Chapter 25: The Verdict

"You deserve this! You little vixen, this is your retribution!" Hu Li'er shrieked.

"What right do you have to say that? Shi De chose me of his own free will back then. Were you even betrothed to him at the time? How dare you accuse me of seducing him! Our bond hadn't even been dissolved yet while I was in a coma, and you two were already living together. What do you call that? I call it pathetic! Don't assume everyone is as base as you are. It’s disgusting! Just thinking about it makes me sick!" Why should she be the only one slandered when she had done nothing wrong?

The crowd watched Hu Li'er’s outburst as if she were a lunatic. Indeed, who had truly seduced whom? Hearing this, Hu Wei’s face darkened; it felt as if Qi Yue had slapped him across the face in front of everyone.

Meanwhile, Shi De stood in the crowd with a look of utter grimness. This disfigured female had repeatedly humiliated him today, something his pride could not tolerate. Yet, all this humiliation was brought upon him by Hu Li’er. This beastman, whom Qi Yue no longer trusted, never once considered that he might be at fault.

"I originally didn't want to pursue this, nor did I intend to make such a scene. Feng Yu and I went to the patriarch and elders this morning to hold our bonding ceremony, intending to take Chi'er to find the lava tomorrow. But Hu Jia and Hu Li'er barged into our ceremony. After we chased them out and finished, we heard rumors about Feng Yu and me at the trading street, and people were even insulting my late parents. They have been gone for five years; did they ever stand in your way? Many of you here have also lost your parents. If someone insulted your deceased parents to your face, how would you react? So, today’s events were forced by you!" Qi Yue said, filled with indignation.

The crowd began to side with Qi Yue. Some beastmen even unsheathed their claws, swearing they would tear apart anyone who dared insult their parents, female or not.

"Hu Wei, Hu Jia, Hu Li'er, do you plead guilty?" Elder Hu Man asked.

"Second Elder, I plead guilty," Hu Wei knelt down.

"I plead guilty too," Hu Jia stepped forward, her voice filled with reluctance.

"I refuse! I did nothing wrong! It’s all her fault, all her fault!" Hu Li'er pointed at Qi Yue and screamed.

"Too much!"
"Utterly heartless!"
"Incorrigible!"

"Punish the ringleader!" cries of injustice rose from the crowd.

The five elders deliberated for a moment before the Great Elder, Shi Yue, announced: "The Council of Elders has reached the following verdict: Since Qi Yue is leaving soon, Hu Wei is sentenced to pay one hundred crystals and serve the tribe for ten years; Hu Jia is sentenced to pay one hundred crystals and serve the tribe for ten years; Hu Li'er, showing no remorse, is hereby expelled from the tribe, never to return. Hu Wei is stripped of his position as patriarch; a new leader will be chosen in due time, and the tribe will be overseen by the Council of Elders in the interim."

"Why? Hu Wei had no idea about this! Why is he being implicated?" Hu Jia cried out. She had not expected such a harsh ruling, causing her mate to lose his position. No one paid her any mind, and Hu Wei stood there, his face ashen.

"Great Elder, I wish to dissolve my bonding contract with Hu Li'er!" Shi De stepped forward to request. The Great Elder, considering him a victim in this matter, granted the request.

"You... you..." Hu Li'er pointed at Shi De, then at Qi Yue. "I'll kill you!" She lunged at Qi Yue.

Feng Yu started to step forward to intervene, but then remembered they had already performed their bonding ceremony. In this tribe, no beastman's guardian power was stronger than his own, so he relaxed and stood firmly behind Qi Yue.

Hu Li'er reached a point twenty centimeters from Qi Yue and could move no further. A blue light barrier surrounded Qi Yue, and Hu Li'er was rebounded by her own force, landing hard on the ground. The barrier lingered for five seconds before vanishing. Qi Yue glanced back to see Feng Yu wearing a look of immense pride.

Hu Li'er pointed at Qi Yue, screaming, "Monster! You're a monster!"

"A monster? Are you an idiot? That is my, Feng Yu's, guardian power! Do you really think you can harm the female belonging to me?" Feng Yu retorted with disdain.

"Guards, take her to the Sacred Fire Cave. After the contract is dissolved, cast her out of the tribe. Hu Wei, ensure the hundred crystals are delivered to Qi Yue before nightfall. Dismissed!" Great Elder Shi Yue commanded with authority.

As the crowd dispersed, Bao Xue'er, Hu Yue, Ling'er, Shi Yu, and Lu Li gathered around Qi Yue, full of sympathy.

"Qi Yue, why didn't you tell us you were suffering so much?" Ling'er asked, her eyes red.

"Oh! I was just afraid of causing trouble for you all. I’ll be gone in a couple of days, but you still have to live here. Today, they touched my bottom line, and I had to show them that even as an orphan, they cannot hide the truth from the world. Besides, if I didn't stop them, wouldn't more tribe members be disappointed in the tribe? If the males have no sense of responsibility and the females only stir up trouble, what will become of this place? Survival in the Beastman Continent is already difficult enough, and if the tribe’s unity and cohesion are this low, will we eventually be abandoned by the Beast God?" Seeing Qi Yue’s sincerity, the group felt a sense of pessimism, and Lu Li was particularly moved.

"Alright, don't be so pessimistic. I hope this serves as a wake-up call for everyone. Perhaps in time, you all can elect a truly impartial and honest patriarch who cares for the tribe. Right, you must all come to my place for dinner tonight. Consider it our bonding celebration and a farewell feast. No one is to be absent." Qi Yue, wanting to lift the mood, changed the subject.

"I’ll definitely be there. Even if you didn't invite me, I would have come!" Ling'er exclaimed first.

"Good. Feng Yu, you and brother Hu Yue go hunting. Lu Li, Bao Xue'er, and Shi Yu, you all go about your business. Ling'er, come with me to the trading street to see if we can find some ingredients for dinner," Qi Yue arranged.

"Let us accompany you. It’s only one day, work can wait," Bao Xue'er said quickly, and Shi Yu nodded in agreement.

"You all go. I have some matters to attend to; I'll find you at your place this afternoon," Lu Li said, turning toward the Great Elder's residence.

"Feng Yu, don't go hunting. Stay with them; you'll need a strong hand to help carry the goods," Hu Yue patted Feng Yu’s shoulder and flew off.

Lu Li walked away deep in thought, determined to tell the elders what Qi Yue had said. He had been unable to divine anything for years; something must have been wrong with the tribe for a long time. No, the omens of the past few years had been truly strange.