Chapter 76: Merchant Tomb – 6K – Please Subscribe

Wang Wu didn't move; after feeding Wu Lian a few grain pills and channeling some Yin Extreme True Qi into her, he went downstairs to negotiate compensation with the innkeeper and have a meal.

The grain pills aren't tasty, nor are they terrible, but when they're not needed he certainly wouldn't choose to eat that stuff.

The innkeeper's people were quite nice; although there had been a big commotion outside earlier, they still warmly hosted Wang Wu. They didn't even intend to demand compensation, and only after Wang Wu forcefully insisted did they reluctantly accept.

"A young hero must repay kindness; with such character, I, a mere mortal, truly admire you, bowing in reverence."

This was what the innkeeper said to Wang Wu, and he also waived the meal fee for him. Wang Wu had strongly requested this, and in the end he didn't decline the kindness.

It seems good people indeed receive good returns.

After the meal, Wang Wu felt rather reflective.

Yet that's normal, since everyone is ultimately selfish, acting only for profit and not sentiment, in the ultimate social‑dar society…

Honestly, Wang Wu has always thought such a society is hard to sustain.

If only selfishness existed without altruism, it's uncertain whether human civilization could develop, since even beasts exhibit mutual benefit and assistance.

And helping others in nature is often a selfish act, as reciprocal benefit and various symbiotic relationships clearly demonstrate.

Being loyal and repaying kindness is evidently valued in this world. And Wu Lian, the monster who saved the life of Wang Wu, a "True Realm Warrior", together with her tragic background, hasn't caused humans to dislike her; many even find her quite pitiful.

Although Wang Wu thinks this is mainly because she is extremely beautiful—tigers also eat people—but back home many people love tigers and want to attract them, simply because tigers are good‑looking.

Wu Lian's injuries had almost fully healed by the next day; she could get out of bed and walk. After regaining mobility, the first thing she did was kneel before Wang Wu and kowtow, saying:

"Young Hero Wang, if you don't mind, once this matter is settled, I am willing to have you brand me, and hence forever serve at your feet."

"You damn it, are you addicted to being a slave? My rescue of you was for nothing then?!" Wang Wu, hearing this, almost kicked her, then walked up to her, pulled Wu Lian up from the ground, and said irritably:

"I don't need you as my slave; I don't need slaves, and you don't need to be a slave serving anyone."

After speaking, looking at Wu Lian, Wang Wu asked, "Besides, don't you still have a husband?"

"The young hero said, 'Humans and monsters walk different paths. If this continues, it will only bring misfortune.'" Wu Lian's expression dimmed, "And I can't truly give him a child, so…"

Wu Lian lowered her head and whispered:

"Better a brief pain."

"Whatever you like." Wang Wu scratched his butt, saying that such family matters were not his concern.

But this approach has no flaw; the Sun Da family are ordinary people, and living together with Wu Lian, a monster who has entered the True Realm, indeed carries a high chance of misfortune.

The next morning, after handling Wu Lian's gratitude request, Wang Wu called Shu Niang and the others to confirm the situation at home.

The several female monsters clearly knew they couldn't go out; the home situation was fine, with no incidents.

Without Wang Wu nearby it would be lonely, but now with cultivation methods to practice, it's not that lonely; there are plenty of ways to pass the time.

Returning to the human city, even though it was winter, it was still quite bustling. So, with an appointment, Wang Wu took Wu Lian out, mainly to shop for some items.

Wang Wu left the door at 8:30 a. m.; it was still dark, but the city was already brightly lit, and people filled the streets. He strolled around the county town and bought many trinkets.

Wu Lian was familiar with this place, having often been sent here on business, and recently took on a mission to seduce the young master of the Lin family.

The Lin young master is also a love‑type, to put it bluntly. If after this is resolved he is still willing to take over, then following him would be fine for Wu Lian.

Of course, it ultimately depends on Wu Lian's own choice. What she decides is not Wang Wu's concern.

After wandering He Xi Xian's county town all morning, he purchased a huge batch of items: some food, some furniture, and some things women like.

In fact Wang Wu didn't know whether women truly liked those items, but he bought them assuming they might.

Of course there were also books, all kinds of books. They are indispensable; he now needs knowledge, all kinds of knowledge.

Time quickly reached noon; the sun finally rose, yet the street lights remained, because the sun doesn't stay in the sky for long.

He arrived at Tianqi Tower, the place where Si Tu Jin invited Wang Wu to dine today.

As soon as he entered, a beautiful woman in a brocade robe approached and respectfully bowed to Wang Wu.

"Young Hero Wang, General Si Tu has been waiting for you for a long time; please follow me."

He led Wang Wu to a private room on the second floor; the room faced the street, allowing a view of the bustling thoroughfare below.

"Young Hero Wang." Si Tu Jin, seated in the private room, saw Wang Wu at the doorway and greeted him with a smile.

"Please sit." She gestured to the seat opposite her.

"General Si Tu." Wang Wu bowed and sat opposite Si Tu Jin.

Wu Lian stood in the private room, head lowered, silent, a textbook maid.

Soon tea was placed on the table, along with some pre‑meal desserts.

"May I ask which sect you belong to, Brother Wang?" Si Tu Jin picked up a piece of cake with chopsticks, ate it, and asked.

"Extreme Heaven Vajra Sect." Wang Wu replied.

"Oh?" Si Tu Jin seemed surprised, "That doesn't seem to be a sect within the Great Zhou realm."

"Indeed." Wang Wu nodded, "The Extreme Heaven Vajra Sect lies in the far west, it is …"

He briefly summarized the Extreme Heaven Vajra Sect information from the official website, a sect perfectly matching this world's style.

"It seems your sect is the Western Wei Great Sect?" while sipping tea and eating dessert, Si Tu Jin asked leisurely after hearing Wang Wu's introduction.

This woman truly loves sweets; she eats dessert before the meal, and the tea is unbearably sweet.

"No. My Extreme Heaven Vajra Sect belongs to no nation." Wang Wu shook his head; the statement was correct—Yun Guang City is not a country, just a city.

Si Tu Jin raised an eyebrow, saying nothing further.

For a moment, the private room fell into silence.

Wang Wu was not a sociable person, and although Si Tu Jin had proactively invited him to dine, she seemed not to intend to say much more to him.

Soon the dishes and wine were brought out, but the two ate silently, continuing for almost ten minutes.

Wang Wu had thought she invited him merely for a meal, but then Si Tu Jin spoke up:

"May I ask whether Brother Wang is interested in joining my Demon-Subduing Office?"

"Hm? Ah?" Wang Wu was startled.

Without waiting for Wang Wu's response, Si Tu Jin continued, "Since Brother Wang is a disciple of a departed sect, you presumably aren't bound by any nation; therefore, why not consider taking a position in the Great Zhou Demon-Subduing Office?"

"Why?" Wang Wu was a bit puzzled by the woman's line of thinking—why she suddenly extended an invitation to him, a foreigner, to join that so‑called Demon‑Quelling Department.

It was precisely because he learned the concept of "world‑leaving sects" from Zhao Xingyue that Wang Wu could convey the official website introduction of the Jitian Jingang Sect by merely trimming a few parts for others.

In any case, world‑leaving sects are mostly hidden; an ordinary person without connections is unlikely to find them.

Not even a whole country works, because those places often aren't hidden in the mortal world—where would you look for them?

Moreover, these world‑leaving sects usually have countless ties to the former overlords of this land.

Of course, the existing nations are similar, even more closely linked, since they were once vassal states of the Great Shang.

"I think Brother Wang is a very fine person." Si Tu Jin swirled the wine glass in her hand, smiling brightly at Wang Wu, "A favor of a meal must be repaid, let alone a life‑saving favor?"

"Those words truly strike a chord with me."

"Um, thank you, General Si Tu for your kindness." Faced with the woman's remarks, Wang Wu didn't know how to reply, so he merely clasped his hands in a generic, all‑purpose gesture to return her compliment.

Mainly, he felt this woman was a bit odd, though he couldn't say why.

"Ha ha, just a joke, just a joke." Seeing Wang Wu's awkward reply, Si Tu Jin laughed. General Si Tu seemed to favor male attire; today she wasn't wearing last night's armor, but was dressed like a young gentleman.

Add to that her face, and one could guess she's a maiden killer.

Wang Wu's appearance wasn't of the same style; he has a more masculine look, so at first glance you wouldn't mistake his gender. Of course, except in some countries of his hometown.

"I came to see Brother Wang today not only to get to know you but also because there's something indeed." Si Tu Jin swayed the cup in her hand, saying, "Of course, but we can set that aside for now and first deal with the fox demon by your side? After all, that's also a matter of my Demon‑Quelling Department."

Wang Wu turned his head to look at Wu Lian; he could barely recall that the woman was a fox spirit, since she had only mentioned it once.

"Naturally." Wang Wu nodded, "May I ask what the General wishes to learn?"

After the meal, Si Tu Jin had a rough understanding of Wu Lian's situation. The matter clearly piqued her interest, so the two demons followed her to the He Xi Xian garrison camp.

The Great Zhou Dynasty employs two military systems: one inherited from the former Great Shang—a professional soldier system, i. e., conscription; the other is the fubing system popular during Wang Wu's hometown Tang era.

The former is a centrally controlled standing professional army, with equipment and pay supplied directly by the court, boasting excellent training and gear.

The latter consists of each province's "local troops," a blend of farmer‑soldiers, whose equipment and training depend on local finances.

This world's Zhou Dynasty clearly differs from the ancient Zhou of Wang Wu's homeland, and the gap is sizable. The only similarity may be that both bear the name "Great Zhou."

This was Wang Wu's first time entering this world's human civilization's military stronghold; the moment he stepped into the camp, he sensed an aura that made him extremely uncomfortable.

The aura affected Wu Lian behind him even more noticeably; as the two demons entered, Wang Wu heard Wu Lian let out a painful wail.

"Ah, why is Wu Lian following us?" At that moment, Si Tu Jin, who was ahead, turned back toward Wu Lian. Her face showed surprise as well as a hint of astonishment.

She examined Wu Lian from head to toe and sighed, "You can actually endure it; no wonder you can stride boldly into our human town. The powers of these demon races are truly bizarre."

After speaking, Si Tu Jin produced a ceramic bottle in her hand and handed it to Wang Wu, "Give it to her to swallow; it will make her much more comfortable."

Wang Wu nodded, took the bottle and gave it to Wu Lian. After she swallowed the pill inside, Wu Lian's painful expression quickly eased.

"Let's go." Seeing Wu Lian stable, Si Tu Jin gestured.

The three of them continued onward, eventually arriving inside the big tent of the He Xi Xian garrison camp.

"Colonel Si Tu!! Colonel Si Tu!!"

As soon as they entered, a man in a general's armor approached with an eager face, bowing and nodding to Si Tu Jin.

He was about to speak, but his peripheral glance caught Wang Wu and Wu Lian, and his movement froze instantly.

"We'll discuss later." Si Tu Jin made a gesture, and the man immediately left the tent.

Si Tu Jin summoned Wang Wu and the others to the tent not to discuss anything, but merely to handle paperwork, mainly for Wu Lian.

The Great Zhou Dynasty can accept monsters to live in its society as non‑slaves, though for ordinary unconnected demons this takes a long time.

You must contribute to the empire for it to accept you. Simple logic.

"You entered our human town out of gratitude, yet you were cruelly enslaved, becoming someone else's tool. Since then you've been controlled by others, unable to act of your own will."

Sitting on the chief's seat inside the tent, Si Tu Jin lounged lazily and looked at the kneeling Wu Lian, saying, "Although the circumstances are indeed understandable and rather pitiful, you have still committed far too many killings."

"Even if your situation is understandable, you should have served a hundred years of labor before regaining your freedom. Moreover, if you enter Great Zhou and become its citizen, you'd have to serve another hundred years for Great Zhou."

"However, on behalf of Brother Wang, I can make a decision to spare you the burden of labor."

After speaking, a jade tablet was tossed in front of Wu Lian.

"Your deeds have been recorded; with this jade tablet you can prove your innocence. If you wish to enter Great Zhou, first serve a hundred years in the Demon Division of my Demon‑Quelling Department."

Si Tu Jin said.

"Little demon thanks you, sir."

Wu Lian knelt and gave Si Tu Jin three deep kowtows.

"Enough." Si Tu Jin rose, "Come with me to set out for He Dong Xian and settle this matter."

"Yes…"

………

Wang Wu always felt something was off, even though this woman had presented a wholly positive image since they first met:

Upright yet adaptable. Kind, and fond of light jokes. Open‑minded toward the demon race, sympathetic to Wu Lian's tragic past, and outraged by Xi Menpei's actions.

Yet Wang Wu just felt something was amiss.

He couldn't pinpoint where the unease lay, but… why did this woman's displayed image always carry a hint of something off?

Never mind, it doesn't matter. Whether there's an odd scent or not, let's resolve this first.

By now the sun had set, the world outside was pitch black, yet the Demon‑Quelling Army seemed unafraid of night.

After selecting twelve elite riders from her forces, Si Tu Jin led Wang Wu and Wu Lian out of the city, heading for He Dong Xian.

The warhorses of the Demon‑Quelling Army are extremely fast; even clad in heavy armor they can gallop at nearly 180 km/h.

That's far beyond the top speed of the cheetahs back in Wang Wu's hometown, nearly matching the sailfish's fastest speed in the ocean.

But that's not surprising; after all, these warhorses are demon beasts.

He Dong and He Xi counties are only a hundred kilometers apart, which for such warhorses is about half an hour's ride.

Soon, the party arrived at He Dong Xian; without revealing their identities, the soldiers at the city gate, upon seeing the Demon‑Quelling Army's feathered helm crests, alerted the guards below.

Accompanied by the grinding of gears, the city gate slowly opened, and with the scattering light and clamor of voices, a kaleidoscopic world replaced the previous darkness before everyone's eyes.

"Get back! Get back! The Demon-Subduing Army is coming!!!! Everyone get back!!!"

The soldiers shouted, loudly driving away pedestrians on the road, and soon a wide avenue was cleared.

Hooves struck the ground, sounding like thunder. A line of cavalry surged in, and the city gate slowly closed, no longer shedding light outward.

"Boom—"

A muffled thud sounded, and the area outside the city fell into dead silence again.

He Dong Xian, West Gate Prefecture.

"Can Niang, Can Niang!! I, I... I'm about to...!!!!"

"Lord Ximen."

Just as Ximen Pei was on the brink of erupting, a voice fell like a bucket of cold water, dousing the blazing flame.

Ximen Pei snapped to a halt, his eyes bloodshot as he looked toward the bedroom door.

"The Demon-Subduing Army is here, sir."

The anger on his face vanished instantly; Ximen Pei dropped the sword he had taken, hurried to the door, and asked in a deep voice:

"How did they arrive? For what reason??"

"I don't know, but they specifically requested you to go. Two true beings from the clan are already prepared, only you are missing," the voice from outside continued.

After hearing the words from outside, Ximen Pei's expression shifted. He remained silent for a moment, then nodded.

"Understood."

He Dong Xian County Office.

On a vacant plot, Ximen Pei, two true beings from his clan, and the county magistrate knelt on the ground. In front of them sat Situ Jin, sipping tea in a chair.

Wang Wu stood beside Situ Jin, holding a knife as if he were her guard. The distant roar of Sun Fei reached his ears, but Wang Wu only listened briefly before looking away.

After all, it was hard to accept that his wife was a monster, but now he had to accept it.

Sun Da had no objection to this; after learning about Wu Lian, he felt quite sympathetic toward her.

He had once been able to rescue the unknown, even potentially dangerous monster Wu Lian. Now he could naturally accept that the "younger sister-in-law" Wu Lian, who came to the county out of gratitude, ended up being enslaved.

Moreover, even while enslaved, Wu Lian had not forgotten to repay the kindness.

And after Wu Lian married into the Sun family, the Sun family's days indeed grew better. Sun Da had more than once told his wife Ruo Niang that he thought Wu Lian was a good wife, and it was remarkable that his younger brother could win such a wife...

Enough, enough.

But Sun Fei was different from his brother; he deeply despised monsters because one of his brothers had been killed by a monster's mouth. He had sworn to avenge his brother, but being only an ordinary warrior, revenge seemed hopeless.

Now that his beloved wife had become a monster, the blow he suffered was obvious.

"Ximen Pei?"

Returning to the vacant plot after drinking tea for a while, Situ Jin set down her teacup, looked at Ximen Pei kneeling at the front, and said.

"I am here."

Although kneeling, Ximen Pei's demeanor was neither servile nor arrogant.

"Drag him down and kill him." Seeing that Ximen Pei actually had this attitude, Si Tu Jin instantly lost interest and, waving his hand, ordered.

Immediately, two members of the Demon-Subduing Army stepped forward, seized Ximen Pei, and tried to drag him down. Ximen Pei panicked at this, hurriedly begging:

"M-Master! Master!!!"

"Haha…"

At this moment, seeing the sheer terror on Ximen Pei's face, Situ Jin also laughed.

Her smile made Wang Wu glance a few more times, not because she was beautiful or alluring, but because he felt that at this moment she perhaps showed her true self.

Sure enough, after laughing for a while, Situ Jin picked up the teacup on the table again, swaying it, her gaze fixed on Ximen Pei, and asked:

"Where did those cultivators who entered Si Hun Shan go after they emerged?"

When that sentence was spoken, Wang Wu immediately understood.

She came here, of course, not merely to help Wang Wu, whom she had known for less than a day, solve his problem; in other words, whether Wang Wu appears or not would not affect her interrogation of Ximen Pei, whom she had captured in He Dong Xian.

Of course, she did indeed resolve Wu Lian's issue, but that was clearly not her main goal.

To give an analogy, it's like a side quest triggered during the main quest that can be conveniently cleared; it costs nothing and even boosts favor, why not?

"Of course, regardless of the other's true intention,"

"but she truly did help Wang Wu. After all, if Wang Wu had to handle this himself, it would indeed be troublesome."

"However..."

When Situ Jin mentioned "those cultivators," Wang Wu couldn't help recalling Zhao Xingyue and her group. But considering the following words, it was clear they were not that group.

Looking at Ximen Pei's terrified yet bewildered expression on the ground, Situ Jin narrowed her eyes, and a powerful pressure accompanied her words, bearing down on Ximen Pei:

"Six months ago, those Luo family cultivators who entered Si Hun Shan."

Upon hearing this, Wang Wu now knew who they were.

They were the group that stole the Kite Grave before Zhao Xingyue and her companions.

(End of chapter)