Invincible Snake Emperor

Chapter 423: Chapter 419: Entering the Yaoling Mountain Range

A kilometer away, by a small lake on the park lawn, a woman in white gracefully took in the entire scene. A complex smile rippled across her picture-perfect face.

She murmured to herself, ”You always manage to surprise me. It seems my preparations were unnecessary after all.”

The lakeside was quiet. A gentle breeze caressed her long, dark hair, and the lake’s surface glistened. The night could not completely hide the beauty of the scenery.

Tu Xiao’an silently watched the director of the Demon Management Bureau rolling on the ground, shrieking and wailing. It was like watching a comedy film, and he was thoroughly enjoying the show.

CAW... CAW... CAW...

A pitch-black Blackbird flew onto Tu Xiao’an’s shoulder just then and asked in surprise, ”Tu the Kid, what on earth did you do? How did he end up like this?”

Tu Xiao’an shot it a glare and swatted it away with the back of his hand, sending the Blackbird fluttering into the air. ”Where were you hiding when I was getting my ass kicked? Why show up now? You disloyal thing, go stay on the sidelines.”

’This damned Crow. Sly as they come. The moment there’s danger, it runs faster than anything.’

”Who’s disloyal? Uncle Hei was just hiding to prepare a sneak attack, a super ultimate move! I just didn’t expect things to turn out like this,” the Blackbird said without the slightest hint of shame.

”Heh...”

’As if Tu Xiao’an didn’t know what this Blackbird was really like.’

”Tu the Kid, did that old monster really become your War Servant?” the Blackbird asked, finding it as hard to believe as if it had seen a ghost.

”Just you watch. You’ll see him call me Master.”

Tu Xiao’an smiled and relaxed his mental hold. Wu Tianyi, who had been rolling on the ground, finally stopped his miserable wailing. In his wretched state, he began to gaze at Tu Xiao’an with a complex expression.

”You should recognize your place now, shouldn’t you?” Tu Xiao’an said lightly.

Wu Tianyi’s heart was like dead embers; it was as if he had lost all his beliefs. As time passed and the torture continued, his mindset had quietly begun to change.

After being subjugated, the System Power would completely brainwash the person’s soul. It was just that his Level was too high, so the brainwashing was a bit slow.

THUD.

Wu Tianyi took the initiative to kneel before Tu Xiao’an, lowering his once incomparably proud head. Trembling all over, he cried out, ”This old servant, Wu Tianyi, kowtows to Master!”

”Haha...” Tu Xiao’an roared with laughter, standing tall and straight to accept the prostration of the director of the Demon Management Bureau.

”WAH... WAH... WAH... This world is insane!” the Blackbird shrieked in shock, flying back and forth over Tu Xiao’an’s head like an annoying fly.

Tu Xiao’an couldn’t be bothered with the Blackbird. He said to Wu Tianyi, ”Although you are now my War Servant and are enslaved by me, your original identity remains unchanged. So, you don’t need to be too despairing.”

”This old servant is willing to go through fire and water for Master, without hesitation!” Wu Tianyi kowtowed to Tu Xiao’an once more in terror and awe.

Tu Xiao’an sucked in a sharp breath. ’Looks like he’s been completely brainwashed already.’

Although he had used his precious Unconditional Taming Skill, in return he gained a Level 37 powerhouse. It was a very worthy trade. Most importantly was Wu Tianyi’s identity.

Tu Xiao’an valued his identity even more than his power.

”Blackbird, are you still not going to submit and acknowledge me as your master?” Tu Xiao’an’s gaze fell upon the Crow flying back and forth.

The Blackbird was still stubborn. ”We’ll talk after you achieve apotheosis.”

”Hmph. Apotheosis is just around the corner. By then, I probably won’t even give you a second glance.”

Tu Xiao’an had smoothly resolved the crisis. Suddenly, he looked toward a certain direction, his expression inexplicably complex.

...

「One day later.」

Tu Xiao’an stood on the highest peak of Wenling Mountain. Before him was a dense forest shrouded in a thick, hazy mist that obscured any visible path. The Demon Qi was very heavy here.

Just beyond this dense forest lay the entrance to the Yaoling Mountain Range. Ordinary people couldn’t get in, nor would they dare to try. The place was filled with man-eating monsters.

However, some hidden clans and top-tier Martial Cultivators would still come to brave the Yaoling Mountain Range, hunting Awakened Creatures to bring back for Alchemy, or perhaps to take as Battle Companions.

The reason the vice-dean of the Ancient Academy had sought out Tu Xiao’an, a Snake Spirit, wasn’t because humans couldn’t enter the Yaoling Mountain Range. Rather, it was because directly challenging one of the five great Demon Kings of the mountain range, the White Demon King, was exceptionally perilous.

That area was practically a domain of death.

If a human Martial Cultivator entered a Demon King’s domain, hiding was impossible. The moment you were discovered, you were dead. There would be no second chances.

Aside from the domains of the Demon Kings, other regions of the Yaoling Mountain Range were relatively safe and served as a battleground where human Martial Cultivators and Awakened Spirit Monsters fought to the death.

Some humans subjugated Spirit Monsters to be their Battle Companions, while some Spirit Monsters captured humans to be their War Servants.

Tu Xiao’an walked into the misty, dense forest, his expression composed. A chattering Blackbird flew beside him, looking very excited.

”Haha... Yaoling Mountain Range, your Uncle Hei has arrived! Cower in the terror of your Uncle Hei!”

The Blackbird squawked shamelessly. Tu Xiao’an swiped at it, but it nimbly dodged. ”Can you please settle down?” he said irritably. ”Do you think this is a paid vacation?”

”Uncle Hei has wanted to come to the Yaoling Mountain Range for ages! Now my dream has come true, shouldn’t I be happy?”

Tu Xiao’an said lightly, ”They say the Yaoling Mountain Range is fraught with danger. Be careful or you’ll lose that little life of yours.”

”Heehee, Uncle Hei is very hard to kill! I’m destined to become the Bird King, a Divine Beast!”

Sigh...

Tu Xiao’an was speechless. He couldn’t be bothered to respond and continued walking cautiously through the misty forest. Although he hadn’t officially entered the Yaoling Mountain Range yet, it was never wrong to be careful.

The sky was gray and dusky when suddenly, a huge, clamorous noise erupted.

GAK... GAK... GAK...

Hundreds of Flying Birds blotted out the sky as they flew over swiftly. Upon seeing an unfamiliar creature, they began to attack for no reason.

”Uncle Hei is here! All of you, scram!”

Without Tu Xiao’an having to do anything, the Blackbird flew up with a kingly air and let out a series of raucous caws. And what do you know, the hundreds of ferocious Flying Birds were actually intimidated. They turned and fled.

’So it’s somewhat useful after all,’ Tu Xiao’an thought with a gratified smile. Although these hundreds of Flying Birds weren’t Awakened Creatures, their strength was in their numbers and ferocious nature. If an ordinary person were to encounter them, they would likely meet a gruesome end.

As they traveled through the dense forest, wild beasts would occasionally appear. They were extremely ferocious, but they had chosen the wrong targets, and their ends were all tragic.

After traveling for a full hour, Tu Xiao’an finally arrived at the true entrance to the Yaoling Mountain Range.

The entrance was obvious. A giant Stone Stele stood there unexpectedly.

”Humans who enter will die.”

The five words were powerful and resonant, and a thick, sinister Demon Qi emanated from the script. It must have been carved by a Rank Three Demon Spirit.

Tu Xiao’an glanced at it, then strode past, finally and truly entering the legendary domain of the Yaoling Mountain Range.