Chapter 713: with translation of chapter title

Walking and stopping along the way, Yan Buji also heard many tales of the demon races.

After several months of journey, they finally arrived at Luohuang Zhou.

Luohuang Zhou, as a continent of Zhong Tian Zhi Yu, originally belonged to the demon tribe's territory; normally, without permission, humans would definitely not be allowed to set foot there.

But now Luohuang Zhou has been devastated by war, riddled with ruins, everything awaiting revival; this actually gives humans an opportunity.

"Is this Luohuang Zhou?"

Yan Buji and the others had just stepped out of the teleportation array when they felt the demonic qi drifting in the air was extremely thick; although they had been somewhat on guard, upon contact they still felt uncomfortable.

The demon tribe are a race that understands cultivation methods; like humans, they are wise sentient beings, so they should be evenly matched in battle.

But the situation in Zhong Tian Zhi Yu is special, not what Yan Buji had heard before.

They trudged forward, steps heavy and slow. After an unknown time, they finally halted their weary steps. Looking around, the sight before them was heartbreaking. Once magnificent and beautiful mountains and rivers now lay riddled with scars, shattered beyond repair. Undulating mountain ranges were blasted by artillery into thousands of holes; lush green forests turned into scorched earth; clear rivers had dried up, exposing ferocious rocks and mud in their beds.

Looking at those once prosperous cities makes it even more unbearable to witness. Tall buildings and manors collapsed to the ground, bricks and rubble piled like mountains. Streets were everywhere littered with broken walls and ruins; the former bustling prosperity vanished, replaced by a deathly silence.

No building escaped; all suffered severe destruction. Smoke and dust mingled with the pungent smell of gunpowder filled the air, making breathing difficult. These scenes seemed like the apocalypse had descended, narrating the endless disaster and pain brought by war.

"Did they use spirit guns and cannons?" Yan Buji looked at the craters from exploded shells around and the many bullet holes in the buildings, realizing this.

"How could such a contrived trifle cause so much damage?" Zhou Wan'an frowned.

Everyone seemed unaware of the war potential of spirit guns and cannons; Yan Buji, having encountered them before, naturally knew a fair amount, but seeing these destroyed buildings, the demon tribe's court must have mobilized massive forces to conquer Luohuang Zhou.

Yuan Zhen of the Unity Dao Stage, seeing this, was somewhat surprised, then immediately frowned.

Everyone was thinking: if one side possessed large numbers of spirit guns and cannons to conquer a place, would the pattern of war undergo a huge change?

"The effect of low-level cultivators would be infinitely magnified!" Yuan Zhen muttered to himself.

"Hall Master Yan?"

"At your service." Yan Buji stepped forward and bowed his hands to Yuan Zhen.

"I heard you used spirit guns and cannons when trading with the Youming Jie; how is this accumulation device?"

"Replying, Elder, I have always thought that the construction of this spirit gun and cannon accumulation device is simple and easy to mass-produce. However, for individual cultivators, it is not very useful."

Yuan Zhen pondered for a moment: "What if a faction recruited countless cultivators who could wield spirit guns and operate spirit cannons?"

"In that case, their faction's combat power would be astonishing, provided they could manage their disciples like a mundane dynasty manages its army."

"That's not difficult either." Yuan Zhen sighed: "Later I'll go around and send a letter back to the sect; Hall Master Yan, you all go first to the garrison city."

"Yes."

As Yuan Zhen left the group, Yan Buji didn't mind either.

Elder Yuan Zhen possesses Unity Dao Stage strength; unless besieged by many or struck by a Great Vehicle Stage cultivator, who could pose any danger to him?

On the contrary, as soon as Yan Buji arrived in Luohuang Zhou, he knew he had to hurry to the garrison city.

"Everyone, let's go!"

"Good!"

The group proceeded onward, and after half a month they reached one of the new cities established by the demon tribe's court in Luohuang Zhou, the garrison city, which is also the center of the entire Luohuang Zhou.

"This place has abundant spirit veins, and the spirit energy is extremely plentiful!"

"It's just that this demonic qi is hard to get used to; we are not demons, and this demonic qi is too intense."

Everyone felt somewhat unaccustomed; as soon as they reached the city gate, demon tribe soldiers stopped them and asked, "Travelers from afar, what business do you humans have in the garrison city?"

"We are cultivators of the Great Sinful Sect, here specifically to pay respects to the lord of the garrison city!" Yan Buji and the others said in unison.

"I think you'll need to wait a couple of days; the city lord has other guests now, but please go ahead and enter the city."

The demon tribe soldiers did not block them either, letting them enter the city.

Setting foot on demon tribe city soil for the first time, Yan Buji widened his eyes, full of novelty as he examined this place utterly unlike the human cities he knew. He saw that the architectural style here was distinctive, as if transplanted from another world.

The buildings varied in height; some resembled huge mushrooms, round and cute; some looked like birds about to spread their wings, lively and light; others resembled coiling dragons, mighty and imposing. They were either built from multicolored stone, or constructed from thick tree trunks, and some even clung directly to steep cliffs, astonishing to behold.

Yan Buji couldn't help but slow his steps, his face full of curiosity. He would at times touch the smooth, scale-like walls, feeling their unique texture; at times he would look up at the towering spires piercing the clouds, guessing that must be where the demon city lord resides.

"Welcome! Travelers from afar, I am Xiong Ba Tian of the bear tribe, here to greet you friends." A bear-tribe cultivator walked over, grinning at them and making a strange gesture.

Yan Buji and the others returned the salute with clasped hands, saying, "I don't know what advice Brother Xiong Ba Tian has for us."

"Oh, although my mother warned me not to easily trust humans, I hope you are sincere, coming here from the heart. I have some fine, high-quality goods; would any of you like to take a look? I swear this is absolutely one of the best products in the demon realm, our bear tribe's imperial bee honey!"

"Imperial bee honey?!"

Yan Buji froze for a moment; that is a top-tier ingredient!

"Do demons also have a food dao tradition?"

"Of course!" Xiong Ba Tian laughed: "Our bear tribe has the greater and lesser kinds; you friends can surely see that I am a cultivator of the greater bear tribe. So you can completely trust me; the imperial bee honey in my hands is absolutely top-grade food material."

Here, "food material" refers to food dao spiritual material; among humans, such material is extremely rare, only occasionally trickling into the market from the West Sand River Basin, and it would likely be snapped up within minutes.

Yan Buji's food dao spiritual material had long been exhausted, but he hadn't expected the demon tribe here to still have means of cultivating food dao spiritual material.

"If Brother Xiong Ba Tian doesn't mind, we now need to find a place to stay; after we secure lodging, we can then discuss things in detail," Yan Buji asked.

"In that case, let me take you to find a soft and comfortable inn," Xiong Ba Tian laughed.

Yan Buji and the others exchanged glances; the remaining elders nodded, and Yan Buji said, "Naturally."