“

Boom

!”

“

Rumble…

”

The thunder rolled, and the world darkened.

The summer storm ravaged the trees and grasses in the mountains, and amidst the rustling, the sound of snapping branches could be heard from time to time.

Raindrops dripped down from the eaves of the pavilion, coursing down branches and blades of grass, and flowing down the hats and hair of the

jianghu

people. In the heavy rain, everything appeared somewhat blurred, yet also strikingly clear.

Seeing the Daoist remain seated and silent in the pavilion while their own numbers grew larger, the

jianghu

people felt more at ease. Not only were more skilled

jianghu

experts gathering, but also members from many prominent

jianghu

sects, as well as some well-informed individuals that everyone knew were working for powerful ministers in the court.

With so many people, the atmosphere became increasingly confident, and they edged closer to the pavilion.

However, the Daoist turned his gaze toward the distant scenery.

“

Boom

!”

Amidst the thunder, the Daoist finally stood up. The clamor of the

jianghu

people suddenly paused.

The

jianghu

heroine in the pavilion glanced at the crowd. No matter how skilled she was, she feared that in a mass of people like this, she wouldn't be able to make much of an impact. But since she couldn’t win a fight, there was no point in being afraid. She grasped her long sword and moved closer, seemingly just wanting to observe the commotion.

The girl behind her glanced at the fierce

jianghu

people outside, then looked up at her Daoist priest, tugging at his robe.

“It’s fine,” the Daoist said softly to her, then stepped forward.

Stopping at the edge of the pavilion, the Daoist didn’t look at the

jianghu

people but instead turned to a certain direction and asked, “Why are you here to watch the show, senior?”

As his words fell, the reactions among the

jianghu

people varied.

Some were momentarily stunned, some were confused, and some looked in the direction he pointed. Others saw nothing and withdrew their gaze, thinking to advise the Daoist not to put on airs.

However, before they could react, a massive thunderclap echoed through the heavens and the earth.

“

Boom

!”

The sound was continuous and deafening.

No, it wasn’t thunder! It was the sound coming from the mountain!

The

jianghu

people widened their eyes, keenly sensing that something was amiss. They looked around, trying to find reassurance in the faces of those nearby, but all they saw reflected their own wariness.

In that instant, another rumble resounded. The ground began to tremble, as if the very heavens and earth were about to collapse.

Fortunately, the

jianghu

people were well-grounded, allowing them to maintain their footing on the road.

“Look!” one

jianghu

person shouted, pointing in a direction.

It was the very direction the Daoist had been looking at earlier.

Everyone turned to gaze, only to see the mist and rain in the mountains suddenly swirling like silk being waved by a hand, gradually gathering together. ℞Ã𐌽о𐌱ƐS

Such an extraordinary sight was not a mere trick of the

jianghu

entertainers but an anomaly of the entire world.

As the mist and rain fully coalesced, the crowd gasped in shock. It was none other than a colossal serpent winding its way through the mountains.

The massive serpent appeared to be made entirely of clouds and mist, insubstantial and ethereal, its length and size unknown. It curled up, filling the valley before them. Notably, it had two small horns on its head.

“It’s the Snake Immortal!”

“The Snake Immortal has manifested!”

“With two horns on its head! Could it truly have transformed into a dragon?!”

The earth trembled once more as the giant mist serpent moved through the mountains, slowly turning its head to look their way.

In the ethereal mist, the giant serpent's features were obscured, and its eyes were not visible. Yet, this enchanting scene with such a colossal creature made everyone's hearts race with fear.

This was no mere sleight of hand. Everyone was taken aback, their faces pale.

Although they had long heard that the Snake Immortal held a divine position and was kind-hearted, never harming others, it was still just hearsay. They dared not feel certain of its nature. Moreover, they had also heard that the Snake Immortal disliked conflict and violence, often punishing evildoers. With so many of them standing here with weapons, who could know if they had angered the Snake Immortal?

At this moment, separated by half a mountain chasm, they locked eyes with the enormous and ethereal Snake Immortal. There was no trace of kindness or benevolence to be found on the serpent’s head.

The giant serpent, formed from swirling rain and mist, was insubstantial and ethereal. It was gliding along the mountainside, brushing past them with countless gusts of wind and rain that knocked them off balance and left them staggering.

“

Whoosh…

”

The

jianghu

people had no time to react.

They could only struggle to steady themselves, grabbing hold of anything they could with their faces distorted by the force of the wind. Their hats were whisked away effortlessly, and their raincoats torn apart.

As they witnessed the wind and rain brought by the giant mist serpent rapidly intensifying, accompanied by the trembling of the earth, they felt utterly powerless to resist. Even those who drew their swords and swung wildly at the mist could strike nothing at all.

The sounds of wind, rain, and breaking branches mixed with the anguished cries of the

jianghu

people and the whinnies of horses resounded throughout the land.

By the time the giant mist serpent had passed through more than half of its length, all the

jianghu

people were swept up by the serpent. With a gentle flick of its tail, they were unceremoniously thrown off the cliff.

The only ones left unharmed were the pavilion and its occupants. The woman and the little girl had already been left in a daze. The yellow-maned horse was in a state of panic.

“

Whoosh

...”

𝕗𝕣𝐞𝐞𝘄𝐞𝚋𝚗𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗹.𝚌𝕠𝚖

The giant serpent glided around the mountain, then returned to the hollow in front, coiling up and lifting its head to gaze at the pavilion.

The Daoist stood in the pavilion, meeting its gaze. Narrowing his eyes, he pondered for a moment before raising his hand in greeting. “Thank you for your assistance, senior...”

The giant mist serpent remained still, its expression inscrutable. After less than a breath, it suddenly burst apart, scattering all the rain and mist back into the mountains.

“...”

The woman and the little girl widened their eyes, one in a stupor and the other in confusion. They saw countless streams of dissipating mist flowing down the distant mountainside, crashing like water against the shore. It seemed as though that figure lingered in their vision, along with the scene of the

jianghu

people utterly powerless to resist, leaving them astonished.

“What was that?” The little girl turned her gaze toward the Daoist.

“That would be the legendary Snake Immortal,” the Daoist replied as he walked toward the edge of the pavilion closest to the cliff.

“How can a snake be that big?”

“That isn’t the true form of the Snake Immortal; it's merely a manifestation of its magic used to aid us,” the Daoist said, gently patting the little girl's head as he stared at the cliff before them. “But the Snake Immortal is indeed quite remarkable.”

“That's amazing!”

“Yes.”

“Can I be that powerful in the future?”

“Of course.”

The cliff before them was steep, descending straight to the base of the mountain. Fortunately, it wasn’t vertical but had a certain curve, covered with grass and trees. Being thrown down from here wouldn't necessarily mean death, but surviving wouldn't be easy either.

One also had to consider their own fortune.

At this moment, with a glance down, countless figures were visible below. Some were on the cliff and might survive, while others had already reached the bottom; if they weren’t top-tier

jianghu

heroes, they likely wouldn’t have made it.

“

Sigh

...” Song You sighed and shook his head.

He couldn’t tell whether the Snake Immortal really had any old ties with the grandmaster of the Hidden Dragon Temple, nor did he know if the immortal was aware or suspected that he was an heir of the Hidden Dragon Temple.

Naturally, he also didn’t know if the immortal had simply learned of his good deeds and wanted to help as it couldn’t bear to see him struggle, or if it was merely a casual greeting to the disciple of an old acquaintance.

Regardless, since the immortal had offered assistance, it was only right to express gratitude.

However, at this moment, he could sense that the Snake Immortal had already departed. Well then, he would come looking for it again next time.

“

Sigh

...”

The Daoist shook his head and sighed once more.

Though the Snake Immortal had good intentions, these

jianghu

people would not easily give up.

The immortal’s help today was merely a temporary fix, addressing only the present. As long as these

jianghu

people were unaware of his true abilities, they wouldn’t truly believe they could never take this painting from him, and they would inevitably return to find him. If they came in dribs and drabs, it would be even more troublesome.

There was no use in overthinking; it was better to watch the rain.

Gradually, the Daoist's heart settled down. Meanwhile, Heroine Wu ventured out of the pavilion, braving the rain.

Ahead, many weapons and bags had been dropped by the

jianghu

people. She didn’t hesitate, picking through the scattered items and selecting several decent swords and daggers to stow in her bag, thinking she could sell them at the ghost market.

If she came across a money pouch, she would open it to check inside. She meticulously examined every coin, ensuring not to leave even a single copper coin behind, which she would tuck into her own possession.

When she returned to ask the Daoist if he wanted any coins, he smiled and shook his head, so she decided to give the extra coins to the girl beside her as pocket money.

The girl treasured them dearly; when she accidentally dropped a copper coin on the ground, she hurried to pick it up, afraid it would roll outside the pavilion and fall off the cliff. Then, she stuffed all the coins into her embrace, making her chest bulge with their weight.

From below the mountain, occasional cries of pain and wails could be heard.

Before long, the rain stopped.

Summer rains really did come and go swiftly, just like summer sunshine. Almost as soon as the downpour ceased, the clouds parted. A beam of sunlight shone down, illuminating the mountain ahead.

The group didn’t linger and immediately began their descent.

“Do you want to ride a horse, Lady Calico?” the woman asked the girl beside the Daoist as she sat atop her horse.

“No.”

“It’s so hard to walk on the muddy path.”

“No.”

“It will get your shoes dirty.”

“No, it won’t.”

“If you want to ride, I’ll let you have the horse. You don’t need to ride with me; you can ride alone. How about that?”

“We have our own horse!”

“Then forget it.” Heroine Wu shook her head, asking no further questions. She glanced over at the Daoist and thought for a moment before smiling and saying, “I think I’ve figured it out.”

“What do you mean?”

“You want to help that man surnamed Dou,” Heroine Wu said. “The reason you’re walking down the mountain so boldly is so that everyone knows this painting is no longer in the hands of that man surnamed Dou. The reason you mention you cultivate on Yin-Yang Mountain in Lingquan County of Yizhou to anyone you meet is so that those who wish to find you in the future will know where to look.”

“Thank you, heroine.”

“What are you thanking me for?”

“I have done no good deed, but you spoke up for me.”

“Don’t mention it…”

There was no need for further words; they just needed to be careful as they made their way down the mountain.

After the rain, the sun shone like gold, bright and somewhat dazzling. The mountain path was slippery and hard to traverse.

Perhaps it was because the giant and eye-catching cloud serpent formed by the gathering mist from the nearby mountains was so visible that they could see it from a distance, or perhaps it was due to the echoes of the cries and shouts from the

jianghu

people that spread throughout the mountains. As they descended, they encountered no one heading up, saving them a good deal of effort.

“Are you still going to the ghost market?”

“Of course.”

“You’re taking this painting with you?”

“Once we leave this mountain, no one should know what’s inside this box, right?”

“That depends on the information these

jianghu

people have.”

“Then we’ll see.”

“It’s the sixteenth today; we should reach the ghost market by tomorrow afternoon. We can wait a bit and head out when it gets dark,” Heroine Wu said, as she had some items to sell.

She added, “There are inns inside the market where we can stay, and there are also taverns in the nearby village. We can choose where to stay. In any case, we’ll browse for one night and then head back to the city in the morning.”

“Heroine, you have everything arranged perfectly.”

“You’re welcome.”

By the time they reached the bottom of the mountain, it was already dusk. They found a place to spend the night and fell asleep to the scent of the grass ropes woven by the heroine. The next morning, they set off again toward Changjing.

The sound of the girl’s whistle echoed along the way.