C6 He Became the God of Flames

"Oh? With merely a handful of you here, how does that constitute a clan? Could it be that my leniency has emboldened you to jest?"

Lin Mo feigned anger as he spoke.

No sooner had his words fallen than the Cat-men below pressed themselves even lower to the ground, shivering uncontrollably.

"Great God of Flames, please quell your wrath. Our Civet Clan numbers in the hundreds, and we are prepared to erect a shrine and totem in your honor. We would never dare to mock the divine."

Upon hearing Lin Mo's words, Qingyou hurriedly interjected, her voice quivering with palpable fear.

"Oh? And where might your kin be? Why do they not offer prayers at this shrine?"

Lin Mo pressed on with his questioning.

"This..."

Qingyou hesitated, then, biting her lip, she summoned the courage to continue.

"Great God of Flames, our Civet Clan has been exiled by our own kind. While seeking refuge, we were ensnared by a human expeditionary force. Our kin fought valiantly, allowing me, Qingyou, to escape... Should you rescue my clansmen, the Civet Clan will devote itself to you with the utmost piety."

Qingyou's voice broke into a sob as she spoke.

A human expeditionary force!

Lin Mo's heart leapt with excitement at the news. If a squad was indeed coming to deliver themselves to him, ascending eight levels would be a breeze.

What's more, by aiding the Civet Clan against the human squad, he stood to not only level up to Fire King but also to gain the allegiance of hundreds of faithful followers—a win-win situation!

Unaware of Lin Mo's inner calculations, Qingyou mistook his silence for anger and bowed her head even lower.

Indeed, why would a deity act the philanthropist and extend a helping hand to mere mortals?

The thought of her clansmen potentially falling into human servitude filled Qingyou with such sorrow that she began to weep silently.

"Your sincerity has touched me. I shall break with tradition just this once and send an avatar to rescue your Civet Clan."

Hearing Qingyou's tears, Lin Mo quickly reassured her.

"Truly? We thank the God of Flames for his protection. The Civet Clan swears eternal fealty!"

Qingyou expressed her gratitude with tears in her eyes.

"The Civet Clan pledges undying allegiance!"

The other Cat-men echoed her sentiments with fervent shouts.

Lin Mo remained silent, dissolving the fiery visage and reverting it to a small fireball, which rested peacefully in its place.

The Cat-men lay prostrate for half an hour, and upon realizing there was no further movement, they cautiously rose to their feet.

Qingyou approached reverently on her knees and gently cradled Lin Mo in her hands.

To her astonishment, the fireball was cool to the touch.

"Young Patriarch, do we stand a chance with just a handful of us?"

One of the Cat-men inquired.

"Absolutely, we are under the divine protection of the God!"

Qingyou declared with conviction.

Lin Mo lay serenely in Qingyou's palm, his heart brimming with anticipation.

Soon, he would fully awaken his Godhood and command a devoted following.

His grand adventure was about to commence in this vibrant and wondrous new world!

Despite their diminutive stature, the Cat-men were agile and swift. Driven by concern for their kin, Qingyou and her companions hastened through the terrain.

Before long, Lin Mo and Qingyou arrived at a valley.

From a distance, Lin Mo spotted the banners of the human expeditionary force. A contingent of humans was taking a break, cooking and resting in the valley.

Qingyou and her group stealthily closed in, then climbed trees to observe the scene from a better vantage point.