A book from the human world

Fox Woman did not know much about the specifics of the Mutant Rat Demons either.

However, the blood food they produced was indeed edible. The upper ranks of the Yao Stronghold had specially tested it and found nothing wrong.

Still, Su Changsheng felt uneasy. Out of caution, he decided that whenever he traded for blood food in the future, he would refuse any meat from Rat Demons of this kind.

Fortunately, the blood food he had stockpiled at home was from earlier, so it should not include any such meat. Even so, he would have to check it when he returned, just in case.

If he found any, he would rather throw it away.

A little later, Su Changsheng handed Fox Woman a dozen or so Concealment Runes and one Little Poison Dragon Shedding Rune.

She took the Little Poison Dragon Shedding Talisman and examined it closely, not even glancing at the Concealment Runes on the table. Only after a long while did she draw a deep breath and say, "Impressive. It looks like you've made quite a bit more progress in talisman crafting. The quality of this rune is already approaching that of the original talisman I have."

"Unbelievable!"

"I really want to crack open your skull and see how your brain is put together. Runes are so obscure and difficult to understand that most yao never master them, yet you keep improving, little by little."

Su Changsheng remained silent.

As he traded with Fox Woman more often, he exposed more and more information about himself. No matter how careful he was, there was no preventing it.

Still, that was not much of a problem. He had prepared for it long ago. The moment Fox Woman began harboring any thoughts she should not have, he would immediately abandon his identity as a half-demon white snake, without the slightest hesitation.

Vast as heaven and earth were, safety came first.

He always assumed the worst of other yao, and the beautiful Fox Woman was no exception, despite their long-standing cooperation.

Dying beneath peony blossoms and remaining a romantic ghost was not a story for him!

Fox Woman was exceptionally clever. When Su Changsheng said nothing, a moment's thought told her that her words had been ill-judged and put him on his guard.

Helplessly, she could only say, "You're far too wary. I mean you no harm. We've worked together for so long, and you still don't trust me? You really know how to break a yao's heart."

Su Changsheng remained unmoved.

He could treat all that talk as so much wind from her backside. If he actually believed it, that would be a cold day in hell.

Friendship, family affection, love-the seven emotions and six desires of humanity had no place in the Wilds.

Here, there was only slaughter and self-interest!

No matter how much yao studied humans, emotion was a vast and profound subject they could never truly learn.

At that moment.

Seeing that Su Changsheng showed no reaction whatsoever, Fox Woman curled her lip and muttered that he was no fun, then continued, "Fine, you win. Let's talk about these runes. What do you want to trade for today?"

"Do you have any demon arts or techniques I could use? Preferably something easy to learn. Of course, the more powerful, the better. I don't know whether the frontier expansion is really happening, so I want to prepare a few means of dealing with it."

Su Changsheng asked.

He had spent quite some time searching the Yao Market. He had come across plenty of demon arts and techniques, but none that fully suited his yao body and met his requirements.

That was why he wanted to try his luck with Fox Woman. After all, she was knowledgeable and well-connected, with a little circle of her own. She was bound to have access to plenty of demon arts and techniques.

"Demon arts and techniques... You're a half-demon snake, of the white snake species... Let me think..."

Fox Woman looked Su Changsheng up and down, then propped up her chin, her three fluffy tails swishing behind her as she sank into thought.

Su Changsheng did not hurry her.

He first finished his bowl of meat soup. Seeing that the blood food on the stone slab was cooked as well, he picked it up and swallowed it straight down.

Hmm, honestly, this flavor...

It tasted fucking awful!

He was not done yet. While Fox Woman was thinking, he also picked up her pot of meat soup and gulped it down, leaving not a single drop.

"Burp!"

After a hefty belch, Su Changsheng finally felt comfortable. His heart no longer ached, and neither did his back. At least everything he had paid for this time had ended up in his own belly!

No loss there!

"You..." Coming back to her senses, Fox Woman stared at the empty stone pot in front of her, utterly flabbergasted.

With no other choice, she asked the owner of the Spirit Plant Shop stall to add more meat soup. Su Changsheng shamelessly requested some as well. Only then did she say between sips, "I've thought of two demon arts and techniques that would suit you. Wait a little while. I'll send someone to fetch them!"

She then walked to the edge of the Spirit Plant Shop and exchanged a few words with a Lesser Yao waiting there. The latter nodded and sprinted out of the Yao Market.

Time slowly passed.

About a quarter of an hour later, when Fox Woman returned, she was carrying three things.

Two animal-hide scrolls bound with hemp cord.

And a book with slightly damaged, yellowing pages, its cover bearing a few faint, unfamiliar characters that resembled Oracle Bone Script!

Yes, a book!

An unknown book made entirely of paper, something exceedingly rare in the Wilds.

At the sight of it, Su Changsheng felt the long-absent breath of civilization wash over him. His heart trembled slightly, a jumble of emotions rising within him.

For a moment, he froze on the spot.

Only when Fox Woman sat down did he come to his senses. Looking at the book in her hands, he asked in a low, slightly hoarse voice, "Is... is that the legendary thing called a book? Something from the human world?"

Fox Woman nodded, looking rather surprised. "Not bad. You do know a thing or two. That's right. Humans call this a book. You don't see many of them in our Wilds Yao Stronghold."

"Is it for me?" Su Changsheng pressed, his breathing growing noticeably deeper.

He had always heard that humans existed in this world, but he had never encountered anything of theirs. This book was the first item from the human world he had ever seen.

Of course, that excluded Male Fox's two strange animal hides. He did not know whether those things had come from the human world at all; it was merely the more likely possibility.

"For you?"

"Hah, dream on!"

"Do you have any idea how precious things from the human world are? Even if you offered me a hundred Concealment Runes for this book, I wouldn't trade it!"

Fox Woman curled her lip, then handed the two animal-hide scrolls to Su Changsheng and continued, "The two demon arts and techniques I mentioned are in these. As for the book... never mind. First, see whether you're satisfied with these two techniques. If you aren't, we can discuss the book."

Su Changsheng was brimming with questions, but he finally shifted his gaze from the book Fox Woman held against her chest to the animal-hide scrolls.

There were two scrolls in all.

Using Demon Script together with demon art diagrams, they recorded the cultivation methods for two demon arts and techniques.

One was called the Bloodthirst Art.

As its name suggested, it required the user to expend their own vital blood and demon power to activate it in battle. Once used, it made the recipient intensely bloodthirsty and frenzied, briefly increasing their combat strength. They would not stop until they had drunk their enemy's blood.

It was clearly a decent support technique.

But it had drawbacks too. Its effects lasted far too briefly, and afterward, the user would suffer weakened vital blood for three whole days.

Su Changsheng shook his head. This demon art was certainly good, but it did not suit his cautious, low-profile nature.

The other was called Mental Sense.

This demon art stimulated the mind, increased mental power, and promoted mental development. It was a passive technique.

As their proficiency improved, practitioners would also strengthen their minds and become better able to sense external danger.

It was like a snake's infrared perception, or the sixth sense possessed by certain animals.

However, it had quite a few drawbacks as well.

First, although this demon art was extremely easy to begin learning-all one needed was a mind-it was easy to learn but hard to cultivate. It consumed far too many resources, requiring ample blood food to sustain and nourish the mind.

And the further one progressed, the greater the consumption became.

Mastering it and reaching such legendary realms as developing something akin to a sixth sense or projecting mental power outward was almost impossible.

Fox Woman had brought this demon art only because, even at the initial stage, it could slightly strengthen the mind and provide a small increase in danger perception.

That met Su Changsheng's requirements.

Su Changsheng was very satisfied with this technique. Although it was not an attack skill, a passive technique was even better.

In particular, its easy entry, difficult cultivation, and greater improvements in the later stages meshed perfectly with his cheat.

But...

Su Changsheng looked at the book in Fox Woman's hands, hesitating.

What exactly did that book contain?

Could there be something he needed in it?

Damn it!

In the end, that sly vixen had managed to stir his curiosity!