Chapter 1073, A Rather Different Kind of Reward

Translator: Silavin

 

Su Bai turned to look at Yan Hua. “Is that what happened?”

 

“Well, it’s just… you see…” Yan Hua bit her lower lip and nodded. “I was in a hurry. After we split up, I found an opportunity and I couldn’t wait for the others. What if the Ferocious Beasts had gotten away then?”

 

She immediately looked over at Sha Lan after saying it, even more decided than ever that she was going to tickle her.

 

Sha Lan made a cheerful expression back at her, saying ‘Bring it on.’

 

“You are not to do that again.” Su Bai’s tone had gone quite serious. “You should always wait for the whole group to move together. If something had gone wrong and your teammates weren’t there, what then? If you act alone again, I won’t be sending you on any more missions.”

 

He said it from two angles. Privately, he simply did not want anything to happen to Yan Hua. Professionally, this was the example that needed to be set. Totem Warriors could not keep fighting as lone individuals. Not in this age, not with these dangers. Moving together was what kept people alive.

 

“Understood… Next time, I’ll wait for the others before acting.” Yan Hua mumbled with a slightly pouty expression.

 

When she thought about it honestly, she had not handled it well. One slip up at any point and she would not be standing here now.

 

They all had Shaman Bone Tablets. But Ferocious Beasts were still an enormous threat, and danger was not always something they could see coming.

 

“All right. I won’t hold it against you this time. And you did very well, so there ought to be a proper reward.” Su Bai reached out and ruffled her head.

 

She had made a mistake acting alone but Yan Hua had also done something remarkable. Without her, the Tribe would not have these Grey Feathered Giant Birds. The flying transportation vehicles Su Bai had in mind would not exist. Credit still had to be given.

 

“Shaman, I don’t need a reward. Being useful to you is enough. I’m happy doing this.” Yan Hua shook her head without any hesitation.

 

“You all handled the mission well. So, a reward is necessary.” Su Bai said plainly.

 

“Shaman, the biggest contribution this time was Ah’Hua’s. We don’t need anything.” Sha Lan declined at once.

 

The reason Sha Lan had brought it up was exactly this: to get Su Bai to say something to Yan Hua about her reckless behaviour, and to make sure Yan Hua was properly rewarded for it. Taming that many Ferocious Beasts alone was no small feat. Taming four large flying Ferocious Beast was something else entirely. It took ability, nerve, and planning. That deserved acknowledgement.

 

Sha Lan felt that the rest of them had not really contributed. She could not in good conscience ask for a reward on top of that.

 

“That’s true, Ah’Hua’s contribution was significant. But didn’t the rest of you complete the other tasks I assigned? So, you’ve earned a reward as well.” Su Bai said it with full seriousness.

 

He was genuinely pleased with how the girls had performed. Reward and punishment had to be kept distinct. That was the Flame Dragon Tribe’s way of doing things: work and one gets to eat. Contribution naturally needed to be rewarded. Mistakes also needed to be punished. This was the rule.

 

“Shaman, then just give me some Ferocious Beast Meat as a reward. It would be good for me.” Yan Hua laughed openly.

 

She had no particular wants at the moment. Her clothes were fine. She ate well every day. She truly could not think of what she needed.

 

“No. That’s too ordinary. I’m going to give you a Ferocious Beast Crystal.” Su Bai’s mouth curved slightly.

 

Yan Hua went very still. “Shaman, does our Tribe even have a Ferocious Beast Crystal? I thought there was only one, and that it is inside of you?”

 

“Yes, Shaman, where did this Ferocious Beast Crystal come from?” Sha Lan was equally curious.

 

“I obtained it in the forest while you were out on the mission.” Su Bai’s tone was quite casual. “It’s only a Low Grade Ferocious Beast Crystal, nothing exceptional, but it will be a real help to your training.”

 

What had happened was that he and Yu Ying had gone out to inspect the farming fields in the forest, and a Ferocious Beast had come crashing in from outside.

 

It turned out to be an Ancient Blood Ferocious Beast. It was far more formidable than a Mix Blood or a Pure Blood Ferocious Beast, and extraordinarily rare this close to the Tribe.

 

Still, since one appeared, it was a serious problem. Without being at least a Mid-Stage Totem Warrior, one would have no real answer to this. Even a Mid-Stage Totem Warrior would struggle and might not prevail against such a Ferocious Beast.

 

This particular Ancient Blood Ferocious Beast had a talent for burrowing underground. It had slipped straight past the Warriors patrolling the perimeter of the forest without any of them knowing it was there.

 

Since the Flame Dragon Tribe had begun repairing the walls, Warriors had been assigned to patrol the demarcated areas at all times. Partly to watch for Ferocious Beasts, and partly to ensure the safety of those building the walls and working the land.

 

This Ancient Blood Ferocious Beast had simply had the misfortune of coming up directly in front of Su Bai.

 

However fierce it was, in front of Su Bai, it amounted to nothing. It was dealt with in short order.

 

When it died, a Ferocious Beast Crystal was found inside of it. The grade was not high, only a Low Grade crystal. But it was still a Ferocious Beast Crystal.

 

Ferocious Beast Crystals came in grades the same as everything else: Low, Mid, and High. The one Su Bai currently had inside himself was Mid Grade.

 

“Shaman, this gift is more valuable than I deserve. Please give it to Father instead. He works so hard managing the Tribe for you. I think he’s better suited to it than I am.” Yan Hua’s first instinct was to refuse. She had not come across another crystal in the Flame Dragon Tribe before, but she knew what they were.

 

Ferocious Beast Crystals were rare and not easily obtained. Possessing one could strengthen a Warrior’s Totem Power and was a considerable asset in training. However, not every Warrior was compatible with a Ferocious Beast Crystal so Warriors did not pursue them indiscriminately.

 

Take Ban Ye, for instance. He was already a Mid-Stage Totem Warrior, and even he had not been able to master the Ferocious Beast Crystal within him. Despite it helping him become a Mid-Stage Totem Warrior, his actual ability never reached what a Mid-Stage Totem Warrior’s should be, and the Ferocious Beast Crystal actually caused him to be impaired. It was a double-edged sword.

 

“I did ask him. But he’s just not compatible with this particular crystal.” Su Bai smiled and shook his head.

 

When he had first obtained the crystal, the first person he had thought of strengthening was naturally Yan Jiao. But it was simply incompatible with the Totem Power inside Yan Jiao’s body, so that idea was set aside.

 

It had struck Su Bai then that it might serve well as a reward, and Yan Hua came to mind.

 

“Does it suit me, then?” Yan Hua blinked her red eyes, genuinely curious.