Town

"You want to visit a human city?"

The next day, during morning training, Xiao Wu made this request to Ye Qing. Even when Ye Qing was absent, Xiao Qing insisted on carrying out his instructions, including training Xiao Wu. Xiao Wu, however, seemed to be growing increasingly curious about human society. She had made a similar request to Ah Rou before, only to have it naturally rejected. She did not want to visit the small town outside the forest, but a true city far away.

If the Core Area of Star Dou Forest was a forbidden zone for humans, then human cities were undoubtedly forbidden zones for Spirit Beasts. Even Xiao Qing could not guarantee their safety, so she told Xiao Wu to wait for Ye Qing to return and ask him herself.

"Actually, it wasn't me. Da Ming and Er Ming wanted to go. I'm just here to ask for them." As she spoke, Xiao Wu pointed at Da Ming and Er Ming beside her. Yet judging by their hesitant expressions, they had clearly been dragged over to take the blame.

Sister Xiao Wu was no longer merely a nickname born from others indulging and doting on her. It was a title she had earned through real fights. With her enhanced physique, Ye Qing had even exchanged some items as an early investment to further strengthen her combat power, just in case something went wrong in the future. Da Ming and Er Ming, whose bloodline powers had yet to awaken, were no match for her.

"So, you're all interested in human towns?"

"Yes, sir. We asked Sister Xiao Wu to request that you take us there for a look," Da Ming said from the side. Although Xiao Wu treated them as younger brothers, Da Ming understood that he could not casually claim closeness with the person before him. Thus, he remained respectful—respectful toward the strong. That was how many Spirit Beasts thought. Only strength could earn the approval of other Spirit Beasts. At first, he had acknowledged Xiao Wu as his elder sister merely to accommodate Er Ming, but after being knocked down by Xiao Wu in a sparring match, he had willingly begun calling her Sister Xiao Wu.

"Fine. I'll take you there for a look. Xiao Wu, go back by yourself first."

"Okay?" Xiao Wu had just made a triumphant gesture at Da Ming and Er Ming, only for Ye Qing's words to hit her like a blow to the head. He would take Da Ming and Er Ming but not her. What was the point of her plan, then?

"What? Didn't Da Ming and Er Ming want to go? Since you reluctantly came to ask for them, I've agreed to their request. But if you're not interested, then go home."

"B-But..."

"All right, I'm done teasing you. Next time, just tell me directly what you want to do. If it's reasonable, I'll naturally agree. If it isn't, then it isn't. No tricks you pull will change that, understand?"

"Got it. Uncle is the best!"

"Wait a moment. I'll call Xiao Qing and let her know." To make communication easier, Ye Qing had introduced Den Den Mushi, though everyone else believed them to be some kind of magical Spirit Beast. As for why Xiao Qing had not come out with them today, she had expended a little too much energy last night and had yet to recover.

Ye Qing had only recently discovered that the energy supply could even replenish that kind of exertion. In a sense, he seemed no different from a perpetual-motion machine.

What were towns like in this era? He had no idea what pace of development this world followed. During his previous Journey to the North, he had not entered any cities. The only thing he knew for certain was that the continent held more than just Star Luo and Heaven Dou; it still seemed to be in an age of many rival states. Spirit Hall also appeared to have only recently been established. As for civilization's level of development, it was roughly similar to the Douluo Continent from his memories. At the very least, it had not advanced across a span of ten thousand years. Perhaps the existence of Soul Power had made technological progress exceptionally slow.

"Doesn't seem that interesting. These city walls aren't even as tall as the Castle Uncle built," Xiao Wu remarked as she looked over the unfamiliar city they had arrived in. The greater the expectations, the greater the disappointment. She had apparently expected far too much from this place.

"What did you think it would be like?" Ye Qing felt that this level of development was already quite rapid. From what he remembered, the Douluo Continent at the start of the story was, at best, comparable to the Republican era, and only certain regions had reached that standard. Most of it was still a feudal society. Right now, it was probably around the level of the Shang and Zhou dynasties.

So was that slow, or fast? It was slow in the sense that after tens of thousands of years, the world had not progressed much beyond primitive society. Yet it was fast in the sense that over the next several tens of thousands of years, it would only advance by a few thousand years' worth of development.

"Forget it. Why dwell on that? What's wrong with you three?" The three little ones beside him abruptly stopped walking. Following their gazes, Ye Qing found the reason.

"Is that... a Spirit Beast market?" Fur, meat, bone products—he could sense the Soul Power contained in them, enough to tell that they did not come from ordinary animals, but Spirit Beasts. There were even many living Spirit Beasts being sold.

"Uncle... why do humans have to hunt Spirit Beasts?"

"Do you pity ordinary livestock and food? To most humans, Spirit Beasts are tools and wealth. Hunting Spirit Beasts does not violate human values. If you insist on a reason, then weakness is the original sin. In this world, only those with strength have the right to speak."

"You're so strong, Uncle. Can't you save them?"

"I can. I can save one, two, ten, a hundred, even ten thousand. But this world is too vast. Unless humanity's method of cultivation changes, coexistence is nothing but a dream. Even if someone bans the hunting of Spirit Beasts, there will always be people willing to take risks for profit. Besides, certain existences do not wish to see Spirit Beasts rise."

"Certain existences?"

"That's still too early for you to know. But this is a good opportunity. Come on, let's see how cruel this world really is." He did not want anything like a sacrifice to happen again in the future, nor did he want some unexpected accident caused by unforeseen changes. Even though Xiao Wu's talent was exceptional now, a fallen genius was ultimately just a dead person.

Ye Qing could see the pity in Xiao Wu's eyes, the fury in Er Ming's, and the calm in Da Ming's. They each had their own reactions to this situation, but Da Ming's was the most mature. Though he was about the same age as Xiao Wu and Er Ming, he had recognized many truths. Or perhaps, to him, those Spirit Beasts who had nothing to do with him could not affect him at all.

Individual Spirit Beasts were far stronger than humans, yet powerful Spirit Beasts were always hunted. In the end, it was because humans united. Soul-hunting teams and Spirit Hall had emerged to gather greater forces and achieve their goals. Their numerical advantage and abundant tactics allowed humans to repeatedly defeat Spirit Beasts.

"Wolf Bandits? Even this kind of Spirit Beast gets captured and sold?" Looking at the werewolf-like creature in the cage before him, Ye Qing thought of this. Then he noticed a notice posted on the wall beside it. The portrait on it looked exactly like him.