That year, Zhang Xinwu, heartbroken and physically wounded, wandered alone with a backpack.
In truth, Zhang Xinwu had been in his human form for a hundred years, having traversed every inch of Great Xia. Now, he was merely following his memories to revisit old places.
One day, he arrived in Qian Province. It was a place where he had spent a considerable time in the past, even making a good Miao friend.
This time, he decided to visit his friend in the Miao village.
However, to his surprise, his friend had passed away many years ago, and his son was already in his seventies.
This filled him with emotion and regret. Just as he was about to leave the Miao village, he encountered a young woman named Jin Jiaoxing, who bore a striking resemblance, about seventy to eighty percent, to Lin Lanzhi.
Jin Jiaoxing herself was no ordinary mortal; she was the daughter of a Miao priestess, having learned the art of controlling Gu from a young age.
Therefore, despite her delicate and beautiful appearance, everyone kept a respectful distance from her.
But Zhang Xinwu did not care. Coupled with her looks, she naturally evoked a favorable impression in him.
Thus, he did not rush to leave the Miao village.
Instead, he found a secluded spot nearby and lived in seclusion.
"So, you were the one who provoked the young lady first," Lin Lanzhi interrupted Zhang Xinwu with a hint of dissatisfaction.
Although Niu Zhixiao had told Lin Lanzhi they were leaving, they had actually remained hidden nearby. Having cultivated for hundreds of years, they had seen through many deceptive tactics. Neither of them was foolish; while they couldn't discern Jin Jiaoxing's true nature, they wouldn't fall for such a trivial trick that would cause an argument with Zhang Xinwu. Their actions were all a tacit understanding, a charade.
Upon hearing this, Zhang Xinwu glanced at her, thinking it was all her fault.
If it weren't for her, even if Jin Jiaoxing were as beautiful as a celestial being, he wouldn't have given her a second glance, let alone become involved with her.
Although Lin Lanzhi spoke ill of Zhang Xinwu, she picked up the wine bottle and refilled his cup.
Zhang Xinwu continued, "As I became familiar with her, I was gradually attracted by her gentleness and kindness. No, I was deceived; everything was an act."
Zhang Xinwu raised his voice, sounding quite angry, and drained another cup.
"Boss Zhang, take it slow, take it slow. Don't get agitated," Zhan Dundun quickly interjected, trying to comfort him.
"I'm fine. Actually, if she could have kept up the pretense forever, it would have been alright…" Zhang Xinwu said with great heartache.
It turned out that Jin Jiaoxing had long discovered Zhang Xinwu's true identity.
Her interactions with Zhang Xinwu were intended to utilize his demonic energy to cultivate a type of demonic Gu art.
This was a hereditary art of her Jin family, using Gu to transform a human body into a demonic form, thereby gaining greater power.
This world was indeed strange. Demons desperately sought to transform into humans, yet many humans also wished to become demons. After all, becoming a demon granted a long lifespan, and that alone attracted countless people.
"At first, I didn't notice anything; we were very happy during that time."
As he spoke, a trace of happiness appeared on Zhang Xinwu's face.
"But I soon noticed something was amiss. With my cultivation, I should have progressed almost daily, yet after being with her, my progress stagnated, and I even suffered some losses. I found it strange. Initially, I thought it was due to my indulgence in women. But then I realized something was very wrong, as she wasn't my first woman…"
At this point, Zhang Xinwu even showed a hint of pride. Lin Lanzhi, standing beside him, impolitely slapped him.
"Through careful observation, I finally discovered many tiny worms on my body, constantly siphoning my demonic energy and spiritual power. This was the reason for my stalled progress."
"At this point, I naturally thought of Jin Jiaoxing, as she was skilled in Gu arts and adept at controlling insects and ants with great finesse. When I confronted her, she readily admitted it."
"In that case, Miss Xing'er can be considered an honest person."
Zhang Xinwu glanced at her but didn't reply. He continued, "I believed her nonsense back then."
"She said she hoped I would use my demonic power to help feed her Gu worms, and in return, she would use the Gu as a substitute, transforming into a Gu demon, so we could grow old together and stay by each other's side."
"I believed her words and used my demonic power daily to feed her Gu worms. Her progress was rapid, and her strength greatly increased. But she was still not satisfied; if my strength hadn't been so much greater than hers, she probably would have tried to devour me too."
"Knowing she was no match for me, one day she told me she wanted to bear me children. I was overjoyed, but I also had reservations. Humans and demons are different, and our power disparity was vast. Any child born would surely be a demon. At that moment, she looked at me with deep affection and said she didn't mind the difference between human and demon, otherwise, she wouldn't have deigned to be with me. I was so moved that I wanted to give her my heart and soul. How foolish, how foolish…"
Zhang Xinwu showed a look of regret. "My mind was clouded by her then, and I failed to notice her malicious intent. We soon had our first child. I was overjoyed and took great care of her. But an accident still occurred. The child died in the womb just before birth. I was truly heartbroken then."
Lin Lanzhi heard this and gently patted him on the back.
"Why didn't you ever tell me about this?"
Zhang Xinwu glanced at her, his expression complex. Liu Nanfeng, observing from the side, suddenly felt that Lin Lanzhi's kindness was actually a form of scummy behavior.
Of course, he only thought this in his heart; he dared not voice it.
"I was truly foolish back then. Seeing her lose the child and comfort me in return, I was even more touched. I secretly vowed to treat her well. So, I quickly calmed down, resumed our life, and soon we welcomed our second child. Given the previous experience, I was extra cautious this time."
"Not only did I stay by her side day and night, but I also secretly used my techniques to carefully nurture the fetus. Because of this, I discovered her malicious methods. It turned out that when she was pregnant, she was actually feeding her Gu worms. My first child died just like that, drained of life…"
"Although my son was not yet born and had not transformed, he still possessed my demonic bloodline. Since he formed in the womb, he was daily fed upon by those insects, draining his blood. Such a wicked woman, such a wicked woman…"
Zhang Xinwu was so enraged that he could barely speak, cursing and unable to vent his anger.
Everyone who heard this exchanged glances in silence. By all accounts, this woman was indeed excessively wicked.
"On that day, considering our past affection, I ultimately did not strike her down. She escaped, and has been hiding from me from afar all these years, avoiding me. Later, I came to my senses and never sought her out again."
"And now that she has come looking for me, it must be related to the Celestial Palace. The world has changed, and cultivators have been brought into the open. Therefore, she needs a powerful backer, and I am the most suitable candidate."
It seemed Zhang Xinwu was a clever man, quickly understanding Jin Jiaoxing's motive.
"Then, your second child? Was it born?" Liu Nanfeng asked with some curiosity.
"She must have killed it too," Zhang Xinwu replied.
"I think she might have given birth," Liu Nanfeng held a contrary opinion.
"Impossible…"
Zhang Xinwu was about to say it was impossible when he suddenly realized it was indeed possible, because the child could become her most potent bargaining chip.