Humans and the Corpse Tribe

"Mm... not bad!"

"Precisely because human life is too short!"

"That's why people rush to enjoy the present."

"Honor, money, love... all of it must be obtained within those brief few decades of life."

"Even if they have to resort to any means necessary. Otherwise, they'll never obtain those things."

"Ordinary people are busy making money, while important figures are busy leaving their names in history. People compare themselves to one another and show off."

"They seek attention on social media! For present enjoyment, they'll even destroy the environment their descendants depend on for survival." Fifth Master Liu paused before continuing.

"But the Snake Tribe is not like humans. Their souls have already broken free from the restraints of the flesh."

"That is an eternal..."

"Form of existence unknown to us... like the Jade Emperor and Queen Mother living in Lingxiao Palace."

"If we can enter Star City..."

"It would be equivalent to cultivating immortality and attaining enlightenment, taking our place among the immortals."

"Hehe! Xiao'an!"

"After listening to this old man ramble for so long..."

"It's about time we took a break."

"You must be tired of listening too, kid!"

Then Fifth Master Liu sat up from the scrubbing bed and stretched his neck muscles.

His muscles were solid and taut.

He looked much like Akuma from the Street Fighter games.

"Hehe! Fifth Master Liu, I'm not tired at all. I was completely absorbed in your story about the legends of Star City!"

"Besides, your unique views on humanity..."

"Are something I've never heard before!"

Zhou Xiao'an said with a smile.

For some reason, he now felt that he did not seem to dislike this old man from the Corpse Tribe before him.

Perhaps it was because, from the day he was born until now,

he had never met his grandfather.

Nor had he ever received an elder's affection.

All this time, he had hoped for an opportunity

to chat with elderly people rich in life experience.

Because the elderly often saw things more clearly.

And the insight of Fifth Master Liu before him

was far beyond what ordinary people could compare to!

"Hehe! Fu Gui and Shuangshuang..."

"Both think this old man is too long-winded!"

"I really did talk too much just now."

"But now, I want to ask you something."

After saying that, Fifth Master Liu put away his exceptionally kind smile and scrutinized Xiao'an with his hawk-like eyes.

In an instant, even the air inside the bathhouse

seemed to suddenly turn cold.

"Let's get straight to the point! Our Liu Family forced you to eat the Crimson Mountain Corpse Gu. You hate the Corpse Tribe in your heart, don't you?"

Fifth Master Liu's question was like a bolt from the blue, exploding directly within the bathhouse.

His eyes remained fixed on Zhou Xiao'an.

He watched for the slightest change in his expression.

Yet Zhou Xiao'an unexpectedly burst into laughter.

Fifth Master Liu was bewildered by his strange reaction.

"Hehe! Even if you hadn't forced me..."

"I would have wanted to join the Corpse Tribe anyway..."

"Since that's the case, why would I hate you?"

After laughing for a while,

Zhou Xiao'an spoke again in a very relaxed manner.

"Haha! So if our Liu Family asked you to choose between humanity and the Corpse Tribe..."

"You would stand with the Corpse Tribe?"

Fifth Master Liu asked with a smile.

"No, no, no! Of course I still stand with humanity, but I still want to join the Corpse Tribe!"

Zhou Xiao'an replied with a smug expression,

speaking with his eyes closed.

He knew that such an absurd answer

would surely confuse Fifth Master Liu.

"What did you say?!"

Fifth Master Liu was indeed stunned by Zhou Xiao'an's... "completely illogical" answer.

Faced with Zhou Xiao'an's bizarre response,

he could not help wondering to himself:

The Corpse Tribe eats people. If this kid stands with humanity, why does he still want to become one of the Corpse Tribe?

Could it be... that he wants to infiltrate the Corpse Tribe and wipe out the entire tribe from the roots?

But if that's really what he thinks, there's no need to reveal his intentions in front of the Corpse Tribe!

And he isn't even blushing or showing the slightest nervousness. I have no idea what this kid is plotting...

"Ahem! My throat's smoking!"

"Is there any tea left?"

"Someone! Bring tea!"

At Fifth Master Liu's shout,

a Liu Family servant

entered the bathhouse carrying a full tea set.

He then placed the tea set on the scrubbing bed.

Zhou Xiao'an did not stand on ceremony.

He immediately helped himself

and poured a cup of clear tea.

After finishing the cup of tea, he suddenly thought that being afflicted with Liu Shuangshuang's Crimson Mountain Corpse Gu

was not without its benefits!

After all, now that he was in the Liu Family estate, surrounded by the Corpse Tribe, he no longer had to worry about anyone poisoning him.

After Zhou Xiao'an finished his tea,

his throat felt much more refreshed.

So he calmly spoke again:

"You were mistaken when you asked me to choose a side between the Corpse Tribe and humanity."

"Since ancient times, humans and the Corpse Tribe have been irreconcilable enemies. Doesn't that mean one can only choose one side?"

"Hehe! At first, I thought the same way you did, but after exploring the Wuyi Mountains Divine Relic..."

"I no longer think that way."

Zhou Xiao'an paused, then said calmly, "I think humanity and the Corpse Tribe are actually on the same side."

"What! You're saying we're on the same side?"

It was the first time Fifth Master Liu had heard such a claim.

It was almost too unbelievable for him to accept.

Although the youth before him looked young and immature,

his expression was resolute and his gaze wise.

He had changed so greatly from the little boy

who had scrubbed his back earlier.

His earlier guess had indeed been correct.

The experiences within the Wuyi Mountains Divine Relic

had truly made this youth extraordinary.

"Fifth Master! How about this!"

"Let me ask you a question..."

"People eat pigs, but they don't eat giant pandas."

"Then why is it that now..."

"Pigs are extraordinarily numerous, while giant pandas as a species are instead nearing extinction?"

Zhou Xiao'an did not wait for Fifth Master Liu to answer.

He simply continued, "More than seventy species go extinct around the world every day..."

"But as long as humans exist, pigs will never truly go extinct."

"To put it more extremely, humans and pigs... have jointly outlasted all the other species."

"So I don't believe humans and pigs have an antagonistic relationship."

"That is certainly a strange way of putting it!"

"But humans... are not willing to become food for the Corpse Tribe! Can you bear to watch humans be eaten?"

Fifth Master Liu asked Zhou Xiao'an beside him, somewhat puzzled.

"Mm... precisely because I can't bear it..."

"That's why I said I stand with humanity."

"However, humanity... generally speaking, is indeed a dangerous species that needs to be restrained by natural enemies."

Zhou Xiao'an stated his view once more.

"Only the Corpse Tribe is qualified to be humanity's natural enemy, so you joined the Corpse Tribe to restrain humanity?"

Fifth Master Liu asked Zhou Xiao'an again.

"No, Fifth Master! Have you forgotten?"

"I already said it earlier..."

"The Corpse Tribe and humanity are on the same side."

"The reason I voluntarily joined the Corpse Tribe now..."

"Is to fight against the other side."

Zhou Xiao'an emphasized the words "the other side." Then he dipped his finger in tea,

drew a vertical line on the scrubbing bed, and wrote "Corpse Tribe" and "humanity" on the left side of it.

Finally, on the right side of the line,

he drew a large question mark.

After that, neither of them spoke again. The bathhouse became so silent that it felt like a vacuum.

This kid actually says there is another side?

Fifth Master Liu stroked his beard as he considered what Zhou Xiao'an had just said.