Invincible Snake Emperor

Chapter 680: Chapter 629: The Senior’s Arrival

Bai Junran left without looking back. Let alone this Dragon Snake, even if it were a True Dragon, it would have nothing to do with the Bai Family.

Tu Xiao’an watched Bai Junran leave so decisively and said nothing. Instead, he turned to Luo Zijie. ”Your sword skills are getting more and more formidable. Very impressive.”

Luo Zijie swiftly sheathed his Heroic Sword and bowed. ”It’s all thanks to the Treasure Sword you bestowed upon me, my Lord. It allowed me to soar to the heavens in a single leap.”

It was a fitting phrase. The saying goes that anyone below Rank Three is no better than an ant. But upon entering Rank Three, one dodges the Ghost Gate. Their lifespan is extended, and while Divine Travel in the Void might be out of reach, living for a few hundred years is no problem at all.

This was especially true for a Sword Cultivator like Luo Zijie. Upon entering Rank Three, his combat prowess would skyrocket. Among those in the same Realm, his sword would be virtually unstoppable.

Qin Yong was a Middle Rank War King, just like him, yet he was felled by a single sword strike. It wasn’t that Qin Yong was too weak, but that the sword in a Sword Cultivator’s hand was simply too terrifying.

You could say that Luo Zijie had now become a force to be reckoned with, someone qualified to survive in this chaotic world.

Tu Xiao’an hadn’t expected the War Servant he’d taken on a whim to grow into such a capable commander.

’I should really congratulate myself,’ he thought.

After all, he had done absolutely nothing to train Luo Zijie; he had merely given him a sword.

Besides, the sword’s price in the System Mall hadn’t been expensive in the slightest. He wouldn’t have even minded if he’d lost it.

Just then, Tu Xiao’an glanced at the Qin Family corpses littering the ground and commented wryly, ”Do all you Sword Cultivators have such heavy bloodlust? I never told you to kill so many people.”

”My uncle had no other choice. Please forgive him, my Lord,” Luo Zijie said respectfully.

As expected of the Young Master of a Hidden Clan, Luo Zijie referred to himself as a subordinate and addressed Tu Xiao’an as ”Lord,” not ”Master.”

Though the relationship was largely the same, the title had a much more dignified ring to it.

”Young Master, how can you call another man ’Lord’? How can you debase yourself like this? You are the future of the Luo Family! Where does this leave the Luo Family’s honor?”

The Qin Family members were all dead and the Bai Family had left, so Luo Zijie wasn’t concerned about being overheard. His uncle, however, was a different story. His expression changed drastically upon hearing the exchange, and he glared at Tu Xiao’an with hostility.

’Did my Young Master really acknowledge this person as his Lord for a mere sword?’ he wondered.

’Selling himself for a sword.’

’It seemed absurd, but for a Sword Cultivator who treasured his sword as his own life, there was nothing he wouldn’t do for a truly fine blade.’

’No. This person cannot be allowed to live. Otherwise, the Luo Family will never be able to hold its head high in the Wencheng Martial Cultivation Realm again.’ In the span of a few breaths, Luo Muren had developed a monstrous Killing Intent aimed at Tu Xiao’an.

He had to protect his Young Master’s reputation and the Luo Family’s honor.

”You want to kill me?” Tu Xiao’an was incredibly perceptive; he immediately sensed the killing intent Luo Muren was directing at him.

’Level 34. A High Rank War King. Wants to kill me?’ Tu Xiao’an smiled.

”That’s right. The very fact that our Young Master called you ’Lord’ is reason enough for you to die.” Luo Muren was seething with killing intent. The sword in his hand was still stained with red liquid, and blood dripped from its tip right in front of Tu Xiao’an.

It was the blood of the Qin Family disciples.

”Uncle Luo, absolutely not!” Luo Zijie was taken aback and quickly tried to pull Luo Muren back.

”Young Master, you’re being foolish! You sold yourself for a sword! You’re young and naive, so I, your elder, will have to clean up this mess for you!” Luo Muren shoved Luo Zijie aside, his eyes locked onto Tu Xiao’an, his killing intent flaring ever stronger.

Luo Zijie was panicked, breaking out in a cold sweat. ’I’m a War Servant. If my Lord gets angry and orders me to kill Uncle Luo, I’ll have no choice but to obey.’

The reasons behind all of this were far from as simple as Luo Muren imagined.

He had become a War Servant because his own younger brother, Luo Zixiong, had provoked his Lord and been killed for it.

When he tried to avenge his brother, his plan had backfired spectacularly, and he had been ensnared as well.

Now, Luo Zijie had long since been brought to heel. His Lord’s command was absolute; whatever he was told to do, he had to do.

”Luo Zijie, this uncle of yours has quite a temper,” Tu Xiao’an said lightly. ”If you can’t handle him, then I, his master, will have to handle him for you.”

Tu Xiao’an never showed mercy to those who wanted to kill him.

”I can handle it! I can handle it!” Luo Zijie’s face went pale. Sensing his Lord’s displeasure, he quickly prepared to drag his uncle away by force.

But when Luo Muren heard Tu Xiao’an use the word ”master” in front of his Young Master, his fury burned even hotter. His killing intent erupted like a fierce gale, his resolve to kill now seemingly unstoppable.

”Uncle Luo, I am ordering you as your Young Master! Leave!” Luo Zijie shouted in a low voice.

Luo Muren was in disbelief. ’Has my Young Master lost his mind? How can he willingly let himself be ordered around like this? No. This person must die.’

”Uncle Luo, I’m doing this for your own good, and for the good of the Luo Family! If you offend my Master, our entire clan could be in danger of annihilation!”

As a War Servant, Luo Zijie naturally knew how powerful his Master was.

The so-called Hidden Clans of Wencheng were nothing but bullshit in his Master’s eyes.

”Annihilation?” Luo Muren froze, staring blankly at the completely unruffled Tu Xiao’an. ’Is this young man really that terrifying?’

Tu Xiao’an shook his head. ’Luo Zijie is my War Servant, after all. I should show him some face.’

Even if Tu Xiao’an were to kill Luo Muren right now, Luo Zijie wouldn’t be able to do a thing.

’But that would be too cruel.’

Though Tu Xiao’an was a Snake, he wasn’t entirely cold-blooded and unfeeling. He understood social niceties.

At that moment, Tu Xiao’an’s bewitching, deep eyes flickered toward Luo Muren. With just a single glance, Luo Muren’s eyes bulged wide. His entire body froze, as if he had plunged into an endless abyss.

Fear—the terror of death—instantly enveloped his entire being.

’One look should be enough for him to understand,’ Tu Xiao’an thought with a small smile.

”If your Luo Family knows how to seize an opportunity, perhaps in the future you won’t be just one of Wencheng’s four great Hidden Clans, but Wencheng’s number one Hidden Clan,” Tu Xiao’an said lightly to the dazed Luo Muren.

Luo Zijie, however, was overjoyed. He dropped to one knee. ”Thank you, my Lord! The Luo Family is willing to serve you with utmost loyalty and follow you for a lifetime!”

’Now that’s what I like to hear,’ Tu Xiao’an thought.

Tu Xiao’an walked over to the immobilized Luo Muren and patted his cheek. ”Don’t think your Young Master is being wronged by becoming my servant. On the contrary, it’s a stroke of incredible fortune for him, and for your Luo Family as well.”

”I’ll let you in on another little secret,” he whispered. ”Even the director of the Demon Management Bureau is my servant. Does hearing that make you feel a little better?”

Luo Muren’s bulging eyes looked as if they were about to pop out of his head. The sheer weight of this information was impossible to process all at once.

Tu Xiao’an turned away, ignoring Luo Muren. He glanced at the corpses of the Qin Family. The stench of blood fouled the air, but this was a minor issue he didn’t need to handle personally.

The Qin Family would naturally come to collect their dead. And although the plaza was filled with Demons, they were all proud creatures. They might enjoy eating humans, but they would never stoop so low as to feast on a corpse.

If any did, Tu Xiao’an would make them disappear with a single palm strike.

One must respect the dead. Tu Xiao’an would not tolerate any Demon desecrating a corpse.

”Tomorrow, this King will lead you back to the Yaoling Mountain Range. For now, all of you are to rest.”

”Yes! We obey the Lord Snake King’s command!”

A cheer like a tidal wave erupted from the assembled Demons.

Tomorrow, these Demons, who had been locked away in a sunless prison, could finally go home.

What could possibly be more joyous than that?

”Hee hee... What a majestic display, Lord Snake King. You’ve truly opened this little lady’s eyes today.”

Suddenly, a tinkling, bell-like voice drifted down from above, filled with a playful, teasing tone.

”Hm?”

Tu Xiao’an heard the voice and instinctively looked up. He saw a woman of extraordinary grace hovering in mid-air, her beautiful eyes twinkling. Her robes fluttered around her, her Body Technique so light that she stood in the air as if on solid ground. She was peerlessly elegant and stunningly beautiful, like a Nine Heavens Fairy descending to the mortal realm.

The night was deep and starless, but the sky itself seemed to turn magnificent with her appearance.

She was like the most brilliant and beautiful star in the heavens.

’How beautiful,’ Tu Xiao’an thought, surprised. This woman’s beauty was on par with that of Luo Ziyun and Su Rushi, yet she possessed a unique charm all her own.

’She looks a little familiar, like I’ve seen her somewhere before,’ Tu Xiao’an mused. ’A woman like this... you’d think one look would be unforgettable.’

”What, don’t you recognize me?” the beautiful woman asked, her expression leisurely as her lips parted slightly. ”Because I certainly remember you... my ’strongest freshman’ junior.”

Tu Xiao’an’s eyes widened. ’She’s from the Ancient Academy!’

”That’s the ’Young Miss,’ Evil Qiqi,” Luo Zijie quickly told Tu Xiao’an.

It all clicked into place for Tu Xiao’an. He finally remembered.

This Evil Qiqi was a legendary student at the Ancient Academy, renowned for both her beauty and her strength. She had countless fans, and her fame at the academy surpassed even that of god-tier seniors like Bai Junran and Luo Zijie.

Tu Xiao’an had seen her once, but they hadn’t had any significant interaction.

Besides, Tu Xiao’an had only been at the Ancient Academy for a few days, so it was perfectly normal that he hadn’t recognized her immediately.

”Hmph! I’m as beautiful as a Celestial Immortal, and you’ve clearly seen me before, yet you actually forgot? How dare you!” Hovering in the air, Evil Qiqi shot a glare of mock-annoyance down at Tu Xiao’an. She was very displeased that he wouldn’t have remembered her without Luo Zijie’s reminder.

’How infuriating...!’

Women always want to be remembered after a single glance, especially a woman of her caliber. They were never forgotten.

Tu Xiao’an’s delayed reaction had genuinely angered her.

”Classmate Luo, long time no see. Congratulations. Not only did you become a Rank Three Creature, but your Cultivation has soared,” Evil Qiqi said, greeting Luo Zijie after shooting another annoyed glare at Tu Xiao’an.

Luo Zijie nodded. ”Young Miss. I trust you’ve been well.”

After that simple greeting, Evil Qiqi focused her gaze entirely on Tu Xiao’an, a captivating smile playing on her lips. ”I never would have guessed that the strongest freshman of the Ancient Academy was actually the great King of the Snake Clan, a mighty Great Demon King. How truly unexpected.”

As she spoke, Evil Qiqi stared as if trying to see right through him. Who could have possibly imagined that the great King of the Snake Clan would enroll in the Ancient Academy as a freshman?

Of course, she had no way of knowing that back then, Tu Xiao’an was merely a Rank Two Snake Spirit.