In truth, the shift in attitude was largely due to the effect of that gift.
It wasn't just any ordinary gift—it included many unique products of the human race that other races simply couldn't produce. Take the fog brocade, for example. It was something no other race had, a rarity that made it all the more precious. And these were daily necessities, which, in some ways, made them even more valuable and harder to come by. Had it been something else, the minotaurs wouldn't have lost their composure.
But what they saw had utterly stunned them.
The supplies included a large number of spices, salt, even textiles, grain, vegetables, fruits, and more. All of these were scarce commodities.
Take salt, for example—most of the ordinary tribespeople had never even seen it, let alone tasted it. To them, it was like treasure fallen from the heavens. Just seeing it made their mouths water.
"Got it! Niu Da, Niu San, just wait! I'll be right back!"
Upon hearing the news, Niu Er licked his lips and called out in excitement.
With a stomp, he darted off into the distance at high speed. What great fortune! Truly heaven-sent luck—he was just sitting at home, and it was like a meat pie dropped straight onto his head. How could he not be overjoyed?
RUMBLE RUMBLE RUMBLE!!
Not long after Niu Er left, a series of loud rumbles shook the ground—it felt like thousands of troops were stampeding toward them, unstoppable like a tidal wave. In a flash, they surged forward.
"Hahahaha!!"
With the rumble growing louder, a booming laugh rang out in the air, echoing through the sky and deafening to the ears.
"A rare guest, truly a rare guest! Friends of the human race, you should've come directly—bringing all these things, how could I possibly accept them without shame?"
As the voice faded, a massive figure strode forward.
It was a minotaur easily over five to six meters tall.
He radiated an overwhelming aura as he approached, accompanied by a powerful pressure that made it hard to breathe. His massive body was covered in bulging muscles like coiled dragons—just one glance made the explosive power within clear.
In his hand, he carried a bronze totem pole, etched with ancient depictions of demonic gods. The totem exuded an ancient and vast aura that captivated the senses. Each step he took caused the ground to quake. Anyone who saw him would be struck with awe.
At that moment, he was striding over with a broad grin.
Behind him trailed a group of minotaur warriors, each one radiating an intimidating presence.
Clearly, these were battle-hardened elite soldiers.
If they were to charge, they'd be capable of flattening everything in their path, crushing any opposition.
"This must be the chieftain of the Ironhoof Tribe. I am Mao Sui, a special envoy from Xuanhuang City of the human race. Greetings to the chieftain."Mao Sui, though inwardly shocked at the sight of the giant minotaur, maintained a calm and composed demeanor. Smiling politely, he cupped his fists in greeting.
Every gesture carried the grace of practiced diplomacy.
"Good! I'm the chieftain of the Ironhoof Tribe. Just call me Niu Dali."The massive minotaur grinned widely.
"Greetings, Chieftain Niu."Mao Sui bowed formally again.
With this, the two sides had officially met.
"Good stuff—this is really good stuff! This salt is so rare. What we had before came from your human race. The salt from our own salt mountains...bah, it's inedible! Still tastes terrible after boiling. Yours is far better. Do thank your City Lord for me!"
Niu Dali's eyes twinkled with joy as he looked at the supplies in front of him, especially the wooden barrels filled with refined salt. He was ecstatic.
There were salt mountains nearby, and while the Ironhoof Tribe could extract salt, the results were far from ideal. Their salt was full of impurities and often bitter—barely edible. They didn't have the technique to refine it, so their coarse salt didn't even qualify as salt.
The refined salt from Xuanhuang City, however, was produced using modern methods. It was pure, snow-white, and perfectly seasoned—an indispensable treasure in fine cuisine.
There were two whole barrels of this salt, openly placed in front of the minotaurs.
The first thing Niu Dali and the others noticed was the snowflake-like salt. They nearly drooled on the spot.
"Chieftain Niu, there's no need to be so formal. Our City Lord said the Ironhoof Tribe has always been friendly and is a friend to the human race. These supplies are simply a greeting gift. If the chieftain is willing, we could even establish inter-tribal trade, buying and selling goods to benefit both sides."
Mao Sui smiled and continued,"We humans have not just salt, but also fine wine, beautiful silk, high-quality weapons, cultivation pills, porcelain, and premium grains. All of it can be traded. Your tribe, in turn, has rare beast hides and many unique resources of your own. We can trade those as well—everyone stands to gain."
He was blunt in pointing out that what the Ironhoof Tribe saw was only the tip of the iceberg. If a trading relationship was established, the tribe would never have to worry about things like salt again—they could buy anything they wanted.
"Haha, well said, well said! Since you've come, we can't just talk here. Come, let's go to the tribe. I'll let you taste something special—our top-quality milk wine, made from our finest milk!"
Niu Dali's eyes sparkled with delight. His expression showed unhidden joy.
Minotaurs were known for their simplicity and honesty, but they weren't fools. What Mao Sui said was extremely tempting. The human race had been rising steadily, especially during the fight against the insect tide. The idea of inter-tribal trade had long enticed many races. The Ironhoof Tribe was well aware of this. And now, with this offer on the table, excitement surged in his heart.
This was a great opportunity.
A precious guest, deserving of the warmest hospitality.
"General Feng, have the troops camp here for now. I'll go visit the Ironhoof Tribe and negotiate the trade matters."Mao Sui smoothly accepted the invitation and turned to speak to Feng Yumo.
"As you command, sir."Feng Yumo nodded, respect evident in his gaze toward Mao Sui.
What a brilliant opening—first using gifts to win over the minotaurs, then luring out their chieftain, and finally proposing trade to open up their defenses and establish ties. Just like that, the relationship between the two sides had fundamentally shifted.
They were now becoming friends and allies, with emotions warming quickly.
It was a simple approach, but it struck directly at the heart.
Mao Sui had started by identifying what the minotaurs needed most, and gradually built his influence from there. It was a perfect application of the art of diplomacy and alliance-building.
"The strategies of the School of Diplomacy—subtle yet effective, hidden in every word and gesture. Achieving one's goals without even noticing. Remarkable. They say Mister Mao has a tongue that can speak flowers into bloom—a silver tongue indeed."
Feng Yumo inwardly admired him.
To a diplomat, everything could be a bargaining chip to achieve their ends.
His own duty, however, was merely to ensure Mao Sui's safety. He didn't need to worry about the negotiations. Mao Sui had been granted full authority to open inter-tribal markets.
With Mao Sui at his side, Niu Dali walked back toward the Ironhoof Tribe, surrounded by a large group of minotaurs. Many of them excitedly carried off the supplies, grinning from ear to ear.
Some couldn't resist dipping their fingers into the salt and tasting it—pure happiness written all over their faces.
This was the beginning of a better life.
"Chieftain Niu, I noticed the heavy patrols nearby—guards every few steps. Are you perhaps on alert against some enemy?"Mao Sui glanced around, as if casually commenting on the tight security.
"Hmph! Those damned werewolves! One day we'll root those lurking vermin out and drive them away!"Niu Dali's expression darkened, snorting coldly in response.
"Oh, werewolves! Our human race has grievous blood feuds with them. Countless of our people have perished beneath their claws—swallowed and made into blood meals. When our City Lord returned recently, they ambushed him repeatedly along the way. Vile creatures! If given the chance, we'd gladly settle the score!"
Mao Sui's face turned grim with righteous anger.
Niu Dali felt a surge of kinship. With a common enemy, the two sides grew even closer.
Their conversation grew increasingly warm and natural.
Before long, they arrived at the Ironhoof Tribe.
The tribe didn't have any special architecture. Their camp was surrounded by giant fences, and their dwellings were massive, though not exactly elegant—durability was what mattered.
The entire tribe leaned against a mountain, where they had dug out massive caves.
Those caves were the residence of Niu Dali, and the core of the Ironhoof Tribe.