Invincible Snake Emperor

Chapter 626: Chapter 599: Guarding Against a Thief (2)

Stories of Human-Demon Love and human-ghost romances have been commonplace since ancient times.

He was the Vice Dean of the Ancient Academy. If his own granddaughter were to fall in love with a snake, how could he ever show his face again?

”Grandfather, you’ve been busy all day. You should go get some rest. I’m tired, too.”

Su Rushi was afraid her grandfather would say something else unpleasant.

The Vice Dean said, ”Alright, then. Shi’Er, you get some rest, too. If your condition acts up, you must call for me immediately.”

”Peacock Bird, you may leave as well. Go back to your room and sleep. If you sense that he has arrived, you must inform me immediately.”

Su Rushi said, ”Grandfather, Xiaoqing can sleep with me.”

”No. This Peacock Bird is too rowdy. It will disturb your rest.”

The Azure Owl muttered, ’Stinky old man, stinky old man, you’re so meddlesome.’

Su Rushi looked helpless and could only give the Azure Owl a wry look and a shrug.

In the end, the Vice Dean forcibly dragged the Azure Owl out and tossed it into another room.

Gradually, the night deepened. One by one, the lights in the villa were extinguished.

The light in Su Rushi’s room was off, but she stood feebly by the window. Outside, the crescent moon hung like a hook, with a few stars twinkling in the cold moonlight.

It was now December, and the temperature in Wencheng had long since dropped. Following the arrival of the Fierce Beasts, millions of Wencheng’s citizens had become lonely ghosts. These restless phantoms made Wencheng City feel even more desolate and bleak.

The cold night made Su Rushi think of the Purple Bamboo Forest. She had to admit, the Purple Bamboo Forest was truly the most beautiful place, day or night.

Returning to the Human World actually left her feeling a little out of place.

As Su Rushi stood by the window, a cool breeze made her recall the scene of holding the delicate little snake while gazing at the scenery outside the Purple Bamboo Forest.

Watching the mist-wreathed mountains and the dotted stars.

Just then, a cold shiver ran through Su Rushi’s body. It seemed the chill wind from outside had drawn out the Yin Power within her.

’Grandfather was right. The Yin Power in my body is already stirring restlessly.’

Eighteen. She was already eighteen years old. When she was a child, someone had told her she would never live past the age of ten.

And yet, here she was at eighteen. She had gained eight extra years.

For Su Rushi, every extra day she lived was a gift from the heavens. For someone like her, destined to die an early death, there was no ”rest of her life” to speak of.

In truth, if she was fated to die, she wanted to die in the Purple Bamboo Forest, in her Rushi Pavilion. If the White Demon King hadn’t insisted on marrying her, the young woman would never have wanted to flee.

Her slender figure stood alone by the window, lost in thought. Outside, the crescent moon hung like a hook, and the stars dotted the sky. But no matter how hard they tried to shine with a holy light, they could not hold back the encroaching darkness.

Just like her. What was meant to come would come, inevitably.

Feeling cold and tired, she closed the window. A faint layer of frost had unknowingly appeared on Su Rushi’s exquisitely beautiful face.

Finally, she lay on her bed, curling herself into a ball like a hedgehog.

An hour later, the temperature in Su Rushi’s room was as frigid as the dead of winter. The blanket covering her was bizarrely coated in white frost.

SHIMMER...!

The space in the room rippled slightly, and the white-haired Vice Dean appeared.

He gazed at the horrifying scene on the bed. His precious granddaughter was curled into a ball, trembling violently. Afflicted by her delicate constitution, she was a heart-wrenching sight that brought tears to his old eyes.

”Shi’Er, why is your fate so bitter?” the Vice Dean sighed. She was as beautiful as a flower, a peerless beauty, yet she lived day to day, tormented by the yin cold every night.

At that moment, a powerful wave of Energy burst from the Vice Dean. He formed a palm with one hand, and a force like the warm sun instantly enveloped Su Rushi, transferring to her bit by bit.

He was warding off the cold. A loving grandfather, helping his granddaughter receive the warmth that the world should have rightfully given her.

The dignified Level 36 Vice Dean continuously transferred the Power from his body into Su Rushi, who was lost in an icy dream.

The frost on her body receded slightly, and the icy frown between her brows eased.

However, the Vice Dean could only maintain this posture, continuously transferring his Power to ward off the cold for his granddaughter. He couldn’t stop.

One hour passed, then two.

It was a good thing the Vice Dean was a powerful expert of his generation with profound Power. An ordinary person could never have endured this.

”Shi’Er, Grandfather will definitely cure your strange illness.”

This wasn’t a promise from a man to a woman, but the deep love of a grandfather for his granddaughter.

Just then, the space in the room rippled again, and a voice spoke.

”Old man, this is useless. Even if you work yourself to death, her body will still be extremely cold.”

The Vice Dean looked over and saw a handsome face. He wasn’t particularly surprised, but he spoke with displeasure, ”Hmph. So you, the great snake, have finally deigned to appear.”

”Hehe, old man. Long time no see.” The one who had materialized was, of course, Tu Xiao’an.

The Vice Dean said in a low voice, ”Where is the Centennial Ice Divine Fruit?”

Tu Xiao’an was taken aback. ’What’s with this old man’s attitude? Do I owe him something?’

”Don’t have it,” Tu Xiao’an said, annoyed.

Who would dare speak to him like that now? Tu Xiao’an was no longer who he used to be. He had become the King of the Snake Clan, a position of great importance.

The Vice Dean grew anxious at his words. ”I instructed you repeatedly to bring back the Centennial Ice Divine Fruit, and the tree’s heart! And what do you do? You let my granddaughter return empty-handed. Aren’t you just harming her?”

”Hey, hey, old man! Are you even listening to yourself? Do you know how to talk? I haven’t even gotten on your case for setting me up! You sent me, a mere Rank Two Snake Spirit, to provoke a dignified Deep Mountain Demon King—you were clearly sending me to my death! I haven’t come looking for you to demand an explanation, and you have the nerve to blame me?”

Tu Xiao’an was furious, his voice rising in volume.

”Keep your voice down! Don’t wake my granddaughter,” the Vice Dean quickly shushed him, then gave a bitter, embarrassed smile. He was frantic with worry, because The Protean Ice Divine Fruit was just too important.

The Vice Dean looked deeply at Tu Xiao’an. ”My apologies. I was rude. You saved my granddaughter, and I will not forget this immense debt of gratitude.”

”Heh, then hand over the three thousand Spirit Stones,” Tu Xiao’an sneered.

’No empty promises. Just pay up as we agreed.’

The Vice Dean turned his head to the side. ”I asked you to bring back both Shi’Er and the Centennial Ice Divine Fruit. You only completed one task. Naturally, the three thousand Spirit Stones I promised you must be discounted. You only get fifteen hundred.”

”You old bastard, you’re really something else. A mere three thousand Spirit Stones is already a trivial amount for what I did, and you want to give me a discount? Are you trying to get rid of me now that I’ve served my purpose?”

”I have always been fair in my dealings. You’re the one who failed to complete the job properly,” the Vice Dean said lightly.

Tu Xiao’an stared at the old man’s aged face. ’Doesn’t he feel any shame at all?’

”Fine! I’ll just consider it a good deed. I don’t want a single Spirit Stone from you. You can keep them for your coffin fund,” Tu Xiao’an declared with a magnanimous wave of his hand.

He truly didn’t care about a mere three thousand Spirit Stones anymore. He didn’t even care about a Rank 3 Lifebound Golden Core, let alone some Spirit Stones.

Hearing this, the Vice Dean wasn’t pleased. Instead, his expression grew wary. ’When something seems too good to be true, it probably is.’ Though he didn’t know this snake very well, he knew he was definitely not the type to accept a loss.

He had accomplished such a major task for him, and now he didn’t even want a single Spirit Stone.

’Hmph. Refusing three thousand Spirit Stones just like that... It’s probably not out of kindness. He must be greedy for something more.’

’What could possibly be worth so much that this snake would refuse three thousand Spirit Stones without a second thought?’ The Vice Dean’s gaze immediately fell upon his granddaughter, curled up asleep on the bed.

’Damn it. This snake... he couldn’t have actually taken a fancy to my granddaughter, could he?’ He immediately said, ”I am the dignified Vice Dean of the Ancient Academy. My word is my bond!”

As soon as he finished speaking, an Ancient Ring on Dean Gu’s hand flashed. A small mountain made of Spirit Stones appeared in the room, even more blinding than a Gold and Silver Mountain.

In an instant, the originally cold and gloomy room was filled with nature’s spiritual energy.

”Take them. Here are three thousand Spirit Stones. I admit that sending you to deal with the White Demon King was not entirely honorable. I won’t give you the half-price discount. Here’s the full three thousand Spirit Stones, consider it compensation.”

Tu Xiao’an didn’t even bother to glance at the small mountain of Spirit Stones, a cold smile playing on his lips. ’This old man really is shrewd, not easy to deal with at all.’

’Just a moment ago, he was haggling over the amount. But the instant I said I didn’t want any Spirit Stones, he promptly handed over the full three thousand without a hint of hesitation.’

’He’s trying to draw a clear line between us. He’s afraid. And what is he afraid of?’ Tu Xiao’an knew the answer perfectly well.