Zhanxian Chapter 107 – Colluding With A Ruffian

For demon beasts, if they couldn’t probe successfully, they would change their ways, among demon beasts, there was no fight to the death if they were not fighting over territory, natural resources or prey. If there was a large difference in strength, then perhaps the powerful one would forcefully subdue the weaker one, but if the strength of both sides did not have a large discrepancy then the best method was to negotiate. The demon beasts were no fools, most of all those under the covetous eyes of the cultivators in the Desolate Valley.

Yang Chen could sense what the Meadow Viper was thinking, since he had directly swallowed its killing intent without paying any attention, naturally he was not much weaker. Since Yang Chen was merely asking for directions and did not have any intentions of harming it in any way, it naturally would not immediately attack him, it wanted to find the secret behind Yang Chen being able to turn into a human, naturally it would not mind paying some price.

Although the Meadow Viper had already learned how to hide it’s appearance at this stage, that was merely its innate instinct. It also hadn’t learned how to hide its strength, but it was very clear about this point. Regular cultivators who were not equal to it, were intimidated by that sort of killing intent, but Yang Chen was different, that was naturally a great trouble for it.

Strength was the only way which allowed both sides to communicate with equality, since Yang Chen had continued under its threat, that naturally gave him the qualifications to communicate with it on equal terms.

“Apart from the things I want to ask, you should help me accomplish three tasks and you should also protect me when I obtain some things at the Desolate Valley!”

This demon beast Meadow Viper could hide its appearance and it was also very powerful, so Yang Chen definitely would not let this kind of hired hand slip off his hands. Regardless of whether it was collecting the earth attributed True Qi or kill Chu Heng, both tasks required this kind of powerful helper and in return, Yang Chen would just give it some simple technique to transform its appearance.

This Appearance Transforming Secrets was one of the most basic things in the Spiritual World, the demon beasts who ascended would learn this first, so basically it was not worth anything, but perhaps in this world it was somewhat precious.

Although the Appearance Transforming Secrets were marvelous, their only function was to transform the appearance and nothing more. It could allow a demon beasts to transform their appearance to a human-like appearance, but innately they were still demon beasts and since they could not cultivate through humanities methods, they also couldn’t change the breath of a demon beast so even if it would spread in this world, it would not be a big problem.

The earth attributed beast only had the strength of JieDan stage expert, so it couldn’t use these kinds of techniques, but the Meadow Viper had a strength of the YuanYing stage, so using this properly it could become a great helper for Yang Chen and naturally Yang Chen could pay an even higher price to rope it in.

But for the Meadow Viper, this kind of thing which could turn it into a human like appearance was exactly something it had been looking for. It could hide itself by using the Appearance Transforming Secrets, so it could conceal itself among humans, which would increase its safety from the people plotting against it, so how could it not be tempted?

“Ok, deal!”

The way how demon beasts handled affairs was really straightforward, either do or don’t do, there wasn’t any beating around the bush. Or possibly, they hadn’t learned how to be tactical, after the Meadow Viper had heard all of the conditions, it only thought about the merits and demerits and immediately replied.

At the same time as it finished speaking, a white coloured halo flew from above the head of Meadow Viper and slowly flew into Yang Chen’s body. This was the method unique to demon beasts to conclude an agreement, using a thread of the demon soul, wrapped in Spiritual Awareness, when both sides agreed, both of them had restrictions, which were returned only after the completion of the agreement. This thread of demon soul also contained the contents of the agreement between both sides, which could not be altered.

During this, the pair of ox horns in Yang Chen’s Spirit Sea immediately divided to form a small trace, which turned into two very small ox horns, which were also delivered similarly. The Meadow Viper opened its mouth and Yang Chen’s trace of ‘demon soul’ entered its mouth.

After entering the Spirit Sea, Yang Chen saw that this thread of the demon soul also had the appearance of the Meadow Viper’s main body, only a lot smaller.

“So you were a cyan ox originally!”

After receiving Yang Chen’s ‘demon soul’, the Meadow Viper immediately transmitted this, as if it had become aware of the original form of Yang Chen’s real body at that moment.

“This is the Appearance Transforming Secrets!”

Yang Chen also did not say any superfluous words and immediately took out a blank jade slip. Afterwards he engraved the cultivation method of the Appearance Transforming Secrets and threw it to the Meadow Viper.

The Meadow Viper swallowed the jade slip, for the demon beasts, their bodies were the best kind of qiankun pouch, not only was it convenient, but they also didn’t have to worry about losing it.

Within half an hour, the Meadow Viper read and understood the contents of the jade slip. It was at a realm where it had already comprehended many things, so it realized the underlying principle very rapidly.

The huge body of the Meadow Viper started trembling and frantically issuing sounds of pushing and pulling, as if many bones in its body were being compressed. From the surroundings of the entire body, a white gas was coming out, but under the sun it was completely fuzzy. With those sandstorms whipping over the ground, Yang Chen’s field of view was covered completely.

Yang Chen was very courteous and did not use his Spiritual Awareness to see what exactly was happening within the sand storm. Demon beasts do not wish for other people to look at them when they are vulnerable, unless they do not have a choice, so this was the minimum courtesy.

Kacha! Kacha!

After the sound of breaking the bones resounded for a long time, they began to slowly quiet down, the sandstorm in Yang Chen’s surroundings also settled.

By this time, Yang Chen had already landed on the ground and collected his flying sword. Since they had already reached a deal, for the time being he was not in danger, demon beasts were much more reliable than cultivators.

After the sandstorm had dissipated, what appeared was an ordinary Meadow Viper, with a length of three meters and it did not have that kind of crazily huge body anymore. It crawled in front of Yang Chen and raised its body, erecting its head high, it confronted Yang Chen and immediately transmitted via Spiritual Awareness.

“That Appearance Transforming Technique is really effective!”

The Meadow Viper had cultivated the Appearance Transforming Technique for the first time, but its body had already been reduced in size by a hundred folds. Although it still hadn’t transformed into a human, just the change in size was enough to make all cultivators confronting it loosen their guards. Although it looked just like an ordinary Meadow Viper, trying to catch it meant death.

“There is still more work to do, you require some more time to be able to transform into human shape!”

Yang Chen said, while nodding his head. Although using Spiritual Awareness was still the customary method to communicate, he was more fond of talking.

“Slowly learn to speak, alright? If you don’t want to be seen through by the people at a glance, then either speak in front of them or remain completely mute!”

“Where do you want to go, I will lead you!”

On the ground, the Meadow Viper nodded its head, but its body scuttled forward, coiling around Yang Chen’s leg.

This movement of the Meadow Viper did not surprise Yang Chen in the least, it was common knowledge that snake types liked to coil around things, cultivating demon beasts were no exception. But this would not make anyone suspicious, at most, people would think that it was a demon beast tamed by Yang Chen or just a pet, they would absolutely not guard against it.

Yang Chen extended his hand, allowing the Meadow Viper to rise above his arm, and asked, wrinkling his brows:

“The Appearance Transforming Secrets require at least several years before you can change shape into a human, so have you thought properly about going with me? Who will take care of your territory?”

“I have already been trapped in this region for more than a thousand years because of my body, I have never before left the Desolate Valley.”

The Meadow Viper was constantly buzzing, coiled on Yang Chen’s arm, it transmitted the thought:

“Even if I can conceal my breath, my body can still be found, previously if I had crossed this boundary I would have to fight with many cultivators who desire for territory, I want to see more places and increase the scope of my knowledge and experience.”

This was a very reasonable demon beast, Yang Chen wouldn’t have to discuss much with it. In fact, since it had already reached the YuanYing stage, if it weren’t trapped because of its body, it would have already left to travel long ago. Being trapped in a corner like this, the good thing would be that n.o.body would dare to provoke it in its territory, but the bad thing was, that it was trapped here like in a jail.

“These past few years, haven’t you come across a group of experts?”

Yang Chen asked while walking with it on his side. Yang Chen wasn’t formal, this was the best kind of bodyguard he could get, his concealed weapon against those who are plotting against him. In any case, he had the demon soul of the other party with him, so he did not have to be on guard against it, so what’s the harm?

“Several years ago, a few experts had come here, seemingly to arrange something.”

The Meadow Viper replied simultaneously, while moving around on Yang Chen’s body and continuously probing around things on Yang Chen’s body. Currently it had stopped over Yang Chen’s belt, saying his observation:

“After building the framework, these people immediately retreated without bothering me. Actually in the past thousand years, people have very rarely come to provoke me, all of them were experts, but they immediately walked away after doing what they came there to do, very boring.”

Several hundred years ago, Yang Chen secretly a.s.sessed within his heart, these people must have been the ones who had arranged the spell. The Meadow Viper was thinking that they had retreated because of it, but those people certainly would not have walked away because of some difficulties, since they had already laid the spell, they must have retreated after they were done.

But Yang Chen did not inform the Meadow Viper about this, he only asked it to tell him about the distribution and inclination of Spirit Power in its territory. The Meadow Viper also had no intentions of going back on its promise, very quickly it transmitted all the things it knew into Yang Chen’s Spiritual Awareness.

A map of a region more than ten times larger than the earth attributed beast’s appeared in Yang Chen’s mind. The vastness of the area left Yang Chen staring with his mouth hanging open. This guy’s territory covered a major area of the Desolate Valley and it was also touching the territory of the earth attributed beast, so it was very easy for Yang Chen to put them together in his mind. Immediately the spell diagram of the great spell of this quarter of the Desolate Valley was within Yang Chen’s mind.

“Has the small guy at the southern side informed you about me being here?”

The movement in Yang Chen thoughts, especially when he joined the information with the territory of the earth attributed beast, immediately made the Meadow Viper sense something.

“That’s right!”

Yang Chen did not hide anything, the earth attributed beast was able to obtain its territory at the edge of the huge territory of the Meadow Viper, so surely the Meadow Viper would not have wanted to expand its territory, otherwise, with the formidable strength of the Meadow Viper, it could have annexed it a long time ago. Moreover, the Meadow Viper had addressed that beast very intimately, so surely there was some relation between them.

“That guy knows how to be patient, most people like to walk at the side his territory, delivering themselves to be eaten by him.”

The Meadow Viper had again scuttled along Yang Chen’s other arm.

“In those days, I was not that intelligent, which had led to this situation where the people don’t dare to come here, so I didn’t get the opportunity to eat nutritious people, and I could only absorb Spirit Power.”

The Meadow Viper expressed deep regret with its Spiritual Awareness.

Yang Chen had known for a long time that the earth attributed beast was not that simple, but he still hadn’t antic.i.p.ated that the Meadow Viper would give it such a high a.s.sessment. After completing what he came for, and also obtaining such a formidable helper for the time being, Yang Chen didn’t let the Meadow Viper’s knowledge go to waste and immediately asked:

“Which of your neighbours in the surroundings is easy to handle? Let’s go there to ask for directions.”

“Towards the West!”

The Meadow Viper replied without any hesitation, in any case, since it had decided to follow Yang Chen, then it also had to be ready to leave this territory, so it didn’t matter where it went, since Yang Chen asked, it would introduce them to one of its old friends, which would surely not be any trouble and in this way he could also show off in front of them.

Since the Desolate Valley was a region to train, it had to retain some of its formidable demon beasts, so that the aim of tempering disciples could be achieved. Therefore, the experts of the sects didn’t mindlessly ma.s.sacre the demon beasts there. Even formidable ones like the Meadow Viper could be used as an opponent to train experts, so even if someone wanted to eradicate them, a large number of people would not be willing.

This was also one the reasons why the Meadow Viper wanted to leave this region, though Yang Chen hadn’t asked much, he was capable of putting this together. With the help of the Meadow Viper, Yang Chen could find out the inclination of the spell within a short amount of time, thus deducing the place where the earth attributed True Qi was being acc.u.mulated.

Those people arranging the spell would have never thought about the existence of a freak like Yang Chen, much less about such heaven defying Beast Controlling Secrets. Yang Chen had just revealed the tip of the great iceberg arranged several hundred years ago, but to whom the earth attributed True Qi would belong in the future was not certain.

When Yang Chen had found the right direction, the Meadow Viper was coiling around Yang Chen’s neck, its long body coiled entirely around Yang Chen. If a normal cultivator saw this scene, where a three meter long snake was coiling around a person’s body, they would be scared out of their wits.

Naturally he would not show these kinds of circ.u.mstances in front of other cultivators. Fortunately this was the territory of the Meadow Viper, normally, other than experts, people dared to come in only very rarely. Yang Chen had intentionally slowed his speed, even giving up travelling on his flying sword and had returned to foot, so that the Meadow Viper could intensify its cultivation of the Appearance Transforming Secrets during this time.

By the time, when Yang Chen had crossed the territory of the Meadow Viper, one month had pa.s.sed already. During the this time, the Meadow Viper had become extremely proficient in using the Appearance Transforming Secrets, its body had already turned from three meters long to three foot long, again decreasing more than tenfold. A three foot long snake coiling around Yang Chen’s body was not very eye catching.

Once they exited the Meadow Viper’s territory, the Meadow Viper started issuing a wave of hissing sounds and released its Spiritual Awareness entirely, trying to notify that old friend, whose territory they had already entered. Merely, in Yang Chen’s eyes, this sounded more like issuing a challenge rather than notifying.