The Domineering Cultivator Farmer

Chapter 33: Xiao Bai, the Snake Emperor

With nothing else to do, Fang Yun took a close look at this giant python. It was about 15 meters long, covered in black-and-white markings, and weighed an estimated nearly one thousand jin. It was on par with the giant pythons from the “Pythons’ Rampage.” Compared to it, the other pythons nearby looked practically like juveniles. He saw that although the giant eagle and the pythons—which he had separated—had stopped fighting, they were still restless. Several relatively smaller pythons had positioned themselves in front of the largest one. As soon as the giant eagle showed the slightest sign of approaching, they all coiled their bodies and aimed their heads at it, ready to strike at any moment. But he had never heard of eagles in his hometown—let alone one of such enormous size. Besides, golden eagles typically lived on grasslands, in deserts, and in river valleys; how could one possibly be here? Fang Yun was thoroughly baffled. In these dense, forested mountains, these massive golden eagles would be completely unable to catch any prey. The lead white eagle was exceptionally majestic, with a defiant and unyielding gaze. Though it looked at Fang Yun with fear, the look it gave Niu Niu was filled with doting affection—just like an elderly man looking at his granddaughter. Dozens of dead eagles littered the valley, and snakes were scattered all over the ground. Fang Yun was very curious about the culprit responsible for this mess. Arriving in front of the giant python blocking the cave entrance, Fang Yun waved his hand, signaling the python to move aside. Although the giant python was very reluctant to move, driven by its fear of Fang Yun—and sensing no malice emanating from him—it finally dragged its massive body aside, albeit slowly and reluctantly, revealing the cave entrance behind it. However, it didn’t leave. Although it was clearly afraid of Fang Yun, it kept its eyes fixed on him; if Fang Yun made even the slightest wrong move, it would likely attack him without hesitation. Giving the giant python an exasperated glare, Fang Yun carefully surveyed the cave. The cave was tiny, no bigger than an ordinary mouse hole. It was pitch black inside; he couldn’t make out a thing. Fang Yun swept his spiritual sense into the cave and discovered only a small white snake inside, coiled into a ball and trembling as if terrified. Fang Yun rubbed his eyes hard. What the heck? Do snakes even tremble with fear? “Daddy, Niuniu wants to see, too.” Niuniu saw that Fang Yun had shooed the giant python away to examine the cave and hurried over, clamouring to take a look. Just as Niuniu ran over, Fang Yun noticed that the little white snake—as if it had heard her voice—stopped trembling and began crawling toward the cave’s entrance. “Wow… what a cute little white snake.” The little white snake had barely exposed half its body when a chubby little hand came out of nowhere, grabbed it, and hoisted it up. Watching the little white snake—which was trembling so violently in Niuniu’s chubby little hand that her eyes were surrounded by rings of smoke—Fang Yun felt sorry for it. “Niuniu, stop shaking it. If you keep shaking it, the little white snake will fall apart.” “Oh,” the chubby little girl hurriedly cradled the little white snake in both hands to examine it closely. At the sight of the little white snake, the flock of eagles went wild, flapping their wings as they tried to charge forward. The python quickly blocked their path, and the two sides immediately began fighting again. “Stop it, all of you!” Fang Yun bellowed. The eagle and the snake, which had been locked in combat, quickly separated. However, the python remained in front of the vultures, refusing to move. The giant vultures looked extremely restless; they kept wanting to charge forward but were afraid of Fang Yun, so they could only pace back and forth, letting out piercing, mournful cries. Could this little white snake really be the culprit? Fang Yun stared in disbelief at the little white snake, which was lying obediently in Niuniu’s palm. Sensing Fang Yun’s gaze, the little white snake quickly turned around, showing him its tail. Fang Yun was dumbfounded—who would’ve thought a little snake could actually be shy? “Niuniu, let Daddy take a look at the little white snake.” “Oh, Dad, be careful. Little White is so cute.” Fang Yun rolled his eyes. Lately, he’d noticed that any animal Niuniu gave a name to ended up living in their home. This little white snake was so eerie—he certainly didn’t dare take it home. The little white snake must have been born not long ago; it was about the same thickness and length as a chopstick. Suddenly, Fang Yun’s gaze fell on the side of the little white snake’s back, where two thin, transparent, fleshy wings lay tightly pressed against it. If it hadn’t been for his sharp eyes, he almost wouldn’t have noticed them. “Could the stories the old folks in the village used to tell actually be true?” Fang Yun muttered. “Stories? What stories?” “Niuniu wants to hear a story.” The mother and daughter spoke in unison upon hearing Fang Yun’s words. When Fang Yun was a child, he’d heard a story from a widowed old man in the village who made his living catching snakes. Eagles are the natural enemies of snakes; every eagle preys on them. Some eagles don’t even catch snakes to fill their bellies—they do it solely to eat the snake’s gallbladder to improve their eyesight. From ancient times to the present, who knows how many snakes have perished under the talons of eagles. However, as the saying goes, extremes give way to their opposites. Every few hundred years, a mutant “Snake Emperor” emerges among the snakes. Once fully grown, the Snake Emperor will slaughter eagles in vast numbers to avenge its fallen kin. Therefore, when eagles spot a Snake Emperor still in its juvenile stage, they will stop at nothing to eliminate it, lest their own kind fall prey to it once it matures. Meanwhile, the snakes will risk their lives to protect their Snake Emperor. “Is this really the Snake Emperor? If so, it’s awfully timid,” Feng Xiu’er said in disbelief, staring at the little white snake that dared not move a muscle as Fang Yun held it. “This might be the Snake Emperor the old man spoke of. Look, it even has fleshy wings on its back. It might be able to fly once it grows up. If it can fly, and if it’s fast enough, it really could hunt down eagles soaring in the sky.” Fang Yun picked up the little white snake and flicked its soft, fleshy wings with his finger to show the mother and daughter. Although the little white snake before them was truly timid and lacked any air of a “Snake Emperor,” the dead snakes and eagles littering the ground, along with the reactions of the nearby python and giant eagle, all matched the old man’s story exactly—leaving everyone with no choice but to believe it. “Daddy, let me play with Xiao Bai. Please, let me play with it.” Niuniu couldn’t care less about whether it was a Snake Emperor or not; she just thought the little white snake was adorable. The little white snake, which had been playing dead in Fang Yun’s hands, came to life the moment it landed in Niuniu’s hands, nimbly coiling around her chubby little wrist and flicking its tongue nonstop. In its young mind, Niuniu was the person closest to it. “Let’s clean this up a bit. We’ll spend the night here,” Fang Yun said to Feng Xiuer as he set down the backpack he’d been carrying. “Here? But there are so many dead snakes and eagles here, and there are several giant pythons and golden eagles nearby. How are we supposed to spend the night?” Feng Xiu’er looked at the massive creatures nearby and felt quite frightened. “It’s fine. We’ll chase the giant pythons and eagles away and let them take care of the dead snakes and eagles. Besides, there’s a herd of wild boars here—those snakes and eagles might not even be enough for those big guys to eat.” With that, Fang Yun waved his hand, driving the pythons and eagles off to clean up the dead snakes and eagles on the ground. “Won’t they start fighting again?” Watching the departing pythons and eagles, Feng Xiu’er was a little worried that without Fang Yun to keep them in check, they might start squabbling again. “Don’t worry. The root of their conflict lies in Niuniu’s hands. Unless absolutely necessary, animals of equal strength won’t fight each other.” Fang Yun pointed to the little white creature in Niuniu’s hands to reassure Feng Xiu’er.