Chapter 65 Mother-in-Law’s Request
A work-related story.
Good talk.
I’d appreciate it if you could get straight to the point without putting me to the test.
Staring at that internal energy pouch was torture enough.
“Ufufu. You’re a strange one. If you were really a Legged lizard, you wouldn’t have to be embarrassed by this appearance.”
It seemed like she had hit the mark.
I didn’t particularly have a reason to hide the fact that I used to be human.
However, there didn’t seem to be any benefit to revealing it either.
Who knows what this mother-daughter snake pair might do?
They could suddenly become curious about the taste of human flesh.
…Of course, Shikshik wouldn’t do that, but the Snake Queen might.
She might try to eat me. Whatever that might mean.
Face it.
The internal energy pouch in front of me.
Yeah.
I had no choice but to look at it to avoid suspicion.
“Since we’ve come this far, I guess there’s no need for further introductions?”
That was a given.
The being in front of me was the Snake Queen.
The Basilisk, whose level couldn’t be measured.
“You must have met the Bird King. And you survived.”
The Snake Queen smiled slightly.
“Since you have his mark, it means you didn’t side with him. Right. As you might have guessed, the Snake Queen and the Bird King aren’t on good terms.”
That was evident.
The Bird King, who ruled over everything from large birds like terror birds to parrots.
I hadn’t seen them yet, but the Snake Queen ruled over snakes like anacondas and Titanoboas.
Even a passing Microraptor knew that these two divided the vast jungle.
The Bird King and the Snake Queen.
Could they be married?
Is this a marital spat?
“…Legged lizard. Your expression is unpleasant.”
You’re a Legged lizard too.
“The Bird King is the nemesis of all snakes. Snakes are born to kill birds.”
Yeah, they’re not married.
Anyway, there’s no way such a beautiful woman would marry a weird-looking anthropomorphic bird.
“Why, are you thinking of becoming my mate?”
A Gomodo dragon is better than an anthropomorphic bird… Wait a minute?
“Why are you surprised? It’s common sense that I can read simple thoughts when you’re this close.”
In what country is that common sense?
“Hissss!”
Shikshik was diligently being vigilant.
…But aren’t you a snake?
Why do you keep doing things a cat would do?
Shikshik bit the Snake Queen’s fingers furiously.
Good job, my precious.
“Indeed, your teeth have become sharper. If you keep growing like this, you might succeed me someday.”
The Snake Queen stroked Shikshik, who was biting her fingers.
“Snakes and birds are each other’s enemies. But because of the balance of power, we haven’t been able to move easily.”
Anthropomorphic bird and Basilisk.
If they fought, it would be an incredible sight.
Even if one of them won, the other wouldn’t be unharmed.
It was only natural for a third force targeting the master of this jungle to attack.
“There is one who seeks to break this delicate balance.”
That one was me.
A legendary beast, the Gomodo.
The Snake Queen planned to use me, the joker, to bring down the anthropomorphic bird.
Indeed, only this level of strategy could earn her the title of Queen.
I couldn’t help but admire this brilliant plan.
“Heh heh heh….”
With the power of the Gomodo, it would be more than enough to break the balance.
Should I sweep them all away?
It might be good to slaughter them so they can’t even utter a word.
“Umm…. I’m really sorry, but I’m not referring to you.”
…Is there a mouse hole somewhere?
Could I fit into the hole Shikshik went into earlier?
If I squeeze myself well, it might work….
[The effect of Cold Blood is activated.]
My previously heated face gradually cooled down.
Well, it’s not unreasonable for a lizard to make a mistake once in a while.
Let’s be shameless about it.
“Heh heh….”
“Of course, I do need your help. But someone of your level can’t break the balance….”
“Gek!”
Stop it.
I was wrong.
“Ufufu. Yes, you’re cute.”
“Purr….”
Shikshik was snoring at some point.
…Did you fall asleep just because your head was petted a few times?
“The one who will break the balance is a snake who bears the Morning Star.”
A snake who bears the Morning Star?
“A vile traitor who dared to betray me.”
Morning Star.
It was a grand name.
Morning Star.
Wasn’t that what Lucifer meant?
Following the greedy Beelzebufo, now there’s a Lucifer snake.
Wait a minute.
Morning Star?
The Snake Queen was a Basilisk.
If she was betrayed by a snake bearing the Morning Star…
*
In a building of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult.
Tang So-yeong’s mind was complicated.
Why was someone from the Sichuan Tang Clan like her in the heart of the Demonic Cult?
If she told anyone, no one would believe it.
Moreover, she wasn’t being treated as a hostage; she was being treated with utmost hospitality.
There was no lack of food, and she was given warm water every day to bathe.
Her body was comfortable, but Tang So-yeong’s mind was heavy.
There was something that made Tang So-yeong’s mind even more uneasy.
“Kieeeek!”
It was these spiders, causing a ruckus since earlier.
The small venomous spider ground its teeth furiously.
“Kiooo!”
The spider that spat silk couldn’t control its anger and rubbed its body against a lizard figure made of silk bundles.
“Kyaaaak!”
The large spider clanged its two legs together and roared toward somewhere.
Why were these spiders acting like this?
Tang So-yeong had handled countless beasts and spiritual creatures in the Tang family, but this was the first time she faced such a situation.
Moreover, she was starting to feel a bit strange herself.
She had a growing anxiety that something precious might be taken away by someone else.
“P-please calm down. I feel strange too, but there’s no need to act like this here!”
The spiders glanced at Tang So-yeong.
Perhaps because they had spent some time together, it seemed that Tus and Pus were quieting down.
“Keng.”
Of course, that was Tang So-yeong’s misconception.
Tus and Pus, making an unpleasant noise, continued their actions.
“…Keng? What does that mean?”
“Keeng!”
There was no way a spider and a human could communicate.
Even though Tang So-yeong had an excellent ability to communicate with spiritual creatures, she couldn’t understand every word of beasts or spiritual creatures.
However, she could guess what kind of expressions and sounds Tus and Pus were making.
They seemed to be saying she was of lower rank.
Whether Tang So-yeong’s guess was true or not, no one knew.
“O-okay. Let’s settle the hierarchy today. The Tang family’s secret technique, Mancheonhwa-u… Wait, why are both of you attacking me? H-heeek!”
It was just as Tang So-yeong was about to get beaten up by the spider sisters wrapped in internal energy.
Drrrk.
As the door opened, Tus and Pus suddenly behaved as if nothing had happened.
“…Ouch. Darn these spiders!”
Tang So-yeong, not noticing the door opening, tried to retaliate against the spiders.
“Get along.”
At the dry voice, Tang So-yeong’s actions froze instantly.
No matter how often she heard it, she couldn’t get used to the voice.
The leader of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult.
A woman closest to the expression ‘world’s best,’ holding a position among the top ten masters.
Baek Yeon-yeong.
Barely controlling her trembling body, Tang So-yeong greeted her.
“H-hello….”
Her voice was like an ant crawling in.
It wasn’t something the Cult Leader of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult should hear, nor was it something someone from the Five Great Families should say.
But Baek Yeon-yeong didn’t mind.
“Are you comfortable staying here?”
She was being overly considerate.
Not only did she provide the basics, but she also allowed Tang So-yeong to see the everyday life of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult, which was never disclosed to outsiders.
Another thing that surprised Tang So-yeong was that this place was also teeming with spiritual creatures.
There were spiritual creatures running around, resembling miniature versions of Fierce Dew, and the cult members were trying hard to communicate with them.
It was a sight distinctly different from any righteous sect.
Aside from a few moderates like Tang So-yeong, the Sichuan Tang Clan mostly tamed spiritual creatures using coercion mixed with violence and fear.
But the cult members of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult were different. They aimed to communicate with the creatures with patience.
This confused Tang So-yeong. The actions of the Demonic Cult seemed more righteous than those of the righteous sects.
“Sit down. I brought some refreshments, so let’s have a chat.”
The nerve-wracking tea time began.
Of course, Tang So-yeong’s trembling was short-lived, as the sweet food melted her face into a smile as soon as it entered her mouth.
The refreshments Baek Yeon-yeong brought were the treasured items of Baek Seolhwa, the shrine maiden of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult. But Tang So-yeong didn’t know that and just accepted what was given to her.
“Ehehe….”
Letting out a slightly eerie sound, Tang So-yeong, who had accepted the refreshments handed by Baek Yeon-yeong, started a somewhat relaxed conversation with her.
The topic was trivial.
The progress of the large spider’s treatment and the training plan for the small spiders.
Additionally, it was about what she had felt since coming to the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult.
The conversations, particularly those related to spiritual creatures, were lengthy.
Baek Yeon-yeong, having a great interest in spiritual creatures, conversed with Tang So-yeong without any hindrance, despite their seemingly unmatched backgrounds.
“I didn’t know there would be so many spiritual creatures here.”
“They’re beasts with the potential to become spiritual creatures. Few possess a core. Even fewer can handle internal energy like Hee.”
The topic naturally shifted to spiritual creatures that could handle internal energy.
Tang So-yeong talked about Fierce Dew and the Gomodo Dragon, excluding the classified information managed by the Sichuan Tang Clan. Spiritual creatures handling internal energy were indeed extraordinary.
As the topic shifted, their conversation inevitably steered toward that existence.
One side referred to it as a great hero, and the other called it Hee, now a not-so-small lizard.
“Oh, right. You mentioned there was an opportunity for the great hero… I mean, Hee. Could you tell me what kind of opportunity it is?”
Out of concern for the Gomodo Dragon and curiosity as a martial artist, Tang So-yeong couldn’t help but wonder about the opportunity mentioned by the Cult Leader of the Demonic Cult.
Baek Yeon-yeong elegantly sipped her tea.
“What kind of opportunity could there be in the Hundred Thousand Great Mountains? It’s another spiritual creature.”
She looked at her finger holding the teacup.
The finger Hee used to bite.
“You probably haven’t heard of it. It’s an extremely rare spiritual creature.”
Tang So-yeong eagerly awaited Baek Yeon-yeong’s words.
“A snake with the cry of a rooster.”
Listening to stories about unknown spiritual creatures was always enjoyable.
“A Kogadori Beast.”