Chapter Sixteen: Farewell, Till We Meet Again!

As soon as Jiang Yuan spoke, everyone present was startled!

The dignified chief of the serpent demon clan was actually raising someone else’s son?

Ji Meng frowned, inwardly sensing trouble. What bothered him wasn’t that he had fathered She Li with She Qi’s wife—he hardly considered that an issue.

He was a demon sage, after all. So what if he’d slept with the wife of the serpent clan’s chief?

What truly troubled Ji Meng was that Jiang Yuan somehow knew that She Li was his own flesh and blood! That complicated matters.

She Qi clearly wanted to deny it. Even though he didn’t understand what Jiang Yuan meant by “wearing a green hat,” the implication that he was raising another man’s son was obvious.

“What do you mean by that, King Zhou? When have I ever raised someone else’s child?” She Qi snorted coldly.

He even took a threatening step closer to Jiang Yuan, as if that might intimidate him into silence.

Jiang Yuan was unmoved by such trivial intimidation. He looked at She Qi with casual indifference and said, “Take another step, and you die.”

“Arrogant!” She Qi glared at Jiang Yuan, as if truly about to take that extra step.

Jiang Yuan didn’t warn him again—he was more than eager to kill She Qi and reap some Tyrant points for it.

“Enough!”

Ji Meng finally couldn’t bear to watch any longer. With himself backing She Qi, the latter was getting entirely too reckless.

If he wanted to get himself killed, Ji Meng wouldn’t care. But if he dragged down Ji Meng’s only son, that was another matter.

“How much truth does Great Demon Ji Meng think there is in what I’ve said?” Jiang Yuan asked, smiling leisurely at the furious Ji Meng.

Ji Meng stared at Jiang Yuan, his face expressionless. “The Human Emperor is right. She Li is indeed the son of myself and She Ji. So, Your Majesty, how do you intend to use this information?”

The one hit hardest by this revelation was She Li himself. He stood there dazed—his real father was the demon sage Ji Meng?

Why should I bother currying favor with the Human Emperor anymore? Now I’m the most distinguished demon scion in the entire hundred thousand mountains of the northern wilds! Who should I fear? Unless a saint appears, who can touch me?

She Li suddenly felt he’d reached the pinnacle of his life. His eyes cleared, and with a lofty, arrogant air, he looked at Jiang Yuan and said coolly, “You there—King Zhou, is it? Tell your son to release me at once. Maybe I’ll even put in a good word for you with my father.”

Who knew which father he meant at that moment.

Jiang Yuan gave She Li, whose attitude had changed so drastically, a strange look. Had the boy been struck foolish by the news?

Ji Meng felt a headache coming on, but he was too fond of his precious son to blame him. Instead, all his anger turned on She Qi.

What kind of example had She Qi set for his son?

“So, Young Master She Li thinks he’s turned the tables?” Jiang Yuan arched an eyebrow at She Qi and smiled.

He slowly approached She Li, a long magical sword appearing in his hand, looking down at him from above.

“Stop! What are you doing?” Ji Meng called out in panic.

Today’s events had far outstripped anything he’d anticipated when scheming against the Shang Dynasty. Not only had his illegitimate son been exposed, but even Daji seemed to have defected!

Seeing his real father so protective, She Li immediately became smug and fearless.

“What am I doing? That’s a question for you, Demon Sage Ji Meng! You incited the serpent clan to rebel, you defy my Shang, you disregard my throne as Human Emperor—what is your true intention?” Jiang Yuan roared at Ji Meng.

His shout stunned She Li once more. Apparently, even his biological father didn’t have much sway with the Human Emperor…

He began to reconsider whether he ought to return to the emperor’s side.

But just as he was thinking this, Jiang Yuan acted without another word. He swung the magical Thunder Sword in his hand—a flash of lightning, a streak of white before everyone’s eyes.

A horrifying scream followed.

“Aaaah!”

Looking closely, they saw Jiang Yuan had unhesitatingly severed She Li’s tail with his sword—no, it should be called a dragon’s tail!

Ji Meng’s pupils contracted violently at the sight. Jiang Yuan actually dared do this! In a blur, he appeared in front of Jiang Yuan, eyes wide with fury, glaring at him.

But he was quickly repelled by Zhang Kui and Huang Feihu working together. Of course, as a demon sage at the Golden Immortal level, Ji Meng couldn’t be injured so easily; he was only driven back because he hadn’t truly cared to resist them.

Their goal was merely to force him back, not to inflict any real harm.

Jiang Yuan, seeing Ji Meng’s angry yet wary expression, raised his brow and said playfully, “Why don’t we see who’s faster—you or my sword? Let’s see if you can save him before I take off She Li’s head.”

“What do you want?” Ji Meng’s tone carried a hint of concession. He truly cared for this son.

“So Demon Sage Ji Meng is negotiating with me?” Jiang Yuan smiled.

Ji Meng took a deep breath, trying to keep his anger in check, and replied calmly, “Yes, I am negotiating with the Human Emperor.”

Jiang Yuan burst out laughing, then casually pulled She Li, who was being held by Yin Jiao, over to himself and said with a grin, “To think you actually proved useful in the end.”

She Li could only force a sycophantic smile. “Please, Your Majesty, don’t be angry. I am absolutely your loyal supporter! I was only momentarily confused—please forgive me! My loyalty to Shang is as true as the sun and moon!”

Watching She Li force himself to flatter him through the pain, Jiang Yuan couldn’t help but feel amused. Was this the legendary fair-weather lackey? Useless at everything except switching sides at the drop of a hat.

The Thunder Sword at She Li’s neck didn’t waver. Jiang Yuan ignored She Li, looking instead at Ji Meng. “If you want She Li to live, show me your sincerity.”

“What do you want?” Ji Meng asked with a frown.

“I want She Qi’s life,” Jiang Yuan replied offhandedly, glancing at She Qi.

“And?” Ji Meng didn’t refuse outright, clearly weighing the situation.

“And the lives of all rebel demon clans.”

Jiang Yuan didn’t ask for Ji Meng’s life—it wasn’t realistic. His side lacked the strength to oppose Ji Meng directly, and Ji Meng would never trade his own life for She Li’s.

The account between Ji Meng and Nuwa would have to wait for another day.

“Fine. Deal.” Ji Meng’s tone was flat, for he understood that from the moment King Zhou himself entered the northern wilds, all his schemes had come to nothing.

He then shot Daji a cold look. “Do you know the consequences of betraying a saint?”

Daji’s pupils contracted sharply at these words. She fell silent, her face filled with terror.

Jiang Yuan pulled Daji into his arms and said to Ji Meng, “Tell Nuwa that Daji belongs to me now. If she wants to scheme against me again, let her come at me directly. I’ll settle these accounts with her one by one in the future!”

Ji Meng merely chuckled dismissively. “One day you’ll see how ridiculous your confidence is. Don’t be in such a hurry—this is just an appetizer. You’ve won a single round; there will be plenty more chances in the future.”

Jiang Yuan just snorted and tossed She Li back to Ji Meng. “Take your people and get out!”

Ji Meng caught She Li, checked his injuries, and, seeing they were not serious, was satisfied. He shot Jiang Yuan another cold glance.

“Until we meet again, Your Majesty!”