Translator: CinderTL
"According to their own accounts, they are not natives of this realm but ascended from the Lower Realm," King Jianglin said.
Song Wen's eyes widened slightly, his surprise evident on his face.
He had always considered his ascension to Qicang Island to be terribly unfortunate, but he never imagined anyone could be even more ill-fated—ascending to the demon beast-infested Western Rong Continent.
Leaving aside the continent's inherent dangers, the mere absence of human cultivation traditions—no cultivation techniques, medicinal pill formulas, or other essential resources—meant that even if the Western Rong Continent teemed with countless heavenly materials and earthly treasures, they would remain tantalizingly out of reach. Even rare Spirit Herbs might be overlooked, their medicinal properties and uses unknown, like pearls buried in dust.
"If they ascended, why are there only male cultivators?" Song Wen asked.
A mischievous smile suddenly played across King Jianglin's cool, delicate features, her vertical pupils glinting with amusement as she fixed her gaze on Song Wen.
"In the Willow Serpent Clan, females not only vastly outnumber males but also overwhelmingly surpass them in strength. Among the thirteen eighth-tier powerhouses in our clan, not a single one is male. In essence, all authority within the clan rests firmly in the hands of the females."
King Jianglin suddenly leaned forward, her body tilting like a roly-poly doll as she pressed her face close to Song Wen's.
"Tell me," she said, her voice low and intense, "in such circumstances, how could we possibly allow female humans to enter the Willow Serpent Clan's territory? Would we let them steal the already scarce males from our clan?"
Her cheek was so close that Song Wen could feel the warm breath escaping her crimson lips. He involuntarily took a half-step back.
"Then... if you discover female humans, how do you deal with them?" Song Wen asked hastily, trying to mask his discomfort.
King Jianglin smiled faintly at his retreat. She straightened instantly, her demeanor returning to its usual icy composure. "Naturally, we kill them all," she said flatly.
Song Wen's eyes flickered slightly, but he didn't press further.
Though the Willow Serpent Clan possessed humanoid forms, they were ultimately demon beasts.
Demon beasts devoured humans, and humans hunted demons.
This was the most basic law of survival, nothing remarkable.
"King Yinliu and several other Demon Kings in the clan have human-hunting teams. Their sole purpose is to track down humans who have undergone Ascension. The nine humans currently in the clan were all captured by these teams. Of course, most of the ascended female cultivators also meet their end at the hands of these teams."
For reasons unknown, King Jianglin added this explanation.
The unspoken implication was clear: she had no human-capturing teams under her command, nor had she ever killed a female human cultivator.
"However, the Western Rong Continent is vast and boundless. Though King Yinliu and her allies have spared no effort—not only forming human-capturing teams but also enlisting the aid of other demon races—the actual number of humans they've captured remains pitifully small. It's likely that some human cultivators are still hiding in remote corners of the continent."
King Jianglin finished speaking, flicking a strand of black hair behind her ear before continuing.
"Enough about that. You saw how the other female Willow Serpents transformed into human form earlier, didn't you? Did it stir something within you? Would you like to see me in my human form?"
"I'm practically indistinguishable from a human, you know?"
King Jianglin's voice was soft and seductive, her gaze burning with intensity.
With a gentle tremor, two scales drifted from her chest.
Song Wen's expression froze.
He understood her intentions perfectly well, having anticipated this moment. Yet it had come far too quickly.
Unless absolutely necessary, he had no desire to grow close to these ravenous Willow Serpents.
But how could he refuse her without causing offense?
Qing Lian, with her naive nature, could be easily swayed with romantic platitudes like "May our hearts be forever entwined, until our hair turns white." But King Jianglin was unlikely to fall for such tricks.
"This..." Song Wen hesitated, unsure how to respond. "Your Majesty Jianglin..."
"Do not call me 'King Jianglin'," she said. "When we are alone, you may address me by my name—Jianglin."
As she spoke, a faint azure glow emanated from King Jianglin's body.
Having witnessed Qing Lian's transformation process, Song Wen immediately recognized what she was doing.
Just then, the recently calmed pool suddenly began to churn, as if something were about to emerge.
A flicker of disappointment crossed King Jianglin's eyes, and the azure glow vanished abruptly.
The two scales that had fallen to the ground floated back up and reattached themselves to her chest.
In the next moment, Qing Lian surfaced from the water.
In each hand, she held a vibrant crimson fruit, roughly the size of a fist, radiating a dense aura of Spiritual Qi—clearly no ordinary objects.
"Big brother, Ji Yin, what are you two talking about?"
With a flick of her serpentine tail, she glided onto the shore and swam toward Song Wen.
"We were discussing the other humans within the Willow Serpent Clan," Song Wen replied.
If you'd just used your divine sense to scan the cultivation cave while you were underwater, you wouldn't be so clueless, he thought inwardly.
Of course, with King Jianglin's power, she undoubtedly possessed methods to conceal her presence from Qing Lian's perception.
"Miss Qinglian, what are those fruits you're holding?" Song Wen asked, changing the subject.
Qing Lian extended the two fruits toward Song Wen.
"These are Purple Lotus Fruits. I'm giving them to you."
"Miss Qinglian, I appreciate your kindness," Song Wen replied, "but these Purple Lotus Fruits must be incredibly precious. I can't accept such a gift without having earned it."
Though the fruits were undoubtedly some kind of rare spiritual object, Song Wen was wary of consuming anything unfamiliar.
Even if Qinglian meant no harm, what might be nectar to one could be poison to another. This fruit might be beneficial to the Willow Serpent Clan, but it could be toxic to humans.
"Just take them! Stop being so fussy! You saved my life—how can you say you haven't earned them?"
Qinglian shoved the two fruits into Song Wen's chest, forcing him to catch them before they fell.
"I don't know which heavenly materials and earthly treasures are suitable for humans," Qinglian admitted, tilting her chin slightly, her eyes gleaming with pride, "but the two human cultivators under King Yinliu often consume these fruits. They must be highly beneficial to your kind. King Yinliu specifically ordered them to be cultivated in the underwater Spirit Fields within our clan. These two Purple Lotus Fruits? I stole them from the Spirit Field."
"Ji Yin, Qing Lian is right. The Purple Lotus Fruit is indeed beneficial to your human race. Don't disappoint her kindness. These fruits don't keep long after being picked, so eat them now," King Jianglin urged, her expression a mixture of amusement and seriousness.
"Mhm! Mhm!" Qing Lian nodded vigorously. "Ji Yin, hurry and eat them!"
Song Wen held the two fruits, a sense of unease settling in his heart.
Demon beasts are demon beasts. What kind of hospitality is this?
After a moment's hesitation, he finally brought the fruit to his lips.
If King Jianglin truly intended harm, she wouldn't need to go to such elaborate lengths.
The fruit's skin was as thin as a cicada's wing, easily broken with a gentle tap of his teeth.
Immediately, a clear, sweet flavor exploded in his mouth like fine nectar.
The flesh melted on his tongue, transforming into a warm spiritual current that slid down his throat and into his abdomen.
Even more remarkably, the fruit seemed to contain some mystical energy. After entering his body, it radiated outward like a warm tide, subtly strengthening Song Wen's physical form.
Soon, Song Wen had finished both fruits.
"These fruits are indeed beneficial. Thank you, Miss Qinglian," Song Wen said.
"No need to thank me," Qing Lian replied, her eyes curving into crescent moons. "If you like them, I'll steal some more for you later."
King Jianglin watched from the side, a faint smile playing on her lips.
(End of the Chapter)
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