Xiangguiyuan was once a celestial realm located far to the southwest. Legend told of its beautiful mountains and waters, a place teeming with spiritual energy that served as a wondrous paradise where the spirit and human realms met. The Snake God Clan, a branch of spiritual beasts, had settled in this paradise to thrive, living a life of peace and tranquility for generations.
However, a calamity several centuries ago had reduced Xiangguiyuan to ruins. The Snake God Clan mysteriously vanished, and since then, no one had set foot in this place, which was rumored to be cursed and ill-omened.
So, just how far was Xiangguiyuan from the Dragon Palace?
It was said that after the extinction of the Snake God Clan, Xiangguiyuan was enveloped by their lingering resentment, creating a barrier that was nearly impossible to cross. Furthermore, Xiangguiyuan bore the title "The Edge of the Beyond," making it a remote and void-like place that even immortals found difficult to reach.
Once, a mischievous young dragon sought to adventure to Xiangguiyuan in search of the Snake King’s secret treasures, only to nearly die of exhaustion halfway through the journey. Even the Dragon Emperor, Cang Lie, required three full months for a round trip to Xiangguiyuan, and that was while riding the Water-Cleaving Beast, said to be the fastest creature in existence.
However, for the "Dragon-model Ferrari" Little Jing (a private nickname given by the author, of course), how long did it take to cross this distance?
Leng Qingqing, who was currently clutching Leng Jing’s dragon horns and sitting atop the white dragon’s back, likely had the most visceral answer.
The moment his feet touched the ground, he began to retch violently. He felt as though he were about to vomit up his heart, liver, stomach, and spleen. He couldn't stand for a long time, eventually managing to lean against a large tree just to keep from collapsing.
"How was it?" Leng Jing asked.
"Good son, your daddy is fine," Leng Qingqing forced out a weak smile.
"I meant the speed," Leng Jing said, clearly intoxicated by his own velocity as he stroked his whiskers with a dragon claw. "I could have gone a bit faster. I was a little slow today."
"It wasn't slow..." Leng Qingqing’s face was ashen. He looked at the sun, which hadn't even set yet. It had only been about four hours since they left the Dragon Palace.
They had already reached the border forests of Xiangguiyuan.
Leng Qingqing was in no hurry to enter, however, and insisted that Leng Jing rest first. Having exhausted a great deal of spiritual energy at the Dragon Court, Leng Jing was unable to transform into human form for the next few days. Leng Qingqing found a clearing for him to lie down, and after night fell, he built a bonfire and sat by the white dragon’s side to keep him company.
The white dragon had a snowy mane along its spine that felt soft and comfortable to the touch. Leng Qingqing curled up within the embrace of the dragon’s body and gradually drifted into sleep. This was his homeland; the turbulent emotions in his heart had not settled since the moment he stepped onto this soil.
When Leng Jing opened his eyes again, Leng Qingqing was already holding a bowl of noodles in front of him.
"Son, Daddy’s going to feed you now," Leng Qingqing said with a beaming smile.
Leng Jing felt something was off, but he opened his mouth anyway, letting the slippery noodles slide in. For some reason, the noodles were exceptionally delicious today, and Leng Jing soon began to eat voraciously.
After eating his fill, Leng Jing continued to lie there for a nap, but he finally sensed that something was truly wrong.
He snapped his eyes open to find Leng Qingqing’s face pressed close to his, staring at him intently.
More importantly, Leng Qingqing looked much larger than usual!
No, it was he who had become smaller!
In shock, Leng Jing looked down at his body. He had—he had turned into a white snake!
"Where are my claws?!" Leng Jing shouted.
Leng Qingqing quickly held him down. "Xiao Jing, I added Snake-Transforming Medicine to the noodles. You’ll change back when the moon is full!"
"Why!" Leng Jing glared at him.
"Because only snakes can enter Xiangguiyuan," Leng Qingqing said, twiddling his fingers.
"Hmph." Leng Jing gave a cold snort. His current size was only that of an ordinary white snake, fitting perfectly in Leng Qingqing’s hands.
And so, Leng Qingqing placed his son on his shoulder and headed deep into Xiangguiyuan.
They had been walking through the forest for three days.
"Tell me, what is that Snake-Transforming Medicine made of?" The snake-form Leng Jing slithered to Leng Qingqing’s ear for the thirteenth time, attempting to pry for information.
But Leng Qingqing refused to answer. In truth, his neck was very tired because his son was quite heavy.
Failing to get an answer, Leng Jing snorted and curled up on his shoulder to sleep. Finally, he heard Leng Qingqing say, "We're here!"
Leng Jing opened his eyes and saw a massive, broken statue of the Snake God standing among ancient trees. Behind the statue lay the ruins of a city.
"Father, Mother..." Leng Qingqing looked at the ruins, his eyes reddening. He wiped away his tears and led his son into the Snake God City.
Judging by the abandoned ruins, this had once been a prosperous and beautiful capital. Its current state of decay felt exceptionally desolate.
Leng Qingqing wiped away tears almost every step of the way. Suddenly, the sound of a horn echoed from somewhere. Before he could react, he was surrounded.
The ones surrounding him appeared to be members of the Snake Clan. Holding blades and halberds, they circled Leng Qingqing and barked, "Who goes there?! Death to those who trespass upon the Snake God’s forbidden grounds!"
Leng Qingqing wrapped Leng Jing in a bundle cloth to protect him in his arms—though in reality, he only managed to cover Leng Jing’s head. He said nervously, "I am... Bai..."
"Shaoqing!" The leader finally recognized him and shouted in excitement. "It really is Shaoqing!"
"Uncle!" Leng Qingqing recognized the leader as his royal uncle, Bai Hua, and became equally emotional.
The two immediately embraced and wept.
Leng Jing poked his head out from the bundle and saw that Bai Hua was a very glamorous and alluring man; his features did indeed bear a resemblance to Leng Qingqing’s.
"Uncle, this is my son, Xiao Jing." Leng Qingqing finally remembered the Leng Jing in his arms and held him up for Bai Hua to see.
"Is that so! Wonderful!" Bai Hua was overjoyed. "Quickly, come back to the camp with me. I have so much to tell you!"
So, what kind of place was the camp?
It was said to be the stronghold of the remaining forces of the Snake God Clan, a very hidden location. It looked somewhat like the tribal territories found beyond the Great Wall.
Under Bai Hua’s persuasion, Leng Qingqing handed the "ugly little snake" over to a specialized nanny for care. To ensure the Snake Clan’s numbers increased, Bai Hua had spent the last few centuries dedicated to breeding and expanding the clan; thus, they had a specialized nursery.
To the Snake God Clan, the fifty-year-old Leng Jing was truly a mere hatchling.
However, this also created Leng Jing’s most unforgettable memory. When the nursery matron carried him into the nursery—which was actually a comfortable and spacious large tent—he saw the most snakes he had ever seen in his life!
They were everywhere! All over the floor! Snakes of all sizes crawling and tangling together!
And then—
"Big brother, do you want to play?"
"Big brother~"
"New guy! What's your name?"
"..."
A group of little snakes came over to greet him, surrounding him in a circle.
*To be a dragon among dragons, one must endure the bitterest of hardships,* Leng Jing thought, gritting his teeth to encourage himself. Then he closed his eyes and played dead.
As they say, the highest realm of cultivation is "Nothingness."
No self.
No thought.
No world.
And naturally, no snakes.
This was the essence of the Dao that Leng Jing, who was already capable of human form, realized while meditating amidst the swarm of snakes.
When Leng Qingqing hurried to the nursery, he saw Leng Jing meditating with his eyes closed, surrounded by little snakes looking at him with strange expressions.
"Little white snake! What are you doing!" A fierce-looking little snake crawled onto Leng Jing’s face. It was quite dissatisfied with this "ugly little snake" who couldn't even take human form despite being nearly fifty years old, and it flicked its tail tip against Leng Jing’s cheek.
"..." Leng Jing finally spoke: "Forty-three pots."
"What?" the little snakes asked, puzzled.
"I’m saying," Leng Jing revealed his pearly white teeth and said chillingly, "that’s exactly forty-three pots of snake hotpot. Made. From. Your. Meat."
The little snakes fell silent for a moment before suddenly screaming in unison. This was the most terrifying sentence they had heard since birth.
Leng Qingqing’s expression was quite unsightly as he grabbed Leng Jing and dragged him out. "This place isn't for you, son."
Leng Qingqing’s uncle, Bai Hua, had luckily escaped centuries ago and then gathered the remaining populace to secretly revive the Snake Clan, leading to their current scale. Now that Leng Qingqing was back, Bai Hua was delighted and began making arrangements to find Leng Qingqing a wife to revitalize the royal bloodline.
As for Leng Jing, he finally had his own room and no longer had to face the swarm of snakes.
Leng Qingqing naturally resumed his status as a prince. He was busy with affairs every day and no longer had his former leisure, so Leng Jing played by himself.
In reality, however, Leng Qingqing was not a competent prince. He caused quite a few fiascos, such as accidentally breaking the Snake God Clan’s Imperial Jade Seal, or knocking over an oil lamp and burning official documents... it nearly made Bai Hua pull his hair out.
Consequently, Bai Hua told Leng Qingqing that he must marry a consort within ten days to continue the Snake God bloodline.
Leng Qingqing found Leng Jing playing by the lake and hugged him, wailing loudly.
"Xiao Jing! Waaaaah! I don't want to get married!"
"..." Leng Jing pushed him away to prevent snot from getting on his body, then asked, "Why does your uncle want you to marry?"
"To continue the Snake God bloodline..."
"Well, your uncle is your father’s younger brother, so he is also of pure Snake God royal blood. You can push the task of continuing the bloodline onto him!" Leng Jing suggested.
"That’s right! Xiao Jing, you’re so smart! I’ll go ask Uncle!" Leng Qingqing scurried away happily.
An hour later, Leng Qingqing ran back and hugged Leng Jing, wailing again. "Xiao Jing! Waaaaah! Royal Uncle scolded me severely!"
"Why?"
"He said he won't get married!"
"Why not?"
"Because he likes men!" Leng Qingqing said angrily.
"Then tell him that you like men too!"
"That’s right! Xiao Jing, you’re so smart! I’ll go tell Royal Uncle!" Leng Qingqing scurried away again.
Another hour passed, and Leng Qingqing ran back, hugging Leng Jing and wailing. "Xiao Jing! Waaaaah! Royal Uncle screamed at me! He asked me exactly who I like..."
"And what did you say?"
"I... I thought about it, and I said I like you, my son, the most..."
"And what did he say?"
"He called me a beast! And he wants to hold the wedding immediately!"
"Then tell him this..." Leng Jing began whispering into Leng Qingqing’s ear.
While they were whispering, the exasperated Royal Uncle, Bai Hua, finally tracked them down. He pointed at them and shouted, "You two depraved scoundrels!"
Leng Qingqing jumped in fright and immediately shouted out the words Leng Jing had just taught him: "I love Xiao Jing even if I die I want to be with Xiao Jing we will never be separated for all eternity Xiao Jing is my everything and I am already pregnant with Xiao Jing’s child if you try to separate us I will immediately go public with the fact that you sleep with men and then kill myself right in front of you Uncle don't be angry waaaaaah!"
By the time he finished, Leng Qingqing was nearly fainting from holding his breath.
But it was Bai Hua who truly fainted from rage.
When Bai Hua finally drifted back to consciousness and saw Leng Qingqing’s worried face beside him, he let out a long sigh. "Fine... if you’re carrying your own son’s child, I suppose it counts as the Snake God bloodline..."
Leng Jing leaned in and added a sentence: "I’m not a snake. I’m a dragon."
"What!" Bai Hua completely broke down and fainted once more.
"Xiao Jing! Royal Uncle hates the Dragon Clan!" Leng Qingqing scolded loudly.
At that moment, Bai Hua suddenly grabbed Leng Qingqing’s collar. "I don't have a nephew like you! Get out!"
And so, under Bai Hua’s towering rage, the father and son were kicked out of Xiangguiyuan. Leng Qingqing’s trip to visit his relatives thus came to an end.
Regardless, he felt deeply comforted to know that the Snake God Clan was not extinct. However, he truly was not king material. He prayed silently in his heart, hoping his uncle would continue to manage the Snake Clan, while he himself had more things to do.
"Where to next?" The white dragon, now freed from the effects of the Snake-Transforming Medicine, stretched his body in the glow of the setting sun. Leng Qingqing, fully aware of the terrifying speed this dragon was about to unleash, couldn't help but shiver.
"Xiao Jing, where do you want to go?"
"Hangzhou." Leng Jing’s thought was somewhat peculiar.
"That’s a place for mortals. Xiao Jing, what are you going to do there?" Leng Qingqing was very curious.
"Don't ask. Get on." Leng Jing acted quite mysterious. In truth, he wanted to go to Hangzhou because back at the Dragon Palace, he had heard someone say there was a place called Chunyi Pavilion that was very interesting, filled with many mortal entertainments. More importantly, he could learn how to "eat" that fellow. His eyes drifted toward Leng Qingqing.
Leng Jing was actually a dragon who was both wicked and naive. It was his fault for being raised by a silly snake daddy who never truly taught him about *that* sort of thing, and being prideful, he was too embarrassed to ask other demons.
***
| Chinese | English | Notes/Explanation |
| :--- | :--- | :--- |
| 香珪原 | Xiangguiyuan | Fragrant Jade Plain; the ancestral home of the Snake God Clan. |
| 蛇神一族 | Snake God Clan | A branch of spiritual beasts. |
| 辟水兽 | Water-Cleaving Beast | A legendary beast known for its speed. |
| 化蛇的药 | Snake-Transforming Medicine | A potion that turns the consumer into a snake. |
| 白华 | Bai Hua | Leng Qingqing's uncle. |
| 育婴房 | Nursery | Literally "Infant Room" or "Child-rearing room." |
| 春意楼 | Chunyi Pavilion | Literally "Spring Sentiment/Lust Pavilion"; a brothel or entertainment house. |
| 杭州 | Hangzhou | A famous city in China. |
