Chapter 253 The Price of Betrayal (Part 1)
Chapter 253 The Price of Betrayal (Part 1)
Struck speechless by the abrupt shift in momentum, Princess Tieshan clenched her fists, restraining her berserk nature to maintain her composure. Things were not looking good. Although Tieshan suspected that Xinzi potentially wanted to buy time so he could prepare a weapon of mass destruction, she never expected him to be able to summon immortal-level troops with a finger snap. What other tricks did he have in his bag? And who was to say that, elders in his clan or sect didn't have stronger methods to support him with?
Tieshan could never accept that a boy that reached such cultivation and battle-prowess at such age, also managed to acquire an army and immortal-level methods, all on his own. Mightier backers had to support him, and Xinzi counted on that assumption.
"At the very least, I can send our 10,000 years of accumulation out of this village, then set the farm on fire—meaning that you will only get ashes and scraps."
"Send them to what? The Dark Moon Cult? Your demonic master? You're underestimating my methods, for I can stop you before you can do any of that." Xinzi's words and poise put Tieshan in a bind. At this point, the Cow Demoness couldn't tell truth from lies, but what had long become clear, was that Xinzi's faction had nothing to fear from her demonic patron, to say nothing of her.
They were strong—too strong, and with the Celestial Farm to rely on, they'd only keep growing stronger. After all, unlike Tieshan, they'd be able to put all of the farm's resources to use—including the plants and fruits that Tieshan didn't have the methods to exploit yet.
"So why not do it? Why give me an opportunity to discuss terms, if my will and position are irrelevant to the outcome?" This was the crux of the matter. If Xinzi wasn't exaggerating his abilities, then he needed a solid explanation as to why he gave her a chance to talk terms.
"Because Tieshan, I like you, and I want you. Now we can do this the easy way, or we can do this the hard way. The choice is yours." Underneath his goat mask, Xinzi's lips curled into a wolfish grin. These words struck Tieshan hard. Her eyes turned red, her long red nails sinking in her arms as her body trembled and her heart quaked at Xinzi's words.
"Who are y—"
"Joking—about the second part. I've never forced a woman to do things against her will. You cultivate the Three Aspects of the Earthmother, a demonic technique that grants you innate knowledge of Earth and Space principles. It must also be the primary source of your demonization. If you stopped at cultivating that technique, you would have been fineish. But you were so desperate to flee the Celestial Farm that you accepted the demon's offer to speed up your cultivation, leading to the pact that binds you to him." Xinzi shifted the topic, preventing Tieshan from finding out if he'd just tossed the previous words randomly, or knew something that he shouldn't.
"How do you know that?" Again with that knowledge. Xinzi knew too much. Things that he couldn't have just learned in Green Leaf Village. Here, Tieshan had to consider the possibility that the man she faced could read her mind—a terrifying concept.
"I know many things. For example, whoever taught you this skill was trying to fuck you. How did you resist?" Xinzi chuckled at his own words. Tieshan didn't find anything funny in the situation, and though our monk only stood an inch away from her, the defiance in her eyes grew stronger, and her gaze hardened.
"Yes, back then I was somewhat naive and failed to realize the future implications of the pact I signed. Yes, the Three Aspects of the Earthmother massively increase the practitioner's desire to procreate. My second form is more lustful than the first form, and the third more lustful than the previous two combined. So, while they equip me with vastly superior strength and methods than what I have in my tallest form, unless absolutely necessary, I do not use them.
Yes, you're extremely knowledgeable, and likely the most outstanding man that I've had the opportunity to interact with. But as for your offer, sorry, I'm not interested. No matter how outstanding or mesmerizing, if it cannot just be me, I do not want you. And you seem like the type that I hate the most: a frivolous whoremonger." Though she knew herself outmatched, Tieshan refused to back off.
"Tieshan, perhaps your loins can only stir for one person at a time, perhaps that person has such a strong hold over you that their mere existence makes all the others irrelevant, or perhaps your monogamous principles are so strong that, once you've settled on one man, you can instantly suppress your thirst for the others.
But Tieshan, not many are like you. Not many can pledge that, deep down, they never feel the urge to lay with and dote on the men or women that their loins stir for. So, I have to ask this one thing: the Bull Demon Prince? Really? That's the man to whom you plan to devote your life? You do realize that, based on the principles you hold so dear, once you choose him, you will have to stick to him.
An unfortunate choice when you realize that...you only chose him so you could shape him into a loyal and fiercely monogamous version of your father."
"You can read my mind!" At last convinced that Xinzi could read through her, Tieshan snapped. Her rage erupted in full force, and she reached for Xinzi's neck. The Immortal Golden Dragon Physique kicked in, Blood Energy and Golden Flames billowed out Xinzi's herculean frame, not only dwarfing Tieshan's cultivation but also rattling her loins with overwhelming levels of Yang Qi.
Alarmed, the Cow Demoness reeled back—sweat dripping from her forehead.
"Is that not what you want? A man that can see through your emotions and desires, a man that, before you spread your lips, already has the answers to your every need?
Tieshan, not every harem lord is a replica of your father, and trying to fight him in all the men that look at you favorably will lead you to a lifetime of misery. Your father killed your mother, but he didn't kill or mistreat you. It wasn't until you started showing your fangs, the desire to butcher him and your half-brothers, that he started taking precautions.
You had him killed by his most trusted subordinate. Then turned that trusted subordinate into another version of him. From Bull Demon King to Bull Demon Prince, Tieshan, if you do marry Niu Yan and make him the next Bull Demon King, wouldn't you be committing psychological incest—if there is such a thing, that is.
Also, do you really think that he can live up to your expectations? That if given the opportunity to betray an autocratic despot like you for a sweet and tender beauty that makes his emotions her priority, he wouldn't?
This is the Great Desolation World. Not many dominant men can give you what you want. But interestingly, you only seem interested in the most dominant of men. Tieshan, do you want to see...the price of Niu Yan's loyalty?" Xinzi's words boomed in Tieshan's mind, bewildering her senses.