Prime Originator

Leon thought he would discover something after searching under the stone mountain with his divine sense but found nothing special besides a rich metal deposit.

"How strange…" Leon furrowed his brows.

Leon couldn't understand why the jungle plants' growth didn't reach the grassland and only grew around it instead.

It was clear that something prevented the jungle plants from entering the grassland.

However, he couldn't find the source.

'The land formation of the western jungle is unnatural. But since I can't find the source out here, I shan't worry about it for now. Perhaps, I will learn something once I reach the deeper parts of the jungle,' Leon thought.

Sometime later, Cindertail and Rainshine returned from their duel.

Rainshine was perfectly fine as she strutted in front.

On the other hand, Cindertail lagged behind her with his head hung down, feeling dispirited; light scratches and cuts filled his body.

Leon didn't need to ask to know who won.

After seeing everyone was back, Leon hurled all the roasted beast meat in the air and sliced them into numerous smaller pieces with a fine thread of condensed fire energy.

The roasted beast meat pieces shortly landed on several large banana leaves.

"Food is ready," Leon stated.

The lionesses and cubs quickly went to their designated banana leaf as they were taught and dug straight into the food.

Rainshine and Cindertail each had their own banana leaf worth of food.

Unfortunately for Cindertail, his portion was forfeited to Rainshine as a result of losing his bet with Rainshine.

Cindertail could only watch enviously as Rainshine devoured his food portion with sheer bliss.

Leon shook his head wryly and took some sea monster meat for Cindertail to eat before patting him on the head.

"Master…" Cindertail looked at Leon like he was looking at a saint.

"Maybe this will teach you not to gamble with your food recklessly," Leon softly chuckled before suddenly saying, "Alright, finish eating quickly. We have a long journey ahead of us."

Shortly after Rainshine and the Golden Suannis finished their meals, they packed their homes and prepared to depart for the Golden Suanni Clan's main territory.

Nevertheless, Cindertail's family did not have anything to bring with them besides themselves. As such, they finished packing quickly and went on their way.

The five lionesses carried between one or two cubs on each of their backs, while Cindertail carried the remaining five cubs.

"I'm going to miss this place," Cindertail commented with a sentimental gaze while looking back at the stone mountain.

"It's not like you won't ever come back," Rainshine lazily said.

However, Cindertail shook his head.

"No, I don't think I will be returning."

"Why not?" Rainshine asked.

"How can I follow Master if I return to my home? Would I still get to enjoy Master's cooking? Following Master is the dream life. Why would I still want to go back to that mountain cave?" Cindertail replied.

Cindertail was definitely hugging Leon's thighs until the end.

"Idle chat aside, there's something I want to ask you, Cindertail," Leon suddenly spoke as they re-entered the thick jungle and continued westward.

"What do you want to know, Master? Please ask away. I will answer to the best of my knowledge," Cindertail stated.

"You had contact with other humans outside the western jungle, right? What is the Golden Suanni Clan's relationship with them exactly?" Leon inquired.

"The Golden Suanni Clan's relationship with other humans? Ah, those people." Cindertail recalled the Golden Suanni Tribe and said, "I don't have any special relationship with them, Master."

"And they are still far from being qualified to have any relationship with the Golden Suanni Clan's main branch. They just seemed like nice people since they kept delivering good food to my lair. Thanks to their persistence in doing so, they won the hearts of my eldest sons."

"So that is why you are the only male in your pride, huh?" Leon muttered.

"Yes, Master," Cindertail nodded.

"My eldest sons are all grown up. It was time for them to leave and start their own families elsewhere anyway, so I didn't stop them from following the humans."

"But why did you mention those humans, Master? Do you have a problem with them?" Cindertail curiously inquired before assuring Leon, "If they are your enemies, I will definitely not side with them, Master."

"Furthermore, I will recall my eldest sons immediately. Even if they are all grown up, they still have to listen to me, their father," Cindertail stated confidently.

"There is a bit of problem with the Golden Suanni Tribe and the rest of the western tribes," Leon nodded.

"You see, I don't come from the same tribe, and the major powers in the Infertile Plains are currently at war for supremacy. However, something doesn't make sense to me."

"Even if your eldest sons were as strong as the past you, the Golden Suanni Tribe shouldn't have the strength to quickly dominate and unite the entire western region's tribes," Leon mentioned.

A Peak Rank 2 Transcendent-level beast was only equivalent to a Half-step Battle King in strength.

Even if the Golden Suanni Tribe had many Half-step Battle Kings, it wouldn't make much difference. They needed Paragon-level Golden Suannis at the very least to deter and control the western tribes.

"Ah, I understand why you are baffled, Master. I forgot to mention it, but those humans also paid food tributes to the other territories close to the jungle outskirts," Cindertail stated.

"They might have succeeded in gaining the cooperation of a more powerful pride than mine, Master. That being said, most of the lords from the other pride situated close to the jungle outskirts are only around Peak Rank 2 Transcendent level like me in the past, Master."

"The only pride I can think of that had a Paragon-level Golden Suanni would be Lord Firemane. His territory is situated further in the north," Cintertail mentioned shortly after.

"I see…" Leon rubbed his chin thoughtfully.

He was pleasantly surprised that the Golden Suanni Tribe could only gain the cooperation of a single Paragon-level pride.

'I wonder what the western tribes would feel once I acquire the entire Golden Suanni Clan's allegiance?' Leon mused.

Although he shouldn't count his chickens before the eggs hatched, Leon was fairly confident in achieving his objective.