Encountering a Snake - Chapter 31

V3C31

Shen Jue placed the items he needed for washing on the table and stood by, saying, “Father, hurry up, I saved some fresh soup to make noodles, but there’s only a little left. If you take too long, Xú Míngshì will snatch it away.”

Liu Yan, having finished dressing, chuckled lightly at the comment. “You have time to save soup for me, yet you should go to the forest instead, you could pick another basket of mushrooms.”

“I’ll go pick them later,” Shen Jue raised his eyebrows. “I just don’t want to indulge that old man, his belly’s getting bigger and bigger lately.”

“Stop speaking like a child. You should be happy he has a good appetite.”

“Yeah, I’m really happy,” Shen Jue said, a bit helpless. “When his belly bursts and he eats himself to death, I wonder how happy I’ll be then!”

“Has his appetite really gotten that big?” Liu Yan asked, setting down his tea while rinsing his eyes. “In that case, he should eat less. At his age, his stomach and intestines are weak, eating less and more often is the right way.”

“I told him, does he listen?” Shen Jue snorted. “You go tell him.”

“Alright, I’ll tell him later,” Liu Yan agreed.

“Then I’ll go,” Shen Jue said, walking toward the door but throwing one last remark over his shoulder. “Leave the basin, I’ll come to change the water later.”

“Do you think I’m eighty years old?” Liu Yan replied, laughing but also somewhat amused. “Can’t even lift a washing basin?”

“I enjoy it.” Shen Jue responded without turning back, his tone and expression remarkably similar to Yi Mo’s.

He indeed enjoyed it, with genuine filial affection. What he didn’t know was how much Liu Yan worried about him, precisely because of his overenthusiasm.

It is natural for people to be attached to home. But what happens when that attachment becomes so strong that nothing else matters? What will happen in the future?

Liu Yan thought about how he entrusted Shen Jue to Yi Mo back then, never expecting the situation to turn out like this. He couldn’t help but think back to the time in the previous life when this old demon snake had to make congee for the emperor after childbirth. In over a hundred years, it was the first time the child had been with someone else, and it caused such frustration. It was easy to imagine how Shen Jue’s attachment to home had been shaped by this.

It is only natural for a young person to be attached to home. But Shen Jue had already grown up, and one day his life would no longer revolve around them.

But Liu Yan didn’t know where Shen Jue’s center would be, or what could tie him down after their passing, giving him something to rely on for the rest of his journey.

Liu Yan didn’t even know if he would live to see his child find a new support. After all, the lifespan of a snake is so short, and he only wished to live for a certain amount of time.

Shen Jue, however, was unaware of Liu Yan’s concerns. After snatching the bowl and chopsticks from Xú Míngshì in the kitchen, he couldn’t help but grow irritated. “Do you really want to die that badly?!”

Xú Míngshì looked innocent. “The food you make is delicious. Besides, I’m a guest. What’s wrong with eating a little more of your food? I’ve never seen a host so stingy.” His face was wrinkled and aged, and with oil on his lips and cheeks, he was trying to look innocent, but it was hard to associate his appearance with the handsome figure he had been in his youth, even more so with how distorted he looked now.

Shen Jue couldn’t help but rub his forehead. “If you overeat and end up bedridden, I won’t be serving you.”

“No one’s asking you to serve me,” Xú Míngshì grumbled. “Anyway, I’m a lonely old man, if I get sick, I’ll just wait to die!”

The older he got, the more unreasonable he became. Shen Jue was truly angry this time, so much so that he almost had the urge to smash the pots and dishes, but he couldn’t bring himself to do it. He just stared at him. After a long while, Xú Míngshì’s face showed no sign of shame, and Shen Jue could only leave in frustration.

The wooden door slammed with a loud “bang.” Shen Jue was genuinely upset this time, so he decided to leave the courtyard. Liu Yan heard the noise and the sound of the door slamming, realizing it was something only Shen Jue would do. He wondered why Xú Míngshì would provoke him like this and also thought to himself that the door needed repairs. Just then, Xú Míngshì, wiping the greasy corners of his mouth, came over.

He could have eaten anything, but it was early morning, the best time to regulate the stomach, and he had to go and drink the leftover chicken soup from last night, which was greasy and heavy. It was no wonder Shen Jue got angry.

When Shen Qingxuan raised Shen Jue, despite Yi Mo’s protection, he had suffered misfortune in his youth and his health was weaker than others, so he was often given special care. Shen Jue also learned many dietary practices, and since taking care of them, he became especially attentive to food, always careful not to make any mistakes. He wasn’t partial to Xú Míngshì either and cared for him well.

Yet Xú Míngshì, for reasons unknown, insisted on provoking him, so it was no surprise that Shen Jue slammed the door.

Such kindness being taken for granted was truly frustrating.

Liu Yan was holding a wooden basin and was about to ask Xú Míngshì what was going on when the old man, with a flash of white light on his finger, cheerfully muttered to himself, “Finally got him to leave.”

The wooden basin fell to the ground, and hot water splashed everywhere, wetting the yellow earth. Liu Yan, closing his eyes, only had time to think before he collapsed: After all, Shen Jue had once called him “uncle.”

So, he knew exactly how to anger him.

Xú Míngshì, with a delighted smile on his face, gently laid Liu Yan on a bamboo chair in the yard, even covering him with a robe. “Brother, the sun’s good this morning, you should sunbathe, it’s good for your health.”

Unfortunately, Liu Yan couldn’t hear it. He could only lie on the stone table, unconscious, basking in the sun.

Having succeeded in his little scheme, Xú Míngshì’s old face beamed with joy. He entered the master bedroom and threw back the quilt that Liu Yan had failed to fold properly, greeting the curled-up black snake that was still sleeping.

Perhaps Xú Míngshì’s smile was too eerie, for the black snake, sensing danger, immediately stopped being lazy, lifted its head, and seemed ready to get off the bed to find Liu Yan. But no matter how fast it was, it was still just a snake, and no match for the old Taoist. A single spell blocked its path. Xú Míngshì swiftly grabbed the black snake in his hand, and the action made the snake hesitate. After all, they had been together for so long, and biting him was a difficult decision.

“Don’t bite me, I’ll feed you something.”

Xu Mingshi pried open its mouth and quickly shoved the prepared medicine into it. His movements were swift and agile, as quick as the wind, with none of the sluggishness typical of an old man. So fast that ordinary people wouldn’t even be able to see it. The black snake, now just an ordinary one, immediately followed his lead. The substance entered its esophagus and melted instantly, and it couldn’t even vomit it out.

Before it could express any dissatisfaction with the forced feeding, it was already unconscious, just like Liu Yan, unaware of anything.

When Shen Jue returned after calming down, everything had already been decided.

Liu Yan lay unconscious on the stone table, and the door to the back room was wide open, with a blinding golden light pouring out, so dazzling it was almost unbearable. Shen Jue immediately rushed towards the room.

But the golden light seemed to form a solid barrier, bouncing him back.

“Xu Mingshi!”

Seeing the situation, Shen Jue immediately understood and instinctively yelled, but he knew it was too late.

“Fate comes and goes, the way of the Dao is natural, there’s no need to dwell on it.”

A voice suddenly came from behind. Shen Jue turned around abruptly and saw an old immortal with a white beard standing there. His aura was transcendent, and his eyes were familiar. Shen Jue recognized him—he was the one who had used magic to restore his father’s memories and had taken him away.

“What are you here for?” Shen Jue asked.

“I’m here to collect his soul,” the old immortal said, seeing his aversion. He smiled and continued, “He asked for your father to live, and the price was his soul scattering. However, there are still matters left undone, and his soul can’t scatter yet. I’m here to help him re-condense it.”

The old immortal winked, suddenly appearing cheerful. “That’s his future affair, what does it have to do with you?”

Shen Jue paused for a moment. “Re-condense the soul, so he can be human again in the next life, right?”

“That’s no longer your concern,” the old immortal replied. “In any case, he’s still here. How could I let him easily disappear? He still owes me for a jar of wine he smashed.”

Shen Jue listened but didn’t know what to think. After a long pause, he said, “I wonder if I’ll meet him again.”

The old immortal’s gaze lingered on his face before slowly moving away, looking at the house bathed in golden light. “It’ll take some time to complete the spell, but there’s one more thing that concerns you.”

“Hmm?”

“The little snake entrusted me to tell you that if you have nowhere to go in the future, you can come to me to cultivate.”

“Did my father say that?”

“I’ve been a Daoist friend with him for a thousand years. He entrusted me with this, so I naturally can’t refuse. When the time comes, you can come to me whenever you’re ready. You know where to find me.”

“I won’t go.” Shen Jue refused decisively, then paused and added, “I do know someone—an immortal spirit of a pine tree. The tree had no intention of becoming one, and cultivation was difficult, but after two hundred years, it managed to take human form. Its roots are extraordinary. Would you be willing to take it in?”

The old immortal didn’t respond immediately, and Shen Jue thought he didn’t want it, so he stopped speaking.

“Alright, I know the pine tree spirit. Once this matter is done, I’ll take it away.” The old immortal said. “As for you, if you want to come later, I’ll still take you in.”

His demeanor was straightforward, and Shen Jue’s aversion to him lessened significantly. He smiled and softly said, “I don’t want to cultivate. What’s the point of becoming an immortal? Isn’t being a demon more interesting?”

The old immortal didn’t expect this question. Surprised, he regained his composure and immediately laughed loudly, saying, “I find it quite interesting.”

“Where’s the interest?” Shen Jue asked.

“At least I can help you little demons who can’t break through, don’t you think?”

Shen Jue immediately had no response.

While they were talking, the blinding golden light gradually faded and dimmed. The old immortal waved his hand, signaling the end of their conversation. He took out a small piece of black cloth from somewhere, which turned into a small pouch in his hand. Reaching into the pouch, he pulled out a crimson eight-trigram furnace made of an unknown material and tossed it into the air. The yin-yang fish inside the furnace spun, and before the golden light completely faded, Shen Jue seemed to see some faint white figures being drawn into the furnace.

“Done.” The old immortal collected the items back into the pouch and folded it into a palm-sized black cloth. Looking satisfied, he tilted his head and gazed at the sky. “I should leave now.”

“Thank you,” Shen Jue said, bowing respectfully.

“No need,” the old immortal said. “We’ll meet again. I’ll invite you for a drink then, and don’t refuse.”

Although Shen Jue felt that his words were cryptic, he still nodded.

The old immortal smiled, looked at the house with the wide open door, and couldn’t help but shout toward the silent room:

“Little snake, everything you entrusted me with has been done. Our bond ends here. What happens in the future, you’ll have to cultivate on your own!”

There was no sound from the house for a while, but as the old immortal walked far away, Shen Jue finally heard a familiar voice with a lazy tone replying:

“Got it.”