I had never encountered such a resilient snake. No matter how I slammed it against a rock or smashed it with a stone, it remained unbroken and unkillable. When I used it to smash rocks, the rocks shattered, and the same happened when rocks were used to smash it. Despite my every effort to torment its two pea-sized green eyes, they still emitted a faint green glow, indicating it was alive.
After struggling with it for half the day without success, I found myself drenched in sweat, collapsing onto the ground to gaze at the little white snake before me.
"What exactly are you? After all my torment, even a well-cultivated Willow Immortal would have been worn down and killed by now. How are you still alive?"
I panted heavily, locking eyes with it.
The moment I realized the little white snake was impervious to being thrown or smashed, a sense of regret washed over me. Snakes were not ordinary animals; they possessed a spiritual awareness.
In the northeastern regions, there were the Five Great Immortals: Hu, Huang, Liu, Bai, and Hui. Hu represented foxes, Huang represented weasels, Liu represented snakes, and Bai and Hui represented hedgehogs and rats, respectively.
They were the spiritual beings worshipped in Northeastern Shamanism, commonly known as the Great Immortals. While the south might not fully acknowledge this, it didn't mean these creatures couldn't cultivate.
The little white snake before me was very likely a Liu Immortal among the Five Immortals. Of the Five Immortals, two were known for holding grudges: Huang, and the Liu Immortal before me.
Huang Immortals typically sought revenge only once. As long as you survived, the matter was considered settled. However, Liu Immortals were different; they would exact revenge for any offense, and if you didn't die, they wouldn't rest. They would pursue you to the ends of the earth without giving up.
After my ordeal, I understood why that python had been relentlessly chasing me. I had blinded one of its eyes, and it instinctively pursued me for revenge. While I wasn't sure if a python could become an immortal, the one before me was likely a true snake immortal.
"It's all your fault for those green eyes, otherwise, I wouldn't have made such a mistake!" I then put on a smile, attempting to deceive it. "Look, you haven't lost anything, have you? Let's just call it even, how about that?"
I spoke with a playful intent, hoping to resolve our conflict, never expecting it to react. But as soon as I finished speaking, its eyes, emitting a faint green glow, brightened. Its tongue flickered in and out, making a "hissing" sound, like a snake hunting its prey.
"Damn it, it still wants revenge?"
I grabbed it and shook it violently again. The only result was that the green glow in its eyes weakened; it suffered no damage whatsoever.
I was at a loss for what to do with it. For my own safety, I decided to take it into the Yin Bamboo Forest and let Fifth Princess figure out how to deal with it.
For the time being, it posed no immediate threat. I bound its mouth with some riverside weeds and tucked it into my back.
As I passed the back gate of the prince's mansion, I glanced inside. The gate was tightly shut, and a fiery glow emanated from the entire mansion. I wondered how much suffering Old Ghost was enduring inside.
I crossed the small river and was about to enter the Yin Bamboo Forest.
*Whoosh—*
I instinctively stopped in my tracks.
*Bang—*
A spear appeared before me, its trembling shaft indicating the force with which it had been thrown.
"Well, well, this kid is quite sharp, managing to dodge my spear. You guys who said he wouldn't dodge, you owe me money later..."
As soon as the voice spoke, a chorus of curses erupted. Simultaneously, the pitch-black Yin Bamboo Forest suddenly lit up with over a dozen torches. One person was arguing heatedly with others, seemingly overjoyed at winning a bet.
I remained silent with a darkened expression, but inwardly, I cursed them all to hell.
As they approached, I finally saw that the person leading them out was the bearded man, Leng Bing, who had gone to the restaurant to have a portrait made.
The bearded leader, with a triumphant smile, said, "Surprised, aren't you? Tsk tsk... Fortunately, I'm quite clever and returned to the restaurant. As expected, the shopkeeper there knew your whereabouts. Otherwise, you would have truly escaped."
Seeing him appear, the joy I felt from escaping the "python" vanished without a trace. I never imagined that after painstakingly traveling along the Han River to reach the Yin Bamboo Forest, I would be betrayed by a single word from the shopkeeper.
"What did you do to the shopkeeper?"
"Heh heh... You're quite a lucky general, kid. That restaurant shopkeeper was initially unwilling to reveal your information. I used a little persuasion, and not only did he tell me you were coming to the Yin Bamboo Forest, but he also disclosed his identity. As long as I capture this big fish like you, I'm sure to be promoted from captain to colonel this time.
Brothers, capture him and hand him over to General Zuo. We'll have money, we'll have women, what are we waiting for? Go!"
Facing the ravenous guards, I had no choice but to summon the remaining Xuan Yang Qi within me, cast a Tian Qiao Seal upon myself, lower my body, and turn to run back towards the prince's mansion.
There was only one path leading to the pavilion in the Yin Bamboo Forest. If I didn't lure them away, I would have no way to enter.
As I ran, the guards quickly followed, their spears raining down behind me, relentlessly stabbing, giving the impression they wouldn't rest until I was dead.
"Damn it, you bastards, do you really think you're that capable? Don't kill that kid with your spears, bring him back alive!"
This gave me a moment of relief, having just dodged a spear. Otherwise, I would have been riddled with holes by now.
After running less than a hundred meters, I suddenly stopped, as a troop of people appeared ahead.
"This path is blocked."
The bearded leader following me said mockingly, "Kid, why aren't you running anymore? Weren't you quite good at running?"
Seeing an obstacle ahead and wolves behind, I felt a surge of unwillingness. I was so close to entering the Yin Bamboo Forest.
I turned to face the bearded leader, "What's so great about you? You only rely on numbers. If my elder brother were here, you lot of common thugs wouldn't be enough for him to cleave!"
As soon as I finished speaking, a spear was planted at my feet, its foot-long tip buried entirely in the ground, the butt of the spear trembling slightly in mid-air, emitting a buzzing sound.
"Kid, you're asking for death!"
The bearded leader's face turned ashen, his teeth grinding so loudly that I could hear it clearly from over five meters away.
It was evident that my words had enraged him.
"What? Did I say something wrong?" I looked at the bearded leader with a wicked glint in my eye. "Did my elder brother defeat you all single-handedly? You only dare to bully me. If you have the guts, fight me one-on-one. If I lose, you can do whatever you want with me."
My Xuan Yang Qi was completely depleted. If these people charged at me all at once, I would have nowhere to run.
But a one-on-one fight was different. It would make them lower their guard, and I could find an opportunity, while the Tian Qiao Seal was still active, to break into the Yin Bamboo Forest.
"Good kid, you've got guts. I'll give you this chance for a one-on-one."
The bearded leader stepped forward, his right hand moved, and the spear stuck in the ground returned to his hand. He then assumed a stance like a dragon emerging from its cage.
"Show your weapons."
A bitter smile played on my lips. Where would I get a weapon? If I possessed Zhang Dabiao's skills, I wouldn't be wasting my breath here, I would have beaten you back home to your mother long ago.
Maintaining appearances, I clasped my hands, adopting the starting posture of Tai Chi. "Do I need to use a weapon against mere shrimp soldiers like you?"
The bearded leader was so enraged by my words that smoke seemed to rise from his head. His spear, like a dragon, shot towards me like a dragon emerging from the sea.
"Seeking death!"