It wasn’t just the area where the people of Bai Town lived. Even on She Mountain behind them, a clone of a Taotie appeared. It devoured countless venomous snakes as if they were noodles, leaving them completely unable to resist.
Later, this Taotie barged into Snake Valley, which was home to numerous Awakened Snake Species, including many large, awakened pythons. But even they could only become the Taotie’s food; the two sides were simply not on the same level.
Even a Rank Three Demon Spirit was no match for one of the Taotie’s clones, to say nothing of an ordinary Awakened Snake Species.
The venomous snakes in Snake Valley numbered in the millions, and there were plenty of Awakened Snake Species as well, but the strongest among them had only reached the level of a Rank Two Snake Spirit.
Eat, gorge, and devour. This Taotie clone’s eyes flashed with a sinister, ferocious light; it was thrilled to see the Awakened Snake Species.
It seemed to rejoice at having found an ideal territory. Compared to eating ordinary humans, devouring the awakened snakes in Snake Valley yielded far better results, allowing it to grow much faster.
As it ate its way forward, the Taotie clone caught the scent of an unusual fragrance. It crossed mountains and ridges, leaped over a swamp thick with miasma, and arrived in a canyon—the true heart of Snake Valley.
This was the main stronghold of the snake hordes. It was in this very canyon that the snake, Tu Xiao’an, had battled the Mutated Bloodsucker Snake, achieved a bloodline breakthrough, and ascended to his throne.
The Taotie roared again and again. It had not only detected the unusual fragrance of a Spirit Fruit but had also sensed the auras of countless Awakened Snake Species.
This truly was a fine place—a glutton’s paradise.
For some unknown reason, this Taotie seemed to have a particular fondness for eating snakes.
In the deepest part of the canyon stood a small mountain called Bi Mountain. It was once again covered in Snakeberries, which emitted a peculiar fragrance that promoted the awakening and growth of the many snakes there.
The Taotie clone ate its way toward this area. Swarms of snakes fled, hissing and slithering, feeling just like the people of Bai Town had—as if the world were ending.
The canyon was filled with snakes, yet before Bi Mountain with its many Snakeberries, a peerlessly beautiful woman sat alone on a jade-like stone. She possessed a demonic, alluring charm, but as she glanced around, she exuded an air of refined elegance and nobility.
However, the stunning woman wore a sorrowful expression. Her brows were lightly furrowed, casting a shadow of melancholy across her demonic and alluring face, adding a moving vulnerability to her already astonishing beauty.
"Adoptive Father, five hundred years ago, I buried your half-complete Golden Core here to nurture an ultra-powerful Snake Species. I never imagined that after all this time, things would turn out like this..."
The beautiful woman spoke as if in a daze, muttering to herself before letting out a self-deprecating laugh.
This woman was none other than Luo Ziyun, the one who had a falling out with Tu Xiao’an in the Snake Palace.
’Never to see him again in this life. The words were easy enough to say, but acting on them was another matter entirely.’
’Five hundred years... Luo Ziyun never expected this to be the outcome. She had thought that the snake, Tu Xiao’an, was the future Snake King she was meant to guard and protect.’
’But when he truly became the Snake King, he killed her adoptive father with his own hands, right before her eyes.’
’Who was right and who was wrong? It was impossible to say. But out of gratitude for her adoptive father’s kindness, Luo Ziyun could only cut all ties with Tu Xiao’an and leave the mortal world behind.’
Revisiting this place... although Snake Valley was teeming with snakes, the scenery was truly beautiful. The Snakeberries that grew on Bi Mountain were especially delicious.
’She felt an affinity for this place. Perhaps spending the rest of her life in Snake Valley wouldn’t be so bad.’
As she mused, the delicately handsome face of Tu Xiao’an quietly surfaced in her mind. She recalled their moments together: meeting at the noodle shop, his astonishment caught between her ugliness and her beauty.
Fishing on the City Defense Bridge, she had accidentally hooked him, that snake.
’He thought I did it on purpose, but that night, I was really just there to catch a giant octopus.’
’Even as powerful as I am, how could I have possibly known that he, a snake, would be at the bottom of the Moat?’
Pfft...
A captivating, breathtakingly beautiful smile graced her lips as she recalled the little snake’s anger and humiliation at being reeled in like a common fish.
’How amusing.’
On Monkey Mountain, he had stood before her holding a lily that had cultivated into a Deep Mountain Great Demon. He’d seemed like he was about to confess, as shy as an innocent schoolboy.
’To think, they could have gone so much further. But with the obliteration of Demon King Liu’s Primordial Spirit, it all came to an end.’
Sigh.
Luo Ziyun sighed. Five hundred years she had waited, all for the appearance of a single snake, and now that Chapter was closed. Her life had suddenly lost all direction.
ROAR!
Suddenly, an earth-shattering roar from up ahead shook the entire Snake Valley. Luo Ziyun snapped back to her senses, only to see an exquisite little snake darting toward her, hissing as it came to a stop at her feet.
"Help! Help! There’s a monster! Fairy, run!"
Luo Ziyun paused. This exquisite little snake bore a slight resemblance to his true form. It had even cultivated to the realm of a Snake Spirit and could speak.
And this little snake was quite the flatterer, calling her "Fairy" upon their very first meeting.
Luo Ziyun smiled faintly, as unruffled as if Mount Tai were collapsing before her. She scooped the exquisite little snake into her palm, examining it closely. "I didn’t expect a little fellow like you to have such an extraordinary bloodline," she said. "You’re a mutated Nine-Section Jade Snake."
The Nine-Section Jade Snake was the smallest species in the Snake Race. Even when fully grown, or after cultivating to Rank Three, it would not exceed one meter in length. Its venom, however, was terrifying. The poison from a Rank Two Snake Spirit of this kind could kill a Rank Three Demon Spirit.
"Nine-Section" meant that every time this mutated snake species advanced a major realm, it grew an additional section of new, distinct markings. It was the same principle as a Nine-headed Snake growing another head upon advancing a realm, signifying a massive increase in power.
And this Jade Snake before her, though only Rank Two, already had three distinct sections of markings, which was quite extraordinary.
It was precisely these three sections of markings that made the snake seem vaguely familiar to Luo Ziyun.
Furthermore, this type of snake was exceedingly rare; even among the Snake Race in the Yaoling Mountain Range, there were probably only a handful.
"Fairy, Fairy, you have to run! You’re so beautiful! Wouldn’t it be a terrible shame if that monster ate you?" the Jade Little Snake squirmed in Luo Ziyun’s palm, frantic with worry.
Luo Ziyun smiled and stroked its head. "Little one, you’re a Snake Spirit who can speak. How can you be so spineless, letting yourself get scared out of your wits?"
"No, that’s not it! That monster is truly terrifying! It eats every snake it sees and has already devoured countless Snake Species! If we don’t run now, I’ll be eaten, and you’ll be eaten too!"
The Jade Little Snake, having no arms or legs, wished desperately it could gesture wildly to make the Fairy before it understand the gravity of the situation.
"Oh, is that so?" Upon hearing this, Luo Ziyun’s expression became teasingly charming. She let out a soft, low laugh. "Since this monster is as powerful as you say, I suppose a weak woman like me won’t be able to escape. I might as well just let it eat me."
"Fairy, you’re too beautiful! How can you let that monster eat you?"
"If I don’t let the monster eat me, should I let a little fellow like you eat me instead?"
The Jade Little Snake froze. ’These days, it’s not easy being a good person,’ it thought. ’But being a good snake is even harder.’