Chapter 29: Watching the Show
Obtaining the Ash Sprout went surprisingly smoothly, but upon careful thought, if Su Xiao had come alone to seize it, things would not have been nearly this simple.
First, the Demon Race and Feather Race had beaten the Ancestor forces so badly they couldn’t lift their heads, with most of the Assimilationists deployed against them, reducing the mission difficulty by at least a third.
Second, Su Xiao had recruited Sha as an ally, and Lilith was an unexpected combat asset. Even so, the three of them were not guaranteed victory over Saint Zachariah—one was severely wounded and unable to continue fighting, while the other two were also injured.
As for the intelligence provided by Bubu Wang and the like, that also significantly reduced the mission’s difficulty and risk. Su Xiao’s elimination of Saint Zachariah was no accident but the inevitable result of meticulous preparation.
Following the rumbling sounds, Su Xiao gradually delved deeper underground. Ten minutes later, he entered a tunnel nearly sealed off by soul vines.
“Flame!”
Boom!
The explosive roar of fire sounded like a massive hammer striking the air, producing a crisp, hollow resonance. It was hard to imagine what level of combustion could create such a clear sound.
“Master.”
Hearing this, Lilith quickened her pace.
As Su Xiao emerged from the vine-choked passage, a thick wave of blood scent hit him. Looking ahead, he saw an underground space nearly a kilometer wide, about ten meters high. Above, large clusters of soul vines hung down, their fluorescent glow illuminating the area.
If one ignored the smell of blood, the air here carried a faint, sweet freshness, giving a sense of clarity and vitality.
At the innermost part of the underground space, a single emerald vine stood out prominently. On it hung a fist-sized fruit that seemed to tempt all who saw it, evoking an irresistible urge to devour it in one bite.
In such a serene environment, nearly a hundred Demon Race and Feather Race members were locked in chaotic battle. Among them, a demon wreathed in black smoke and a cold, proud woman stood out. Within dozens of meters around them, no other Demon or Feather dared approach.
The cold, proud woman was named Remnant Feather, the representative of the Feather Race this time. Her evenly matched opponent from the Demon Race was named Ulysses.
Remnant Feather and Ulysses were old rivals. The Demon Race and Feather Race had sent these two as a tacit understanding between opponents—neither wanted to fully sever ties, so they dispatched fighters of similar strength to compete.
This way, even if one side lost, they couldn’t easily retaliate, preventing the situation from escalating. Clearly, the high-ranking members of both races were old schemers.
“Huff, huff, huff…”
Remnant Feather’s breathing was ragged. Her gaze at Ulysses could only be described as wanting to devour him alive.
Their enmity went beyond mere positions. There were secrets between them. For instance, during a small-scale war between the two races, Remnant Feather was captured by the Demon Race—specifically by Ulysses. What followed was simple, brutal, and passionate: a beautiful female Feather captured by a virile male Demon. If the Feather Race had delayed the ransom, they might have gotten a two-for-one deal—who knows what talents a hybrid of Demon and Feather would have?
Ulysses felt no guilt about this. Back then, Remnant Feather was war booty, and in the cruelty of war, booty was his to do with as he pleased.
“I’ll kill you.”
Crystal-like feathers formed on Remnant Feather’s arm. Ulysses grinned, and seeing his smile, deep fear surged in Remnant Feather’s eyes—a dark dungeon, a naked demon crouching before her, grinning savagely.
Crack, crack, crack…
Veins bulged on both sides of Remnant Feather’s cheeks. Seeing this, Bubu Wang beside Su Xiao stared in amazement, as if saying to Su Xiao, “Master, this woman could shout ‘White Eye: Open’ and it wouldn’t feel out of place.”
Su Xiao and Bubu Wang sat on the soul vines, watching the show. Lilith wanted to join the fight, but in her current state, she would only be a burden. With a warrior’s discipline, she held back.
Su Xiao’s arrival and Bubu Wang’s sudden appearance caught the attention of some Demon and Feather members, but none chose to provoke him. The reason was simple: aside from Remnant Feather and Ulysses, Su Xiao was the strongest present.
It turned out that not having to fight personally while still having a chance to obtain the Soul Fruit felt very good—at least that was Su Xiao’s current experience.
The battle between the Demon and Feather Races was more brutal than imagined. After nearly three hours of fierce fighting, both sides reluctantly stopped.
The Demon Race had only 11 survivors left, with Ulysses severely wounded—blood gurgling from his throat where Remnant Feather had bitten him. It was hard to believe that a cold, proud woman like Remnant Feather would resort to biting, but she had, and that bite was undoubtedly filled with vengeful satisfaction.
Indeed, with a flame spear stuck in her abdomen and cold sweat on her face, Remnant Feather was laughing, laughing with unrestrained joy.
“Crazy woman.”
Ulysses shook the blood from his hands. Counting Lilith, he had 12 Demons still alive. As for Su Xiao and Bubu Wang, Ulysses could tell they had no intention of intervening. In his view, that was a wise move.
If Su Xiao had tried to fight as an ally of the Demon Race, Ulysses would have flatly refused. This was a conflict between the Demon and Feather Races, an unspoken understanding. Both sides had sent fighters of similar strength. An unexpected ally would push the Feather Race to break the truce, and the Demon Race would appear ungrateful to other races.
Although Su Xiao didn’t fully grasp the mutual constraints between the Demon and Feather Races, he knew one thing: there were no coincidences in the world. The intensity of their battle couldn’t be accidental. The best choice was to observe. Even if he had to act, it must be when the black-smoke demon called out, “Ally, lend us your strength.”
Beyond that, Su Xiao had no reason to help the Demon Race today. Unless the leading demon asked, even Lilith’s plea wouldn’t change that—it was a matter of principle, unrelated to personal grudges.
As Su Xiao assessed the situation, Ulysses glanced at him, his lips moving almost imperceptibly. Su Xiao showed no reaction, but a close observer would notice his index finger twitch twice.
Ulysses caught it. He turned away, no longer looking at Su Xiao, because his ally was more reliable than expected.
“Ulysses, today, either you die here, or I do.”
Remnant Feather spoke, one hand clutching her abdomen.
“Feather women are so fickle. Once, you…”
Before Ulysses could finish, several crystal-like red feather blades shot toward him.
Ulysses sidestepped, and the blades vanished into the wall behind him.
“Ulysses, continuing this slaughter only increases casualties. It’s meaningless. Since that one has arrived, let me settle this with her. Whoever wins gets the Soul Fruit. Fair enough.”
A little girl about ten years old, wearing a feathered robe, stepped out from behind Remnant Feather. Her tone suggested a mind far beyond her apparent age.
“Feather Crow.”
Ulysses narrowed his eyes. To him, this little girl in a red feathered cloak was a monster in a child’s skin—not in strength, but in cunning.
“What? Is the Demon female warrior scared? Lilith, we meet again.”
Feather Crow waved at Lilith. She was the little girl the Blind Saint Blade had been protecting. As for the boy who had been with her, he now lay nearby with a sword embedded in his head, long dead.