Chapter 94: Python Scales for a Python Robe

“According to some inside information I, Dong, obtained, one of the demonic beasts was actually a Black Python Demon of the Profound Rank, Upper Grade.”

“！”

The Prince of Jiyang, who had just been smiling amiably, suddenly hardened his expression:

“Chairman Dong, is this true?”

Dong Li smiled and nodded.

Of course, it was true.

That day when the Python Demon joined hands with the Bear Demon to slaughter the Black Wind Stronghold, the Young Master of the Red Turban Army, Xu Jiaren, happened to be in the stronghold.

The reason Dong Li knew about the Python Demon’s slaughter of the stronghold was precisely because Xu Jiaren had personally told him after Shi Yi helped him escape the crisis and brought him back to the residence that Dong Li had arranged for them.

At the time, Xu Jiaren even said he intended to make a trade with that Python Demon.

He had entrusted Dong Li to procure three catties of Earth Vein Yin Marrow and planned to head back to the Black Wind Stronghold a month later.

Yet for some unknown reason, the Python Demon failed to show up a month later.

Helpless, three months later, after finishing his affairs in Yongzhou, Xu Jiaren could only regretfully leave Yongzhou.

But Dong Li remembered that Python Demon.

Because prior to this, His Highness the Prince of Jiyang of the Great Qian Dynasty had just happened to entrust him, asking that the Yongzhou Chamber of Commerce capture alive a Profound Rank, Upper Grade Python Demon.

The Prince of Jiyang was first excited for a moment, then he slanted a glance at Dong Li:

“But since Chairman Dong already received this information half a year ago, why did you not inform this Prince then? Why wait until this Prince personally came to the Yongzhou Chamber of Commerce before telling me?”

As the Prince of Jiyang gave Dong Li a sidelong look, a dangerous aura spread from the followers behind him, faintly pressing toward Dong Li.

Clearly, the Prince of Jiyang was somewhat angered.

If you had told me half a year ago, perhaps I could have already achieved my goal then.

Why let me wait an extra half year?

Dong Li seemed frightened by the aura, hurriedly pleading for forgiveness:

“Please calm your anger, Your Highness, please calm your anger. Mainly, after the Black Wind Stronghold was destroyed, it was extremely difficult to verify the information. I only feared to let Your Highness celebrate for nothing, so I dared not report it rashly.”

“Besides, at the time Your Highness told me to have the Chamber capture alive a Profound Rank, Upper Grade Python Demon, did you not?”

“That’s why I never told Your Highness this rumor.”

The Prince of Jiyang narrowed his eyes slightly:

“Then why is it that today, when this Prince visits, Chairman Dong now chooses to tell me?”

Dong Li gave a sheepish laugh:

“The main reason, of course, is that I wanted to let Your Highness know there really was a Profound Rank, Upper Grade Python Demon appearing in Yongzhou.As for this time... heh, I only feared Your Highness would blame me for incompetence. After all, this is still somewhat good news.”

In truth, Dong Li was lying.

The real reason was that Xu Jiaren had still been in Yongzhou at that time, intending to make a trade with the Python Demon.

If Dong Li had reported to the Prince of Jiyang back then, he would surely have dispatched men to seize the Python Demon immediately.

What then would happen to Xu Jiaren?

Unfortunately, the Python Demon never showed itself again afterwards, and Xu Jiaren’s trade naturally came to nothing.

Since Xu Jiaren no longer had any connection with the Python Demon and had left Yongzhou, seeing that the Prince of Jiyang came today with such a forceful presence, Dong Li then revealed the news from half a year ago.

The Prince of Jiyang cast a glance at Dong Li.

By reason, although his status was nobler, Dong Li was still a Chairman of a regional Chamber of Commerce.

There was no subordinate relationship between them.

Helping was a favor, not helping was duty.

Why should he abase himself so much?

Thus, the Prince of Jiyang’s anger gradually subsided:

“Chairman Dong Li, no need to be so. It was this Prince who asked you for help, it was this Prince who lost his temper. I should be the one to apologize to you.”

“Furthermore, this Prince still hopes that Chairman Dong can put more effort into it and capture the Python Demon for me as soon as possible.”

Dong Li stood up:

“That is only natural.”

Then, with curiosity, Dong Li asked:

“Speaking of which, I never did ask before—why is it that the Prince of Jiyang insists that the Chamber must capture the Python Demon alive? Would a living python, or even the corpse of a Python Demon, not meet Your Highness’s requirements?”

“If it were only the corpse of a Python Demon, the Chamber could still procure one from other regions. Even a complete corpse would not be impossible.”

“Of course, if Your Highness finds it inconvenient to speak of, then never mind.”

The Prince of Jiyang shook his head.

Seeing Dong Li’s curious look, he explained:

“In truth, there is nothing to hide. This Prince only wishes to take the scales from a living Python Demon and embroider them onto my python robe.”

At those words, Dong Li was dumbfounded.

“Take the scales from a living Python Demon to make a python robe?”

The Prince of Jiyang nodded.

Dong Li’s expression instantly turned strange.

Seeking a Python Demon, capturing it alive, taking its scales, embroidering a robe—each of these things alone was nothing unusual for Dong Li.

But in all his many years of experience in the Chamber, he had never heard such an absurd request as this from the Prince of Jiyang.

Taking scales from a living Python Demon, just to embroider a robe for yourself?

Would ordinary python scales, or scales from a dead Python Demon, not suffice?

It must be from a living one?

No wonder you had reminded me again and again to capture it alive.

To capture alive a Python Demon at least of the Profound Rank, Upper Grade, would require sending at least one Earth Rank expert.

The price just to hire an Earth Rank expert would be enough to purchase a normal ore vein—this was not even counting the value of a living Profound Rank Python Demon itself.

And yet the Prince of Jiyang would spend such a fortune, just to take scales from its body to make a python robe?!!

What kind of extravagance was this!!

Dong Li forced his expression back to calm, but inside he cursed furiously:

Rebellion! Immediate rebellion! Rebellion right now!

For something so ridiculous, this was surely not the first time the Prince of Jiyang had done such things.

And an ordinary prince’s stipend was absolutely insufficient to support such waste.

He must have been squeezing the people’s fat and blood to satisfy his personal desires.

Letting such an extravagant tyrant continue pressing down upon the common people—this Great Qian Dynasty was already beyond saving!

Though cursing endlessly in his heart, Dong Li clapped with a smiling face:

“His Highness the Prince of Jiyang truly has refined taste. One can imagine, if Your Highness were truly to embroider a robe with scales taken from a living Python Demon, that would surely be a unique honor in the Great Qian Dynasty.”

The Prince of Jiyang was greatly pleased by Dong Li’s flattery:

“So I must ask Chairman Dong to pay close attention to any movements of Python Demons within Yongzhou. Should one appear, you must be sure to notify me at once.”

“Even if you only provide a single useful piece of information, this Prince will not treat you poorly.”

“Of course, of course, haha.”

......

While Dong Li was playing the sycophant to the Prince of Jiyang, a giant anaconda with black scales, dozens of meters long, with a pair of bulging wings folded on its back, was slowly slithering down from the mountain.

In its line of sight, a great river five hundred meters wide stretched between two mountains.

The Ning River, a great river flowing through Ningjiang County of Yongzhou, the main artery of water transport in Yongzhou.

Upon the Ning River, hundreds of boats competed to sail.

Mo Lin flicked out his bright tongue.

After refining a few humans, Mo Lin easily learned from their mouths that by following the Ning River downstream, he could reach the place he wished to go—the Yongzhou Chamber of Commerce.

Mo Lin began to move, slowly sliding his massive body into the Ning River.

Compared to the Ning River, even Mo Lin’s enormous body entered without raising the slightest splash.

The Anaconda Demon entered the river.