I Can Reincarnate Infinitely

The meat Jinrong prepared for Du Youqian’s visit was truly exquisite.

It required almost no seasoning; the natural aroma and savory flavor of the ingredients alone were enough to make one want to swallow their own tongue.

That ultimate indulgence reminded Du Youqian of descriptions he had read about eating Wagyu beef—though, of course, he had never eaten it himself and could only imagine.

When it came to personal enjoyment, Du Youqian was actually quite easygoing. He could savor delicacies from land and sea and appreciate supreme rarities like dragon liver and phoenix marrow, but he could also find contentment in simple meals. If things got desperate, he could even make do with grass roots, tree bark, and coarse bran.

So, since he had the chance to feast today, he didn’t hold back, eating with a complete disregard for his image.

And Jinrong, along with the several Tier Three and Tier Four Demon Kings who were hosting him, was actually delighted to see Du Youqian’s lack of table manners.

They felt it showed he was giving them a great deal of face.

Jinrong and the others didn’t eat meat. On the plates in front of them were meticulously washed roots, green vegetables, and berries.

There were also some plump insects—some cooked, some still alive, some a glistening white, others iridescent and multi-colored, all wriggling about.

Yet, upon seeing them eat the insects, Du Youqian seemed to pay it no mind. He showed no strange expression, nor any hint of contempt or disgust.

This was something they could all sense.

As a result, they felt even more warmth and friendship toward Du Youqian.

Coupled with the "Thousand-Day Drunk" that Du Youqian had brought, the effects of the alcohol quickly brought the host and guest closer.

Soon, Du Youqian grew familiar with the rulers of the Long-tailed Golden Chicken clan.

While everyone was flushed with wine and in high spirits, Du Youqian seized the opportunity to propose a collaboration with the Long-tailed Golden Chicken clan. He suggested that they could escort Ruihan City’s merchant caravans on the journey between the Immortal City Alliance and the Endless Desert Sea, or perhaps even handle the transportation themselves.

Although Jinrong’s feathers hid his expression, he had begun to sway his head, his gaze no longer so clear. He chuckled, "Collaboration? No need. We’re friends. If you need a delivery made once or twice, I can arrange it for you. Helping a friend with a small favor is no problem. But if you’re planning a long-term route, you’d better find another race. The Long-tailed Golden Chicken clan doesn’t do that kind of work."

Du Youqian wasn’t discouraged by the refusal.

He had performed a Divination before coming, and the result was ’auspicious’.

As long as he didn’t lose his head and speak carelessly, he should be able to win over the Long-tailed Golden Chicken clan in the end.

"I can get my hands on Bi Fang Gravel, and I might also be able to find Thorny Insects. I can guarantee the former, but the latter will depend on luck."

To Du Youqian’s surprise, there was no ’in the end’ about it.

The moment the words left his mouth, several Demon Kings leaned in close. "How often will you be making shipments? How much will the cargo weigh each time? What if we have a Tier Three King lead a team to deliver it for you?"

...This eagerness, the fawning look in their small eyes, made Du Youqian believe what Kai Feng Master had told him the night before—if he could really secure a stable supply of Thorny Insects, he could even negotiate for a Tier Four Long-tailed Golden Chicken as a mount.

"The frequency of deliveries and the weight of the cargo can be discussed further. This is a partnership, after all. Both sides need to be satisfied," Du Youqian said with a smile. "As for compensation..."

"We don’t want any compensation! Just Bi Fang Gravel!" Jinrong interrupted excitedly.

Another female Tier Four Long-tailed Golden Chicken named Jin Xiu chimed in, "And Thorny Insects!"

The female Long-tailed Golden Chicken’s plumage was less vibrant than the male’s, its tail feathers were not as long or impressive, and its body was smaller.

However, they were said to be better flyers, with greater endurance and agility.

Therefore, Du Youqian didn’t dare to slight her. If they reached an agreement, he would likely need many female Long-tailed Golden Chickens for his freight operations.

"I can’t guarantee the Thorny Insects. But once I’ve established the trade route, I can use my connections to ask around. The Human World is vast and full of resources; I imagine there must be a place that produces them. As for the Bi Fang Gravel, I do know where to get it, but I’ll only be able to acquire it after the trade route is open."

"Where? Where is the Bi Fang Gravel?" Jinrong pressed.

Du Youqian slowly raised his small wine cup, tilted his head back, and downed it in one go, smacking his lips afterward.

The Demon Kings watched this series of slow movements with eager eyes, wanting to hurry him but not daring to.

Finally, Du Youqian smiled at them. "Trade secret. I’m afraid I can’t tell you."

The Long-tailed Golden Chicken Demon Kings nodded in disappointment while making clucking sounds. For the Long-tailed Golden Chicken clan, nodding signifies negation or refusal, while shaking their heads indicates affirmation.

However, they understood and didn’t press Du Youqian to reveal it.

Come to think of it, even the most cunning of the Demon Race seemed absurdly naive in Du Youqian’s eyes.

A race like the Long-tailed Golden Chickens, not exactly known for their intelligence, was as naive as a sixteen-year-old girl—the kind who’d believe you if you told her, "I’ll just rub against it, I won’t put it in."

If not for their innate sensitivity to malicious intent and danger, this race would have likely been hunted to extinction by humans long ago, their tail feathers made into Treasures and their roasted wings served at the dinner table.

As for the demon races known for their cruelty, if one were to truly examine the so-called examples of their "brutality," one would realize it was merely their way of life or their customs, not a conscious desire to commit atrocities.

The truly most cunning, treacherous, and cruelest race was... well, best not to say. It would disrupt the harmony.

What kind of race slaughters its own kind for sport?

What kind of race enslaves and brutalizes its own people for its own pleasure?

What kind of race massacres hundreds of thousands, even millions, of its own, just to seize land and wealth, for differences in faith, for the sake of intimidation, or simply to boast of its military prowess?

Du Youqian would say, ’I can’t speak the name, you’ll have to figure it out for yourselves.’

That was why he felt more relaxed and at ease interacting with the Demon Race than with the Human Race.

But he would never forget which side he was on. "Those not of our race are sure to have different hearts." This was a world ruled by the Human Race, and that was what made it so beautiful.

He could never tolerate such a beautiful world falling under the claws of an Alien Race.

The Demon Race, or rather, the Ten Thousand Races, were all well and good.

But the Human World belonged to the Human Race.

At this moment, a vague idea that had been forming in his mind—one that had emerged while he played with Little Wukong and interacted with Jie Yu—suddenly became clear to Du Youqian.

If he achieved Enlightenment, he hoped this world would be a peaceful one under the rule of the Human Race.

The Ten Thousand Races could not challenge the dominion of the Human Race, but they would have their own places to live, to enjoy safety, to prosper, and to be free from human exploitation and abuse.

Although his thoughts had crystallized, Du Youqian did not voice them, nor would he ever tell anyone.

Never mind that he was just a minor Golden Core Cultivator now.

Even if he reached Divinity Transformation or advanced to the Void Step Realm, he would have no right to make such grand pronouncements.

Even a Great Power at the Void Step Realm might be a player within their own sphere of influence, but on the world stage, they were merely a piece on the board.

The face and voice of that unknown Emperor from eons past surfaced in Du Youqian’s mind.

’Perhaps only a Great Power like that is qualified to be a player, using the world as a board and all living beings as pieces.’

’But even a Great Power like that had likely fallen, and even his name had not been passed down to the present world.’

Du Youqian’s moment of distraction was, in reality, just a brief instant to the outside world.

He quickly turned back to the Long-tailed Golden Chickens with a smile. "Right now, I have something you want. And you have something I want. Don’t you think that’s the perfect foundation for cooperation?"

The Long-tailed Golden Chicken Demon Kings looked at each other, exchanging glances, little knowing that their eyes had already betrayed their thoughts completely.

’Should we agree?’

’Of course! That’s Bi Fang Gravel, and maybe even Thorny Insects!’

’What if he proposes harsh terms?’

’We can negotiate. If it really comes down to it, we’ll just have to agree. The Bi Fang Gravel and Thorny Insects are too important!’

’Exactly! If this continues, we’ll soon degenerate into a lower race incapable of producing an emperor-level expert! In another ten or twenty thousand years, we might not even be able to produce kings! For the long term, we have to agree. We’re the ones who need this partnership more, not him!’

’Don’t you guys know how transparent your eyes are?’ Du Youqian thought.

’No wonder you’ve never partnered with the Human Race before... Acting like this, if you collaborated with anyone, you’d probably still be helping them count the money after they sold you.’

Of course, Du Youqian wanted to make a profit, but he didn’t want to exploit them too ruthlessly.

He wanted to build a channel that could operate for the long haul—not just for a day, but for thousands or even tens of thousands of years.

A win-win situation was therefore very important. As long as he won twice as much, and let a few benefits leak through his fingers for them, this partnership could last for a long time.

So, after the Long-tailed Golden Chicken Demon Kings finished their eye-contact conversation, Jinrong came to negotiate. He asked how much cargo would be transported each trip and how much Bi Fang Gravel Du Youqian was willing to pay. Du Youqian replied, "A weight that can be transported by one Tier Three King and a hundred ordinary Tier Two members. As for how much gravel to pay..."

He thought for a moment. Each trip would indeed require a lot of effort from the Long-tailed Golden Chickens, so he couldn’t squeeze them too hard.

𝗳𝚛𝗲𝕖𝕨𝕖𝗯𝚗𝚘𝕧𝕖𝗹.𝗰𝗼𝕞

He gestured the number "three."

’Three jin of gravel should be about right,’ he thought.

Jinrong blinked. "Three pieces? That’s a bit low, isn’t it? Add a little more."