Chapter 223: 222. Our Demon Race Actually Isn't Interested in Humans

Wang Wu's rambling talk sounded vague, though he thought he had spoken clearly. But for this Chu woman, she was merely trying to chat a little longer with Wang Wu.

As a barbarian tribe appointed by the Shang dynasty, the Chu people are naturally more uninhibited than the Yin in some respects, as can be seen from the ultra‑modern style of the "indecent garments" they designed.

The woman's name is Zhou Qingwan, a female merchant from the Chu city atop White Horned City, and she is also a cultivator.

Moreover, she is a cultivator of considerable strength.

Chu has a sizable number of demonic cultivators and many demonic cultivation sects, and this woman is naturally a demonic cultivator as well.

With the techniques released by the Extreme Heaven Divine Palace being refined, advanced demonic cultivators of the Celestial Origin Realm have risen again, and the True Dao system has likewise reaped great benefits.

But for a nation like Chu with a deep demonic cultivation foundation, the refined demonic cultivation technique is certainly more popular.

Demonic cultivation can amplify various desires in the heart to some extent, but not all, and only at lower realms. After the Extreme Heaven Divine Palace's refinement, this trait disappears.

Indeed, demonic cultivation does alter a person's character to some degree. Of course, according to the Extreme Heaven Vajra Sect, it returns you to your true self, to the origin, becoming the original "I".

That is certainly a good thing; in fact, it truly is, as the Extreme Heaven Vajra Sect says.

No longer needing to wear a mask, you can live more freely and authentically.

And Zhou Qingwan's true self is… um, she has actually envied demons since childhood.

That is also why, after becoming a True Realm demonic cultivator, she chose to return home to run her business instead of continuing sect training.

Of course, this also relates to her limited talent; attaining the True Realm is already the limit for her aptitude.

Although the latest cultivation update gives her new possibilities and the chance to break through the True Realm is growing, she currently has no such plans.

After all, she is still relatively young; with her family's abundant resources she amassed the True Realm over a hundred years, and after switching techniques her body has been purified, giving her at least four to five hundred more years of life.

The purification is fine, but since she hasn't yet achieved an Immaculate Body, um, never mind, it's not important; just know it.

"So…"

Wang Wu was about to say something else, until he recalled Zhou Qingwan's gaze, which was almost viscous enough to stretch into strands.

"I still have a bit of time," Wang Wu said, smiling at the woman with phoenix eyes and willow eyebrows, a voluptuous figure, "Why don't you find a place?"

"Um, this, I still have, I still…"

When Wang Wu proactively offered an invitation, Zhou Qingwan actually fidgeted, "Well, I still have something to attend to, how about, how about we… tonight?"

"This is where I live." After whispering a few words into her ear, Wang Wu then delivered several hard punches, combining finger techniques and palm strikes, and also used his three‑inch unbreakable tongue to insult her until her body was battered, before leaving the spot satisfied.

Only Zhou Qingwan remained, collapsed on the spot, her face flushed with anger, her body trembling and even convulsing from extreme fury.

Come to think of it, how long has it been? Wang Wu couldn't recall how long it had been since he last experienced that taste, that nostalgic flavor.

But today it seems… um, no, I mean here, he finally can feel that familiar sensation again.

Because of its location, Heavenly Python City still sees humans, but their cultivation realms are generally high and they are few in number.

But White Horned City is different; in White Horned City Wang Wu can see far more humans than he did in Heavenly Python City.

At night, holding Zhou Qingwan's hand, they strolled the streets of White Horned City, a city built on the riverbed, which still has a very distinctive look.

Although the urban area isn't flooded, looking up you can see the river water kept at bay by a protective dome.

White Horned City knows how to showcase its own charm, so besides merchants like Zhou Qingwan, the city hosts a massive tourism crowd.

Visiting White Horned City is cheap enough for even the humblest folk. Although Chu spends its days in palace intrigue, its livelihood sector is actually well developed; otherwise they wouldn't have the standing to negotiate with the Zhou dynasty.

Prosperous, bold, generous—this is the impression Chu people of this world gave Wang Wu. They're also carefree and very daring.

As for the traits of Chu people from his hometown, Wang Wu doesn't know; although he is Chu, that label hasn't been mentioned in his region for many years.

Nowadays, people from his area are more often called Southerners. Though geographically his location is actually central, even his hometown's military district is called the Central Military District.

But Wang Wu doesn't care what Chu people back home are like; after all, he can't return to that hometown.

According to the lore from Wang Wu's old home, Chu people, being close to the Baiyue, have adopted some of those customs, favoring "hair‑cut tattoos."

But based on Wang Wu's observations here, most Chu people he's seen have braids.

Back home there are records; archaeological finds and documents show that the modern‑style ladies' twisted braid was a very popular hairstyle in Chu during the Spring and Autumn and Warring States periods.

Of course, Wang Wu doesn't know that historical detail, but he isn't foolish enough to link this hairstyle to the massive yin‑yang topknot of some ancient dynasty back home.

Because the two are clearly different, placing this hairstyle in that era would be, frankly, a death sentence for nine families; even neighbors might suffer.

Although Wang Wu hasn't seen the hair‑cut, he has seen many tattoos.

Zhou Qingwan has a tattoo of a bird he doesn't recognize; when he asked, she just giggled "cluck‑cluck" and then kicked Wang Wu's face with her disgusting, sweaty foot.

The insult enraged Wang Wu to a boiling point; he poured all his strength into a punch that pierced her, killing her instantly.

Zhou Qingwan's hairstyle is a low chignon: hair is gathered at the back into a bundle, the ends twisted into a spacious knot, pinned, and allowed to hang naturally.

This seems to be a very popular style here; Wang Wu has seen many Chu women with this haircut on the streets.

Since Zhou Qingwan had work the next day, she skipped breakfast, though she didn't need it. After a brief clash with Wang Wu, she stumbled away from the demon cave.

In a human city it's easy to encounter a demon, after all they're relatively easy to find in such places.

But here, it's actually not that easy.

Unless it's for profit or gain, even though demons aren't particularly superficial, they're not keen to do that with humans because of experiential reasons.

Zhou Qingwan has stayed here a long time, usually spending over four months each year in White Horned City, sourcing goods here and bringing surface items to sell.

It is also an important port city on the Li River, so its economy is thriving, with massive foot traffic—actually demon traffic—making it a quintessential commercial city.

Although the demon population is lower—about five million fewer than Heavenly Python City's eight million—the level of prosperity is only slightly less than that of Heavenly Python City.

And because they frequently interact with human society, many things here are actually more advanced.

Of course, with the emergence of the Extreme Heaven Divine Palace, Heavenly Python City's growth can no longer be compared to the past; its becoming the world's premier demon city is practically a done deal.

It has the largest demon population, the highest development level, and thus the greatest wealth.

"Big—big sister, what's wrong!??"

When Zhou Qingwan returned to her guild's residence and saw her elder sister's condition, her younger sister asked in shock:

"Your belly, belly…"

"Stop, stop talking," Zhou Qingwan said weakly, "I need to rest today; the matter with the Luo family today falls to you, sister."

Recalling last night's events, despite looking weak, Zhou Qingwan's face still flushed unnaturally, "Monster—cough cough—demon race, indeed, indeed lives up to its reputation…"

When her sister walked to her side and gently patted her shoulder, sniffing the scent in the air, Zhou Qingwan's younger sister at this moment roughly understood what had happened to her sister.

Then she too was affected by Zhou Qingwan's complexion.

Zhou Qingwan is very beautiful, that's indisputable; although she is certainly far from the demon race, among humans she is definitely among the most strikingly beautiful.

Moreover, compared with other humans she also has an advantage in figure; even cultivators are not always perfectly proportioned—while she may lack flaws, her dimensions and proportions are hard to judge.

But Zhou Qingwan is different; her figure absolutely towers over that of most of her own kind in the city.

Nevertheless, even so, in the five years since she arrived in Bai Chi City, her encounters with the demon race remain pitifully few. She also has her own pride and never resorts to coercion or inducement.

And refusing to lure them with benefits, the monsters certainly won't give you a glance; even if Zhou Qingwan's figure is impressive among humans, it's merely ordinary in the demon race.

Moreover, the demon race is generally more sensitive to scent, and humans who have not attained an uncorrupted body cannot completely eliminate body odor; someone like Wang Wu among the demon race is not common.

At least up to now, Zhou Qingwan has only seen this one.

The difference between a heartfelt acceptance and an acceptance motivated by profit or politeness is still very clear; without doubt, Zhou Qingwan is now somewhat poisoned.

Returning to her room, the moment she reached the bed Zhou Qingwan could no longer stay upright and collapsed onto it, falling into a deep sleep; after all, she was exhausted from yesterday—she hadn't slept at all from dinner yesterday afternoon until this morning in order to close that deal.

Although she fainted several times from overwork, her consciousness drifting, those faintings cannot be called rest. Even as her mind slipped, her body still instinctively kept laboring.

While sleeping, Zhou Qingwan had another dream—a chaotic, heavy dream filled with dense mist and tears.

In the afternoon she awoke groggily; her body had returned to normal, no longer like a ten‑month pregnancy, yet some things were already deeply etched into her spirit and body.

No wonder becoming obsessed with the demon race is a grave taboo; now Zhou Qingwan somewhat understands why those people say that.

Of course, she certainly isn't obsessed; in fact she did nothing, so don't over‑interpret or speculate.

Most humans may never experience a demon's sincere treatment in a lifetime; after all, the gap between humans and demons in this regard is large, and without an emotional foundation the other side clearly prefers its own kind.

As for Zhou Qingwan, her family upbringing was rather strict, at least before she came of age; after reaching adulthood she married a fellow disciple of her sect according to her family's arrangement.

But since the marriage, their relationship has remained just that—a marriage bound by mutual benefit, with no real feeling involved.

The other party has a beloved junior sister, and although she lacks a beloved senior brother or junior brother, she has had a few romantic interests within the sect.

Simply put, they each live their own lives, bound only by a relationship called 'marriage' that ties their interests.

But human experiences are indeed rather mediocre; it's not that Zhou Qingwan looks down on humans, but the demon race in this…

At the same time, on the other side, Wang Wu now recalled the words Zhou Qingwan said to him before she left:

"Wu Lang, you demon race, you demon race really are, this is the most … in my life…"

When he heard that, Wang Wu was a bit taken off guard, because it reminded him of a certain group from his hometown.

And he became that group… never mind, I won't say more; the two have no basis for comparison.

In short, he was a bit unsettled when he heard Zhou Qingwan's heartfelt sigh; although he didn't know why she was moved to tears over this, it seemed she never stopped crying.

But that's irrelevant, because she was genuinely moved to tears by his not despising her lack of an uncorrupted body and still treating her with the utmost enthusiasm and sincerity.

Bai Chi City has many humans; Zhou Qingwan is just one of them. A fleeting encounter between a human and a demon, a passing acquaintance, does not lead to much entanglement.

Anyway, Wang Wu has been having a great time these past few days; the customs of Chu State are indeed fresh, dear family.

(End of Chapter)