The gates of the Moon Lake Tribe were bustling with activity. The morning air carried an unusual tension, mingled with anticipation. Every corner of the encampment seemed to vibrate with energy as people eagerly awaited the arrival of the messenger from the Thousand Trees Tribe.

Moon Lord and Yue Feiyan stood at the center of the commotion, surrounded by attendants and guards, while a crowd of onlookers watched curiously from a distance. Elder had gathered two or three hundred hunting teams nearby, forming a cautious encirclement to ensure that neither the Moon Lord nor Yue Feiyan could slip away unnoticed.

Despite the apparent show of strength, the hunting teams kept their distance. No one dared approach too closely, wary of provoking the Moon Lord. One wrong move could trigger her sudden and lethal wrath.

Elder took several cautious steps forward, stopping a short distance away. His face betrayed suspicion, curiosity, and a hint of anxiety all at once. "Moon Lord… why have you suddenly changed your mind?"

The question hung in the air, heavy with tension. Deep down, Elder was uneasy. Outside the Moon Lake Tribe, more than fifty people had arrived—Wei Geng's hunting team and their families—each carrying bundles, sacks, and travel supplies as if ready for a long journey.

The Moon Lord's lips curved slightly. Her blue eyes gleamed with mischief as she regarded the worried old man before her. "I want to become the leader of the Thousand Trees Tribe. What do you think?"

Elder's jaw tightened as he stared at her in disbelief. Could he trust her words? If she truly sought to join the Thousand Trees Tribe, her life would become perilously complicated. The new leader of that tribe was notoriously cunning, capable of deceit and cruelty. Even sending an envoy ahead to greet the Moon Lake Tribe hinted at the suspicions they held.

"You scare me," Elder managed, his voice trembling slightly.

The Moon Lord's lips quirked in amusement, and she playfully tucked a strand of her water-blue hair behind her ear. "Big Elder, I hear your household was recently robbed, and all your valuables stolen. You must take care of yourself—don't get angry, just kick back and relax."

Her teasing tone masked no genuine concern; the words were carefully measured to amuse rather than comfort.

Elder's chest heaved. Blood surged through him, his throat felt raw, and his cheeks burned. Memories of the plants and treasures he had painstakingly gathered—now gone—stung sharply. Pain knifed through him, and for a moment, he nearly fainted.

Yue Feiyan's eyes, sharp and red, recorded everything silently. Her mother's words carried a strange power—proof that even gentle mockery could wound, frustrate, and dominate. No need for shouting, no need for swearing; her control was absolute, her influence total.

"Oh, Elder, what's the matter with you? Why are you blushing? Thinking happy thoughts?" The Moon Lord tilted her head in mock innocence.

She pretended dissatisfaction for effect, then smiled again. "If something makes you happy, share it with us. Or did you catch the thief?"

Elder couldn't help it. His body betrayed him. A gush of blood sprayed from his mouth, and he collapsed onto the ground, fainting outright.

"Big Elder has fainted!" someone cried.

"Quick, fetch a doctor!" The crowd surged forward, panic rising in waves.

The Moon Lord's smile remained, though it had dulled slightly. "Spraying blood is hardly entertaining," she murmured, her curiosity cooling. Her gaze flicked to the surrounding hunting teams, her thoughts inscrutable as ever.

Despite the chaos, Yue Feiyan's admiration for the Moon Lord only deepened. She marveled at the sheer power and presence her mother wielded, fascinated by the way even Elder—sturdy, battle-hardened Elder—could be rendered helpless.

"Ah… what am I good at?" the Moon Lord asked, turning her gaze on Yue Feiyan with an almost playful grin.

"Yes… that," Yue Feiyan replied, a flush rising in her cheeks. She was embarrassed, yet fascinated by the ease with which her mother exerted control.

"If you want to learn from someone like me, first you must be strong," the Moon Lord said flatly, her tone laced with gentle reprimand. "If you try to irritate someone stronger than you, you deserve to be beaten."

Yue Feiyan blinked, her gaze unfocused as she processed the lesson.

"Of course," the Moon Lord continued, "this is how I came to where I am. Others cannot curse, cannot fight back—they cannot reap double happiness."

"Double happiness?" Yue Feiyan asked, her red eyes wide with interest.

"Yes. You learn, you fight, you curse, you triumph. Then you learn again. That is how my old lady came here—through controlled chaos, through calculated defiance, through strength." The Moon Lord's gaze softened for a moment as she reflected on her own youth, a small smile tugging at the corners of her mouth.

"Oh, I see," Yue Feiyan said seriously, committing the words to memory. She wanted to grow strong—strong enough that, when others sought to oppress her, she could retaliate and turn misfortune into power.

"Also," the Moon Lord added, glancing at her daughter's excited face, "you must learn elegance."

"Elegance? Why?" Yue Feiyan asked, slightly confused.

"If you are not elegant, no one will want to marry you," the Moon Lord replied with a pointed glare. "If you're unruly, too wild… no one will dare."

"I'm still young," Yue Feiyan protested, tugging at the hem of her clothes.

"You're seventeen," her mother corrected. "In two years, you'll be considered an old maid. Do you want to end up alone?"

"I—if I'm old, then so are you!" Yue Feiyan retorted, cheeks flushed.

The Moon Lord squinted, her gaze sharp yet teasing. "I am elegant. You still have much to learn."

Yue Feiyan tilted her head, curiosity brimming. "Mother… were you always this elegant?"

The Moon Lord's eyes darkened, veins threading across her forehead as she clenched her fists and released them slowly, remembering the peak of her youth. At that time, she and her sister had been mischievous little demons—talented, headstrong, untouchable. But through experience, cunning, and resilience, she had transformed into the dark-bellied, elegant figure before her daughter.

"Mother," Yue Feiyan murmured, taking a step back, sensing the weight of the lesson. "I'll assume I didn't ask."

Humph! The Moon Lord hummed, amused yet satisfied.

Her attention shifted abruptly. "Luciel… why hasn't he arrived yet?" Yue Feiyan asked, concern flashing across her face. Dawn had come, yet the messenger from Black Tortoise City had not.

The Moon Lord's blue eyes flickered with worry. If the Thousand Trees Tribe's envoy arrived and Luciel was not there to meet them, things could quickly turn dangerous.

"What if Black Tortoise City is… different from what we expect?" Yue Feiyan muttered, curiosity mixed with trepidation.

"It doesn't matter," the Moon Lord replied, her voice calm but resolute. "As long as it's not terrible, it will do. We only need a place to live freely, to live for ourselves for once."

"But how can we go meet Luciel? The hunting teams surround us," Yue Feiyan asked, her voice tinged with worry.

"Leave it to me," the Moon Lord replied softly. Pain flickered across her delicate features. Her body already bore the strain of long hours of vigilance. If necessary, she could fight, but it would leave her vulnerable. She hoped Luciel would arrive swiftly to lead them safely away.

Yue Feiyan lowered her eyes, attempting to distract herself from the tension. "Big Elder woke up."

Cheers rose from the hunting teams.

"Huh! He's still alive," the Moon Lord murmured, her gaze cold for a moment. Though Elder had been bloodied and overwhelmed, he was strong enough to survive—an inconvenient, yet necessary, lesson.

"Here! Someone is coming!" a shout rose from the crowd.

The messenger from the Thousand Trees Tribe approached, banner raised high. A single symbol—the tree, their totem—fluttered proudly in the wind.

"It's a member of the Thousand Trees Tribe," the Moon Lord murmured, her gaze sharpening.

"Mother… what do we do now?" Yue Feiyan asked, her pretty face etched with anxiety. She had no desire to marry the leader of the Thousand Trees Tribe, nor to be forced into arrangements beyond her will.

"Don't worry. Luciel will arrive," the Moon Lord said firmly, reassuring her daughter while scanning the horizon.

The messenger drew closer, and soon, all details became visible. It was only a matter of moments before the first meeting, the first test of strength and cunning, between the Moon Lake Tribe and the Thousand Trees Tribe.

The outcome would determine the path of their future.

...

"Thank you so much, Grodt_7216, for the golden ticket and the ice cola. That was really kind of you—I truly appreciate it!"

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