Irrepressible hatred flowed from the High Priest’s eyes. Ling Xiao felt a pang of sympathy. He thought of Ye Zi’s upbringing, then of the High Priest—a woman of peerless, youthful beauty. It was hard to imagine how she went from being the favored daughter of a hidden, aristocratic clan to the High Priest of a savage Beastman Tribe. The hardships and tribulations she must have endured were beyond imagination...

To possess the power of a Demon Sword Master in her twenties was, in the eyes of many, an incredible feat!

But to Ling Xiao, it was nothing special. The Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi in this world was so abundant, and most of those hidden aristocratic clans had millennia of heritage. As long as they grasped even a fraction of how to apply the principles of Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi, they could cultivate the younger generation of their families into powerful experts in a short time.

Clearly, the High Priest’s clan must possess some method for rapidly boosting one’s power!

Ling Xiao didn’t dare to pry, as he knew very well that while the High Priest might mostly trust him, she couldn’t trust him completely. Her promise to let him leave and take countless Magic Beast Crystal Cores with him was enough to show how much she cared for Ye Zi, the daughter she had never met.

So, Ling Xiao understood. The High Priest’s genuine emotions weren’t for him, but for Ye Zi... her daughter.

’Should I help her?’ The thought quietly surfaced in Ling Xiao’s mind.

In Ling Xiao’s opinion, if, as the High Priest said, the hope for revenge was slim even for someone with the strength of a Sword Emperor, then helping her would be tantamount to pushing her to her doom. ’If Ye Zi finds out in the future, will she resent me? Even if she doesn’t, I’ll still feel uneasy about it myself.’

So, Ling Xiao asked, "High Priest, have you ever thought about giving up on revenge?"

The High Priest gave Ling Xiao a strange look and said softly, "Ling Xiao, my once happy and perfect family was devastated overnight. Magnificent pavilions were turned to rubble, all my relatives were killed, my child was gone, and I myself was crippled. Tell me, how could I possibly give up?"

Ling Xiao was silent. Indeed, even ascetics dedicated to their cultivation still had people and things they needed to protect; they still had human passions and desires. The path Ling Xiao cultivated was not the Path of Emotionlessness, so he knew that if he were in her place, he would never give up on seeking revenge either.

"So, I endured this torment for more than a decade. What kept me going was, one, a bone-deep hatred, and two, my daughter. On that day, I searched every corner of my home but never found her body. I held onto the hope that she was still alive in this world, but I never imagined that I would actually get news of her one day. Thank the Beast God, and thank you, young man!" The corners of the High Priest’s lips curled into a confident smile. "Since even something this impossible has actually happened... then I believe my hope for revenge will one day be realized!"

Ling Xiao hesitated, deciding it was best to discuss it with Ye Zi before saying anything more to the High Priest. Besides, he didn’t have all the Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures needed to reconstruct the High Priest’s Dantian. He didn’t want to give her boundless hope right now. She had lived in torturous despair for so many years; surely she could wait a little longer for him to talk it over with Ye Zi. What’s more, his own power was also growing!

That way, when the time came, he wouldn’t have to watch her face her powerful enemies all alone and outmatched.

Because... she was Ye Zi’s mother!

That alone was enough; no other reason was needed. The greatest difference between humans and beasts in this world is that human emotions are more complex. But even most beasts know to cherish their mothers; they also feel deep affection for their young. It’s one thing to be selfish, but if one is so selfish as to lose all humanity, then that person is worse than a beast.

As for how to find this place again upon re-entering the swamp, Ling Xiao was confident that with Clown around, it wouldn’t be difficult.

The High Priest’s Spiritual Power was indeed formidable. In the short time she had been speaking with Ling Xiao, she had already stabilized her injuries. It was safe to say that Ling Xiao’s victory had been a complete fluke. If the High Priest had intended to harm him from the start, Ling Xiao would now be severely injured, if not left a mindless fool!

By the time Ling Xiao was ready to leave, the High Priest was able to sit up in bed on her own. Looking at Ling Xiao’s handsome face, a hint of satisfaction appeared on hers.

Ling Xiao stood to take his leave, and the High Priest, uncharacteristically, escorted him to the door. Watching Ling Xiao’s departing figure, she fell into deep thought. ’Ling Xiao’s words... It seems this young man has profound medical skills. He also looked like he wanted to say more but stopped himself. Could it be... he can repair my Dantian? No.’ The High Priest shook her head in self-mockery. ’I come from a super-clan myself, and I’ve never heard of anyone being able to repair a Dantian. Besides, my Dantian was forcibly obliterated by my enemies. Even if Ling Xiao could perform such repairs, he would be powerless in my situation!’

’This young man... he’s not bad!’

’I have secrets I haven’t told him, either,’ the High Priest thought. ’My daughter has been missing for years, and I haven’t seen her with my own eyes. This whole thing is an unbelievable coincidence.’ If it weren’t for Ling Xiao’s question—"Was your husband’s family a military one?"—the High Priest would never have believed him. Back then, even among the hidden aristocratic clans, very few knew she had married into a military family!

So, she believed most of what Ling Xiao said. Moreover, she had to consider her daughter’s happiness. ’Vengeance is my burden to bear alone!’

The High Priest didn’t want her daughter to walk the same tragic path she did. ’Since she knows nothing now, it’s better she never knows!’

Lam, the Clan Leader of the Leopardman Race, was extremely envious that Ling Xiao had been able to speak with the High Priest for so long. Just as he was about to lead Ling Xiao away, several Beastmen suddenly approached from the side.

Ling Xiao’s sensitive Spiritual Power instantly detected that these Beastmen were different. The power fluctuations from their bodies were too distinct!

"Clan Leader Lam. Are you here to receive the High Priest’s guidance?"

The tall Beastman spoke in fluent human language, his voice booming.

As soon as Lam saw this person, his attitude immediately became extremely deferential. He bowed slightly and placed his right hand over his chest. "Grand Commander, I was waiting for our honored guest, the expert from the Human Race!"

The Beastman then stepped out from the shadows. He was incredibly tall, a full three meters! He had a shaved head, deep-set eyes, and pale yellow skin. One of his brawny arms was thicker than Ling Xiao’s leg! Just standing there, he naturally exuded an intense, oppressive aura!

More importantly, Ling Xiao studied the giant for a moment but couldn’t find a single bestial trait on him!

The few following behind the bald giant also had shaved heads, but Ling Xiao noticed a tuft of yellow fur on the tips of their ears!

’They are Beastmen! But why do they look so human-like?’

The giant’s bare arms were smooth, the muscles beneath sharply defined and brimming with explosive power!

The bald giant glanced at the wooden ladder hanging from the tree, his stern face unreadable. His eyes fixed on Ling Xiao as he asked, "You’re the human who saved the Leopardman Race warriors? And you brought the refined salt?"

His tone was hostile. Ling Xiao fearlessly met his gaze and replied, "That’s right. You must be the Grand Commander of the Beastman Race? The refined salt made it to you, I take it? What’s wrong, afraid it’s poisoned? You can give it back. I’m sure the members of the Leopardman Race would be very happy to have it!"

The bald giant curled his lip, revealing the sharp, predatory teeth that marked him as a Beastman, but there was no hint of a smile on his face. "Little human, your joke isn’t funny. Don’t think you can act so arrogant in the territory of the Beastman Race just because the High Priest likes you! I hate humans. If you don’t know what’s good for you, I don’t mind teaching you a lesson and showing you what real power is!"

Ling Xiao arched an eyebrow. The other man was clearly trying to provoke him. He smiled faintly. "Just because you’re big doesn’t mean you’re strong."

"Very good, you foolish human. I admire your ignorance!"

The bald giant sneered coldly. "It seems I need to show you that size... *is* power!"

Lam, the Clan Leader of the Leopardman Race, was getting extremely anxious. He quickly tried to smooth things over. "Grand Commander Tiger, he is the High Priest’s honored guest... You..."

"Lam, shut your mouth!" Tiger snarled viciously at Lam and snorted. "I truly... despise humans... so don’t try to stop me!"

Helpless, Lam turned to Ling Xiao. "Expert from the Human Race, Grand Commander Tiger can tear a Tier Five Magical Beast apart with his bare hands! Please, be careful!"

Tiger paid no mind to Lam spilling the details. On the contrary, he seemed to relish it, running his tongue over his thick lips. His eyes gleamed with a vicious light as he stared coldly at Ling Xiao. In truth, he had arrived some time ago. When he heard that the human had been granted an audience with the High Priest, Tiger had grown worried.

He wasn’t like those dim-witted, foolish Beastmen. Tiger knew the High Priest’s situation perfectly well! He was the one who had saved her when she fled here all those years ago!

Back then, however, Tiger was just a member of the Tigerman Race with average strength. It was the High Priest who gave him the power he had today! Therefore, in Tiger’s heart, the High Priest was more important than anything.

He had always been worried about one thing: that one day, the High Priest would leave them, abandon the Beastman Race, and return to the world of humans.

That was why he loathed all humans, especially this one who had been allowed to stay with the High Priest for so long!

This made Tiger burn with jealousy. Whenever he visited the High Priest, he would be dismissed after only a few moments.

’This human... must die!’