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

The voice, contrary to Xu Nian’s expectations, wasn’t the least bit menacing; it even sounded somewhat childish and posed no threat whatsoever.

Xu Nian, with her sharp hearing, first detected confusion among the crowd.

“Who’s speaking?”

“No, not me!”

“It’s that snake!”

“Why does it sound like a woman’s voice?”

Following the chaos, a burst of excited exclamations erupted: “A talking demon snake! This could fetch a good price!”

“A sentient beast like this could be trained into a mount.”

Xu Nian, with her keen senses, was already bristling with indignation: “You’re the mount! Your entire family’s a bunch of mounts!”

But the wind was too loud, and those idiots were so noisy that they didn’t hear her at all.

After a long chase, Xu Nian finally spotted the Yujing Lake nearby. Known for its deep, icy blue waters that mirrored the sky, and layered underwater grasses that made tracking difficult, she knew these novices wouldn’t dare follow her into the lake.

Xu Nian was about to reach the lakeside when she suddenly stopped in her tracks. The previously tranquil shore was now littered with the corpses of various demon beasts. To Xu Nian, a demon snake herself, it looked like a scene from hell.

Standing amidst this carnage was a woman in white, holding a long sword. She casually flicked the blood off her blade, her garment as pristine as snow. What kind of celestial being was she… No, more like a demon from hell.

Sensing Xu Nian’s approach, the woman’s icy gaze swept over her, chilling to the bone.

Xu Nian froze; this figure seemed familiar—the one who had spared her and forced her into an oath years ago. Many years had passed, her cultivation and aura were even more formidable, yet her appearance hadn’t changed in the slightest.

Recognition dawned on the woman’s face as she opened her lips, her voice chiming like struck jade: “What are you doing here?”

Before she could answer, the group of fools who had been pursuing Xu Nian arrived, brandishing their weapons. Terrified, Xu Nian shuddered and quickly hid behind Ji Yuebai, cautiously tucking her tail in to avoid accidental injury.

The leading novices, startled by the sight of Ji Yuebai, instantly transformed from brigands to meek quails, bowing respectfully: “Greetings, Ji Shishu.”

Ji Yuebai nodded slightly and repeated her question: “What’s going on?”

The disciples exchanged nervous glances, pushing and shoving each other, none daring to speak.

It was primarily because they had witnessed the green snake smoothly take refuge behind their fearsome Ji Shishu, who, contrary to her usual merciless nature towards demons, seemed oblivious to the snake’s presence, neither striking it down nor preventing its escape.

The scene was unprecedented, causing the novice disciples to fear offending their Shishu, nodding and agreeing without daring to speak.

While they remained silent, the snake did not. Hiding behind Ji Yuebai, Xu Nian took stock of the situation. Seeing the disciples cower in front of Ji Yuebai, she straightened up, emboldened.

“Wuwuwu”, she complained, “I was just lying at home, doing no harm, and these people came at me with weapons, threatening to stew me into soup! Look, they even singed my beautiful tail.”

Xu Nian snuggled up to Ji Yuebai, playing the victim with a pitiful, girlish voice.

The disciples were shocked and angered by this display, internally cursing the snake for playing the victim first.

Secretly, Xu Nian used her tail to flick water droplets into her eyes, creating a ‘teary’ look as she gazed at Ji Yuebai.

The novice disciples were furious but didn’t dare to speak. They lowered their heads almost to the ground, fearing their Ji Shishu might punish them because of this demon snake’s words.

Ji Yuebai glanced at the snake rolling at her feet, then turned to the disciples: “This realm is full of dangers. Do not attack these fierce beasts rashly. This demon snake has reached the sixth rank. If it had any intention to attack, you would all be dead by now.”

Hearing this, the disciples were shocked and stared in disbelief at the “worthless green worm” writhing on the ground. It was a sixth-rank demon snake with corrosive venom so potent that it didn’t even need to break the skin; mere contact with unprotected flesh was enough to be fatal.

Xu Nian noticed the disciples who were murderous moments ago now looked at her with reverence, which she found gratifying, her tail lifting in pride.

The disciples thanked Ji Shishu and then took their leave.

Left alone by the lake, Ji Yuebai and Xu Nian, a woman and a snake, faced each other in an uneasy silence.

Just moments ago, Xu Nian had been blustering and bluffing. Now, trying to make a sly escape, she pretended as if nothing had happened, attempting to slip away swiftly and silently along the pebbly lakeside.

The next second, however, she found herself abruptly hoisted into the air by a rigid sword scabbard.

That cold, mellifluous voice echoed again: “Explain yourself. Why are you here?”

Xu Nian, with a pitiful face, lamented, “The spiritual energy in Xiao Cang Mountain was not enough for my cultivation, so I went down the mountain to find a place rich in energy. Then I stumbled upon a group of human cultivators who chased me, threatening to skin me for clothing. I ran and ran until I fell into this place and couldn’t get out.”

“I’ve been cultivating here for many years, considering this place home. But those people suddenly descended from the sky, attacking me, wanting to kill me. I’ve sworn not to attack humans, so I ran here and met you.”

Her tale was full of sorrow, playing the victim all along, and she occasionally peeked up with her glossy black eyes to gauge the reaction.

Ji Yuebai slightly lifted the scabbard, eyeing Xu Nian’s now bulkier body, and after a moment of silence, uttered a noncommittal, “Hmm.”

Sensing an opportunity, Xu Nian tried to tug at Ji Yuebai’s heartstrings, showcasing her most grievously wounded area. “Look how pitifully I’ve been hurt, unable to fight back. Maybe, Ji Shishu, you could lift that oath? Please?” She shamelessly adopted the same address as the novice disciples, hoping to stir some sympathy.

But she had forgotten that the other beasts like her had long since journeyed to the afterlife.

Ji Yuebai was skeptical, aware of the demons’ propensity for deceit. She suspected that they were attempting to manipulate her into breaking the oath now, only to turn against humans in a future encounter.

Just as Xu Nian was wallowing in self-pity, she noticed her pain dissipating. Looking up, she saw Ji Yuebai pouring a healing liquid from a jade flask onto her wounds. The liquid brought instant coolness, and the charred flesh began to regenerate rapidly.

She hopped down from the sword scabbard, wrapped her arms around Ji Yuebai’s thigh, and shamelessly acted cute, “Thank you, Ji Shishu.”

The sensation of her cold, slithery body against the thin fabric of Ji Yuebai’s clothes sparked an unusual feeling.

Ji Yuebai withdrew her leg, her expression as icy as ever: “Leave this place once you’re healed.”

Xu Nian, looking pitiable, murmured, “And the oath…”

Ji Yuebai ignored her and, with a water-repelling spell, plunged into Yujing Lake with her sword.

Watching that slender figure disappear into the shallow waters, Xu Nian slithered resentfully, grumbling in her heart. It’s so unfair—why does this woman have it all: the looks, the body, the over-the-top strength? And why did she end up as a mere giant worm, threatened and coerced? She just wants to wear beautiful clothes and eat delicious food. Is that so wrong? Why is everyone against her, a poor, helpless, weak little snake?

Life as a snake, she thought, was full of hardships.

The opening of the secret realm had attracted many disciples from various sects to this land. Xu Nian, with her sharp senses, heard the sounds of fighting and shouting from all directions. It seemed many beasts shared her fate.

Just as she was about to leave, she noticed a disturbance nearby. Realizing that if she was attacked by other cultivators now, no one would save her, she reluctantly dove into the lake, psyching herself up for a few seconds before submerging.

Now a high-level demon beast, her body was resilient enough to withstand the icy lake water. Unlike the fragile humans who relied on spells for underwater survival, she adapted quickly to the aquatic environment.

Ji Yuebai seemed to have gone far. Xu Nian didn’t spot her after diving in and planned to hide underwater until the coast was clear. But rather than leaving, more cultivators kept plunging into the lake, as if there were priceless treasures hidden beneath.

Xu Nian realized that these cultivators, undoubtedly more skilled than her previous pursuers, were likely targeting something in the lake.

Deciding to warn Ji Yuebai, despite her less-than-friendly demeanor, Xu Nian knew she was the only one who wouldn’t attack her unprovoked.

After swimming at full speed through the icy waters for nearly half an hour, Xu Nian finally spotted Ji Yuebai.

The woman’s dark hair floated around her like seaweed, her skin submerged in water, glowing like the finest mutton-fat jade, ethereally beautiful. Her white robe flowed behind her in the water, making her seem like a siren luring souls in the depths.

Xu Nian noticed that Ji Yuebai’s initial water-repelling spell had broken, and she was now using some mystical method to breathe underwater. Every few seconds, she exhaled bubbles that gracefully ascended to the surface, resembling a delicate mermaid.

However, before Xu Nian could fully appreciate the other’s beauty, she was abruptly confronted by a massive tail emerging from the murky depths, striking towards her.