Man Eats Chicken, Spirit Eats Man

In the quiet afternoon, the house was utterly silent, both inside and out.

The sunlight was languid.

The air was hot and dry.

The chirping of insects and the songs of birds interwove, bringing a unique tranquility to the sweltering summer.

Inside the room, seeing the characters for "Blue Dragon" on the document, Xu Xi fell into a long silence, his gaze fixed on the page, examining the contents repeatedly.

Blue Dragon Energy...

Blue Dragon devouring humans...

Were these two, both named Blue Dragon, truly unrelated?

Xu Xi's eyes lowered, gazing at the ancient legends recorded on the paper, and he couldn't help but recall the Blue Dragon Energy demonstrated by Wu Yingxue for him several years ago.

The overly exaggerated details finally made sense now.

"Even if Blue Dragons, as heavenly aberrations, are not unique, they certainly don't proliferate everywhere."

"In other words, the royal family's technique, which imitates the Blue Dragon, likely shares a high probability of origin with the man-eating Blue Dragon in this legend."

"The protector of humanity, the royal family of Daqian, cultivates techniques of a man-eating demon?"

Was this discordant?

Was this absurd?

Perhaps because Xu Xi had long harbored suspicions about the Emperor of Daqian, the truth about "traitors to humanity" did not stir much shock in him.

What truly captivated Xu Xi's mind was another matter behind the Blue Dragon.

"The Blue Dragon Energy proves the existence of the Blue Dragon, and the Blue Dragon's existence validates the authenticity of mythical legends."

"Those seemingly bizarre records, those imaginative myths, including that vast, uncivilized world, are all real?"

So why did everyone in Daqian never witness such scenes?

Why did their eyes see only the small Thirteen Provinces?

The answer was not hard to figure out.

Xu Xi quickly realized, "The real world, the real humanity, all live beyond the Ten Thousand Mountains. The so-called Thirteen Provinces of Daqian are merely a breeding ground established by the Blue Dragon and other demons."

Yes, that made sense.

Previous confusions and misunderstandings received their answers now.

"Sir, what are you saying? I don't understand."

Wu Yingxue, speaking with a puzzled tone, poked her head out, glancing alternately at Xu Xi and the paper on the table, unable to comprehend what "Blue Dragon" or "world" meant to Xu Xi.

In her understanding, all of existence was just the Thirteen Provinces of Daqian and the endless Ten Thousand Mountains.

Raised in Daqian, Wu Yingxue had already formed a fixed worldview.

"Yingxue, don't let the appearance of things blind your eyes. Sometimes, what you see is just what others want you to see."

Xu Xi instructed the girl, explaining to her his discoveries about Daqian, the Blue Dragon, and the truth behind the world.

Wu Yingxue's initial reaction was one of shock, her mouth gaping wide, a look of disbelief on her face.

Gradually, her shocked expression transitioned into anger. With a loud slap on the table, she declared she would stab the "inhuman emperor" a million times, killing him repeatedly!

Despite being speculation, many past events could indirectly prove it.

The Emperor of Daqian, sitting high on the throne.

Was actually a member of the demonic race.

Even if he still maintained a human form, his heart was as cold and merciless as any demon, callously sending countless commoners to the borders, to be devoured by demons.

Even the enigmatic Human Immortal might be a demon in disguise.

"Damn it! Damn it! Damn it!"

Wu Yingxue clenched her teeth, then thought of another question.

"Sir."

"You just said that beyond the Ten Thousand Mountains lies the real world, and the people of the Thirteen Provinces are merely food for the demons."

"But us... everyone from Qingniu Town, from the Qiú Huó Army."

"Over the years, we've been fighting Daqian, with countless casualties. Isn't that contrary to the demons' intentions?"

Wu Yingxue's tone showed her confusion.

Demons wanted to eat humans, hence they created Daqian as a cage.

Following this logic, they should be preventing uprisings and rebellions, to avoid wasting too much of their food supply.

"Hei Xiu! Hei Xiu!"

"Eat! Eat!"

During the serene noon, another group of hungry Qiú Huó Army soldiers passed by outside, shouting excited slogans as they longed for their meal.

Even separated by several walls, Xu Xi and the girl could hear their eager voices.

Xu Xi raised his hand slightly.

Dappled light slanted onto his palm, revealing golden brilliance and the intricate lines of his palm, showcasing both the relaxed beauty and the surging blood vitality hidden beneath the skin.

"Yingxue, do you think everyone is full right now?"

Xu Xi suddenly asked.

The girl was puzzled.

After hesitating for a moment, she honestly replied, "Barely full, at least no longer like before, often going hungry."

Xu Xi continued, "Then do you think everyone is eating well?"

She shook her head decisively, "No."

Wu Yingxue had once lived a wealthy life, knowing how richly people in power in Daqian ate, how varied their meals were.

Compared to them,

The Qiú Huó Army's beloved "delicacies" were nothing more than a bowl of plump steamed rice.

Xu Xi asked the final question, "Then do you think everyone wants to eat better?"

"Of course they do! Who wouldn't—"

Wu Yingxue's voice stopped abruptly.

The expression of astonishment struck her like a thunderbolt, standing still in place with her mouth slightly open, as if realizing something, unable to recover for a long time.

In the warm, gentle sunlight.

In the quiet, comfortable room.

Xu Xi spoke the final answer for the girl: "Those demons also want to eat better quality human flesh..."

Even ordinary people who eat chicken distinguish between castrated, native, or flying chicken.

Then,

Who determined that intelligent great demons couldn't similarly categorize humans?

"The so-called world, the so-called Daqian, the so-called Thirteen Provinces."

"Are nothing more than cages where demons raise warriors as food."

"And our fight against Daqian, along with the spread of the 'Silly Skill,' has given birth to more body-training warriors and innate warriors, with battles of life and death being the easiest way to break through bottlenecks."

"Just that, nothing more."

Xu Xi's voice was calm and gentle, yet like the cold, unyielding steel knife, it shattered the girl's worldview cultivated since childhood.

By this point, Xu Xi felt he was very close to the truth.

But out of a rigorous attitude,

He planned to conduct further investigation, not relying solely on his reasoning and speculation.

If, after verification, all facts aligned with his conjecture, then the target of the Qiú Huó Army would need to be changed.

Prior to today,

Xu Xi's goal was to overthrow Daqian and create a new era where everyone could survive.

But based on current information,

The final result would merely be jumping from a cage called "Daqian" to another called "overthrowing Daqian."

In essence, still food for the Ten Thousand Mountains demons.

"Perhaps I'm not the first to discover this horrifying reality."

At the desk,

Xu Xi recalled the girl's deceased parents.

Probably, the sudden rebellion of the Dingyuan King, a Transcendent Third Stage expert, was due to discovering this unbearable truth.

"Overthrowing Daqian won't allow everyone to survive."

"On the day we reach the Imperial Capital, will be the time when demons descend to feast."

"The only way, the only path, is to leap out of this prison of heaven and earth."