Hearing that fluent Common Tongue, Cheng Yu and his companions all turned toward the voice.
A beast walking upright was approaching them.
After taking a look at him, Cheng Yu slowly leaned down and whispered something into Niu Ba's ear. Niu Ba looked puzzled, but at the firmness in Cheng Yu's eyes, he finally nodded.
Shen Qian looked at the newcomer and the beast walking on all fours behind him, then said with a smile,
"You must be the 'Hart' these children mentioned. We mean no harm. We simply want to leave these mountains."
The Beastman whom the Wild Demons called Hart looked first at Shen Qian, then at Niu Ba, and finally at Cheng Yu.
He said,
"You may leave, but that man cannot!"
As he spoke, he pointed at Cheng Yu.
Without giving anyone else a chance to speak, the upright Half-Demon said,
"I don't know why Humankind and the Demon Race are mingling, but whatever the reason, we cannot let Humankind know we're here!"
Before Shen Qian could speak, Cheng Yu climbed off Niu Ba and tossed her the map from his storage space.
Looking at the Beastman called Hart, he said,
"Very well. Let them leave, and I'll stay here."
Then, in a tone that brooked no refusal, he told Shen Qian,
"Take Niu Niu and go. I'll stay and talk to them."
At Cheng Yu's expression and tone, Shen Qian's lips moved several times, but she ultimately said nothing.
She climbed onto Niu Ba and sent Cheng Yu a voice transmission.
"If possible, please don't hurt them."
With his back to Shen Qian, Cheng Yu rolled his eyes in exasperation and gave no reply.
At the Beastman Hart's signal, the Wild Demons opened their encirclement, and Niu Ba shot out through the gap.
Cheng Yu