Tattling

After the division was complete, smiles spread across everyone's faces. Compared to such gains, even the prize for the Hunting Competition seemed somewhat insignificant.

"Let's head to the Stone Platform too." Wu Yun carefully placed the cub in his arms and said with a smile.

Lin Dong nodded as well. Although he and Lin Changqiang were still four Identity Tokens short of meeting the requirement, that was clearly an easy task for them.

"I won't be going." After some consideration, Mu Lingsha, standing to one side, ultimately shook her head.

The others were slightly startled, then quickly understood. They glanced at the little beast in Mu Lingsha's arms and nodded thoughtfully.

A demonic beast cub capable of growing to the Heavenly Origin Stage was immensely valuable. Besides, with her strength, she would not be able to achieve much of a ranking anyway. Giving up the hunt to send the cub back first was indeed the wiser choice.

Mu Lingsha looked gratefully at the others and revealed her first smile since they had met. "If you have time in the future, come find me at Mu Family Village. I'll be sure to treat you well."

"Haha, no problem." Wu Yun and Lin Dong both nodded with smiles. Only Lin Changqiang cast Lin Dong a disdainful look. This brat agreed readily enough, yet he had spent the early part of the story crazily chasing Lin Langtian, then the middle and later parts crazily chasing Ling Qingzhu. In the end, he never even went to find her before the finale.

Seeing that no one objected, Mu Lingsha did not linger. After wrapping the cub in cloth, she bid them farewell, then turned to leave.

"Wait!" A sudden idea struck Lin Changqiang. He grabbed Mu Lingsha by the arm and said cheerfully, "Since you're not taking part in the hunt anyway, why not give us your Identity Tokens? It'll save us the trouble of looking for more."

Mu Lingsha's lips twitched, but she said nothing. She readily took five Identity Tokens from her clothes and handed them to Lin Changqiang. Only then did she turn, leap onto a tree branch, and dart toward the edge of the forest like an agile leopard without looking back.

"Thanks!" Lin Changqiang shouted at her retreating back. Then he turned and waved at the wide-eyed Lin Dong and Wu Yun. "Let's go. We won't be short on tokens now."

As soon as he finished speaking, Lin Changqiang ran straight toward the center of the forest. He could no longer wait to collect his reward, and Lin Dong and Wu Yun hurried after him.

The sunlight was not scorching. Instead, it felt warm and exceptionally pleasant. At this moment, countless gazes around the Beast Horn Arena had gathered on the Giant Platform at its center.

"Judging by the time, the contestants should be ascending the platform soon." Lin Zhentian narrowed his eyes as he looked expectantly at the Giant Platform.

"Father, there's no need to worry. With the strength of those two, as long as they don't run into Lei Li of the Lei Family, getting ten Identity Tokens will be effortless." Lin Ken mistook Lin Zhentian's thoughts for concern over the pair's safety and quickly reassured him.

Lin Zhentian merely chuckled and nodded without saying anything more.

Suddenly, waves of cheers erupted from the Beast Horn Arena. Several figures flashed onto the Giant Platform, among them Wu Yun, Lin Dong, and Lin Changqiang.

As the group landed on the Stone Platform, several judges swiftly arrived. After checking the number of Identity Tokens, they nodded and stepped back.

Not long after the three took the platform, two more figures leaped onto the Stone Platform nearby. The moment they appeared, their faces were ashen as they glared furiously at Lin Changqiang and the others.

Lin Changqiang seemed utterly unconcerned by the furious gazes of Lei Li and Xie Yingying. He chatted and laughed with Lin Dong, though inwardly, he had long been unable to wait.

Is it finally coming?

"Don't even think about taking the cubs away!" Seeing their smiles, Lei Li burned with rage. He abruptly turned toward the viewing stands where the Lei and Xie Families were seated, circulated his Yuan Power, and shouted, "Grandfather, Uncle Xie! Earlier, Yingying and I encountered an injured Fire Python Tiger and three newborn cubs in the forest. The two of us fought it for a long time before finally dragging it to death. Yet at the very end, Lin Dong and the others suddenly ambushed us and stole all three cubs! Grandfather, please uphold justice for us!"

Lei Li's sudden roar left everyone stunned for a moment, before the entire venue burst into an uproar.

"What?!"

In the viewing stands, the expressions of Lei Bao and Xie Qian changed drastically, as did those of Lin Zhentian and Luo Cheng.

They knew full well how formidable the Fire Python Tiger was. Three cubs meant three future Heavenly Origin Stage experts. No family could possibly ignore such a force.

"Three Fire Python Tiger Cubs?!" Lei Bao's face instantly flushed red. He exchanged a glance with Xie Qian, and both their eyes flickered. Then he rose to his feet with righteous indignation. "Is this true?"

On the Giant Platform, Lin Dong and Wu Yun's expressions shifted slightly. Neither had expected the other side to directly run crying to their elders.

"What nerve." Lin Changqiang shot Lei Li a disdainful glance and skillfully drew the aggro. "You fought it for a long time? That Fire Python Tiger was already on its last legs. Even if you had left it alone, it would have died before long. Why would it need you to kill it?"

"Just say it plainly. We all discovered those cubs and wanted them for ourselves. You simply lacked the skill to take them from us, so why dress it up in such high-minded words?" Halfway through, he casually blocked Lin Dong, who was about to join the argument, behind him. "Have you already forgotten what you said at the Trade Fair?"

"Exactly!" A vicious gleam flashed in Wu Yun's eyes before he raised his voice with a wicked grin. "The Fire Python Tiger Cubs were ownerless to begin with. Does the first person to see them get to claim them? If that's how it works, then tomorrow I'll take a stroll through the Lei and Xie Families. Any unmarried women I find will all become my wives and concubines!"

Wu Yun's shameless words drew a round of laughter from the crowd. Even Lin Changqiang was stunned by the thickness of his skin and the grandeur of his ambitions.

Some people nodded, feeling that while his words were crude, they made some sense. The Fire Python Tiger did not belong to anyone in the first place. By rights, whoever had the ability to seize the cubs should own them. Since when was there any rule about first come, first served?

"Stop twisting the facts!" Lei Bao's face darkened as he glared at Wu Yun.

Bang!

The moment he finished speaking, Luo Cheng suddenly slammed his palm onto the table nearby. The violent force directly shattered it into pieces.

Gripping the long saber at his waist, his voice was icy to the bone. "Lei Bao! When people of your Lei Family speak, it is the truth, but when people of my Mad Saber Martial Hall speak, it is sophistry? Do you take my Mad Saber Martial Hall for easy prey?"

"Indeed. Treasures of heaven and earth belong to those destined to obtain them. Let the younger generation settle their own disputes. Old Lei, are you thinking of interfering?" Lin Zhentian set down his teacup and slowly rose. His tone was exceptionally calm, yet it carried an unquestionable authority.

Seeing the Lin Family and Mad Saber Martial Hall instantly form a united front, Lei Bao narrowed his eyes. Then he said harshly once more, "The Fire Python Tiger may indeed have been ownerless, but Lei Li and the others also contributed greatly. Yet in the end, all the benefits went to you. Today, even if your two sides join forces, you must give me an explanation!"

From Lei Bao's tone, it was clear that he had dug in his heels. He clearly would not let the Lin Family and Mad Saber Martial Hall take the cubs away so easily.

"An explanation? Are you planning to seize them by force?" Luo Cheng's face twisted savagely as he tore away the black cloth wrapped around his saber. With a shing, he drew the blade.

"Hall Master Luo, don't let this become irreconcilable. That would benefit no one." Seeing Luo Cheng ready to fight at the slightest disagreement, Xie Qian's mouth twitched. He hurriedly stepped forward. "How about this? Let us determine ownership through a match. Whoever wins takes the cubs. What do you say?"

"What a joke! These cubs are already ours. Why should we compete with you? If you win, you get the cubs for free; if you lose, you suffer no loss. Where in the world is there such a good deal?" Lin Zhentian sneered. Though he knew Lin Changqiang and Lin Dong had both broken through to the Earthly Yuan Stage, Lei Li could not possibly be much weaker.

"I'll stake the Lei Family's Ironwood Manor. If we lose, Ironwood Manor will belong to your Lin Family. But if your Lin Family loses, you must hand the Fire Python Tiger Cubs over to my Lei Family! Lin Zhentian, do you dare accept?!"