Hearing that question sent even more chills down the spines of the cultivators present there.
Ze Yu bowed immediately and spoke.
"Senior, it wasn’t done by us. We ourselves barely survived it. Most of our subordinates died inside."
Although he spoke calmly, he was totally trembling inside right now.
The lion looked at him for a few seconds and said.
"So you’re saying you brought even more subordinates here. Interesting... Are humans trying to invade us? Good, I’ve been craving humans. It’s been so long since I’ve had a good fill."
Ze Yu trembled in fear. He already knew that he was dead, without a doubt. It was just a matter of how long he could extend his life by speaking.
He gritted his teeth. This was all Huan Caiyi’s doing. He couldn’t let her walk away calmly after this. He didn’t care if the beast got to know about Jiang Hao and Ming Yue’s specialities—he would make sure at least Huan Caiyi died a horrible death.
But just as he thought to speak, Bo Wen beat him to it.
"Senior, we didn’t come to invade, but to hunt the traitors of the Human Region. There are four in total. They are still inside your territory, Senior."
Ze Yu didn’t care who said it. He just hoped Bo Wen wouldn’t say anything that might trigger this beast—or they would all die before uttering another word.
"Oh? That’s quite interesting. Since you weaklings are chasing them, they must be of a similar cultivation realm, right?"
Ze Yu immediately spoke before Bo Wen could mess things up.
Lying here was better. He couldn’t say that their enemies were only at the Void Reversion Realm. Otherwise, bringing so many early-stage Heavenly King Realm cultivators along with three mid-stage ones would seem too suspicious.
This beast might even think they were trying to fool him, and that wouldn’t end well for them. Because if it killed them right now than he wouldn’t be able to pull its attention toward Huan Caiyi and others.
"So you’re telling me that four humans of a puny cultivation realm entered our territory, and you’re chasing them? How are you so sure they’ll survive even a day? Any single Territory Lord here would be enough to kill them. Or... are you saying we’re incompetent?"
The moment the lion finished speaking, several more Territory Lords appeared nearby. The thunder eagle was one of them. They all kept a distance after seeing the lion.
Ze Yu trembled and immediately spoke.
"No, Senior. It’s not like that. But there is a reason we haven’t been able to capture them for a few years now. They seem to have a good hiding technique, and their luck seems... too good. Maybe the heavens have favored them."
The lion was intrigued.
"You’re saying they’ve been living here for years and are still alive?"
"Yes, Senior," Ze Yu replied honestly.
The lion looked at the Territory Lords and said.
"Whose territory is nearby?"
The eagle flinched. Its territory was closest to this place. But since it couldn’t hide it, it squeaked.
"Hm... So it’s you. Are they telling the truth—that humans were living here, and you never found out?"
The eagle contemplated whether to answer truthfully or not. But in the end, it decided to speak the truth.
"Kleeeee... kkkllleeee..."
Jiang Hao didn’t really know what was going on anymore. He had come here to watch the array’s activation, and now he was watching a comical show.
This lion surely knew how to rule. Do all high-level beasts have this kind of personality?
Ming Yue was already laughing hard at the eagle’s way of explaining, while Huan Caiyi looked on with an amused expression.
"So, in a nutshell, you’re telling me you saw a Void Reversion and a Soul Sea Realm cultivator, and yet they survived? That’s even more embarrassing than having humans living here for years."
Ze Yu, Bo Wen, the monk, and the other cultivators were stunned. That was definitely one of their enemies, but hearing that they survived a meeting with a late-stage Grade 7 beast was hard to believe.
Ze Yu was sweating heavily inside right now...
When the eagle heard the lion’s words, it felt ashamed. But it had really used all its strength to attack those humans—they only survived because of the barrier. It had already explained that to the lion, so now it just looked down and remained silent.
"Tsk. Looks like all of you have become pathetic while living on the borders. I’ll start making visits to your territories from now on. Also, go and find those humans. Leave now."
All the Territory Lords trembled when the lion said it would visit their territories. If it beat them in their territories than their reputations would be ruined.
But they couldn’t do anything. They all blamed the eagle and decided to teach it a lesson later.
They all left immediately to search for the humans.
The lion looked toward Ze Yu and spoke.
"Now tell me. Didn’t you say there were four Heavenly King Realm cultivators present here? How did they become a Void Reversion and an ant-like Soul Sea Realm?"
His voice suddenly turned threatening.
"What are you hiding? You better tell me the truth, or you’ll beg for death. Believe me. And don’t stop until you’ve explained everything."
Ze Yu had feared this outcome ever since hearing the eagle, and now it had come.
"Se-Senior... the other ones are in the Heavenly King Realm. Also, there’s a secret why we were so adamant about killing them. It’s because that Soul Sea Realm cultivator has a special physique.
It’s too strong, Senior. And since our sect made an enemy of them, we don’t want him to grow up. That’s the reason why we’ve sent so many cultivators—to make sure we find them. Other than that, we’ve never had any thoughts of invading this territory, Senior."
Ze Yu just hoped that this lion would end his life. He really didn’t want to sign any blood contract. He had even thought about killing himself, no matter how cowardly it seemed.
He had already explained everything. No doubt this lion would hunt down Huan Caiyi now, so there was no need to keep living only to suffer.
Just as he thought to detonate his core, he felt restrictions forming all around him.
Dammit. He knew what this was—Will Imposition.
He could see that his dantian was about to burst, but it had stopped.
"Hehehe... Trying to kill yourself in front of me? Don’t worry. I’ll fulfill that wish of yours—but when I want to."