Chapter 1038 Golden Suanni Clan's Allegiance
"Thank you for saving our clan, Your Excellency. And you too, Lord Nightingale. Thanks to you, our clan managed to overcome this disaster."
"Thank you for saving our clan."
After Dawnchaser took the lead to express his gratitude on behalf of the Golden Suanni Clan, the rest of the Paragon-level Golden Suannis also followed suit.
"Don't mention it," Leon calmly replied.
"However, you shouldn't be in a hurry to express your gratitude. I came to the Golden Suanni Clan with an ulterior motive. Saving your clan just happens to suit my agendas."
After Leon stated that forthrightly, Dawnchaser and the other Paragon-level Golden Suannis became startled. They cast glances at each other, then Cindertail, and finally redirected their attention back to him.
"If I may be so impudent as to ask, what is your purpose here exactly, Your Excellency?" Dawnchaser carefully asked.
"To gain the Golden Suanni Clan's allegiance," Leon stated.
Originally, Leon would not have been so blunt with his intention. But considering what he had done for the Golden Suanni Clan, what he had shown them, and the reverence they revealed towards him, the chances of their acceptance were relatively high.
However, what really sealed his decision was that they had already made Cindertail their Supreme Leader despite the fact that Cindertail was from outside of the main clan.
This showed that the leaders of the Golden Suanni Clan placed great importance on the purity of their bloodline but still had flexible minds.
"We are willing to—"
Several Paragon-level Golden Suannis immediately took the initiative to express their willingness to serve. But before they could finish speaking, Dawnchaser swept a stern glance across all of them.
Silence abruptly filled the crowd as Goldenstride and several other Peak Paragon-level Golden Suannis exerted their auras to suppress the rest of the Paragon-level Golden Suannis from speaking hastily.
Dawnchaser and the other Peak Paragon-level leaders weren't against the idea of serving the same master as Supreme Leader Cindertail. In fact, they were very willing.
However, they didn't want to hastily agree without knowing what Supreme Leader Cindertail's master wanted from them or what they could get out of serving such a master.
They had to consider the interests of the Golden Suanni Clan before their own.
That being said, they had already seen the potential benefits. Supreme Leader Cindertail's pure bloodline and awakened bloodline ability were the best examples. Even so, they wanted to hear from the person's own mouth.
"What can our clan gain by serving you, Your Excellency?" Dawnchaser carefully asked while maintaining his humbleness.
"There are many things the Golden Suanni Clan can gain from becoming my devoted followers. But if I was to list one, it would be the sky," Leon calmly stated while pointing a single finger upward.
"My devoted followers won't be bound by the earth. They will have the whole sky to roam."
"I can vouch for my lord. I was only an Arch—I mean, I was only a Paragon before I met my lord," Nightingale added.
When Dawnchaser and the other Paragon-level Golden Suannis heard that, their eyes shimmered with hope and excitement. Cindertail was not an exception.
They all understood exactly what Leon implied by having the sky.
The Golden Suanni Clan would have a brighter future if even one of their clan members reached the Divine Beast Realm. As for multiple to possibly everyone reaching the Divine Beast Realm, their future would be even more prosperous and splendid.
Among the various Paragon-level Golden Suannis present, Goldenstride was the most eager to reach the Divine Beast Realm. He didn't want to be bound by the earth any longer.
"Your Excellency, I, Goldenstride, wish to swear my allegiance to you! Please accept my bow of respect and submission," Goldenstride took the lead to step forward and lowered his head to Leon.
And after the other Paragon-level Golden Suannis witnessed it, the Paragon-level Golden Suannis, who had been holding back all along, eagerly rushed forward to do the same.
They feared that if they didn't do it quick enough, they might not get the chance later.
"Please accept us as well, Your Excellency—My Lord! We swear our allegiance to you, my Lord!"
"You guys…"
Dawnchaser helplessly watched his clan members throw away their pride as jungle kings to submit to Supreme Leader Cindertail's master. Even if they were to swear their allegiance to their new lord, they didn't have to behave like domesticated dogs.
Dawnchaser wanted to reprimand them.
But then he thought that if he did so, it would be harder for him to swear his allegiance to his new lord in front of all of them later.
"Ahem, Your Excellency, please accept my bow of respect and submission. I also wish to swear my allegiance to you," Dawnchaser lowered his head, albeit with a bit of hidden embarassment.
Fortunately, no one paid enough attention to know what he was thinking.
Sometime later, all of the Paragon-level Golden Suannis within the Golden Suanni Clan's main territory finished submitting to Leon.
"Isn't this great, Master?" Cindertail congratulated.
"You succeeded in acquiring the allegiance of the Golden Suanni Clan's leaders in less than a day. This is as good as acquiring the allegiance of the entire Golden Suanni Clan. It's only a matter of time before the rest of the clan members submit to you."
Leon acknowledged Cindertail's words with a nod before glancing at the gathered Paragon-level Golden Suannis.
"I am not one who is stingy when it comes to rewarding my most devoted followers. Rewards can be expected when you serve me and contribute to my cause," Leon calmly said.
"Nevertheless, I believe acquiring the Golden Suanni Clan's allegiance is something worth celebrating. Let me offer you all a small gift for choosing to follow me."
Shortly after Leon said that, he transmitted the early parts of the Suanni Lion Bone Forging Method to all the Paragon-level Golden Suannis present.
At their level, the early stages of the Suanni Lion Bone Forging Method would have little-to-no benefits for them.
However, it was a completely different story for their cubs, who were still young, growing, and far from the Paragon level.
Dawnchaser and the others all understood that. As such, they weren't any less grateful for the gift.
"Thank you, my Lord!"