Zanxing (Retranslated)

Chapter 264 - Si You (1)

The sharp cry of the white bird reverberated above everyone, striking the distant mountain walls and creating a crisp, empty echo.

The impending battle came to a halt.

Everyone’s gaze followed the large bird overhead. The world was full of wonders, especially for cultivators who had seen countless bizarre and extraordinary things. However, no one had ever seen a bird that spoke human language!

Was this a spirit beast? It was rumored that divine beasts with awakened intelligence could transform into human forms and speak, but that required them to first assume human shape. Seeing a bird talking while still in its avian form was rather unsettling.

Just as they were contemplating this, a deep male voice suddenly spoke: “In the cold of winter, plant willows and poplars!”

“Protect the mountains and forests for the benefit of future generations!”

Everyone looked up, barely believing their eyes. Several brightly-colored leopards emerged from the surrounding mountains. It was these leopards that were speaking.

“Seeing things,” someone from the Demon Extermination Army muttered, “How can leopards talk?”

The large birds flapped their wings and began to dive towards the crowd, while the colorful leopards gradually closed in, revealing their sharp fangs.

Some members of the Demon Extermination Army started to reach for their magical tools at their waists.

In reality, the few birds and leopards did not warrant such a grave response. Even if the Demon Extermination Army was in a bad state, they could handle a few beasts. But the problem was that these birds and leopards were too eerie. Since they could speak human language, who knew what problems might arise if they were truly killed?

Moreover, listen to what they’re saying—it sounds like a chant, very orderly and dignified. Zanxing felt something was off.

She took a step back and called, “Mimi.”

In an instant, a beastly roar erupted from where she stood. The white, pudgy cat that had been disregarded by the Demon Extermination Army let out a growl that belied its size. Silver light enveloped it, and its form grew larger and larger, becoming gigantic. Its silver mane fluttered in the wind as its roar sounded like thunder, creating a rift and quake that felt as if the distant seas and rocks might collapse under its sound.

The silver lion took a step forward, causing the ground to tremble. As it roared, its majesty surpassed that of dragons, and all beasts around it cowered.

The birds and leopards that were advancing towards the crowd stopped. They did not move forward but instead shrank back slightly, as if intimidated by the lion’s roar.

The demons from Heishi City were already familiar with the power of Mimi’s roar. The moment Zanxing called Mimi’s name, they held their breath or stuffed cotton in their ears. However, the members of the Demon Extermination Army were not so fortunate and were nearly driven to the point of bleeding from the ears.

As Mimi took another step forward and roared again, the large bird, which resembled a roc, seemed unable to withstand the roar. It fell from the sky and struggled on the ground, flapping its wings and looking as if it might be stomped into a pancake by Mimi.

At this moment, a strange voice suddenly rang out from the sky.

“Hold on.”

Zanxing looked up abruptly.

In the air before her, a transparent ripple appeared. Zanxing was surprised; was there a barrier here? Why hadn’t they noticed it before? Not just them—Gu Baiying and the others hadn’t sensed it either.

Figures emerged from the void.

A man and a woman appeared, each riding a brown bear. The man wore simple black clothing, while the woman wore plain white attire, with no adornments at all. Both were tall and slender, with elegant and refined appearances that made a strong impression.

Pu Tao of the Xiangling Sect’s expression changed. He demanded, “Who are you?”

“I am You Lang, the head of the Si You Kingdom’s Si Shi Clan,” the man replied.

“I am Qiong Niang, the head of the Si You Kingdom’s Si Nu Clan,” the woman added.

The voices of the two were perfectly synchronized, creating an eerie sense of unity. Their gaze was neutral, neither hostile nor friendly, as if they were merely observing a group of passersby.

“Si You Kingdom?” Zanxing suddenly paused. “Are you referring to that Si You Kingdom, where no one marries or takes a spouse?”

At these words, the calm expressions on their faces momentarily wavered. Qiong Niang, the woman, looked at Zanxing with a hint of surprise. “It seems our guests are not entirely unfamiliar with our Si You Kingdom.”

The Skeleton Woman, puzzled, asked Zanxing, “Your Highness, do you know them?” The demons had been in Heishi City for many years and were not very familiar with the continent of Duzhou.

Zanxing paused before replying, Zanxing hesitated before replying, “Legend has it that there is a Siyou Kingdom. In Siyou, those born with a masculine spirit do not take wives, and those born with a feminine spirit do not take husbands. The Siyou Kingdom is divided into two clans: the Si Shi and the Si Nu, neither of which marry.”

“What?” The Skeleton Woman hugged the skull in her arms, her face turning pale. “They don’t marry or have children? Then won’t their country be extinct?”

“Well… not necessarily,” Zanxing said softly. “Legend has it that if a man and a woman from the two clans of Si You look at each other, they can conceive a child.” When she saw this passage in the library on Gufeng Mountain, she had marveled at how daring the legend was. If someone wanted a smart and beautiful offspring, couldn’t they just randomly pull someone they liked from the street and stare at them for a while? But now these two people were telling them that there really was a Si You Kingdom in the world. It was truly insane.

It was truly unbelievable.

“I don’t care who they are,” a disciple from the Chihua Sect said coldly, glaring at the two. “You suddenly appear—are you in league with those evil demons?”

“Stop calling us demons,” the mountain spider sneered. “You’d think you’re the paragons of virtue if you heard yourself.”

“You have damaged the mountain forests here,” the leader of the Si Clan, the young man named You Lang, said calmly, with an undertone of displeasure. “Yue Mountain has a Buddhist temple. If you wish to fight, please leave this place.”

Qiong Niang walked over to the patch of destroyed flowers where Gu Baiying and Zanxing had fought. What was once a beautiful flower field was now a patch of scorched earth. She picked up a piece of a shattered flower, sighing, “What a pity.”

Zanxing felt a pang of guilt but before she could speak, Xiao Shuang stepped forward. He first bowed apologetically to You Lang and Qiong Niang, then spoke gently, “My apologies to both of you. We did not intend to damage your forest. My young mistress was dragged into the water by a monster and later escaped, rescuing two people from the monster’s lair. One of them is from their group.” He pointed to the Demon Extermination Army, his expression showing a hint of disappointment. “But these people believe that my young mistress caused their senior sister’s death. Instead of being grateful, they want to kill us for revenge. My young mistress fought them to protect us. Of course, we are at fault for damaging your flowers, and we are very sorry. After this matter is resolved, I am willing to bring flower seeds here to replant the damaged area as an apology.”

His refined appearance and gentle demeanor made the Demon Extermination Army look like bullies. Qiong Niang’s previously indifferent expression softened after Xiao Shuang’s sincere words.

Zanxing silently gave him a thumbs up. Listening to Bu Jiang and bringing Xiao Shuang was definitely the right call. Xiao Shuang’s diplomatic skills were even better than Duan Xiangrao’s. In just a few words, he had significantly reduced the hostility of the two from Si You Kingdom.

These two people from the Si You Kingdom were mysterious. They had hidden an array in the air that neither group had noticed, and they could make beasts and birds speak human language. It was best not to underestimate them. Getting into a dispute without understanding the situation would not be wise. Since they couldn’t find the entrance to the mountain gate, it was crucial not to offend these two, who might be the key to entering the mountain.

However, just as Xiao Shuang finished speaking, Pu Tao from the Demon Extermination Army stepped forward, glaring coldly at Zanxing. “Lies. You dare to talk nonsense just because my senior sister hasn’t woken up.” The sister from Xiang Ling Sect had been helped up by her junior sisters but had not yet regained consciousness. Pu Tao continued, “You claim to have saved my senior sister from the monster. Where is the monster? What does it look like? How does it attack people? Why are you unharmed? If you fought the monster, why don’t you have a single scratch on you?”

“Little girl, you’ve got quite the mouth on you. Were you a storyteller in a tavern before practicing cultivation?” the Earth-Eater demon suddenly jumped up, finally finding a chance to speak. He pointed at his partially severed leg. “Look closely, I was dragged underwater by that monster! I didn’t get a clear look at it, but I lost a leg! Our young mistress wasn’t hurt because she’s strong. Not everyone is as incompetent as you lot from the Demon Extermination Army. Young Mistress,” the Earth-Eater demon turned to Zanxing to complain, “I told you these cultivators are shameless. We shouldn’t have saved her, we should’ve let that woman fend for herself!”

Pu Tao’s eyes were icy cold. “Demon scum,” she said with utter disdain.

The Earth-Eater demon made a move to hit her. “Don’t stop me! I’m going to throw this little girl into the water and let her be devoured until there’s nothing left of her!”

“Enough,” Zanxing commanded.

The Earth-Eater demon swallowed his words and stepped back obediently. Zanxing looked at Pu Tao. When she first met this young girl on Gu Feng Mountain, although she was a bit arrogant and willful, she wasn’t obstinate. Now, for some reason, she was filled with hostility and completely unyielding. Zanxing spoke calmly, “I caught a glimpse of the water monster. It was slick and green all over, with a sticky texture. After it dragged me underwater, it disappeared. I saw its lair underwater. It seemed to bind its prey with water plants and slowly consume them, much like a spider. Among the many bones, I found the Earth-Eater demon and the Xiang Ling Sect disciple. They were recently captured and still alive, so I brought them out with me.”

“As for why I have no injuries, it’s because I never fought the monster. Dear righteous lady,” Zanxing addressed Pu Tao, “does this answer satisfy you?”

Pu Tao’s face reddened. She bit her lip and said, “That’s just your one-sided story! It’s a lie!” Still, she refused to believe.

Before Zanxing could respond, someone else’s voice cut in. “She’s telling the truth.”