without saying anything further, he raised his hand and waved lightly in the air.
At once, several fox beastmen stepped forward from the shadows. Their movements were quiet and disciplined, each of them carrying something in their hands.
One by one, they approached and placed the items neatly in front of Mo Qingli and Wang Mulan.
Soon, the empty space between them was completely filled.
There were bundles of rare beast hides, thick and soft to the touch.
Among them was even precious white mink fur, smooth as water and incredibly difficult to obtain in the beast world.
Beside them lay slabs of smoked meat, carefully preserved, their rich scent spreading faintly through the hall.
Then came two small stone containers. One held bright orange crystals that glowed faintly under the torchlight, while the other contained fine, rare salt... enough to feed an entire tribe for a year.
After that, more items followed... fruits, grains, even rice. Each one was valuable in its own way. Together, they formed a display of wealth that few could ignore.
The hall fell silent.
Rong Yanchen observed their reactions calmly before bringing his hands together in a soft clap.
"If the City Lord can see my sincerity," he said smoothly, "then I hope you will allow me to take my mate back to where she belongs."
As he spoke, his gaze shifted toward Wang Mulan.
"These are merely small gifts," he added, his tone respectful yet carrying an unhidden sharpness, "for the beautiful mother of my mate."
There was a faint smile in his eyes... polite on the surface, but clearly calculating underneath.
He paused briefly before continuing, "There are also twenty powerful beasts outside, hunted specially as tribute for my female. I did not bring them in, fearing they might dirty the City Lord’s residence."
His words sounded courteous, yet every sentence landed heavily.
Wang Mulan’s expression changed instantly.
Her fingers tightened against her robes, and the warmth from earlier vanished completely.
Anger rose in her chest uncontrollably.
What was this supposed to mean?
Was he offering gifts... or placing a price on her daughter?
Her gaze turned cold.
If her daughter did not agree, then no one, no matter how powerful, would be allowed to take her away.
Beside her, Mo Qingli remained seated, his posture relaxed but his eyes deep and unreadable.
He looked at Rong Yanchen steadily, saying nothing, yet the displeasure in his gaze was unmistakable.
Rong Yanchen noticed everything and still, he smiled.
As if their reactions were nothing more than something mildly amusing.
He casually brushed an invisible speck of dust from his robe before speaking again, his tone as relaxed as ever.
"I will stay here for one day. You may prepare my mate. Tomorrow, we will depart with her."
There was no question in his words... only decision.
Without waiting for a response, he turned and walked away.
Just like that.
The hall remained silent long after he left.
Wang Mulan and Mo Qingli sat there, momentarily stunned. They had not even agreed, yet the man had already decided everything on his own.
Outside, Rong Yanchen walked through the streets of the Dragon Beast City at an unhurried pace. His violet eyes moved lazily over his surroundings, taking in everything.
"So this is the Dragon Beast City..." he murmured. "Large... but lacking."
His lips curved faintly, though there was no warmth in it.
"And these people..." His gaze swept over the beastmen passing by. "Their eyes are dull. Stiff. There is no charm at all."
There was clear disdain in his expression.
Behind him, his subordinates followed at a distance until he waved them off. "Arrange a place for me. I will stay here tonight."
They immediately obeyed and left.
Now alone, Rong Yanchen’s expression slowly darkened.
"My mate..." he muttered under his breath.
A dangerous glint appeared in his eyes.
"She actually formed a bond already... with some stinking fish."
For a moment, anger surged through him, sharp and violent. His jaw tightened, and his fingers curled slightly, as if resisting the urge to act on it immediately.
But he forced himself to calm down.
"So what if she already has one..." he said softly, his lips curling again into a cold smile. "I can simply kill them."
His voice was almost gentle, but the meaning behind it was chilling.
"Then... the position beside her will naturally belong to me."
"How dare she think someone of my status was willing to share a female dream on."
His gaze turned darker, filled with possession and quiet madness.
Unknowingly, he had already walked far from the main hall, wandering deeper into the unfamiliar city.
Like a fox entering new territory, patiently observing.
And waiting for the right moment to strike.
Rong Yanchen walked without any clear direction.
Somehow, he had already moved far away from the Dragon Beast City.
The surroundings had grown quiet, the noise of the city long gone, replaced by the soft rustling of leaves and distant sounds of the wild.
His steps were slow, almost lazy, but his senses remained sharp.
At the peak of the eighth rank, there were very few things in this area that could escape his perception.
That was why, when a faint sound reached his ears... a soft, sweet giggle, he stopped.
His violet eyes narrowed slightly as he turned toward the source.
Even from a great distance, his gaze pierced through the trees and rocks with ease. And then, he saw them.
A young female was pressed lightly against a large stone, her figure half hidden.
A beastman stood close to her, one arm wrapped firmly around her waist as he leaned down.
They were far too close.
The man lowered his head, and the female did not resist. Instead, she leaned into him, her arms wrapping around him in return.
There was a quiet intimacy between them.
At first, Rong Yanchen should have looked away.
Such open displays between mates were not uncommon in the beast world, and he had always found them meaningless, even distasteful. He should have left.
But he did not.
His gaze remained fixed... not on the man, but on the female.