Chapter 112: Killing Demons, Killing Devils, and Especially Killing “Humans”

The Martial Arts World was Xu Xi's third simulation.

The commoners here.

The Mortals here.

Lived the most miserable lives among the three simulation worlds.

In the Cultivation World, Mortals and Cultivators lived separately, ruled by normal Mortal dynasties; only occasionally would Cultivators come to take away children with a Spiritual Root.

Furthermore, from time to time, kind-hearted Cultivators would show mercy, saving people and protecting the local populace.

In the Magic World, steam and magic permeated the entire civilization; mages had their uses, and Mortals had their necessity. The two were like tightly meshed gears, advancing together.

However, the situation in the Martial Arts World was terrible.

The ordinary people here didn't even have the right to decide their own life or death.

Xu Xi had asked the residents of Qingniu Town, or traveled to other towns to speak with people and learn about their pasts.

It was surprising.

The vast majority of people had once lived in the Thirteen Provinces of Daqian.

Simply because of their lowly status or because they had offended high-ranking officials and nobles, they were exiled to the border of the Hundred Thousand Mountains.

The younger generation, like Zhang Tieniu, were born at the border and knew absolutely nothing about life inside Daqian.

The Hundred Thousand Mountains were treacherous, and the demons were bloodthirsty and cruel.

An unending Demon Tide would ruthlessly wipe out everyone at the border until they were devoured completely, and then a new batch of "sinners" would be transported there by Daqian.

Beginning a new round of an endless Reincarnation.

"Brother Xu, what do the city people eat? Is it also demon meat?"

"A-Niu, why are you suddenly asking this?"

"Hehehe, my mom said there's lots of tasty food in the city, and even the white rice smells better than what we eat."

"…Compared to what we eat, it is indeed much better, and the rice is more refined."

"Wow~~~ That's great. I want to eat sweet white rice too."

The sky was gloomy, and the cold wind was piercing.

Trees swayed in the wind, and the ground was frozen rock-hard. In such an environment, even a sturdy man would shiver from the cold.

The simple and honest A-Niu wrapped his somewhat tattered robe tightly around himself.

His tone was full of longing.

Hearing Xu Xi's description of white rice, he couldn't help but swallow his saliva. He had never eaten it, but his brain automatically imagined the most wonderful flavor, making his mouth water.

"Brother Xu."

The sun-blackened man asked once more.

"Are the lords in the city really all Wenqu Stars and Wuqu Stars descended from the heavens?"

"My mom said the lords were born to enjoy life. They eat ten pancakes in one meal and change into five different robes a day. They're different from us mud-legged commoners."

A-Niu rubbed his hands together and blew a breath of hot air on them.

The backs of his hands were slightly purple.

That was a slight side effect on the body from long-term consumption of demon meat; it was harmless but exceptionally ugly.

A Martial Artist could use Blood-Qi to dissolve it, but a Mortal could only bear the marks for a lifetime.

"No, A-Niu, they aren't."

After a moment of silence, Xu Xi reached out and lightly patted the honest man's shoulder, brushing off the snowflakes.

"The people of the Thirteen Provinces of Daqian, the people of the Imperial Capital, and the people living in Qingniu Town—there is no difference."

"They also get hungry, they also get thirsty, and they also bleed and die."

"They are no more noble than you, and you are no more lowly than them."

Is… is that so…?

The man seemed to understand, yet also seemed not to. A look of dazed confusion flashed across his face, as he couldn't quite grasp Xu Xi's words.

He tried to understand using his own logic.

The lords can eat white rice.

Brother Xu said we're the same as the lords.

Which means…

"I can eat white rice in the future too!?" A-Niu let out a happy, silly laugh. He laughed for a long time until, as if waking from a dream, he handed a basket to Xu Xi.

"Brother Xu, these are the Vegetable Balls my mom made for you. They're still warm!"

The basket woven from bamboo strips was sturdy and durable, with a clear texture.

The surface was covered with a piece of scrap cloth, gently blocking the outside snow to prevent it from falling onto the deep green Vegetable Balls.

Xu Xi did not refuse and took the basket:

"A-Niu, I'll take these. Thank Aunt Zhang for me when you get back."

"Will do!"

A-Niu scratched his head and turned to leave with an inexplicable burst of excitement. Xu Xi stood in place, watching the figure gradually disappear into the distant wind and snow.

He reached into the basket with his right hand, grabbed a vegetable ball, and took a bite.

The taste was very bitter and astringent.

It was neither crisp nor delicious.

Having lived in Qingniu Town for seven years, Xu Xi naturally knew why. It was because the Materials for the Vegetable Balls were Wind-Cluster Grass, a plant with a coarse and sour texture.

It was poor quality, nauseating, and very unpleasant to eat.

But this was the best the people of Qingniu Town could usually manage to eat.

This was the only way they could express their gratitude to Xu Xi—thanking him for always sharing demon meat with them, which allowed them to survive.

"What a shitty world…"

Xu Xi looked up at the cold sky and slowly closed his eyes.

The weather was cold, but his chest was warm.

That wasn't just the surge of Blood-Qi, but an indescribable emotion—either sympathy or anger.

…

[Time always passes quickly]

[In the blink of an eye, Wu Yingxue has been gone for a long time, and the cold winter has once again descended upon Qingniu Town]

[The Demon Tide arrived as scheduled. As you expected, this year's Demon Tide is more surging and terrifying than in previous years]

[Demons comparable to the Bone Marrow Refinement and Blood Exchange realms appear frequently, bringing heavy casualties to Qingniu Town]

[Qingniu Town still exists]

[But in the seemingly endless Demon Tide, some familiar faces have passed away forever—including the old man who used to nag about finding you a wife, and the young child who had received your martial arts guidance]

[The slaughter of demons does not distinguish between men, women, young, or old; anyone will suffer their attack]

[Death is inevitable]

[Casualties are normal]

[You have initially repelled the first wave of the winter Demon Tide. The survivors, as in previous years, express their thanks to you in voices that have become noticeably thinner, thanking you for protecting them]

[The people of half the town are infinitely grateful]

In the first year after arriving in Qingniu Town, upon learning of the existence of the Thirteen Provinces of Daqian.

Xu Xi had once made a plan to enter the interior of Daqian, to see the more exciting world as depicted in traditional Xuanhuan and martial arts novels.

Later, Xu Xi gave up.

Firstly, the passes leading to the heart of Daqian were guarded by a large army, and as someone without official registration, it would be difficult for Xu Xi to pass through.

Secondly, Xu Xi discovered that the life-and-death actual combat in the Hundred Thousand Mountains provided improvements to his Blood-Qi Martial Arts that were no less than the so-called resources inside Daqian.

Since then, Xu Xi had settled down in Qingniu Town, maintaining his Persistence in tempering himself.

However.

Xu Xi had never known what he should do.

In the first simulation, his sister's calamity of heaven came suddenly, and he had almost no free time, constantly searching for a way to save her.

In the second simulation, Xu Xi possessed Mortals Wisdom, spending his entire life deciphering the mysteries of magic and leading the witch to experience the beauty of the Mortal world.

So, what about this life?

Should he keep practicing bitterly, relying on the Persistence trait to become a max-level 'Hidden Master of the Ten-Mile Slope'?

Or should he become a combat-focused protagonist who reigns supreme over the ages, like in hot-blooded web novels?

Now, amidst the heavy snowfall.

In Qingniu Town, where all things were withering.

Facing the poor commoners who were thanking him, Xu Xi couldn't help but recall that glimpse from several years ago of the Daqian army—filled with soaring killing intent, yet only willing to guard the mountain pass.

At this point, Xu Xi finally understood what he wanted to do in this simulation.

He wanted to kill.

Kill demons, kill devils, and especially kill "humans."