Zhongshan Shenzhu Chi

The red serpent murmured.

The scream that had just reverberated in its mind—its heat, its vigor, even the hint within it of anger as if its territory had been invaded…

This is not a sound that humans can make.

Only proud and divine beasts like the Mountain King, the Golden Ape King, or even the Golden Crow can utter such a cry.

"What did you just say?" Red Serpent suppressed his doubts and asked again.

"If you intend to kill me here, it will be difficult to destroy the three dikes on the Majian River in the future," Tu Die chuckled.

"What do you mean?"

"Literal meaning."

The woman took a step back, and the red bell on her ankle jingled melodiously.

The red snake's eyes gleamed.

Its departure from the mountain was to investigate why the water level of the Luo River did not rise during the spring flood season.

The most urgent task is not to settle scores with the Crimson Immortal Sect, but to recapture the Autumn and Winter Cities from the hands of the Four Dharma Sects and ensure the unobstructed flow of waterways in Yongning Continent.

If I were to fight this woman with all my might right now... I might not be able to catch up, and I would also expose my location.

"Tell me, what difficulties would it be to destroy the dam?"

"You should know that Qiu Dong City has now been given to the Four Dharma Sects by the Crimson Immortal Sect Leader." Tu Die raised her fair hand, and a flame condensed, transforming into a butterfly that landed on her fingertip.

"That dam is a business that the Four Dharma Gates are planning. They're storing water now, but they'll all be sold off in the future..."

"Besides, even if you destroy the dike now, they can just rebuild it in the future, right? It'll just mean conscripting more laborers..."

"So, you want to cooperate with me?" Red Serpent asked knowingly.

As the woman said, it cannot remain in the two cities of autumn and winter forever; even if the dike is destroyed, humans can rebuild it.

Unless it kills everyone in the two cities of autumn and winter.

But that's clearly unrealistic.

Just like the spring and summer cities, the autumn and winter cities need to have someone they trust in in charge.

Just as she was pondering, Tu Die replied, "Although I also want to obtain the sun that the Xuan Snake God suppressed, I do not have the same mindset as the Four Methods, which only want to make a quick buck."

"You could cooperate with me on how to deal with the drought."

"How can I trust you?" the red serpent replied in a deep voice, flicking its tongue.

"You may not believe me... but you'll have to put some effort into the dikes of the two cities in autumn and winter." Tu Die opened her folding fan, covering her face, revealing only a pair of bright red eyes as lively as a sparrow's.

Trying to pull this on me?

Red Serpent tilted his head and glanced at the caravan members who had fallen into a deep sleep.

The mist demon was their nemesis, and even if Tu Die could resolve it, there would inevitably be casualties.

Since that's the case, if we can avoid affecting them, we should keep an eye on them and give them a chance to escape.

Thinking of this, in Tu Die's eyes, the snake's size suddenly began to swell.

The already quiet wilderness was now completely silent, without even the slightest chirping of insects or the sound of wind.

It was eerily quiet, so quiet that you could clearly hear your own breathing and heartbeat.

Witnessing the rising golden and silver sun and moon, Tu Die's smiling lips suddenly froze, and she swallowed a mouthful of saliva with unusual difficulty.

She had heard the red snake's voice earlier and instinctively treated it as a man...

But the gazes that fell upon her at this moment were both intense and cold, without a trace of scrutiny of her beauty, only pure fighting spirit and killing intent.

This big snake is a real snake.

It's just that the voice sounds like a man's.

Perhaps in its eyes, it was nothing more than an ugly human with several large lumps of useless fat on its body...

A cold sweat, which she hadn't felt in a long time, quietly trickled down her back.

"This servant..." As the red serpent grew larger, Tu Die retreated step by step, her whole body tense, and she even put away her folding fan.

"My path is inextricably linked to the future drought in Yongning Prefecture!"

"If the Four Dharma Gates and the Crimson Immortal Gate are allowed to act recklessly and harm the living beings of Yongning Continent, then in the future, at best my cultivation will stagnate and I will make no further progress, and at worst I will defy my fate and perish..."

Upon hearing this, the giant snake did not stop moving at all, its majestic aura pressing down on the woman's entire body without leaving any blind spots.

Her towering breasts were nearly crushed, and she struggled to breathe. The firm, pert parts were almost flattened, and her tailbone felt like it was about to snap.

Tu Die bit her thin lips, enduring the pain, and with tears in her eyes, raised her hand to swear to the heavens.

"I swear on that cry that just echoed in your mind!"

A clear cry rang in the red serpent's mind, the meaning of which caused its momentum to falter.

If that's the case, then it's believable.

"It's acceptable."

"What are you planning to do?"

Tu Die placed her hand on her chest and exhaled small, slightly hot, fragrant breaths.

Under the scathing gaze of the Crimson Serpent, she quickly spoke first: "The Four Dharma Gates' focus is on Yongning Main City; they haven't even sent a single Golden Core cultivator of the Fourth Realm to Qiudong City!"

"I can assume the position of city lord for both Autumn and Winter, and stand by you through the coming drought!"

"Then how can you guarantee that you won't lose power?" Red Serpent pressed.

"Once I become the city lord, I will already be at odds with Chi Xian and Si Fa. If I were to cut off the water sources of Ma Jian and Lan Cao, wouldn't that be cutting myself off from the world?"

Tu Die's eyes, as clear as spring water, glistened with tears, her voice filled with sorrow and pitifulness.

"I've laid my heart bare for you now..."

"Swear, just like before," the red serpent persisted.

Human nature is all too clear to it. There is almost no time when something is absolutely trustworthy, especially when everyone has their own ulterior motives.

If Tu Die sees a situation that is more advantageous to her than cooperating with her, she probably won't even hesitate and will immediately turn against them.

Just like she's plotting with him now.

But cooperation is like a balance scale; as long as the two sides have roughly equal resources and are neither biased, it can proceed.

"I... I'm so unlucky..." Tu Die burst into tears.

Ever since she gained some cultivation and learned of her destiny, she has manipulated countless people with every smile and gesture. A single alluring glance is enough to make many people risk their lives for her.

Now, I've actually fallen victim to a snake that knows nothing of human nature and has no sense of romance.

"I swear, just like before." The red snake approached her, its tongue flicking in and out, blowing out a pungent, scorching wind.

"I swear, until the drought ends, I will be of one heart with you, and will never waver..."

Tu Die sobbed, her alluring flesh rippling with the water, and raised her head, her eyes brimming with tears as she looked at the Red Serpent.

But he received only a pair of eyes that showed no emotion whatsoever.

It felt as if Zhongshan Mountain was right in front of me.

They regarded her as equal to all things, as a straw dog.

"I swear by the Dao, if I break this oath, may I die and my Dao perish..." After saying this, Tu Die raised her hand to wipe the corner of her eyes, her crimson eyeshadow already wet with tears.

"It's acceptable."

After hearing her finish speaking, the giant snake withdrew its aura and gradually shrank in size until it was no more than two feet long.

It meandered forward, winding its way up Tu Die's legs without warning, around her waist, down her spine, and finally around her neck.

"Let's go to Qiushi City." With something in her arms, Red Serpent instinctively tightened her body.

"No, you're really going to kill me!"

Tu Die felt suffocated as her neck was being strangled, and she coughed repeatedly.

"...This is a warning to you."

The red snake relaxed its muscles and spoke these words.