Chapter 1426: Totem

Given Yun Jianyue's status, no one had ever dared to be so disrespectful in front of her. Just as she was about to lash out, Yan Xuehen stopped her, saying, "After all, the other person is just an ordinary mortal."

"You're too kind-hearted, always trying to be the good guy," Yun Jianyue sneered. "But people don't appreciate it; they'll still curse you regardless."

Yan Xuehen replied calmly, "As long as my conscience is clear, I don't need anyone's gratitude."

Yun Jianyue frowned, but ultimately refrained from harming the ordinary person.

Rebuffed, Zu An and his companions had no choice but to leave. They had intended to find another local to ask for information, but for some reason, they didn't encounter anyone else after the fisherman.

"Searching like this isn't going to work," Yun Jianyue said, gazing at the endless, miasma-shrouded swamp. A thought suddenly occurred to her: "That old fisherman was just an ordinary person; why wasn't he poisoned by this miasma?"

"It is indeed quite strange," Yan Xuehen agreed. "While the fierce beasts were somewhat understandable, it's puzzling that an ordinary native is unaffected."

"Could it be that this so-called miasma isn't actually poisonous, and we were deceived by the old mulberry tree earlier?" Zu An ventured to ask.

Yan Xuehen shook her head slightly. "When we first entered this vast marsh, I already took a mulberry leaf and tested it. This miasma is definitely poisonous."

Yun Jianyue looked somewhat surprised. "Well, well, Ice Stone Woman. I thought you were just a naive innocent, but it seems you have a sharper mind than I gave you credit for."

"Otherwise, a demoness like you would have killed me long ago," Yan Xuehen responded expressionlessly.

The group then began to discuss why the fisherman had reacted so strongly. His tone had suggested great respect for the Xiu snake.

Yet, why would a fisherman show such deference to a creature as ferocious as that giant snake?

After discussing for a long time without reaching a reasonable explanation, Yu Yanluo suddenly felt a stir within her and spoke up. "I seem to be sensing a call."

"Whose call?" the others asked, startled.

"It seems to be from the Xiu snake," Yu Yanluo replied. "The feeling is very similar to when I first saw it."

Zu An asked with concern, "Is it benevolent or malicious?"

Yu Yanluo shook her head. "I can't tell. I can't sense its emotions."

"Be careful, it could be a trap," Yun Jianyue warned.

Yu Yanluo hesitated for a moment before saying, "Since it's calling me, it clearly has something to say. As a fellow member of the serpent race, I'm willing to give it a try."

"Since we have no other options right now, we can try it," Zu An added. "Just be careful along the way."

Yun Jianyue and Yan Xuehen considered this and raised no objections. Soon, the group followed Yu Yanluo towards the center of the vast Dongting Marsh.

"Where exactly is this Xiu snake?" they wondered, cautiously scanning their surroundings. Unfortunately, they couldn't spot the creature.

"I can feel the call getting closer," Yu Yanluo said, closing her eyes to concentrate. "It seems to be in that direction." She then pointed a finger.

Following her gaze, they saw the large mountain they had spotted earlier.

Only then did they notice that this lush, continuous mountain range was situated in the very heart of the marsh.

"This mountain is a bit strange," Zu An remarked. "It seems to possess the aura of a dragon vein, yet it isn't a true one." Having studied *Di Tian Sui Chan Wei*, he was now quite knowledgeable about mountain formations and geomancy.

He could discern that the mountain already held the majestic presence of a dragon vein, yet it was also subtly deceptive.

"Don't you think this winding, elongated mountain range looks a bit like a snake?" Yan Xuehen suddenly asked.

"Could it be that the Xiu snake is disguised as this mountain?" Yun Jianyue was startled by the thought.

Zu An shook his head. "This is indeed a mountain range, an inanimate object. Although it appears lush on the surface, up close, the entire mountain exudes a strong sense of death. It shouldn't be the Xiu snake in disguise."

Yan Xuehen and Yun Jianyue also extended their divine senses to perceive it and confirmed it was indeed just a mountain, which eased their minds.

At that moment, Yu Yanluo heard the call again and told the others, "The call is coming from the mountain. It seems to be telling me to go up."

"Be careful," Zu An quickly cautioned.

Yu Yanluo smiled faintly. "Don't worry, if it truly meant to harm me, it wouldn't go to such trouble. Besides, I can now sense that it bears me no ill will."

As she was the leader of the serpent clan, the others trusted her judgment and followed her as she abandoned the boat and stepped ashore.

Soon, they discovered a winding, narrow path ahead.

"It looks like this path is frequently used," Yun Jianyue said in a deep voice. In a truly wild area, such a distinct path would not naturally form.

"Perhaps it's used by locals, like the fisherman we just met," Yan Xuehen speculated.

They had hoped to find someone along the way to ask for information, but unfortunately, they didn't encounter a single soul.

Following the call, Yu Yanluo ascended the mountain, with the others trailing behind her, until they reached a temple at the summit.

"Ba Snake Temple?" Reading the characters on the temple gate, they immediately recalled the fisherman using this term, not "Xiu snake."

"It seems the incense offerings here are quite strong," Yan Xuehen observed after a discreet investigation. Although no one was visible, the temple was meticulously clean with sparkling windows, and a large cauldron outside was filled with burning incense and candles, filling the air with a distinct fragrance, a stark contrast to the Erfu Temple they had seen earlier.

Yu Yanluo entered the temple and found a colossal black snake statue enshrined in the center, a scaled-down version of the Xiu snake they had previously encountered.

Even scaled down, it still occupied nearly half the room, its coiled form exuding an overwhelming presence for anyone entering the temple.

The group noticed that the statue was not as ferocious as they had imagined; instead, its face bore a touch of... benevolence.

*What the hell?* they thought. They simply couldn't reconcile the ferocious Xiu snake with an expression of benevolence.

At that moment, Yu Yanluo addressed the statue. "Are you the one who called me?"

The statue's eyes suddenly blinked, and a serpentine phantom glided out from within it—a massive black snake!

Its current size, however, was far smaller than when it had swallowed the elephant, more akin to the large pythons one might see in wildlife documentaries.

Zu An's heart tensed, and he quickly positioned himself in front of Yu Yanluo, fearing she might be harmed.

Yu Yanluo gently patted his hand, signaling him not to worry.

"Are you a descendant of Nuwa?" the Xiu snake asked, speaking in human tongue.

"No," Yu Yanluo replied, shaking her head.

"Then why do I sense Nuwa's aura on you?" The Xiu snake tilted its head, an action that, for a fleeting moment, made it seem... endearing.

Yu Yanluo hesitated, then answered, "Perhaps it's because I'm of the serpent race and also possess the Holy Spirit Pearl."

"Then you are indeed a descendant of Nuwa," the Xiu snake stated, visibly relieved.

Yu Yanluo opened her mouth but ultimately decided against further explanation. As the leader of a prominent clan, she understood that sometimes, clearly distinguishing between right and wrong served no benefit.

The Xiu snake sighed, "When I first saw you, I thought more people from Dongyi had arrived. But then I sensed your aura, and I refrained from attacking."

The group secretly felt fortunate, realizing they owed their current peace to Yu Yanluo; otherwise, a fierce battle would have been unavoidable.

"Dongyi?" Yu Yanluo's heart stirred, remembering how the fisherman had also mentioned Dongyi with an angry expression.

"You are not from this world?" the Xiu snake suddenly asked, its gaze sharpening.

Yu Yanluo admitted frankly, "We are indeed not from this world; we entered it quite by accident."

"No wonder you're unaware," the Xiu snake sighed. "Years ago, the Kingdom of Dongyi and the southern Miao tribes were locked in a fierce conflict. The Miao people revered me, adopting me as their totem and offering me incense, so naturally, I couldn't stand by. Our war initially went very smoothly. Unfortunately, Dongyi later sent a highly skilled archer, and I was defeated by him, leading to my people's defeat in battle..."

Zu An's heart stirred. "Is the person you're referring to named Yi?"

"Yi!" A flicker of hatred and terror passed through the Xiu snake's vertical pupils. "Yes, it was indeed him! He was the one who slew me right here, all those years ago!"

Zu An and the others thought, *Just as we suspected.* But then they quickly froze. *According to its words, it's already dead?*

*Then what exactly is this creature in front of them now?*