Xiong Ye had already finished his own food, so he did as Zhou Ji instructed and opened up a bamboo tube filled with rice. He was caught by surprise by the seductive scent.
This was a type of food similar to barley, but he didn’t know why but it was… particularly fragrant!
Xiong Ye took a bite and suddenly felt that the food that the Beast God Temple that he’d previously found to be very delicious, was actually quite ordinary. “This… is very delicious.”
“I’ll bring you a little more tomorrow if you like it.” Zhou Ji said. He took a bite of meat as he spoke.
The meat that the Beast God Temple prepared for Beast Kings was from dinosaurs that had been castrated.
Some dinosaurs were similar to pigs. If they weren’t treated beforehand, their meat would have a strange taste. However if they’d been treated, the strange taste would be gone.
Over ten years ago, he’d started having the people of the Beast God Temple raise dinosaurs. Eight years ago, he’d proposed that they castrate them. Now, all the meat that the Beast God Temple provided to the high-level people was farmed and castrated dinosaur meat. This type of meat tasted better, and even he wouldn’t refuse to eat it.
Seeing that Zhou Ji was eating so happily, Xiong Ye offered, “In that case, I’ll trouble you for more. Come over at this time tomorrow, and you can eat Shi Li’s portion of the food again.” Although the food that Zhou Ji had given him was tasty, there was no meat and it was all made of plants. It wasn’t possible for him to be full from that.
He would eat some of Zhou Ji’s delicious food, and let Zhou Ji eat a full meal of meat in exchange.
“Alright.” Zhou Ji smiled and agreed. After Xiong Ye had finished the bamboo tube rice, he introduced the candied fruit to Xiong Ye.
Xiong Ye took a bite and was pleasantly surprised.
This candied fruit was very sweet and very delicious!
Xiong Ye thought for a while and finally dug out a low-level crystal core to give to Zhou Ji. “Take this. You can use it to trade for things with other people.”
“Thank you.” Zhou Ji said.
Other Beast Kings were used to being flattered and would never think of giving back after receiving such things. Xiong Ye was really different from the others.
Zhou Ji left. He didn’t return during noon, but went back again for dinner. This time, he brought a bowl of fried bird’s eggs for Xiong Ye. “I found a bird nest this afternoon and fried the eggs I found inside with oil. Give it a try!”
Xiong Ye had never eaten fried eggs before.
The food prepared for the Beast Kings by the Beast God Temple was very fine, but it wasn’t particularly delicious or rare in order to avoid the Beast Kings getting addicted to the food and ordering specific dishes.
Because eggs weren’t easy to obtain, they weren’t given to Beast Kings to eat.
This was Xiong Ye’s first time eating scrambled eggs. He was amazed by the taste, and his attitude towards Zhou Ji improved.
The two of them once again had a good time chatting with each other.
After Zhou Ji left, Xiong Ye, who had originally planned to wait for Shi Li to return, went immediately to sleep.
Three days soon passed just like this.
Shi Li left early every morning and wouldn’t return until after Xiong Ye had gone to bed. He left early and returned late, and it wasn’t known what he was busy with. Xiong Ye became used to having Zhou Ji bring over some new type of food every morning so that they could chat over a meal.
Zhou Ji had been living in the Beast God Temple and knew a lot of things. Xiong Ye also learned a lot by chatting with Zhou Ji.
That night, the two of them were having a meal together when Shi Li came back.
“Zhou Ji?” Shi Li soon recalled him. He had a Beast King father, yet turned out to be a useless person… He had quite a deep impression of Zhou Ji. “He’s not dead yet?”
He’d thought that a weak and frail person like Zhou Ji would have died after his father did.
Shi Li’s words made Xiong Ye’s brows furrow slightly in a frown. Zhou Ji spoke up, “Yes. I haven’t died yet.”
“Why is he here? Xiong Ye, you even gave him my part of the food!” Shi Li was furious.
“I can’t finish it by myself so it would go to waste otherwise.” Xiong Ye didn’t hesitate at all before saying this. Of course, the real reason wasn’t this… Zhou Ji would bring him something delicious every time. Today, he’d brought over a bowl of fried mud fish. After eating it, he felt that he should pay Zhou Ji back somehow.
“Then you can just have him take it away!” Shi Li said. He felt that the way that Xiong Ye and Zhou Ji were eating together was an affront to his eyes.
Xiong Ye asked, “What exactly are you kicking up a fuss about?”
When Shi Li heard Xiong Ye say this, he immediately felt like he was being looked down on. “You’re saying that I’m kicking up a fuss? How am I kicking up a fuss!?”
“Apologies, Xiong Ye, Shi Li, I’ve caused you trouble… I’m leaving.” Zhou Ji said. He planned to go outside and hide to watch the play unfold.
When he thought of this, and then thought about what he’d said just now… Zhou Ji suddenly felt like he was acting a bit like a white lotus.
After tossing this unreliable idea out of his mind, Zhou Ji heard Xiong Ye reply, “Go back first, then.”
Shi Li, on the other hand, sneered, “You should be calling me Lion Beast King! You’re a waste of a person who doesn’t respect Beast Kings. I’m could kill you if I wanted to!”
Zhou Ji: “……” He had always called people by their names and had really forgotten this point.
Xiong Ye tried to pacify him, “Shi Li, stop making trouble.”
Shi Li wanted to kill Zhou Ji, but there was nothing he could do with Xiong Ye present.
Not only that, Xiong Ye’s words had also distracted him, “What did you just say to me?”
“I told you to stop making trouble.” Xiong Ye said.
“Xiong Ye, did you start to fall for that Zhou Ji? Otherwise, why would you help him so much?” Shi Li said. “These days, there has always been his scent in the house. I didn’t think much about it before, but now…”
Xiong Ye looked at Shi Li and felt a sense of disappointment.
Shi Li was even more dissatisfied when he saw Xiong Ye’s gaze. “Xiong Ye, you’re my mate, but you’re so intimate with other people. Shouldn’t you make it up to me?”
“So, what do you want?” Xiong Ye asked.
Shi Li was stunned.
Xiong Ye continued, “You quarrelled with me about such a small thing just so that you could dissolve our relationship as mates, right?”
Shi Li said, “How is this a small thing?”
“Haven’t you been eating with other people over the past few days?” Xiong Ye retorted.
He wasn’t ignorant about what Shi Li was doing. It was just that before, he’d wanted to maintain a good relationship between them and had therefore acted as though he didn’t know.
Shi Li froze.
Xiong Ye said, “I will do as you wish and agree to stop being mates with you.”
“What did you say?” Shi Li stared at Xiong Ye in shock.
He had made up his mind to talk to Xiong Ye about the benefits of going to two separate territories first and advise Xiong Ye to manage a different territory than his, then gradually reduce contact with Xiong Ye. After a year or two, he would bring up terminating their relationship.
Yet as a result, while he was ready to fight a protracted battle, Xiong Ye was letting him go just like this and had agreed with such ease.
“If we separate now, we can still be friends.” Xiong Ye said. After so many years of being with Shi Li, the two of them could still be friends if they separated now. However, if it went on like this, he felt that he would want to break things off with Shi Li completely or even beat him to death.
“I’m sorry.” Shi Li said.
“It doesn’t matter.” Xiong Ye said. “I’m going to rest now. You can leave.”
After Xiong Ye said so, Shi Li left the house that Xiong Ye was living in. After he left, he felt a little confused.
He’d always wanted to get rid of Xiong Ye, but now that he’d finally gotten rid of him, he felt that it was a little surreal.
And he also felt a little guilty.
Xiong Ye liked him very much and even wanted to be friends with him after they were no longer mates. Unfortunately, he couldn’t do the same for Xiong Ye.
Xiong Ye didn’t know what Shi Li was thinking. After Shi Li left, he lay down and went to sleep.
In fact, his heart was still tense a few days ago. But now, after saying what needed to be said, he felt much better.
Zhou Ji had been observing the situation from the dark the entire time.
He wanted to give Xiong Ye a thumbs up when he saw what choice he’d made.
Previously, he’d been worried that Xiong Ye wouldn’t be willing to split up with Shi Li. He hadn’t expected him to be so straightforward!
He’d been full of good feelings towards Xiong Ye over the past few days, and at this moment, those feelings deepened.
Zhou Ji was in a good mood, but at this time, the High Priest was really conflicted.
After discovering that the Beast God liked Shi Li, he didn’t tell others about it but instead carefully went to observe Shi Li.
Then, he found that this person called Shi Li was rather fickle. He would always spare a few extra glances when he saw young, beautiful people.
The High Priest was so frustrated to death!
Why would the Beast God like a Beast King like that? He didn’t think that Shi Li was worthy of the great Beast God!
However, as long as the Beast God liked him, he would support it.
The High Priest ran into Shi Li again.
“Lion Beast King.” The High Priest greeted.
“High Priest.” Shi Li smiled and returned. He was in a good mood.
He’d found that the Beast God Temple had placed a lot of importance on him. Could it be that… when he’d gone to the Beast God Temple, he’d attracted the Beast God’s attention and was now beloved by the Beast God?
“I heard that the Lion Beast King often gets together with other people?” The High Priest asked.
“Yes.” Shi Li said, then noticed that the High Priest’s expression seemed a little strange. He asked, “Is there a problem?”
“Lion Beast King, you are someone who has a mate. You shouldn’t do this kind of thing.” The High Priest said. He felt that he couldn’t let Shi Li be so fickle.
“High Priest, I’m planning to dissolve my relationship with the Bear Beast King.” Shi Li quickly clarified this, then continued, “High Priest, please rest assured. I won’t do anything that shouldn’t be done before the separation is official.”
High Priest: “……” It wasn’t about Xiong Ye! You should consider the Beast God!
However, Shi Li didn’t know anything about it now, and he couldn’t say anything…
The High Priest was very worried, but he could only smile and say goodbye to Shi Li.
It was a good thing that Shi Li planned to separate with Xiong Ye… The High Priest intended to go and find Xiong Ye and see what was happening on that end.
When the High Priest arrived, it was just in time for the evening meal.
The main gate leading to Xiong Ye’s house was open. The High Priest came in and saw someone eating with Xiong Ye from a distance and could also hear the sounds of conversation… Shi Li’s affairs hadn’t affected Xiong Ye, which made the High Priest feel a bit less guilty.
However, as he approached, the High Priest suddenly realized that something wasn’t right.
Why was the person sitting opposite Xiong Ye so familiar?
And this person’s voice… the High Priest suddenly discovered that the person who was saying to Xiong Ye, “Since you like to eat this fruit, I’ll bring you more tomorrow.” was actually the Beast God!
The High Priest’s knees went soft, and he wanted to kneel, but he wasn’t able to do so. Not only that, he wasn’t able to speak with his mouth, either.
In the moment when he was unable to move, Xiong Ye noticed him, “High Priest, what’s the matter?”
Then, Zhou Ji stood up in a ‘panic’ and also bowed to the High Priest in greeting, “Greetings, High Priest!”
High Priest: “……”
