Encountering a Snake - Chapter 15

Marriage is a significant event, and adding a member to the household and family tree is always a grand affair. However, if it involves taking a concubine, it’s treated differently. The process involves bringing the bride in through the side gate in a small sedan chair, without the need for elaborate rituals like paying respects to heaven and earth or the parents. The bride, dressed in pink, is sent into the room, and once consummated, she is considered to have a formal status.

 

On the day of the concubine’s acceptance, Shen Qingxuan was drinking with his family in the hall. Since it was his birthday, he had to toast with relatives, enjoy a bowl of longevity noodles personally prepared by his mother, and drink some soup. His second mother stood behind Shen’s mother, occasionally refilling everyone’s glasses. The feast lasted two hours before moving to the garden to watch a play. After two acts, they gave out rewards and then dispersed.

 

Shen Qingxuan was in good spirits. After the play, he strolled through the garden, had some fruits picked by a servant from a tree, and enjoyed them while drinking and admiring the moon.

 

Halfway through eating a fruit, Shen Qingxuan suddenly remembered he was supposed to take a concubine that day.

 

The lively atmosphere had made him forget about it.

 

Shen’s mother had drunk a bit more and retired to her room early, likely forgetting to remind him of the consummation, or perhaps she hadn’t thought it necessary.

 

Shen Qingxuan discarded the fruit pit and had a servant push him quickly back to his courtyard.

 

As the wooden cart traveled along the wind-fire wall, a shout from outside the wall caught his attention. The clear, crisp voice was full of spirit: “You old demon, return what you’ve taken!”

 

Shen Qingxuan was taken aback and signaled for the cart to stop. He listened intently to the commotion outside, hearing the same spirited male voice angrily proclaim: “How can you claim it’s yours? It was given to me by my master. Just because you say it’s yours doesn’t make it so. I’ve never met anyone so unreasonable in my life!”

 

Shen Qingxuan wondered if the “old demon” referred to was Yi Mo. A sharp clash of weapons suddenly cut through the air. Shen Qingxuan’s heart tightened. Forgetting about the consummation, he instructed the servant to hurry along the wind-fire wall and opened the door to see what was happening.

 

The Shen family estate covered several miles, and the street market was outside the wall. As night had fallen, there were few pedestrians and vendors. Servants carrying lanterns followed closely by his sides, also curious about the commotion.

 

By the light of the lanterns, Shen Qingxuan saw a young Taoist priest standing not far away. He wore a bronze mirror with the yin-yang symbol on his chest and held a long sword, pointing it aggressively at another person’s chest.

 

The other person was indeed Yi Mo.

 

Shen Qingxuan was unsure why Yi Mo was entangled with this unknown Taoist.

 

He gave a signal, and a quick-witted servant stepped forward, bowing and trying to mediate: “Gentlemen, what seems to be the problem? If you’re going to fight, please do it elsewhere. Don’t cause trouble in front of the Shen residence. If someone gets hurt, it would be trouble for our household. And besides, the officials are not far; do you not fear being reported?”

 

Shen Qingxuan raised an eyebrow, thinking that although the servant was persuasive, both parties seemed unafraid of trouble. The servant’s skills needed more refinement.

 

The Taoist saw Shen Qingxuan seated and immediately sheathed his sword, running over and bluntly asking: “Are you the master of this residence?”

 

Shen Qingxuan did not respond, but the servant answered: “This is our young master.”

 

“Oh, so you are the Shen family’s eldest young master?” The Taoist, looking about eighteen or nineteen, had a slightly foolish expression. After speaking, he added, “The paralyzed one? Huh, you seem fine, still able to sit up. Being paralyzed isn’t so severe after all.”

 

Shen Qingxuan curled his lips, glancing at Yi Mo standing at a distance, thinking about the kind of people Yi Mo was getting involved with.

 

Feeling displeased, Shen Qingxuan still forced a smile at the Taoist and signaled to the servant. The servant quickly bowed and said: “Our young master invites you both to the house for tea. If there are any misunderstandings, let us sit down and discuss them properly, rather than fighting on the street.” The servant added, “Today is our young master’s birthday and a joyous occasion as we’re also taking a concubine. Why not put aside your grievances and come in for a celebratory drink?”

 

“Ah, your birthday?” The young Taoist was taken aback, scratching his head in embarrassment over his earlier rash behavior. Then he remembered something, shot a glare at Yi Mo, and turned back to Shen Qingxuan, saying, “Very well. Since it’s your birthday, and I’ve heard that the Shen family is usually fair, let’s have them judge our dispute. This way, we can avoid fighting. Is that acceptable?”

 

Yi Mo, who had been standing there, seemed to consider something before nodding and approaching.

 

The Taoist then said to Shen Qingxuan: “I’ll leave it to you, Young Master Shen, to be the judge.”

 

Shen Qingxuan found this ironic. A fair judgment? How could there be fairness when the scales were already tipped? Nonetheless, he nodded and gestured for them to enter the residence.

 

The servant led the way, while another, with a bit of curiosity, quietly asked the Taoist why he called Yi Mo an old demon when he was clearly a distinguished figure.

 

The Taoist replied with bitterness: “What distinguished figure? Just an old demon!” Though his words were firm, his emotional tone made them hard to believe.

 

Shen Qingxuan led the two into his courtyard and set up a table with fruits and pastries in the hexagonal pavilion. A pot of warm wine was also served, and they dined under the moonlight.

 

Shen Qingxuan took the main seat, with Yi Mo and the Taoist facing each other. The Taoist frequently glared at Shen Qingxuan, while Yi Mo remained calm and indifferent.

 

After setting everything up, Shen Qingxuan had the servant withdraw and served wine to the two guests himself, toasting first in respect. The two drank and, after a round, Shen Qingxuan made a gesture for the Taoist to speak.

 

—

 

“Greetings, my name is Xu Mingshi, a Taoist from Qingyun Temple on Qingyun Mountain.” After briefly introducing himself, Xu Mingshi explained his grievance with Yi Mo. Some time ago, Yi Mo had stolen a treasured item from his temple. Xu Mingshi had traced Yi Mo’s whereabouts and finally found him here a month ago.

 

Pointing at Yi Mo, Xu Mingshi said to Shen Qingxuan with conviction: “Don’t be fooled by his current appearance. He is actually a demon, and a habitual thief at that!”

 

Shen Qingxuan initially nodded solemnly but couldn’t help but lower his head and smile silently.

 

“Master Shen, do you not believe me?” Xu Mingshi, seeing Shen Qingxuan smile, felt insulted and his face turned red with anger.

 

Shen Qingxuan bit his lip, thought for a moment, and then spoke: “If he is indeed a demon and you cannot subdue him, why bring him here for me to judge? Aren’t you afraid he might harm me, the impartial mediator?”

 

Xu Mingshi stared at him for a while, then suddenly exclaimed, “You can talk? I heard you were mute!”

 

“I recently recovered my voice. They must not know,” Shen Qingxuan replied calmly, raising an eyebrow and speaking gently, “I wanted to surprise my family, so I hope the Taoist will keep this a secret.”

 

Xu Mingshi was still stunned but quickly nodded in agreement. “Yes, yes.”

 

“Well then,” Shen Qingxuan smiled and took control of the conversation again, “Where were we?”

 

“Hurting people, oh, harming people… no, although he is a demon, he doesn’t seem to have much demonic aura. It looks like he’s about to become an immortal and won’t harm people.”

 

“Really?” Shen Qingxuan continued to smile, “If you have captured him and retrieved your treasure, then just release him.” After a pause, he added, “Could it be that you are too weak to subdue him?”

 

Xu Mingshi, having grown up in a temple, was straightforward and naive, unable to catch the underlying meaning in Shen Qingxuan’s words. Not realizing Shen Qingxuan was mocking him, he hurriedly said, “Normally, I wouldn’t be able to subdue him, but I have a magic treasure left by my master. Using it would definitely subdue him. However…”

 

“However, what?” Shen Qingxuan prompted.

 

“However, it would reduce him to ashes… I am a practitioner, and all beings are equal. Since he is not a harmful demon, I don’t want to use it…” Xu Mingshi glanced proudly at the silent Yi Mo and said in a tone of superiority, “Hey, you old demon, return what you’ve taken, or I’ll make sure your soul is scattered and you’ll never be reborn!”

 

Lost in his own satisfaction, Xu Mingshi didn’t notice Shen Qingxuan’s expression growing colder, sitting there motionless.

 

Yi Mo finally spoke, clearly and succinctly: “That belongs to me. The item should be returned to its rightful owner.”

 

“Nonsense! My master clearly said it was a gift to him, a silk garment that is impervious to blades and resistant to spirits and demons,” Xu Mingshi argued. “My master, wearing that garment, has subdued countless demons. How can you claim it as yours?!”

 

“It is mine,” Yi Mo repeated.

 

Shen Qingxuan interrupted the escalating argument and asked, “What is it?”

 

“Treasure garment!”

 

“Snake skin.”

 

The two responded simultaneously, but with entirely different answers.

 

After a moment of realization, Shen Qingxuan understood. The snake skin Yi Mo had been searching for was indeed the treasure of the Taoist’s temple.

 

“You snake demon, you’re talking nonsense!” Xu Mingshi fumed.

 

“Not nonsense,” Yi Mo said calmly. “Three hundred years ago, when I shed my skin, I was too weak, and it was stolen. I don’t know how it ended up in your temple. It’s laughable that your master wore the skin of a demon while dealing with demons. Otherwise, I wouldn’t be trying to reclaim it. If he were truly righteous, I would even offer it to you.”

 

“Nonsense! What’s wrong with my master vanquishing demons?” Xu Mingshi retorted.

 

“There is a path for humans, a path for demons, a path for demons and monsters, and a path for immortals. They complement each other,” Yi Mo said, casually playing with a silver cup. “Your master claimed to be vanquishing demons but was actually a mass murderer, indiscriminately killing both good and evil. Such behavior is contrary to human morality, violating both the rules of demon-kind and human-kind. That’s why his life was short, dying before thirty. Yet you revere him. Do you wish to emulate his methods?” The last sentence, though spoken lightly, held a veiled threat.

 

“Emulate him, so what?” Xu Mingshi seemed provoked and slammed the table.

 

“Except you,” Yi Mo said quietly.

 

The sound of a sword being drawn suddenly broke the tranquility of the garden.

 

“Today I will rid the world of you, demon!”

 

Shen Qingxuan remained silent, maneuvering his wheelchair backward, watching as the two resumed their fight.

 

—

 

Yi Mo fought with bare hands, while Xu Mingshi wielded a sword that dazzled the eyes, yet he could never get close to Yi Mo. Their figures became blurry, and the grass and trees in the courtyard were knocked down by the sword’s aura, with all vitality drained by the demonic power.

 

No one came out to witness the fight, not even the servants. Shen Qingxuan realized that Yi Mo must have cast a spell to isolate the courtyard from the outside world, so he felt relieved and settled comfortably in his chair, enjoying the spectacle.

 

After several dozen rounds, Xu Mingshi was at a disadvantage, having lost his sword, his hair disheveled, and his demeanor embarrassed. Yi Mo remained calm and collected, as if he were merely performing a playful show.

 

Justice was not enough to overcome youthful impulsiveness, and in his anger, Xu Mingshi took something from his pocket. He held it in one hand, performed a few hand seals with the other, and chanted incantations with his eyes closed.

 

Yi Mo stopped and looked at the object in Xu Mingshi’s hand with a frown. Shen Qingxuan’s expression of enjoyment finally changed.

 

When Shen Qingxuan learned from Xu Mingshi that there was indeed a treasure capable of subduing Yi Mo, he began to think about how to destroy it. Not for any other reason, but because Yi Mo had been kind to him. Even if Yi Mo were a demon, bloodthirsty and murderous, he would still protect him. In a world with so few who treated him well, he had to cherish them even more. Even if it meant defying heaven and morality, what use was a life where he couldn’t protect those he cared about?

 

In the blink of an eye, Shen Qingxuan’s body sank, and he tipped backward in his wheelchair, falling toward the lotus pond behind him, where lotus leaves floated and the water shimmered. He shouted, “Daoist, save me!”

 

He fell into the pond.

 

His scream was piercing, and the golden light in Xu Mingshi’s hand suddenly dimmed and extinguished. Without a second thought, he lunged toward Shen Qingxuan.

 

Just as Xu Mingshi grabbed Shen Qingxuan’s hand, he saw the face emerging from the water smile slyly and innocently at him. Xu Mingshi felt a dull pain in the back of his head, and his last memory was Shen Qingxuan’s smiling face and a stone clutched in his hand.

 

Yi Mo used magic to pull both of them from the lotus pond. Shen Qingxuan coughed twice and, as soon as he turned, quickly pried the bronze-colored small cauldron from Xu Mingshi’s hand. Ignoring his drenched state, he sat up by the edge of the pond and threw the cauldron to Yi Mo, saying, “Take care of this.”

 

Yi Mo caught the cauldron, examined it briefly, then put it away in his sleeve with an unchanged expression. “It was quite a performance.”

 

“Bah,” Shen Qingxuan spat at him, “Will you take me back to change my clothes or not?” He added, “Now that you’ve broken the spell, I need to call someone. I’ll handle the rest.”

 

Yi Mo walked over, picked Shen Qingxuan up horizontally, and headed toward the small wooden building in the courtyard.

 

Shen Qingxuan draped one arm around Yi Mo’s neck, and with the other hand, wiped the water from his face. After a couple of wipes, he suddenly remembered, “Put me down quickly. I’m taking a concubine tonight. This makes it look like you’re the one taking me as a concubine.”

 

Yi Mo glanced down, looked at Shen Qingxuan in his arms, and finally said, “I have never seen a concubine so wet and smelling of mud.”

 

Shen Qingxuan, embarrassed and angry, pinched Yi Mo’s shoulder. “I don’t mind you being a cold, long worm, but you complain about me. What’s the matter? You’re so critical of me—do you want to marry me? If you want to marry me, I’ll cancel my engagement for next year, prepare a grand wedding, and marry you.”

 

Yi Mo was silent for a moment and then said, “Your mouth should have stayed mute for so many years.”

 

Shen Qingxuan scoffed, and Yi Mo continued, “Don’t worry. I’ve already let the person in your room sleep. You can relax.”

 

As they spoke, they returned to the building. Shen Qingxuan saw that the newly admitted concubine was indeed lying on the bed, so he was relieved. He instructed Yi Mo to fetch clothes for him. While changing, he asked, “How did you end up here tonight?”

 

“To deliver a gift,” Yi Mo said, watching as Shen Qingxuan shed his clothes, revealing his pale chest. “For your birthday, it is customary to give a gift.”

 

“A gift? Show me. Ah… it’s freezing.”

 

As Shen Qingxuan took off his trousers and struggled to remove them, Yi Mo’s cool, firm hand gripped his waist, leaving him unable to move. The sensation made his ears flush red. “What are you doing? I’ve been soaked in cold water and taking a concubine tonight. I won’t be sharing a bed with you.”

 

“I’m giving you what you need for the wedding night,” Yi Mo said, crouching down and sliding Shen Qingxuan’s wet trousers to his ankles. After briefly rubbing his slender calves, he finally removed Shen Qingxuan’s shoes and socks, dried him thoroughly, and put on new clothes. His actions inevitably brushed against Shen Qingxuan’s skin, and when dressing him, he unintentionally touched Shen Qingxuan’s inner thighs. Shen Qingxuan’s body quivered, and his face turned completely red.

 

He stared, wide-eyed, at Yi Mo’s hands moving over him, the long, white fingers deftly handling his clothes. The scent of fresh grass and wood from Yi Mo’s hands was both intoxicating and irritating. Before long, Shen Qingxuan felt a burning heat in his lower abdomen, standing erect with trembling.

 

Yi Mo, seemingly unaffected, finished dressing him and stood up. He took out a small sandalwood box, intricately carved and palm-sized, and handed it to the blushing Shen Qingxuan. “This is a birthday gift for you, though I didn’t know you would be taking a concubine tonight.”

 

Shen Qingxuan, breathing heavily, took the box and asked in a low voice, “What is it?”

 

“Open it and see.”

 

Shen Qingxuan examined the box and quickly opened the lid. A floral fragrance wafted out. Inside was a light purple, paste-like substance filling the box, resembling purple tofu. After studying it for a while, he dipped his fingertip into it and sniffed, still unsure of its purpose.

 

He finally asked, “What is this? Is it edible?”

 

Yi Mo’s eyes flickered momentarily, and after a pause, he said, “It’s for external use, not for internal consumption.”

 

“Healing? It doesn’t seem so. It’s so fragrant, like an oily balm,” Shen Qingxuan mumbled, still confused.

 

Yi Mo added, “It was meant to celebrate your birthday.”

 

Shen Qingxuan was taken aback. Yi Mo’s serious tone carried a strange, suggestive undertone. Shen Qingxuan suddenly realized and snapped the box shut, tossing it aside. “Is this what you call a birthday gift? How shameless!”

 

“I said it was originally a gift,” Yi Mo said, leaning closer, their chests almost touching. “You know, the gift isn’t just this. There are accompanying ‘tools.’”

 

Shen Qingxuan’s mind exploded with a “boom,” his neck flushed red. He couldn’t look at Yi Mo and recoiled in anger and embarrassment. “You vile snake! I shouldn’t have helped you tonight. I should have let that Taoist take you away!”

 

Yi Mo remained composed, observing him for a moment before standing up and saying, “I’m leaving.”

 

“Huh?” Shen Qingxuan didn’t react in time.

 

Without another word, Yi Mo drew a blood drop from his fingertip, which quickly formed a small, glowing bead of blood. He placed it in Shen Qingxuan’s hand and said calmly:

 

“If you still wish to commit yourself, use this to call me after applying the balm.”

 

Shen Qingxuan’s face reddened again. He wanted to retort about applying the balm and waiting for Yi Mo, but by the time he looked up, Yi Mo had already disappeared.

 

All that remained was the glowing red bead in his hand.