Chapter 358: Chapter 354: The Five Great Demon Kings (Part 9)

"You don’t need to get the Golden Core of a Rank Three Demon Spirit. You just have to enter the Yaoling Mountain Range, rescue my granddaughter, and bring back the tree’s heart," the Vice-Dean said.

"Heh..."

Tu Xiao’an said, "A thousand Spirit Stones is barely enough to cover rescuing your granddaughter."

’The Centennial Ice Divine Fruit is one of the Heavenly and Earthly Treasures. The White Demon King must have it heavily guarded by powerful Demons.’

’And this so-called tree’s heart requires uprooting the entire Centennial Ice Divine Fruit to get to it.’

’Whether it’s rescuing the girl or getting the tree’s heart, both tasks are incredibly difficult.’

Besides, a Demon King’s power was on a completely different level than an ordinary Rank Three Demon Spirit. Tu Xiao’an hadn’t attained his Dao yet. Dealing with average Rank Three Demon Spirits was no problem, but he had no confidence when it came to a Demon King Level opponent.

He had no idea just how powerful it would be.

"My final offer: two thousand Spirit Stones." The Vice-Dean seemed to have anticipated this.

Tu Xiao’an was taken aback. ’This old man just said a thousand was his life’s savings. What’s this about two thousand now?’

’What a cunning old man. He’s not even being honest when it comes to saving his own granddaughter.’

Tu Xiao’an said with a grin, "Three thousand Spirit Stones, and I’ll bring you your granddaughter and the heart of the Centennial Ice Divine Fruit without fail."

"Snake Spirit, do you have any idea what three thousand Spirit Stones means? Even a reclusive cultivation clan couldn’t produce that many!"

"I don’t care about that. All I know is that the job you want me to do is extremely dangerous. One wrong move, and I’m dead."

The Vice-Dean shook his head. "Two thousand. That’s my bottom line. It’s precisely because this is so difficult that I’m offering so much. Do you think Spirit Stones are cheap?"

"And you think the life of a magnificent Snake King on the verge of attaining his Dao is that cheap? Three thousand. If you don’t agree, find someone else."

This was a rare opportunity. Tu Xiao’an was naturally going to squeeze this old man for all he was worth.

’Hiring me, the great Bai Town Snake King, isn’t supposed to be easy. I’m going to make you bleed for it.’

The Vice-Dean huffed, breathing heavily. ’This is highway robbery! He’s jacking up the price on the spot, and he’s robbing an old man, no less! What a classless snake.’

After hesitating for a long while, the Vice-Dean finally had to compromise. "I can agree to your price, but I have one condition. You must bring my granddaughter and the tree’s heart to me first. Only then will I give you all the Spirit Stones at once. If you fail, I won’t give you a single Spirit Stone. Besides, I’ll need time to gather three thousand of them."

"Fine. It’s a deal."

Tu Xiao’an was decisive. He wasn’t afraid the old man would go back on his word. Getting paid after completing the job was normal.

"Snake Spirit, my granddaughter is my entire world. I’m counting on you," the Vice-Dean said gravely. "That White Demon King is extremely powerful. You’d best not engage it in a direct confrontation. As a Snake Spirit, you should be able to enter the Yaoling Mountain Range easily. When the time comes, sneak in and rescue her."

Tu Xiao’an smiled. "You don’t need to tell me how to do my job. I know what I’m doing."

He had his own way of doing things.

"By the way, you said there are Five Great Demon Kings in the Yaoling Mountain Range. Besides the White Demon King, who are the other four?"

The Vice-Dean began, "The Five Great Demon Kings are the Fox Demon King, the Yellow Demon King, the White Demon King, Demon King Liu, and the Gray Demon King."

’Those names? Fox, Yellow, White, Liu, Gray...’

Tu Xiao’an pondered for a moment, then asked in surprise, "These Five Great Demons... could they be the Five Great Immortals from folklore?"

’The Fox Demon King’s true form is a fox, the Yellow Demon King’s is a Weasel, the White Demon King’s is a hedgehog, Demon King Liu’s should be a venomous snake, and the Gray Demon King’s... needless to say, its true form is a mouse.’

"That’s right. The Five Great Demon Kings of the Yaoling Mountain Range are the very same Five Great Immortals worshiped in folk traditions. The Cultivation of these five Demons is unfathomably deep. Back when they were in the human world, they had temples dedicated to them and absorbed a massive amount of the Power of Faith."

Later, they went to the Yaoling Mountain Range and became the Five Great Demon Kings.

’Oh, so that’s how it is.’

’To become a Demon King and rule over a territory in a place concentrated with Demons... that alone says a lot.’

A flicker of excitement appeared in Tu Xiao’an’s bewitching eyes. He was eager to find out what Level a Demon King was and just how powerful they truly were.

’Demon King Liu? Is that a Snake Demon that has already attained its Dao?’

"When you enter the Yaoling Mountain Range this time, you must not trespass into the other Demon Kings’ territories. I will give you the White Demon King’s precise coordinates to prevent you from going in the wrong direction."

"Each Demon King has its own domain, where hundreds or even thousands of Awakened Creatures and Spirit Monsters have gathered. Their power is immense and deeply entrenched. It will be extremely troublesome if you trespass into another Demon King’s territory."

Tu Xiao’an nodded. The old man’s warning was sound.

Besides, this mission was a significant challenge for Tu Xiao’an. It was extremely difficult, but he liked that.

He had a premonition that entering the Yaoling Mountain Range might be when he finally attained his Dao.

"What’s your granddaughter’s name? Give me a photo."

As if he knew Tu Xiao’an would ask, the Vice-Dean took a photo that he had prepared in advance from a desk drawer and handed it over. "Her name is Su Rushi. In one more month, it will be her eighteenth birthday, her coming-of-age celebration."

"I hope to be reunited with the little girl before her birthday so I can celebrate with her properly. Also, I’ve received news that the White Demon King plans to forcibly hold a wedding and marry her on her birthday. So, you don’t have much time."

The Vice-Dean sighed and looked solemnly at Tu Xiao’an. "Bai Town Snake King, I’m entrusting this to you." 𝙛𝓻𝒆𝓮𝒘𝙚𝙗𝒏𝙤𝙫𝓮𝒍.𝓬𝒐𝙢

"One month is enough."

Tu Xiao’an took the photo and looked. It depicted a young woman in a white dress, a gentle, radiant smile gracing her lips. She stood amidst a field of blooming flowers, which only seemed to enhance her dazzling beauty. She was like a Fairy who didn’t partake of the mortal world, so beautiful it was breathtaking.

Her smile in the photo was incredibly captivating. A single smile from her could outshine all other beauties in the land.

’So beautiful. Truly, truly beautiful.’

’The old man wasn’t just boasting or singing his own praises before. His granddaughter truly is a heavenly beauty. No wonder even a Demon King wants to marry her.’

’Su Rushi. Her name meant "like a poem," and she was as beautiful as a painting.’

"Have you had a good look? Then return the photo to me," the Vice-Dean demanded, seeing Tu Xiao’an staring down at it without end.

Tu Xiao’an put the photo away directly and said, "I have a bad memory. It’s better if I hold on to the photo for now."

"That photo is from two years ago. I haven’t seen the girl in two years either. I imagine she’s grown up, gotten taller."

"Two years... I sent my own granddaughter into the hands of a Demon King for two whole years. I’ve let that girl suffer. It’s I who have wronged her."

Thinking of this, the Vice-Dean couldn’t help the tears that began to stream down his aged face. At that moment, he wasn’t the Vice-Dean of the Ancient Academy. He was just an old man who dearly missed his granddaughter.

"Dean, I, Tu Xiao’an, have given you my promise. I will definitely bring your granddaughter back safe and sound. You just focus on getting those three thousand Spirit Stones ready, heh heh..."

The Vice-Dean looked at Tu Xiao’an with a hint of gratitude. He knew he hadn’t chosen the wrong person.

This task was incredibly difficult, practically a suicide mission. He would be facing a Demon King of the Yaoling Mountain Range. Any ordinary person would probably turn tail and run just from hearing about it.

This wasn’t a rescue mission; it was a death sentence.

Perhaps only this Snake Spirit would dare to accept such a mission. The Vice-Dean was truly grateful and relieved that he had agreed to it. At the very least, he hadn’t misjudged him.