Clumsy Beast, Keep Your Paws Off - Chapter 254

Chapter 254: Chapter 254: Confrontation between two tribe leaders!
Shi Feng, the Lion King, lived up to his reputation as a top predator. The moment his paws touched the inner border of the mountain range, he sensed the shift in the air.

He didn’t need to see the hidden eyes in the bushes to know they were being watched. He immediately skidded to a halt and let out a low growl that acted as a signal to his entire tribe.

​In an instant, the hundred lions who had been infiltrating the mountain stopped dead in their tracks. They formed a tight circle, their eyes glowing with warning as they looked around. They knew they had been discovered.

​Shi Feng’s younger brother, Shi Kuang, stepped forward, his eyes narrowed as he scanned the treeline. He was ready for a fight, his muscles coiled like springs. But Shi Feng remained calm. He stood in the center of the muddy path with a commanding presence.

​”Everyone stay in your places,” Shi Feng commanded in a deep, booming voice. “No one attacks unless I say so. Do not draw first blood.”

​The tribe members nodded, but Shi Kuang couldn’t help but sneer. “Brother, you’re worrying too much. Look at these smells…foxes and rabbits? We could flatten this entire mountain before the rain stops.”

​Shi Feng didn’t even look at him. He just gave his brother one cold glare that effectively shut him up.

​On the other side of the brush, Su Mingxuan, the Fox Tribe Leader, realized there was no point in hiding anymore. He stepped out from behind a massive ancient tree, followed by the sound of rustling leaves from all directions.

Suddenly, the hundred lions found themselves surrounded by the Fox Tribe.

​In terms of pure numbers, the Fox Tribe had the advantage. They had about three hundred members, including the males, females, the elderly, and the cubs.

They had also recently taken in the Rabbit Tribe. But Su Mingxuan wasn’t an idiot. He looked at the towering figures of the lion beastmen and felt a cold sweat on his back.

​The lions were giants. Almost every single one of them was a four or five-strip beastman. They were the elite of the beast world. Even though Su Mingxuan had three hundred people, most of them were only one or two-strip beastmen, or non-combatants. In a real fight, the lions would turn them into a bloodbath in minutes.

​But Su Mingxuan didn’t cower like a coward. He stepped forward and let out a warning growl at the Lion King. He wanted to show that even if they were smaller, they weren’t going to be bullied in their own home.

​Seeing a “weak” fox growl at his brother, Shi Kuang’s temper flared. He let out a roar and was about to launch himself at Su Mingxuan, but Shi Feng’s voice barked out like a whip.

​”STAY PUT!” Shi Feng roared. “Do not cause trouble!”

​Shi Feng then stepped forward silently. He didn’t bow, and he didn’t show any submissive gestures. He stood with the pride of a lion, looking Su Mingxuan directly in the eyes.

​Han Jue, who had been watching from the shadows, stepped out beside Su Mingxuan. As a Wolf beastman, Han Jue was the only one who could match the lions in physical height.

He was a five-strip beastman on the verge of becoming six, and he let out a deep, rumbling growl of his own. He would not allow anyone to disrespect his father-in-law or the tribe leader.

​Shi Feng looked at the mixed tribe before him…foxes, wolves, and even rabbits. It was a strange collection of “weaker” species, but they seemed organized. He didn’t want a war. His people were exhausted. He just wanted dry land and safety for his females.

​Shi Feng spoke firmly, his voice echoing through the rain. “Tribe Leader of the Fox Tribe, we do not mean any harm. We are travelers seeking shelter from this cursed rain. We are willing to offer compensation for your hospitality.”

​Su Mingxuan shifted into his human form, standing tall despite being shorter than the lion. “If you want shelter, why did you barge inside without permission? You crossed our borders like invaders. That is a threat to my people.”

​Shi Feng also transformed into his human form. The foxes gasped. He was a staggeringly handsome man with long, golden hair and sharp, regal features. His skin was a deep bronze, and his eyes were like liquid gold. Even Han Jue felt the pressure coming from this man.

​”I apologize for the inconvenience,” Shi Feng said, his tone sincere but proud. “We have been traveling for more than a week in this deluge. We have no other choice. Look at our people.”

​He gestured behind him. Su Mingxuan looked at the lionesses. Their fur was matted, their eyes were glassy with exhaustion, and their hands and feet were swollen and blue from the freezing water. They were shivering so hard they could barely stand.

​Su Mingxuan’s heart softened. In the beast world, females were precious and fragile. Seeing them in such a pitiful condition was hard for any leader to ignore. He knew they couldn’t survive much longer in the open.

​”Still,” Su Mingxuan said, trying to maintain his authority. “Laws say you wait at the border. You don’t just march in.”

​”We were desperate,” Shi Feng admitted. He then reached into a pouch at his waist and pulled out something that made everyone’s breath catch.

​In his palm sat a Green Crystal Core.

​The entire clearing went silent. Even the sound of the rain seemed to fade away. Green crystals were legendary. Most beastmen went their whole lives without even seeing a red one, which was the lowest grade. A green crystal was worth more than a dozen red ones. It was a treasure that could make a tribe famous overnight.

​”For our stay here,” Shi Feng said calmly, “we offer this green crystal. In exchange, you will provide us with shelter and medicines for our females until the rain subsides. Once the water clears, we will leave.”

​Su Mingxuan was stunned. He looked at the glowing green stone and then looked at Han Jue. Han Jue was just as shocked.

Su Mingxuan’s mind immediately went to Su Qinglan. If he took this crystal, his daughter and his future grandchildren would have enough energy to become the strongest beastmen in history. They might even be born with a strip already formed.

​It was a temptation he couldn’t refuse. But he had to be careful. Lions were proud. If he let them in, he had to make sure they didn’t take over.

​”Fine,” Su Mingchen said, his voice regaining its strength. “We will accept the exchange. But I have conditions.”

​Shi Feng nodded. “Speak.”

​”We will provide shelter,” Su Mingxuan stated. “We will provide medicine and food for your females and cubs. However, all of your healthy males must join our hunting parties. We will not feed a hundred idle lions for free. You work for your stay.”

​He paused, looking Shi Feng in the eye. “And if your females fall sick, our witch doctor will do their best, but we will not take responsibility if the heavens decide their time is up. You must agree to peace within our walls. Any lion that raises a claw against a fox or a rabbit will be executed immediately.”

​Shi Feng looked at his shivering tribe and then back at the green crystal in his hand. He didn’t like the idea of his warriors being “workers” for foxes, but he had no choice.

​”Agreed,” Shi Feng said.

​Su Mingxuan exhaled a breath he didn’t know he was holding. “Then follow me. And tell your brother to keep his teeth hidden, or he won’t like what happens next.”

Shi Kuang growled at him, and Han Jue growled back.