"Alright, go do it with peace of mind—" Bai Sheng's words were cut short as a sudden commotion erupted outside.
"Ah! A snake!"
"Such a big snake! Get away!"
"It's coming! Grab a weapon!"
"No, don't kill it! This snake must be sentient!"
"It's holding something in its mouth, it probably won't bite!"
The two of them rushed out of the shed and both gasped.
A massive silver-white snake, as thick as a rice bowl, was slithering towards their shed. Strangely, it held an oval, jet-black stone in its wide-open mouth.
The silver snake was about five to six meters long, its entire body shimmering with a silvery radiance under the sun. Apart from its two dark eyes, it was unblemished, exuding an aura of both terror and noble aloofness.
Zhao Dazhuang, Hu Daniu, and Ma San, among others, were armed with large stones, eager to hurl them at the silver snake.
Granny Zhong advised that such snakes were rare and might be spiritual beings, urging them not to act impulsively and to wait for their employer. After all, they had all witnessed the wild camel voluntarily seeking out the Madam and gifting her a "wooden stick."
Seeing the snake holding a stone in its mouth, rendering it incapable of biting, the others relaxed.
After Bai Sheng and Lu Ye stepped out, a single glance at the silver snake made their entire bodies go numb and their legs tremble involuntarily.
Snakes and grubs were the living creatures that terrified her the most, especially snakes. Their long, slippery, colorful, and wriggling forms were enough to make her stiffen and suffocate. No matter how cute, cuddly, or noble and charming snakes appeared, they were all things that sent shivers down her spine.
Granny Zhong was right; this snake was definitely not ordinary. Its rare and pure silver-white scales alone were enough to inspire awe.
But Bai Sheng was still terrified!
Trembling all over, she clung tightly to Lu Ye's arm, wishing she could just cling to him like a monkey. Fortunately, she still maintained a shred of reason, telling everyone to back away and absolutely not harm the snake.
Seeing her so frightened, Lu Ye couldn't help but smile. He knew this snake wouldn't harm them; like the storm and the dark clouds, it had come seeking Bai Sheng's refuge. The desert had been dry for too long, and even these rare and unusual wild creatures couldn't endure it any longer.
As everyone retreated, the silver snake, like flowing silver water, continued to approach Bai Sheng and Lu Ye.
Bai Sheng was now using all her limbs, completely clinging to Lu Ye. Lu Ye simply reached out and lifted her onto his back.
Thus, with Bai Sheng perched on Lu Ye's back, as the silver snake drew near, she was almost at the same eye level as the snake's raised head. The silver snake's eyes fixed directly on Bai Sheng, then it nudged her arm repeatedly with the oval black stone in its mouth, seemingly signaling her to accept it.
Bai Sheng could only half-close her eyes and accept it. She dared not look at the silver snake, and with her eyes closed, she said, "Silver snake, you look so... noble and elegant, but I... I'm naturally afraid of snakes. Can you please not get so close? I'm truly scared!"
The silver snake, with its round dark eyes, tilted its head to look at Bai Sheng. Its meaning was clear: I'm this pretty and cute, and you're still afraid of me? However, if you want me to retreat, then so be it. Who asked this snake to need someone's help?
The silver snake seemed to understand Bai Sheng's words and actually retreated a meter or two.
This scene left the onlookers at a distance amazed. Their mouths hung open as they watched this bizarre spectacle in disbelief.
Bai Sheng, her hands tightly clasped around Lu Ye's neck, finally opened her eyes. She asked the silver snake, "Silver snake, are you thirsty?"
The silver snake shook its head.
"My heavens! This snake is truly a spiritual creature!" Tian Guihua exclaimed in surprise.
"Fortunately, I didn't throw a stone at it, or I would have faced heavenly retribution!" Ma San said, patting his chest with great relief.
Granny Zhong said smugly, "As this old woman said, this snake definitely couldn't be harmed. Look! It's come to our Madam again!"
"But this Madam is truly an extraordinary person. The wild camel came to her and gave her a wooden stick, and the silver snake came to her and gave her a black stone. I think our Madam must be a reincarnated deity from heaven, otherwise, how could she attract so many spiritual creatures!" Ma San whispered, covering his mouth with his hand.
"I also think our Madam is a celestial being descended to Earth. Just you wait and see, many more spiritual creatures will come to her!" Hu Daniu whispered as well.
Huang Gousheng smiled happily, "So, following our Madam is the right choice!"
"Of course! Our choice is definitely not wrong!" Tian Guihua glanced at Huang Gousheng.
"Yes, yes, yes, we've truly followed the right person! Following our Madam, we'll definitely survive!" everyone agreed in unison.
"Hmph, that ungrateful Zhou Ligen will regret it sooner or later! Liu Shi, you might as well kick him away!" Ma San said.
Liu Shi sighed helplessly, "I want to, but he's still the father of my deceased child."
Yang Ming said, "Alas, don't mention him, it's bad luck!"
Bai Sheng, holding the black stone, slid off Lu Ye's back with trembling legs. With Lu Ye's support, she shakily went to the makeshift kitchen and brought out half a bucket of water. The spiritual creature had come to her, and the stone was a gift for her. She had to personally offer it spiritual spring water to show her sincerity. Of course, this was Bai Sheng's own thought. In reality, if she had just spoken a word and asked someone to fetch water, the animals would have been equally delighted.
The silver snake's jet-black eyes suddenly lit up. Its incredibly smooth silver-white body slithered, and it lowered its head to drink from the bucket. Lu Hua was a little scared and kept her distance, but Lu Yun and Lu Yu were extremely excited. Their family would soon have one more member, oh no, one more snake. How imposing would it be if this silver snake went out with them? Who would dare provoke them then!
Du Min and Feng Pingyuan were equally shocked. At that moment, they also felt that what Ma San and the others had said was correct; their Madam was very likely a fairy reincarnated. These animals were more perceptive than humans, and they must have sensed their Madam's extraordinary nature. While amazed, the couple also secretly felt fortunate to have followed the right person! The world was full of wonders, but how many people had the opportunity to encounter such extraordinary individuals and events? They never expected that they, a married couple, would encounter them!
In a short while, the spiritual snake had finished drinking the entire half-bucket of spiritual spring water. It lifted its snake head from the bucket and, like a human, squinted its eyes, looking completely satisfied. After glancing back at Bai Sheng, it unceremoniously chose a spot and crawled over, then coiled its body quietly, showing no intention of leaving.
Seeing it acting as if it intended to stay, Bai Sheng became anxious. If she had to see such a terrifying giant every time she opened her eyes, wouldn't she be scared to death? Moreover, this fellow looked like a big eater, and it only ate meat. Her family was so poor. No! She had to persuade the silver snake to leave!