Chapter 795 - 725: A Single Leap

Chapter 795: Chapter 725: A Single Leap

Forcing him, the great Snake Emperor, to worship a dead man? Tu Xiao’an wouldn’t agree to it, no matter what.

Besides, a fight with this Artifact Spirit was unavoidable. The War Relics had to close for Skeleton Mountain to disappear.

Only then could X City return to peace.

More to the point, Luo Ziyun was under the Artifact Spirit’s control. How could Tu Xiao’an possibly spare it?

"Enough nonsense. If you want a fight, let’s fight," Tu Xiao’an said, his Battle Intent surging. He suspected that while this Artifact Spirit could suppress his Elemental Power, it probably wasn’t a Rank Four being.

The reason was simple: how could a mere Artifact Spirit possibly achieve Ascension?

As long as it wasn’t Rank Four, Tu Xiao’an stood a fighting chance.

"You’d rather risk death to fight me than take my master as your teacher?" the demonic man asked, looking at Tu Xiao’an in disbelief.

In its mind, becoming its master’s disciple was a supreme honor. It might even lead to becoming the new master of these relics, of this entire grotto-heaven.

It was an incredible stroke of luck, a gift from the heavens.

Yet this Snake refused, and without a moment’s hesitation.

"Hmph..."

Tu Xiao’an snorted coldly, a look of haughty pride on his face.

"What makes you think you can fight me? You possess Elemental Power, but I command the Power of Laws. I can crush you with ease."

"On what grounds?"

Tu Xiao’an stomped his foot, and the magnificent hall shook violently. Instantly, the phantom of a colossal Giant Snake, roaring with enough force to shake mountains and rivers, appeared above his head.

The demonic man saw the phantom Giant Snake manifest above him and fell silent for a moment. Then he said lightly, "Do you want that woman to die?"

"If you kneel and take my master as your teacher, I can spare that woman. I won’t make her be buried alongside my master."

Hearing this, Tu Xiao’an’s brow furrowed. ’It seems he doesn’t actually want to fight me. Is he just bluffing? But I definitely got the short end of the stick just now from his techniques. Why is he so obsessed with me becoming a disciple? What difference would it make whether I do or not? The Ancient Demon is dead. Even if his body remains perfectly preserved in the Crystal Coffin for ten thousand years, dead is dead. No matter what this Artifact Spirit does, it’s all meaningless. Is this just his obsession, or does he have some other goal?’

"Kneel! Or I’ll kill that woman."

The demonic man seemed furious, his face contorting. Just then, the projection above the Crystal Coffin changed.

Tu Xiao’an was instantly alarmed.

The space where Luo Ziyun was began to warp rapidly. She was caught as if in a vortex, dragged relentlessly toward the center by an ever-increasing force. Her delicate body was like a leaf on the water, utterly unable to resist.

"What do you think you’re doing? Is this the best you can do? Threatening me with a woman?" Tu Xiao’an blurted out anxiously, a deep, unmelting Frost gathering on his brow.

"Stop it!"

In the projection, Luo Ziyun looked like a helpless woman on the verge of being devoured by the twisting vortex.

Tu Xiao’an shot forward, throwing a punch at the demonic man.

"The more you care about that woman, the more leverage I have over you."

As the demonic man spoke, he vanished strangely from his spot, causing Tu Xiao’an’s punch to hit nothing but air. He then reappeared in a different location.

Tu Xiao’an glanced at the projection. Luo Ziyun was in grave danger; the room was now distorted beyond recognition.

"Damn you, Artifact Spirit! If you have any guts, fight me for real! If you win, I’ll be at your mercy. Forget kowtowing to your master—I wouldn’t say a word even if you made me his burial offering!"

Tu Xiao’an was seething. His opponent wouldn’t fight him, and he couldn’t even land a hit.

He was an Artifact Spirit; the entire War Relics were under his control.

"Haha, my master only requires beautiful women as burial offerings. A Snake like you can just forget it," the demonic man taunted, his figure flickering continuously back and forth across the magnificent hall.

"Do you find me despicable? Shameless? I already gave you the best possible choice, but you just refuse to play along."

Tu Xiao’an roared, "Play along, my ass!"

Suddenly, Tu Xiao’an leaped atop the Crystal Coffin. With a flash of light, the Heaven Swaying Sword appeared in his hand. He pointed it directly at the corpse inside, poised to strike.

"Stop! Do not disrespect my master!"

This time, it was the demonic man’s turn to panic. The mocking amusement in his eyes turned into solemn gravity.

"You stop, and I’ll stop. Otherwise, I’ll make sure your master won’t even have a corpse left," Tu Xiao’an said coldly, a frigid glint in his eyes.

The demonic man hadn’t expected the Snake to resort to such a tactic. Clearly, he had miscalculated.

"You deserve death! You wretched Snake, you deserve to die a thousand times over! For this act alone, I will slice you into a thousand pieces!" the demonic man roared, his fury uncontrollable. His voice rose from a low growl to a piercing shriek, his face turning from red to purple, his neck bulging as if it were about to explode.

"Hmph. Enough of your nonsense. Let her go," Tu Xiao’an said, his voice calm and cold.

The demonic man was utterly incensed. "You want me to let her go? In your dreams! After committing such a blasphemous act, you have no right to negotiate with me!"

"It seems you don’t care about your master’s body, then," Tu Xiao’an said as the Heaven Swaying Sword in his hand flared with light.

The demonic man suddenly grew contemptuous. "My master is the most powerful Divine Spirit in all of heaven and earth. His body wouldn’t suffer the slightest damage even if you burned it in a celestial furnace for ten thousand years. You think you can harm my master’s body? You’re not even worthy of trying!"

Hm?

Tu Xiao’an frowned. ’He’s right. The Ancient Demon was so powerful when he was alive; his body must have been honed through Cultivation to an unbelievably terrifying degree. Even if I wanted to destroy it, it wouldn’t be an easy task. My Heaven Swaying Sword couldn’t even break a stone door, so how could it possibly harm the Ancient Demon’s body?’

Tu Xiao’an’s expression immediately darkened.

"You have made me very angry. You want to protect that woman? Fine. I’ll grant your wish," the demonic man said with a wave of his hand.

A void of raging Energy appeared in front of Tu Xiao’an, instantly radiating a suffocating pressure.

It felt as though any living creature that entered would be torn to shreds and utterly annihilated.

"Jump in, and I will release that woman."

Tu Xiao’an froze. The void that had materialized before him was so terrifying that it filled him with a sense of impending death.

Going in wouldn’t be a matter of slim chances; it would be complete and utter annihilation.

It was no different from being cast into Hell.

"I told you to kneel before, and you refused. So now, you will jump. Go and die," the demonic man said with a sinister grin, his features twisting into a savage mask.

He was sure he had Tu Xiao’an exactly where he wanted him.

"If I jump, you’ll let her go?" Tu Xiao’an hated the feeling of having his fate controlled by another, but he had no other choice.

"I keep my word. You should know that killing that woman would take me less than a thought."

Tu Xiao’an nodded and said firmly, "Fine. I’ll jump."

He walked slowly toward the void of raging Energy, then looked up at the projection.

He saw Luo Ziyun huddled in a small corner, looking so helpless and lost.

Tu Xiao’an had never seen Luo Ziyun look so vulnerable.

’So be it. Ziyan, I owe you a debt, and now I’ll repay it.’

Tu Xiao’an leaped, and a triumphant, sinister smile spread across the demonic man’s face.