Upon hearing this, Lu Li and his companions were all stunned.
They had heard about the terror of beast tides since childhood, and as cultivators, they had faced them before.
“No spirit soul? What do you mean?” Yuan He spoke first, no longer acting carefree. “Only the instinct of a beast? Is that why beast tides occur?”
“Yes. No wisdom, only basic instincts.” Xiu Popopo lowered her head, her entire face falling into shadow.
“The Yao Race calls them… Frenzied Beasts.”
As she spoke, Xiu Popowo’s entire body seemed to shrink.
“Starting a few hundred years ago, the Yao Race feared this situation would spread, so they drove out these newborn Frenzied Beasts.”
“That is what we call a beast tide. Frenzied Beasts are born seeking spiritual energy and flesh. They only have instinct, so they charge into human territory, and thus…” As she explained, Liu Qingyun frowned deeply, his hand already resting on the long sword at his waist.
Liu Qingxi suddenly understood, but her face also showed undisguised disgust.
“Did the Yao Race simply ignore this matter?” Lu Li closed his eyes and clenched his fists.
His own father had died in a beast tide around Hundred Immortals Town, and beast tides were clearly the result of the Yao Race’s negligence.
Now, they were supposed to help the Yao Race. This…
“Lu Li, I understand your feelings,” Li Zhengshen spoke. “That is precisely why the Yao Race is beginning to split internally. You must distinguish that beast tides do not represent all of the Yao Race. Not all tribes within the Yao Race are willing to let those soulless beasts charge at the Human Race.”
“There are also some Yao Race who are willing to cooperate with us to solve the problem together.”
Li Zhengshen’s voice spread within the flying boat, causing Lu Li to open his eyes again. Liu Qingyun slowly removed his hand from the long sword.
Of course, Lu Li understood.
But whenever he thought of his father, his heart still ached slightly.
“As True Man Li said, this sudden situation has caused divisions within the Yao Race as well.” Xiu Popowo spoke softly and slowly. “Some Yao Race believe this is a conspiracy by the Human Race to exterminate them, so they might as well push the danger onto humans… These Yao Race themselves rule over vast Yao Kingdoms and view humans as thorns in their side. Faced with the facts, they care more about their own stance.”
“Then there are the rest—we weak Yao Race, managing together with many tribes. We recognize the problem and want to solve it alongside the Human Race.” As Xiu Popopo said this, the expressions of the group improved considerably.
“You must also understand that this situation does not only occur among the Yao Race; it has appeared among the Human Race as well.” When Li Zhengshen mentioned this, his voice deepened. “It’s just that we Humans are gentler toward our own kind, unlike how the Yao Race treats theirs.”
“The Human Race tries to heal them; at least we don’t drive them away.”
“As for the deeper reasons, that is what you need to investigate on this mission.”
“I see…” After hearing all this information, Lu Li’s previously calm heart stirred with ripples once more.
“Yes. At this Ten Thousand Demons Conference, we will select outstanding members from many tribes in the Southern Region Demon Nation. The best will go to the Yao Kingdom to discuss matters together.” Xiu Popopo glanced at the sky outside the flying boat. “That’s all I’ll explain for now. Fellow Daoists, please rest. If you want to ask more, feel free to come find me.”
“If you have any questions about the mission, ask now. Once we enter the Yao Kingdom, this talisman will burn up, and we won’t be able to communicate.” As Li Zhengshen finished speaking, he scanned the group. “You are all Foundation Establishment Stage cultivators. In ancient times, you would have been sect leaders. Within your respective sects, you already manage some affairs.”
“Not for now,” Lu Li said, and the others nodded silently.
“Good. I hope this trip to the Ten Thousand Demons brings you useful information.” With that, the talisman completely burned away. Li Zhengshen’s phantom dissipated, and the remaining powder naturally dissolved in the air.
“Hoo… This seems like a serious matter,” Yuan He said, waving his hand to sweep away the powder. “But if we succeed, we’ll have done a great deed. For ourselves, and at least for those Yao Race who are on good terms with us.”
“Yes,” Liu Qingyun nodded. “By the way, Xiu Popopo, how many years will this mission roughly take?”
“Hm?” Hearing the last part of Liu Qingyun’s words, Lu Li couldn’t help but look up.
“About two to three years,” Xiu Popopo said after a moment of thought. “But for a human cultivator, Foundation Establishment’s Heart Refinement lasts at least fifteen years, so it won’t exceed that.”
“Then no problem,” Liu Qingxi said as she pressed the jade disk at her waist and fiddled with various hexagram symbols. “This time… Hmm, the early stages are quite smooth. Since this divination involves years, I might as well practice it.”
‘Judging by their attitude… Right, my master Su Wanqiu was sixty or seventy years old.’ Lu Li’s gaze swept over the group. ‘Two or three years is nothing to them. Foundation Establishment also grants a lifespan of two hundred years.’
“By the way, Sister Lu,” Liu Qingxi clasped her hands together. “How old are you this year?”
“Huh?”
“Actually, we noticed during the Qi Refining Trial,” Yuan He picked up the conversation. Xiu Popopo tactfully moved to another compartment to control the flying boat. “Layman Lu, your words and actions are clearly different from ours.”
“And your understanding of the Foundation Establishment mission time also seems different,” Liu Qingyun said, sitting cross-legged. “I am thirty-three this year.”
“I’m a bit older—thirty-five,” Yuan He looked at Liu Qingxi. “And Layman Liu?”
“Our Heavenly Deduction Sect’s cultivation technique is related to fortune-telling, so entering Foundation Establishment is a bit faster. I’m twenty-eight this year.” Liu Qingxi looked at Lu Li. “Lu Li, what about you?”
“…Eighteen?” After hearing everyone’s introductions, Lu Li breathed a slight sigh of relief.
Not like Su Wanqiu, who appeared in her thirties but was actually at a grandmother’s age.
“Wow, I can’t call you Sister Lu anymore. I’ll have to call you Little Sister Lu,” Liu Qingxi said, the happiest of all, directly hugging Lu Li. “Now I understand. Those little awkward moments, those peculiar actions—it’s because Little Sister Lu is a prodigy girl!”
“But her plans and strategies are amazing… I can’t compare at all,” Yuan He sighed. “Alright, let’s all cultivate for now.”
“Yuan He, you can’t only put on airs at times like this.”
“You think I want to? I was caught by the Buddhist Light Sect at eighteen and chanted sutras for seventeen whole years! I could hardly even go down the mountain!”
As they talked, Liu Qingyun and Yuan He began their usual banter.
“Are they always like this?” Liu Qingxi laughed as she pulled Lu Li to the rear compartment of the flying boat.
“Probably. And from the sound of it, they’ve known each other since childhood,” Lu Li said, her heavy mood lightened by the topic of everyone’s ages. “But Liu Qingxi, your age…”
“What’s wrong with twenty-eight? After entering Foundation Establishment, I’m basically fourteen!” Liu Qingxi closed the door behind her and looked at the compartment, which was about one zhang square. “And you, Little Sister Lu, by Foundation Establishment reckoning, you’d only be nine, right?”
“That’s still quite a gap from a child,” Lu Li said, once again marveling at the strange relationship between cultivation level and age.
“Is that so?” Liu Qingxi sat on the bed, pulled her belt, and let her skirt fall to the floor. “I don’t think so.”
“Wait, Liu Qingxi, what are you doing?!” Lu Li instinctively turned her head, but in the last moment, she glimpsed Liu Qingxi untying her undergarment’s ribbon and quickly turned back.
“Washing up,” Liu Qingxi took a step, flicked her skirt, and stuffed it into the jade disk. Then she bent down to look at Lu Li, who was staring at the wall. “Oh, that reaction is like a man… But Little Sister Lu, are you just shy?”
“You could… see it that way.”
“But doesn’t your Yin Yang Sect have senior and junior sisters living together, especially during the Qi Refining stage?” Liu Qingxi walked around the room completely naked, then slid open a partition door. “Oh, this flying boat is pretty good—it has a bathing area. Want to join me?”
“Um… I’ll pass, I think.” When Lu Li carefully turned her head, she found Liu Qingxi smiling, gazing at Lu Li’s slightly flushed face.
“That’s a lot cuter,” Liu Qingxi nodded. “And why are you closing your eyes?”
“Because it feels… improper.”
“What’s improper about it? I’ve read records of your Yin Yang Sect. There are hot springs within the sect. We have them in the Northern Domain too, but not as many.” Liu Qingxi grabbed Lu Li’s wrist and gently pulled it down. “Is it because I’m not your fellow disciple, so you can’t look?”
“Ah…” As she was pulled along, Lu Li’s gaze caught a glimpse of Liu Qingxi’s figure.
But the shyness she had imagined, that youthful confusion, didn’t appear.
‘Huh… why don’t I feel anything?’
“So it’s fine. Even if I’m not your fellow disciple, we’re both women. No need to be shy.” Liu Qingxi casually took out a change of clothes from the jade disk. “I’ll go in first, then.”
“Mm…” After nodding instinctively, a strange thought popped into Lu Li’s head.
‘Liu Qingxi’s figure seems… inferior to mine?’
‘No, no, how can I think that?’ Lu Li shook her head and looked at the bronze mirror in the room.
In the mirror was a familiar young girl’s face.
The corner of her mouth twitched, and the girl in the mirror gave the same bitter smile.
‘…I really need to hurry,’ Lu Li closed her eyes. ‘Otherwise, I’ll get used to this body and life.’
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