Chapter 74: Wu Tan City
Wu Tan City.
Because of its proximity to the Magic Beast Mountain Range, it was quite prosperous. The streets bustled with crowds, and many mercenaries set up stalls in the marketplace. Occasionally, one could even spot low-tier magical beast cubs for sale, though nothing of real value was ever on offer.
Yao Yan was currently strolling down a lively street with Cai Die in tow—because shopping is the easiest way to lift a woman's mood.
And Cai Die was no exception.
Perhaps it was because it was her first time properly exploring a human city, but the novelty of it quickly swept away the shadows in her heart. Her mood lightened, her gaze sparkled once more, and her curious eyes wandered in every direction. Her swaying waist and long serpent tail exuded a captivating charm, drawing countless glances.
As they passed, many pedestrians couldn't help but turn their heads to look.
For the people of Wu Tan City, a serpent-woman was a rare sight. You'd normally have to cross the Magic Beast Mountain Range and reach the Tagore Desert in the east of the Jia Ma Empire to see one. Seeing someone bring one into the city was almost unheard of. Rumors said many nobles in the empire kept serpent-women as servant girls… which explained why most onlookers only dared steal glances.
Yao Yan's appearance and demeanor clearly didn't belong to an ordinary person. The fact that he could openly walk around with such an enchanting beauty meant his identity was likely not simple—and definitely not someone they could afford to offend.
He had to be from a powerful noble family.
Cai Die picked up a golden bracelet from a nearby stall. After examining it, she slipped it onto her wrist and held it up to Yao Yan with a smile in her eyes. "Young Master, does it look good?"
The fine gold chain wrapped delicately around her wrist, highlighting her fair skin.
"Very pretty. It suits you."
Yao Yan smiled and looked at the vendor. "How much?"
The stall owner, a female mercenary, instantly lit up. She smiled sweetly and said, "Just five hundred gold coins, Young Master."
"Fifty."
Yao Yan returned her smile calmly and countered.
He didn't lack money, but that didn't mean he was going to be an easy mark. A plain gold bracelet without even a magic core—asking for five hundred gold coins was outrageous. These mercenaries sure knew how to judge and upcharge their customers.
The woman's smile froze slightly. She hesitated, then said, "Young Master, this bracelet was found by my husband during an expedition in the Magic Beast Mountain Range. It came from an ancient ruin—it's definitely a rare treasure…"
Cai Die blinked at that and looked at her oddly. The ruin they had visited hadn't had any bracelets in it. In fact, the Amethyst Winged Lion King had practically turned the entire northwestern part of the range upside down searching for it. There shouldn't be so many ruins around.
Yao Yan interrupted. "One hundred gold coins. If that's fine, deal. If not, we'll walk away."
Because of his mask, the woman couldn't read his expression and didn't dare push her luck. She nodded—one hundred coins was still a huge profit.
Cai Die stayed silent throughout. Watching Yao Yan haggle, she had come to a realization: the human woman was lying—just like Yao Yan had lied to her before. They always spoke so seriously, making it hard to tell truth from fiction.
In terms of cunning, she—a queen raised in the serpent tribe's palace—was no match for humans.
In fact, the Medusa sisters were both rather simple-minded… the kind of "naïve" that probably made them very fertile.
With the deal settled, Yao Yan led Cai Die toward a nearby inn. He planned to stay the night and head for the empire's capital, Jia Ma Sacred City, the next day.
As he had guessed, the Xiao Clan hadn't yet moved to Wu Tan City.
The city was currently ruled by two major families: the Jia Lie Clan and the Aoba Clan. Their strongest members were Dou Lings, and they controlled most of the markets in the city. The imperial court hadn't even bothered to set up a governor here—likely because of its remote location.
Wu Tan City was situated in the middle of nowhere. If not for the nearby Magic Beast Mountain Range, it had almost no value.
No mines, no trade routes… nothing to attract real powerhouses.
Cai Die followed closely behind Yao Yan, her hands folded gracefully over her abdomen. Her gaze was pure and bright, and her lips curved gently as she asked in a soft voice, "Young Master, do all humans like to lie?"
"It depends," Yao Yan replied after a brief pause. "Like when I lie to you—it's usually to tease you. But when they lie to you, it's often to survive. They don't have amazing talent, or high-level cultivation techniques, or famous mentors, or rich resources. Just staying alive costs them everything. A few lies just help them earn more or live better."
His voice was quiet, thoughtful.
He suddenly wondered—if he had been born into a poor family, where would he be now at his age?
Probably nowhere. Strength needs wealth. Without cultivation resources, even the greatest talent is useless. If you can't even feed yourself, how can you train?
That was the reality for most people.
Cai Die nodded, looking at Yao Yan with admiration. "Young Master, you're so young, yet you understand so much~"
Then, with a sudden change in tone, she pouted, "But… do you think lying to me is fun?"
Her flawless face turned serious. She fixed him with a mock-angry glare, clearly upset.
Yao Yan thought about it seriously for a second. Then, meeting her eyes, he solemnly replied, "It's not all for fun. I lie to you so you'll be more cautious. There are many bad people in the world. They lie to take something from you. Me? I lie to help you grow."
"Really?"
Cai Die felt something was off, but couldn't quite say what.
So naïve… Yao Yan chuckled silently to himself, then said aloud, "Let's go. You can think it over on the way."
He walked ahead.
Cai Die watched his back, thought for a bit, then slithered forward like a cobra. Tilting her head, she peered at him suspiciously. "Young Master, did you just lie to me again?"
"When you figure out what I lied about, you'll have truly grown up."
Yao Yan met her gaze calmly and spoke softly.
"...I've already grown up," she said stubbornly.
Definitely grown, Yao Yan thought, sneaking a glance at her impressive figure.
From his past-life grandma's perspective, she was definitely built for having children.
Which brought up a new question:
Can the Medusa bloodline even produce sons?
(END CHAPTER)
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