What's wrong with a snake that just wants to cultivate and transform?

The attempt at seduction had failed.

Xu Nian had anticipated this outcome to some extent; it was unnecessary for Ji Yuebai to apologize. With her modern memories, Xu Nian could understand Ji Yuebai’s perspective. Ji Yuebai simply aspired for a love that was pure and devoid of physicality, which was perfectly valid.

Xu Nian realized that she was the one at fault, exploiting Ji Yuebai’s love and tolerance to test her boundaries. This time, her actions were driven by a sudden and intense surge of desire and craving, possibly a biological phenomenon like an animal’s mating season. As a snake-demon, she might not have been exempt from such physiological changes.

The swift progress in her cultivation probably caused her snake-demon form to develop rapidly, initiating her mating season. This clarifies why, after a long period of self-control, she suddenly gave in to her attractions towards Ji Yuebai. Understanding this, Xu Nian was overwhelmed with remorse, worried that her impulsive behavior might damage the advancement in their relationship. She feared returning to the days when Ji Yuebai was distant and reserved.

As a human cultivator, Ji Yuebai might not understand this. Maybe Xu Nian could wait until her body calmed down to explain that her actions weren’t intentional.

Resolved, Xu Nian sat up and meditated, focusing on calming and stabilizing techniques. After an hour of effort, she managed to suppress much of the overwhelming desire.

Then, a knock on the door came.

Was it Ji Yuebai?

Xu Nian felt uneasy. She hadn’t done anything inappropriate; why would Ji Yuebai now behave so formally?

“Come in,” she said, her voice tinged with melancholy.

To her surprise, it was Qing Cheng and Qing Jin, the two sisters, who entered. Both appeared surprised by the changes in Xu Nian’s body and aura.

Qing Jin, unable to contain her envy and bitterness, blurted out, “When I first saw you, you were just a ninth-rank demon beast in the Eastern Sea Secret Realm, and now you’ve ascended to the fourteenth-rank so quickly.”

Xu Nian secretly relished the backhanded compliment, barely restraining a smile. She responded with feigned modesty, “It’s nothing much, just a bit of talent and relentless effort.”

Qing Jin rolled her eyes at Xu Nian’s boastful words and muttered under her breath, “It’s all because of the benefits you got from being a ‘Spirit Snake.’ Acting superior after reaping the benefits.”

Just as Xu Nian was about to snap back, Qing Cheng intervened, smacking Qing Jin on the back of her head. The slap was hard enough to indicate her seriousness.

Qing Jin winced in pain, looking at her sister with a mix of hurt and confusion. But before she could speak, Qing Cheng sternly silenced her, “Quiet. You should not speak so carelessly about our master.”

Qing Jin fell silent, not daring to say another word.

Qing Cheng approached Xu Nian with a respectful demeanor, “In two days, the Elders’ Council is going to hold the succession ceremony to officially recognize you as the new leader of the Qingxuan King Snake clan.”

Xu Nian was already informed about this by Elder Qing Lu. It was a decision made after deliberation by the Elders’ Council. Just earlier, Qing Zhi had even delivered to her the clan leader’s attire and crown. The outfit was lavish, adorned with exotic and slightly creepy patterns, befitting the atmosphere of the Eastern Sea Secret Realm.

However, Xu Nian sensed that Qing Cheng, as a snake demon, wouldn’t just visit to inform her of something she already knew, especially since she had promised the sisters that she wouldn’t breach their agreement before her seclusion.

Xu Nian looked at her seriously, “What is it that you want to say?”

Qing Cheng then created a soundproof transparent barrier using her spiritual power.

After ensuring privacy, she cautiously spoke, “I hope you can leave the Qingxuan King Snake clan before you inherit the position of the leader, in accordance with our agreement.”

Xu Nian was slightly taken aback. She had planned to exploit her position as Clan Leader, preferably waiting until Qing Yan, was almost fully recovered before subtly helping him take revenge and then leaving.

She asked Qing Cheng, “I can do that, but could you explain why?”

Qing Cheng sighed, her gaze complex. Even within the barrier, she spoke in a whisper audible only to them, “The last time the Elders’ Council organized a succession ceremony, I was fortunate enough to be involved in external affairs. The atmosphere then was entirely different from now…”

Xu Nian pondered for a moment, “It’s normal for them to have opinions about me. After all, I ascended to the position by using the Manhuang Serpent.”

Qing Cheng shook her head, “It’s not just that. The preparations these days don’t seem like those for a succession ceremony, but rather like… preparations for a major battle.”

A chill ran down Xu Nian’s spine as she realized the implication.

She had been negligent these days, focusing solely on intimidating them with her overpowering strength to instill fear and submission. However, she had forgotten that this power was borrowed and couldn’t be summoned or controlled for extended periods. If the others were not intimidated but instead banded together to retaliate, or outwardly complied while planning something against her, she might find it hard to escape.

As she contemplated this, Qing Cheng added, “Although I wasn’t involved in the previous battle, the survivors described the creature that appeared that day. It must have been Qing Yan, the Manhuang Serpent who had a contract with the Qingxuan King Snake clan centuries ago,.”

Xu Nian nodded, “You’re right.”

Qing Cheng’s expression grew more solemn, “Do you know the history between the Qingxuan King Snake clan and the Manhuang Serpent?”

Xu Nian replied, “He told me some of it. He helped the Qingxuan King Snake clan but was betrayed and ambushed by the previous generation of the Elders Council.”

Qing Cheng confirmed, “Exactly. If you had taken down the previous leader with some other power, the Elders’ Council might have only been wary due to your Spirit Snake identity. But you relied on the power of the Manhuang Serpent that was brutally massacred by the previous generation of the Council. Some members today were involved in that atrocity. Now that the Manhuang Serpent has resurrected, they are probably terrified and desperately plotting to eliminate it once again.”

Xu Nian was astounded by the information.

Putting herself in the Elders’ shoes, she could empathize with their mindset. After all, they had betrayed Qing Yan years ago, combining forces to torture and nearly destroy him. Now, centuries later, learning that Qing Yan had resurrected and become even stronger, they probably feared his revenge. They might be thinking of striking first as a form of self-defense.

Indeed, Qing Yan did seek revenge, but his current strength didn’t allow it.

After hearing Qing Cheng’s words, Xu Nian reflected on her actions. Had she been too audacious? Her previous bold and defiant behavior was akin to dancing on the Elders’ faces. Many of them, harboring deep grudges, were probably waiting for an opportunity to slice her into pieces during the Clan Leader’s succession ceremony. They were just biding their time due to Qing Yan’s powerful strength, not daring to act rashly without a guaranteed lethal strike.

Xu Nian didn’t hesitate long before making a decisive decision, “Okay, I’ll pack my things, and we’ll leave tonight.”

Qing Cheng, who had prepared many arguments to persuade her, was taken aback by Xu Nian’s decisiveness but nodded in agreement, “Alright, we’ll meet at the western bridge of the valley at midnight.”

Xu Nian recognized the gravity of the situation. She had achieved her goal of advancing to the fourteenth level and had accumulated a fortune from the ex-leaders Qing Huang and Qing Lu. It was time to stop being greedy.

After Qing Cheng and Qing Jin left, Xu Nian quickly began her preparations. She organized a storage bag with essential items for emergencies, ready for any sudden situation.

Coincidentally, Ji Yuebai returned at that moment, bringing the cool air of the valley with her.

Xu Nian’s thoughts inadvertently returned to their previous encounter. She cleared her throat, blaming those impure thoughts on her heat period, and then earnestly said to Ji Yuebai, “I have something important to discuss with you.”

Ji Yuebai nodded, seemingly unaffected by the previous incident.

Xu Nian approached and, mimicking Qing Cheng, created a soundproof barrier with her spiritual power. She then relayed everything Qing Cheng had told her, along with her own deductions and insights.

She looked earnestly at Ji Yuebai, “Ji Yuebai, will you leave this place with me?”

Ji Yuebai hesitated, concerned about the potential effects of leaving the illusionary realm that had just stabilized.

She wasn’t worried about Qing Cheng and Qing Jin deceiving Xu Nian, as they had previously sworn a soul-binding oath not to harm her in any way, and Ji Yuebai hadn’t sensed any signs of the oath being broken.

Nonetheless, Xu Nian’s safety was the top priority. The situation was indeed critical, and staying in the Qingxuan King Snake territory was no longer safe. Fortunately, the diagnosis a few days ago by Qing Zhi indicated that the illusionary realm had stabilized, and a three-month supply of medicinal pills had been left. Once out of the secret realm, Ji Yuebai could look for other solutions.

Ji Yuebai looked down at Xu Nian’s slender fingers clutching her sleeve and gently wrapped the soft hand in her own, speaking softly, “Okay, let’s leave together.”

At that moment, the unease in Xu Nian’s heart surprisingly settled down.

As the appointed time approached, Xu Nian and Ji Yuebai discreetly left the room. Ji Yuebai skillfully deployed a cloaking illusion to conceal them, a technique that seemed familiar to Xu Nian, though she couldn’t recall where she had seen it before. However, given the urgency, it wasn’t the right time to ask.

Outside, the darkness was almost impenetrable. Under such conditions, most of the Qingxuan King Snakes were either in their rooms cultivating or busy preparing for the new leader’s succession ceremony. None could have anticipated that Xu Nian, the main character, would seize this opportunity to escape.

Throughout their journey, luck was on their side. Xu Nian trailed behind Ji Yuebai along hidden trails she had never walked before, and they didn’t come across any patrolling Qingxuan King Snakes.

Xu Nian was amazed at how well Ji Yuebai knew the Qingxuan King Snake territory, realizing that even without her, Ji Yuebai could have easily left the place.

Qing Cheng and Qing Jin had not deceived her. When Xu Nian and Ji Yuebai arrived, they were already waiting at the agreed location.

The western bridge of the valley, located on the extreme west side of the Eastern Sea Secret Realm, bordered a seemingly bottomless abyss on one side and the Far Eastern Sea, occupied by high-level sea demons, on the other. This natural defensive terrain, coupled with territories even the Qingxuan King Snakes dared not enter, made it an invulnerable spot, so there was no need for guards.

This provided an opportunity for Xu Nian and her group.

Qing Cheng explained, “Beneath this abyss lies an ancient teleportation formation. Qing Jin found it by chance when she was playing here as a child. It can transport us out of Qingxuan King Snake territory, to the very northern edge of the Eastern Sea Secret Realm. The demon beasts there are relatively low-level. With a few days of continuous flight, we can leave this place and reach the continent occupied by human cultivators.”

The abyss, emanating a chilling cold, seemed even more daunting in the deep night, evoking scenes from horror movies in Xu Nian’s mind.

Qing Jin, nonetheless, appeared unbothered and warned, “The winds in the abyss are dangerous. We can’t just fly straight down because the unpredictable currents might crush us completely. We have to go down gradually along the cliff, using our spiritual energy as protection.” She led by example, with Qing Cheng following closely behind.

Seeing their actions, Xu Nian and Ji Yuebai followed suit.

As the cold wind from the abyss cleared her mind, Xu Nian, recalling Qing Cheng’s words, asked curiously, “As a member of the prestigious Qingxuan King Snake clan, why wouldn’t you stay in the Eastern Sea Secret Realm even if you left the clan?”

Qing Cheng’s response, tinged with a bitter laugh, echoed from below, “As the bearer capable of producing a ‘Spirit Snake,’ how could the bloodsucking leeches of the Elders’ Council let us go? You, being a Spirit Snake, should be aware of this, shouldn’t you?”