It doesn't matter what the lord is.

"The King of the East probably forgot that this is a deal. If the deal goes through, our Yuxi City will naturally be able to supply the King of the East with enough anti-magic drugs. But right now, the deal isn't done yet."

"Hmph... Indeed. Tell me, what do you want from me?"

The snake pupils immediately retracted their anxious look and returned to an indifferent look. But even though it tried its best to act like the King of the East, its occasional glances at the wheat still showed its inner anxiety. Lid saw it and said with a smile:

"First of all, this kind of magic that makes plants grow quickly consumes a lot of magic power. I think even the King of the East can't make all the crops in the entire Demon East District grow up at once. Then we need manpower to take care of these crops, but our Yuxi City does not have the spare capacity to send so many people to take care of them, so we need to borrow the low-level demons under the King of the East."

Snake pupil nodded and said modestly:

"It's not difficult. Those low-level demons have no intelligence and act entirely on instinct. I will send some of my trustworthy demon generals over there. They have absolute control over those low-level demons. Since they can order those low-level demons to form an army and attack the enemy, they can naturally order them to give up fighting and engage in production."

Lid nodded. In fact, he had long set his sights on the low-level demons west of Yuxi City. They grew fast, were strong, numerous, had no intelligence, and could be manipulated at will by high-level demons. They were simply the most ideal cheap labor force, and real tools. It would be a waste to only use them for breeding. He wanted to see the demons, who had always appeared as villains, farming in the fields in an orderly manner, and to see goblins and werewolves holding hands and singing "Labor is the Most Glorious" in front of the campfire, so that these low-level demons, who could only provide materials before, could create greater value.

Lidd continued:

"Secondly, since we have decided to cooperate, I don't want Yuxi City to be attacked by the demons again during the cooperation period. Not only from the East District demons, but also from the other three kings. Once the news of the cooperation spreads, the other three kings will definitely send troops to harass us and try every means to stop it. I hope that the King of the East will be tougher by then. Yuxi City's production equipment is very sophisticated. When there is war, it is impossible to produce anything."

Snake pupil snorted coldly and said:

"Don't worry. I can protect a small Yuxi City. What else?"

Lid stretched out a palm, spread out five fingers, and said with a smile:

"Also, I, Yuxicheng, will take 50% of the harvest of all crops on the demon land in the future."

As soon as the words fell, the snake's pupils changed color:

"Why!"

It walked in front of Reed, staring at his smiling face with its cold eyes, and spoke with obvious anger:

"We use the land of the East District to produce, the demons of the East District to look after it, and I personally provide protection. You, Yuxi City, are just delivering some medicines, but you want to take away half of the food produced by this land! You are asking for such a huge sum of money, don't you ask yourself why?!"

Reed smiled slightly, clasped his hands, and answered:

"Why? I, Yuxi City, can do business with the other three demon kings, but if the King of the East leaves us, there is only the possibility of losing all the way."

The angry look on Snake Eyes' face froze instantly.

Reed continued:

"I'm afraid the King of the East won't understand what I'm talking about, including production costs, R&D costs, industry layout and market size. So I'll just tell you a very simple truth - in the whole world, apart from my Yuxi City, there is no other company that can produce this kind of anti-magic medicine. I can stand here and talk business with the King of the East, so I can naturally talk business with the King of the North, the King of the South, and the King of the West. With so much competition, I believe there will always be a king who can accept this price. Does the King of the East know what this is called?"

Lid narrowed his eyes, played with the empty glass bottle with his fingers, and said calmly:

"This is called monopoly. Since Yuxi City has a monopoly on anti-magic drugs, I, Lide, am qualified to stand here and ask for a huge price."

65. The King’s Invitation

"What a monopoly!"

Snake Eye's laughter was quite chilling, and black mist was lingering, causing several wheat plants to wither and turn black instantly.

It stared into Reed's eyes, and every word seemed to strike at Reed's soul, destroying the originally harmonious atmosphere:

"Human! Aren't you afraid that I will kill you, raze Yuxi City to the ground, and hold this secret directly in my own hands?"

Lid calmly put the glass bottle in his hand into his arms and replied with a smile:

"I don't know whether the King of the East dares to do this, but what I know is that if the King of the East does this, not only will he not be able to obtain the secret of the anti-magic medicine, but he will be completely doomed."

Compared to his snake pupils, Lid's smile was not cold at all, like the warm sunshine in August, but his words were like snow in February:

"First of all, after this invasion, humans will certainly be on guard against the demons. Although the King of the East is powerful, does he dare to come to Yuxi City to search in person under the protection of the country? Secondly, I paid those researchers very high salaries and took them and their families to live in a separate courtyard, but I also restricted their freedom. There is a special group of the Anbu organization in Yuxi City lurking around them. Once they realize that the secret may be exposed, they will immediately kill them. As long as the King of the East enters the security range of Yuxi City, I can guarantee that this secret will disappear from Yuxi City in an instant... This approach is a bit cruel, but it is precisely because of my cruelty that they can survive."

Lidd paused and continued:

"Not only that, the production of anti-magic medicine requires extremely sophisticated instruments. To manufacture such instruments, special technology and high-quality iron are required, and these two are also monopolized by my Yuxi City. In other words, no matter how much anti-magic medicine is circulated, it is something that cannot be imitated in a few years or even decades, so I advise the King of the East not to think about it. In addition, the King of the East will not really think that destroying Yuxi City will bury all the secrets. Such an important thing, I must have left a backup outside Yuxi City. Unless the King of the East can destroy the entire human race in a short period of time, once Yuxi City is destroyed, it won’t take long for someone to quietly go north with this secret. The King of the East must not forget that the territory of the King of the North, Hu Xiao, also borders on humans."

"I see. You have already planned this far. You are indeed a human who has carried out meanness and cunning to the extreme."

Snake pupil glanced at the ground quickly, his face returned to expressionless again, and he sneered and said:

"Then I agree—"

Before he finished speaking, Lid suddenly interrupted him:

"King of the East, don't rush to agree! Let me guess what the King of the East is thinking now? He will just agree temporarily, and then turn his face decisively after getting the anti-magic medicine. Anyway, when the time comes, I will be in charge of the West City and will have no way to deal with the King of the East. I can only suffer in silence, right?"

Snake pupils stared at Lid's eyes. Lid laughed twice, then suddenly took a step forward, got in front of the King of the East, and said in a low voice:

"King of the East, don't forget that the people in charge of the labor are low-level demons, and low-level demons are also demons! Demons will produce magic elements, and as long as those guys are active in the farmland, it will cause pollution again. This anti-magic medicine is not a one-time solution. If the King of the East crosses the river and burns the bridge, it may seem that he can take all the benefits for himself, but without the medicine provided by Yuxi City, the land in the East District will return to its original state in a short time... If you don't believe it, King of the East might as well take a look down. Affected by the black fog in this hall, the magic element has begun to pollute the land again."

Snake Eyes' eyes suddenly shrank, and he quickly took a few steps back, looking towards the place where the wheat was just produced. He saw that the land there had turned into a corrupt black color again. Although Reed did not plant seeds for the experiment again, Snake Eyes knew clearly that this small piece of land would never grow the kind of nutritious crops that he had just produced.

Lid's voice sounded clearly:

"The King of the East is extremely powerful, so naturally he produces a lot of magic. If the lower-level demons were to cultivate the land, using anti-magic medicine once a month would be enough to offset all the pollution they caused to the land that month. In places where demons are densely populated or where demon troops are stationed, the use should be shortened to once a week. Around large tribes, once a day is the minimum. Near the palace where the King of the East lives, I'm afraid it will have to be used several times a day to neutralize the newly produced magic. The cost is too high and it's not cost-effective. I recommend that the King of the East only cultivate the land where the lower-level demons live to grow crops, but even so, the amount of anti-magic medicine consumed each month will still be a large number, and it must rely on the continuous and stable supply from my Yuxi City. I hope the King of the East will not lose the big picture for the small, or he will have to cry with a pile of dead seedlings after investing a lot in the early stage."

Snake Eye turned around and stared at Lid for a while, then suddenly snorted and said:

"I am not as untrustworthy as you think. Since I have graciously agreed to your condition, I will not go back on my word. But I hope you will not make any new conditions. My patience is almost exhausted."

Although he said so, from the fact that he did not refute Lid immediately, but expressed his attitude after listening to him, Lid understood that it was indeed planning to kill people and rob goods. However, Lid was not surprised or angry at all. Doing business with demons is not like doing business with humans. The former has no credibility and no so-called contract spirit. Only by holding their lifeblood firmly in your hands can you force them to continue doing this business.

"I really don't have any other conditions. The next step is to make the specific transaction. For example, how much land does the King of the East plan to allocate in the Eastern District of the Demon Clan for planting, and how does he plan to deal with the relationship with the Elves..."

Before Lid finished speaking, Shetong suddenly said coldly:

"There's no rush for these. Since you don't have any conditions, I still have one thing I'm worried about regarding this deal!"

Lid said calmly:

"please say."

Snake Eyes glanced at Lid, then at Fileta, and said:

"This time, I sent Amifars to attack Yuxi City. In order to avoid trouble, I did not touch other territories of your human race, and only focused on Yuxi City. As expected, the Tiance Mansion, which is responsible for external wars, did not send troops to support. But strangely, the Yunyang Territory behind Yuxi City did not take action either. I guess that Yuxi City originally belonged to the Yunyang Territory. Since the Lord of Yunyang does not care about your life or death, it means that you have at least made enemies with Yunyang. And your human leaders always like to collude with each other. There are many territories that are close to Yunyang, and there are also many people who want you dead."

Snake Eyes's gaze fell on Reed again:

"I can help you stop the demons sent by the other three kings, but I can't send troops to station near Yuxi City to help you deal with the human enemies. Your Yuxi City is just an isolated small city after all. How can I believe that you can survive the storm? If your Yuxi City is eliminated quietly, who should I ask for medicine?"

Reed smiled. Snake Eye had said so much, which meant that it already had an idea.

So Reed just asked:

"How does the King of the East want me to prove myself?"

Snake Eyes looked at him, somewhat annoyed by his calm face, and said coldly:

"I am going to give you a test."

Lid tapped his fingers on his clothes twice, squinted his eyes and asked:

"King of the East might as well speak frankly."

Snake Eye pulled his hands out from under his cloak, spread his five fingers flat in front of him, and answered briefly:

"It's simple... Fight with me."

66. I am Lide, please teach me

When he first heard this difficult question, Reed quickly thought about the intention of the person who set the question.

And his first reaction was five big words: It wants me dead.

For a moment, Lid thought that he had failed to reach an agreement, but then he changed his mind and thought that it shouldn't be the case. According to Snake Eye's personality, if it wanted to kill him, it should have done it directly without taking such a big detour. It's not a human being, so it doesn't need to find a reason before killing someone.

Snake Eyes was also observing Reed's expression, and seeing that his face remained unchanged and there was no trace of panic after hearing these words, he couldn't help but narrow his eyes.

It was not until this moment that Shetong completely gave up his plan to threaten him with Lid's life and Yuxi City.

Because it believed that being able to remain calm in this situation meant that Lid was not really afraid of death. Although Lid had been calm since entering the hall, Snake Eyes always felt that it was because he had made sufficient preparations. In Snake Eyes' eyes, only this kind of on-the-spot reaction could not deceive people.

"No need to panic."

Although Lid didn't look panicked at all, Shetong still said this with a high attitude, and then said:

"I am different from you humans. The demon race only believes in strength, so I will only test you on this point. Next, I will suppress my realm to the ninth level of perfection and fight you. If you can withstand three of my moves without dying, I will admit that you are invincible in your realm. There are not many people who are at the tenth level in the entire Yongtian Kingdom, which naturally means that few humans can be your opponents... Only in this way can I rest assured."

It stared into Reed's eyes, and spoke in a cold, intimidating tone:

"This transaction is of great importance to both you and me. If you are just a talker, then there is no need for me to do business with you. I know that you may have many things in your heart that you are not convinced of, and I also know that on the human side, personal bravery will not play a decisive role in the competition of territories. But since you use the same tricks on me as you do business with humans, this time my test will also follow the rules of the demon clan."

Reed listened quietly until Snake Eyes finished his last sentence, then he suddenly realized.

After saying so much, it all comes down to two words: unhappy!

From the moment he entered the hall, Lid used coercion and inducement to lead Shetong step by step into the long-planned transaction. Shetong had almost no other choice throughout the whole process. Although there were a few dangerous moments in the middle, overall everything developed according to Lid's idea.

Li De knew this clearly, and She Tong also knew this clearly.

It knew that in order to become the Demon King, it had to do these things. In the past, it had indeed succumbed to many demons that were stronger than it, and sold out its dignity. But the demons ultimately recognized strength, and Lid, who had reached the ninth level of perfection, was like an ant in its eyes. Being played around by such a person made Snake Eyes feel very aggrieved.

So even though he knew that this deal was beneficial to both parties and that he could not do anything to Lid, the King of the East was still unhappy. Under the influence of this emotion, he proposed a test, which was actually to beat Lid up severely without hurting his life to vent his anger.

Of course, he couldn't use his current realm to cultivate. At the realm of the fourteenth level, let alone three moves, even one move would scatter Lid's ashes. So he had to suppress it to the ninth level, but this only seemed fairer, and it was actually an unreasonable test. If it was the tenth level that was suppressed to the ninth level, then maybe it wasn't too different from the general ninth level. But the fourteenth level to the ninth level spanned five realms, and even if it was suppressed to the ninth level, it would be much stronger than the ninth level in terms of the purity of power and the flexibility of moves.

This gap is like peak Jordan saying to a primary school student whose head is not even as high as his waist:

"Come on, young man. I heard you know a lot about basketball. Let's practice. Don't worry, I promise to give you some slack and play fair with you."

The pupil glanced upwards, recalling the fear of being dominated by the giant.

What can you use to fight? This is pure bullying.

Reed hesitated for a moment, thinking about what attitude he should use to deal with this test.

Knowing that She Tong was just going to beat him up to vent his anger, Li De was not so worried. It was not like he had never been beaten before. The beatings he had received in this life and the previous life combined were probably enough to practice the Turtle Bastard Skill twenty times. He was thinking whether he should cooperate. After all, he had been strong enough before. It seemed that making a little concession here and letting She Tong vent his anger would be more conducive to future business cooperation.

But just as he was thinking this, Fileta suddenly ran up from behind, stood in front of Reed, and looked at Snake Eyes vigilantly.

She Tong glanced at Fileta, and there was still no light in her eyes, which meant that she was still unconscious and had not escaped from her control. But in this situation, she dared to stand in front of him, which made She Tong very angry.

The moment he saw Fileta, Lid suddenly frowned, pulled Fileta into his arms, and said to Shetong:

"Okay, I agree to this condition. But before that, King of the East, I have another question for you."

Snake Eye then shifted its attention away from Fileta. The terrifying pressure was slightly reduced, and Fileta felt relieved. She wanted to stretch out her arms to hug Reed back, but she suddenly stopped the moment she touched him. Then she gently withdrew her arms and let Reed hug her, not daring to breathe.

In her subconscious, Reed hugging her was a reward to her, but she felt that she was not qualified to hug him back like a lover.

Snake Eyes stared at Lid and said:

"ask."

Lid patted Fileta on the back and said to Snake Eyes:

"Twenty-one years ago, you invaded Yuxi City, burned, killed, and looted, killing all those who dared to resist. You also raped a human woman, and disappeared after a night of fun. I won't ask you if you have feelings for that human woman. I know you probably can't even remember what she looks like, and naturally you don't know that she was burned alive on the stake by foolish men and women because she gave birth to Fileta. But Fileta is your biological daughter after all. She witnessed her mother's death since she was a child, and she was bullied when she grew up. Just because of the demon blood in her body, she was used like a tool and abandoned like garbage. After twenty years of ups and downs, as a father, you not only didn't care, but in the end you planned to trade her as a chess piece. I just want to ask you, as a father, do you feel even the slightest guilt for her in your heart?"

"No."

Snake Eyes' voice was very cold, as if he was talking about something insignificant:

"I really don't remember what that woman looks like. She is nothing more than a person who seeks pleasure and relieves stress for me. As for Fileta, if it weren't for this transaction with the elves, I wouldn't even remember that I had such a daughter. Of course, even if I remember, I wouldn't feel guilty. After twenty years, she is still a waste of the fifth level of perfection. I guess I just gave her to one of my subordinates as a plaything. Speaking of which, Shemi was a little interested in her. If it weren't for you, she would have been in Shemi's bed now. Anything else you want to ask?"

"Nothing."

Reed patted Fileta's head and smiled at her. Fileta hesitated and refused to move away. Reed had to grab her shoulders and turn her behind him, and pushed her on the back before she nervously moved away.

When Reed turned around to look at Snake Eyes, there was no trace of smile on his face anymore.

He moved his ten fingers, and amid the crackling sound of their joints, he looked at Snake Eyes calmly and said:

"Please teach me, King of the East."

67. Serious Punch

The King Snake of the East looked at Lid and took a deep breath. He saw that its aura was decreasing step by step. Every time it dropped a level, the surrounding black fog dissipated a little. Finally, its strength dropped to a level that Lid could sense: the ninth level of perfection.

But that kind of ninth-level perfection was far more terrifying than what Lid had seen before. The three assassins sent by Lingwu to kill Xiluo were led by King Qin Guang, who was a ninth-level perfectionist and had been famous in the secret passage for a long time; when they were in the capital, the taciturn Jinyiwei commander Xige was also a ninth-level perfectionist and was one of the best in the same realm.

However, no matter whether it was King Qin Guang or Xige, they were not as good as the current Snake Eye. To be honest, those two would not last more than three moves under the hands of the already suppressed Snake Eye. There was no other reason. If an inflated basketball collides with a ping-pong ball, the ping-pong ball will break, because the two are not of the same order of magnitude in terms of volume; compressing the basketball into a small ball of similar size to the ping-pong ball may seem to give the ping-pong ball a chance to compete, but the collision is still no different from an egg hitting a stone.

No matter how you suppress your realm, the power in your body will not disappear out of thin air. An eagle sometimes flies lower than a chicken, but that doesn't mean it becomes a clucking rooster, nor does it mean the rooster can beat it when it flies down. Even if Snake Eyes' current realm is the ninth level of perfection, it is the ninth level of perfection after multiple compressions. If the power in a normal ninth level of perfection is like a ball of water vapor, then Snake Eyes' body is now an equal volume of water.

"I know you are very angry right now, even though you have tried your best to hide your strength so that I would not be so alert."

Snake Eye took a step forward and said slowly:

"I also know that you probably think that you have assassinated a ninth-level perfect East District demon rookie, so you think that the gap between me and them is not that big since we are both ninth-level perfect."