"Mad Tiger King?"

Wang Wu was taken aback and couldn't help but scrutinize this seemingly ordinary Tiger Demon once more. It was unexpected that it belonged to the same era as the Mad Tiger King within the Demon Race, though it had become a Spirit Beast. It should be considered a Thousand-Year Great Demon by now.

But asking him to deliver a message to the Mad Tiger King, treating him like a task-issuing NPC, ten years later, the Mad Tiger King would most likely have surrendered to Lu Wuchen. That wouldn't be delivering a message, but a death mission.

After pondering for a moment, he said, "Sorry, I don't plan on leaving Shaman Village anytime soon."

"No worries, you can do it whenever. Just deliver the letter if you happen to leave."

"Still, I'm really sorry. I have some enemies in the West Wilderness, and they're hunting me everywhere, so I can't just go to Heavenly Dao Mountain to deliver your message."

Wang Wu still tactfully refused. Who's kidding whom? This Spirit Beast dude is pretty naive.

"Is that so? I was being presumptuous then."

The Tiger Demon seemed a bit displeased, lowered its head, and began sharpening a Mountain-Cutting Saber in front of a large grindstone.

Wang Wu watched for a while. Actually, he was here to buy something or find a job, anything really.

The Big Black Pig was right. He had absorbed too much Jade Bee Honey, and now his whole body felt marinated. Such a state was a good disguise in the Bee Palace, but outside, it would easily get noticed.

Therefore, he really needed to stay here for a decade or so to let the fragrance wear off.

However, staying here required cultivation, and no Spirit Essence was scattered around, likely all being collected to maintain the grand array of Shaman Village.

So, there had to be some source of income.

"Haven't you thought about leaving Shaman Village? Go find your brother, the Mad Tiger King, yourself. Why do you need me to deliver the message? It seems Shaman Village doesn't prohibit coming and going, right?"

Wang Wu struck up a conversation again, trying to get friendly with this Tiger Demon. It'd be nice to make a friend if they hit it off.

He didn't discriminate against Spirit Beasts, at least not in Shaman Village.

Besides, he was indeed curious.

This Tiger Demon became a Spirit Beast a thousand years ago. Its master should have already passed away in Shaman Village like Old Man Sha, logically regaining its freedom.

So, if it wished to leave, Heavenly Dao Mountain could gain a strong ally immediately.

But the Tiger Demon seemed to have guessed Wang Wu's thoughts.

"Although my master has passed away and returned my freedom, as a Spirit Beast, throughout the rest of my life, I can't actively attack any member of the Human Race or any creature under Human Race protection unless I face a deadly crisis. Therefore, it's impossible for me to leave Shaman Village, let alone go to Heavenly Dao Mountain to fight the Human Race Cultivators."

Huh?

Quite self-disciplined, even ordinary Human Race members couldn't achieve such restraint!

Wang Wu was very surprised, and couldn't help but ask, "Becoming a Spirit Beast and being restricted your whole life, I can't believe you have no resentment at all? Or are you really willing? Don't you want to feel free?"

"What is freedom? When you start aging, when your body starts weakening, when you foresee the moment of your impending death, can you truly be at peace? Although I became a Spirit Beast, I managed to gain an extra thousand years of lifespan out of thin air! I don't believe you have no hesitation, especially when you come to the Land of the Three Calamities, watching one of the Three Calamities—Evil Wind—yet unable to capture it, surely, you must feel some regret in your heart?"

The Tiger Demon coldly retorted, seeming to strongly dislike Wang Wu's view on Spirit Beasts, especially disliking that superior, curious demeanor Wang Wu maintained.

It felt akin to—damn, what's wrong with being a Spirit Beast, you'd want to be one if you could!

"Alright, for me, it's indeed a difficult temptation to refuse, but unfortunately, I haven't met the right master. Um, brother, are you short-handed at this forge of yours? Need any assistance?"

Wang Wu smiled awkwardly. He could sense the Tiger Demon's displeasure, so he quickly changed the topic. After all, so far, he had a good impression of Shaman Village, finding it really like the Peach Blossom Spring.

But the Tiger Demon had grown a bit impatient, abruptly stopping sharpening the blade, glaring at Wang Wu, and roared.

"Get lost!"

In that instant, a bloody wind rose abruptly, and a golden, white-furred tiger with glaring eyes materialized behind the Tiger Demon. It seemed that with just one pounce, it could leap several hundred miles away. Man, this was at least the Peak of Grade Four.

But wait, why is it only at the Peak of Grade Four?

Wang Wu slunk away, and beside him was a Dog Demon's steamed bun shop run by a Wolf Demon. As soon as he passed by, the shopkeeper eagerly called out.

"Hey, hot, fresh out of the pot, fragrant Dog Ignored Buns!"

"Why is it called Dog Ignored?"

Wang Wu was very curious, though he doubted they were kindred spirits.

"Because these are big buns with wolf meat fillings. What Dog Demon would dare eat it? They'd be scared shitless! Hahaha!" The Wolf Demon laughed, thinking its joke was very funny.

But this Wolf Demon selling wolf meat buns, where did the wolf meat come from?

Wang Wu suddenly felt that Shaman Village didn't feel so much like paradise anymore.

"Hey there, little brother, would you like a bowl of warm, wobbly, crystal-clear egg custard?"

Opposite him, a creature that looked like a phoenix, but was more likely a chicken demon, eagerly greeted Wang Wu.

Wang Wu really wanted to ask, is this an egg laid by yourself?

Honestly, he had an uncontrollable urge to ask this question.

And that colorful, flame-feathered chicken demon resembling a phoenix was looking at him expectantly, seemingly hoping he wouldn't purchase, but would utter that question.

But ultimately, Wang Wu didn't manage to say it, his rational mind suppressed that tempting impulse.

He glanced cautiously at this chicken demon, good heavens, this is at least a peak of grade four.

In just a moment, the market suddenly seemed less lively, many stalls had left, and lots of pedestrians had disappeared.

It felt like everything seen earlier was an illusion.

A breeze blew through, and you could only hear the tiger demon sharpening a knife, the wolf demon hawking dog ignore buns, the chicken demon selling egg custard, oh, the white snake lady with a beauty's head at the market entrance dancing with a sword, and at the back exit, the old tree was still selling its Hundred-Change Ruyi Demon Leaf.

The brothel had closed its doors, the restaurant had shut its windows, but Wang Wu could still feel curious, expectant gazes cast his way, mixed with whispers of gambling terms, "Bet on life, bet on death, make your call and leave" and such.

Alright then, it seemed today he had become an unwelcome figure.

But why would that Big Black Pig persuade him to stay yet allow such a scenario?

Just because he said he wanted to stay here and find a job, work as a clerk?

"Clang!"

A Mountain-Cutting Saber flew out, stabbing the ground three steps in front of Wang Wu, precisely the one the tiger demon had been sharpening.

He looked back to see the tiger demon striding over with a cold gaze.

"You little bear brat, don't you understand human speech? I gave you a way out just now, asking you to roll away gracefully, and that letter I handed you was compensation. My big brother Mad Tiger King, peak of grade two, oversees 5,000 miles of Heavenly Dao Mountain. With my recommendation letter, you can rise to power."

"Yet you refuse wise advice, thinking this Shaman Village is your refuge?"

"Hold on! What do you mean? Can you clarify?"

Wang Wu was genuinely curious, Old Man Sha, Big Black Pig, including that Old Turtle, they were all grade one big shots, they spoke kindly, why did these guys turn into troublesome hooligans?

Just then, the wolf demon selling dog ignore buns walked over, swaying every three steps, and sneered:

"What's unclear? It's just you pretending ignorance. Shaman Village is the only safe spot in this desert unaffected by the Evil Wind. It's the best place to shelter from the Evil Wind. But do you know the cost of building this Shaman Village, and the cost of its normal operation?"

"Do you know how many benefits a grade three human race cultivator or a grade three demon race must offer to enter Shaman Village?"

"With one command from the master above, we slaves and spirit beasts must exhaust ourselves."

"So earlier when Eldest Master Cangyun took you in, it was out of benevolence, trying to cure your Evil Wind Bone Plague! We couldn't object to that, Piggy Great Sage, Turtle Celestial King appreciate you, but that doesn't mean they'll pay your bill!"

"Now, you either abide by the rules, offer enough benefits, or defeat us five, and then you can stay in Shaman Village as long as you like, do whatever you desire, and no one will interfere with you!"

The wolf demon's words finally made Wang Wu understand, it all boiled down to the word 'benefits'.

No wonder Big Black Pig persuaded him to leave but wouldn't interfere in such matters, because to it, giving a reminder is already due to past friendship with the Bear Demon Emperor. Expecting it to pay for Wang Wu's bill is merely dreaming.

This old guy might just be squinting its small eyes, watching the fun in secret now.

"So how much do I need to offer?"

Now that Wang Wu understood, he realized this matter wasn't something to get past by meddling. Even Peach Blossom Spring needs food, and there's no surplus grain here!

This place prohibits senseless fighting, but that doesn't mean there aren't rules.

Buying a house still requires paying utilities, property management, heating fees, right? We must reason.

"Exactly, that's the proper way to address issues, Brother Xiaoxiong, I'm rooting for you, I'd like to lay an egg for you."

The chicken demon suddenly jumped out, exaggeratedly shouting, somehow holding a giant strange abacus, clicking and clacking as it fiddled, finally raising its head, smiling at Wang Wu: "Brother Xiaoxiong, we're not a black shop, nor do we deceive and abduct, nor extort with exorbitant prices, listen carefully."

"The barrier array of Shaman Village requires an annual input of five million Fighting Spiritual Qi, currently solved by absorbing Spirit Essence with the Spiritual Array, covering three million Fighting Spiritual Qi, the remaining two million needs supplementation from us. According to customary rules of Shaman Village, grade one's great masters are exempt."

"Grade two masters pay only half, grade three young masters need to buy one share per person, class four fellows per person must buy two shares."

"Grade five juniors need to purchase three shares per person."

"As for grade six little rascals, they must purchase four shares. So, Brother Xiaoxiong, you have to prepare ten thousand Fighting Spiritual Qi annually to settle in comfortably, of course, food, clothing, cultivation, those are your personal affairs needing your own solutions."

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