Chapter 930: For the Tiger

The reason Zuan released his grip so easily was not only because he trusted Xue'er, but also because he had just noticed that the woman's sword had held back, indicating she meant him no harm.

Seeing him release his grip, the maid quickly ran to shield the mysterious woman, vigilantly watching Zuan as she asked, "Mistress, are you alright?"

"I'm fine," the mysterious woman replied, rubbing her throat, which was clearly sore from where Zuan had held her.

Nanxun also quickly scurried to hide beside her, looking fearfully at Zuan, still visibly shaken by the recent events.

The mysterious woman gently pushed the maid aside, then looked at Zuan's back and said, "Let me tend to your wound first."

With a gesture, the sword-like object instantly transformed into a green streak of light, flying back into her hand, where it again became a soft feather.

Zuan was somewhat surprised. "This thing of yours is quite remarkable; it can be both soft and hard."

The mysterious woman sighed. "It's your body that's unexpectedly hard."

She had expected that last sword strike to severely injure him, but it had only managed to barely pierce his skin.

Nanxun, standing nearby, let out a soft chuckle, her expression extremely odd.

The mysterious woman first froze, then realized that their recent conversation carried a double meaning.

Her cheeks flushed slightly, and she quickly changed the subject. "Nanxun, go bandage Young Master Zu's wound."

This girl dared to laugh at her; she deserved a little punishment.

"Ah!" Nanxun looked conflicted. Zuan's casual grab had almost seared her ankle, and she was subconsciously afraid.

However, she couldn't defy her mistress's command. She reluctantly approached Zuan from behind, but the closer she got, the more she felt his entire body radiating heat like a sun, making her extremely uncomfortable.

The mysterious woman was surprised. "Young Master's cultivation method is quite unusual; it seems to suppress Nanxun's very being."

Zuan then put away his Primordial Chaos Scripture, and Nanxun immediately felt the intense heat from him disappear. She breathed a sigh of relief and began to bandage his wound.

In truth, this minor injury was nothing to Zuan; with his body's powerful regenerative abilities, it would heal naturally in no time. However, there was no need to reveal this in front of outsiders.

"You still haven't answered my question," Zuan said, staring intently at the mysterious woman.

"My name is Kong Nanwu," the mysterious woman replied. After a moment of hesitation, she continued, "As you've probably guessed, in human terms, I am a demon."

Zuan wasn't surprised. He looked at the maid beside her. "And what race is she?"

"Huhu is a young girl from the Fox Clan." Kong Nanwu affectionately patted the maid's head, clearly pleased with her loyal protective reaction earlier.

Zuan was somewhat surprised. He hadn't expected her to be a descendant of Daji. He wondered how this little girl would react if he were to release Daji.

Of course, he wouldn't be so reckless. He looked at Kong Nanwu and asked, "Is Miss Kong also from the Fox Clan?"

Kong Nanwu shook her head. "No, I am from the Feathered Clan."

"Feathered Clan?" Zuan felt a bit dizzy. First demons, then Fox Clan, now Feathered Clan. He suddenly remembered her surname, and a thought flashed through his mind. "So you're a peacock!"

Kong Nanwu was speechless.

She took a deep breath, calming herself. "While what you said isn't entirely wrong in a certain sense, it still sounds rather irritating."

Zuan gave an embarrassed smile. "No offense intended. How do you know Xue'er?"

Their relationship seemed quite good.

Kong Nanwu replied, "Because we both belong to the Feathered Clan, our interactions are naturally closer."

Zuan felt a headache coming on. "What's the deal with your racial classifications? My head hurts just trying to understand."

Kong Nanwu hesitated for a moment, then explained, "This isn't really a secret, so there's no harm in telling you. You humans refer to the Feathered Clan, Beast Clan, Demon Clan, Sea Clan, Dragon Clan, and so on, all as 'demons.' However, within our own communities, the term 'demon' in its narrow sense only refers to the Feathered Clan, Beast Clan, and a few other minor categories. Calling races like the Demon Clan, Sea Clan, or Dragon Clan 'demons' isn't entirely accurate. Of course, since humans are powerful, we all have to band together, so being grouped under one name isn't a huge issue."

"And within the Feathered Clan and Beast Clan, there are many further subdivisions..."

Zuan nodded in understanding. Cat girls, bunny girls, and fox spirits, though all part of the Beast Clan, definitely belonged to different sub-categories within it.

Kong Nanwu continued, "Within the Feathered Clan, there are three great royal families: the Golden-winged Rocs, Peacocks, and Sprites. Sister Xue'er is from the Sprite Clan, which is why we are quite familiar with each other."

Zuan realized, "Peacock, then was that feather you used just now plucked from your tail?"

No wonder it was so dazzling. When the verdant green was unleashed, it felt as though countless eyes were staring at him. Wasn't that exactly like a peacock's tail feather?

But in the animal world, only male peacocks have beautiful tail feathers. This one in front of him wouldn't happen to be a male, would it?

"Lewd scoundrel!" The little Fox Clan maid beside them glared at Zuan, letting out an indignant huff.

Kong Nanwu said coolly, "I'm afraid I cannot answer such a private question, Young Master."

Zuan thought to himself, *Doesn't saying that indirectly reveal something anyway?*

To avoid awkwardness, he changed the subject. "Is Nanxun also one of your demon race? I'm surprised you have such influence, to be able to arrange for her to become a concubine in the Prince Qi's residence."

Prince Qi was known to be the second most powerful human figure, and yet his bedfellow was a demon. Who knew how much classified information she had unearthed?

Nanxun's expression changed. The other party had indeed figured out her identity.

Kong Nanwu shook her head. "No, she is not a demon; she is human. She merely exists as a ghost now."

"A ghost?" Zuan frowned, scrutinizing Nanxun. While the souls of powerful human cultivators could indeed persist for a period after death, this period was typically short. Without special encounters or circumstances, they would dissipate due to the rules of heaven and earth, lasting only a few hours at shortest, or a few months at longest.

This was also why Zhao Hao was so eager for immortality; if he could have persisted as a ghost, he wouldn't have bothered with such concerns.

Although Nanxun had some cultivation foundation, it was clearly not high. Theoretically, her ghost should have dissipated quickly, let alone appearing so openly and becoming a courtesan.

As if discerning his confusion, Kong Nanwu explained, "To be precise, she is what's called a 'chāngguǐ' [tiger's minion ghost]. The Tiger Clan possesses a secret technique that allows them to enslave the souls of those they devour or kill, turning them into chāngguǐ to serve their bidding. Unlike ordinary souls, these chāngguǐ can exist indefinitely between heaven and earth, provided they are regularly nourished with vital essence."

Zuan immediately understood. This was the origin of the idiom "to act as a chāngguǐ for a tiger," except in his previous life, this idiom was just a legend. In this fantastical world, it had become a reality.

"And I happen to know this secret technique as well," Kong Nanwu continued. "Some time ago, when I passed near Prince Qi's residence, I sensed a sky-high accumulation of resentment there. Her soul was wandering nearby, on the verge of dissipating at any moment, so I used the secret technique to refine her into a chāngguǐ. That's how her soul was preserved."

Nanxun bowed to her. "Thank you for saving me, Mistress."

Zuan asked, "This name must have been given to her recently, correct?"

Otherwise, if she had been known by her real name in the capital, Prince Qi would have likely found out long ago, even if he didn't frequent courtesan houses.

"That's right. After a soul is refined into a chāngguǐ, it can be renamed, completely severing its past," Kong Nanwu replied.

Zuan looked at Nanxun. "Were you truly killed by Prince Qi?"

Although he had already made an assumption, with the actual person present, it was naturally best to ask her directly for clarity.

"Yes, I was indeed killed by Zhao Jing," Nanxun replied calmly, as if speaking of something entirely unrelated to herself.

"Why did he kill you?" Zuan asked, this being what he understood least.

"Because I was a spy sent by the Emperor to be by his side," Nanxun answered.

Zuan was utterly baffled.