Demon King: Hero, don’t run away!

After the award ceremony concluded, Wanzhang Lion invited Yang Yu and his companions to celebrate the ongoing New Year’s festival, which they gladly accepted, fully experiencing the festive atmosphere of the Subhumans’ holiday.

Afterward, Ming Dalak discussed the negotiation matters with Yang Yu and taught him some important tips for the negotiation table.

”Even if I don’t teach him specifically, Mr. Potato Thorn should understand. Let me just mention some crucial points.” Ming Dalak smiled, ”This negotiation is not happening in the Dragon God Evaluation Country, but in a city called Marzic.”

Yang Yu, stroking his chin thoughtfully, said, ”The name Marzic refers to the city where Miss Xin Mang rescued human children... Does the war that began there also want to end there?”

Ming Dalak nodded, ”That place was originally a city of coexistence between Beastmen and Humans, belonging to neither nation yet belonging to every nation.

The Luo Ze Empire and the Wansheng Country each govern half of the city and engage in trade, making it quite important.

Due to the war, the city has been completely occupied by Humans.

If possible, I hope to reclaim the Beastmen’s half governance rights and for the two nations to get along as amicably as before.

The other goals we need to strive for, and their priorities, we should soon be able to complete in a chart.

Once completed, I hope you can engage in further discussions with the negotiation team you will accompany.”

”Is the Prime Minister not going?” Yang Yu asked.

Ming Dalak shook his head, ”I also wish to go, but unfortunately, I have a lot of matters to handle at hand. Currently, there is a temporary ceasefire, but that does not mean we can rest easy.

Being vigilant in peace is the key to a nation’s survival. Ever since I became Prime Minister, I’ve learned a lot.

I’ve observed your capabilities and I believe no one else could do better than you.”

Yang Yu replied, ”I can’t guarantee it; I can only say I’ll do my best.”

”Doing your best is enough.”

Ming Dalak smiled at Yang Yu’s response, patted his shoulder, and then left to attend to his business.

Watching Ming Dalak’s departing figure, Yang Yu smiled vaguely and, scratching his head, said to his companions nearby:

”It’s a rare festival, let’s enjoy ourselves fully for the next couple of days! We’ll need to be on the move again soon.”

Before Yang Yu finished speaking, a young lion-eared girl squeezed through the bustling crowd, approached him, and handed him a letter in her hand.

”Mr. Potato Thorn... General. The Family Head requests your presence, mentioning it’s to fulfill a previous promise.”

Receiving the letter from the girl’s hand, Yang Yu quickly glanced through it.

Yang Yu had originally planned to seek out Wan Huawen, and now that Wan Huawen had taken the initiative to send someone to fetch him, it saved him some effort.

”Understood, please lead the way.”

The lion-eared girl respectfully said, ”No need to be formal. Please follow me closely.”

...

...

At the Blood Lion mansion, Blood Lion Wan Huawen sat alone at the center of the dojo, with arms crossed and eyes closed, awaiting Yang Yu’s arrival.

His disciples and the soldiers under training had all gone out to enjoy the unprecedented festive atmosphere, leaving the place completely silent.

In front of Wanzhang Lion was a square jade box, containing a blood-red jewel that was the Racial Essence of the Blood Lion clan.

Yang Yu’s swift turnaround in the battle situation was entirely beyond Wan Huawen’s expectations.

He had thought, as usual, that the brutal war would last the entire winter.

Fortunately, Wan Huawen trusted his intuition and prepared in advance.

Meeting Yang Yu, he sensed a profoundness in Yang Yu that his sons lacked, believing that Yang Yu could indeed accomplish it.

The Racial Essence of the Blood Lion was extremely precious in the eyes of the outside world.

Yet as long as a Blood Lion matured and successfully passed the test, anyone could use the Racial Essence.

The abundance of the Racial Essence of the Blood Lion actually far exceeded the imagination of other races.

This was one of the advantages their race enjoyed due to maintaining a relatively isolated bloodline for survival.

However, for these benefits, the Blood Lions in this family had to sacrifice something for the family, and giving up their own love was commonplace.

In his youth, Wan Huawen also thought of changing his family, but after becoming Clan Leader, he understood the immense pressure behind it.

Between family and love, he chose the former.

Obtaining the Blood Lion’s Racial Essence was no easy task.

Although the ancient teachings did not prohibit the external flow of the Blood Lion essence, the family members strongly opposed any external dissemination of the Blood Lion essence.

Wan Huawen’s approach was straightforward.

Using the most common Blood Lion method, he made them shut up.

Taking Yang Yu’s advice, Wan Huawen established criteria for obtaining the Blood Lion’s Racial Essence, allowing only those who made significant contributions to the nation to use it.

The Blood Lion thrived under the protection of Wansheng Country. Without their protection, their race might gradually decline like others.

After all, Blood Lions are natural-born combat machines.

Once enslaved, they would be endlessly sent to the battlefield.

The Blood Lion tribe doesn’t tire, but long-term fighting would mentally break them, reducing them to emotionless killing machines.

In the past, almost every major war repeated the tragic stories of the Blood Lions.

——The prolonged slaughter drove a Blood Lion into madness, indistinguishable between friend and foe, causing chaos on the battlefield, only to fall beneath the blades of both enemies and allies in the end.

Because of the existence of Wansheng Country and the rules established by the giant dragons, acknowledging the Blood Lions as a part of Wansheng Country prevented them from being enslaved and dragged into war to the greatest extent possible.

Regardless of others’ views, Wan Huawen felt that the Blood Lions had not done enough for Wansheng Country.

Many Blood Lions were courageous and fierce, but were merely brutes who knew nothing of strategy and wisdom and often fell into traps.

At the mention of this, Wan Huawen thought of his inept sons, wondering when they might possess half of Yang Yu’s talent and demeanor.

If Yang Yu, who had done so much for this country, was unqualified to use the Blood Lion’s Racial Essence, how many in his tribe could be worthy of it?

Yang Yu was still very young with great potential ahead, potentially becoming the National Guardian General in the future. It wouldn’t hurt to curry favor with him early.

Time slowly passed, and suddenly, Grandpa Tong He appeared in the dojo, reporting to Wan Huawen, ”They have arrived.”

Nodding to continue waiting, before long, colorful hair and a strange mask appeared again before Blood Lion Wan Huawen.

Accompanying them was a Fox Beastman with four tails.