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

Qi Shaochen’s face wasn’t looking any better. This was the snake demon that he couldn’t find even if he dug three feet into the ground, the very one that had tricked him. Not only had it stolen a divine artifact from him, but it had also saved him, completely ruining his reputation.

To his dismay, he now saw this green snake associating with his Shishu. This was bad luck, extremely bad luck.

The green snake obviously recognized him too. Its glossy black eyes flickered with surprise and wariness for a moment. It seemed to sense his fawning over the Shishu and, almost showing off, nestled its head further into Ji Yuebai’s embrace, its eyes threatening.

Damn it, this snake had robbed him of his divine artifact, stripped him of all his possessions, and now even stolen the attention of his Shishu. And now, it was brazenly threatening him.

Qi Shaochen barely controlled his twitching lips, feigning admiration, “Shishu, this green snake is quite beautiful. Is it a new pet of yours?”

Ji Yuebai gently stroked Xu Nian’s head, her eyes and brows softening, “No, a companion.”

This was a bolt from the blue for Qi Shaochen, his face stiffening, “But Shishu, it appears to be a demon beast.”

As the words left his mouth, a chill permeated the air, as if plunging into a cold abyss.

He saw his usually amiable Shishu now looking at him with icy, piercing eyes.

Qi Shaochen dared not say more, abandoning any thought of seizing the opportunity to tattle. His gaze inadvertently caught sight of the unattended divine artifact nearby, thinking the snake demon didn’t know its true value, a flicker of joy in his heart.

But in the next moment, the snake sprang agilely from Ji Yuebai, swiftly slithering towards the artifact, and snatched it into its storage bag faster than lightning.

Witnessing this, Qi Shaochen’s mentality completely collapsed.

After retrieving the now unsealed black box, Xu Nian sighed in relief. It was her precious cultivation accelerator, essential for her transformation, and she couldn’t afford any accidents.

Yet, Qi Shaochen’s glaring eyes, filled with the desire to kill the snake, made her uneasy.

Mu Yanyu’s wounds were healing thanks to the spirit pills, but she was visibly drained from the ordeal. Seeing that Mu Yanyu was out of danger, Xu Nian decided not to disturb her for now.

However, Xu Nian now faced a problem herself.

She felt a twisting pain in her stomach, wondering if she had eaten something bad.

Her body also began to undergo subtle changes. Overwhelming spiritual energy surged through her veins and bones, causing a painful yet familiar sensation, like her flesh and bones were breaking and regrowing, enveloping her in excruciating pain.

After consuming and absorbing the body of the fratricidal Qingyi, Xu Nian’s cultivation skyrocketed in an incredibly short time. She advanced from the mid-level of the seventh rank straight to the eighth rank, a full major rank improvement. Concurrently, thunder tribulations, a testament to her rapid advancement, began to gather ominously.

Qi Shaochen, who had been observing her in secret, was shocked. The snake demon had seemed fine just moments ago, but now she was on the brink of a breakthrough, about to face a tribulation. He contemplated intervening to cause disruption but refrained upon noticing Ji Yuebai nearby. Even if the snake failed the tribulation and perished, its storage bag would not fall into his hands.

Xu Nian was alarmed at the sight of the impending tribulation. She knew that the power boost from the ‘experience pack’ Qingyi was significant, but she hadn’t expected it to catapult her into advancement. The problem was the presence of so many cultivators around; she dared not brazenly hide in the divine artifact, especially with Ji Yuebai there. While Ji Yuebai’s presence meant no one would dare harm her now, once she left, Xu Nian feared she would be in grave danger.

Just as Xu Nian fretted over her predicament, she suddenly felt lighter. Ji Yuebai had scooped her up and was swiftly flying towards the direction of the Xiao Cang Mountain.

The brewing tribulation thunderclouds followed them, rumbling menacingly.

Soon, Ji Yuebai brought Xu Nian to the location of a spiritual spring. The small spirit beasts in the vicinity scattered in fear of her imposing aura, quickly disappearing from sight.

Xu Nian, somewhat perplexed, was about to speak when Ji Yuebai tossed her into the spiritual spring, enveloping her in its gentle spiritual energy.

The next moment, thunderbolts tore through the sky, mercilessly striking towards Xu Nian.

As Xu Nian attempted to dodge, she saw Ji Yuebai confront the formidable thunder tribulation with her sword. The spiritual energy enveloping the sword exploded upon contact with the tribulation, countering the colossal force, effectively neutralizing the thunderbolt.

Xu Nian blinked in astonishment, her eyes filled with wonder. She never knew such a tactic was possible.

Her heart, which had leaped to her throat, now settled back down as she gazed up at Ji Yuebai, who was shouldering the tribulation on her behalf.

Ji Yuebai was already exquisitely beautiful and noble, but now, Xu Nian saw her through a lens of utmost admiration and awe. She looked at Ji Yuebai with stars in her eyes, seeing her as a celestial sister, the goddess of her dreams, and the idol she would devoutly worship for life.

After the ninth thunderbolt, the tribulation clouds rumbled a few more times in apparent dissatisfaction with Xu Nian’s cowardly approach, but they ultimately dissipated, unable to harm her.

Thus, Xu Nian smoothly advanced to the eighth rank, her cultivation still soaring from the energy of the ‘experience pack’ Qingyi, halting only when she reached the mid-rank of the eighth rank.

Ji Yuebai gracefully descended from the sky, her black hair fluttering slightly, her clothes untouched by dust.

Seeing this, Xu Nian rushed forward, coiling her tail around Ji Yuebai’s legs, tearfully lamenting, “Yuebai, without you, I would have been shattered by the tribulation, my soul dispersed, my body destroyed.”

Xu Nian hurriedly swam out of the spiritual spring, her body still damp. Her cool, wet tail gently coiled around herself, seemingly moving unconsciously over the thin fabric of Ji Yuebai’s clothes. Ji Yuebai could even feel the slight friction of the delicate scales.

Xu Nian’s voice was coquettish, almost flirtatious, as she playfully ran her pink tongue, slightly cool, over Ji Yuebai’s palm.

A faint blush crept onto Ji Yuebai’s cheeks as she gently soothed, “Alright, alright, you’ve advanced now, no need for tears and whimpers.”

Xu Nian paused, surprised. Ji Yuebai was still treating her as she had before, suggesting she had regained her memory. Hesitant, Xu Nian thought this might not be so bad. Since Ji Yuebai hadn’t made it clear, she could continue playing dumb and cute to win her favor.

With this in mind, Xu Nian affectionately rubbed against Ji Yuebai’s leg, acting docile: “Yuebai, you’re the best.” After these actions, she slid into Ji Yuebai’s clothes as she usually did, calm and composed.

However, Ji Yuebai was shaken. The green snake’s smooth, soft, and seemingly boneless body, slightly cool, brushed against her neck. The lifted tail inadvertently slid across her collarbone, eliciting an odd ticklish sensation. It naturally curled up inside her clothes, resting its tiny head near her heart.

If Xu Nian had any intention of attacking her, Ji Yuebai wouldn’t have time to defend herself at such close range. She couldn’t understand why she would expose such a vital part of herself to a demon snake so carelessly, and now, she found herself unable to stop or even wanting to stop such behavior.

Ji Yuebai looked down, hesitating for a long time before suddenly speaking, “Xu Nian.”

Xu Nian stiffened, realizing Ji Yuebai had indeed regained her memory, addressing her by her full name.

Pretending ignorance, she responded with an innocent tone, “What is it, Yuebai?”

Ji Yuebai’s voice was soft as a chime of jade: “Come back to Tian Yuan Sect with me.”

Xu Nian felt as if struck by lightning, stunned. This wasn’t something to be taken lightly. She had pondered this matter for a long time. Originally, she thought that if Ji Yuebai regained her memories and wanted to sever ties, she would go to Mu Yanyu.

She had also considered the slim chance of Ji Yuebai treating her the same as before, even fantasizing about cultivating and adventuring alongside such a beautiful and powerful sword cultivator. She had daydreamed about such a conversation, but her heart had always leaned towards refusal.

As wonderful as her fantasies were, reality was stark. In this world she had come to, cultivators and demon beasts were inherently at odds. If she had harbored any illusions before, the recent events had made her acutely aware of the divide.

Even if she wanted to argue that she was a good demon beast, who would risk believing her? Ji Yuebai might, but if not for a twist of fate saving her, Xu Nian probably would have been another soul under her sword. Mu Yanyu might as well, but her presence had brought nothing but trouble to Mu Yanyu and Qingshui County. Ultimately, she was an ominous snake demon.

Even if she followed Ji Yuebai back to the sect, what pressures would Ji Yuebai face there? How would she cope? Xu Nian dared not think further; she didn’t want to be a burden to those who cared about her.

Her brief silence was noticed by Ji Yuebai: “You… don’t want to?”

Xu Nian awkwardly explained her apprehension, “I’m just scared, you know. As a snake demon who hasn’t yet transformed, entering a sect full of cultivators is like a mouse walking into a cat’s lair – it’s a one-way journey to death.”

Ji Yuebai was silent for a moment, her long eyelashes dropping, “I’m sorry, I didn’t consider your situation.”

Xu Nian couldn’t let her words go unacknowledged, “No, no, Yuebai, you were just concerned about me and wanted to take me with you. I’m really touched. It’s okay for me as a snake to cultivate. Once I transform, no one will notice me. I’ll come to you then, and you mustn’t forget me, okay?”

A slight smile appeared on Ji Yuebai’s lips, “Okay.”

When Ji Yuebai and Xu Nian returned to Qingshui County, Qi Shaochen was horrified to discover that his nemesis, the snake, had not only successfully advanced but had reached the mid-level of the eighth-rank. With its current strength, he probably couldn’t defeat it anymore. Even more infuriating, the green scales, instead of being marred by the tribulation, appeared even more radiant and vibrant, surrounded by a faint aura of spiritual energy.

Qi Shaochen was grinding his teeth in hatred. How could the thunder tribulation be so ineffective, failing to kill this menace?

He even felt that the green snake was looking at him with what could only be described as a smug expression, as if blatantly mocking him.

It’s got to be said that, at that moment, Qi Shaochen could’ve won a championship in snake-talk, comprehending the meaning behind Xu Nian’s fleeting look with precision. How else could it be explained? The person who understands you the most isn’t the one who loves you the most, but rather, your enemy.

Xu Nian truly relished seeing Qi Shaochen’s frustration — unable to stand her yet powerless against her. It brought her immense joy, effectively brushing off any lingering disappointment she might have felt.

However, Qi Shaochen left hurriedly that afternoon to escort the Xian Yuan Sword back to the sect, and Xu Nian lost her source of entertainment.

The other cultivators were busy with post-battle reconstruction. Xu Nian watched the rapidly rebuilt walls and streets under the influence of magic, marveling at the astonishing speed of construction.

Unlike Xu Nian, the cultivators felt uneasy under her gaze, struggling to control their impulse to confront her, repeatedly reminding themselves: This is Ji Shishu’s snake, this is Ji Shishu’s snake, this is Ji Shishu’s snake…

The townspeople, perhaps having heard something from the survivors of the battle, no longer greeted Xu Nian with the same excitement as before. They either avoided eye contact or quickly walked away.

Just then, a pair of small hands carefully placed an apple in front of Xu Nian, “Snake Goddess, don’t be sad.”

Xu Nian looked up to see the woman hastily grabbing Zhu Zhu away, scolding in a low voice, “Ungrateful child, your father died because of that demon…” Her words stopped abruptly as the snake seemed to have heard her, blocking her path.

Regretting her words and frightened, the woman knelt down, fearing retaliation from the snake demon.

But the green snake gently placed a gold ingot in her hand with its tail and quietly slithered away.

Staring at the gold in her hand, the woman bit into it to check its authenticity, then burst into tears.

…

Many townspeople had lost loved ones due to her involvement. As a demon beast, the only compensation Xu Nian could offer was money.

Xu Nian approached Mu Yanyu with a request, “I need your help. I know it’s a bit unfair to you, but I hope you can convert these spirit stones into money and distribute them to the families of the victims.”

Although Mu Yanyu’s physical injuries had healed, she was visibly traumatized, her once bright eyes now dimmed with sorrow. Nevertheless, she agreed, “Alright, I’ll have Steward Zhu handle it. He’s reliable and manages all affairs in my absence. You can trust him…”

Xu Nian clasped her hand with her tail, “You don’t need to explain. I trust you completely.”

Mu Yanyu’s lips trembled as she finally asked, “How do you manage to hold no grudge?”

“I understand they were manipulated, and I sympathize with their desperate desire to survive. But if there wasn’t a shred of doubt in their hearts to begin with, how could they have been so easily swayed? I dare not think whether they were truly controlled or if they just amplified their malicious intent under that guise.”

“Xu Nian, do you know? These past few days, every time I close my eyes, I see their bloodied, fierce faces. In my nightmares, Ji Yuebai doesn’t arrive in time, and I watch helplessly as they beat you to death, then turn their bloody weapons on me.”

Xu Nian now understood why Mu Yanyu wasn’t controlled – her heart harbored no doubts or malice toward her, always trusting her fully, despite being a demon beast.

But Xu Nian didn’t know how to comfort Mu Yanyu. She gently stroked her back with her tail, “It’s okay, it’s normal for them to harbor ill will towards a demon beast like me. You got involved because you wanted to protect me. It’s not your fault. It’s all because of that damned demon snake, but I’ve already devoured him. He won’t cause any more trouble, you can rest assured.”

Mu Yanyu hugged her, “Though you’re a demon beast, your heart is kind. Those people, despite their human appearance, seemed so vile to me… I can’t face them anymore.”

Xu Nian softly reassured her, “It’s okay. If that’s the case, let’s leave this place and start anew somewhere else. There’s always a place in this vast world where our hearts can find peace.”

Mu Yanyu looked up at her, eyes brimming with tears, pleadingly asking Xu Nian, “Can you come with me?”

Xu Nian blinked, momentarily stunned by the familiar words.

Mu Yanyu misunderstood her reaction, deflated, “I know you wouldn’t choose me over Ji Yuebai. She’s so beautiful and powerful. Even the cultivators who can fly and escape through the earth respectfully address her as Shishu. Compared to her, I’m just an insignificant playboy of the mortal realm.”

Xu Nian never expected the conversation to take such a turn. She was just a snake, after all. Wasn’t this kind of melodramatic love triangle scenario something you’d only find in prime-time TV dramas? Her tail coiled and uncoiled nervously as she pondered her response. “No, you really are wonderful…” But before she could finish.

Mu Yanyu’s face showed a resigned understanding, “Right, why would you choose to be with someone as ordinary as me? I’m just a mortal who can’t even accompany you for long. In a few decades, I’ll be nothing but a handful of dust, only adding to your sorrow.”

No, friend, don’t jump to conclusions like that.

Xu Nian hurriedly explained, “That’s not it. I just don’t want to bring any more disaster upon you.”

Mu Yanyu looked at her with a sad gaze that seemed to say there was no need for further explanations.

In frustration, Xu Nian’s tail flicked irritably. “I didn’t say I was going to go with Ji Yuebai either!”

At these words, a glimmer of hope lit up in Mu Yanyu’s eyes, “Really?”

But then, the sound of a door opening interrupted them, and Xu Nian turned to look.

There stood Ji Yuebai, her dark eyes like cool moonlight, fixed intently on Xu Nian.