Every Family Has Its Own Difficult Sutra to Recite

Chapter 17: Every Family Has Its Own Difficulties

For the Meat-toothed Beasts, who revered the strong, power was a measure of one's worth, and prey was a manifestation of ability.

To outsiders, these Meat-toothed Beasts were savage, crude, and unteachable. But in Yuan Chen's eyes, this pure reverence for strength was more fitting for this chaotic era... At least, as long as you could display your power, you would earn the respect of all of them.

Even if some were still displeased, they would suppress their temper and obey your commands—because you were stronger.

After defeating more than a dozen Meat-toothed Beast hunters, the pure physical strength and combat skills left a fine sheen of sweat on Yuan Chen's body.

Hanging his arms, he looked around and patted his chest, "Do I have the qualifications!"

"You do! You do!!"

Sensing the wildness in Yuan Chen's words, the surrounding Meat-toothed Beasts cheered—they were easily swayed by the atmosphere. If even one Meat-toothed Beast looked down on you, the others would follow suit.

Now that he had proven his strength, all the Meat-toothed Beasts realized that Yuan Chen was definitely not some pretty boy.

Seeing this, Mordas smiled and said, "Regardless of the final outcome, your strength has been recognized by all of us. So, to welcome our guest, tribesmen, prepare a grand bonfire party!"

Mordas boomed in his loud voice, "At least let this human know that when it comes to eating meat, we Meat-toothed Beasts are the strongest!"

"That's for sure!"

The Meat-toothed Beasts cheered, while Yuan Chen subtly cleansed himself with Water Element—Ixonians valued cleanliness, and this fine sweat clinging to his body was truly uncomfortable. The Meat-toothed Beasts didn't say anything either—they also put a lot of effort into grooming their manes.

Mordas led Yuan Chen into their hunting camp. Along the way, Mordas whispered to Yuan Chen, occasionally falling silent as if deep in thought.

Although they looked more like beasts, the Meat-toothed Beast tribe was not chaotic. On the contrary, to prepare for the upcoming dragon hunt, they had divided the entire camp into different areas for easier management and organization.

Herds of cattle and sheep were kept in wooden pens. Besides the domesticated poultry from Ixialia village, there were also many common pack animals from Shurima and the border regions of the Valoran Continent.

In a warehouse on one side, large quantities of fodder were piled up, clearly indicating that these Meat-toothed Beast hunters intended to make thorough preparations for the hunt and settle there for an extended period before completing it.

In addition, they had felled a large number of trees, which, after simple processing, were made into large hunting devices using thick ropes and iron chains...

Narrowing his eyes, a hint of surprise flashed across Yuan Chen's gaze... What was covered by the straw mat, looked like a ballista? Wasn't that military equipment? How did they get it?

Noticing Yuan Chen's surprise, Mordas nodded and said, "We didn't just decide on this on a whim... We've been preparing to change the tribe's current situation for a long time."

Hearing this, Yuan Chen nodded thoughtfully, "Perhaps we can have a good talk."

"Of course, we have plenty of time."

As he spoke, Mordas clapped Yuan Chen on the shoulder and walked towards the camp, "Light the bonfire! Let us enjoy this hard-won freedom! For the future of the tribe! For the Meat-toothed Beasts!!"

"For the future of the tribe! For the Meat-toothed Beasts!!"

The young hunters of the Meat-toothed Beasts let out low growls. Although many among them felt their skills surpassed Mordas', Yuan Chen was certain that when it came to the tribe and the Meat-toothed Beasts, these hunters were surprisingly united in their hatred for their enemies...

This was something never mentioned in the background story of League of Legends, and it was worth delving into... Who wouldn't want a group of natural hunters and assassins as allies?

As dusk deepened, a bonfire was lit, its flames dispelling some of the damp air. Gathered around the fire, the Meat-toothed Beasts, in twos and threes, pierced chunks of meat with sharpened branches and roasted them over the flames.

Due to their different physiological forms, the digestive systems of these Meat-toothed Beasts were clearly superior to humans'. Whether raw or cooked, meat was swallowed in a few bites, with no concern for the burden undercooked food might place on their stomachs.

"Why did you come here to hunt dragons?" Yuan Chen asked, sitting beside Mordas. He was cutting his half-cooked meat into smaller pieces and placing them back on the fire to roast. "Is the position of tribal chief that important to you?"

"Because you don't know our tribe's traditions," Mordas shook his head, tearing off strips of meat and slowly, deliberately, putting them into his mouth. He chewed slowly, his gaze fixed on the dancing bonfire.

"In our tribe, elders possess almost absolute authority."

"..." Yuan Chen remained silent, listening quietly. He truly knew nothing of the Meat-toothed Beasts' tribal customs.

Mordas continued:

"You humans call us natural hunters... That's a mistake.

Not every Meat-toothed Beast is passionate about hunting. More often, like you humans, we have our own strengths and desire to see the wider world."

"But the elders do not permit it."

"They believe that any behavior or aspiration outside of hunting is an excuse for cowards. They think that if we abandon hunting, the Meat-toothed Beasts will lose their fangs, their pride...

They believe weakness is an unforgivable sin for the Meat-toothed Beasts. My younger brother, and my younger sister, were exiled into the jungle to fend for themselves at a young age because they weren't strong enough..."

Speaking of his siblings, Mordas clenched his fists, his voice filled with suppressed emotion. "They were thrown into the jungle by the elders, using 'prove yourselves' as an excuse, even before they could properly hold a knife... I can't forget the disgust and shame in my father's eyes when he looked at my sister.

But we had no power to resist... In the tribe, the elders' authority is unquestionable. They can even kill their own children as they please, as if they were their own property."

As Mordas spoke, the Meat-toothed Beasts around them, who had been making some noise, quieted down. They all turned their gazes towards Mordas, their eyes reflecting the bonfire, flickering with an uneasy flame...

"I once wanted to escape. Later, a hero returned from the dense forest."

"A hero?" Hearing Mordas' words, Yuan Chen raised an eyebrow. "Who was it?"

"Rengar."

"Rengar?" Hearing Mordas' name, Yuan Chen was taken aback. He knew Rengar very well, but he couldn't quite understand how Rengar had become a hero... Did Rengar even know they considered him a hero?

Mordas said excitedly, "Rengar is the chieftain's child, but unlike us, Rengar is very thin. He's completely different in physique from his father, and not even as tall as I am."

"Just like tradition dictates, Rengar was exiled into the jungle. But Rengar didn't die. He survived, and returned to the tribe after mastering powerful skills!"

"However, his father still considered Rengar a disgrace to the tribe, so he exiled him once again..."

"And demanded he bring back the head of a Void Creature? And he not only failed to bring it back, but also lost an eye?"

"..."

Upon hearing this, Mordas was silent for a moment, then raised an eyebrow in confusion, "How did you know that?"

"Would you believe me if I said I dreamed it?" Yuan Chen spread his hands.

"Later, he returned to the camp. Because he lost an eye, he wasn't praised but was instead ridiculed by his father.

But he noticed his father's weapons and spoils of war in the house were covered in dust, realizing his father hadn't hunted in a long time. So, he attacked his father and killed him in the ensuing battle. Your father, the chieftain of the tribe, is correct?"

"..." Hearing this, Mordas couldn't help but stroke his chin and ask suspiciously, "Have you met Rengar?"

"No... but I can indeed see glimpses of people's destinies. Although they might only be brief fragments, they contain the past and the future."

"You're a prophet?!" Mordas's eyes widened. "Why didn't you say so earlier? If you had, we wouldn't have had to fight!"

"You didn't ask," Yuan Chen spread his hands. "And there's no way to prove it, is there?"

Mordas paused, then returned to his seat and nodded in understanding. "That's true... No wonder you could find us. It seems destiny guided you here as well."

No, it was Nedeli who showed me the way.

Thinking this, Yuan Chen didn't voice it. After all, it would only increase his credibility as a prophet. Why not?

Now that Mordas was sure Yuan Chen knew about Rengar, he didn't dwell on Rengar's past. Instead, he concisely stated:

"He successfully survived the dense forest and returned to the camp. He was the first Meat-toothed Beast to survive, and the first to kill his own father.

We all witnessed his strength. Although his physique is slightly smaller than ours, his explosive power and resolute fighting will left a deep impression on us."

"At first, the elders of the tribe wanted him to be their leader. But deeply disappointed with the tribe, he chose to leave alone. Thus, the tribe began the election for a new chieftain--

The criteria were based on whose prey and spoils were the most, the largest, the strongest, and the most valuable."

"We can't become solitary hunters like Rengar, but we still want to change the tribe's current situation.

We don't want our children and sisters to become like them. We hope the Meat-toothed Beasts will have more choices, rather than only death besides hunting..."

Mordas stated with conviction, "Those old guys have at least realized our intentions. They won't allow us to defy them, let alone surpass them...

Although we are unwilling, it's undeniable that they are indeed stronger than us in hunting and possess more spoils."

"So, to change all this, we must embark on an Adventure and obtain the truly most valuable prey."

"A Dragon," Yuan Chen said, seeming to understand. "So you want to win the trial by hunting a Dragon, become the chieftain, and then change everything?"

"Yes."

"Then why don't you just be more direct? Like driving them out of the tribe, or simply leaving and forming a new tribe."

"Many support their ideals. Direct conflict would only breed greater hatred and chaos," Mordas shook his head.

"I have read human books. I don't want the Carnivore Beast Tribe to split into two hostile tribes. Leaving means escaping. What we want to do is change the tribe's current situation...

The chieftain is the tribe's authority. Even the elders cannot defy the chieftain's orders...

As long as we can become chieftain, even if difficulties remain, we can at least subtly change the thoughts of the tribespeople. We won't let children be exiled to the wilderness and dense forests just because they are naturally weak."

Hearing Mordas's hopes, Yuan Chen couldn't help but tease, "Yo, there are scholars among the Carnivore Beasts~"

"Don't talk as if all of us Carnivore Beasts are just a bunch of beasts," Mordas shook his head. "Besides, our scientific name is Vastaya, isn't it? If not for traditional constraints, our civilization might not be weaker than humans."

"That's true, after all, there are a bunch of old fuddy-duddies among humans too..." Listening to Mordas's troubles and hopes, Yuan Chen shrugged and couldn't help but think of the elders in Ionia's Eternal Hall. He couldn't help but shake his head and sigh, "Every family has its own difficult scripture to read..."

"What do you mean?"

Hearing Yuan Chen's sigh, Mordas, who was beside him, became interested and asked, "Aren't you a prophet? Is there something that troubles even you?"

"That's because you haven't been to Ionia."

Yuan Chen shook his head. "Ionia is isolated, with no land connections. Furthermore, the boundary between the spiritual and material realms there is not clear, so living in harmony with all things is our deeply ingrained tradition."

"I saw the future. My homeland was invaded, my people were displaced, forced to leave their homes, and oppressed by invaders. Tens of thousands died under the iron hooves.

But when I thought about preparing defenses, training, and guarding against invasion, do you know what the elders of the Eternal Hall said?"

"What did they say?"

"They believed my ideas would disturb Ionia's harmony, shame the scholars of Prestation throughout the ages, and even tarnish my divine talent. They thought I should reflect on my mistakes."