Wait — Is This Snake Cheating?!
Wang Xiaojun's words kindled a spark of hope in everyone's eyes. If the plague could be eradicated at its source, then — as Leng Qing had said — the White Demon Eagles would quickly scatter once they had no target to pursue. White Demon Eagles were territorial by nature; a mass assault on foreign lands like this one had to have a very specific cause driving it.
"Your Excellency, I believe we should let this young man give it a try. There is nothing for us to lose," said Chief Adjudicator Lǐ Tiān.
The other Military Commanders gathered in the council voiced their agreement.
"Very well. Wang Xiaojun — if you truly bring back the Eagle's Crimson Herb, I will personally bestow upon you the title of Hangzhou Guardian, in the name of the Commander-in-Chief. A great service to us all!"
Wang Xiaojun immediately snapped to attention with a crisp salute. "I will complete the mission!"
"Wang Xiaojun, you should understand that the Xi Ling Nest is several times more dangerous than any battlefield. One misstep and you lose your life. Are you truly certain you want to do this, at your age?"
Wang Xiaojun hesitated for a moment — then gave another firm salute. "I will come back alive!"
Leng Qing watched the young man's resolute face, and something stirred in her chest. She thought of the monstrous crimes Councillor Luo Mian had committed and the callous indifference he had shown just moments ago — then looked at this boy before her, fearless despite having no rank whatsoever to his name. The contrast struck her as almost bitter: the gap between what a councillor of boundless power had chosen to do and what this rankless young man was about to do was as vast as the distance between heaven and earth.
This boy had moved her. Leng Qing glanced at Lingling and said, "Lingling, go with Wang Xiaojun and carry out this mission. If the situation turns, your first priority is keeping yourselves alive."
She then turned her gaze to Mo Fan. She knew what he was after. Addressing Councillor Zhu Meng, she said, "Councillor, the Totem Xuan Serpent has no part in any of this. I ask that you release it without delay and redirect the forces stationed at West Lake to the front line as quickly as possible — otherwise, I'm not sure we can hold out long enough for them to return with the herb."
Councillor Zhu Meng stroked his beard. He still hadn't decided what to make of the Totem Xuan Serpent — threat or not — but word had already reached him from his men: the creature was barely clinging to life. Even if the Lightning Element seal were lifted, it wouldn't have the strength left to cause any real trouble. And he needed Tang Zhong's guardian clanspeople and their considerable fighting ability standing alongside everyone else. In the end, releasing the serpent was the only sensible move.
Councillor Zhu Meng gave a slow nod. "Fine. Release it."
A faint smile crossed Leng Qing's face. She turned immediately to Mo Fan. "Go now. Take Councillor Zhu Meng's authorization and have the guards at West Lake dissolve the Lightning Ring Punishment Formation. Tell them to move to the Western Fortress and reinforce the line against the White Demon Eagle Legion."
Mo Fan grinned from ear to ear. *Finally — all that running around paid off. The Totem Xuan Serpent is saved.* The way things had gone, Teacher Tang Yue was practically obligated to offer herself to him in gratitude...
*...Okay, everyone here is pouring their heart into defending this city, and I'm scheming over a girl. That's pretty heartless of me.*
Mo Fan didn't waste a second. He raced back into the city and made straight for Su Causeway. The nine Thunder God Halberds still loomed over West Lake — towering blades of crackling electricity driven into the water, pinning the enormous Totem Xuan Serpent in place.
The serpent looked just as he had last seen it: body coiled in on itself, head resting atop its own bulk, sunk into what appeared to be a deep and untroubled sleep. Mo Fan walked to Tang Yue's side. She had clearly never left.
"It's still alive, right?" he asked.
"I... I don't know. Its presence feels so faint, so very faint... If we don't find a way soon, it might just... sleep like this forever." Tang Yue's voice was unsteady, her eyes red-rimmed.
Mo Fan smiled. "You haven't noticed anything different?"
Tang Yue didn't follow him. She gave him a puzzled look. Then, moments later, her eyes went wide — the nine Thunder God Halberds were dissolving. Those nine pillars of lightning that had blazed with such terrible, awe-inspiring force were finally, slowly, coming apart.
The lightning faded. West Lake returned to silence.
Tang Yue pressed both hands over her mouth, staring at the vanishing Lightning Ring Punishment Formation in disbelief, then turned back to Mo Fan with eyes brimming with tears. She hadn't believed he could actually do it. While she had stood there completely helpless, he had gone out and saved the Totem Xuan Serpent she loved like family.
Unable to hold herself together any longer, Teacher Tang Yue opened her arms and pulled Mo Fan into a hug. She simply didn't know any other way to express what she felt.
And Mo Fan had been waiting for exactly this moment.
On the surface, he patted her back with the dignified composure of a perfect gentleman. Below the surface, he made full use of the opportunity — burying his face in the fragrant curtain of her hair, drinking in the scent of her slender neck with barely restrained greed. His fingers, meanwhile, embarked on a quiet journey southward. When emotions ran this high, who could really be held responsible for where their hands ended up? The occasional accident was perfectly natural — his palm had, for instance, come to rest squarely against Teacher Tang Yue's very shapely behind. At moments of intense emotional upheaval, women simply didn't register these kinds of details.
Teacher Tang Yue held on for a long moment. Mo Fan sank willingly into the warmth, utterly unwilling to let go.
At last, Tang Yue's attention drifted back to the Totem Xuan Serpent. The Lightning Ring Punishment had been dissolved; the creature was no longer suffering under the lash of electricity. But its presence remained terrifyingly faint. Tang Yue longed to heal it yet had no idea where to begin — a body that size would need no fewer than a hundred Healing Element Mages casting simultaneously to produce any meaningful effect.
"Teacher Tang Yue, the Totem Xuan Serpent is so badly hurt, and it's lost so much blood. Do you think human Blood Serum would do anything for it?" Mo Fan asked.
"It would work, certainly — but given its size, you'd need a truckload of the stuff. Where on earth are we supposed to find that much of such a rare medicine right now?" Tang Yue replied, glancing up at the serpent.
Mo Fan appeared to mull this over with great seriousness. "I actually do know how to get that truckload of Blood Serum. The only problem is... these particular Blood Serums have a bit of an issue."
Teacher Tang Yue spun around, fury blazing across her face. "You absolute bastard — you want to feed that plague-infected Blood Serum to Big Fellow?!"
Mo Fan immediately threw up his hands, backpedaling with a sheepish grin. "I figured it might be immune to that sort of thing."
Teacher Tang Yue froze. Then, all at once, her whole expression transformed — and without warning, she pressed a firm kiss to Mo Fan's cheek.
Mo Fan's mind went completely blank. He hadn't been prepared for that at all. Just like that, his right cheek's first kiss was gone.
Staring at Tang Yue's expression, he couldn't contain himself. "No way — don't tell me this thing is actually immune to every poison in existence?"
Tang Yue's smile was radiant, more brilliantly beautiful than he had ever seen it. She pointed at the Totem Xuan Serpent. "Big Fellow is the ancestor of all poisons!!!"
Mo Fan dropped to his knees — metaphorically speaking.
He had only said it offhandedly, without a shred of real conviction behind it. And yet the plague-infected Blood Serum could actually be given to the Totem Xuan Serpent to consume.
This snake... was it literally playing with cheat codes?!