Chapter 2441: Seeing the Parents

Zu An instantly panicked. Was he truly destined for trouble with romance? He had done his best to avoid provoking her, but how had it still come to this? If this were in his own time, it wouldn't be a big deal, but given the time-space context, the word "great-grandmother" kept popping into his mind.

The other male Asuras, hearing this, looked at Zu An with a mix of admiration and jealousy. The admiration was natural, as the Asura tribe respected strength above all else; Zu An's recent performance had already won everyone over. The jealousy, of course, stemmed from the princess's straightforward expression of interest.

"Oh, right, what were you just asking me?" Princess Ni Huang's face showed no trace of awkwardness.

Only then did Zu An compose himself. He repeated his earlier question: "What exactly is your relationship with the Wu tribe? And why did you emerge from this sea-eye?"

"Of course, our relationship with the Wu tribe is one of undying enmity," Princess Ni Huang's expression turned cold as she mentioned the Wu tribe. "As for why we came out of this sea-eye, it's because we live inside it."

Zu An: "???"

At that moment, countless questions flooded his mind.

As if noticing his confusion, Princess Ni Huang thoughtfully began to explain: "Our Asura tribe fought countless wars with the Celestial tribe back then. However, we eventually lost and were banished to the desolate land of the Underworld. Initially, everything was normal; winners rule, losers submit, and we weren't sore losers. For years, we were all eager, constantly preparing to fight our way back, but..."

She couldn't help but sigh: "That war left us severely depleted. The Underworld is also too barren, with scarce resources and filled with death energy. As time passed, our strength not only didn't recover but actually weakened. Our plans to counterattack the Celestial tribe simply fell through."

Zu An remained silent. The Underworld was indeed exceptionally desolate. It was an environment for the dead, not suitable for the living.

"But then, a group of Wu suddenly appeared," Princess Ni Huang said, clearly annoyed. "The moment those fellows arrived, they started encroaching on our territory and seizing our already limited resources. Naturally, we wouldn't tolerate that, so a war naturally broke out between us."

"What was the outcome of the battle?" Zu An asked curiously.

A hint of embarrassment flashed across the faces of several Asuras, and even Princess Ni Huang's expression was a little unnatural. "Initially, we had the upper hand, but then an exceptionally powerful being on their side suddenly intervened. This led us to... retreat somewhat. Of course, the Wu tribe didn't gain much either."

Seeing her hesitant expression, Zu An couldn't help but chuckle inwardly. It was clear the Asura tribe had suffered a significant loss in that war. It was quite astonishing, though. To be mortal enemies with the Celestials, the Asura tribe's strength was undeniable. Yet, they had actually lost?

"Who was that exceptionally powerful being of the Wu tribe?" Zu An asked curiously.

"I don't know their exact name, only that the Wu tribe refers to them as 'Ancestral Witch' [Zu Wu]," Princess Ni Huang's expression showed some resentment. She clearly still harbored ill feelings about that war's defeat.

"Ancestral Witch!" Zu An's heart jumped. In the myths and legends of Earth from his previous life, after the primordial chaos, Pangu created the heavens and earth, his eyes became the sun and moon, and his body transformed into all things in the world. His twelve drops of essence blood became the Twelve Ancestral Witches, the progenitors of the Wu tribe, demonstrating their immense power.

Zu An recalled that beings of the Ancestral Witch rank were typically among the most powerful in mythological systems. He hadn't expected to encounter one. For a moment, he felt a surge of panic. However, his varied experiences over the years quickly calmed him. He thought, 'When soldiers come, repel them; when floods come, block them.' Besides, the opponent might not be the kind of being he imagined. Furthermore, to some extent, his current combat power seemed not far from that of some figures in the myths of his previous life.

"What's the story with the Wu tribe? Why are they in the Underworld?" Zu An wanted to confirm if the Wu tribe in this world had any connection to the mythological Wu tribe.

"After years of conflict, we've learned a few things about them," Princess Ni Huang explained. "It seems the Wu tribe had a massive war with the Demon tribe. Whether they lost or something else happened, they were also driven to the Underworld. What's strange, though, is that the Demon tribe they speak of also seems to reside in the heavens. And they mention a 'Heavenly Court,' which sounds quite similar to our enemies, the Celestial tribe."

Zu An couldn't help but say, "So, it sounds like you have a common enemy. Shouldn't the enemy of your enemy be your friend?"

Princess Ni Huang scoffed. "Our Asura tribe wins honorably; we don't need to rely on others' strength."

Zu An: "..."

He felt the Asura tribe seemed like straightforward, headstrong individuals.

Another male Asura nearby couldn't help but add: "Furthermore, although they also live in the heavens, the Demon tribe—enemies of the Wu—don't seem to be the same as our Celestial tribe. Plus, the Wu are all big oafs, so conflicts naturally arose constantly between us, eventually escalating into a full-blown war."

Zu An thought to himself, 'Both are warrior races, so it's normal for them to fight.'

Zu An then asked curiously, "You just came up from the Underworld. What are you planning to do?"

"We didn't really have a plan," Princess Ni Huang said, looking a little embarrassed. "It's just that the Wu tribe had been guarding this sea-eye. Not long ago, they noisily left, but then returned looking furious, even withdrawing their troops stationed near the sea-eye. We wanted to know what happened up here, so I brought them up to investigate."

As she spoke, Princess Ni Huang let out a surprised sound. She looked Zu An up and down. "It seems you came from above. You must know what happened, right?"

Zu An's expression was odd. "Indeed, I know a thing or two."

Princess Ni Huang was overjoyed. She eagerly pressed him for details. The other male Asuras also looked at him expectantly.

"They went up and fought with the Sea tribe. I happen to be on good terms with the Sea tribe, and I lent a small hand..." Zu An roughly described the earlier events, omitting the details.

To his surprise, Princess Ni Huang looked at him suspiciously. "I know those Sea tribe members; while not weak, they primarily rely on some sealing formations. They're certainly no match for Ox-Head, Horse-Face, Golden Fetters, or Silver Chains. They probably lost to you, didn't they?"

"It wasn't exactly a defeat; we only exchanged blows for a short time. They clearly had many trump cards they hadn't used," Zu An recalled the situation and made the most objective assessment.

"You're good at everything, except you're a bit hypocritical," Princess Ni Huang snorted. "That Ox-Head is extremely short-tempered. If he could have won, why would he retreat so easily? He clearly decided he couldn't gain an advantage against you, which is why he withdrew. Haha, it's been a long time since I saw them in such a pathetic state!"

The male Asura named Pilu, who had been there before, instantly breathed a sigh of relief. He had initially found it humiliating to have been defeated by Zu An, but realizing that even Ox-Head and Horse-Face had been defeated, his back straightened immediately.

Princess Ni Huang became more and more excited as she spoke. Suddenly, she grabbed Zu An's arm. "No, I absolutely must introduce such a powerful person to my royal brother! You must come back with me. Having defeated Ox-Head and Horse-Face, you are the most honored guest of our Asura tribe!"

Feeling the pressure on his arm, Zu An instinctively touched his nose, trying to prevent a nosebleed. This female Asura truly had a fiery figure, and what's more, she was dressed provocatively. Didn't she realize it herself...?

In the end, he did not refuse. He had been planning to explore the Underworld anyway. Having some friends was always better than having only enemies.