Encountering a Snake - Chapter 29

Shen Qingxuan was actually somewhat afraid of snakes. It wasn’t a big deal—after all, as the saying goes, once bitten by a snake, a person will fear even a rope for ten years. Having had the experience of being bitten on the wrist by a snake and almost dying, it would be strange if he weren’t afraid. But a snake is a snake, and Yi Mo is Yi Mo. Even though Yi Mo was a snake demon, Shen Qingxuan wasn’t afraid of him. After all, Yi Mo in human form was completely different from those cold, scaly creatures. So, while he knew that Yi Mo was a snake demon, this knowledge was only conceptual. Until that night in the hot spring, when Yi Mo revealed his true form. Although Shen Qingxuan was drunk, he was also startled. But he didn’t let go, partly because he didn’t want to upset Yi Mo, and partly because he was afraid he might drown in the water. So he hugged Yi Mo’s hard, scaly body, hiding his intense discomfort and pretending to be sleepy. Somehow, he managed to get through it.

 

So, on this morning, Shen Qingxuan woke up from a nightmare, drenched in sweat, and when he opened his eyes to see the situation he was in, his mouth opened wide, almost letting out a scream—almost. Just a little more, and he would have screamed. He didn’t, because of his nature. His deep-rooted restraint and self-control made him close his mouth tightly before the sound could escape. Of course, he also remembered that the thing coiled around his legs, locked around his waist, wrapped around his chest, with its head resting on his collarbone and occasionally flicking out its tongue, was Yi Mo. Yi Mo, who had wrapped him up like a rope, making him have nightmares, and was now sleeping soundly… Shen Qingxuan was furious.

 

He was so angry that he had an urge to tear the thing off him, skin it, pull out its bones, and throw it into a hot pot! After being tormented until the middle of the night and finally being able to sleep, he had nightmares because of this strange posture, and when he woke up, he was almost scared to death. How could Shen Qingxuan not be angry? He was extremely angry.

 

So angry that he raised his hand to slap it—but just before his palm could land, his hand slowed down and gently stroked the snake’s body, as softly as a leaf falling to the ground. In the end, Shen Qingxuan couldn’t bring himself to hit him. But not hitting didn’t resolve his anger. After waiting for a while, he extended his finger and poked the snake’s head, once, then again, harder each time, until Yi Mo, who had been sleeping soundly, was finally woken up.

 

Round human eyes met round snake eyes, and the two stared at each other for a long time. Shen Qingxuan awkwardly withdrew his hand and said, “I can barely breathe.”

 

Yi Mo didn’t open his mouth, but Shen Qingxuan clearly heard his voice: “Can’t breathe? Don’t beg me later.”

 

Before Shen Qingxuan could fully understand, the snake body coiled tightly around him loosened. Yi Mo leisurely crawled across his chest, moved over to the pillow, transformed back into his human form, and continued sleeping.

 

As soon as the bindings loosened, Shen Qingxuan felt intense pain shoot through his legs, so sharp that his face turned pale, even more than when he’d been startled earlier, and cold sweat as big as beans dripped down his forehead.

 

The pain was coming from his leg, which had been numb and without sensation for more than ten years.

 

Yi Mo, eyes still closed, spoke in a relaxed manner: “Your leg’s been dead for years. It’s not going to heal overnight.”

 

Shen Qingxuan, struggling to speak, asked, “Then why didn’t it hurt earlier?”

 

“I didn’t want you to feel pain, so you didn’t,” Yi Mo replied calmly.

 

Shen Qingxuan felt the frustration rising in his chest. Was Yi Mo really holding a grudge over being poked a few times? His expression made it clear that he was upset, and when Yi Mo opened his eyes and saw it, he was genuinely displeased. “Is that really what you think of me?”

 

Shen Qingxuan immediately realized he had misunderstood, but Yi Mo’s words had been so irritating, and the pain was unbearable. In a fit of frustration, Shen Qingxuan grabbed Yi Mo’s arm and bit down hard, sinking his teeth in with all the force of his leg pain. Yi Mo pulled his arm back and, looking at the bite mark, said seriously, “My blood is poisonous.”

 

Shen Qingxuan was speechless. After a while, the pain became too much to bear, and he curled into Yi Mo’s arms, saying, “This hurts so much. I’d rather you poison me to death.”

 

Yi Mo patted him on the back, unbothered, and said, “Sorry to disappoint you. Your body has already built up immunity to my venom.”

 

Shen Qingxuan was at a loss. Which one of them was the real monster here?

 

It was noon, and the weather was scorching. Father Shen braved the heat, walking through the courtyard, passing by the veranda, the pavilions, and the lotus pond. In his earlier years of traveling, he’d been exposed to wind and cold, and now, during the colder months, his knees and shoulders would ache terribly. But on a hot day like this, his bones felt better. He walked all the way to Shen Qingxuan’s southern courtyard. There should have been servants greeting him, but none appeared, which struck Father Shen as odd. He paused at the courtyard gate, then walked around the outer wall. Through the shadows of the bamboo grove, he heard low murmurs from the courtyard.

 

“I don’t need your help. You’re just a nuisance,” came his son’s voice.

 

“…”

 

“I don’t believe you can’t just make me walk like normal.”

 

Father Shen moved closer and finally heard Yi Mo’s voice: “Your legs have been disabled for years. Your meridians are blocked. If you don’t endure this suffering, even if you can walk now, the problem will return in two or three years.”

 

Father Shen had a vague idea of what was happening. After waiting a moment, he circled behind a rockery and stood on tiptoe to peek. There, he saw his son, who should have been sitting helplessly in a chair, now standing with Yi Mo’s support. Although unsteady, he was indeed standing. Both of them had their backs to Father Shen, and Shen Qingxuan took a small step forward. He lost his balance and almost fell, but Yi Mo caught him around the waist, helping him stand again.

 

Yi Mo said, “Are your feet just for show?”

 

Shen Qingxuan wiped the sweat from his forehead. “I don’t really know how to use them anymore.”

 

“Take off your shoes and socks.”

 

“Huh?”

 

“Take them off.”

 

“How am I supposed to do that while standing?”

 

Yi Mo helped him sit down, then sighed, “Even a baby can walk by now, right?”

 

Shen Qingxuan was indignant. “Don’t compare me to a five-month-old!”

 

Yi Mo glanced at him. “He’s still better than you.”

 

Shen Qingxuan had nothing to say.

 

Father Shen should have either walked away or stepped forward, but for some reason, he just stood there, watching quietly, motionless.

 

Shen Qingxuan, barefoot, steadied himself and cautiously took another step. This time, he regained some control over his legs. Although he wobbled, he didn’t fall. Yi Mo supported him as he took a few more steps, becoming more stable. Shen Qingxuan smiled. “I can walk now.”

 

Yi Mo commented, “It sounds strange hearing that from someone who’s almost thirty.”

 

But Shen Qingxuan wasn’t angry. He shot Yi Mo a glare and then flashed a wide smile, pulling him into a hug. “What’s so strange about that? You’ve lived for a thousand years, and you’re still so inexperienced.”

 

Yi Mo asked, “Does your leg still hurt?” Shen Qingxuan said it did a little. Yi Mo pushed him away. “Then walk by yourself.”

 

Shen Qingxuan stumbled a few steps but managed to stay upright. He turned around, grumbling, “Fine, I’ll walk by myself.” He began walking circles around a large tree, barefoot.

 

Yi Mo asked, “Is there a difference between holding onto the tree and holding onto me?”

 

Shen Qingxuan replied, “Of course. I don’t want to hug the tree, but when I hold onto you, I want to hug you.”

 

Yi Mo waved his hand, and the century-old tree suddenly disappeared. Shen Qingxuan, still locked in verbal sparring and feeling triumphant, hadn’t expected this move. He immediately lost his balance and fell to the ground in a very undignified manner.

 

Hidden behind the rock garden, Father Shen silently covered his forehead with his hand. Was this really his son? Was this really the quiet, polite, and well-mannered eldest young master of the Shen family? He looked more like a rogue!

 

Shen Qingxuan climbed up from the ground, angrily dusted himself off, and with his head lowered, continued walking in the sunlit area where the tree’s shade no longer covered him. He walked in circles, faster and faster, until he was almost running, dust covering his face, sweat dripping down his back. Yi Mo called for him to stop.

 

Shen Qingxuan stopped at the sound, smiling cheekily at him. Then, suddenly, tears fell from the corners of his eyes.

 

The sky was a bright blue, and the beads of sweat refracted colorful light under the blazing sun. He stood in front of Yi Mo, silently shedding tears.

 

Yi Mo stood still for a moment, then extended his arm, his wide sleeves fluttering as he pulled Shen Qingxuan into his embrace.

 

Yi Mo said, “You’re very dirty.”

 

Shen Qingxuan replied, “Mm.”

 

Yi Mo asked, “Do your legs still hurt?”

 

He replied, “Mm.”

 

Yi Mo said, “Your legs hurt because they’re not used to the stretching of your tendons and meridians.”

 

He asked, “So what should I do?”

 

Yi Mo replied, “Let them get used to it.”

 

“Mm. Hm?” Then why are you holding me? Shen Qingxuan was puzzled.

 

As Yi Mo carried him back to the building, he said very seriously, “Sexual activity can help your tendons get used to stretching.”

 

Shen Qingxuan spat at him and remarked, “Indulgence in broad daylight.” But he still let Yi Mo carry him back to the room without any objection.

 

Father Shen’s face alternated between red and white, creating a particularly striking expression. Instinctively, he began to harbor suspicions about Yi Mo’s intentions. How could he not? Xu Shiming had already made it clear—Yi Mo was not human, but a thousand-year-old demon in cultivation. Even if Xu Shiming had lied, Shen Qingxuan’s words just now couldn’t have been false. So Yi Mo *was* a demon. That much was now certain. And how could a demon of such high cultivation not be aware of his presence? How could Yi Mo remain indifferent all this time? Father Shen was now completely convinced that Yi Mo had known he was watching the whole time, perhaps even since he first entered the courtyard.

 

Yet, despite knowing, Yi Mo made no effort to avoid him and even behaved this way. Father Shen truly struggled to understand his motives.

 

Still standing behind the rock garden, Father Shen looked up at the sky, his vision growing blurred from the bright sunlight. He lowered his gaze to the green grass growing in the cracks between the stones at his feet. After a moment of contemplation, he turned and left. He hadn’t decided how to handle the situation yet, and though seeing the two acting so intimately wasn’t terribly shocking, some matters—once planted in the heart—cause one to observe and ponder more closely. Ever since New Year’s Eve, Father Shen had carefully watched his son’s behavior, and there had been nothing unusual. Even during breakfast, when Yi Mo was occasionally mentioned, there were no signs that their relationship was anything out of the ordinary. However, there were subtle differences, like how, whenever the housekeeper announced that Mr. Yi had arrived and stayed over, his son would always appear more fatigued at breakfast the next day. In the past, Father Shen might have assumed they had stayed up late talking. But now, when he observed more closely, he saw a look in his son’s eyes that went beyond mere exhaustion. It was a languid satisfaction, an air of indulgent weariness. Three parts tiredness, seven parts contentment. Any man who had experienced the affairs of life could easily deduce the reason behind it.

 

Father Shen had been furious for a time. Such improper behavior had never existed in the Shen family from their ancestors until now.

 

Yet, amid his anger, there was confusion. This was his own child, after all. He had watched him grow from a lively boy into a brooding man, watched him run and jump, then retreat into the mountains. Now, finally, he had returned, staying by his side every day, managing the family’s affairs, kind and gentle, as if reborn.

 

It was only after witnessing this scene in the courtyard that Father Shen realized the change wasn’t due to the care and affection of family but to a demon.

 

It was this demon that had helped his child regain his voice, walk again, and even supported him by his side without fail.

 

Shen Qingxuan would tease Yi Mo recklessly but also cry silently.

 

Father Shen thought, it had been many years since he had seen his son cry—cry like a child who had suffered endless grievances.

 

Cry like a child who, after enduring all that sorrow, finally found solace in the arms of someone close and could release it all.

 

Father Shen returned to his study and sat there until nightfall. As dusk settled, the wind outside began to howl, and the trees rustled in the breeze. In the dark, Father Shen lit a candle. The flame flickered unsteadily, but before it could stabilize, a gust of wind swept in through the window and extinguished it with a “puff.”

 

Father Shen stepped out and instructed the servants to close all doors and windows. Judging by the weather, it seemed like rain was coming.

 

Summer thunderstorms were fierce but brief, though sometimes they could last for days. It wasn’t unusual.

 

Yet for some reason, Father Shen felt that tonight’s rain would be different.

 

The sound of thunder echoed across the sky, each rumble followed by flashes of lightning that repeatedly illuminated the night. The intervals between strikes were short, like the executioner’s blade, poised to cut someone down.

 

Meanwhile, Shen Qingxuan lay in bed, holding a snake in his arms. Yes, a large snake as thick as a bowl.

 

With the snake in his arms, he watched the lightning flash outside the window and asked, “Is that it?”

 

The snake flicked its tongue. “That’s it.”

 

“Then what happens if I throw you outside?”

 

“It’ll strike me,” Yi Mo replied. “Want to try?”

 

Shen Qingxuan thought for a moment. “Will you be struck dead?”

 

“No.” Yi Mo coiled up. “I’d just be too lazy to dodge.”

 

Shen Qingxuan froze. “…So, you’re saying you’d rather take a lightning strike and suffer severe damage than bother dodging?”

 

Yi Mo shamelessly admitted it.

 

As if to express its own rage, at that moment, a bolt of lightning flashed outside, and Shen Qingxuan watched as the hundred-year-old tree Yi Mo had conjured earlier was split down the middle.

 

Yi Mo saw it too and sighed, muttering to himself in puzzlement, “I was just being honest, no need to get so angry.”

 

Shen Qingxuan suddenly thought that Yi Mo’s personality must have angered many others, not just him. Surely, many beings—whether human, demon, or celestial—must have been furious with him at some point?

 

“Have you been struck by lightning before?” Shen Qingxuan asked.

 

“Of course.”

 

“Really?”

 

“The first time I faced a heavenly tribulation,” Yi Mo said. Being struck by lightning wasn’t pleasant, but back then, he had just gained human form and knew the tribulation was coming. At the time, many of his fellow demons were terrified of the heavenly tribulation, constantly running and hiding, living in fear. Yi Mo found their behavior dull and chose not to dodge. He coiled up in a tree, and perhaps the deity sent to oversee the tribulation was curious about a demon who refused to run. They showed mercy, and though a bolt struck him, it merely knocked him unconscious for a few days.

 

When he woke up, it felt as though every bone in his body had been dismantled and reassembled with burning hot irons. It was extremely uncomfortable, but he didn’t die. The experience was far less thrilling than he’d imagined. After that, whenever a tribulation came, Yi Mo didn’t wait for the lightning. Instead, he would find a well-off family with good fortune and hide there until it passed.

 

Yi Mo continued, “In truth, not many demons die in heavenly tribulations. Most die by their own hand or at the hands of mortals.” He paused, a hint of amusement in his voice. “In fact, more demons die at the hands of exorcists and monks than from heavenly tribulations. But, of course, most of them bring it upon themselves.”

 

Shen Qingxuan rubbed his forehead. “I always thought heavenly tribulations were terrifying.”

 

Yi Mo replied, “The only thing that can kill a demon is the demon itself.”

 

Though his words were simple, they were thought-provoking. Shen Qingxuan tightened his hold on the snake, stroking its cold scales. When stroked against the grain, the scales felt like blades scraping against his palm, sharp and painful.

 

Most things in this world, once you go against the grain, will cause pain.