023 Would you be willing to form a bond with me and become my mate?

Since the Deer Tribe was holding an evening celebration featuring roasted meat, they did not prepare a separate dinner. This event was held to celebrate the fact that the tribe’s hunting party had secured enough game before the onset of the rainy season. Typically, the tribe hunted diligently before the rains began to store enough food to survive the season.

Li Yue silently calculated the time. Based on her estimates, the rainy season was fast approaching. By the time she found her father, the rains might have already begun, and he might not have the time to hunt. She needed to make the most of her spatial storage, stocking up on meat and wild fruits now. If she could grow vegetables and fruits in the black soil within her space, her survival during the rainy season would be even more secure.

While she was lost in thought, a warm face suddenly leaned in close. Li Yue was startled and snapped back to reality, realizing it was Jin Ye. He leaned down slightly, his ice-blue eyes fixed on her, his voice tinged with expectation: "The celebration is crowded and the path is rough. Let me carry you there."

Li Yue quickly shook her head, refusing. "No need, I can walk myself." She was not disabled; there was no reason for a beast-husband to carry her over such a short distance. As soon as she spoke, Jin Ye’s expression dimmed, but he did not insist. He simply followed silently by her side, deliberately slowing his pace.

At that moment, Si Qi approached. After absorbing the beast crystal, his complexion had improved significantly. Without waiting for Li Yue to react, he reached out and gently lifted her into his arms. "In the tribe, if a female with beast-husbands walks alone to the celebration, other males will assume she and her husbands are not on good terms and will easily come to harass her."

Li Yue was stunned; she was unaware of such a rule in this beast world. Although she intended to dissolve her bonds with these husbands sooner or later, she realized that in the unfamiliar Deer Tribe, if others perceived a rift between them, it could lead to trouble. Thinking this, she stopped struggling and nodded slightly, silently consenting to his actions.

Si Qi had been prepared for rejection or even a rebuke, so he was surprised by her compliance. She didn't resist and even accepted his touch. With her soft body pressed against him, carrying a faint, pleasant fragrance, Si Qi’s heart began to race. He tightened his grip on her slightly and moved with extra caution, fearing he might jostle her.

Before they even reached the clearing, Li Yue could smell the aroma of roasted meat drifting through the air. The tribe had already set up over a dozen roasting racks. Large chunks of meat were skewered on wooden sticks, sizzling as the fat dripped onto the glowing coals below, sending up tiny, crackling sparks.

As Si Qi carried Li Yue to the bonfire, the noisy clearing fell silent for a few seconds. Many of the Deer Tribe males turned their gazes toward Li Yue—some out of curiosity, some in awe, and others with undisguised scrutiny. After all, in the beast world, females were rare. Li Yue was a stranger, and given her striking appearance, many single males were unable to look away.

Males had keen eyesight, and they quickly noticed that there was no beast-mark on Li Yue’s collarbone. Usually, the first beast-husband’s mark would appear there, and the fact that hers was clean indicated that she had not yet truly bonded with the husbands by her side.

Qing Ze stood not far away, holding a skewer of meat. Seeing Si Qi carrying Li Yue, he frowned slightly. He had assumed that because she lacked their marks, she did not care for them, but the fact that she allowed him to carry her suggested their relationship wasn't as distant as he thought. Regardless, this would not change his plans for the night.

Qing Ze took a deep breath, suppressing his unease, and walked over with a steady, elegant stride. He softened his tone and bowed slightly to Li Yue. "Female Li Yue, I am Qing Ze of the Deer Tribe. The tribe has reserved a spot for you. Shall I take you there to be seated?" His gaze lingered on her, burning with intensity, and he ignored Si Qi entirely.

Si Qi’s grip on Li Yue tightened, his voice turning cold. "No trouble needed. Just point out the spot for us." His eyes were filled with clear wariness, obviously unwilling to let Qing Ze near her.

Qing Ze hesitated, instinctively looking at Li Yue, as if hoping for her to contradict him. But Li Yue simply rested quietly in Si Qi’s arms, saying nothing. To her, it didn't matter who led the way, and there was no point in arguing, which might only expose their detachment.

Seeing that Li Yue did not object, a flash of disappointment crossed Qing Ze’s face, but he gestured toward an empty spot by the bonfire. "Right there, near the roasting racks, for easy access to food." Si Qi nodded curtly and walked toward the spot without another glance at Qing Ze. Jin Ye and You Lie, following behind, swept their eyes over Qing Ze like blades, their hostility plain to see. Jin Ye, in particular, glared with such intensity that he likely would have punched Qing Ze if not for the public setting.

Lan Xi and Chi Yu remained expressionless, their thoughts unreadable.

Just as Si Qi set Li Yue down on a stone, before she could feel the warmth of the fire, three Deer Tribe males approached together. They were all tall and sturdy, their cheeks flushed, their eyes fixed directly on Li Yue with a mix of shyness and anticipation.

Li Yue blinked in confusion. Before she could speak, Jin Ye stepped in front of her, his voice stern. "What do you want? Leave at once; she does not need more partners for now."

The lead male was particularly burly, the green-tier beast ring on his arm gleaming—a sign of considerable strength in the Deer Tribe. He frowned and retorted defiantly, "What right do you have to refuse on her behalf? She hasn't said a word; you don't decide!"

He sidestepped Jin Ye and walked straight to Li Yue, forcing a gentle smile and softening his voice. "Little female, I am Shi Yong of the Deer Tribe, and I am already a green-tier warrior. Your current husbands may not be able to protect you as well as I can. Would you be willing to bond with me and become my mistress?"

As soon as he finished speaking, the atmosphere around Li Yue tensed. You Lie’s dark red eyes flashed with menace, his fingers curling into fists. Si Qi shifted forward to block her side, and Jin Ye glared at Shi Yong, clearly ready to fight.

Li Yue, unaware of the rising tension, knew her priority was finding her father. She could not afford to take on new husbands and create unnecessary complications. She sat up straight and said firmly, "I am sorry, but I do not need new beast-husbands at this time. You should go back."

As the words left her lips, her husbands visibly relaxed. You Lie’s shoulders slumped, Si Qi’s expression softened, and Jin Ye lifted his chin, looking as if he had won a great battle.

Jin Ye immediately shouted at Shi Yong and his companions, "Did you hear that? She said she doesn't need you! We are enough to protect her, so don't waste your effort!"

The smiles on the males' faces vanished. In the beast world, a female’s refusal was final; further pestering would only be seen as a grave insult. Seeing the defensive stance of her current husbands, they knew there was no chance. They turned away, dejected, losing all appetite for the roasted meat by the fire.