"I don't care how high or low her fertility is. No one is taking her from me."
"This is a rule the Clan Leader established long ago. Manla is just following orders! You are defying the Clan Leader!"
A Bear Beastman at the Peak of Rank Four standing beside Manla stepped forward. He had a square face, a hulking frame, and a fierce, domineering air. He stood a full two meters tall, yet his intimidating presence was not enough to give him the upper hand.
In his prime, Lan Cang was unmatched. Many admired him, and even after his decline, some still stood by his side. But by the same token, even more people were jealous of him, eager for any chance to kick him while he was down, to stomp him into the dust so he could never rise again.
Manla's face turned from pale to livid. She was terrified. Although Lan Cang had always been cold toward females, he had never been this furious with anyone before.
'That look in his eyes just now... He wanted to kill me!'
"I-I didn't do anything to her! She's the one who's breaking the tribe's rules. I was just following orders! She lives in the Kordo Tribe; the food, drink, and medicine for her injuries have all come from the tribe's resources. She should obey the tribe's rules..."
"I've provided her food, drink, lodging, and medicine. I have never used any of the tribe's resources. As for her medicine, I already paid the witch doctor for it in advance with Crystal Stones."
Lan Cang spoke calmly.
In recent years, he had seen both the warmth and the coldness of the world, which made him even more determined not to owe anyone favors. He had cut off almost all contact with the Beastmen of the Kordo Tribe and rarely even lived in the tribal settlement. Not to mention, the resources he'd received in exchange for the High-level Star Beasts he hunted in previous years far exceeded any benefits the Kordo Tribe could have given him. The only reason he hadn't demanded the tribe repay him was out of respect for the old Clan Leader. He had already done more than enough.
Moreover...
His narrow, wolf-like eyes were frighteningly cold, and a wicked smile played on his lips. "Have you forgotten? I am not a Beastman of the Kordo Tribe, and neither is my mate. You have no right to use the tribe as leverage to take her away."
Manla's expression turned ugly. "Don't forget, the old Clan Leader saved you. Are you planning to leave the tribe?"
"Everything I've done for the Kordo Tribe over the years is more than enough to repay the old Clan Leader for saving my life." Holding Sang Luo, Lan Cang turned to leave, tossing back a cold remark, "If the Clan Leader truly said this, have him tell me himself. Otherwise, if it happens again, I won't hold back!"
In that instant, it was as if the Lan Cang of old had returned—cold, proud, and solitary, with a terrifying aura. No one dared to say another word.
Ayia and the others stared, stunned. Lan Cang carried Sang Luo all the way home, with countless eyes fixed on her. She shyly buried her head in his chest. Sensing the small female's unease and fear, Lan Cang held her even tighter. "Don't be afraid. I'm here. I'll never let anything happen to you."
"I swear."
He cupped her small face. Staring at his handsome face, now suddenly so close, Sang Luo's heart skipped a beat. She looked down, took his long-fingered hand, and gently traced a few strokes into his warm palm.
'You... really don't care?'
'There's nothing wrong with my body; I'm perfectly healthy. But I'm human, after all, not a true female Beastman. There has to be reproductive isolation between humans and Beastmen, right? Manla was right. If he stays with me, he might really end up with no descendants.'
'The Beast World seems to place great importance on procreation. Countless Male Beasts would risk their lives to win a female's favor and have children of their own bloodline... Does he really think that way? Or did he just say it in the heat of the moment for others to hear?'
'I... I might really have no fertility. That's why I was abandoned by my tribe.'
Sang Luo probed cautiously, nervously awaiting his reaction.
Lan Cang froze for a moment. He didn't speak, remaining silent for a long time.
Sang Luo's heart was in her throat.
"Mm, I don't mind."
He lowered his head and kissed her on the forehead, then broke into a smile.
Lan Cang rarely smiled. His usually expressionless face gave off a cold, unapproachable feeling, but when he smiled, it was like a glacier melting—incredibly gentle.
"I don't care whether you can have children or not. But if I have children, they will be yours and yours alone. Otherwise, I won't have any at all."
Lan Cang had never been particularly enthusiastic about mating and procreation to begin with. After he was injured, he had resigned himself to being single for the rest of his life. It didn't matter to him whether he had children or not.
Now, having a small female he genuinely liked was a tremendous gift from the heavens.
He was more than content.
Sang Luo's heart began to race. The truth was, she had never given up on the idea of returning to her original world. At first, she had actively sought Lan Cang's favor only because she was in a strange, unfamiliar place. She needed to latch onto someone powerful to guarantee her own safety and avoid being sent to that shelter for females.