Chapter 2613: 6: Dugu Zhen the Invincible, Eastern Sea Mountain Blessed Land

Gong Bai was a person of Luo Country, and only at fifty-three years old did a stroke of fortune enable him to achieve God Descending. Of course, the process of this "stoke of fortune" was not so gentle.

Snakes have their ways, rats have theirs, different people ultimately have different methods.

Ordinary people live off the land and water; in Luo Country, he naturally subsisted on the Water Race.

Luo Country, known as the "Water Country," most aptly reflected the Human and Water Tribe conflicts and was the most resented by the Water Tribe.

Every time the Yellow River Gathering convened, the old dragon from the Long River Dragon Palace would wear grand attire and dutifully sit on the Guanhe Platform to observe the ceremony.

The Qingjiang Aquatic Clan of Zhuang Country submitted completely to Zhuang Ting, the Lan River Water Mansion of Yong Country fought for Yong Ting, and even the Wei River Water Tribe was the backbone of the Qin Army... This is commonly the case all over the world.

The covenant between the Human and Water Tribes was signed in the Middle Ancient Era. It has persisted until now, with both parties intimately intertwined, friends and not foes.

In a grand trend of hundreds of thousands of years of harmonious co-existence between Humans and the Water Tribe, or rather, the Water Tribe’s total subjugation to the Humans, what happens in Luo Country might not even be called a "conflict."

At least a conflict is a reciprocal relationship, yet in Luo Country it should more accurately be described as unilateral bullying of the Water Tribe.

Everyone in Luo Country knows water, everyone knows how to steer a boat.

The cultivators of Luo Country are generally proficient in Water Taoism Techniques—rather than just proficient in Water Taoism Techniques, it is more fitting to say they are proficient in "techniques to deal with the Water Tribe."

In Luo Country, the trade of Water Tribe slaves is nearly an open business, whereas in many places, it is explicitly prohibited.

One might even say that the slave trade is essentially a business banned by law—

Once, it was not uncommon.

The enslavement of one group by another has run throughout human history.

Before the stand taken by Bing Wu, one of the Eight Ministers of the Human Emperor, called the "Soldier Ancestor" by later generations, "Transcendent Cultivators" and "ordinary people" were almost considered two different species.

At that time, many natural meridian openers regarded themselves as humans and others as apes.

Later there was the Energizing Blood and Stamina Pulse, there were Skills of the Soldier Home... it was precisely the power of countless ordinary people gathering together that ended the supremely dark Ancient era.

Of course, even till now, there are many whose strength surpasses others, whose wisdom surpasses others, and whose wealth surpasses others, who do not regard others as humans. But this can no longer become mainstream, does not conform to contemporary morality, and violates the laws of various countries... Any person of insight can therefore stand up to uphold justice. As Jiang Wang did when executing Ge Heng in Green Sheep town, this is the great cause.

In the contemporary world, there were countries where the open sale of human slaves once existed, soaring to power through the huge profits from human trafficking.

Later, Han Shentu, Wu Bingyi, and Gongsun Buhai, the three True Monarchs of the Triple Punishment Palace, joined forces to destroy such a country, curbing this trend.

For instance, the fighting arenas that flourished in the Northern Territory initially widely used slaves for death battles.

As of now, apart from death-row prisoners, the vast majority of fighters are volunteers who sign contracts with the fighting arenas to receive corresponding remuneration. The existence of slaves is not allowed.

The only current situation where human slaves still exist is in captive prisoners after wars between the Various Countries.

There has always been a segment of people who maintain the belief that "wars between Various Countries are unjust, and the collapse of ritual and music starts here," staunchly opposing war. One crucial reason being the plight of war captives, making people feel as if they are "still in the Ancient times." (As seen in "Strange Tales of the Four Seas")

Of course, the Demon Clan, Sea Clan, and Asura Tribe, these different clans, do not fall under the protection of the law, nor are they bound by internal Human Tribe moral constraints.

So, in the Gray Wolf Fighting Arena, you can still see demons engaging in death battles.

Back to Luo Country.

Luo Country is just a small country, adjacent to Zhuang and Yong, with the blank area formed between the three countries being the place where Irredeemable City later stood.

Among the three countries surrounding Irredeemable City, Luo Country has always been the last ranking. Historically, it allied with Yong to suppress Zhuang, allied with Zhuang to strike Yong, always swaying with the east wind or west wind.

Logically, Luo Country does not possess the strength to semi-openly violate taboos and antagonize the world’s Water Tribes.

There are, of course, complex reasons behind this, but the most important reason is—current Water Tribes are no longer a monolith.

The Long River Dragon Monarch claims to govern the Water Tribes of the world, but in truth, can only manage His own Dragon Palace.

The Wei River Water Tribe belongs to Qin, the Qingjiang Aquatic Clan belongs to Zhuang... even along the Long River, each segment belongs to a country. There is no room for the Long River Dragon Palace to step in.

And Luo Country never provokes Water Tribes that have backing, always "hunting" in wild lakes and waters. Of course, "poaching" in places like Qing River and Lan River has occurred historically, for wealth moves people’s hearts.

Gong Bai, with his God Descending Realm cultivation, is the Salt Transport Officer of the Salt Transport Governor’s office of Luo Country.

The office responsible for controlling Luo Country’s economic lifeline is nominally titled "Salt Transport," but what it actually transports is almost an open secret.

In the small Luo Country, Gong Bai’s status can almost be said to be second only to one person, incredibly prestigious. But looking at the world, he knows well his own situation, and can see clearly.

In recent years, Zhuang and Yong have been active, expanding here, reforming there. The small and weak Luo Country shows submission to both yet keeps relying on its old resources.

The slave trade, while certainly a cost-free business, has a very low upper limit in the current situation.

Trading humans is a taboo, with the greatest benefit but the least daring to touch it.

Raiding the Demon Clan, Sea Clan, Asura Tribe... is beyond their capability.