Chapter 636: The Penultimate Compromise
The golden-robed youngster’s worldly-energy-filled fist clashed with Jian Chen’s Chaotic-Force-filled fist, but not a sound could be heard. Instead, a tremendous wave of energy splashed out and ravaged the area. The cave itself collapsed, reduced to rubble.
With the cave falling apart, pieces of the mountain came crashing down from the ceiling. With dust and stone everywhere, the visibility was reduced to nothing. There were practically no footholds for the two combatants to stand, leaving them with no other choice but to fly. Holes, that traveled so deep they disappeared into an abyss, littered the area because of the destruction they caused. The night pearls that had adorned the walls of the cave had long since been reduced to dust, leaving the area in perpetual darkness.
A faint cyan glow surrounded Jian Chen’s body, a sign of the wind element being used. The wind allowed his body to fly up into the air. At the same time, the Origin energy of the sword spirits manifested in his hand. It formed a twenty-meter-long spirit sword that he used to cut apart the remnants of the cave ceiling to get a clear view of the sky.
Similarly, there was golden glow around the other male. Turning back into a two-meter-long golden snake, it flashed into the air in a golden blur, and broke straight through the cave ceiling to reach the open sky above. After freeing himself, he turned back into his human form.
In just a few seconds, Jian Chen and the golden-robed male had gone from a fight in the cave to a fight in the sky outside.
Far below them, the previously giant mountain sank down into itself. The forest was ravaged several dozen kilometers around the cave as if doomsday had struck.
A white figure watched the spectacle in the sky from far away. This figure was was Jiede Tai, the patriarch of the Jiede clan. Even his interest was piqued by what was happening.
“That golden-robed youth has the aura of a magical beast to him. Perhaps it’s a Class 7 Magical Beast that can take human form? If it’s a Class 7 Magical Beast, could it possibly be the Golden-Striped Silver Snake?” The patriarch wondered aloud to himself full of curiosity. The Golden-Striped Silver Snake was an extremely rare beast on the continent, and the patriarch had only heard about them even though he had lived a long time. He had never seen one in real life until today, and it was a Class 7 one too.
“If it’s a Class 7 Magical Beast, then a Saint Ruler could use the powers of space to avoid the venom it spits out, but even against a Class 7 Golden-Striped Silver Snake, that would no advantage at all. The snake is still a strong one even without its venom, is Jian Chen even capable of fighting one?” Jiede Tai muttered with furrowed eyebrows. A Class 7 Golden-Striped Silver Snake was something that gave him a tremendous headache. When he thought about how immense Jian Chen’s bodily strength was, the patriarch felt a little relieved. “But Jian Chen himself is a unique person as well. His defenses are an absolute abnormality, and even my strongest blows were unable to leave lasting injuries. I can see that this Golden-Striped Silver Snake has reached the Sixth Heavenly Layer. It will be hard for it to hurt Jian Chen, but still, stories of meeting a Class 7 Golden-Striped Silver Snake would be taken as the ravings of a madman.”
Countless of kilometers away, Jian Chen and the golden-robed man stood an equal hundred meters away from one another in the sky. Jian Chen had a very calm look on his face. The other male was staring at Jian Chen with a rather grim but concentrated look.
This Jian Chen in front of him was a hard enemy to fight. Although the snake himself was a very strong creature with equally strong defenses, he found it very difficult to strike down this foe to take the carcass of his dead kin. What gave him the biggest headache was the fact that Jian Chen had managed to gain the Thousand Immunity, making him immune to even his venom. A Class 7 Magical Beast was far stronger than a Class 3 Magical Beast, but the venom was still unable to harm Jian Chen.
“You should understand by now that you cannot kill me nor can you steal away what I own. The only way to earn it is by following me for ten years. Ten years is nothing to a being like you. It’s an infinitesimally small loss with extremely huge returns. Take your time to consider it.” Jian Chen goaded.
Growing silent, the golden-robed man stared ahead with bright eyes that gave no hints to what he was thinking.
After waiting for some time, Jian Chen said, “I have very little time to waste around here. I’ll give you a few more moments to think. If you’re still unwilling, I’ll be taking my leave with this item, taking away your only chance of earning this treasure. If I step back into the human world, you’ll be hard-pressed to find me.”
The fists of the golden-robed man clenched as hints of scarlet entered his eyes. Just faintly, a strong urge to kill could be felt radiating from him.
Sensing the killing intent of the snake, Jian Chen sneered, “I know that your true strength isn’t just this, but you’ve experienced how strong my body is first-hand. You cannot kill me. You cannot wound me. If I wish to leave, you have no way of stopping me, and to reinforce the matter, I’ve another strong companion nearby.”
“Human, I am a being of the magical beasts. Would my travels with you in the human world not cause you to fear the troubles that accompany me?” The male spat.
Shaking his head, Jian Chen replied, “There are plenty of magical beasts living in the human world — many of them are strong. I know there is a treaty between the strongest of the human world with your magical beast clans, but this only applies to those of the Gilligan clan. You aren’t of the Gilligan clan, so there would be no trouble for you to travel in the human world.”
“You know quite a bit of information, but how did you come to know that I’m not of the Gilligan clan?” The male asked.
Smiling, Jian Chen replied, “The strongest that humanity has to offer has prohibited Class 7 Magical Beasts of the Gilligan clan from stepping beyond the Cross Mountains. You’re a Class 7 Magical Beast, yet you live so close to the exterior of the mountain range. Furthermore, you fought with me without worrying about humans coming after you. I could tell from that that you’re not of the Gilligan clan. To ignore these hints would mean I, Jian Chen, am an ignorant fellow.”
“You speak correct. I am not of the Gilligan clan.” At the mention of that clan, the golden-robed man had a look of disdain enter his eyes. “The Gilligan clan is nothing more than a chess piece placed on the Tian Yuan Continent from the Divine Beast Continent. How could I, the great Nubis, be a chess piece for another?” The male pridefully stuck out his chest.
Jian Chen refrained from smiling when he heard how the snake referred to itself. The snake in front of him was clearly a prideful one. Similar to the aristocratic sons of nobility, but instead of being proud of being rich, the snake was prideful of its strength and its heritage as a beast of antiquity.
“We’ve already gone past the time limit. What is your decision?”
The snake grew silent. He was an inherently prideful being. He felt it beneath his station to work as an attendant to another, but he desperately coveted the dead corpse of his own kin. He knew that if he could absorb the Origin essence, he would be able to grow much stronger, which made it difficult to give up on the idea.
“Very well, human. You win. I, the great Nubis, will travel with you for ten years. Once those ten years are up, we will have nothing to do with one another.” The male compromised. Since the carcass of his dead kin was far too important, he would not refuse the offer.
“Good, that’s settled then.” Jian Chen smiled happily. A Class 7 Magical Beast as a new entree to his ranks would tremendously increase the strength of the Flame Mercenaries. Even the Sect of Dragon and Tiger would be completely intimidated by one.
“Let us make one thing clear first. In our ten years together, I will not do any heartless tasks or anything that I am not willing to do.” The male spoke.
Jian Chen nodded his head after thinking for a moment, “No problem. I can promise you that, but in return, you will not stand by the sidelines if there is any trouble that comes our way.”
“Deal!” The snake felt that this deal was a good one. He agreed with Jian Chen as a result.
A smile reached Jian Chen’s face at that. Although the snake would only follow him for ten years, ten years was far more than enough for him to finish what he needed to do.
Jian Chen took out the corpse of the Golden-Striped Silver Snake he had killed years ago from his Space Ring and threw it to the other male, “This is yours.”
As the corpse floated over to the male, the male’s sharp eyes stared at it with excitement. Turning to look at Jian Chen, he asked, “You have that much faith in me? Are you not afraid that I would renege on the deal?”
“You’re of the royal family of the snakes with pride beyond all else. Your word would be equivalent to the nine sacred tripods. I am of the belief you are a being of your word.”
A great big smile appeared on the male’s face, “I am fond of these words. I, the great Nubis, am not a being that speaks empty promises. Worry not, when I say ten years, I mean ten years and not a day less.”