Langya Blessed Land, Black Fur Continent.
Wire City was still the grandest city upon all the Black Fur Continent.
Within the city alone, tens of thousands of fur folk made their home. That was to say nothing of the countless towns and villages radiating outward beyond the city walls.
Langya Blessed Land could be called the greatest fur folk paradise under heaven — a true utopia beyond the mortal world.
The Blessed Land contained four continents. Three of them lay upon the sea, roughly similar in area. The last, though the smallest in size, floated high in the air and was known as Cloud-Canopy Continent — the most revered holy land among the fur folk of the other three continents.
The trading market in Wire City bustled with voices and clamor, one of the most famous places of commerce on the Black Fur Continent.
Today, in the southeastern corner of this trading market, a stout, portly fur folk climbed up onto a high platform.
Below the platform, a ring of fur folk had gathered. They were all broad-shouldered and sturdy, their bodies covered in thick fur.
The fur of these folk was predominantly black and brown — the main coloring of fur folk across the Black Fur Continent.
The moment that stout fur folk stepped onto the platform, heckling erupted from the crowd below.
One of them called out loudly: "Kampa, what good merchandise have you brought this time?"
The fur folk named Kampa was a slave trader by profession, specializing in the sale of slaves. His business was considerable, and he had built up a certain reputation.
At this, Kampa laughed heartily and swept his gaze over the crowd. "Rest assured, friends! This time I've brought a large number of yellow-fur slaves, and among them are a few near-master-level gu-raising hands. I guarantee you'll be satisfied."
The onlookers' eyes lit up immediately, and excited chatter broke out once more.
"Ever since the immortals on Cloud-Canopy Continent issued their decree — selecting cultivation seeds every ten years and passing down the path to immortality — war has erupted across the three continents."
"And how will they choose the cultivation seeds? It all depends on who distinguishes themselves in the wars between the three continents, catching the immortal masters' eye!"
"This time, our Black Fur Continent and the White Fur Continent have joined forces against the Yellow Fur Continent. I hear we've won quite a few battles and captured plenty of yellow furs."
"Immortality? An old man like me doesn't harbor such dreams. But these yellow-fur slaves — I'd like to get my hands on them. They'd add labor to my gu-raising workshop."
"Slaves are far better than hiring those Gu Masters. Not only are they cheaper, but their lives and deaths are in your hands. And when they produce offspring down the line, those are your family's slaves too."
...
"Friends, friends!" Kampa the fur folk raised both hands, quieting the murmuring around him. "I wouldn't dare waste your precious time. Let me bring out the first slave for everyone to see. Men — bring him up!"
"Move!" Behind the platform, a powerfully built black-fur folk yanked hard on the iron chain in his hand.
At the other end of that chain, a slave was bound — covered head to toe in wounds, his skin torn open and flesh lacerated.
It was none other than Fang Zheng, who had been subjected to brutal torture!
Fang Zheng could not withstand the black-fur folk's brute strength. A fierce tug on the chain nearly sent him toppling face-first to the ground.
But once he steadied himself, he glared fiercely at the black-fur folk before him, his face set with stubborn defiance.
Crack.
The black-fur folk raised his whip without hesitation and brought it lashing down across Fang Zheng's face.
Fang Zheng felt as though struck by lightning. First came a numbing tingle across his cheek, then an excruciating wave of pain crashed into his mind.
But he clenched his teeth hard, swallowing back the scream that surged up into his throat.
"You asking for a beating? Move it!" The black-fur folk bared his teeth in a savage grin, wrapped an arm thicker than Fang Zheng's thigh around his neck, and hoisted him off the ground.
Then the black-fur folk took great strides forward, climbed the steps, and in a few steps reached the center of the platform, where he flung Fang Zheng down hard.
Fang Zheng's neck had been squeezed so tight he could barely breathe, and his head was already spinning.
Being hurled onto the hard wooden platform nearly knocked him unconscious on the spot.
His vision swam with stars, his head reeled, and for a moment he lay sprawled on the platform, unable to stand.
"Be careful, you idiot!" Kampa snapped in anger.
The black-fur folk who had dragged Fang Zheng up didn't dare provoke him and hurriedly apologized.
"Get out!" Kampa ordered coldly.
The black-fur folk scrambled down from the platform in haste.
Kampa's face changed like a mask — all anger swept away, replaced by a beaming smile. He pointed at Fang Zheng and introduced him to the fur folk below: "This slave is a rare find. Even I had a hard time tracking him down."
This piqued the crowd's interest considerably.
"This slave is no weakling — he actually has Fifth Transformation cultivation!" Someone soon detected the faint, feeble aura of a Gu Master on Fang Zheng and cried out in surprise.
"Which city lord from the Yellow Fur Continent is this? Captured, and with nearly all his fur shaved off — what a humiliation!" Another voice followed, tinged with wonder.
On the sea-bound Black Fur Continent, Yellow Fur Continent, and White Fur Continent, each city lord held supreme authority and typically possessed Fifth Transformation cultivation.
And in fur folk custom, one's body fur was a source of deep pride. Having all of one's fur shaved off was the most humiliating punishment a fur folk could endure — in the hearts of most fur folk, it was considered even crueler than death.
To draw a comparison, it was akin to the castration of male prisoners in the ancient history of Huaxia on Earth.
Kampa laughed loudly. "You've all guessed wrong! This slave is no fur folk — he is the purest of pure humans!"
"What?"
"A human?!"
"He's a human?"
Langya Blessed Land was populated overwhelmingly by fur folk, and other races were seldom seen. Many of the fur folk present cried out in astonishment — it was their very first time laying eyes on the legendary human race.
Fang Zheng had by now recovered somewhat, but being stared up and down by all these fur folk around him made him profoundly uncomfortable.