Chapter 708 - 651: Secret of the Snake Race

Chapter 708: Chapter 651: Secret of the Snake Race

In a palace suffused with Immortal Qi, the Fox Immortal King sat upon a Cloud Bed, with Tu Xiao’an seated below her.

"Sister Fox, your Fox Palace is truly brimming with Immortal Qi. It’s a cut above my Snake Palace," Tu Xiao’an said with a smile.

The Fox Immortal King gazed at Tu Xiao’an’s handsome face. "Your Snake Palace is quite nice as well, Snake King. Back when Demon King Liu was in charge, I visited it often."

"Oh? In that case, why have you not visited since I took over? Perhaps you could accompany me back to the Snake Palace afterward. Allow me to show you some proper hospitality."

Upon hearing this, the Fox Immortal King gave Tu Xiao’an a peculiar look and chuckled softly. "Are you planning on keeping me there, little brother?"

"What are you saying? Are you afraid I might kidnap you?"

"Your Snake Palace is currently a prize coveted by wolves. I imagine the grand army of the Twelve Great Races, led by the Yellow Demon King and the Gray Demon King, will be surrounding it very soon," the Fox Immortal King stated bluntly, a bewitching smile on her lips.

Tu Xiao’an wasn’t surprised. ’She really does know everything,’ he thought.

"Sister Fox, I was initially reluctant to come. As they say, it’s better to rely on yourself than on others." Tu Xiao’an didn’t mince words, seeing as she was clearly well-informed.

It was a tacit understanding.

"Then why did you come after all?"

"Haha... When one has the chance to meet the number one beauty of the Yaoling Mountain Range, one must take every opportunity. Who knows if I’ll be alive to see you again?" Tu Xiao’an said, striking a pose that suggested dying for a beautiful woman was a worthy end.

The Fox Immortal King’s long, slender fingers, sheathed in flawless white silk gloves, gently lifted a cup of freshly brewed tea. After taking a sip, she teased, "Brother Snake King, you certainly don’t look like someone on the brink of disaster. Still in the mood for jokes, I see."

"The combined army of the Yellow Demon King and Gray Demon King may want to annihilate my Snake Race, but... I’m confident they won’t succeed."

It was a boastful claim, but Tu Xiao’an wasn’t truly in a desperate situation. In fact, the purpose of his visit wasn’t to win the Fox Race to his side.

Instead, he hoped that if she wished to stay out of the conflict, she would remain strictly neutral. The last thing he wanted was for the Fox Race to suddenly appear on the side of the enemy army.

His main fear was that the Fox Immortal King might suddenly decide to help the Yellow Demon King and the Gray Demon King.

That was why he had come—to sound out her intentions.

After all, he and the Fox Immortal King had only met once, and briefly at that; they were practically strangers.

The Fox Race could either help his Snake Race or stay on the sidelines and watch the show. There could be no third option.

"You have more of a Snake King’s presence than my Brother Liu ever did. Not bad at all," the Fox Immortal King said, giving Tu Xiao’an a look of approval.

Tu Xiao’an took a sip of tea as well before continuing, "Sister Fox, the Snake Race and the Fox Race have always been on good terms. Since I took the throne, I may have acted a bit high-handedly and shown little regard for many of the other racial leaders, but I have always respected the Fox Race."

"It’s said that a new monarch brings a new court, but I still wish for the Snake Race and the Fox Race to maintain their good relationship."

After speaking, Tu Xiao’an looked intently at the Fox Immortal King, whose face was veiled by white silk. He had made himself perfectly clear.

If the Fox Immortal King remained unmoved after such a speech, it would likely mean she had other plans in mind.

"Brother Snake King, you truly are a straightforward man. You’ve spoken the very thoughts in my heart. May the Snake Race and the Fox Race be friends for eternity."

The Fox Immortal King, her visible features as lovely as a painting, raised her teacup as one would a wine glass. Inwardly delighted, Tu Xiao’an raised his own cup. The two of them drained their cups in a single motion.

With the relationship between the Snake Race and the Fox Race secured, a great deal of his anxiety lessened.

If the Fox Race joined the grand army, then the Snake Race would truly have no hope.

’Good thing this Fox Immortal King is a decent sort.’

Legend has it that during the ancient Xia Dynasty, a Son of Heaven named Xia Yu appeared. He was a virtuous and sagely emperor from the age of legends, as renowned as Yao and Shun. His most brilliant achievement, celebrated for generations, was taming a world-engulfing flood. He also divided the lands of Huaxia into the nine provinces of Jiuzhou, earning him the name Da Yu from posterity.

In those days, the world was plagued not only by floods, but also by demons who frequently wreaked havoc. The Human and Demon Races often fought to the death over territory in battles so great they shattered landscapes and blotted out the sun.

Da Yu’s success in taming the flood earned him the admiration of the entire world, and the Demons were no exception.

From the land of Qingqiu emerged a Great Demon King—a Nine-tailed White Fox of profound Cultivation. She deeply admired Da Yu’s character and was filled with heartfelt approval and admiration for his efforts to control the flood.

And so, the Nine-tailed White Fox left Qingqiu and took on human form. She gave herself the name "Nv Jiao," a name derived from the words for "Female Demon," and went to help Da Yu tame the Huai River.

As the two spent more time together, their true feelings blossomed, and Da Yu eventually proposed to Nv Jiao, the human incarnation of the Nine-tailed White Fox.

This marked the first propitious union between a human and a demon. The marriage of Emperor Yu and the Great Demon King, the Nine-tailed White Fox, brought about a temporary peace between the Human and Demon Races.

Tu Xiao’an hadn’t been lying when he said he respected the Fox Race. In the Human World, many animal totems reflected the belief that all things possessed a spirit and deserved a certain mode of coexistence.

Foxes, being creatures of immense spiritual potential, were also quite endearing. Their ability to achieve Transformation after only fifty years of Cultivation was a unique and powerful gift.

After the two kings drained their cups, their bond had grown slightly stronger. The Fox Immortal King’s voice was soft as she spoke. "Though I may be a fox, I am also a woman, and I harbor no great ambitions. My Fox Race has always kept to itself. I have no interest in the territorial disputes of the Yaoling Mountain Range, nor in the struggles between the races. My only hope is to one day cultivate into a Nine-tailed Immortal Fox and achieve the Rank Four of Ascension."

"Brother Snake King, the tribulation your Snake Race faces is too great. Even if I wanted to help, I cannot pull the entire Fox Race into such peril. I hope you can understand."

"I understand." Tu Xiao’an nodded. He had already thought it through before he arrived and hadn’t been expecting her help anyway.

The Fox Race could not possibly offend the Yellow Demon King and the Gray Demon King for the sake of the Snake Race, not to mention the forces of the Twelve Great Races.

It was a bad bargain no matter how one looked at it. Besides, in a war between races, casualties were counted in the millions.

The losses would be too great to bear.

"As long as the Fox Race remains on the sidelines and doesn’t interfere, I will be extremely grateful," Tu Xiao’an said with a smile.

The Fox Immortal King gave him a grateful look. Understanding was a blessing.

"Brother Snake King, the Yaoling Mountain Range has never been a peaceful place. Clashes between the great races are commonplace. I know you are no ordinary person. Though you only appeared on the scene a short time ago, your growth has been unprecedented. If you can lead the Snake Race through this great tribulation, it might actually be a good thing for you."

"Oh? How so?"

"The Yaoling Mountain Range has long been in need of a Lord Gong, someone to bring peace to the Ten Thousand Races. If you can defeat the grand army led by the Yellow Demon King and Gray Demon King by your own power, then your prestige as the Snake Demon King in the Yaoling Mountain Range will be second to none."

The Fox Immortal King continued solemnly, "You have the potential to become the Lord Gong of the Yaoling Mountain Range. All that remains is to see if destiny is on your side."

"I once discussed this topic of a Lord Gong with Brother Liu. He believed that only a Rank Four Divine Spirit would be qualified to make the Ten Thousand Races bow their heads in submission and rule the Yaoling Mountain Range. Unfortunately, Brother Liu failed his Ascension to Rank Four. Though he became the acknowledged number one Great Demon King in the Yaoling Mountain Range, he was not the Lord Gong the mountains would truly follow," the Fox Immortal King said with regret.

"Aside from Brother Liu, you are the one I have seen with the greatest hope of reaching Rank Four. And perhaps, of becoming the Lord Gong of the Yaoling Mountain Range."

"So this time, for you and for your Snake Race, it is a tremendous test."

"If you, Brother Snake King, can endure this tribulation, then my Fox Race will surely support your bid to become the Lord Gong of the Yaoling Mountain Range. I will not go back on my word."

Tu Xiao’an listened in silence, staring blankly at the stunningly beautiful woman before him.

’I never expected her to hold me in such high regard.’

If Tu Xiao’an could kill the Yellow Demon King and the Gray Demon King and crush the Twelve Great Races, then no one in the Yaoling Mountain Range would dare oppose him, especially with the support of the Fox Immortal King and her Fox Race.

At that point, it would be almost effortless for Tu Xiao’an to become the Lord Gong of the Yaoling Mountain Range; reaching Rank Four wouldn’t even be a prerequisite.

’It seems this Fox Immortal King understands the stakes even better than I do.’

Hearing her put it that way, Tu Xiao’an truly began to see this as an opportunity for him and the Snake Race to prove themselves.

"Thank you for your guidance, Sister Fox," Tu Xiao’an said, exhaling a deep breath of Muddy Qi. "However, the enemies the Snake Race faces this time are too numerous and too powerful. Surviving won’t be simple."

’Any other King of the Race would probably just be waiting to die at this point.’

"Brother Snake King, while my Fox Race cannot help you, I can’t let you leave empty-handed. I can offer you a great gift."

Tu Xiao’an’s eyes lit up. "A great gift? What great gift?"

"I know a bit about the Snake Race’s situation. You have many masters, but no truly powerful experts."

Tu Xiao’an gave a bitter smile. A ’truly powerful expert’ naturally meant someone at the Demon King Level.

The Snake Race had plenty of King Snakes, but not a single one had reached the Demon King Level. In contrast, the Fox Race could casually produce three Female Demons who were already Demon Kings.

This was the vast disparity.

Indeed, this was why the Snake Race had fallen into decline and maintained a low profile in the Yaoling Mountain Range ever since Demon King Liu’s disappearance.

Because there was no true Demon King among them.

In the presence of the great races, they didn’t even have a voice. Who would fear them?

For a common race, even a Rank Three Demon Spirit could become its king. But a truly great race needed a Demon King at its helm.

"This great gift you mentioned, Sister Fox... don’t tell me you plan to send those few Demon King-level Fairies I saw earlier to bolster my courage?"

The Fox Immortal King immediately shook her head. "My Fox Race is remaining neutral. I cannot send you a single soldier. If I did, we would no longer be on the sidelines."

Tu Xiao’an looked at her. ’Then what could this great gift be?’

"Actually, your Snake Race is not without a truly powerful expert. It’s just that you don’t know about it," the Fox Immortal King said.

"Impossible. I am the one and only Snake King. How could I be unaware of whether a powerful expert exists within my own race?"

’If I couldn’t even determine that, then I might as well abdicate my throne.’

He knew the Snake Race like the back of his hand.

’Besides, even if I didn’t know, how could Elder Snake not know? And why would he hide it from me?’

’Furthermore, the existence of a Demon King Level Snake Species would be a monumental affair. If such a being existed, the throne would never have passed to a snake like me in the first place.’

"There is something you don’t know, Brother Snake King," the Fox Immortal King said softly, revealing a secret of the Snake Race’s history. "In the earliest days of your race, Brother Liu was not the Snake King. It was another, terrifying Snake Species who led your people. Only after Brother Liu defeated that Snake King did he become the new leader of the Snake Race."