Chapter 19 Chapter Nineteen — The Serpent Demon Revealed

Night fell.

A black wind settled upon Sanhe Village and turned into a pale-faced young dandy in fine robes. He walked a cream-colored folding fan in hand into a certain household, a glint of lechery in his eyes.

Lately he had truly acquired a taste — this woman's beauty was the finest for scores of li around, and he could not tear himself away.

The moment he entered, a flicker of puzzlement crossed the serpent demon's eyes.

Powdery perfume met him — the Hibiscus-Peony lotion he had given her before.

The air hung with a faint mist and an odd, sweet fragrance. Had she bathed?

At the thought, a smile tugged the corner of the serpent demon's mouth.

The woman had at last come round.

He stepped into the inner room. A woman sat before a bronze mirror, dressing her hair. She wore a fine red silk gown; her long hair was faintly damp, spread over skin white as snow.

The serpent demon swallowed, and could not resist coming up behind her to wrap her in his arms.

"My little beauty, you've finally come round?"

The woman bore the fishy stench from his mouth and forced a smile. "This concubine has thought it through. Better to follow you than that useless husband — at least food and clothing are no worry; even the young ladies of great households might not compare to me."

The serpent demon laughed heartily, quite pleased with himself.

He leaned in to kiss her, but she shot him a look, at once shy and reproachful.

"Why the rush, husband? The night is long — may this concubine not finish her words?"

At this the serpent demon's spirit lifted; delighted, he said, "What did you call me?"

The woman rose — a full, supple figure, coquettish of mien — and said, "Naturally, husband. This red gown is the one I wore at my wedding."

So saying she lifted two cups from the table and passed one to the serpent demon.

"Husband, tonight is this concubine's second wedding. Drink this cup of bridal wine, and hereafter you are my lord husband."

She guided their arms to cross, and drank hers first.

The serpent demon raised the cup to his lips — then suddenly stopped.

"Why does husband not drink?"

The serpent demon gazed at her with those narrow eyes and said, "Why does my lady's heart beat so fast?"

The woman feigned calm, and put on a shy-anger. "It is only that I am a little afraid — those past few times you were so rough, I could not leave the house for days…"

The serpent demon laughed at this and drained the cup in one gulp, soothing her softly, "Tonight I shall be gentler…"

As he spoke he scooped the woman up, meaning to carry her to the bed.

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A flash of hatred crossed the woman's eyes. She quietly tore the talisman hidden in her sleeve, and the instant she was thrown onto the bed, she whipped out the scissors she had hidden beneath the pillow and stabbed at the serpent demon!

The scissors halted before the serpent demon's eyes.

He caught her wrist in one hand and said coolly, "I thought you'd come round tonight — turned out you only fawned on me to strike at your chance."

After a beat he sneered. "A benighted village woman to the end — think a pair of scissors could kill this seat? Ridiculous—"

He never finished. His expression changed abruptly; he clutched his chest, pain flashing in his eyes.

"There is realgar in the wine!"

At last he understood, and was shocked — that a rustic village woman should have such cunning and means!

Realgar wine is the bane of serpents; even with two hundred years of cultivation, one cup would greatly drain his power and leave him feeble.

Still, even so, he could easily kill this ordinary mortal.

But as the serpent demon moved to strike her down, the door was kicked open, and a striking young Daoist in a green robe, short sword at his waist, talisman in hand, stood in the doorway.

"Serpent demon — do you still remember this poor Daoist?"

Killing intent flashed in Li Daoxuan's eyes, yet he did not strike at once. He worked Shrinking the Earth, Divine Striding, stepped forward, and placed himself before the woman.

Hiss!

The serpent demon hissed again and again; he could no longer hold human form, and under the realgar wine's force revealed his true shape.

A great serpent some ten yards long and two feet thick coiled upon the ground, its pattern blue-black — a rattlesnake, its tail rattling ceaselessly.

Li Daoxuan's gaze sharpened. Fleeing before, he had paid it little mind; now, to his surprise, he saw that upon the great serpent's head were rugged horn-like protrusions — somewhat like the dragon-horns of myth!

How could this be? A serpent must cultivate a thousand years to become a jiao-dragon; this snake could not have a thousand years' cultivation.

Then the serpent demon, eyes full of venom, lunged to bite Li Daoxuan.

Yet in the next breath, brilliant golden light blazed, near blinding its serpent-eyes.

With a shrill cry the serpent demon fled backward, meaning to leave first, and settle with this foul Daoist once his power returned!

He had not expected — after blundering into that one's territory — that this foul Daoist still lived!

Li Daoxuan smiled coldly. Bite me? I have twenty protective talismans stacked upon me right now!

Li Daoxuan gave chase at speed. The serpent demon had once been far swifter than he, but with the realgar wine in him he could no longer shake him off.

Seeing this, Li Daoxuan grew all the more confident.

In The Legend of the White Snake, even the thousand-year White Lady, drinking realgar wine, was forced to show her true form — how much more so this petty serpent demon.

And to keep him from scenting the realgar, Li Daoxuan had specially blended the realgar wine with other liquor — a method proven effective.

"Serpent demon — where do you flee!"

A clear ring of steel; Li Daoxuan drew the Fish-Intestine Sword from his waist, used it as a thrown blade, and hurled it at the serpent demon's great body.

Hiss!

The serpent demon shrieked again. Beneath the Fish-Intestine's edge, his scales were like paper, pierced with ease.

The Fish-Intestine Sword stuck fast in the serpent's body; blood flowed unceasingly, and the killing aura upon the blade invaded the serpent demon's flesh, weakening him further.

Terror rose in the serpent demon's heart. He had not imagined that in but a few days this little Daoist had not only advanced in cultivation but gained so fearsome an artifact — and his dread deepened.

Beneath the moonlight, in Sanhe Village, a most uncanny sight appeared.

A ten-yard serpent fled in panic, leaving a blood-trailed serpent's path; behind it trailed a young Daoist, thunder seal pinched in hand, incantation on his lips.

"Five thunders, five thunders, hasten to Huang Ning; mist and change, roar of lightning and thunder; at my call you come, swift send the yang sound — swiftly, swiftly, as the law commands!"

Boom!

A bolt as thick as an arm came down, as if heaven in wrath, striking at the serpent demon.

But alas — the Five-Thunder Talisman not being stuck upon the serpent demon's body, while in swift motion, the bolt went wide.

Boom!

A great tree was split by the lightning and even caught fire.

One miss, and Li Daoxuan drew another Five-Thunder Talisman, meaning to try again.

But then the moon dimmed; rolling dark clouds rose in the sky, and with a crash of thunder, a downpour fell in an instant.

Li Daoxuan's mouth fell open — had it not been clear skies just now? How does the weather turn on a word?

Suddenly the serpent demon's speed grew ever greater; on the slick road he moved like a fish in water, and with one lunge was a dozen yards gone, gradually tending to shake Li Daoxuan off.