On the night of their escape, a torrential downpour began. The lake at the center of the valley rose rapidly, eventually spilling over its banks. The strange sculpture gradually underwent a grotesque transformation.
When Leng Qingqing arrived at the lakeside under an umbrella to observe, he found that the stone statue of Immortal Huayun had distorted. Like a lump of dough kneaded by an external force, its original form was gone, leaving only a massive, misshapen rock.
It was a terrifying sight. The statue seemed to have groaned and struggled in agony, yet the distortion only grew more severe.
All the other demons had already evacuated, leaving only Leng Jing and Leng Qingqing behind.
On that wind-swept, rain-drenched night, murderous intent lurked just outside the valley. Even through the curtain of rain, they could see the shimmering light of the Demon-Slaying Array as it activated, a web of radiance instantly encircling the entire valley.
"Son, this is... our home..." Leng Qingqing hugged Leng Jing, weeping softly.
Leng Jing looked up and said, "It is time for us to leave as well."
Supporting one another, they walked step by step toward the secret tunnel.
Just as they reached the cave entrance to the tunnel, a piercing shriek erupted behind them—a sound as horrific as a death rattle.
Leng Qingqing began to tremble uncontrollably.
"Let’s go see!" Leng Jing suddenly became excited. He had a premonition that something extraordinary was happening.
"No! I don't want to go!" Leng Qingqing shook his head.
"Wait for me here, I’ll be right back!" Leng Jing gave him a quick peck on the forehead and strode away.
Leng Qingqing stood there frozen, unable to believe his son had actually abandoned him and run off.
"My son!!!" He immediately cried out and chased after him.
Leng Qingqing followed his son through the drenching rain, weaving through the forest. Seeing that Leng Qingqing was slow, Leng Jing took his hand and pulled him along. This time, Leng Jing was more cautious; upon reaching the lakeside, he hid behind a thicket to observe. He saw the distorted statue beginning to crack. Hundreds of Heavenly Soldiers surrounded the statue, casting spells. The intersecting lights and shadows were dazzling to the eye.
"Son, what are they doing?" Leng Qingqing asked, bewildered.
"I don't know. It looks like they're trying to destroy that statue," Leng Jing replied, shaking his head.
The cracks in the statue grew more severe, and that shrill noise was emanating from the stone itself.
Finally, a shattering sound rang out as the statue fractured completely. However, the Heavenly Soldiers began to scream in terror. The statue had not crumbled into dust; instead, like a hatching egg, a massive creature slowly forced its way out from the fissures.
Even Leng Jing’s jaw dropped in shock. The monster barely possessed a humanoid shape, but it had three gaping, fanged maws lined up together. Its body looked as though it had been flayed, constantly dripping a turbid, blood-colored sludge. It had no eyes; the top of its head was entirely occupied by the three mouths. Sharp claws lashed out in every direction, acting like invisible, razor-sharp blades that sliced the Heavenly Soldiers to ribbons.
A scene straight out of hell unfolded before the father and son.
The viscous substance dripping from the monster quickly transformed into oversized meat-worms, each possessing nothing but a single mouth full of needle-like teeth, biting anything they touched.
"Those are your kin!" Leng Jing hissed through gritted teeth, pointing at the worms, before grabbing Leng Qingqing’s hand and running back.
"I’m not that disgusting! Waaaah!" Leng Qingqing cried out, feeling wronged. "Those clearly aren't snakes! They're worms!"
Just as they were about to flee, the monster finished slaughtering the Heavenly Soldiers. More and more meat-worms noticed them and began to pursue the poor dragon and snake.
The scene could only be described as an overwhelming swarm.
The two ran all the way into the secret tunnel. Once Leng Jing slammed the stone door shut, he finally breathed a sigh of relief.
"What kind of ghost-thing was that?" Leng Jing cursed. He turned around, only to see a large white snake flicking its tongue at him.
"What are you doing?" Leng Jing asked, his expression stiffening.
"Am I really that disgusting?!" Leng Qingqing, having reverted to his original form, asked piteously.
"No. You're very cute," Leng Jing lied against his conscience. He knew that if he said something his father didn't want to hear, there was no telling what he might do.
"Cute?" Leng Qingqing’s eyes sparkled. He said shyly, "Oh, stop it. Don't use such words to describe your Daddy..."
"Daddy, you are not only wise and martial, majestic and awe-inspiring, but you also possess the temperament of the King of Beasts..." Leng Jing’s mouth twitched as he watched the self-absorbed white snake lean in and brush its tongue against his face. After witnessing such a horrific event, the snake didn't seem to have a single psychological shadow.
Leng Jing could only walk stiffly toward the exit at the other end, completely unaware that he was walking with his arms and legs moving in sync like a robot.
***
From the moment he was born until now, the "ugly little snake" had never seen the outside world. Standing outside the valley, gazing at the vast, towering mountain ranges, he was momentarily stunned.
This was the world outside. It was so vast. He couldn't help but close his eyes and take a deep breath.
The other demons had long since scattered to save their lives. Leng Qingqing tugged at his son’s sleeve and asked pitifully, "Son, where are we going?"
"Let's go see what's on the other side of the mountains," Leng Jing said as he transformed into his true form—a majestic white dragon.
Leng Qingqing excitedly climbed onto the dragon’s back and gripped Leng Jing’s horns.
With that, the "ugly little snake" soared into the sky.
Enjoying the thrill of flight for the first time, the white dragon played freely amidst the dense, red-tinged clouds. Leng Qingqing simply closed his eyes in fear, letting the wind howl past his ears. After a day of such exertion, when the white dragon had played his fill, Leng Qingqing found that they had landed on an unfamiliar snowy mountain.
Leng Jing shifted back into human form and realized that Leng Qingqing was lacking energy and starting to doze off. It turned out that as soon as the weather turned cold, Leng Qingqing couldn't resist the urge to hibernate.
Leng Jing had no choice but to hoist Leng Qingqing onto his shoulders and search for a place to stay nearby.
As he walked and searched, he suddenly noticed patches of blood on the ground. Leng Jing followed the trail and, behind a cluster of shrubs, found a snow-white fork-tailed fox. Its hind paw was injured and bleeding.
Leng Jing sensed demonic energy from this snow fox; it seemed to be a fox demon with over a hundred years of cultivation.
Since they were both demons and he was a stranger in a strange land, Leng Jing figured it would be better to do someone a favor to make things easier later. With this in mind, he decided to save the snow fox.
***
Leng Jing picked up the unconscious snow fox by its tail and continued through the snow. Finally, he found a cave nearby. It appeared to be the snow fox’s den; it seemed the creature had collapsed just before reaching its home.
Leng Jing brought Leng Qingqing and the snow fox into the cavern and couldn't help but widen his eyes. What a magnificent cave! In all his life, he had never seen such a place—beaded curtains, soft beds of silk and gauze, white jade tables and chairs, and even a zither and a flute on display. Inside the cave was a pool of clear green water where white lotuses bloomed, defying the seasons. It was truly a divine immortal’s abode.
In the future, once he achieved success and fame, he would definitely decorate his own house like this. The "ugly little snake" thought this, completely unaware that he was also a country bumpkin who had seen nothing of the world.
Five watches later, the snow fox lying on the bed was able to take human form. He turned out to be an exquisitely beautiful young gentleman with a frail, delicate appearance. He woke up slowly, feeling a dull ache in his leg. Opening his eyes, he found himself in his own residence.
Thinking of the heartbreaking event where he was wounded by a Taoist priest, he couldn't help but shed tears. *Brother Liu, just because I am a fox and you are a man, could you really bear to strike me down?* At the thought of his sorrow, his heart ached terribly, and a groan escaped his vermilion lips.
Only then did he notice: who had brought him back?
He lifted the gauze curtain with a slender hand and saw an extraordinarily handsome young man in white sitting by the table, lost in thought. The snow fox’s hand trembled. His cave was protected by a barrier; for this person to enter meant he was either a demon or a master of the arts. Seeing the stern, killing intent in the corners of the man's eyes, he was clearly no benevolent soul!
He gave a dry cough and said, "Thank you, Excellency, for saving my life. I am Xue Rumeng. May I ask your great name?"
The young man in white was Leng Jing. He replied, "I am a white lizard from the Purple Cloud Valley, named Leng Jing. My foster father and I fled here to escape a natural disaster and found you collapsed by the road, so I brought you back. We are strangers here and hoped to make your acquaintance."
Xue Rumeng gave a cold snort. So they were just refugees who had come to his home to beg. However, he happened to need time to recover from his injuries, and having a couple of lackeys wouldn't be bad. Thus, he said, "If Master Leng does not mind, you may stay here for a short while."
And so, the "ugly little snake’s" first identity after leaving the valley was that of the snow fox’s servant and follower.
***
The snow fox, Xue Rumeng, nursed his injuries in bed for a few days before he could finally get up. During this time, Leng Jing and the perpetually drowsy Leng Qingqing took care of him, which left him reasonably satisfied. Once he could walk, he took Leng Jing to pay respects to the Mountain Lord, intending to register the Leng father and son so they could be considered permanent residents of the snowy mountain.
Leng Qingqing kept yawning, so he stayed behind to watch the cave, while Leng Jing went out with Xue Rumeng.
Along the way, Xue Rumeng glanced sideways at the elegant and profound young man. It was hard to believe he was just an unremarkable lizard spirit. Speaking of which... grilled lizard was actually quite delicious.
The snow fox brought Leng Jing to the Mountain Lord’s palace. The ruler here was a Green Jiao, originally a divine beast. Because of his pride, he refused to associate with the Heavenly Court and instead found this snowy mountain to rule as its lord. All the demons treated him with the utmost respect.
With Xue Rumeng’s status, he naturally couldn't see the Mountain Lord in person; he merely led Leng Jing to the Fox Official to register. The palace was towering and magnificent, causing the "ugly little snake" to daze off again.
The Fox Official had an office near a side gate. Seeing the snow fox arrive, he pulled out a brush and paper with an air of indifference. "State your names and origins."
Xue Rumeng replied, "He is my newly recruited servant, to be registered under my household. His name is Leng Jing, a gecko spirit. He also has an elderly father named Leng Qingqing, a snake spirit. They are both my subordinates."
The Fox Official wrote it down quickly and gave Leng Jing a slip to be filed in the registry, finalizing their status. He then said to Xue Rumeng, "The Fox Clan is holding a grand meeting tonight. Gather at the Water-Drop Cave."
Xue Rumeng glanced at the handsome Leng Jing. Thinking that bringing such a servant to the meeting would bring him great prestige, he commanded, "You will come with me tonight."
***
Fox demons had always been a race that pursued luxury. Their meeting place, the Water-Drop Cave, was decorated with exquisite detail. Fox demons, transformed into handsome men and beautiful women, arrived in groups of three or five, chatting and laughing, each flaunting their own elegance.
Xue Rumeng, dressed in snow-silk robes, swaggered into the cave with his two servants. These two servants were Leng Jing and the bleary-eyed Leng Qingqing. As soon as they entered, the two started eating snacks, which infuriated Xue Rumeng. He snatched the pine nuts from their hands. "Are you two pigs?! Go stand guard at the entrance!"
Leng Qingqing said pitifully, "Young Master, it's very cold outside. Can't we just work inside the cave?"
Xue Rumeng’s mouth twitched. He had no choice but to say, "Fine. Gecko, massage my back. Snake spirit, pound my legs."
Thus, the snow fox sat in the hall like a grand lord, enjoying imperial treatment—Leng Jing massaged his shoulders while Leng Qingqing knelt on the floor pounding his legs. This made the other fox demons incredibly envious; some even came over to ask about the market price for gecko servants.
After a while, the Elder of the Fox Clan arrived, and the room fell silent. The Elder was an old fox demon who had lived for a thousand years, his white beard almost reaching the floor. He cleared his throat and announced the start of the Fox Clan’s centennial grand assembly.
The white-bearded Elder stroked his beard and began to announce a major event that had recently occurred—the Fox King, Chenmei, had actually engaged in an illicit affair with a mortal, violating the taboos of the demon race, and had been expelled from the clan. Not only that, but to save the mortal’s life, Chenmei had stolen the Mountain Lord’s treasure, the Spirit Pearl, and fled. Therefore, the Mountain Lord had decreed that whoever could capture Chenmei and the human would be appointed the next Fox King. The condition was to kill Chenmei while ensuring the human remained completely unharmed.
Upon hearing this resolution, the Fox Clan broke into an uproar. One must know that Chenmei was a rare genius of the Fox Clan in terms of demonic power, appearance, and ability, and was considered the hope for the clan's revival. He was only a hundred years away from ascending to immortality, yet now he had thrown it all away for a mortal. It was truly a pity, a tragedy, and a cause for lamentation.
However, under a great reward, there will surely be brave men. Who in the Fox Clan didn't covet the position of Fox King? So, one by one, they began to scheme on how to capture Chenmei.
Xue Rumeng was no exception. Although he knew that consorting with a mortal was a great crime—and he himself had secretly been with a human for a time—the position of Fox King was too beneficial. Once he became the Fox King, he would have the right to consume the sacred fruit of the Fox Clan’s Holy Tree, gaining a thousand years of power. Then, he wouldn't have to fear those stinking Taoists and could fly off with his beloved. At worst, he and his lover could flee far away where no one could find them. He indulged in his daydream, unaware that he and Chenmei actually shared the same thoughts—both were passionate yet tragic foxes.
While everyone was discussing fervently, Leng Qingqing suddenly raised his hand. "Can I ask a question?"
All eyes focused on this seemingly pure and dazed snake demon.
"If a demon who isn't from the Fox Clan catches Chenmei, can they become the Fox King?" Leng Qingqing asked.
The Elder looked at this low-level snake demon, thinking he was a toad lusting after swan meat. But since the Mountain Lord was desperate for results, he said, "As long as you can achieve the task, the Mountain Lord will reward you accordingly."
"Then if we succeed, can the Mountain Lord make my son the master? Like... making him my son’s lackey?" Leng Qingqing pointed at Xue Rumeng.
Xue Rumeng’s jaw dropped. *This damned snake demon!! I couldn't tell he was so honest normally, but his intentions are so sinister!!*
To his shock, the Elder actually agreed. "Fine. If you can catch Chenmei, then Xue Rumeng can be your attendant."
"That's great! Jing-er, let's go catch a fox!" Leng Qingqing jumped up, grabbed Leng Jing’s arm, and said excitedly, "My Jing-er is the best at catching foxes. When he was little, he made the fox demon family next door howl in pain. A dead fox is definitely no match for us! La la la! The Leng son and father are on the case, all fox affairs will be erased! All foxes will be dead and gone!" He began to sing his self-composed song.
In the end, the dragon, the snake, and the snow fox were kicked out of the cave by the furious Fox Clan—some sensitive things simply shouldn't be said aloud.
"You two bastards!!!!!!" Xue Rumeng, having lost all face, roared in anger in the snow.
***
There is nothing more pleasant in the depths of winter than wrapping oneself in a quilt and chatting over a hotpot.
Now, in Xue Rumeng’s cave, the dragon, the snake, and the fox were each wrapped in a cotton quilt, chatting idly around a hotpot. Xue Rumeng didn't even know how he ended up eating hotpot with these two bastards, but being wrapped in the quilt was so comfortable that he didn't want to move at all. Even his dream of becoming the Fox King felt as fleeting as a bubble.
Whatever! Eat well, drink well, and sleep well first, then talk about love and grand ambitions later! With this mindset, the snow fox joined the dragon and snake in their descent into idle gossip.
"Actually, do you know? That mortal Chenmei is seeing also has an affair with the Mountain Lord." After three cups of roasted wine, Xue Rumeng began to spill the tea.
It wasn't just humans who liked to gossip; demons were the same.
"Did they play at kissing?" Leng Qingqing covered his mouth and giggled.
"It was more than kissing. It was 'hey-ho, hey-ho,'" Xue Rumeng said seriously.
"What is 'hey-ho, hey-ho'?" Leng Qingqing asked, blinking his large eyes.
"It means mating," Leng Jing interjected.
"Ah! How scandalous! So blunt! Can't you be a bit more subtle as a demon?" Xue Rumeng blushed.
"Jing-er and I mate all the time!" Leng Qingqing said with a smile.
"AAAAAAAAHHH!!!" This time, Leng Jing screamed along with Xue Rumeng.
"Isn't mating just intertwining our tails?" Leng Qingqing didn't understand why they were so excited. When Leng Jing was little, he often got his tail tangled with his father's—both were long-bodied, soft creatures, so tails getting tangled was nothing strange.
Leng Jing, true to his calm and composed nature, immediately grew serious to restore order. He said coldly, "Do not speak of such filthy topics, or we might get censored!"
"What are you talking about? Waaaah!" Leng Qingqing felt wronged and puffed out his cheeks in a pout.
Xue Rumeng coughed a few times and continued the topic. "A few years ago, the Mountain Lord picked up a small child from the foot of the mountain and named him Yunxiu. This Yunxiu was truly a delicate and beautiful child; in just a few years, he grew to be more enchanting than a celestial maiden from the Nine Heavens. Even the Mountain Lord was moved by Yunxiu.
"But three years ago, after the Fox King Chenmei happened to see Yunxiu, the two fell in love at first sight. Yunxiu was determined to follow Chenmei, even at the cost of breaking the 'restriction' the Mountain Lord had placed on him, leaving himself on the verge of death. Chenmei also fought against the odds to be with Yunxiu and was subjected to all kinds of abuse by the Mountain Lord. Until a few months ago, Chenmei somehow stole the Mountain Lord’s Spirit Pearl and fled with Yunxiu. The Mountain Lord was furious and issued a 'kill on sight' order. Alas, all is caused by the troubles of love!"
After listening, Leng Jing mused, "Hmm. Love should follow the heart and come naturally. It is only beautiful when both parties are willing. If one side forces it and the other rejects it, it only causes pain for both. It’s better to let go. Forcing a love that shouldn't be, a love without destiny, only shows that this person is petty and lacks grace. It seems this so-called Mountain Lord is nothing special."
"You can't just say things like that! It'll be disastrous if the Mountain Lord hears you! You don't know how brutal his methods are!" Xue Rumeng said fearfully.
"In this world, the strong prey on the weak. It seems this logic holds true everywhere," Leng Jing sneered. "If I were king, I would establish laws, expand territories, and bring order to heaven and earth."
"Little Gecko, your ambitions are truly high!" Xue Rumeng clapped, only to suddenly realize his hands had turned into furry paws. He looked down and saw he had reverted to his original form.
It turned out Xue Rumeng was a demon with shallow cultivation; he could only maintain human form for a few months before having to revert to his original form for a period of time. During this time, he was just like an ordinary fox, with no magical powers.
"Young Master, what happened to you?" Leng Qingqing leaned in and felt Xue Rumeng’s ears. Once he was certain the fox couldn't turn back into a human, he suddenly let out a sinister "hehe" laugh. Then he turned to Leng Jing with a smile. "Son, can I keep a dog to play with?"
"Whatever you want." Leng Jing didn't even look up, continuing to eat the remaining hotpot.
Only Xue Rumeng howled in anger—meeting this father and son was truly his greatest misfortune!!!
***
**Glossary**
Chinese | English | Notes/Explanation
--- | --- | ---
画云仙 | Immortal Huayun | The deity depicted in the statue in the valley.
雪如梦 | Xue Rumeng | A snow fox demon; his name means "Dreamlike Snow."
晨湄 | Chenmei | The former Fox King who eloped with a mortal.
云岫 | Yunxiu | The beautiful mortal youth raised by the Mountain Lord.
青蛟 | Azure Flood Dragon | The Mountain Lord; a "Jiao" is a mythical aquatic dragon-like creature.
灵珠 | Spirit Pearl | A magical treasure stolen from the Mountain Lord.
壁虎精 | Gecko Spirit | The false identity Leng Jing uses to hide his dragon nature.
蛇精 | Snake Spirit | Leng Qingqing's species; often used for snake demons.
水滴洞 | Water-Drop Cave | The meeting place for the fox clan.
交尾 | Mating / Intertwining tails | A biological term for animal copulation; Leng Qingqing misunderstands it literally.
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