Chapter 47: Kuangsha City

Lin Manzhi sat on the lead camel's back, lifted her hand to her brow and eyes and gazed into the distance.

Kuangsha City has no walls; what meets the eye is a dense cluster of tan‑colored buildings, occasional patches of green, and as one draws nearer, the houses outside the city appear somewhat dilapidated.

Yet it is truly bustling here; Lin Manzhi saw crowds outside Kuangsha City packed like a long‑holiday tourist spot and let out a sigh of amazement.

So many people.

This is still Lin Manzhi's first time here, and the first time she has seen so many Beastfolk—more than in Ansen City.

She recalled the original book's description of this place.

Kuangsha City was built on an oasis deep in the desert, surrounded on all sides by endless golden sands, and it is a city larger than any on the continent.

The buildings grow taller toward the city center, cleverly integrated with the rocky terrain, giving a striking, cavern‑like, solemn and sacred feeling.

Four stone avenues, wider than modern four‑lane roads, divide Kuangsha City evenly into four districts; from a panoramic view, the whole city is truly magnificent.

Lin Manzhi has read the original work and knows that Kuangsha City was the birthplace of Beastfolk civilization millennia ago.

Unfortunately, times have changed; the city before her has become wasteland that even top Supernatural Male Beasts disdain to capture—conquering it would cost massive resources, and holding it serves little purpose.

This is a desert wasteland where even yautia grass cannot survive…

But the various lords have not completely ignored it, and Lin Manzhi followed the merchant caravan closer.

The road fortress linking the desert to Kuangsha City is dotted with checkpoints set up by countless factions within the city, and long queues stretch around the outskirts.

The caravan halted on the main entrance road, and the leading Thunder Eagle banner caught attention.

There are only a few Supernatural Male Beasts on the continent, and everyone knows who the Thunder Eagle banner represents, and everyone knows the Luo Lai Caravan.

The Beastfolk ahead in line, upon seeing the Thunder Eagle banner, courteously stepped aside to let the Luo Lai Caravan enter first.

Sha Cheng, not detecting the aura of powerful Beastfolk in the queue, briskly led his group forward to the end of the main stone road.

On the main road, a group of black‑faction Supernatural Male Beasts were collecting entry protection fees; spotting the familiar Sha Cheng, one said, "Your haul this time is good. The old rule is five hundred Beast Coins per head to enter. How many of you are there?"

A place without a lord means no order; countless factions carve it up, and even taxes from other cities are seized at the city gates, where they levy protection fees.

Although the protection fee is steep, any Supernatural Male Beast wishing to enter must obediently pay.

"We are six hundred and two," Sha Cheng said, pulling out a small pouch of gold coins and handing it over.

They took the gold and began counting heads; if anyone dared to slip through unnoticed, a bloody showdown would await.

Sha Cheng, feeling embarrassed to go back and ask permission for the two to enter the city, lowered his voice and said, "My apologies, Lin Cixing, if we don't let them watch us enter, they'll be very troublesome and will secretly plot resentment behind our backs."

"It's fine, we'll just cooperate," Lin Manzhi said without hesitation.

We're here on business; there's no need to attract a bunch of troublemakers just by entering the city.

She smiled at Mo Lie, pulled the coarse cloth hood over her shoulders, stepped down from the camel, her gauze skirt fluttering, a few strands of black hair escaped from the headscarf and brushed her speckled little face.

Mo Lie, who was beside Lin Manzhi, leapt down from the camel at the same time, his casual gaze shadowing Wife Master Lin Manzhi.

It showed no sign of fragility; beneath the loose black cloak his spine was straight, and standing among a group of heavily muscled, massive Supernatural Male Beasts, he stood especially conspicuous.

He was an exceedingly sharp presence; even though his whole body was wrapped in the black cloak, the Beastfolk who looked at him felt a deep sense of oppression.

The Supernatural Male Beasts collecting protection fees were taken aback—when had the Luo Lai Caravan ever arrived with such formidable guards?

A few of them couldn't help but glance at him a few more times, noticing that this black‑clad Supernatural Male Beast, whose aura was immensely strong, paid them no heed and slightly turned his body toward the female beside him.

That was a protective instinct all Supernatural Male Beasts understood.

Under the powerful aura, several of them grew intensely curious, all turning to look at the female beside the black‑clad Supernatural Male Beast; a few seconds later their faces showed disappointment.

Ugh, so this is an ugly female with no pheromone, probably the daughter of some tribe chieftain, who managed to get such a powerful Beast Husband.

The Supernatural Male Beast guarding the city gate instantly lost interest in the female accompanying the caravan; the leading Beastfolk ordered his subordinates to pull back the iron spikes blocking the entrance, allowing the protection‑fee‑paid caravan to enter the city.

At that moment, the sky suddenly darkened, quelling the city‑guarding Beastfolk's remaining curiosity about the black‑clad Supernatural Male Beast.

Following Mo Lie forward, Lin Manzhi lifted her head and looked up curiously.

A flock of gray vulture‑eagles swooped overhead, each wing spanning six meters, and on the broad backs of the vultures were tiny wooden huts.

"Hey! The Shamaness heading to the Mountain Classic Beast Temple this year has to pass through here!"

The city‑guarding Supernatural Male Beasts also looked up, their eyes flashing with unabashed greed.

In Kuangsha City, like the six major cities on the continent, all factions share a single unified rule: no flying in the airspace.

However, this no‑fly rule excludes privileged nobles in the six major cities, and in Kuangsha City it is exempt only for the Shamaness of the Mountain Classic Beast Temple.

The Supernatural Male Beasts of Kuangsha City craned their heads upward, their squinting eyes fixed on the sky, and said, "The Shamanesses of the Mountain Classic Beast Temple all have high pheromone values; if we could spend a night with them, my Spirit Core wouldn't need any elixirs at all."

"What are you dreaming about?"

"Did you see those vulture‑eagles? This year's escort is the elite warrior squad from Leitingcheng; we can't possibly defeat them. Do you think you could even get into the Shamaness's castle?"

"Do you intend to offend the entire Mountain Classic Beast Temple? When that happens, the apothecaries in Kuangsha City will stop selling elixirs—what will we do then?"

"Instead of fantasizing about the Shamaness, you might as well imagine storming one of the six major cities to snatch a female with a high pheromone value…"

Lin Manzhi walked farther away, and the voices behind her gradually faded until they were inaudible.

She centered herself and scanned the surroundings.

The buildings around the outskirts of Kuangsha City are made of sand and wood; people bustle along the streets, and at a glance, it looks like humans and Beastfolk coexist harmoniously.

The multi‑story houses along the street have walls painted in bright colors; among the crowd, running wild beasts provoke shouts and curses, petite females snuggle against towering males, street vendors hawk their wares, and the air is scented with food.

Mo Lie subtly lifted his hand to clasp the Little Female's waist; his ice‑blue eyes, visible beneath the black cloth, shimmered with tenderness, "Zhi Zhi, the caravan is fully assembled; we're ready to set off."

Lin Manzhi: "Mm‑mm."

She pulled her eyes away from the outside, relaxed as Mo Lie lifted her onto the camel's back; the bustling scenery was hidden behind a thick leather blanket, and she could faintly hear the lively sounds beyond.