"Fellow Daoist Friends!"
Xuanqing nodded slightly, giving a greeting to the two demons.
"Friend Xuanqing, we should not delay, let's set out now."
With that, the Black Bear Essence waved its right hand, spitting out a black demonic wind, and its plump body suddenly leaped up.
Gentleman Bai She from the side didn't want to be outdone.
They saw his head constantly changing between human and snake shapes, and finally, with a wide-open mouth, he spit out a smooth, round "pearl".
This was his snake core, which had the effect of soaring flight.
After the two demons used their respective methods, they soared into the sky and Xuanqing was left standing outside the Black Wind Cave, looking dumbfounded.
A moment later.
The two demons had already flown some distance before they noticed that their "Friend Xuanqing" hadn't caught up.
"Eh, why didn't Friend Xuanqing follow us?"
"Oh dear, we've been careless. Friend Xuanqing's cultivation is weak, and he certainly doesn't know flying techniques. Let's go back and get him!"
The two demons looked at each other in the sky and then turned around and flew back.
...
After returning to the entrance of Black Wind Cave.
They saw Xuanqing standing in the same spot, with an awkward expression on his face.
Both demons suddenly felt somewhat embarrassed. "Uhm... We forgot that our friend doesn't know how to fly. Sorry about that."
"I'll give you a lift, Daoist Friend. Please don't mind my demonic wind." The Black Bear Essence scratched its head and said in a deep voice.
Xuanqing shook his head with a smile, "Thank you, Fellow Daoist Black Bear!"
And so.
With the Black Bear Essence carrying Xuanqing and Gentleman Bai She flying beside them, the human and two demons headed toward the five-yearly Loose Cultivator Gathering.
...
In the high sky.
Although the Black Bear Essence had some bloodline of powerful bears, it had no knowledge of protective techniques to shield it from the gale-force winds generated by high-speed flying.
Under the high-speed flight of the black demonic wind, Xuanqing felt that he could hardly keep his eyes open.
After an unknown period of time.
Xuanqing finally felt the speed slow down.
When he opened his eyes!
What came into view was a vast basin-like valley.
The valley was surrounded by high mountains, with peaks piercing the sky, leaving only a single road leading into the heart of the valley.
"Friend Xuanqing, this place is at the border between Nanshan Continent and West Niu Hezhou, a Three No's Zone where humans and demons mingle. Most of the people here are background-less loose cultivators."
The Black Bear Essence slowed down the demonic wind and pointed to the valley, introducing it to Xuanqing.
From the side, Gentleman Bai She added, "For us low-level demons to survive, we can only band together and help each other out."
Of course.
Another way for them to gain power as demons was to devour humans. As long as they consumed a large number of humans, their cultivation could advance significantly.
However, the consequence of doing this would be being hunted down by the "Myriad Gods and Buddhas" and all the human race cultivators who practice exorcising demons and eliminating devils.
"Haha, Little Brother Bai She, you're too modest. Everyone knows about your pill refining skills in this area!" laughed the Black Bear Essence.
Gentleman Bai She repeatedly waved his hand, "No, no. Big Brother Black Bear's honey wine is the real unique specialty!"
After complimenting each other for a bit, they suddenly remembered that they hadn't asked Xuanqing what materials he had prepared. Could it be that thunderstruck peach wood again?
"I wonder what materials Friend Xuanqing has prepared for this trip?"
"I've prepared two stalks of Thunderstruck Peach Wood!"
Upon hearing this.
The two demons looked at each other, their hearts filled with envy.
Having a background was indeed great; they could easily acquire precious materials without taking any risks and obtain the rare Thunderstruck Peach Wood.
For a while.
The two demons didn't know what to say, but they were even more eager for the Buddhist and Taoist system in their hearts.
...
Upon entering the valley.
People coming and going, brushing shoulders, it was as bustling as if they had entered a town.
These 'people' looked rather peculiar, some had lion heads, others had long tails, and there were even those covered in scales all over their bodies.
Some of them, like Xuanqing, were true humans mingling among them. Most of them kept their heads down, not speaking and keeping a low profile.
It's worth mentioning that
The two demons, Black Bear Essence and Gentleman Bai She, seemed quite famous at the trade fair. From time to time, passing demons greeted them.
Just now,
A person with a leopard head and a tail behind him, upon seeing Black Bear Essence, immediately greeted him warmly.
"Big Brother Bear arrived very early, I'll come to your stall for honey wine in a while!"
Saying this, it seemed like he remembered the delicious taste of honey wine, and the leopard head couldn't help but unconsciously lick its tongue.
"Haha, if it isn't Old Leopard! No problem, just come to my stall later." Black Bear Essence said heartily.
.....
After walking around the valley for a while,
finally,
The footsteps of the two demons, Black Bear Essence and Gentleman Bai She, stopped under a huge ancient tree.
"Friend Xuanqing, this trade fair will last a month. Little Brother Bai She and I will set up a stall here; what do you plan to do?"
"I'll go for a walk first!" Xuanqing thought for a moment and said.
Black Bear Essence nodded, then seemed to remember something, "That's right, there are all sorts of creatures here. If you encounter any trouble, just mention the names of Black Wind Mountain Black Bear King and Azure Dragon Mountain Gentleman White Snake."
"Thank you, fellow Daoist Black Bear, fellow Daoist Bai She!"
Xuanqing smiled and bowed his hands, not saying too many polite words, but kept their kindness in his heart.
Whether it's Black Bear Essence or Gentleman Bai She, neither of them were the kind of demons who liked to eat humans. From Xuanqing's perspective, they were good demons.
In the future, if there is a chance, he could help these two demons.
After Xuanqing left,
Black Bear Essence and Gentleman Bai She began to set up their stall.
Being two famous demons in the area, one with powerful mana and the other skilled in alchemy, both possessed Sumeru storage bags.
One after another, items flew out of the Sumeru bag.
Soon,
Two stalls were set up.
Black Bear Essence sold his specialty "honey wine," while Gentleman Bai She offered various elixirs used for cultivation.
...
Meanwhile,
After leaving the two demons, Xuanqing began to stroll around.
It turns out,
The Loose Cultivator Trade Fair held every five years was quite large, with a stall set up every hundred meters or so.
It's worth mentioning that,
Most of the stalls adopted "bartering" as the most primitive trading method.
However,
A very small number of them explicitly stated the need to trade using "spirit stones."
And the owners of these stalls were all real members of the human race, not those with horns on their heads and tails behind their 'bodies'.
The items on the stalls were varied and colorful.
Mastiff rhino horns, snake skins, devil cores, herbal medicines, ores, etc., everything one could imagine was available.
It turned out,
Wandering among these stalls felt like attending a temple fair in his previous life.
Xuanqing looked around with interest at everything.
He didn't forget the purpose of his trip, looking for cultivation techniques.
Suddenly,
Not far away,
A commotion caught his attention.
"Huh?"
Xuanqing looked over and couldn't help but let out a light "huh."