Demon, come and cultivate for me.

Zhou Chu's question was quickly resolved.

Although these artifacts from the State of Lu were practical, they were not widely adopted in other states, and few people used them even within Lu itself.

Along the way, Zhou Chu saw farmers, woodcutters, hunters, merchants, fishermen and other laborers in the State of Lu still engaging in the most primitive manual labor.

Some people's tools were even less advanced than those of the people of Yan.

These exquisite artifacts from the State of Lu could only become playthings for the upper class, and could not fulfill their due value.

Zhou Chu realized that there were two reasons for this situation.

The first thing is the price.

The flying boat, a large aircraft, was newly developed and was extremely expensive, making it unaffordable for ordinary people.

Even the wealthy royal family of Yan only managed to buy one flying boat, and they traded several cities with the state of Lu for it.

The wooden ox and flowing horse are also quite expensive; the price of one can buy four or five horses.

The second reason is that the practical threshold is relatively high.

These things don't have any fuel; they are powered entirely by the martial artist's own internal energy.

Ordinary people, or low-level martial artists, simply cannot control it freely.

In Zhou Chu's view, the greatest energy source in this world is the true qi within a martial artist's body.

With improved cultivation, one possesses inexhaustible true energy, truly allowing one to do whatever one pleases.

Where does a person's vital energy come from?

It is through a specific method that one draws upon the essence of heaven and earth, which then enters oneself and is transformed into true qi.

Zhou Chu thought to himself, if there were a cultivation method that could not discriminate based on aptitude, allowing everyone to increase their cultivation and develop true qi, wouldn't the world develop very well?

According to the ingrained thinking from my previous life, the development of productive forces will affect changes in social relations and alter social contradictions.

In essence, martial artists and ordinary people are on two different levels in this world.

Simply put, martial artists are privileged and rulers, while ordinary people are contributors and those who are notified.

The duty of martial artists is to protect ordinary people from evil spirits, while ordinary people support martial artists through their labor.

The higher a martial artist's level, the more privileges they enjoy.

If everyone could become a martial artist, possessing the abilities and lifespan of a martial artist, then the demons that roam the world would no longer pose a threat to the human race.

To humans, monsters are simply ordinary insects.

While in the capital, Zhou Chu read many books about the world.

What he read most in the books was how amazing the ancient human race was.

They could create the world, move mountains and fill seas; they were practically omnipotent.

More importantly, the ancient human race fought against the heavens and the earth, but not against each other.

Under the emperor's rule, the people lived in peace and prosperity. Doors were left unlocked at night, and no one picked up lost items on the road. Everyone lived a life of plenty.

This wonderful era was shattered by a sudden war thousands of years ago.

No books record how the war began, why it began, how it was fought, or who ultimately won or lost.

In all the books, there are only a few words about this war: "The Ancient War Between Gods and Demons".

The course of this war, which lasted for several years, is completely blank, as if it had been erased by some force.

What is clear is that the current human race are all descendants of the ancient human race, and are survivors of that "ancient war between gods and demons".

After the ancient war, the once habitable land of Baiyue suddenly became a forbidden zone.

The survivors emerged from there, dispersed to various places, regrouped to form tribes, and reproduced.

After continuous warfare and annexation, the various states that exist today gradually formed.

There are dozens of countries in the world.

Small states may only have a county or county, while large states may possess several or even dozens of cities.

There were also powerful states like Chu and Qin, whose territories stretched for thousands of miles and whose populations numbered in the millions.

Among so many countries, small countries seek self-preservation, while large countries vie for hegemony.

In the last hundred years, there has been constant warfare between nations, and many talented and extraordinary people have emerged.

These people all did their utmost to distinguish themselves and show their talents amidst the conflicts between nations.

The rulers of all powerful nations devoted themselves wholeheartedly to governing the country.

Although the kind-hearted Crown Prince of Yan did not approve of aggressive military campaigns, it was clear that he also harbored ambitions to unify the country.

Otherwise, why would they send Zhou Chu and others south to compete with other states for the Emperor's Seal?

Regarding the Emperor's Seal, Zhou Chu didn't know if it was as powerful as rumored, or if obtaining it would allow him to unify the world.

In this magical world, anything is possible.

But Zhou Chu racked his brains but still couldn't understand how much power a seal could have.

If you take someone's money, you're obligated to solve their problems.

Moreover, he had received great favors from the Crown Prince in the capital, so he had to handle this matter well in order to have a clear conscience.

"What are you thinking about? Are you thinking about Miss Xie again?" Zhao Ji rode her horse up to Zhou Chu and rode alongside him.

During this period, when Zhao Ji was away from home, she no longer deliberately avoided Zhou Chu.

She feared that the more she acted this way, the more her companions would suspect her relationship with Zhou Chu.

Although the two always kept their private meetings extremely secret.

But her companions were all shrewd people, especially Chen Xiangzi, who was always silent. Zhao Ji sometimes felt that she couldn't hide anything from the two of them.

She decided to act naturally in front of the group, hoping to dispel any suspicions.

Zhou Chu shook his head and said, "I'm thinking about the overall situation of the world."

"Oh? Tell me about it." Zhao Ji looked at Zhou Chu with great interest.

Since entering the State of Lu, Zhou Chu seemed to have become a different person, like a silent gourd, never uttering a word, and no one knew what he was thinking.

"I read in a book that in ancient times, everyone lived in peace and contentment, without any worries. Why is it that people today are living in such dire straits?"

Zhao Ji grew up in the deep palace, accustomed to fine clothes and delicacies, and never knew the hardships of the world.

She only understood the dire straits Zhou Chu described after leaving the capital.

When she was in the palace, she heard her father say that a certain county was plagued by evil spirits, and the people had no food to eat, resulting in many deaths from starvation.

After hearing this, she asked, "Since they have no food, why don't they eat meat? Wouldn't they avoid starving if they ate meat?"

At that moment, her father patted her head without saying a word.

Looking back on what I said, I realize how naive I was.

Upon thinking of her father, Zhao Ji's expression instantly darkened.

When she spoke to her younger brother, the Crown Prince, about their father, the Crown Prince, though he remained silent, his expression was enough to prove that he also suspected the Prince of Yan had been "switched."

Zhao Ji understood that the Crown Prince was still weak and his influence in the court was not deep. Even if she confirmed that the person sitting in the high hall was not her father, what could she do?

Right now, all the siblings can do is remain patient and secretly build up their power.

The best course of action is to wait until the time is right, expose the sorcerer's disguise, kill him, and reclaim the throne.

Zhaoji knew that her younger brother was meticulous from a young age and never did anything without certainty.

Therefore, when the Crown Prince suggested that she disguise herself and travel south to temporarily leave the capital, she agreed without hesitation.