Chapter 741: Violent Wind

Xiong Ba Tian saw Yan Buji's body trembling and explained, "The demon beasts of the Monster Race Continent might differ from the demon beasts you usually see."

"Oh?" Yan Buji showed some curiosity: "In what way?"

"In the Monster Race territory, because the demonic qi is overly dense, it's not obvious in Luohuang Zhou, but back home we often experience a special phenomenon called the Violent Wind!"

"A phenomenon?"

Yan Buji widened his eyes: "Please, Brother Xiong, enlighten me."

"Eh." Xiong Ba Tian waved his hand: "The origin of the Violent Wind is unknown, but it's said to come from the Supreme Wind Cave of the Absolute Land inside the Monster Race Continent; this absolute land ranks among the Ten Great Absolute Lands of the cultivation world. The Violent Wind seems to blow out from there, having little effect on us demon race, but it greatly boosts the combat power of non‑sentient living things!"

"What about me?"

"Maybe you're not a demon race member, so the Violent Wind also affects you, reducing your combat power?" Xiong Ba Tian wasn't certain either, after all this was his first time dealing with humans on demon territory, and he happened to encounter demon beasts whose combat power had been enhanced by the Violent Wind.

So the situation is somewhat complex; he dared not make a definite statement, leaving it to individual judgment, and just waited to see what Yan Buji thought.

Yan Buji, however, had never heard of such a special phenomenon as the Violent Wind before.

But upon reflection, since that Supreme Wind Cave is also one of the Ten Great Absolute Lands, it might be similar to the Sloth Flow he once encountered in the Boundless Sea Trench of the Dongxing Sea Region—both are special phenomena born within absolute lands.

The only thing is, he didn't know how the demon race guarded the absolute lands, allowing the phenomenon within to blow over into the Monster Race Continent.

"Ah, that's how it is." Yan Buji sighed.

However, although he himself wasn't directly blown by the Violent Wind, those strengthened demon beasts also possess a natural reduction in combat power against human cultivators, so future battles with them still require caution—no close‑quarters fighting.

He guessed it was probably because he had fought them head‑on, causing the residual Violent Wind clinging to the demon beasts' bodies to affect him.

"Since you're fine, friend, let's keep moving forward."

"Sure."

Following Xiong Ba Tian and company onward, when night fell they found a ruin to temporarily rest in.

Yan Buji looked at those demon cultivators, smiled, and took out his cherished fine wine: "Why don't you all join me for a drink?"

Smelling the rich aroma of the wine from Yan Buji's gourd, Xiong Ba Tian's eyes lit up: "My friend, you've never once offered me a sip of that fine wine from your gourd—I've been itching for it for ages!"

"Hahaha, it's my fault."

Yan Buji filled several wine jars and distributed them to the demon cultivators present.

The demon cultivators gulped it down, licked their lips, and said, "Good wine!"

"Human friend, could you sell me some of this wine?"

"Sorry, I brew this wine just for my own drinking; I don't sell it. But if you still want some, I'll give you a few jars."

Yan Buji laughed and gave them a few more jars for free, which moved Xiong Ba Tian and the other demon cultivators deeply.

"This human friend, Fellow Daoist Yan is truly generous."

"Yeah, I thought other demons said you humans were all deceitful rascals, but I didn't expect there to be someone as generous as you."

Xiong Ba Tian laughed: "My friend, being able to work with you is the greatest fortune of my life!"

"You flatter me, you flatter me." Yan Buji smiled.

After everything was settled, Yan Buji also started probing around for information.

These demon cultivators weren't as shrewd as imagined, but they weren't stupid either.

Some matters they would tell Yan Buji clearly, but anything involving other demon race continents they'd stay silent on; after hitting a wall once, Yan Buji stopped pressing.

"Brother Xiong, what mission did you receive this time that sent you out to clear the demon beasts?" Yan Buji asked.

"Ah?!" Xiong Ba Tian jumped, embarrassed, looking at Yan Buji: "My friend, you noticed?"

Yan Buji didn't say more, just smiled.

Xiong Ba Tian shrugged: "Well, my friend, although this task is indeed an order from my clan, clearing the demon beast herds on the trade road also benefits us."

"These two aren't comparable; you're just shifting the concept." Yan Buji shook his head.

Xiong Ba Tian shrank his head and whispered: "My friend, are you really holding this one mistake against me?"

"You say that." Yan Buji rolled his eyes: "I'm just wondering if your Bear Clan also has to relocate here."

"Oh? How do you know that, friend? Could it be the City Lord who told you?" Xiong Ba Tian exclaimed in surprise.

Yan Buji smiled: "With so many demon cultivators stationed in the Royal Garrison City, if I'm not mistaken, the tribes behind them all have to move over as well—just the order might differ."

Xiong Ba Tian nodded: "You're really observant, my friend. I have to say, dealing with someone as shrewd and generous as you makes me both happy and afraid."

"Afraid?"

"That's right." Xiong Ba Tian sighed: "Our Bear Clan has no special products; merely holding onto our ancestral plot of land and making a living is already not bad, but the Royal Court ordered us to relocate here, so as the smartest and most clear‑headed member of the clan, I was sent ahead to scout the situation."

Yan Buji nodded; although Xiong Ba Tian isn't exceptionally bright, he's certainly not stupid and has his own ideas.

"So you mean, if I cooperate with you, I'll harm you?"

"No no no." Xiong Ba Tian quickly waved his hands: "What I mean is, cooperating with you clever people worries me that our tribe's other cultivators might recklessly chase after business opportunities. I'm not boasting—half of the Bear Clan's accumulated wealth comes from my business deals everywhere, so now the elders and youngsters of the Bear Clan are starting to study commerce. But you also know that business acumen isn't something everyone has; you and I are among the best, so we naturally understand that if you know nothing about market trends and just dive in headfirst, you'll surely lose everything. That's why I worry that, aside from me, they might encounter people with ulterior motives."

"Of course, I'm not implying you, friend, have ulterior motives; I'm worried about those human merchants who, when doing business with our tribe, might pull some tricks, which makes me wary of clever people."

After Xiong Ba Tian spoke sincerely, Yan Buji's eyes shifted and he immediately smiled: "So it turns out Brother Xiong isn't afraid of me, but fears that clever merchants like us might pull tricks when trading with you."

"Exactly, exactly! I misspoke earlier, sorry."

"No need, your worries about the tribe have nothing to do with you and me."

"Thank you, my friend."

Strictly speaking, Yan Buji shouldn't have dwelled so much on Xiong Ba Tian's slip of the tongue, but he sensed that Xiong Ba Tian seemed to be growing wary of him.

"Why is that?"