394: Chapter 394 Eating Black Barley

[On the other side,]

[On the square in front of the City Lord's Manor's main gate.]

[Ten simple grain distribution stalls were lined up, with long queues in front of each, like a winding Dragon.]

[Despite the large crowd, everyone waited in line honestly; no one dared to cut in or speak loudly.]

[Surrounding them, squads of guards in black armor stood, their sharp gazes scanning the crowd.]

[Standing in line, you watched the guards at the grain stall pour a kind of "grain"—black, coarse, and as hard as small pebbles—into the recipients' broken bowls or cloth bags.]

[This was the so-called "black kodo rice."]

[You frowned slightly.]

[This stuff was dull and lusterless, looking like it would break teeth. The energy within was pitifully thin, and it was mixed with a trace of mottled Devilish Qi.]

[In the Immortal Realm, let alone a Mortal, even a low-level Cultivator would likely suffer from stomach discomfort or even poisoning after eating it.]

["This black kodo rice... is it really edible?" you couldn't help but mutter to yourself.]

[The child beside you immediately looked up and said earnestly, "Big brother, this is delicious! It's the... most fragrant thing I've ever eaten!"]

[As he spoke, he subconsciously licked his dry, cracked lips, and his stomach growled right on cue.]

[Looking at the longing in his eyes, you sighed softly and forced a helpless smile.]

[The hardship of survival for those at the bottom of the Demon Realm was evident.]

[As time trickled by, the line moved forward slowly until it was finally your and the child's turn.]

[A female guard patrolling nearby stopped, her gaze burning like a torch as it landed on you.]

[She wore dark red soft armor, her figure lithe and her face cold and elegant. Her expression was capable, and her cultivation was strikingly at the Nascent Soul Stage.]

[She walked up to you, sized you up carefully, a flicker of doubt crossing her eyes. Her voice was crisp: "You...?"]

[Your heart tightened.]

[Could the shallow disguise you used while flying on your sword have been seen through?]

[But you remained impassive, meeting her gaze calmly.]

[She continued, "I saw you flying on your sword earlier; your movement was swift. Your cultivation is likely already at the Foundation Establishment."]

[She paused before adding, "Since you have already achieved Grain Avoidance, why... are you still here to collect black kodo rice?"]

[So that was what she was asking.]

[You breathed a secret sigh of relief; it was a false alarm.]

[You managed a smile and pointed to the child waiting eagerly beside you. "You've misunderstood. I'm not here for myself; I just brought this child along the way. Since he's here, I'll be leaving now."]

[With that, you turned to leave.]

["Wait!"]

[The female Cultivator shifted her step, blocking your path, her eyes scrutinizing you. "You look very unfamiliar... Where do you come from? Why are you here?"]

[You were prepared. Without changing your expression, you said calmly, "To be honest, Senior, I am a Loose Cultivator. Having offended a powerful enemy in my hometown, I was forced to flee for my life and ended up here."]

["As for my specific origin... I hope Senior can forgive me, but to avoid involving friends and family back home, it is inconvenient to elaborate."]

[A Loose Cultivator, a refugee, of unknown origin—this was an incredibly common identity on the borders of the Demon Realm, and the hardest story to verify.]

[Furthermore, since you were already at 'Foundation Establishment,' you weren't protected by the iron laws governing ordinary people and Qi Refining Cultivators, making your words beyond reproach.]

[However, in the next second, she did something that made your heart skip a beat.]

[She turned, grabbed a handful of black, hard black kodo rice from a nearby grain bag, and held it directly in front of you. Her tone was flat but left no room for doubt: "Eat it."]

["Ah—?" Your eyes widened as you stared at the jagged black kodo rice, somewhat in disbelief.]

[From the clattering sound it made when the guards distributed it, you knew it was incredibly hard; a Mortal would likely have to boil it for a long time just to barely swallow it.]

[Even if you were a Cultivator with a strong stomach, there was no reason to swallow this stuff raw, right?]

["Eat. No need to chew, just swallow it directly," she urged, her eyes carrying a hint of scrutiny.]

["What are you dawdling for? The Young Miss letting you eat is her showing you respect! Eat up!" a nearby guard snapped.]

[Looking at the handful of black kodo rice that emitted a faint Devilish Qi and was as coarse as gravel, your mind raced. You instantly understood her intention—a test!]

[She was doubting your identity!]

[Doubting whether you were truly a Demon Race Cultivator or... a disguised infiltrator from the Immortal Realm!]

[This black kodo rice contained Devilish Qi. For a true Demon Race Cultivator, although it tasted terrible, once swallowed, the Devilish Qi would be naturally absorbed or neutralized by their Cultivation Technique; it would just be a poor culinary experience.]

[But for an Immortal Realm Cultivator who cultivated Spiritual Qi, this unrefined Devilish Qi, full of Impurities and violent energy, entering the stomach directly was no different from poison!]

[To eat, or not to eat?]

[If you didn't eat, you'd be suspected immediately.]

[If you did... the risk was enormous!]

["What are you waiting for? Hesitating like this, do you have something to hide?!" Seeing your hesitation, the guard gripped the hilt of his long blade.]

[In a flash, you steeled your heart and made a decision!]

[Go for it!]

[After all, you were at the Soul Transformation stage; suppressing this tiny bit of Devilish Qi energy from the black kodo rice shouldn't lead to discovery.]

[Moreover, you had cast a hexagram before coming here, and the result was auspicious.]

[You reached out and took the black kodo rice, and without even looking, shoved it into your mouth. With a gulp, you forced those coarse, jagged grains down your throat like swallowing stones!]

[The expected pain of Devilish Qi entering your body, clashing violently with your own spiritual power and even triggering a backlash, did not immediately occur.]

[Instead, you only felt a strange feverish sensation—a mix of icy cold and scorching heat—spreading rapidly from your stomach.]

[The Devilish Qi within the black kodo rice seemed to have met its nemesis. Before the intertwining forces of ice and fire in your body, it was quickly enveloped, decomposed, and devoured...]

[In the end, it actually turned into tiny, imperceptible strands of energy that merged into your blood and Qi!]

[You were stunned for a moment, and then a wave of ecstasy surged through you!]

[Ice Fire Fiend Poison Body!]

[This Physique not only granted you powerful Poison Skills, but it also seemed to possess a certain energy-devouring characteristic?]

[But thinking about it, wasn't the black kodo rice also a kind of poison to you?]

[Since it was a poison, it was equivalent to a tonic for the Ice Fire Fiend Poison Body.]

[Unless—you also possessed a Demon Race Bloodline!]

[The moment this thought appeared, you immediately snuffed it out—]

[That was too absurd.]

[Regardless, this unexpected "digestion" ability helped you overcome the current crisis!]

[You remained impassive, merely frowning slightly as if the stuff tasted terrible and was hard to swallow, but you felt no other discomfort.]

[She had been watching your reaction closely. Seeing your breath remain steady after swallowing the black kodo rice, with no signs of spiritual power disorder or Devilish Qi conflict, the last trace of doubt in her eyes finally dissipated.]

[Then she changed the subject, her tone leaving no room for argument: "Since you've drifted here from elsewhere and have no one to rely on... from now on, follow me."]}],