Zhongshan Shenzhu Chi

Zhongshan Mountain, beside the Luo River.

As usual, the giant snake rested its head on the shore while its massive body submerged in the water.

The snake's tongue flickered in and out slowly, and the essence of the sun and moon flowed continuously into its body.

The Luo River flowed quietly with the great serpent's breath, dissipating the lingering warmth emanating from its body, unhurried and gentle, as if the entire river flowed solely for it.

"Candle, I heard from the white fox that you want to draw a map of Zhongshan's watercourses... Why?" A huge blue tiger leaped off the cliff and landed in front of the red snake.

After more than ten days of absence, the green tiger's stripes became even hotter, as if flames were embedded in its muscle texture and burning.

Especially the "king" character on its forehead, which embodies the ferocity of the Azure Tiger.

It was clearly still, but with just a slight gaze, the character "王" (king) seemed to transform into a tangible, fiery tiger, carrying an irresistible majesty and intense heat, rushing straight into one's heart.

"Ten years from now, the drought of three hundred years ago will return to Yongning Continent. I need to make some preparations for the creatures of Zhongshan in advance," the giant serpent said truthfully, shifting its gaze.

"The drought three hundred years ago? Wasn't that eliminated by the Serpent God?" Upon hearing this, Lord Qinghu was first surprised, and then his heart sank when he met the serpent's unquestionable gaze.

"How can I help?" Qinghu asked.

"After the fox has discovered the water veins of Zhongshan, I plan to set up thirty-six water collection points on Zhongshan to provide water for the disaster-stricken creatures."

"And all of this is inseparable from the water element that is currently accumulating underground."

"If you don't know what to do, just focus on training like the Golden Ape King and the others. The stronger you are before the drought comes, the better."

Once the residual heat from its body dissipated, the giant snake swam out of the Luo River and coiled itself into a ball on the bank.

"I can learn," Qinghu said firmly. "Aren't there still humans in the mountains? I'll go find them and learn how to store water."

"Oh?" The giant snake looked at the mountain king with some surprise.

In Zhongshan, apart from himself and his mother, no demon beast would take the human craftsmanship seriously.

Here, everything is judged by strength.

Even it itself had to beat up the Golden Ape King and the Bloodhound several times before it established its current prestige.

But this majestic mountain lord is actually going to learn from humans?

"Are you really going to learn from humans?" the giant snake asked.

"I stayed in the Golden Ape Valley for two days. They were focused on their cultivation, while I was contemplating."

The Azure Tiger held its head high, its radiance enhanced by the sunlight, making it appear exceptionally majestic and powerful.

"Ultimately, humans, like us, are all beings of Zhongshan. There may be friction in daily life, which is unavoidable due to the nature of our species. But when faced with natural disasters, we should join hands..."

As they spoke, the giant snake slowly moved forward, its body coiling, and drew closer to the blue tiger.

Its heterochromatic eyes, as bright as stars, met its apricot-yellow tiger eyes.

Their eyes met, their breaths mingled, and Shan Jun's words came to an abrupt halt, his limbs stiffening.

Huai Nian did not see the slightest bit of falsehood in it.

Just as the giant serpent was about to turn its head, the mountain king lowered its head first, "What...what are you doing..."

"I truly didn't expect that among the five of you, there would actually be one capable person," the serpent thought with deep emotion. "What you just said, were all things you came up with yourself?"

"Pretty much... They're either focused on cultivation or sleeping, they don't have time to chat with me." The blue tiger lowered its head, watching its front paws slowly dig through the sand.

"Pretty good." Looking at the blue tiger with its head down in front of him, Huai Nian suddenly thought of the little black crow that had been living in the Snake God Valley.

It was waiting for me on the banks of the Luo River back then.

The giant snake raised its tail tip and placed it on the green tiger's head.

The moment I touched it, I could clearly feel its whole body stiffen suddenly, becoming as still as a statue, and even holding its breath.

The tip of its tail rubbed against the blue tiger's head for a moment, and then the red snake retracted its tail in the blink of an eye: "When drawing the watercourse map of Zhongshan, the white fox should be the main subject."

"Your priority right now is cultivation. I look forward to seeing you break free of your shackles and become a great demon queen."

Having said that, the giant snake turned around, its scales rubbing against the sand, making a rustling, rhythmic sound.

Like a farewell melody in an unknown piece.

A strange emotion welled up in Qinghu's heart, but he couldn't quite put his finger on whether it was curiosity or something else.

It suddenly looked up and asked, "What are you going to do?"

"Yongningzhou is vast, and Zhongshan cannot remain unaffected. I must descend the mountain and experience the human world."

The giant snake didn't turn its head back, its body winding like a quietly flowing mountain stream.

Even though it was right in front of him, the mountain king couldn't sense its presence.

At this moment, it was somewhat confused as to whether the giant snake or Zhongshan was actually in front of it.

Only the sound of flowing water lingered in my ears.

Qinghu turned to look at the Luo River, its current far stronger than before, swift and splashing, with white foam rising from the waves.

*

*

*

After realizing his intention to go down the mountain, the giant snake once again felt something was wrong with his body.

What's different this time is that it's now clearly visible to the naked eye.

Despite its slow pace, it reached the Valley of the Serpent God in a much shorter time than ever before.

The time has been reduced by at least half.

"Are you all waiting for me to come down the mountain?" the giant snake murmured, then slithered into the valley.

Deep inside, an eye suddenly opened on the rock wall.

"A-Nian, are you sure you want to go down the mountain? You haven't advanced to a great demon yet, and it's very dangerous for people down the mountain." The snake god's gentle voice echoed in Huai Nian's mind.

"That's why I've come to you. Is there any way to conceal my presence? At least to make humans think I'm unfathomable?" The red serpent pressed its head tightly against the rock wall, but could not sense any life force.

"Yes, definitely. But you'll have to pay a price."

"Please speak."

"This method is called Sealing Consciousness and Concealing Breath, originating from the Zen practice of silent cultivation. If I cast this spell, before you return to Zhongshan, you will only be able to perceive the world by listening and by relying on the cold and heat vision that snakes are naturally gifted with."

"While it might make cultivators think you're very powerful, you can't speak or see... Do you still want it?"

"Mother, cast the spell." The giant serpent raised its head, its eyes meeting the open eye on the rock wall with unwavering determination.

"Very good eyesight." The snake god spoke softly, as a gentle breeze swept by.

Huai Nian lost his sight in an instant. It was as if there was a thick layer of frosted glass in front of him, and the outline of the world was completely blurred. Even when he was close to the rock wall, he could only see a chaotic color.

A thought arises, and the perspective shifts.

The coldness and warmth of heaven and earth are reflected in my heart; the rock wall is black, and my mother's eyes are gray.

"Mother, I'm going down the mountain," the red serpent whispered to itself, before swimming away.

"Go."

"The God of Zhongshan should not have stayed in the mountains all this time."

The serpent god's words were like murmurs, drifting away on the wind.

The words that reached the red serpent's ears were nothing more than a mother's murmured admonitions to her child who was about to embark on a long journey.