Ye Qiu suddenly sensed an unusual aura and snapped his eyes open, quickly sitting up in bed.
Turning his head, he saw Master Longbrow and Huzi snoring soundly, deep in sleep.
Especially Master Longbrow—this old guy was probably having some sweet dream, drool trickling from his mouth.
Ye Qiu couldn’t help but chuckle, flicking Master Longbrow’s nose.
“Ow!”
Master Longbrow yelped, bolting upright. Seeing Ye Qiu, he grumbled, “Middle of the night, and you’re not sleeping? Trying to scare me like a ghost?”
“Look at you, old as you are, drooling. I’m embarrassed for you,” Ye Qiu teased. “What sweet dream were you having?”
“Heh,” Master Longbrow grinned sleazily. “I was dreaming of a bunch of long-legged beauties all over me… Damn it, if not for you, I’d have sealed the deal in my dream.”
Ye Qiu snorted. “Shameless!”
Master Longbrow shrugged it off. “What young man doesn’t dream of love?”
Ye Qiu laughed. “At your age, you’re still calling yourself a young man?”
Master Longbrow puffed out his chest. “A man’s a youth till he dies!”
Ye Qiu: “…”
“Little rascal, what’s with you staying up in the middle of the night?” Master Longbrow asked, puzzled.
Ye Qiu got to the point. “Old man, don’t you feel something off?”
“Off? What, I got more handsome or something?”
“Cut the nonsense. I’m serious. Don’t you sense something wrong with the atmosphere?”
Atmosphere?
Master Longbrow focused, immediately noticing a oppressive aura.
“This feels familiar… like a heavenly tribulation’s coming!” He looked at Ye Qiu in shock. “Little rascal, you’re about to face a tribulation?”
“If I were facing one, would I still be here?” Ye Qiu said. “Get dressed quick. Let’s check it out. If we find a cultivator in this village, that’d be interesting.”
Master Longbrow hurriedly dressed.
As they prepared to leave, Huzi woke up.
“Master, where are you going?” Huzi asked.
“Can’t sleep. Me and the old man are going for a look,” Ye Qiu said, an idea sparking. “Come with us. It’ll open your eyes.”
Huzi leapt out of bed, following them.
The trio slipped out of Old Xiang’s house quietly. As they stepped outside, a fierce wind kicked up, followed by lightning, thunder, and torrential rain.
Master Longbrow pulled out a Water-Repelling Talisman and handed it to Huzi. “Crush it.”
Huzi did, and a faint blue glow enveloped him, keeping the rain at bay.
Huzi’s face lit up with wonder.
Ye Qiu and Master Longbrow each crushed their own talismans, and the three walked through the rain.
Soon, they reached a forest.
Both Ye Qiu and Master Longbrow sensed the oppressive aura emanating from deep within, meaning the one facing the tribulation was inside.
“Huzi, familiar with this forest?” Master Longbrow asked.
Huzi nodded.
“Lead the way. We’re going in,” Master Longbrow said.
Remarkably, Huzi darted into the forest, moving swiftly.
It was the dead of night, pitch-black in the woods, yet Huzi was unaffected.
Ye Qiu and Master Longbrow exchanged a glance, both surprised.
As cultivators, their vision was exceptional, seeing clearly even in darkness. But Huzi, just a strong ordinary boy, wasn’t hindered by the night—truly unexpected.
After 500 meters into the forest, Ye Qiu whispered, “Stop!”
His eyes fixed ahead.
Three hundred meters away stood a massive willow tree, its thick roots coiled by a giant python.
The python, dozens of meters long and nearly as thick as a pickling jar, had a head the size of a washbasin, topped with a crimson cockscomb and covered in green scales.
Sensing their approach, the python glanced their way, then looked skyward, letting out low hisses.
“Huh?” Ye Qiu exclaimed. “The one facing the tribulation isn’t human.”
Master Longbrow sighed. “If this beast survives, it’ll become a flood dragon. If the dragon crosses its tribulation, it can become a true dragon.”
“But since ancient times, snakes becoming dragons is near impossible.”
“Barring a miracle, this beast will die under the tribulation.”
Boom!
A bolt of lightning tore through the sky, illuminating the earth.
Huzi spotted the python and gasped, “It’s him!”
“You know it?” Ye Qiu asked.
Huzi nodded. “We’re close. When I was little, it often brought food to me and the tiger. A few years ago, I fell off a cliff while gathering firewood. It saved me.”
Ye Qiu’s heart stirred. “Old man, any way to help it survive the tribulation?”
Master Longbrow said, “A snake becoming a dragon defies the heavens, forbidden by the Dao. Intervening, even if we could withstand the tribulation, would entangle us in immense karma.”
“Little rascal, I advise against it.”
“Some karma’s outcomes—good or bad—are unpredictable.”
Ye Qiu fell silent.
Boom!
Thunder roared, lightning danced.
The python grew restless, coiling tighter around the willow, hissing as it climbed upward.
Soon, it reached the tree’s highest point, raising its head high, tongue flicking.
Thunderclouds churned above, the oppressive aura intensifying, the rain pouring harder.
Minutes passed.
Suddenly, a deafening “Boom!”—a bolt of lightning struck from the heavens, aiming for the willow.
Almost simultaneously, the python leapt, charging at the lightning.
“Boom!”
The bolt struck its body.
The python shuddered, plummeting, but just before hitting the ground, it surged upward, climbing higher.
“Not good!” Ye Qiu muttered.
Three bolts of lightning struck together.
“Boom!”
They hit the python, sending it crashing to the ground.
Whoosh!
Huzi bolted forward, reaching the python’s head, seemingly comforting it.
“Boom!”
Another bolt descended.
“Huzi, get back!” Ye Qiu shouted.
But Huzi stood, throwing a punch at the lightning.
