Humans are tributes?

When he saw more than a dozen humans tied up in the black stone house, Ye Qiu suddenly understood the meaning of tribute.

"Sir." A half-beastman was responsible for overseeing the humans. Upon seeing the bat half-beastman approach, he immediately showed a respectful expression.

"The lord instructed me to check if there’s any trouble with the tributes. Are they being obedient?" the bat half-beastman asked.

"Rest assured, sir, these weak humans, not a single one can escape." The half-beastman replied with a grin.

The bat half-beastman walked in a circle in front of the dozen or so humans, his gaze landing on a woman in her twenties. The half-beastman beside him said, "Sir, if you’re interested, we can step outside for a while, giving you some alone time."

The bat half-beastman’s eyes flashed with a peculiar light. Human women indeed intrigued him, but he quickly extinguished this thought. These tributes, he dared not touch. Any mistake, and the Wolf King Lord would blame him.

"Impudent, do not mention this again. Otherwise, if the Great King finds out, both our heads will roll, understood?" The bat half-beastman reprimanded solemnly.

"I was wrong, I was wrong. Please forgive me, sir."

"Alright, keep a close watch on these tributes. If one goes missing, you’ll be the one to answer for it."

The bat half-beastman turned and left the black stone house. Ye Qiu, hiding on his person, had a complicated feeling. Humans in the southern wilderness had become tributes, like merchandise.

Could it be that the powerful figures in the eastern wilderness are unaware of such things?

Ye Qiu found it impossible. If a martial artist like him at the Xu state could come to the southern wilderness, the mighty figures surely wouldn’t fear this place.

As someone from Earth, seeing humans treated as tributes gave Ye Qiu a sense of resistance and anger.

Especially seeing that those captured were young and in their prime.

Though Ye Qiu wasn’t a saint and didn’t have a saint’s compassion to save others in danger, the thought of humans being treated like goods, sold by ancient beasts, was hard to accept.

Despite this, Ye Qiu remained quietly concealed, refraining from a rash rescue.

He felt that such humans, captured and made tributes, were probably not few in number.

He could save one, but not everyone.

Moreover, what relation was it to him? He owed nothing to others.

They had only themselves to blame. Without the strength, why come to the southern wilderness? Seeking death wasn’t something to blame on Ye Qiu.

Activating the Supreme Emperor Bell, Ye Qiu quietly left the bat half-beastman. The latter was completely unaware that Ye Qiu had taken a significant stroll with him.

Returning to his room, Ye Qiu put away the Supreme Emperor Bell, calming his mind, no longer thinking of those humans treated as tributes.

Unexpectedly for Ye Qiu, that night, there was no commotion, and they didn’t make a move against him.

"Quite patient, aren’t they?" Ye Qiu said, looking at the sunlight streaming through the stone cracks into the stone house, smiling as he rose and left the stone house.

In the distance, on the training grounds, many half-beastmen were practicing with weapons, sparring like swordsmen.

Watching the half-beastmen practice, Ye Qiu found it rather interesting, as if he’d entered a world from an Earth video game.

After observing for a while, Taishan approached Ye Qiu, looking well-rested, as they both watched the half-beastmen sparring.

Soon, the Wolf King Lord and the bat half-beastman arrived, inviting Ye Qiu and Taishan for some breakfast.

Ye Qiu was quite curious about what ancient beasts ate, but upon seeing a huge pot of paste-like substance, his appetite vanished.

"This is a delicacy, made by mincing fine meat into a meat porridge," the Wolf King Lord explained, then drank a bowl of it.

Ye Qiu didn’t drink; for him, food was merely a bodily desire. Not eating wouldn’t starve him.

Of course, he had another reason not to eat: to avoid consuming something that might harm him.

The Wolf King Lord noted Ye Qiu didn’t eat but didn’t persuade him, instead continuing to eat heartily, consuming over a dozen bowls, burping in satisfaction.

"This morning, I saw Brother Ye watching the brothers training on the grounds. Brother Ye must be itching to join in?" the Wolf King Lord laughed.

"Not exactly itching, just haven’t had a good workout for a while," Ye Qiu replied calmly.

"Seeing as we have nothing to do today, how about a spar, Brother Ye?" the Wolf King Lord suddenly suggested.

"Oh? If the lord doesn’t mind, a spar would be fine," Ye Qiu replied with a smile, already guessing that the Wolf King Lord wanted to test his strength.

"Good, straightforward!" The Wolf King Lord laughed, then headed to the training grounds.

Many half-beastmen gathered around, as later their lord would fight, a rare sight, for in this domain, none could match the lord.

Standing opposite each other, Ye Qiu and the Wolf King Lord, the latter said, "Brother Ye, here I come, be careful." 𝓯𝙧𝓮𝓮𝒘𝓮𝙗𝙣𝒐𝒗𝒆𝓵.𝓬𝓸𝒎

Ye Qiu smiled lightly, remaining still.

When the Wolf King Lord attacked, much to Ye Qiu’s surprise, its movements were quick and graceful, given its large body, one would expect the ground to tremble with its steps, but not during attacks.

Swift, and incredibly fierce!

Clang!

An unexpected clang rang out in front of Ye Qiu, as he swiftly stepped back, dodging it. Closer inspection showed it was the Wolf King Lord’s fist causing it, the silver armor resonating with its power.

Interesting.

Ye Qiu dodged back and forth, not counterattacking.

The Wolf King’s attacks were fearsome, though appearing as a spar, they were genuinely lethal.

Ye Qiu’s smaller build meant more agility compared to the towering Wolf King Lord.

"Lord, my turn!"

Tens of punches having missed, the Wolf King Lord was astonished at Ye Qiu’s skill. He didn’t anticipate Ye Qiu would avoid his strikes so swiftly. Suddenly warned by Ye Qiu to be careful, the Wolf King Lord hesitated.

Swish.

Ye Qiu’s fist approached, and the Wolf King Lord almost laughed. Did this punch intend to counterattack?

Immediately, the Wolf King Lord struck directly. In no time, Ye Qiu’s fist turned into a grab, like a fish’s tail, slipping past the Lord’s fist to seize his wrist, then twisting it.

Crack!

The Wolf King Lord flinched, feeling his arm breaking, incapacitated.

Ye Qiu chuckled lightly, swung another punch. The Lord quickly blocked, but again Ye Qiu caught his wrist, breaking his arm.

Subsequently, Ye Qiu moved lightning-fast, tapping both feet on the Lord’s knees, sending the Wolf King Lord flying.

Bam!

Dust erupted as he hit the ground, leaving the surrounding half-beastmen stunned.