Chapter 349 - 212: 3 Trials

Chapter 349: Chapter 212: 3 Trials

The palaces and houses were all built from massive stones. Though unadorned, they possessed a raw, primitive beauty.

Besides these palaces and houses, most demons lived in the open wilderness or in caves.

The Demon Court was, after all, only a few decades old. The demons had only begun learning Da Xuan’s culture in recent years.

Before that, they had lived a savage existence, eating raw meat and drinking blood, locked in endless, chaotic fights.

It was the appearance of the Master of the Demon Court and Liang Jinglue that led to the establishment of the first Demon Court in this barbaric land.

The members of the Da Xuan Envoy gazed at the churning river, hundreds of yards wide. Before they had even crossed, they were already stunned by the immense, sprawling structures on the opposite bank.

It was the first time any of them had seen the Demon Court.

Even Zhu Jiuyuan stepped down from his carriage. Supported by Lu Mingyang, he gazed at the Demon Court from afar, a look of profound emotion on his face.

"Who would have thought the Demon Court would already have the bearing of a great nation."

Zhu Jiuyuan said slowly, his eyes filled with worry.

Here in the Demon Court, he saw vitality. In contrast, Da Xuan was full of decay, riddled with chronic ailments that no medicine could cure.

’Da Xuan needs a strong dose of medicine now.’

’Otherwise, in a few decades, Da Xuan will be completely helpless against the Demon Court.’

’These peace talks...’

Zhu Jiuyuan let out a long sigh.

"Our National Preceptor named this river the Celestial River,"

Lv Lake said. "Across the Celestial River lies the Capital City of our Demon Court."

"The National Preceptor said that this Celestial River is our Demon Court’s moat."

"The Celestial River is just a moat. It doesn’t mean our territory is only on the other side. The entire wilderness belongs to our Demon Court," Tushan Hanyu said.

"Whatever makes you happy."

Xu Chongyuan pursed his lips. ’Who cares how big your Demon Court is? The wilderness is a harsh environment; we never planned on fighting you for this land anyway.’

"They’re here," Lv Lake said suddenly.

Before the words had even faded, a small boat shot out from the opposite bank of the Celestial River, fast as an arrow loosed from a bow.

Su Mu stood by the bank of the Celestial River, watching the small boat draw closer, his mind deep in thought.

’The Celestial River.’

’This Demon Court National Preceptor is truly ambitious.’

’You can tell from the name alone that his aspirations are anything but small.’

’Not just any river can be called the Celestial River.’

In the time it took to think this, the small boat came to a sudden stop a few dozen feet from the shore.

A demon over two meters tall stood on the boat. It had the head of a demon and the body of a man.

The Demon Court had been researching methods for demons to assume human form, but it seemed they hadn’t yet succeeded.

Most demons could only manage to transform this much.

They could change their bodies into human ones, but not their heads.

"Greetings, Eighteenth Prince."

Tushan Hanyu and Lv Lake bowed in unison to the demon on the boat.

"Eighteenth Prince?"

The members of the Da Xuan Envoy were taken aback. ’What kind of title is that?’

"Is your Demon Court’s Saint Venerable that... prolific?" Xu Chongyuan muttered.

"Show some respect!"

Lv Lake said in a low voice. "Our Saint Venerable has no biological children, but he has eighteen adopted sons. They are our Demon Court’s Eighteen Princes."

"This is the Eighteenth Prince, Niu Zhong."

"Are you the Da Xuan Envoy?"

At that moment, the Eighteenth Prince, Niu Zhong, bellowed.

"Isn’t it obvious?" Xu Chongyuan mumbled under his breath.

But Niu Zhong didn’t look at Xu Chongyuan. His gaze was fixed on Su Mu and Zhu Jiuyuan.

Zhu Jiuyuan acted as if he hadn’t heard a thing, simply staring quietly at the flowing waters of the Celestial River.

Su Mu said calmly, "Is this how the Demon Court treats its guests?"

Not getting the reaction he expected, Niu Zhong snorted coldly and said, "Listen up, Da Xuan Envoy! I am Niu Zhong, the Eighteenth Prince of the Demon Court. I have been waiting here on the orders of the Saint Venerable and the National Preceptor."

"Before you enter the Demon Court, my National Preceptor has prepared three challenges for you."

"Do you have the guts to accept?"

Niu Zhong shouted, his face a mask of provocation.

Su Mu just looked at him calmly. "If we don’t accept, does that mean the Demon Court is no longer prepared to negotiate?"

His voice was level, devoid of any emotion.

Lv Lake’s heart sank.

He now understood Su Mu quite well. Whenever Su Mu spoke like this, someone was bound to suffer.

"Eldest Sister, you should try to talk some sense into the Eighteenth Prince. Tell him not to be rash..." Lv Lake whispered.

"And you think I can persuade him?" Tushan Hanyu retorted irritably.

’If I had successfully completed the mission to intercept the Da Xuan Envoy, I’d be the Nineteenth Prince right now. Then, maybe I could talk some sense into him.’

’But now, I have no status. How could I possibly persuade him?’

’The Eighteenth Prince would never listen to me.’

"Of course, the peace talks will still happen,"

Niu Zhong said. "But if you don’t even have the guts to accept a challenge, then your Da Xuan might as well just surrender and submit to my Demon Court."

"Are you sure your National Preceptor told you to speak like this?"

Su Mu said lightly, his hand resting on the hilt of his saber.

"Our National Preceptor said that for each of these three challenge-wagers you win, my Demon Court will grant you one condition."

Niu Zhong, seemingly unaware that his life was hanging by a thread, boomed, "Aren’t the bodies of those two Marquises from your Taiping Bureau still here in our Demon Court?"

"Win two rounds, and we’ll return the two corpses to you!"

"Insolent!"

Before Niu Zhong could finish his sentence.

Suddenly, a brilliant flash of saber light flared, lashing out like a dragon.

Niu Zhong’s expression changed drastically, and he let out a furious roar.

But the roar was quickly cut short.

With a soft PFFT!

One of Niu Zhong’s arms was severed from his body, plunging into the waters of the Celestial River.

At the same time, the small boat beneath his feet exploded with a BOOM.

Niu Zhong fell wretchedly into the water. He then struggled onto the bank, clutching his arm, his face pale white.

"Next time, it won’t be your arm,"

Su Mu said coldly. "I accept these three challenges."

"Lord Su—"

Lu Mingyang cried out anxiously.

’This is clearly a trap set by the Demon Court! How can he accept?’

Su Mu merely shot him a cold glance and said nothing.

Zhu Jiuyuan sighed softly but did not speak.

"You—"

Niu Zhong’s face was ashen as he stared death at Su Mu.

’That saber strike just now... even though he had the element of surprise, thinking back, I’m not sure I could have dodged it.’

’Damn it, aren’t Taiping Captains supposed to be in the Rebirth Realm?’

’I’m a Tier Three Demon, comparable to a human in the True Essence Realm! Why does this Taiping Captain feel stronger than me?’

While cursing inwardly, Niu Zhong spoke aloud, "I wasn’t finished. If you win, we’ll return your Marquises’ bodies."

"But if you lose, for every round you lose, your Da Xuan must cede a state’s worth of land to us!"

"This has nothing to do with the peace talks. It’s just the three challenges. You can also refuse, and I’ll still let you enter the Demon Court."

Lu Mingyang screamed inwardly, ’Refuse! Refuse!’

’Why would you accept such a challenge?’

’That’s Three States’ Land!’

’How many states does Da Xuan even have in total?’

’How can he agree to such a wager?’

’And how could they possibly have the authority to decide the fate of three states?’

"I accept,"

Su Mu said, his voice as cold as ice.

All the Taiping Captains wore solemn expressions, their hands resting on the hilts of their sabers.

Niu Zhong’s words had just provoked their deepest fury.

The bodies of the two Marquises of the Taiping Bureau must not be desecrated by demons.

Forget three challenges; even if it meant every last one of them died here, they would retrieve the Marquises’ bodies!

Lu Mingyang also realized the problem. He looked at the assembled Taiping Captains and couldn’t help but give a bitter smile.

’That Demon Court National Preceptor really knows how to exploit the Taiping Bureau’s weakness.’

’If the conditions were anything else, Su Mu would never have so casually agreed to a wager with the Demon Court.’

’Throughout this journey, he had witnessed Su Mu’s composure.’

’But when it came to the bodies of the two Taiping Bureau Marquises, no matter how calm Su Mu was, he could never refuse.’

’But... Three States’ Land.’

Lu Mingyang looked to his teacher for help.

"Wagering Three States’ Land for the return of the Marquises’ bodies... this old man has no objection."

Zhu Jiuyuan said slowly. "However, this old man has one more condition."

"If our Da Xuan Envoy also wins the third round, the Demon Court must agree to one condition from this old man."

"Fine. On the condition that you can actually win," Niu Zhong sneered.

"Lord Su... can you win?"

Zhu Jiuyuan looked calmly at Su Mu.