In the deepest, most secluded part of the forest, where not a single chirp of bird or insect could be heard, a flickering fire leaped and crackled, emitting both light and heat. Its glow illuminated the surrounding area for several yards and roasted the wild boar meat on the crude spit, making a sizzling sound as its rich, fatty aroma filled the air.
Though there was no salt, and only a few barely identifiable wild herbs had been found, Li Xiaobai still enjoyed the meal, savoring every bite of the sizzling meat despite the heat of the fire. With the limited provisions at hand, simply having something to eat was a blessing.
A fist-sized chunk of rear leg meat was swallowed down, and the warmth from the fire slowly seeped into his chilled, stiff body, reviving both his warmth and vitality, even alleviating some of his aches and pains.
He tossed aside the bone he'd picked clean and reached for another skewer of meat when he suddenly paused, tilting his head to look at the snake demon, now in human form. "You—what was your name again? Qingyao, right? Aren't you having some too? Though it's a little plain, the fire's just right."
His suggestion was not out of any gentlemanly concern, but rather a clever survival tactic, hoping to fill her up so she wouldn't consider him as a snack for the time being. A touch of cunning wisdom in the art of survival.
The snake woman, sitting not far off, gazed vacantly at the fire. Upon hearing his voice, she looked up, her lips curving into a smile. "Thank you for remembering my name, my lord. Please, take your time. If it's not enough, I can fetch more for you."
In her eyes, the fact that he remembered her name was the most significant thing to her.
"Uh! I'm good, really, this is more than enough!" Li Xiaobai chuckled awkwardly, still vividly recalling how the wild boar had met its end before being roasted on the fire.
The snake woman merely glanced indifferently into the dense forest, and soon, a large boar, its body trembling, appeared and dropped dead without a sound, falling to the ground.
Li Xiaobai didn't want to end up as her next meal, especially in such an undignified manner. Although he had long come to terms with life and death, he didn't want to die so inexplicably.
Moreover, he had found a new purpose in life—finding the young lady of the Wu family to be his bride and stripping that wretched "tofu beauty" bare to his heart's content, all so that his grandfather could rest in peace.
The two of them fell into silence once more. The crackling fire sent occasional bursts of sound into the quiet night, while Li Xiaobai nibbled slowly at his meat, glancing occasionally at the snake woman who continued to stare into the fire.
He had no desire to return to the cold, dark snake den. To delay the inevitable, he deliberately slowed his chewing, taking small, deliberate bites of the roasted meat, making the act last as long as possible.
The snake woman, absorbed in her thoughts, seemed unaware of his subtle intention.
The sun had already set, and the night sky, dotted with stars, began to deepen as the forest grew quiet. Unknowingly, Li Xiaobai had finished the second piece of roasted meat and, with a satisfied stretch, leaned back against a tree. A wave of fatigue washed over him, and his eyelids grew heavy. He drifted off, the sound of his soft snoring filling the air.
—
"Chirp! Chirp!" The sounds of birds chirping high in the sky and the dappled light filtering through the trees gradually stirred Li Xiaobai from his slumber.
Daylight had arrived? He yawned lazily, eager to return to his dreams.
But wait!
Something felt off.
It was as though something was resting beside him, pressing gently on his left shoulder.
Li Xiaobai slowly opened his eyes and turned his head to see a beautiful woman, her face bare of makeup, leaning against his left shoulder.
Her long, silky hair cascaded down her back like a waterfall, her fair skin smooth and flawless. A delicate nose and long lashes fluttered slightly with each breath she took. Beneath her thin garment, her curves were unmistakable, though her body felt slightly cool.
His gaze drifted to the now-extinguished fire, leaving only wisps of smoke and gray ashes behind.
What was going on here?
Yesterday's memories surged back like a lightning strike—giant snakes, demons, the snake woman...
Li Xiaobai turned his head back, dread forming in the pit of his stomach as he realized the truth. No matter how fair her features, the snake demon was still a bloodthirsty creature!
What was worse, their relationship was not that of a romantic interest, but rather a predator and prey.
He recalled the tale of "The Farmer and the Snake" and wondered if this demoness intended to devour him after he awoke. He had no desire for such a sinister "good morning" bite.
Perhaps sensing he had stirred, the snake woman slowly opened her eyes and fixed her gaze on him. She tilted her head slightly, observing him silently, no intention of moving. She seemed completely at ease, as though nothing was amiss.
The feel of her hair against his skin sent an involuntary shiver through him, and he couldn't help but feel a cold chill run down his spine.
That look...
A chill ran through him as if winter had suddenly arrived, and he had no doubt that, should the circumstances change, he might be nothing more than a meal for this creature.
Li Xiaobai, trying to maintain his composure, forced a smile, though it was more painful than comforting. "Good morning! But... please, no biting!"
His smile, strained and awkward, betrayed his inner fear. He still had unfinished business in the mortal realm, and he couldn't bear the thought of dying so foolishly.
The snake woman, who appeared entirely unbothered, gazed at him with serene eyes, her voice soft but unwavering. "Good morning, my lord."
"Good morning! But please... don't bite!" he responded, his tone desperate.
Her body, as supple as if it had no bones, pressed gently against his rapidly beating chest. She slowly stood up, surveying her surroundings for a moment before speaking again, her voice calm yet decisive. "My lord, it is time for us to leave."
Li Xiaobai, reacting on instinct, asked, "Leave? Where are we going?"
She toyed with a strand of her hair, her eyes sparkling with mischief. "We are leaving this place. The farther, the better."
Leave? Wasn't she supposed to return to the snake den?
Li Xiaobai noticed something odd in her words and sensed that their destination was not the den he had feared. Before he could ponder further, she pointed toward the forest with her slender arm.
"Go that way."
Still confused, Li Xiaobai had no choice but to follow her, stumbling through the dense forest, his feet moving unevenly.
He was unarmed and with no real chance of defeating a powerful demon. If he resisted, he might end up in her stomach sooner than expected.
Although the snake woman now appeared to be in human form, her strength far surpassed his. She scaled three mountains effortlessly, her movements smooth and graceful, while Li Xiaobai struggled to keep up, breathless, stumbling over his own feet. His hair was disheveled, his clothes torn, and he was a picture of exhaustion.
Despite the distance between them, she never turned to check on him, yet somehow always kept just far enough ahead that he couldn't catch up, but also never left him too far behind.
"Hey, hey, Snake! Where are we going?" Li Xiaobai shouted in frustration, realizing that they were definitely not heading toward the snake den. He began to worry that she might be planning some cruel fate for him, like boiling him alive or cooking him like some grotesque delicacy.
Just then, the snake woman stopped abruptly, turning to face him. Her expression had changed completely, no longer playful but cold and calculating, her eyes locked onto him with an eerie intensity.
"Are you tired, my lord?"
Her tone was flat, devoid of any emotion, sending a shiver through him.
"Uh, no, not really. I can keep going..." Li Xiaobai forced a laugh.
"Then please rest for a while," she said calmly, and at those words, Li Xiaobai felt a chill run down his spine. Could this be the moment she revealed her true form?
A sense of dread filled him as he considered the possibility that "rest" meant something far more permanent.
Before he could react, her gaze shifted past him to something behind.
"Brother Bear, where are you going?"
"Brother Bear?"
Li Xiaobai turned around quickly, and his eyes widened when he saw, emerging from behind several towering trees, a giant, furry beast—a massive bear-like creature, its gray fur matted with age and its imposing size like a mountain.
"Little Snake, Yellow Horn told me to watch you. So, I'm watching you. What's that smell?" The bear sniffed the air, its gaze suddenly locking onto Li Xiaobai.
"Emperor's Sap? He smells like Emperor's Sap!" the bear bellowed.
With a deafening roar, the bear suddenly stood on its hind legs, raising one enormous paw to strike. "Human, give me the Emperor's Sap, or I'll slap you into a meat pancake!"
The bear demon's methods were as blunt and brutal as its size