novelraw Chapter 1026 - 858: Deal with Du Li (Part 2)
Chapter 1026 - 858: Deal with Du Li (Part 2)
Since Jiang Yuan was sitting, he had to go around Du Li to hit the shadow, making his actions seem fierce but not exerting too much force. Despite this, the Heart Demon was smashed by the Demon-Subduing Pestle with a cry of "Ow" and immediately wilted, collapsing on the ground, with black mist dispersing, leaving not even a shadow to grasp.
As a Great Demon Cultivator in the Tribulation Crossing Realm, Du Li’s senses were more acute and his reactions naturally quicker. But he was being bewitched by the Heart Demon, brewing murderous thoughts, while his rationality told him not to listen to the Heart Demon’s senseless babble. His inner conflict was intense, and his body’s attempt to stop was half a beat too slow.
Just a tiny bit short.
"Duang!"
[Du Li Heart Demon -500]
The shock of the Demon-Subduing Pestle’s holy light made him roll his eyes, almost fainting, but in his mind, there was a rare genuine clarity he hadn’t experienced in years.
"Alliance Leader Du, this strike comes with a fee," Jiang Yuan capitalized on the momentum.
After all, the opponent instantly reverted to his original state, not to mention his face turned deathly pale from the pain, with his eyes instantly turning red. From his experience beating He Miancun, it was clear that he hit too hard, nearly making this big shot cry from the pain.
"Agreed, agreed," Du Li gasped in pain, struggling to speak coherently.
But as a dignified Vice Alliance Hierarch, not putting on airs was being approachable, but that didn’t mean he would lose face. After holding back for a while, he managed not to embarrass himself in front of Mr. Jiang.
It freaking hurt though!
He embarked on the path of cultivation immortality countless years ago and had experienced countless calamities and near-death encounters, enduring heavy injuries like they were routine.
Yet, Du Li had never experienced such intense pain.
The pain penetrated deep into his bones and soul, lingering for a long time, making even breathing difficult. But on the flip side, it was like a wake-up call that brought rare clarity to his mind, and despite the pain, the peace and clarity in his heart were extraordinarily refreshing.
It was pain mixed with pleasure; he even felt a bit addicted, wanting Mr. Jiang to hit him again.
After a while, the pain from the beating subsided slightly. Du Li realized he had lost the opportunity for a free experience due to the Heart Demon’s provocation and now had to pay for the beating, feeling a bit dejected from the missed opportunity.
Even a little thought could tell you that this Supreme Divine Artifact, which had miraculous effects against the Heart Demon, would not be cheap to use!
He could have had one free hit, but now he had to pay, and wanting another hit would require even more payment...
Jiang Yuan leisurely drank tea while settling the score, a true Tribulation Crossing realm big shot, losing 500 points of the Heart Demon’s health with a single hit without shedding a tear.
However, this Heart Demon could condense into a human-like entity, with a health bar so long that even losing a few thousand points a day could take half a year or more to completely defeat it.
If Du Li’s desires didn’t wane and the Heart Demon slowly regained health, fighting it for three to five years wouldn’t be a problem, so how could he charge to ensure a steady income? After all, milking a sheep dry wouldn’t look good if it went bald.
"Thank you, sir, for your assistance. I apologize for the rudeness due to the Heart Demon’s influence," after regaining his composure, Du Li solemnly bowed to Jiang Yuan, "May I ask how we can trade for eliminating the Heart Demon?"
Letting Jiang Yuan name a price wouldn’t yield much.
As a "cultivation immortality" novice, it’s hard to imagine the kind of Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures these seasoned demon cultivators possess.
"I’m not exaggerating, Alliance Leader Du should know the severity of your Heart Demon. With the force used just now, it was only scattered but not injured.
To completely eradicate it, it could take as short as a year or half, or as long as ten years or more; this is a long-term hassle that requires persistent effort to eradicate." He habitually laid out the facts first to facilitate negotiation.
Du Li sighed heavily, understanding the seriousness all too well, or else he wouldn’t have confined himself in a quiet room to deal with the Heart Demon.
For such a long duration where you have to have someone specifically hit you daily, it definitely can’t be solved with money.
What would he trade with? Mr. Jiang possessed such a supreme treasure, and deducing from his clone’s words, it’s highly likely he comes from the Upper Realm. Ordinary items surely won’t catch his eye, if trading required a Divine Artifact...
Indeed, he had one.
The problem was, to save the world, he couldn’t just hand over the Divine Artifact; the very real dilemma lay before him: should he use the Divine Artifact to save himself or the Wilderness World?
"The Divine Artifact in my hand is required to maintain the balance of this world, and really can’t be used for trading with you, sir; there are indeed many Supreme Treasures within the Demon Realm Alliance, but they are not all my personal belongings, hard to privately trade. So, this..." Du Li’s Heart Demon was obsessed with saving the world, thinking it through, he felt saving the world was more important.
Jiang Yuan: ???
No wonder he’s such a seasoned veteran, already considering the Divine Artifacts?
Not intending to bring them out was just as well, he had a few himself. The Chaotic Heaven Bell, Seven-Layered Exquisite Pagoda, Heavenly Water Mirror, Eternal Mirror... all imperfect versions, all awaiting materials to be repaired, might as well be a bunch of ancestors.
"Forget about the Divine Artifacts." he replied honestly, "Most Divine Artifacts existing now are severely damaged, and if they truly reached my hands, I’d need a lot of Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures to repair them. To be frank, Alliance Leader Du, I’m currently short on Spirit Medicines, Heavenly Materials, and Earthly Treasures, just because of the artifact repairs.
How about this, I need an identity within the Demon Realm Alliance to facilitate movement in the Wilderness. I would be grateful if Alliance Leader Du could first arrange for an identity that can command respect, after which it doesn’t matter whether it’s spirit medicines, refining materials, or magical treasures, whatever you have would suffice for some exchange;