Encountering a Snake - Chapter 16

As soon as Yi Mo left, the spell he cast was naturally lifted. Shen Qingxuan heard the approaching footsteps and saw through the gauze window that the red lanterns were swaying as they moved through the corridor and archways, gradually approaching his courtyard. The new concubine lying beside the bed was also slowly waking up.

 

The night had deepened, but Shen Qingxuan knew he still had work to do.

 

First and foremost, of course, was to clean up the mess left behind by that cold and cruel snake.

 

He wondered if the snake had been so accustomed to acting on its own for thousands of years that it seemed quite skilled at throwing off responsibilities without even a word of courtesy.

 

As he thought about “courtesy,” Shen Qingxuan naturally recalled that “gift,” and his face darkened. He glared at the box on the table for a while before clenching the item and the blood pearl tightly, putting them away close to his body.

 

His expression quickly returned to its calm, unaffected demeanor, as if the lewd matter had never existed.

 

Xu Mingshi came to his senses, feeling a throbbing pain at the back of his head, but his thoughts were still chaotic. A familiar voice asked, “Awake? How do you feel?”

 

Xu Mingshi opened his eyes to see Shen Qingxuan’s face, which wore a half-smile with some concern, calmly watching him.

 

The previous scene flooded his mind like a tsunami. Xu Mingshi’s eyes widened in fury as he shouted, “Shen Qingxuan!”

 

Shen Qingxuan remained unmoved, looking at him with the same expression. He then responded with a slow, “Hmm?” with a rising intonation, clearly provocative.

 

Xu Mingshi, enraged, suddenly realized he was tied to a chair with thick ropes, bound tightly like a dumpling. Shen Qingxuan sat on a chair, appearing relaxed and content, looking at him as if he were a dumpling ready to be served. Xu Mingshi felt his lungs were about to explode with anger. He had been outwitted by this seemingly gentle and harmless cripple who couldn’t even walk without help!

 

“Shen Qingxuan!” Xu Mingshi shouted in hatred, pausing to ask, “We have no grudges. Why did you harm me?”

 

“Harm you?” Shen Qingxuan countered with a smile, adding provocatively before Xu Mingshi could get any more agitated, “How do I feel like I was saving you?”

 

“… You saved me?” Xu Mingshi gritted his teeth. “You call tying me up like this saving me?!”

 

“I was just worried you might act rashly due to your anger,” Shen Qingxuan replied leisurely. “It’s just to prevent you from doing something foolish.”

 

“Are you afraid I’ll kill you?” Xu Mingshi, surprisingly insightful for once, asked.

 

“Precisely,” Shen Qingxuan admitted without a hint of shame, “I am not a demon. If you were to act rashly and ‘remove’ me in a fit of rage, you would have to pay with your life.”

 

His serious tone and cold expression gave Xu Mingshi the feeling of an educated man meeting a soldier. Though he was a soldier himself, he was helpless against this seemingly intellectual man, which was infuriating! Struggling to suppress the impulse to tear Shen Qingxuan apart, Xu Mingshi calmed down, thinking over the situation. He recalled how Shen Qingxuan had reacted calmly upon learning Yi Mo was a snake demon and had even rushed to help, indicating they were acquainted.

 

Looking around, Xu Mingshi couldn’t determine where he was. The dark, narrow room had only two benches, a wooden table with a weak candlelight that barely illuminated anything, leaving most of the space in darkness. The air smelled of old, decaying wood. Xu Mingshi thought it resembled a prison cell.

 

“What’s your relationship with that snake demon? Why did you help him? Where is my demon-sealing cauldron? What happened to the snake?” Xu Mingshi asked one question after another as he surveyed the room.

 

Shen Qingxuan sighed and asked, “You have so many questions. Which one should I answer first?”

 

Xu Mingshi was momentarily speechless.

 

“Then I’ll answer them one by one,” Shen Qingxuan said, having had his fun, and pushed his wheelchair closer, moving the candle to the center of the table. In the candlelight, his expression was gentle as he spoke slowly, “You were surprised that I am not the mute you’ve heard about. Actually, as you might have guessed, it’s true. That snake has done me a favor. He saved my life and restored my ability to speak.” Pausing briefly, Shen Qingxuan continued, “That answers your second question. I help him because, as you said, he is a good demon and my benefactor. As for your third question, the bronze cauldron, I have taken it.” Shen Qingxuan lied smoothly.

 

Xu Mingshi was initially stunned and quickly demanded, “Why did you take my magical item? You don’t understand Taoist magic. What use do you have for it?”

 

“Precisely because I don’t understand Taoist magic that I took it,” Shen Qingxuan smiled, untied the ropes, and said, “At least I won’t act impulsively and harm innocent people.”

 

Xu Mingshi was left speechless by the remark. He felt ashamed of his earlier rashness and realized, as Shen Qingxuan pointed out, he had nearly harmed the snake demon, who was about to become an immortal. If the cauldron had been used, Yi Mo would have been destroyed, and Xu Mingshi would have committed an unforgivable crime. His face alternated between pale and flushed, showing extreme distress.

 

Seeing his expression, Shen Qingxuan, having almost read his thoughts, quickly untied all the ropes, including those around his feet. The process was quite laborious as the ropes had been tied very tightly, causing Shen Qingxuan’s fingers to hurt. He thought it was self-inflicted suffering. Despite his pain, he maintained his calm and composed demeanor, showing no sign of the rough treatment he had administered. He appeared as a refined gentleman, as if he had done nothing wrong.

 

After completely untying Xu Mingshi, Shen Qingxuan tossed the bundle of ropes aside and sat upright, saying sternly, “When you hold a magical item, you must act with caution. Otherwise, it could be a disaster for both yourself and others.”

 

He paused and then switched to a gentler tone, “Although you are young, you should still discern right from wrong. I bound you not just because I feared you might harm me, but because I was worried you might impulsively seek trouble with the snake demon. You were never his match and lost your magical item. If you truly angered him and he took your life, it would be a pity. Moreover, I have seen that treasure you were searching for. With your skills, you should know what it is. Yi Mo’s taking it back was just returning what belonged to him. What’s the point of your persistence?”

 

Xu Mingshi, rubbing the marks on his wrists, listened intently. Although he was skilled, he was inexperienced and straightforward, finding no faults in Shen Qingxuan’s words. To him, Shen Qingxuan seemed to be a compassionate and honorable cripple, who was principled and considerate. He didn’t yet understand what it meant to be eloquent and meticulous, and how actions can be deliberately misleading.

 

With the mix of rough treatment and gentle untying, Shen Qingxuan’s soft-spoken, subtly harsh words had left Xu Mingshi confused and nearly disoriented.

 

Fortunately, it was only nearly. Xu Mingshi still grasped the crucial point and quickly said, “Then return my things to me.”

 

Shen Qingxuan fell silent, gazing at him with an extremely calm expression, as if looking into two deep, ancient wells. Xu Mingshi felt a shiver and then saw Shen Qingxuan shake his head, “I can’t give it back to you.”

 

“Why can’t you give it back to me?!” Xu Mingxi immediately exploded. “Are you after my treasure? I’ll tell you, that item was passed down by my ancestors. If you don’t return it, my fellow disciples will come to you tomorrow to demand it back! You’ll make the Shen family’s life a living hell!”

 

“Shut up!” Shen Qingxuan’s low command reverberated, causing the air to tremble as if stirred by wind. Born into a prominent family and as the eldest son celebrated by thousands, his commanding presence was palpable. Xu Mingxi was startled by the authority in Shen Qingxuan’s voice and instinctively fell silent, staring at him dumbly.

 

Shen Qingxuan frowned, coldly staring at him.

 

Xu Mingxi realized his tone had been too urgent, and he felt embarrassed by how easily he had quieted down with just a shout from Shen Qingxuan. He couldn’t help but say, “…Ahem… Anyway, you need to return my things.”

 

“I will not only return your Demon Suppression Ding but also the Snake Skin Robe. Both treasures will be given to you. How does that sound?”

 

“Eh?” Xu Mingxi’s mouth fell open in surprise.

 

“I’m a layperson, so these things are of no use to me. Giving them to you doesn’t matter. However, there is one condition.”

 

“What condition?”

 

“First, you need to go through some trials and prove you can control your temper and truly practice the path of righteousness. I will then willingly return both treasures to you.”

 

“…How…?” Xu Mingxi scratched his head, looking puzzled. “I don’t quite understand.”

 

His confused expression was so endearing that Shen Qingxuan couldn’t help but smile, thinking of his younger brother who occasionally had such silly expressions. He mused that the two were quite similar in their innocent nature. Shen Qingxuan said thoughtfully, “I see that you’re a good person. With some refinement, you will be able to eliminate the evil spirits and make a name for yourself. These two items will help you. But not now. Your cultivation is still shallow, and holding onto treasures could make you arrogant. If you encounter a formidable enemy, you might end up harming yourself. Plus, with your impulsive nature, if you use the treasures against someone like the Snake Demon, you might cause harm…”

 

Shen Qingxuan smiled and reached out to pinch Xu Mingxi’s cheek. “I’ll keep the items for now. When the time is right, I’ll have someone deliver them to you. Do you understand?”

 

Xu Mingxi felt the pinch on his cheek as a familiar gesture, reminiscent of playful moments with his fellow disciples during his youth. As they grew up, they had become distant, and such simple interactions had become rare. The pinch was neither painful nor itchy but carried a sense of affectionate familiarity, almost like the kind words of an old friend.

 

Despite hearing Shen Qingxuan’s words clearly, Xu Mingxi was at a loss for words. He could only gaze at Shen Qingxuan with a foolish expression.

 

The flickering orange candlelight cast a warm, gentle glow on Shen Qingxuan’s refined and calm face, with a golden sheen shimmering on his dark hair. Xu Mingxi was captivated.

 

After a while, Shen Qingxuan didn’t receive a response. He raised an eyebrow and tapped his palm on the table with a sharp “snap,” causing Xu Mingxi to lose his balance and knock his head against the edge of the table with a dull thud.

 

Shen Qingxuan covered his mouth, silently laughing.

 

Xu Mingxi held his head, feeling extremely embarrassed. Not understanding why he was so flustered by Shen Qingxuan, he quickly straightened up and sat back down, staring at his toes, too ashamed to look up.

 

“Did you hear what I said?” Shen Qingxuan, having laughed enough, quickly resumed his normal tone.

 

Xu Mingxi nodded without raising his head.

 

Shen Qingxuan narrowed his eyes and asked, “Will you agree to it?” Xu Mingxi nodded again.

 

“Then you should go to the guest room and rest tonight. I’ll have someone check your head injury and let you sleep early. We’ll discuss things further tomorrow.” Shen Qingxuan finished handling the matter and turned his wheelchair to leave. Just as he reached the door, Xu Mingxi’s voice called out, “But I can’t go back to the mountain without the treasures. I need a place to stay.”

 

Shen Qingxuan paused, then turned back and asked, “What do you plan to do?”

 

Xu Mingxi thought for a moment and said, “Can I stay here as a guest? This way, you can monitor my progress.”

 

Shen Qingxuan considered it and nodded. “No problem. I’ll make arrangements. The Shen family’s doors will always be open to you.” Seeing the young man’s clean smile, Shen Qingxuan remembered something and added, “The fact that I can speak should not be spread beyond us.”

 

Xu Mingxi didn’t care about that, naturally agreeing happily. He then helped Shen Qingxuan push his wheelchair out of the dark room.

 

When they emerged, Xu Mingxi saw, by the moonlight, that they were in the small courtyard where the Shen family stored miscellaneous items.

 

Shen Qingxuan, who had become mute again, had someone take Xu Mingxi to rest while he himself returned to the Nanmu Pavilion, navigating through many pavilions and corridors. As he felt the occasional bumps along the path, he thought about the blood clot on Xu Mingxi’s head that he had felt earlier. He had indeed been quite harsh on the young man.

 

It wasn’t without concern.

 

When did he become like this? Able to remain indifferent in the face of innocent, pure eyes, to inflict cruelty on those who come to his aid, and to harbor schemes against someone who is like a younger brother to him?

 

When did deceit and lies become so fluent for him? He remembered being a pure and kind child in his youth, taught by his father and mentors, following the principles of virtue, righteousness, propriety, wisdom, and trust. Where did that Shen Qingxuan go?

 

Was Shen Qingxuan truly someone so ruthless, willing to use any means to achieve his goals?

 

He closed his eyes, remaining silent. No one noticed that his hand, hidden in his sleeve and resting on his lap, trembled slightly, like a panicked butterfly.

 

The attendant stopped at the courtyard gate. The Nanmu Pavilion came into view, and two maids approached to take over the wheelchair from the attendant, pushing him into the inner courtyard.

 

There was also a new concubine waiting for him.

 

She must first be made to understand, through coldness, that despite being someone who served him since childhood, there are no exceptions.

 

Only after she has been sufficiently cooled off, realizing she is merely an expendable concubine, will she accept her place when given a child. Then she will dutifully support her husband and educate her children, respecting the main wife.

 

Shen Qingxuan narrowed his eyes again, contemplating whether he should marry a main wife. From his own experience, to avoid family discord, one wife might be enough; perhaps even just a concubine would suffice, as long as the family line continues.

 

Otherwise, with a main wife, he really couldn’t overstep.

 

He sighed, thinking how much easier it would be if Yi Mo were a woman. He could marry her directly into the main household, ensuring she was forever a part of the Shen family. Even if he died, Yi Mo would live on for thousands of years, still being a part of the Shen family!

 

Shen Qingxuan opened his eyes again, his gaze returning to calm. The trembling of his fingertips had ceased at some point, now resting steadily beside him.

 

Everything returned to normal.

 

A concubine? Yes, that will happen.

 

Shen Qingxuan thought to himself, but not right now.

 

For a woman who has risen to become a phoenix, indulgent affection will only lead to her becoming infatuated, truly believing she can do as she pleases and even neglect the traditional virtues of obedience. She might even commit murder and betrayal!

 

Tsk.

 

Master Shen shook his head, laughing silently, and felt a cold chill.

 

His possessiveness towards Yi Mo was becoming impossible to ignore, more terrifying than desire itself.