The tremor that just shook heaven and earth was simply too immense. If the new Snake King of the Snake Race and the White Demon King had fought to their mutual destruction, no one would have been surprised.
The Immortal Spirit Peacock immediately searched for its master, but the sky was a clear, cerulean blue, unstained by even a wisp of a cloud.
Mist clung to the distant mountains and a cool, gentle breeze blew. Everything had returned to a state of peace, yet nothing was as it had been.
’Did they really destroy each other?’
The demons below stared up at the sky, their faces a mixture of disbelief and horror, but they still couldn’t find anything.
All they could see in the distance was the graceful Immortal Spirit Peacock, shuttling back and forth across the sky like a patrol plane.
’Is he dead?’
Su Rushi covered her small mouth with her jade hand, stifling the urge to scream. Her eyelids felt too heavy to lift. Heavy teardrops clung to her long eyelashes. She blinked, and they trembled before finally falling.
The truth was, no matter who lived or who died, this was not the outcome Su Rushi had wanted to see.
She was in a daze. Everything felt so unreal. How had things come to this?
At first, all she had wanted was for her pet snake to take her away from the Yaoling Mountain Range.
But now, her pet snake and Brother Bai had fought until nothing was left. SOB... ’It’s all my fault. It’s because of me that things escalated to this point.’
Su Rushi was heartbroken. Sitting on the Immortal Spirit Peacock’s back, she hugged her curled knees to her chest. An expression of sorrow and longing was frozen on her face. Large tears streamed from her eyes, and her heart felt as if pearls from a broken string had scattered across the floor.
"Don’t cry. My scoundrel master has nine lives. He can’t be killed."
The Azure Owl gave a soft cry and continued its search.
"Yes, yes, my Xiaoleng is the strongest." Su Rushi accepted the Immortal Spirit Peacock’s comfort. She nodded earnestly and joined in the search.
The expressions on the faces of the three Deep Mountain Demon Kings were a colorful sight. The Gray Demon King could be heard saying with a hint of gloating, "Younger Brother Bai really went senile. To think he fought that damn snake to their mutual destruction. Tsk..."
This was exactly the scene he had hoped for when he fled from Monkey Mountain in disgrace.
History is written by the victors. Only the one left standing is the true king.
Clearly, if he hadn’t run back then, he would have likely been the one to perish alongside that damned snake.
’Younger Brother Bai, you were too naive. After living for thousands of years, you were still so hot-headed.’
"They can’t have both perished. Even in the case of mutual destruction, a Demon Spirit’s Lifebound Golden Core would appear,"
the Fox Immortal King said faintly, her brow furrowed.
The sky above was empty, which indirectly pointed to the real issue.
They say that from dust we came and to dust we shall return; a dead human is nothing but a pile of earth. But a Rank Three Demon Spirit is different, especially a Demon that has reached the Deep Mountain Demon King Level. Even if its body is obliterated, its Lifebound Golden Core will always manifest.
"Look, what’s that?"
Someone suddenly shrieked. High in the distant sky, an object like a small, dazzling sun began to ascend. It radiated a brilliant golden light, so blindingly bright it seemed to illuminate the entire heavens.
"It’s a Lifebound Golden Core! Heavens, what a massive Lifebound Golden Core!"
This glittering golden orb was as large as a soccer ball and looked just like the distant, unattainable sun.
"Whose Lifebound Golden Core is it? The new Snake King’s, or the White Demon King’s?"
Only one Lifebound Golden Core had appeared, which meant one of them had survived.
This Lifebound Great Golden Core belonged to the one who had died.
SCREEE...!
The Immortal Spirit Peacock’s clear, melodious cry rang out once more as it shot toward a specific point in the sky. From that very spot, a cluster of brilliant light began to drift down.
And the young woman on the Immortal Spirit Peacock’s back, clad in a phoenix crown and wedding dress, caught the dazzling cluster of light perfectly in her hands.
As she caught it, the light revealed a delicate, seemingly multicolored little snake. Its eyes drooped slightly, as if just keeping them open was an immense effort.
"It’s Xiaoleng! It’s Xiaoleng! This is wonderful! You’re okay, you survived!"
Gazing at the familiar, delicate little snake, Su Rushi was overjoyed. Her beautiful eyes lit up, but her nose began to tingle. A fresh wave of tears burst forth, trickling down to the corners of her mouth. The taste was salty. She pressed her lips together but could no longer hold back, letting the tears stream down her face. She simply stared, dazed, at the small snake in her hands. These were tears of joy. Though they tasted of salt, her heart was filled with sweetness.
The delicate little snake’s condition was strikingly similar to the day Su Rushi had first found him in the Purple Bamboo Forest and taken him home.
It felt as if it were their first meeting all over again.
"What are you crying for? I’m not dead. You should be crying for your Brother Bai." The delicate little snake opened its mouth and spoke, its voice human but extremely weak. Yet, the weakness could not conceal his inner excitement. "Haha! That detestable hedgehog, the White Demon King! I finally turned him into a *dead* hedgehog!"
He, Tu Xiao’an, had won the battle in the void. Though he was severely injured, the outcome was worth it.
He survived, but the White Demon King was dead.
That Lifebound Great Golden Core, shining like a miniature sun, was the White Demon King’s.
Su Rushi saw the inexpressible joy radiating from the delicate snake’s Snake Gaze. Then, her own gaze shifted to the dazzling Lifebound Great Golden Core in the distance, and she couldn’t hide the sorrow in her eyes.
For the past two years, she had managed to survive only thanks to the White Demon King’s care.
The Brother Bai she spoke of, though a Demon King, had been genuinely good to her, taking care of her in every possible way.
"Brother Bai... Brother Bai... I’m sorry... I’m so sorry..." she mumbled through her tears, covering her face and breaking down into sobs.
Tu Xiao’an was speechless. ’Is this girl for real? I told her to cry, and she’s actually crying.’
Down below, the appearance of Tu Xiao’an’s snake form sent the demons into an uproar, which quickly escalated into a full-blown riot. Rank Three Demon Spirits shot into the sky one after another as if they’d gone mad, all heading straight for the White Demon King’s suspended Lifebound Great Golden Core.
A Great Golden Core from a Demon of the Deep Mountain Demon King Level... what an incredible treasure! It was more than enough to incite the demons into a reckless, bloody free-for-all.
Even if rivers of blood flowed, it would be worth it.
Whoever obtained the White Demon King’s Lifebound Great Golden Core would be like a carp leaping over the Dragon’s Gate—their fortune would be made. At the very least, it could forge a new Demon King.
This was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. No one wanted to miss it. It was worth betting their lives on.
"Younger Brother Bai, your Lifebound Golden Core! Your Third Brother Huang won’t let it fall into anyone else’s hands!"
A sharp glint flashed in the Yellow Demon King’s eyes, his expression an unconcealed mask of greed as he shot upward.
His words sounded righteous and noble, but his true intention was to seize it for himself.
"Cousin, allow me to hold onto Younger Brother Bai’s Lifebound Golden Core for safekeeping."
Not to be outdone, the Gray Demon King flew straight up to contend for the Lifebound Great Golden Core.
They might turn a blind eye to the Golden Cores of ordinary Rank Three Demon Spirits, but they could not possibly remain indifferent to the Lifebound Great Golden Core of a Deep Mountain Demon King.
It had become extremely difficult for them to advance their Cultivation. But if they obtained this Lifebound Great Golden Core, a breakthrough would be well within reach.
For the Yellow Demon King, obtaining the White Demon King’s Lifebound Great Golden Core meant he could perhaps reach the Rank Three Peak Realm, just like Demon King Liu had, and even attempt Ascension.
As for the Level 38 Gray Demon King, obtaining this Great Golden Core would allow him to reach Level 39 at a minimum. His power would soar, putting him on equal footing with the other two.
It had to be said, the White Demon King’s Golden Core was simply too valuable. Even the ethereal Fox Immortal King, with her air of Immortal Qi, could not stand aside. She too joined the fray, disregarding her status.
In an instant, another terrifying battle erupted high in the sky. Dozens of Demon Spirits launched vicious attacks at one another, all for the sake of obtaining the White Demon King’s Lifebound Great Golden Core.
Even the Yellow Demon King and the Gray Demon King, who addressed each other as cousins, were the first to charge. To prevent the Golden Core from falling into the other’s hands, they immediately dropped all pretense and tore into each other.
In the face of self-interest, all bonds are fragile.
"Cousin, you’ve got some nerve! You dare attack me? You should know you’re no match for me!" the Yellow Demon King bellowed.
The Gray Demon King was unusually bold. "Cousin, your Realm is a Level higher than mine, so just consider this a favor to your younger cousin! Let me have the White Demon King’s Lifebound Great Golden Core. Name your price, I’ll agree to any condition. I won’t talk back."
"Tsk, tsk. In this world, aside from the Beast Pill of an Ancient Exotic Beast, what could possibly compare to the Great Golden Core of a Deep Mountain Demon King? Cousin, if you keep making trouble, don’t blame me for being ruthless."
Hearing this, the Gray Demon King grew anxious. In a real fight, he was no match for that Weasel, the Yellow Demon King.
If he were his match, *he* would be the elder cousin, not the younger.
Just then, a graceful, ethereal figure floated past them, heading straight for the suspended Lifebound Great Golden Core. The Yellow Demon King and the Gray Demon King were both aghast.
’Does that Old Fox Lady think she can get a piece of the pie, too?’
"Cousin, we come from the same stock. We can sort out our own affairs behind closed doors. But we absolutely cannot let that Old Fox Lady get her hands on it first. Let’s team up and deal with her. Once we’ve driven her off, we’ll split the White Demon King’s Lifebound Golden Core fifty-fifty."
A flicker of delight crossed the Gray Demon King’s face. "Excellent! I’ll do as you say, Cousin."
The Yellow Demon King immediately cursed under his breath. ’When I told you not to fight me just a moment ago, why didn’t you say that then?’
’Damned rat.’
With every second counting, the two Deep Mountain Demon Kings joined forces and attacked the Fox Immortal King.
"You two! How dare you team up against me!"
Beneath her white silk veil, the Fox Immortal King was so enraged she cursed aloud, abandoning all pretense of grace.
This was the very scenario she had dreaded most, which was why she had wanted to protect the new Snake King of the Snake Race and find an opportunity to recruit him.
"Money talks, Old Fox Lady! No hard feelings!"
The Yellow Demon King and the Gray Demon King joined forces, unleashing a vicious assault on the Fox Immortal King. Heaven and earth trembled once more as their attacks forced the Fox Immortal King into a steady retreat.
With the three Deep Mountain Demon Kings locked in combat, the other Rank Three Demon Spirits saw their chance and flew up in unison. But the nail that sticks out gets hammered down. Whoever managed to fly closest to the White Demon King’s Lifebound Great Golden Core was instantly annihilated by a barrage of terrifying attacks before they could even touch it.
Instead, they only succeeded in having their own Lifebound Golden Cores manifest upon their deaths.
The demons’ eyes were red with bloodlust. They would never let the Lifebound Great Golden Core fall into someone else’s hands. They wouldn’t back down, not even for a Deep Mountain Demon King.
Faced with such a temptation, they were willing to risk it all, even their lives.
This just went to show how unbelievably precious the White Demon King’s Lifebound Great Golden Core truly was.