In the blink of an eye, the white serpent had transformed into a classically beautiful woman in hanfu.
Yu Rong nodded in approval. Much better.
The shoes, however, were still a problem. Xu Ling fetched several pairs, replacing the clumsy oversized ones the serpent had haphazardly chosen.
“Gaining sentience and human form is no small feat. Remember—do not bring calamity upon the mortal world or spill blood recklessly. The path is long; cultivate diligently and do not waste this hard-won opportunity.”
Yu Rong’s words were earnest.
The serpent nodded.
“Hsss~”
The three humans froze.
Hearing a snake’s hiss from a human mouth was… unsettling.
Even the serpent itself was baffled. Why couldn’t it speak?
“Hss… hss? Hssss!”
Panicking, it clutched its throat, shaking its head—but only more hisses emerged. No matter how it contorted its lips, human speech eluded it.
Yu Rong, experienced as she was, understood immediately.
“Beasts have a crossbone in their throats. Only by refining it can they speak. For a transformed demon, this is simple—a matter of days.”
Xu Ling and Yang Mu grasped the truth, while the serpent sighed in resignation.
“Pure Yang has no demonic cultivation methods. Continue as before—you’ve learned enough Taoist techniques to manage. Wear your jade pendant to avoid misunderstandings. Once the crossbone is refined, you may descend the mountain.”
Another nod. Its face remained expressionless.
“Hss~”
Not that it could make expressions.
Snakes lacked facial muscles for emoting. Even in human form, controlling them was foreign and awkward.
(If a demon could instantly master human expressions and speech upon transforming, that would be pure nonsense. Adaptation took time.)
“Do you have a name? ‘Bai Yu Jun’ doesn’t count. Choose a new one.”
A name?
Pondering, the serpent decided:
White (白) — For its scales.
Rain (雨) — For the downpour outside.
Jade (珺) — Combining “king” (王) and “lord” (君), symbolizing its dream of divinity.
Bai Yu Jun. (白雨珺)
Fetching paper and brush, it awkwardly scrawled the characters.
(The trio found this perfectly normal. Flawless calligraphy right after transforming? Now that would be suspicious.)
“Bai Yu Jun? A fine name.”
…………
The snowy bamboo forest behind the mountain became a training ground for a stumbling girl in white.
Clutching bamboo stalks for support, she lurched like a toddler, often tumbling into the leaves.
(Crawling was so much easier.)
After days of effort, she could walk steadily—mostly.
…………
One day, the dining hall.
Three youths entered—Bai Yu Jun, Xu Ling, and Yang Mu.
Heads turned. A young disciple’s steamed bun was snatched by his neighbor unnoticed, his gaze glued to Bai Yu Jun.
The mountain had no shortage of beauties, but this ethereal grace was unmatched.
Girls pinched their partners’ ears; unattached boys perked up with interest.
Xu Ling and Yang Mu claimed a table while Bai Yu Jun headed for the kitchen.
Whispers spread:
“Who is she?”
“No robes, no sword—not a disciple?”
Only a few seniors recognized the jade pendant.
The plump head chef froze, cleaver mid-air, as the girl entered.
“Little miss, wrong door?”
Bai Yu Jun smiled—a silent thank you for years of meals.
Clang!
A junior chef dropped his knife, nearly chopping his own foot.
In the backyard, she approached her usual basin of bloody scraps—low-grade but plentiful.
Then the chef witnessed the most horrifying sight of his life…
Under the warm sun, the angelic girl in white crouched, plucking raw meat with slender fingers and swallowing it whole.
The world, he lived, had gone insane.
…………
Spirit Void Palace
Disciples with gourd pendants gaped as a white-robed beauty glided inside, moving in a serpentine S-pattern.
The guard formations didn’t react.
The waste manager stared, baffled, as the girl seated herself calmly, then—
Grabbed a handful of defective pills and swallowed them whole.
…Those were for the serpent! Would she poison herself?!
After finishing, Bai Yu Jun smiled and sauntered off.
Could it be…?
…………
Zuowang Peak.
A new batch of disciples, ages six to fifteen, marveled at the immortal ambiance. Among them walked a girl in white, unchallenged by the guards (thanks to that pendant).
At the summit, beneath a massive peach tree, an elder lectured:
“Empty the mind, fill the belly…”
“Focus the spirit, still the body…”
“Heart’s fast…”
“Sitting in oblivion…”
“Breath control…”
“Unity…”
Perched on a branch, Bai Yu Jun swung her legs lazily, absorbing every word.
(High vantage points were best.)
“Pay attention! Next one distracted fetches water for a week!”
The elder’s scolding halted daydreamers. Spotting the girl, he noted the serpent’s pendant and its usual perch.
Ah. So that’s her.
…………
A sword-light streaked across the sky.
Chu Zhe, the top disciple, had come to inspect the newcomers.
His landing awed the juniors.
Then he saw her—
A petite figure in white, hair loosely tied, lounging on the peach tree with bored elegance.
Heavenly.
Their eyes met.
Bai Yu Jun tilted her head.
(Ah, Xu Ling’s crush. Not bad-looking.)
Chu Zhe’s Dao heart quivered.
The teaching elder glanced between them, confused.
What’s wrong with the senior brother?
No one noticed—his steadfast mind had just cracked.