Ji Xia's expression grew increasingly cold.
Feigning curiosity, he observed the gruesome scenes of countless creatures being slaughtered, his heart clouded with darkness.
Especially when he saw the last row of humans hanging there, anger boiled within him, nearly erupting to destroy every one of these donkey-headed monsters before him.
"This esteemed guest, may I ask if you are a tavern owner or perhaps selecting goods for nobility? Judging by your appearance, you must be from the Da Fu tribe, correct?" Li Lang, the donkey-headed figure accompanying him, asked as he noticed Ji Xia looking around.
Ji Xia nodded casually.
Li Lang continued, "So, do you have any particular preferences for these goods? This is the largest slaughterhouse in all of Da Fu. The Xiu Yang Upper Palace is home to nobles who detest the stench of blood, so this slaughterhouse is relatively small."
"Outside the southern city of Fengfu, there's another slaughterhouse sprawling over a thousand acres. Whatever goods you can imagine, we have them."
Feigning nonchalance, Ji Xia asked, "Which of these meats sells the best for taverns?"
Li Lang pointed to a row in the distance, "Those are creatures from the Rabbit-Eared Tribe—humanoid, with human faces and rabbit ears. Their meat is tender, sweet, and devoid of any gaminess. It's highly popular."
Ji Xia glanced over at the Rabbit-Eared Tribe members, many of whom were awaiting slaughter, their eyes tightly shut, seemingly unconscious. These Rabbit-Eared beings resembled young human women; aside from the pair of rabbit ears, they were almost indistinguishable from humans or the Da Fu people.
"If you're interested in the Rabbit-Eared Tribe, you'll need to place a bulk order and pay a 60% deposit upfront. This meat is in such high demand that we don't sell it in small quantities."
Ji Xia continued observing and then asked, "If this meat is considered ordinary goods, then what are the rare delicacies?"
Li Lang replied, "In terms of taste, Rabbit-Eared Tribe meat is among the best. Not much surpasses it. Rare goods, however, are not always about flavor; they may be prized for their scarcity or the difficulty in capturing them."
With that, he gestured for Ji Xia to follow him through a side corridor, leading to a smaller building.
Compared to the massive slaughterhouse earlier, the scene here was far cleaner and tidier, with sturdy cages lining the space.
Inside these cages were various creatures, their faces either expressionless or filled with despair as they sat or lay in silence. Upon noticing someone entering, their spirits seemed to return, and they began shouting angrily.
"The meat here is all rare goods," Li Lang explained, unfazed by the creatures' outbursts. "Some come from exceptionally powerful tribes, rivaling the Da Fu people. They were captured while traveling through our lands."
"Others are royal members or nobles from certain tribes. Their status makes them unique, offering a different kind of experience."
He then gestured proudly towards several isolated cells nearby. "And here are eleven new arrivals, all with cultivation levels in the Ninth Realm! These are extremely coveted. Many noble lords, weak in cultivation themselves, enjoy consuming such beings to bolster their health. This batch just arrived and hasn't been advertised yet; otherwise, they'd already be sold out."
Ji Xia examined the eleven Ninth-Realm cultivators, their inner powers seemingly sealed. A faint spiritual energy fluctuated around them, but they were indeed Ninth-Realm experts.
"Hmm?"
Ji Xia's gaze paused on one particular middle-aged human within a cage. The man sat cross-legged with his eyes closed, his faint spiritual energy like a flickering candle in the wind.
Yet, under Ji Xia's Daylight Spirit Eyes, he saw that the man's power was tightly concealed by a layer of blue light. The searing energy beneath was impossible to hide.
"He is indeed a Ninth-Realm powerhouse," Ji Xia thought, a faint smile forming at the corner of his mouth.
"And what's more, he's human!"
The caged human opened his eyes briefly to glance at Ji Xia and Li Lang before closing them again.
Ji Xia coughed lightly and suddenly asked in a low voice, "Do you have any Da Fu people?"
"What… what did you say?" Li Lang was taken aback.
"Do you sell Da Fu people's meat?"
Li Lang's expression turned awkward as he responded, "Surely you jest, esteemed guest. This is the capital of the Da Fu tribe; how could we sell Da Fu flesh?"
Ji Xia snorted coldly, then asked, "What about meat from divine powerhouses?"
Li Lang's face grew increasingly rigid, his brow furrowed. Spiritual energy began to ripple around him as he said, "Esteemed guest, you're not here to cause trouble, are you?"
A surge of overwhelming spiritual energy suddenly erupted from Ji Xia, flooding the entire building. The imprisoned creatures, sensing this immense pressure, were visibly shaken.
Even the eleven Ninth-Realm experts exchanged shocked glances through their cages.
Ji Xia's expression remained grim as he stared at Li Lang.
Feeling the crushing aura, Li Lang broke into a cold sweat and forced a smile. "I must have misunderstood your earlier words. Please forgive me."
"Forgive?" Ji Xia retracted his spiritual energy, his expression softening into a smile. "Of course. I have peculiar tastes. As a Da Fu person myself, I've always wanted to try Da Fu flesh, especially from divine powerhouses. You claimed to have everything, yet you can't meet either of my requests. Are you toying with me?"
Li Lang internally panicked. Although his cultivation was not weak, having reached the Heavenly Barrier Realm, the sheer power radiating from this Da Fu youth left him trembling.
"What kind of noble offspring is this? My Heavenly Barrier-level aura was instantly suppressed!"
Not daring to hesitate, Li Lang forced a smile. "Since we don't have Da Fu flesh or divine powerhouses, perhaps this closest option would suffice?"
He pointed to the human in the cage. "This is a human, and a Ninth-Realm expert at that. Perhaps it will do?"
Relieved by the shift in tone, Li Lang added eagerly, "If you want this item, esteemed guest, I can even give you a discount."
As Ji Xia scrutinized the caged human, Li Lang asked again, "Would you like us to prepare the goods for you, or simply clean and deliver them alive to your residence?"
Ji Xia didn't respond directly, instead asking nonchalantly, "Do humans sell well?"
Li Lang shook his head. "Humans look too similar to the Da Fu people, and their meat is fatty and lacks flavor. Moreover, humans are considered lowly, and many nobles refuse to eat them. They sell poorly here. In contrast, in some nations thousands of miles away, humans are treated like livestock—cheap and abundant."
"I do have two young humans left, a boy and a girl, about eleven or twelve years old. Their meat is relatively decent. If you'd like to sample human flesh, I could include them as a complimentary gift."
Ji Xia's expression remained unreadable as he glanced at Li Lang. "I live on Zhongjing Street, in Yanxiang Residence. Clean and dress these three humans properly, and have them delivered to my estate."
He flicked his wrist, producing a handful of spiritual crystals—about seventy or eighty in total.
"Once they're delivered, I'll pay the remaining balance."
Li Lang bowed deeply, accepting the crystals with glee. "It will take no more than half an hour to have them delivered to your estate."
As Ji Xia turned and walked away, he glanced briefly at the caged middle-aged human before leaving without another word.