"That’s right. The three of us are acting under orders from the White Demon King. We are to pick the Ice Divine Fruit as soon as it ripens and deliver it. Who in the world are you people?"
"Guests," Tu Xiao’an said with a faint smile. "You can go back now. I’ll be picking this Ice Divine Fruit."
The Cat Demon barked, "Just because you say you’ll pick it, you think you can? Who the hell do you think you are? If you’re guests, then why are you in this herb garden? You’re clearly up to no good—this is a grave disrespect to the White Demon King!"
"I don’t like your attitude," Tu Xiao’an said, his gaze sweeping over, incomparably cold and filled with overwhelming power. The Cat Demon trembled, and then, with a BANG, its entire body exploded on the spot, dissolving into a bloody mist and vanishing from the world.
In its place, a brilliant golden bead appeared. It was the Cat Demon’s Rank Three Golden Core.
With a flick of his wrist, the Cat Demon’s Golden Core flew into his hand.
’A Rank Three Cat Demon’s Golden Core. This could be useful.’
Looking at the Golden Core in his hand, Tu Xiao’an was suddenly reminded of Haitang, the Cat Spirit in Wencheng who protected Chen Gao Yang.
Tu Xiao’an had promised Haitang he would help her improve her Cultivation and get through her Tribulation, allowing her to become a true Rank Three Cat Demon capable of Transformation. Then, she and Chen Gao Yang could finally be together in a proper Human-Demon Love.
’With this Cat Demon’s Golden Core, that matter is as good as settled.’
When the Black Tiger Great Demon and the Dog Demon saw the Cat Demon die in an instant, they were utterly thunderstruck. Their opponent had merely glanced at the Cat Demon, and it had turned into a bloody mist. What kind of terrifying power was this?
’Perhaps only a Demon King could do something like that.’
"Who... who in the world are you?" The Black Tiger Great Demon was now facing a formidable foe, completely stripped of its usual domineering aura as a Deep Mountain Great Demon. As for the Dog Demon, it had nearly pissed itself in fright and was cowering directly behind the Black Tiger Great Demon.
It was terrified that a single glance from this person would turn it into a bloody mist, too—after all, it was on the same level as the Cat Demon.
As Tu Xiao’an toyed with the Cat Demon’s Golden Core, the Bull Demon King stepped forward and bellowed, "My master is the new Snake King of the Snake Race! Kneel before him!"
"The Snake King of the Snake Race?" The title buzzed in the ears of the Black Tiger Great Demon and the Dog Demon like a sharp needle, leaving their entire bodies numb.
A man’s reputation precedes him. In recent times, that snake’s notoriety in the Yaoling Mountain Range had soared. He was practically a Murderous Demon King.
The Dog Demon’s body trembled as it dropped to its knees before Tu Xiao’an, begging for mercy in terror. "Lord Snake King! This lowly one was blind and failed to recognize Mount Tai, I didn’t realize it was you gracing us with your presence! This Little Demon is just a grunt under the White Demon King. Cultivation is not easy, I beg you to spare this dog’s life!"
And he really was asking for his dog’s life to be spared.
It was a Rank Three Demon Spirit, yet it called itself a grunt. This attitude made it hard for Tu Xiao’an to simply slaughter it. "Go kneel over there," he said coolly.
Upon hearing this, the Dog Demon instantly vanished and reappeared a hundred feet away, where it continued to kneel, not daring to even breathe.
It went without saying how terrifying the new Snake King of the Snake Race was. The feat of scaring away the Gray Demon King on Monkey Mountain alone was enough to fill any demon with dread.
"And you?" Tu Xiao’an’s lips curled into a slight smile, a playful glint in his bewitching eyes as he stared at the Black Tiger Great Demon. "Got stiff knees? Can’t bring yourself to kneel?"
Cold sweat trickled down the Black Tiger Great Demon’s back. It is said that the tiger is the king of all beasts, but this was the Yaoling Mountain Range, where the law of the jungle was the only unchanging truth.
When faced with superior strength, even a tiger had to lie down and submit.
But the Black Tiger Great Demon was still a Deep Mountain Great Demon. If it knelt without even putting up a fight, its reputation would be ruined.
"You’ve got backbone. In that case, this Snake King will be taking your Deep Mountain Great Demon’s Golden Core," Tu Xiao’an nodded in appreciation. His eyes narrowed, and his immense Consciousness Power descended upon the Black Tiger Great Demon.
But the instant the power enveloped it... THUD. The Black Tiger Great Demon’s knees slammed into the ground. It then prostrated itself, transforming into a massive, pure-black tiger. Though it didn’t beg for mercy aloud like the Dog Demon, the act of revealing its true form said everything.
Complete submission.
Seeing this, a faint smile graced Tu Xiao’an’s lips.
There’s a saying in the Human World: When you swallow your pride to make money, you’ve matured. When you use money to win back your pride, you’ve succeeded. And when you can make money with your pride alone, you’ve truly become someone important.
This saying applied just as well to the Yaoling Mountain Range, where the strong preyed on the weak. When your power and reputation reached a certain point, you no longer needed to fight. A single word was enough to resolve matters.
No one would dare disrespect you. No one would dare challenge your authority.
A magnificent Deep Mountain Great Demon like the Black Tiger was already in the top tier of fighters in the Yaoling Mountain Range. As long as a Demon King didn’t show up, a creature like this could run rampant and dominate its own territory.
Yet here was such a creature, standing before Tu Xiao’an, without even the courage to fight back.
"Since you’re being so obedient, you can stop working for the White Demon King. I’ll find you a new master."
At these words, the Black Tiger prostrated on the ground felt a surge of panic. ’Oh no, this Snake King wants to take me as his Battle Companion.’
All the Demons in the Yaoling Mountain Range knew this snake had a habit of collecting Battle Companions. ’So be it,’ it thought. ’Becoming this monstrous snake’s pet won’t completely tarnish my reputation.’
"Don’t resist, or you die. Now, be captured!"
The space where the Black Tiger lay rippled, and with a soft *SHING*, the majestic creature vanished without a trace.
It reappeared inside Tu Xiao’an’s system, but it wasn’t registered as a Battle Companion. It was simply imprisoned.
’I’ll give this majestic Black Tiger to my sister as a pet.’
’That’s a good idea. With a Deep Mountain Great Demon protecting her, I’ll be able to rest a lot easier.’
The Black Tiger Great Demon never could have imagined that it wasn’t becoming the snake’s Battle Companion, but rather the future pet of an ordinary human.
As for the Dog Demon kneeling far away, it felt Tu Xiao’an’s gaze fall upon it and immediately stammered in terror, "This lowly one is also willing to submit to the Lord Snake King!"
"You’re not worthy of being my, Tu Xiao’an’s, Battle Companion. Scram."
Huh?
The Dog Demon thought it must have misheard. It was hard to believe. But then it saw the figure wave a dismissive hand, and it immediately scrambled out of the herb garden, tumbling over itself in its haste.
"Master," the Bull Demon King asked, a little confused, "that Dog Demon may not be a Deep Mountain Great Demon, but a Rank Three Golden Core isn’t half-bad. Why did you let it go?"
Tu Xiao’an replied coolly, "One should always leave a way out. Of the three Demons, I killed one and captured another. That’s enough."
It’s not easy for any creature to cultivate to Rank Three, and Tu Xiao’an didn’t want to be needlessly bloodthirsty. Besides, he already had a Dog Demon in his system.
"Master has the heart of a Bodhisattva. This old bull is filled with admiration."
Tu Xiao’an shot a kick at him. "Don’t insult the Bodhisattvas," he said, annoyed. "I know exactly what I am. Cut the crappy flattery."
He had no idea how many Cultivating Demons had died by his hand since he’d arrived in the Yaoling Mountain Range. ’The heart of a Bodhisattva?’
’A venomous snake with the heart of a Bodhisattva wouldn’t have survived this long.’
Tu Xiao’an was a little lost now, unsure if he should be considered a True Snake or an Evil Snake. But the line between good and evil was decided in a single thought.
’Whatever. I’ll just follow my heart.’
After that brief interlude, Tu Xiao’an walked over to the Centennial Ice Divine Fruit plant. His eyes narrowed, and he released his powerful Consciousness Power. The ten ripe, red Ice Divine Fruits vanished instantly, swept up into his system’s inventory.
When the Tree Demon Charlie saw Tu Xiao’an collect all the Spirit Fruits, he scurried over eagerly. He greedily reached out his "Demon’s Hand" toward the now-bare fruit tree, his eyes filled with avarice.
SLAP!
Tu Xiao’an slapped Charlie’s "Demon’s Hand" away. "You can’t absorb this Spirit Tree."
"Why not? Master, you get to eat the meat, can’t you at least let Charlie drink the soup?"
"Soup? My foot! Wasn’t this entire herb garden enough for you? Aren’t you afraid of bursting?" Tu Xiao’an said coolly. "Now go get me the heart of this Ice Divine Fruit tree. I have a use for it. And be careful. Don’t damage it."
"Don’t worry, Master. This is my area of expertise. It’s just a tree heart, after all."
Charlie went to the base of the fruit tree and fiddled with it for a moment. Finally, he placed a Light Stone brimming with the Wood Attribute into Tu Xiao’an’s hand.
The stone resembled Thousand-Year Ice Jade, radiating an incredibly cold aura as it gleamed brightly.
’So this is what the heart of a Centennial Ice Divine Fruit tree looks like.’
Tu Xiao’an’s eyes narrowed slightly as he stored away the heart of the Ice Divine Fruit tree. With that, one of the tasks given to him by the old Vice-Dean was complete.
’Next, it’s time to go pick up that girl, Su Rushi.’