Invincible Snake Emperor

Chapter 531: Chapter 518: The Resurgence of the Snake Race

Baihua Fairy was in despair. Her whole world had turned gray, and she felt like a pitiful slip of paper, tossed and trampled by a raging storm.

She never would have imagined that she, a mighty Deep Mountain Great Demon, would be run down by a swarm of Low Rank snakes.

Looking back over hundreds of years, she had cultivated from a simple lily into the Baihua Fairy of the Yaoling Mountain Range—a figure all demons greeted with reverence.

She’d had countless suitors, leaders from powerful races, yet now, she had fallen to the pitiful state of being hounded by a pack of Low Rank venomous snakes.

It was truly a case of a tiger stranded on open plains being bullied by dogs. In her case, it was snakes. First, she was bullied by the big snake, and now she was being bullied by the small ones.

’But why are these ugly, disgusting, venomous snakes chasing a beautiful flower like me? Are you carnivores trying to change your diet? There are Rat Beast corpses all over the mountainside. You’d rather eat a flower?’

’Could it be that the Snake Demon realized I escaped and sent this swarm of snakes after me?’

’It’s over. It’s all over.’ Despair flooded Baihua Fairy’s heart. When she first saw the Gray Demon King appear, she had thought her savior had arrived.

’If only the Gray Demon King had won, everything would have been fine. But... but he shamelessly fled before the fight even got started!’

’How could a great Demon King like him just run away?’

But the one most devastated by the Gray Demon King’s flight was undoubtedly the flower herself, because now she was trapped.

Forced back into her original form by the Celestial Fire, she had lost all her Cultivation. Aside from being able to hop around and speak, she was hardly different from an ordinary flower.

"Help! Help me!"

Baihua Fairy would have rather died than submit. Even while being incinerated by the Celestial Fire, she hadn’t surrendered to Tu Xiao’an. Yet now, being chased by a pack of venomous snakes had her screaming for help.

’Death wasn’t scary. What was scary was the thought of a mighty Deep Mountain Great Demon dying at the hands of a swarm of Low Rank venomous snakes. That would be an injustice even greater than what Dou E suffered.’

’It’s better to live a miserable life than to die a good death.’

SWOOSH...

A slender figure appeared in a flash, snatching the hopping, shouting lily into his hand. He raised an eyebrow and said, "Since you already ran away, why are you shouting for help? Aren’t you just walking right into the trap?"

When the swarm of snakes saw Tu Xiao’an, they immediately prostrated themselves in terror, their tails raised high in a gesture of worship.

’If I hadn’t been hunted by this swarm of snakes, like hell I would have cried for help.’

Baihua Fairy stared at Tu Xiao’an’s handsome face and his demonic smile. She would never forget that look, not even if she were turned to ash. Resentfully, she said, "Snake Demon, you win. This Fairy admits defeat."

"’Snake Demon’? Is that any way to address me? Call me Master. Otherwise, I’ll pluck the Golden Core from you and eat it like a piece of candy," Tu Xiao’an said, brandishing the lily. The threat in his voice was unmistakable.

Baihua Fairy trembled, her petals seeming to wilt. When you’re cornered, you have no choice but to bow your head. In despair, she said, "This Fairy will submit to you. I only ask that you treat me kindly from now on."

’Even the Gray Demon King was driven off by this handsome man, a snake in human form. Submitting to him probably isn’t that much of a disgrace.’

She could only console herself with such thoughts. Besides, Baihua Fairy understood perfectly well that she had no choice if she wanted to live. The only alternative was death.

And who would choose death when they could live?

’From a single flower, she had cultivated into a Deep Mountain Great Demon. Did he have any idea how hard that was?’

Seeing Baihua Fairy finally yield, Tu Xiao’an smiled faintly. It wasn’t much of a surprise.

’Being subdued by me now is truly a blessing for her.’

There were only two paths for Tu Xiao’an’s enemies: submission or being devoured.

Besides, Tu Xiao’an’s standards had risen. Not just anyone was qualified to be his Battle Companion. Anything less than the Deep Mountain Great Demon Level was out of the question.

’Furthermore, in addition to high Cultivation, they had to have a good image. A Demon Spirit with an ugly face like the Centipede Great Demon? What would be the point of subduing it? To have it stand there and disgust me every day?’

Tu Xiao’an’s bewitching eyes narrowed, and he projected his powerful Consciousness Power onto Baihua Fairy.

"Consciousness, envelop! Submit! Be subdued!"

Baihua Fairy instantly felt an overwhelming pressure that seemed to seize her very soul, embedding itself deep within her. She had no way to resist; she could only open her Divine Sense and accept its implantation.

"DING... Congratulations, Host, for subduing an Awakened-type mutated plant, Baihua Fairy, Level 34. Can control any species of flower in the world."

The system’s voice rang out, but once again, there was no reward for the subjugation.

"Haha! Now you belong to me!" Tu Xiao’an roared with laughter, then quickly corrected himself. "My mistake. You’re my flower."

"Though, it seems I’ve already given you away to someone else."

’Is this what they call making a promise on credit?’

To be honest, Baihua Fairy no longer cared what Tu Xiao’an said. His person, his flower—what was the difference? All she hoped for was kind treatment.

Just then, Tu Xiao’an, holding the pure and noble lily, flickered and reappeared beside a towering, ancient tree.

"Oh, my goddess, my Flower Fairy! You died so tragically! You were so beautiful and flawless, so unlike any other! Curses to you for meeting my cruel, tyrannical master! He ruthlessly destroyed a beautiful flower! My goddess, your death was too cruel!"

Tree Spirit Charlie was wailing and sobbing before a pile of lifeless, withered grass, looking genuinely heartbroken.

Tu Xiao’an’s face instantly darkened. He said coldly, "Charlie, badmouthing your master behind his back? Is your bark itching for a beating?"

The ancient tree shuddered, its leaves rustling to the ground. Seeing Tu Xiao’an’s utterly furious expression, its woody heart trembled. ’I’m done for. You really can’t badmouth people behind their backs.’

’Damn it, I only said a few words and the guy himself overheard me.’

"Master, Charlie wasn’t calling you cruel! Charlie was saying that Master is wise and mighty, his divine power is world-shaking, and he is simply invincible! So cool!"

"Hmph. I heard everything. I’m telling you, nothing less than five Spirit Fruits will be enough to quell my fury. You figure out what to do."

At these words, Charlie’s leaves began to fall even faster, as if swept by a gale, quickly forming a thick carpet on the ground.

"Master, I only said one little thing about you... How about one?" the Tree Spirit said weakly.

Tu Xiao’an kicked its trunk and cursed, "Are you haggling with me like we’re at a vegetable market? You want your goddess or not?"

As he spoke, he held up the flawless white lily, its sweet fragrance filling the air.

"Wow! Charlie’s goddess is still alive! This is wonderful!" Tree Spirit Charlie felt his entire world light up, and he was overjoyed.

WHOOSH, WHOOSH, WHOOSH...

Five Vermilion Spirit Fruits dropped down at once. ’His joy must have hit its peak.’

Tu Xiao’an caught the five Vermilion Spirit Fruits and grinned. "Little Charlie, give me five more, and I’ll give you a chance to get close to your goddess, the Flower Fairy."

"Really? You promise?" Charlie shouted. And then...

WHOOSH, WHOOSH, WHOOSH...

Another five Vermilion Spirit Fruits dropped down.

’Is it this easy for this old tree to drop Spirit Fruits now?’

Seeing this, Tu Xiao’an began to suspect that as the Tree Spirit’s Level increased, he might have gained the ability to drop Spirit Fruits at will.

’Hmph. I’ll have to properly interrogate this dishonest and lecherous Tree Spirit later.’

True to his word, Tu Xiao’an tossed the flawless, fragrant lily onto the top of the Tree Spirit’s dense canopy.

"Damn you, Snake Demon! This is the second time you’ve sold me!"

Baihua Fairy despaired. ’So much for kind treatment! He sold me off again in the blink of an eye!’

Tu Xiao’an returned to his spot atop the Titan Snake’s head, exchanged a smile with Luo Ziyun, and said, "Having so many Battle Companions can be a real hassle."

"Come on, it’s been a long day. Everyone, have a Spirit Fruit." Tu Xiao’an generously handed a Vermilion Spirit Fruit to Luo Ziyun, then gave one to each of his Battle Companions.

With six Battle Companions, plus one for Luo Ziyun and one for himself, he still had two fruits left in his hand.

Tu Xiao’an walked to the very front of the Giant Snake’s head. "What a fine Titan Snake. Even I, the Snake King, haven’t grown to be as massive and majestic as you. You’re even more impressive than I am."

The Titan Snake below was startled by his words and grew terrified. As the saying goes, serving a ruler is like accompanying a tiger, and no one knew the temperament of this new Snake King.

’Did my immense size offend the Snake King’s dignity?’

Despite the Titan Snake’s immense size and its Demon Spirit-level Cultivation, it was nothing compared to the new Snake King.

"Lord Snake King, forgive me! This humble one can make himself smaller!" the Titan Snake boomed in a voice like thunder.

Tu Xiao’an shook his head. "No need. This is great. It’s imposing, and I, the Snake King, like it. Here, have a Second Class Spirit Fruit as a reward."

Saying this, Tu Xiao’an tossed a Vermilion Spirit Fruit to it.

SWOOSH... A massive forked tongue shot out, wider than a grown man.

In the blink of an eye, the huge tongue snatched the tiny Vermilion Spirit Fruit from the air.

"This humble one thanks Lord Snake King for the reward! Your Lordship is wise and brilliant!"

Tu Xiao’an was in an excellent mood. He glanced at the last fruit in his hand and suddenly thought of the Snake Maiden, the Phoenix-tailed Crowned Snake.

"Where is Feng Xi?"

This was the Snake Maiden’s name.

In a flash, the red-crested Snake Maiden, Feng Xi, appeared before Tu Xiao’an and knelt on one knee. "Feng Xi is here. What are the Lord Snake King’s orders?"

Tu Xiao’an had a soft spot for the Crowned Snake species. He had encountered one before that left a deep impression on him; it had been loyal and righteous, seeking to avenge its master. He had ended up devouring it, but he regretted it afterward.

Now, the Snake Race even had an evolved Phoenix-tailed Crowned Snake, which made Tu Xiao’an very happy.

"Order the snake tide to recede. We return to She Mountain."

"Yes, my lord." The Snake Maiden Feng Xi immediately accepted the order. As a King Snake, her status was exalted, and she had the authority to command the swarm.

Tu Xiao’an tossed her the last Vermilion Spirit Fruit. "This is for you."

A Second Class Spirit Fruit was no ordinary item; one couldn’t eat them just whenever they pleased.

"Thank you, Lord Snake King!" The Snake Maiden caught the fruit, her face beaming with joy. Then she flew off to command the swarm.

What followed was an utterly terrifying spectacle. The Titan Snake led the way, followed by a dense, writhing mass of countless venomous snakes that formed an immense tide of serpents.

This snake tide, however, was a relatively gentle one; it didn’t leave a trail of utter devastation in its wake.

But the concentration of the Snake Race’s aura generated by the tide was unprecedented. It was as if snakes were now the only living creatures in the entire world.

The sheer scale and overwhelming presence of the tide were enough to scare a person to death with a single glance.

Anyone lingering near the snake tide would be frozen solid by its sinister, cold aura.

As the snake tide surged past, countless surrounding creatures simply died, unable to withstand the immense, majestic aura of the Snake Race. Upon learning of the tide’s approach, the members of countless other races scattered, each fleeing for their own life, terrified that if they were too slow, the sheer pressure of the serpentine aura would crush them to death.