Chapter 3
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“Junior Brother,” Yunjing handed the snake skin to Pei Yunshu, “Do you want to touch the snake skin? See if the sensation matches what you felt when it wrapped around you earlier.”
Pei Yunshu’s lips turned pale, and he resisted, taking a step back.
As the bundle of snake skin unfurled, it was nearly a zhang (3.3 meters) long. The snake tail extended into the grass. Pei Yunshu retreated a step, and Yunjing stepped forward. The usually silent and reliable eldest Senior Brother now seemed like a devil, advancing toward Pei Yunshu.
Until Pei Yunshu had no more room to retreat, his back against a tree, Yunjing continued to approach.
“Junior Brother,” he said, his dark eyes seemingly puzzled, “It’s just snake skin.”
It’s just snake skin.
Pei Yunshu closed his eyes for a moment, then after a while extended his trembling hand with great effort.
Although it was snake skin, he could never forget the feeling of a snake crawling on his body—the slippery, cold, winding sensation that easily evoked unpleasant thoughts. Pei Yunshu used all his strength; everyone was watching him, and in order not to appear weak, he finally mustered the courage to touch it.
Pei Yunshu’s fingertips were fair and delicate. When they lightly brushed against the surface of the snake skin, the jet-black color made his hand appear even more jade-like. He made only a slight contact before quickly pulling his hand back. “It’s that.”
Yunman, who had been watching all along, chuckled, “Junior Brother, you touched it so quickly. What if you made the wrong judgment? Touch it again properly.”
Second Senior Brother smiled gracefully and nodded, agreeing with Yunman’s words in silence.
They were all laughing at him.
“…” Pei Yunshu gritted his teeth and reached out towards the snake skin again. However, just as he was about to touch the pure black snake skin, Yunjing moved it away.
“It’s getting late,” Yunjing bundled up the snake skin and led the way out, saying, “Let’s show this snake skin to Master while we still have time.”
Pei Yunshu’s hand was still suspended in the air. He hesitated for a moment before lowering it.
***
When they rode their swords to the Master’s dwelling, they saw Yunwang sitting under a peach blossom tree.
Yunwang had already changed into the Daoist robes of the sect, with the green flute and jade pendant hanging from his waist. He held a book in his hand, the cultivation technique from the Wuzhi Peak of the Shanshui Sect.
Even patched clothes couldn’t hide his beauty, let alone the Daoist robe that radiated an ethereal air, like peach blossoms in the rain.
When they landed, Yunwang’s eyes lit up, and he ran over with a smile, “Senior Brother!”
Pei Yunshu stood at the back, mingling with his Senior Brothers, and called out, “Junior Brother.”
“Little Junior Brother,” Eldest Senior Brother said, “Is Master inside?”
Yunwang’s beautiful face was full of smiles, “Master is inside. Do Senior Brothers have something to discuss with Master?”
Eldest Senior Brother led his Junior Brothers inside while saying, “We found something and wanted Master to take a look.”
Ling Qing Daoist Spiritual Master’s room was simply arranged. As soon as they entered, Pei Yunshu felt a strong sense of familiarity.
Normally, if he had nothing to do, Pei Yunshu would always come and bother Master here. Among all the disciples of the Wuzhi Peak, perhaps no one was more familiar with this place than he was. Now that he thought about it, he realized that he had been quite a bother.
“Senior Brother Yunshu,” Yunwang whispered beside Pei Yunshu, accompanied by a joyful smile, “Yunwang really likes the jade pendant you gave him.”
Pei Yunshu replied casually, “I’m glad Junior Brother likes it.”
Inside the room, Ling Qing Daoist Spiritual Master was already waiting, “What brings you here?”
Yunjing presented the pure black snake skin to him, “Master, take a look at this.”
Ling Qing Daoist Spiritual Master glanced at it and looked surprised. He picked up the snake skin and examined it in his hand for a moment before saying, “The shed skin of a snake transforming into a flood dragon. This is the skin shed by a flood dragon.”
A snake that transformed into a flood dragon would shed its skin multiple times. Each shedding produces a precious treasure. Who would have thought they would pick up such a valuable item so casually?
Seeing the astonishment on his disciples’ faces, Ling Qing Daoist Spiritual Master explained, “Transforming from a snake to a flood dragon is incredibly arduous, and becoming a true flood dragon is even more difficult. The skin shed by a flood dragon is considered your opportunity. Whether used for refining treasures or crafting pills, it’s a rare and valuable material.”
“Who found this?”
Eldest Senior Brother was about to speak, but Ling Qing Daoist Spiritual Master continued, “Never mind, you can distribute it amongst yourselves.”
“Yunshu,” Master turned to the fourth disciple, “come here.”
Pei Yunshu took a step forward.
In the past, if Master asked him to come forward, he would have happily run up without hesitation. But now, when called over, he dawdled and hesitated. Could it be that he still couldn’t bear to part with the jade pendant he gave him?
Ling Qing Daoist Spiritual Master thought this and casually took off the jade pendant from his waist, then threw it to Pei Yunshu, saying, “This jade pendant is compensation for you.”
Every jade pendant Ling Qing Daoist Spiritual Master wore was a priceless treasure. The one he threw to Pei Yunshu was entirely emerald green, smooth and round, exuding a vibrant vitality. It was no less precious than the warm jade he had given Yunwang earlier.
Yunwang, standing behind his Senior Brothers, gradually stopped smiling.
He held the jade pendant at his waist and realized that if he lost one, he could get another to supplement it.
“Master,” Pei Yunshu whispered softly, “Yunshu doesn’t need it.”
Ling Qing Daoist Spiritual Master’s expression darkened. He waved his sleeve, and everyone inside the room was swept out by a gust of wind. After they had left, the wooden door was tightly shut.
Third Senior Brother shook his folding fan up and down, “Oh dear, Junior Brother, it seems Master is angry.”
Pei Yunshu looked at the emerald jade in his hand and, after a while, acted according to his thoughts. He placed it in front of the wooden door, saying, “Master, giving such a valuable item to Yunshu is wasteful.”
In his previous life, Master had enumerated his sins word by word when he locked him in the courtyard.
Pei Yunshu’s mind was in a haze as well. Only then did he realize that he had been using so many precious treasures from the sect, and every item he used was so valuable. Yet he had recklessly squandered so many precious items, becoming a complete waste.
He couldn’t forget a single word Master said, nor could he forget them if he tried. Pei Yunshu truly felt that such a good jade pendant was useless in his hands. He didn’t dare to accept it, nor did he want it.
But as soon as he placed the jade pendant on the ground in front of the door, the excellent jade immediately shattered into pieces, losing its vitality.
Pei Yunshu was stunned.
His Senior Brothers were also taken aback, watching by the side.
The wooden door opened slightly, and another blood-red warm jade flew into Pei Yunshu’s hand. Ling Qing Daoist Spiritual Master said nothing, only his actions conveyed his message: if you don’t want it, then it will be destroyed; if you still don’t want it next time, I will keep smashing them until you accept.
Pei Yunshu tightly held onto the blood-red jade, gazing at the shattered jade pieces in front of the door.
He let out a bitter smile.
He didn’t want it, yet Master still insisted on giving it to him. If he ended up not accepting it, wouldn’t he become a thankless wretch again?
Jade pendants were sentient beings, even more so the ones that Ling Qing Daoist Spiritual Master wore.
After a while, Pei Yunshu tied the jade pendant to his belt. The internal flow of water inside the blood-red jade made it rotate gently. He murmured, “Thank you, Master.”
Finally, there were no more disturbances in Ling Qing Daoist Spiritual Master’s room.
Pei Yunshu crouched down, picking up the broken emerald jade. Yunwang also came over and began picking up the fragments.
“Senior Brother,” Yunwang’s voice carried a smile, “This blood jade looks really good on you.”
Pei Yunshu, dressed in white, had fair and snowy skin. The red jade did not clash with dust but instead made him appear even more ethereal, like an immortal surrounded by fragrant flowers and jade trees.
Yunwang continued, “Yunwang also likes this jade pendant.”
Pei Yunshu pursed his lips, finished picking up the broken jade pieces, and then said, “Senior Brother also likes it.”
It wasn’t that he liked the jade, nor did he dislike it, especially the one in his hand. But upon hearing his Junior Brother’s words, he didn’t want to go along with them and give this jade pendant to him too.
In this life, he wouldn’t contend with his Junior Brother, nor did he want to stay on Wuzhi Peak forever. Even if he didn’t comply with his Junior Brother’s request, he wouldn’t end up hating him inexplicably like he did in his previous life.
He didn’t like his Junior Brother, nor could he always go along with him like his Senior Brothers in his past life did.
Yunman, who had been listening to their conversation, said, “Junior Brother, if you like the jade pendant, just ask Master for one. The good jade Master has is surely unique. You can wear it all the way to Foundation Establishment.”
Yunwang added, “Why trouble Master? While I do like jade, one is enough for me. The warm jade Fourth Senior Brother gave me is already what I like.”
Third Senior Brother chuckled, “Good Junior Brother, you understand that having one is enough.”
Yunwang stayed with Ling Qing Daoist Spiritual Master. As they left, Pei Yunshu turned his head and saw Yunwang still standing in place, watching them gradually move away. His face had been expressionless, but when he saw Pei Yunshu turn back, he revealed a smile as bright as a delicate flower.
Pei Yunshu averted his gaze.
Upon reaching his courtyard, he hastily bid farewell to his Senior Brothers and entered the bathhouse with a set of clean clothes he had prepared earlier.
The snake had touched his leg, slowly moving up from his foot. Pei Yunshu endured until now, wanting nothing more than to wash away that sensation with water.
His bathhouse had a pool that was neither too big nor too small. Once the hot water had filled it, Pei Yunshu undressed and entered the water.
His clothes were draped over a folding screen, and his dark hair was damply clinging to his shoulders.
After relaxing for a while, Pei Yunshu carefully inspected his body for anything unusual. He didn’t even spare the more private areas of his thighs. Fortunately, there was nothing there. Whether it was a flood dragon or a snake, it must have known not to mess with him and had fled.
Pei Yunshu breathed a sigh of relief and began washing himself.
When he rose from the water, he suddenly heard a slight noise near the folding screen. Following the sound, Pei Yunshu saw his outer robe floating down to the ground.
Where did the wind come from?
Pei Yunshu put on his clothes and picked up his robe, draping it over the folding screen again.
After a long day, he was exhausted. He laid on the bed, looking at the familiar ceiling beams. Just as he was about to close his eyes and sleep, Pei Yunshu felt a sudden warmth on his thigh.
It was a subtle, fine heat—not painful, but impossible to ignore.
Pei Yunshu turned over and removed his inner garment. He looked at the heated area and saw a snake-shaped mark about the size of a palm on his previously unblemished skin.
The snake was entirely black, as if it could absorb candlelight. Its eyes glowed red, and there were two indistinct small bumps on its head, giving it a lifelike appearance.
Pei Yunshu’s breath caught, almost believing that a live snake was coiled around his leg!
Cold sweat formed on his forehead, and he tremblingly reached out to touch the mark. The candlelight flickered for a moment and then returned to its brightness in the next instant. However, the snake pattern on his leg had vanished.
Author’s Note: The process of a snake transforming into a flood dragon and then into a flood dragon is my own creation, and there are deviations from the original myth.
Pei Yunshu (confidently): The snake realized it couldn’t mess with me and fled!
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That Yunwang guy is soooo suspicious