Chapter 201

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Chapter 201: The Truth of the City Alone in the Desert

In a house beside the military camp of the lonely city.

In the past forty years, many people have died in the lonely city, especially young men who joined the military. They are almost extinct, with only one survivor out of ten.

The city only has elderly, young, women, and children left, and there are naturally many empty houses.

Because Qiao Mu explains the "Xumi Mountain King Sutra" every day, he temporarily resides in this vacant house next to the military camp.

On this day, inside the house.

Qiao Mu stands alone in the yard, smiling and approaching a little cat in the corner of the wall.

"Kitty, don’t pretend. You just like to stick to your owner."

"Usually, you always hide in my body and act all cool, but in the end, when I’m about to die, you can’t help but come out and stick with me, right?"

The Cat-Demon cowered in the corner, looking terrified.

"Stop pretending and come into my arms quickly."

With an evil grin, Qiao Mu lunged forward.

But this lunge turned out to be empty.

In an instant, the nimble Cat-Demon leaped high in the air, almost as fast as Qiao Mu.

"Hiding? Hiding won’t help you."

Qiao Mu continuously lunged in the yard, trying to catch the cat, but he missed every time.

This chubby cat, with its belly almost touching the ground and round chubby cheeks, was unexpectedly agile.

As Qiao Mu played with the Cat-Demon, he felt curious.

At this time, Qiao Mu had been practicing martial arts for over a hundred years, and all his martial arts skills were acquired through special training, so his foundation was extremely solid and comprehensive.

With his perspective, it was easy to see that the cat’s dodging movements were well-organized and not just about speed.

"So, you also practice martial arts?"

"Since you also practice martial arts, then I’ll have to use my full strength," Qiao Mu smirked.

"Heavenly Demon Disintegration Method · Instantaneous!"

Qiao Mu had been practicing the Heavenly Demon Disintegration Method for many years, reaching a state of perfection. It had almost become instinctual, and he could activate it with just a thought.

This time, he only used the Heavenly Demon Disintegration Method for an instant. Although it still put a strain on his body and drained his energy, it wasn’t a big problem. It could be considered as a practical exercise.

In an instant, Qiao Mu’s feet stomped the ground, creating a shallow pit. His figure moved like the wind, leaving behind a trail of blood-colored aura.

"Gotcha!"

Qiao Mu grinned and caught the cat that couldn’t dodge in his hand. While stroking it wildly, he slowly brought his old face closer to the cat with shrinking pupils.

Then…

The cat in his hand suddenly seemed to turn into an untouchable shadow and abruptly became faint, making it impossible for Qiao Mu, who had caught the cat, to exert any force. The cat broke free in an instant.

The striped cat quickly jumped onto the courtyard fence and looked at Qiao Mu with a puzzled expression.

It wanted to run away, but it couldn’t bear the scent on Qiao Mu…It had been raised by Qiao Mu for several months, and the cat had grown much bigger than when it was first seen in Heyang City… especially its belly.

Just at this moment.

The gate outside the house was knocked.

"Elder Lao, I am a storyteller from Tide Listening Building, named ‘Clairvoyance’. I have come to visit with something important."

After Qiao Mu responded, Clairvoyance pushed the door open and entered, but with a slight awkwardness.

After all, he is more familiar with Qiao Shuangsen, instead of Qiao Ruosen, the father of the Qiao Shuangsen in front of him.

"What’s the matter?" Qiao Mu asked.

Clairvoyance’s gaze shifted to the Impermanent Demon Cat on the fence.

"This demon cat by Elder Lao’s side is truly extraordinary," Clairvoyance exclaimed.

"I heard that there was once a kind of monster in this world that feeds on death energy, known as the messengers of the underworld. They are like the grim reapers, appearing only by the side of those who are nearing death. But such affectionate creatures are very rare…"

"Are you here for this cat? It’s raised by a Qiao family elder and is very close to our Qiao’s family." Qiao Mu casually made up a lie.

"I see. But actually, the reason I came here was to remind Elder Lao…"

Clairvoyance glanced at the almost sagging belly of the Impermanent Demon Cat and said earnestly:

"This demon cat feeds on death energy, but too much death energy may not necessarily be a good thing."

"Being surrounded by death energy is very beneficial for the monster cat, it can even undergo a transformation. However, if the accumulated energy is too strong, it will become a hindrance when trying to transform into a human form in the future."

Why transform into a human form? Can’t being a cat be enough?" Qiao Mu thought, "I’m not obsessed with fortune-telling, why would a monster cat want to transform?

Just like raising a cat or a dog, it’s best to play with them when they’re still young, otherwise they might grow up with disabilities.

"…I worried too much," Clairvoyance smiled.

"Transforming into a human form is just one option for monster beasts, not a necessary path to take."

He was about to say goodbye, but Qiao Mu stopped him.

He thought that since the Tide Listening Building storyteller had broad knowledge and experience, he should ask for more advice while he was here.

"When this monster cat, ‘Wuchang’, plays with me, its evasive movements have a certain rhythm. Do you know why?" Qiao Mu asked.

Clairvoyance was initially surprised, but then looked at the monster cat and pondered for a while before guessing:

"Elder Lao, I heard that humans have their own martial arts, immortals have their own magic, and monsters have their own sorcery."

"Human martial arts are passed down through written records and books."

"But monsters are different. The inheritance of monsters is not through books, but through bloodlines."

"It’s called bloodline inheritance."

"It is an instinctive inheritance recorded in the bloodline of monsters. It is the message left by the previous monster king in the bloodline. It usually awakens gradually as the descendant monster grows."

"So you mean it has a great background? Is there a powerful monster king ancestor?" Qiao Mu asked.

"Yes, and no." Clairvoyance said.

"If we trace back the origins of bloodlines, most existing monsters can be traced back to ancient monster kings. Not only that, every human in Jiu Province is also a descendant of ancient emperors, immortal ancestors, and other important figures. But what does it matter?"

Inhumans and humans share the same origins, they are from the same race, no different from each other.

But can the complexities of the world really be distinguished simply by bloodline or race?

"The strong are those who can inherit the legacy of their ancestors, carry it forward, innovate, whether they are creatures or humans," said Clairvoyance.

Qiao Mu nodded, his gaze unconsciously falling on Clairvoyance’s third eye on top of his head.

"You seem to know a lot about creatures…"

Speaking of which, when Clairvoyance had just met him, he briefly explained the fact that he had a "third eye monkey" on his forehead.

"…It’s just that Tide Listening Building has extensive knowledge," said Clairvoyance.

"Many extraordinary people gather in Tide Listening Building. I just happen to have the eye of a creature, nothing special," Clairvoyance quickly brushed it off, standing up to take his leave.

Seeing that the other party was unwilling to speak, Qiao Mu couldn’t force it.

After all, everyone has secrets, and digging too deep may do more harm than good.

Just like himself, and just like the strange Earth Sword Immortal who has been trapped in this city.

…………………..

In the old Taoist temple.

Earth Sword Immortal, as usual, sat on top of the Immortal Statue’s head, holding a flat knife to carve a stone sculpture.

He carved very seriously, but Lu Yanbei beside him didn’t look too happy, constantly nagging by his side.

"Yan Nan, you weren’t like this before…"

"Before, you were the sharpest sword in the human world."

"What you did last night was inappropriate, it’s not like you…" Lu Yanbei kept on babbling next to him.

"Have you said enough?" Earth Sword Immortal stopped his carving knife, but his expression remained cold and hard.

"I don’t owe them anything, what’s wrong with that?"

"What does the Great Yan Imperial Court look like? You don’t know? Why should we fight for the Great Yan Imperial Court?"

"Don’t owe anything?" Lu Yanbei frowned.

"It’s one thing to give up on yourself, but even if you give up on yourself, you should know right from wrong!"

"If you’re not in this city, hiding in any mountain or wilderness in Jiu Province, then it’s understandable."

"But when you were carving stone statues in this Taoist temple, the veteran soldiers were fighting outside, and every surviving woman and child in the city owed them."

"Without those veteran soldiers fighting to the death, this isolated city would have perished long ago. So why is there still a place for you to carve stone statues here?"

Some people enjoy a peaceful and easy life, while others carry heavy burdens and fight to the death.

Lu Yanbei meant that if the Earth Sword Immortal caused trouble elsewhere, no one would bring him out to demand that he resist the inhuman and go to the battlefield to fight to the death.

But since he was in this city, Earth Sword Immortal, who had never drawn his sword in thirty years, naturally had to bear the feelings of the old soldiers.

"After forty years of wind and rain, there is not even one young person left in this city, only half of the city is left with women, children, and the elderly. So, it is acceptable for you to be here, carving stone statues?"

"The women, children, and elderly in the city have more courage than you!" Lu Yanbei furrowed his brow deeply and couldn’t help but angrily rebuke.

He was also a wanderer, not a soldier of Great Yan, and had no duty to go to the battlefield.

Why did he join the city and fight alongside the old soldiers after only one year?

Although there were reasons that were moved by the will of the old soldiers in the isolated city.

But the biggest reason was actually a sense of guilt that arose because of his own younger brother’s incompetence.

Only now did Earth Sword Immortal finally turn his head and cast a glance at his elder brother, who had white hair and a face full of anger.

"Since you’ve gone this far with your words, then I will debate with you on the matter." Earth Sword Immortal’s gaze also showed some fluctuations.

Captain Hai and other experienced soldiers scolded him angrily, but his older brother’s reproach clearly affected him.

He used to be the strongest warrior in the world, standing at the highest point and seeing far. He had dealt with inhuman many times and knew some secrets that ordinary people didn’t know.

"Do you know why inhuman besiege this city but spare the lives of its soldiers and people?" Earth Sword Immortal asked.

"How can we guess what inhuman is thinking? It’s just playing cat and mouse," Lu Yanbei replied.

"Do you know what inhuman calls this Hundred-mile Desert?" Earth Sword Immortal asked slowly.

"They call it…"

"Sect Secret Realm."

"It’s a place where disciples can enter to train, practice magic, and acquire resources."

"The souls of soldiers who die in battle cannot be reborn, but instead fall into the hands of inhuman as nourishment. This Immortal Gate formation not only has the ability to confuse, but also the power to capture souls."

"The braver and more resilient the soldier is, the higher the quality of their spirit will be. Inhuman, on the other hand, became happier…"

Earth Sword Immortal stood tall, looking down at Lu Yanbei who was frozen in shock.

"This is the truth about the ‘Hundred-mile Desert’, it is actually a place in the Immortal Gate for nurturing souls."

Earth Sword Immortal squinted his eyes, lifted the wine bottle, and took a sip.

"So that night, I asked Captain Hai…"

"Does sacrifice have meaningfulness? Or is it just self-indulgence?"

Lu Yanbei stood still, seemingly stunned by this cruel reality.

The lonely city, with forty years of tears and sorrow, has unexpectedly become the money and food supply in the hands of inhuman?

The remnants of the army, who used to resist fiercely, have actually brought some benefits to inhuman?

"Um…." Lu Yanbei hesitated.

"Why do you know so much? Where did you learn it from?"

"No, if you know about Dao Zhen, why didn’t you tell Captain Hai and the others?"

"Tell them for what purpose?" Earth Sword Immortal said calmly.

"Those old soldiers have an extremely strong fighting spirit. I’m afraid even in the vast Jiu Province, they can’t gather a small iron army of only three hundred soldiers."

"But after all, they are still human, not made of iron. After forty years of bloodshed, they are getting weaker."

"Revealing the truth to them would be pointless. It may even strike a blow to their determination."

"Once even those white-headed soldiers lose their willpower, this city will cease to exist."

Lu Yanbei remained silent for a long time.

After not seeing each other for thirty years, he suddenly felt a little confused about his own younger brother.

"Since you know so much… then have you been prepared for these thirty years? I knew you were still the Earth Sword Immortal from back then…" Lu Yanbei couldn’t help but blurt out.

Unexpectedly, the Earth Sword Immortal just helplessly shrugged his shoulders.

"Brother, why after all these years, do you still harbor a lucky feeling towards me?" the Earth Sword Immortal said indifferently.

"Whether it was forty years ago or now, I have never cared about the life and death of the common people, or about any great righteousness. You just treated me differently because I am your younger brother."

"I never cared if the people in the city were well-fed and warmly dressed, or if they could survive and how long they could live."

"They belong to them, and I belong to myself. Why should I risk my own life for others?"

"Speaking of which, twenty years ago, Li Changge came to this Taoist temple to ask for my help," the Earth Sword Immortal shook his head and said.

"He said he was seriously injured and close to death, and his wife was still waiting outside the desert, suffering. The ‘Spiritual Technique’ had become an obstacle. In order to cut off her thoughts, Li Changge decided to be at the forefront of the next city defense battle, risking his own life."

"So Li Changge hopes that I take on the important task…"

Earth Sword Immortal paused and laughed:

"The funniest thing in this world is to threaten others with one’s own life… Do you think it’s funny or not?"

Lu Yanbei stared at his own younger brother, speechless for a moment.

Outside the Taoist temple.

Qiao Mu paused his footsteps and listened to the conversation between the two brothers inside the Taoist temple.

He originally wanted to visit Earth Sword Immortal as Qiao Ruosen, but unexpectedly heard such a secret.

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