The next day.
It was a rare rest day for the junior disciples. After meditating on the morning mist, the white serpent indulged in a lazy sleep-in.
“Wake up, you big lazy worm! Come with me to the back mountain to pick some fruit!” Xu Ling leaned in close, her face almost touching the serpent’s head.
The serpent turned away and kept sleeping.
Annoyed, Xu Ling grabbed its tail and yanked—but no matter how hard she pulled, she couldn’t dislodge the serpent from the pillar.
Snakes eat meat, not fruit.
Back when it was bored, the serpent had tried fruit once. But with its different taste buds, it couldn’t appreciate the flavors at all—it just tasted like a watery lump.
“If you come with me, I’ll get you a Peiyuan Pill.”
Xu Ling crossed her arms and grinned, saying the magic words.
“Sss~”
“You agree? Hah! I knew you were a glutton. How have you not exploded from eating all those waste pills? Come on, let’s go!”
Xu Ling led the way, with the serpent slithering lazily behind her. Yang Mu, unwilling to watch this nonsense, retreated into the hall—though secretly, he wanted to join the fun too.
Twisting and turning, the serpent followed Xu Ling through the palace complex to the back mountain.
This area was more like a study park for Pure Yang disciples—lush bamboo groves swaying in the breeze, emerald-green grass by the streams, and disciples meditating quietly everywhere. Occasionally, couples could be seen whispering sweet nothings by the waterfalls.
In short, it was a lovely place—akin to a university campus garden.
With the abundant spiritual energy of Hua Mountain, flowers and fruit trees thrived. Xu Ling nimbly weaved through the woods until she found a pear tree.
The tree was ancient—at least five or six hundred years old—its branches heavy with large, fragrant pears. Only personal disciples like Xu Ling and Yang Mu had access to this area. Older disciples had no interest in the fruit, leaving them for the younger ones.
“The pears from this tree are delicious! Don’t you want to try one?” Xu Ling took a bite and held the pear out to the serpent.
The serpent tilted its head away.
“Fine, fine. You snakes only care about meat. More for me!”
As she finished her pear, Xu Ling spotted an exceptionally large one high up in the canopy. Her eyes gleamed mischievously as she glanced at the napping serpent.
“Hey, lazy worm, climb up and get that pear for me. I can’t reach it.”
The serpent rolled its eyes.
Yeah, right. Since when can’t you use qinggong?
Still, it had no choice but to comply. Offending the landlord’s daughter wasn’t wise when living in Clear Void Palace.
Snakes climb trees with ease. With a flick of its head, the serpent shook the branch, sending the pear tumbling toward Xu Ling, who caught it with a giggle and took a big bite without even wiping it.
Suddenly, the serpent spotted a familiar figure approaching in the distance.
In its past life, this man would’ve been idol material—handsome, refined, with a gentle aura and narrow, melancholic eyes that seemed to carry hidden sorrows. Dressed in blue-and-white robes and carrying two swords (one long, one short), he exuded noble elegance.
It was none other than Chu Zhe, the celebrity head disciple of Pure Yang.
The moment Xu Ling saw him, her eyes glazed over, and her heartbeat sped up so violently the serpent could feel the vibrations from the tree.
Oh no. She’s got a crush.
Xu Ling tossed her pear, wiped her mouth, and frantically smoothed her robes and hair before sprinting toward him—only to switch to a demure walk at the last second.
The serpent’s eyes widened.
Since when did your acting skills get so good?! Find the original chapter at g.com.
“Greetings, Senior Brother Chu~”
The handsome man stopped and smiled warmly at her. The serpent couldn’t bear to watch—the secondhand embarrassment was too much. Even an idiot could see how nervous she was.
Chu Zhe was young, exceptionally talented, and rumored to be the strongest among all disciples. He was the top candidate to become the next Sect Master—a genius with both skill and charisma.
“Little Ling’er, sneaking off to the back mountain again? Your master won’t be happy if you neglect your training.”
He patted her head affectionately.
Xu Ling, usually a whirlwind of mischief, melted like a kitten under his touch.
“Master knows~ She doesn’t mind! Senior Brother, are you here to cultivate?”
“I just left seclusion and needed some air. So you’ve even dragged Master Yu’s serpent out here?”
He glanced at the serpent in the tree.
Xu Ling blushed.
“No, no! I brought it to eat peaches! It’s really smart, even if its cultivation is low. Here, lazy worm—wag your tail for Senior Brother!”
She gestured excitedly at the serpent.
The serpent turned its head away, ignoring her completely.
“You—! You rebellious worm! Just wait till I tell Master you’ve been sneaking peacock meat!”
The serpent nearly fell out of the tree.
How does she know about that?!
Chu Zhe’s lips twitched.
“Don’t mind it, Senior Brother! I’ll train it to obey soon!” Xu Ling clenched her fists determinedly.
“Be kind to it, Ling’er. Beasts gaining sentience is rare enough.”
He smiled. “I’ll take a stroll up the mountain. Don’t play too long.”
“Bye, Senior Brother~!”
Xu Ling waved dreamily as he disappeared into the bamboo forest, then stood there giggling to herself.
The serpent shook its head.
Who knew the little troublemaker could be so earnest?
But Chu Zhe clearly saw her as nothing more than a child.
Poor girl. Let’s hope heartbreak doesn’t ruin her cultivation.
Meanwhile, deep in the bamboo grove, Chu Zhe paused as another handsome disciple emerged—one whose aura was nearly as strong as his own.
“Congratulations on your breakthrough, Senior Brother. Truly worthy of Pure Yang’s top genius.”
The tone was mocking.
“Thank you, Junior Brother Lian. You’ve improved as well.”
“Hardly. I just hope not to embarrass myself too badly in the upcoming sect competition.”
“We’ll see then.”
The two brushed past each other, the air between them frosty.
Where there are people, there’s conflict—even in an immortal sect.
Xu Ling was still daydreaming under the tree when the serpent suddenly jerked its head up, sensing someone approaching.
It nudged her with its tail.
“Huh? Why’d you push me—?”
She looked up and paled.
“Ah! S-Senior Brother Lian! Disciple Xu Ling pays her respects!”
Her sudden nervousness surprised the serpent.
Since when does this brat get scared?
“Little Ling’er, here for pears again?”
The man—Lian Tianxing, the second disciple of the Sect Master—smirked before noticing the serpent.
“And what’s this?”
“T-This is my master’s gate-guarding spirit beast…”
“Hmph! Now even animals can waltz into Pure Yang?”
The serpent locked eyes with him, which only seemed to enrage Lian Tianxing further.
“You beast!”
He reached for his sword, eyes blazing.
“Senior Brother! My master is very fond of this serpent!”
Xu Ling stepped in front of the serpent, her voice trembling.
“Keep it out of my sight. Or it might just become a sword sheath one day.”
With that, he stormed off.
No wonder Xu Ling had acted so differently around him.
The serpent seriously considered eating him.
Once he was gone, Xu Ling exhaled in relief.
“That was Lian Tianxing, the Sect Master’s second disciple. He’s the most hot-tempered among the senior disciples and always clashes with Senior Brother Chu. Worst of all, he’s a high-ranking enforcer in the Disciplinary Hall—no one dares oppose him openly, or he’ll punish them under sect rules.”
She lowered her voice.
“Rumor has it his entire family—dozens of them—were killed by demons. That’s why he hates all monsters.”
Ah. So that’s the story.
But just because his family was slaughtered didn’t mean he could take it out on every non-human.
What a lunatic.
With their mood ruined, the serpent and Xu Ling returned to Clear Void Palace early.