One day, Xu Fang arrived at yet another city.

  The entrance bore three prominent characters: Qingyang City!

  Inside, the bustling atmosphere was palpable, yet ominous dark clouds loomed overhead.

  “Though the heavens decree that humanity shall prosper, the tribulations faced by mankind are far too numerous,” Xu Fang remarked, feeling exasperated.

  He had passed through at least ten towns, yet none were free from chaos; each was plagued by various monsters and demons.

  It was no wonder that people turned to Buddhism and Daoism for refuge. To the uninitiated mortals, only the high monks of Buddhism and the immortals of Daoism possessed the means to suppress and vanquish demons.

  “As far as I know, the Journey to the West plan seems to be a tug-of-war between Buddhism and Daoism over faith and incense,” Xu Fang mused as he strode confidently into the city.

  Having just reached the gate, the sound of galloping hooves echoed through the streets. A cavalry unit burst forth, led by a general clad in golden armor, stirring up dust as they headed southeast.

  “The leader certainly has some skills,” Xu Fang thought, recognizing the horseman’s aura. Though mortal, he exuded a faint trace of a practitioner’s energy.

  This general seemed to possess some knowledge of mystical arts. Xu Fang, being a Daoist himself, was quite familiar with such abilities.

  In the human realm, there were many demons and monsters. Due to the heavenly decree that humanity was to flourish, regions like the East, South, and West were predominantly human-populated.

  And yet, many demons could not resist the temptation to stir trouble in the human world, prompting the practitioners to protect their kin.

  Among the mortals, there were those who, through fortunate encounters, had learned some spells. Though they had no hope of becoming immortals, they could still put up a fight against ordinary demons, holding their own for a few exchanges.

  Clearly, the general Xu Fang observed was one such individual.

  Though his abilities were limited, he could handle typical demons without issue. Such individuals usually held a certain status in their secular countries, and it was evident that he was headed out to deal with the demons.

  Xu Fang pondered for a moment but decided against following. Instead, he boldly entered the city.

  Upon stepping inside, he felt something was amiss.

  You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.

  The streets were wide and lined with shops, which should have created a scene of prosperity. Yet, the pedestrians hurried along, their expressions tense.

  At every household entrance stood a wooden box about a person’s height.

  Listening closely, he could hear faint sobbing coming from inside the boxes.

  “Interesting,” Xu Fang thought to himself. Though he sensed something was wrong, he wouldn’t recklessly intervene without understanding the situation.

  After wandering for a while, he spotted an open inn named “Bone Fragrance.” After a moment’s thought, he walked in.

  “What can I get for you, esteemed guest?” The young waiter appeared lethargic as he led Xu Fang to a window seat.

  “I see your establishment is named Bone Fragrance; it must be your signature dish. I’ll have a serving of that,” Xu Fang said, undeterred by the waiter’s demeanor.

  However, the waiter’s face turned troubled. “Esteemed guest, you’re not from around here, are you?”

  “Hmm?” Xu Fang glanced up, replying mildly, “Is your signature dish not available to outsiders?”

  “No, no, that’s not what I meant!” The waiter waved his hands hastily, fearing Xu Fang had misunderstood. “It’s just that if you had come two years ago, we could have served you our signature dish. But these past two years have been difficult, and it’s now nearly impossible to enjoy it.”

  “Difficult? In what way?” Xu Fang inquired, maintaining a calm expression.

  “What you may not know,” the waiter replied, sensing Xu Fang was a good listener, “is that about a hundred miles southeast of Qingyang City lies the Two Holy Mountains. Two immensely powerful demons have come down and demand meat offerings and a young maiden every month. If their demands aren’t met, they threaten to eat people!”

  “The city lord had no choice but to comply, promising to meet their demands while seeking powerful outsiders to handle the demons. Unfortunately, many have gone, yet none have returned.”

  “Qingyang City doesn’t produce meat, so to appease these demons, we’ve had to send all our supplies. Now everyone can only eat vegetarian food.”

  The waiter sighed heavily. “It’s not too bad for us; we can survive on vegetarian fare. But those families with young daughters must place their girls at the door, for the demons come to choose!”

  “Is that really happening?” Xu Fang asked, incredulous. “Was that cavalry unit I saw earlier also going to subdue the demons?”

  “Indeed! That was just appointed by the city lord as the demon-slaying general. If they can subdue the two demons, it will be fine. If not, the demons will surely be enraged, and we will have to offer even more meat and maidens. Sigh…”

  Xu Fang nodded in agreement. “In that case, forget the meat. Just bring me some simple dishes.”

  When the waiter returned with the food, a sudden gust of wind rushed through the inn!

  With the wind came a swirling mass of demonic energy, a dark cloud rapidly approaching. From within, two imposing figures emerged!

  One figure billowed with vapor, resembling a swimming dragon, while the other soared with wings spread wide, summoning a torrential downpour!

  “Qingyang City, to dare send mere ants to their deaths! You truly have some nerve!”

  The winged figure broke through the clouds, revealing its true form, and bellowed, “This time, you shall offer ten pairs of young boys and girls in addition to your usual tribute, or I shall flatten your city!”

  “Why do these two seem so familiar?” Xu Fang mused, seated at the window, tea cup in hand as he observed the figures above.

  The dragon-like creature was common enough, while the winged figure, resembling a roc, was not unusual. However, the sight of both together was anything but ordinary.

  “Could they be the two who will one day be sworn brothers with Sun Wukong?”

  Just as Xu Fang pondered this, he noticed the innkeeper and the waiter, trembling with fear, rushing to the window.