Chapter 571: Chapter 570: They Came at Just the Right Time

Si Shuo didn’t dare ask too many questions. She was afraid her curiosity would draw their attention, so she steered the conversation toward the Royal Family.

At the mention of this, the young females became even more talkative, their eyes filled with longing. "Our Beast King is a winged White Fox Beastman, very similar to the Chenghuang Beast God."

"No one knows where he came from, but he’s the most powerful Beastman in our Guanping City—Peak Level 18, and they say he’s about to break through..."

"The Beast King has many females, and almost half of them are Female Saints. But because his Level is so high and his talent is so good, even with so many females helping him bear children, he’s only had seven Princes and three little Princesses..."

"The Princes and Princesses are all grown up. Every year, during the grand competitions held in various places, the top-ranking Warriors have a chance to become a Prince’s Couple Brothers or be chosen by a Princess... Si Shuo, your males are too outstanding in looks and ability. You should keep a low profile so you don’t attract the Princesses’ attention..."

Si Shuo smiled and nodded, saying seriously, "I know. But I’ve already sworn an oath to the Beast God that I will spend my life only with them. So even if a Princess takes a fancy to them, she can’t defy the Beast God and take them away."

Her words not only shocked the females but also made the males guarding them stare in disbelief, their gazes toward Zhi Le and the others filled with a mixture of envy, jealousy, and resentment.

"Si Shuo, are you crazy? How could you make a vow like that so casually? It’s true that the Beast Country on the Yongchang Continent is relatively safe, and we don’t have to be like those outside the forest, where every household must send out half its members to hunt Wild Beasts and prevent a Beast Tide."

"But different environments have different dangers. With no external threats, internal conflicts become more common."

"Many males die in the arenas every year—as many as two or three out of ten, and more than half are left wounded or disabled..."

"Exactly, Si Shuo. No one can guarantee they’ll be invincible in the arena. If something unexpected happens, would you really rather have no Beast Husbands than look for others?"

The universe and all of creation strive for a balance; you have to give something to get something. It wasn’t that no one had considered such a situation. It was just that none of them wanted to gamble away their present for an unknown future.

’Who would be foolish enough to give up other possibilities for just a few beloved Beast Husbands? If a Beast Husband dies, you just find another one. In the end, your own life is what’s most important.’

Si Shuo chuckled lightly. "Our lives as females are very short, while the males use all their strength, even risking their lives, to protect us and our children."

"Why don’t they deserve the same level of emotional commitment from us? Of course, the situation in our family is different."

"I’m a Divine Servant, after all. The males who have gathered around me are all exceptionally talented. I believe we can make it to the end together."

She wasn’t trying to be a trendsetter or promote some kind of equality between males and females. It was just that in her family, everyone treated each other with sincerity.

As for the formation of other people’s thoughts and behaviors, that was the result of a long historical evolution and had its own reasons for existing.

Everyone fell silent. They had never imagined that partners on the Beast World Continent could have such a dynamic and deep emotional bond. There was no point in saying anything more; Si Shuo had already made her vow.

Soon, their conversation shifted to the upcoming Late Autumn grand competition.

"This grand competition in Ningbei City was approved by the Beast King, so the nearby Female Saints will definitely all be there. The males who achieve good rankings in the arena have a chance of catching the eye of a Female Saint..."

"And, I heard from my Father that the Beast King used to be completely focused on his Cultivation. Only after he broke through Peak Level 16 and ascended the throne did he begin choosing females to bear Princes and Princesses... The Princes’ and Princesses’ aptitudes are quite good... The Beast King is already over a hundred years old. If he doesn’t successfully break through to Level 19 this time, he’ll have to choose and train a successor..."

"I heard my grandfather say that too. In the next few years, powerful Warriors are very likely to be targeted by the Princes and recruited into their factions..."

Si Shuo summed it up in her mind. ’A new round of competition for the throne is about to begin! Tsk, we really picked a great time to arrive.’

After waiting for the better part of a day, they finally entered the city, following a long line that moved at a turtle’s pace.

Ningbei City was as large as ten Guangshou Cities. For the annual Late Autumn grand competition, the Zongwang Mansion had specially built an enormous Beast Fighting Arena in the city’s northeast corner, right next to the Ze Yuan River, which flowed through four Beast Countries before emptying into the East Corner Sea.

The southeastern city walls were dotted with countless guest caves, and the nearby streets were lined with stall after stall. The lively scene was somewhat like a modern-day New Year celebration, with everyone beaming with joy.

It made sense. After a year of hard work, it was almost time to hole up for the winter. Most of the males had no work and would be at home accompanying their females and children.

"Si Shuo, we’ve already booked a guest cave in advance, but they’re in high demand right now. Is a three-room suite enough for your whole family?" Ning Han asked, a little embarrassed.

"That’s fine, we’re not picky," Si Shuo said with a smiling nod. ’Worst case, we can just teleport to the Bamboo Forest Maze to rest,’ she thought.

Although it was called a three-room suite, it was in the most inconspicuous spot among the countless guest caves, seven stories up from the ground. Each room was exceptionally small, only five square meters. However, the stone beds were double-decker bunk beds. Besides the beds, the only other furniture was a stone table and chairs against the wall. The males spread out the Beast Skins, set up an Array Flag, and after a brief rest, they all went down to wander the streets.

To their surprise, members of the Long-eared Rabbit Clan were everywhere, carrying bamboo baskets and hawking steamed buns and meat-filled flatbreads!

The Yongchang Continent had plenty of food, but compared to the nation Si Shuo came from, with its five thousand years of history, their culinary civilization was practically nothing.

Just hearing those two names made some passersby stop and ask. Anyone who could attend the Late Autumn grand competition had at least a few Crystal Stones in their pocket, and they were always willing to try a novel new food.

The Long-eared Rabbit Beastman smiled, quoted a price, then took out a meat-filled flatbread and broke it apart, giving a piece to each of the Beastmen who had gathered around.

The flatbread had been cooled and wrapped after baking. It was crispy, savory, and fragrant. The meat filling was generous, and the Floating Wheat flour had a rich, robust flavor. After one bite, almost no one could resist!

Immediately, someone bought a meat-filled flatbread, and while they were at it, they bought a meat bun to try as well. The shiitake mushroom and meat bun was even more delicious and satisfying, its flavor and texture far beyond anything they had ever known.

In just five minutes, two whole bamboo baskets of food were sold out!

Si Shuo watched, clicking her tongue in admiration. ’Sure enough, good food sells well in any era and any place.’

Ji Liang noticed it too and let out a low, hissing laugh. "Little Shushu, once we settle down somewhere, should we open another restaurant?"

"This feeling of watching Crystal Stones slip through our fingers isn’t very satisfying."

Si Shuo nodded eagerly. "Not only will we open one, but we’ll open restaurants in every corner of the Yongchang Continent! When that happens, we’ll probably become the wealthiest Beastmen on this entire Beast World Continent."

Wei Ce couldn’t help but be amused by the little female’s naivete. He raised an eyebrow and said, "Shuo, the fastest way to get Crystal Stones is actually to find a Crystal Stone Mine. Just relying on opening shops to earn Crystal Stones, you can’t even begin to compare with the Beast Clans who excavate the mines..."