"Trying to escape?"
With a furious roar from the elder, his bitten right hand flashed with silver-white light. Two drops of ink-black liquid were forced out of his body, burning to ashes in the air before he lunged at me.
Before I could react, I felt a chill on my neck, as if a golden necklace had suddenly been placed around it. At the same time, a cool sensation touched my right cheek.
Lowering my gaze, I saw the little white snake flicking its tongue, occasionally brushing against my face.
A bitter smile touched my lips. "Well, I've become the little white snake's hostage."
The elder was ultimately a step too late. His right hand stopped just before me. His thick, long hair obscured his face, making it impossible to see his expression, but through the gaps in his hair, his eyes appeared exceptionally bright.
"Little mudfish, get down here quickly. Let me roast you. Don't think you can threaten me with him. I tell you, I'm not afraid of threats." As he spoke, the elder took a step forward.
Hearing this, I imagined the little white snake around my neck must be feeling an urge to vomit blood. Even a pig would resist before being slaughtered, let alone a more sentient little white snake.
Just as I thought the little white snake would surely attack the elder in defiance, two white lights flashed in my peripheral vision.
I saw two hidden fangs pop out from the upper jaw of the little white snake. I could even hear the crisp popping sound. It looked like if the elder took one more step, it would bite me next.
"Elder, wait. Let's talk this through."
At this moment, my heart felt more bitter than eating half a pound of bitter herbs. I cursed the little white snake half to death in my mind. "It's not me who wants to eat you, so why are you clinging to me? If you have the guts, bite him! Why must you use me as a punching bag?"
The elder looked at me, his voice tinged with dissatisfaction. "What are you afraid of? You're going to die sooner or later anyway, it's just a matter of a day earlier or later."
What he said was true, everyone dies eventually. But who, while alive, wants to die? Even in death, people hope to die of old age, not from any unforeseen circumstances.
"Elder, listen to me. This little snake is no ordinary creature. Not only are weapons useless against it, but it's also incredibly resilient. Even if you wanted to roast it for food, I suspect the meat would be too tough to chew."
I continued to try and dissuade the elder with my words, but my eyes were constantly monitoring the little white snake's movements, hoping to distract it so that the elder could capture it.
As soon as I finished speaking, I witnessed an astonishing sight. The little white snake coiled around my neck actually nodded, as if agreeing that its meat was indeed tough and unappetizing. Its forked tongue flicked out repeatedly, much like a person speaking, making its agreement seem even more convincing.
I knew that this little white snake was a snake spirit, possessing cultivation. Based on my estimation, it was at most a newly awakened minor immortal, one that had just begun to understand the path of cultivation.
However, it seemed I had misjudged. A creature that could understand speech was at least equivalent to a human child of three or four years old, and one that could fully grasp meaning would be at least seven or eight. Given the speed of cultivation for snakes, it would need at least two hundred years to fully awaken its intelligence. Thinking of this, I couldn't help but resent how I had provoked such a formidable being. Su Dan Novel Network
"Oh ho, it even knows how to play along. It looks like you've cultivated for at least a hundred years?"
The little white snake under my gaze nodded.
"Since this boy is pleading for you, I won't kill you. While I'm in a good mood, you should scram."
I thought the little snake would release its coils from my neck after the elder spoke. But to my surprise, not only did it not leave, it actually crawled from my ear onto the top of my head.
Then I felt a chill on my head, as if I were wearing a small ice pack.
The elder chuckled upon seeing this. "Little thing, you're quite clever. You know that if you leave this boy, I can catch you, right? Since you want to perch on his head, stay put, and I'll find an opportunity to roast you."
In response to the elder's threat, I only heard a "hiss" from above, which seemed to be its reply.
"Elder, this..."
Before I could finish speaking, the elder shook his head at me. "It's fine. As long as I'm here, it won't dare to do anything to you. Your life is its life, and its life is yours."
With the elder's assurance, I could only allow the snake to remain on my head. I even deliberately lowered my head, hoping it might fall off on its own.
My intentions were good, but reality was harsh. The little white snake didn't fall. Instead, I felt a sharp pain on the top of my head, as if someone had flicked my forehead. I had no idea how it managed to do that.
"Boy, now that you're awake, tell me how you were captured."
Hearing the elder's question, my heart ached. "It all started when I came to this village of the lost..."
I wasn't usually one to speak my mind; I tended to keep many things bottled up. Perhaps it was the oppressive feeling of the prison cell, but I ended up pouring out everything, from my arrival in the village of the lost to my capture.
Except for a brief interjection from the elder when I mentioned the Fifth Princess, he remained silent throughout.
After I finished, I turned to look at the elder. His eyes, hidden within his hair, emanated a captivating glow.
"You're saying you brought the Tiger Kui Seal back to the Fifth Prince's Manor from Han River?"
The elder seemed agitated, even wanting to stand up and grab my arm, but he stopped himself due to the "warning" from the little white snake on his head.
I didn't understand why the elder was so pleased, but I nodded. "I did bring the Tiger Kui Seal back. As for whether it's still in the manor, I don't know."
Upon hearing this, the elder suddenly sat down cross-legged, his fingers forming a lotus shape on his knees. If not for his disheveled hair, he would have looked like a high monk in deep meditation.
After a moment, the elder opened his eyes, a look of excitement in them.
"It is indeed the Tiger Kui Seal, but why has it become so weak?"
I was somewhat confused and asked, "Weak in what way?"
"You wouldn't understand even if I told you," the elder replied, shaking his head. Then he continued, "Given that you brought the Tiger Kui Seal into the manor, I'll grant you a favor. How about I help you subdue this little thing? It would make a rather good pet."
The little white snake, which had been resting peacefully on my head, let out a "hiss" upon hearing the word "pet," as if arguing with the elder.
The elder completely ignored its protest and instead turned his gaze to me, placing the decision in my hands. Immediately, I felt a series of sharp pains on the top of my head, as if being flicked. I knew this was the little white snake's way of telling me not to agree with the elder.
If there hadn't been the previous misunderstanding between us, I might have considered it. But now, I dared not agree, because the little white snake was still perched on my head. If it lowered its head and bit me, I would be as good as dead.
Seeing my silence and my upward glance, the elder understood my meaning.
"Hmph."
The elder exhaled, his voice like a clap of thunder. I felt a wave of dizziness. When I opened my eyes again, I saw the little white snake had fallen to the ground, belly up. It was clearly unconscious.
"What are you waiting for? Quickly sign the contract."
I was a bit stunned. "Sign what contract?"
The elder let out a sigh of exasperation. "You are truly quite dense." He then ignited the silver-white flame on his right hand again. He began to draw in the air, and in a short while, a complex pattern burning in mid-air was completed.
Grabbing my right hand, without asking for my consent, he made a cut on my palm. Blood immediately began to flow. Just as I tried to pull my hand away,
"Don't move, it'll be done in a moment."
Only when my blood had soaked into the pattern did he release me. Then, with a grab in the air, the little white snake appeared in his hand. He pressed the burning pattern onto the little snake's head.
"Contract formed." He then tossed the little white snake to me. "Alright, once it wakes up, whether it can leave will depend on you."