The Ugly Little Snake: My Dragon Son | Chapter 50 | A Strange Resurrection | Novela.app

Amidst the sound of falling rain, Leng Jing drifted into the realm of dreams. In Leng Jing’s dreams, his childhood home, the Valley of Azure Seas and Surging Waves, would always appear. It was a dull valley with mediocre scenery, inhabited by a group of country bumpkins. In reality, it was a very small place, but to the tiny, ugly little snake he had once been, it felt exceptionally vast and deep. Every detail of the valley was infinitely magnified, as if it were his entire world. People and things encountered during the day would appear in his dreams with a different visage, playing out bizarre and absurd stories. These dreams felt as though Leng Jing himself were the writer and director; though he did not know the ending, he felt a deep-seated familiarity with them. If he applied a bit of focus, he could actually manipulate the content of his dreams. Occasionally, however, "alien dreams" would occur—strange visions that were beyond his control. It felt like slipping into someone else's world to eavesdrop, a sensation that was dangerous yet accompanied by a small, thrilling spark of excitement. These alien dreams were sometimes mere fleeting fragments, yet they left a profound impression. Just like now, Leng Jing was suddenly jolted awake from his slumber by a nightmare, yet he had already forgotten its contents. He looked around blankly, realizing it was still the middle of the night. The rain continued to drum outside. He slipped into his slippers, threw on a robe, and went out to relieve himself. Stepping out of the bedroom, he found that the group was actually still drinking. By now, they were all thoroughly wasted. Leng Qingqing was dancing and gesticulating wildly; Bi Xuan said nothing, simply downing cup after cup; the White Tiger had already collapsed; while the White Rabbit and the White Mink had reverted to their original forms, competing to see whose fur was whiter. "They can really drink," Leng Jing tutted. It seemed they intended to drink the night away. "Xiao Jing, where are you going?" Leng Qingqing was drunk, which made him appear unusually solemn. "To the latrine," Leng Jing answered truthfully. "Come here. Your father has something to say to you." Leng Qingqing’s expression grew increasingly grave. "What is it?" Leng Jing asked. "Do you have no respect for your elders?! Get over here right now!" Leng Qingqing suddenly flared up. "..." Leng Jing paused for a moment, then dashed out at extreme speed. A moment later, he charged back into the bedroom with godlike swiftness and slammed the door shut. Through the paper window of the bedroom door, the lamplight cast the shadow of a giant snake. The great serpent twisted and spiraled its body while shouting in a terrifying voice, "Xiao—Jing—come out—come—out—now—!!!" Leng Jing bolted the door. At that moment, the great snake cried out again, "Behold my Snake God Secret Art! Ten Thousand Snake Shadows!!!" In an instant, countless shadows of small snakes swarmed across the paper window. Leng Jing shuddered as he heard the miserable screams of the White Rabbit, White Mink, and White Tiger outside— "Snakes!! Snakes!!! So many snakes!!!! Mother! Help me!!!" Leng Jing exhaled a sigh of relief, climbed back into bed, and went back to sleep. *** The next morning, everyone was sprawled out in various states of disarray. Leng Qingqing was utterly despondent, unable to even maintain his human form; a large white snake lay stiffly on the floor. Leng Jing got out of bed and gave the White Rabbit’s ears and the White Mink’s tail a shake, but they merely let out drunken hiccups. Looking to the side, a white tiger was fast asleep on the floor. Only Bi Xuan was slightly better off, maintaining his human form while slumped over the table. Since everyone was passed out, Leng Jing frowned and thought for a while. Then, he placed the White Mink and the White Rabbit on the table, laying them out as if for a dissection. He pried open their mouths and ears to inspect them and poked at their bellies. It was quite fun! They were so fluffy. Comparing them, he decided the White Mink’s fur was better suited for a scarf. The rabbit’s tail really was as short as the legends said! However, the rabbit’s ears felt warmer to the touch. It turned out the little white rabbit had claws too, though they weren't very sharp. The rabbit’s three-part philtrum was also quite interesting to poke. After he finished playing with the mink and the rabbit, Leng Jing went to fiddle with the tiger, and finally, the great white snake winding across the floor. "Truly thick enough," Leng Jing muttered, squatting down to examine the large white snake. He poked it with a chopstick; the snake remained motionless, its wide-open mouth reeking of alcohol. Leng Jing extended a finger, summoning the courage to touch the white snake’s body. It was icy cold, with scales arranged in a fine, dense pattern. It felt strangely unique to the touch. When they finally sobered up, everything returned to normal. No one knew what Leng Jing had done while they were drunk. *** Life at the inn continued. The continuous rainy days hindered their journey, so the Leng Group remained in this Jiangnan town. Looking down from the second-floor balcony, one could see passersby hurrying along under various umbrellas. Leng Jing treated this observation as a poetic pastime; he simply moved a chair over and quietly watched the street. Leng Qingqing pulled a chair over as well to accompany him. "Son, have you thought about what we should do in the future?" Leng Qingqing asked, resting his chin on his hand. "I think, in the future, perhaps I can cultivate my own power and become a prestigious lord," Leng Jing said. "I wanted to ask about your plans, Father. Will you return to the Snake God Clan? Or will you continue to stay by my side?" "Being with you is always happy. I don't know why, but it just makes me very happy," Leng Qingqing said. "..." Leng Jing was silent for a while before saying, "I don't particularly like expressing my emotions too openly." "You've been like that since you were little," Leng Qingqing noted. "There are some things I thought I didn't need to say for you to understand." Leng Jing looked down at his clothes. "It seems that way," Leng Qingqing nodded. "I feel that the person who will stay with me until the end will always be you, Father. This thought keeps me from feeling lost." "I think so too. It’s less lonely that way." "Even if we reach the end of the world, will you still be with me?" "That goes without saying. I’m the one who hatched you, after all," Leng Qingqing nodded vigorously. Leng Jing cast his gaze toward the street below and said, "Mortals love to talk about 'passion and love.' But the grinding of years causes beauty to wither and youth to fade. In the end, when 'love' sheds its glamorous skin and passes through countless trials, what remains is nothing more than the 'companionship' of two withered elders. Immortals sometimes prefer to violate heavenly laws just to emulate mortals, loving with a grand, world-shaking passion. However, so-called love, when manifested in every day and every moment, is actually the most unadorned, ordinary affection. If it cannot withstand time—loving fiercely but dispersing quickly—then it cannot be called true affection. Compared to that intense sort of love, I hope for a bond as calm as water." Leng Qingqing nodded, looking completely bewildered. "I realized long ago that you're a stubborn one, son. But as for other snake-women, goddesses, demonesses, snake-men, gods, demons, mortal women, or mortal men—your father has no desire to marry any of them. I just want to live my life honestly with my son. All that 'passion' and 'love' talk is nonsense! I don't want to waste effort calculating it. If Xiao Jing likes me, then I'll just say I like Xiao Jing too. What’s the big deal? It’s just about living happily together!" "I just wanted to communicate some deeper concepts with you," Leng Jing said, his expression flat. "People of my age don't think much of the 'deeper concepts' favored by youngsters." Leng Qingqing began to put on the airs of an elder. "Your spirit is too impoverished," Leng Jing remarked. "That so-called 'impoverishment'—once you reach my age, you'll realize it's just another nonsense game youngsters like to play." Leng Qingqing continued to act the part of the old sage. "You speak with such worldly wisdom. Do you actually have experience?" Leng Jing began to dig into his father's past. "Of course! Back in the day, your father was the number one handsome man in the Valley of Azure Seas and Surging Waves. I had life-and-death romances with so many demons!" Halfway through his sentence, Leng Qingqing went to get a cup of tea. After taking a sip, he continued with a weary, experienced tone. "Are you talking about the entanglement between you, that lizard demon, and his lizard fiancée?" Leng Jing’s lip twitched. That was a piece of gossip that had circulated in the valley for years! Leng Qingqing nodded and began to reminisce. Supposedly, that was an unforgettable emotional entanglement for Leng Qingqing. The complexity was too tedious, so we shall only summarize the process. It was said that the lizard family produced two young talents: the Elder Lizard Brother and the Younger Lizard Brother. Both fell in love with Miss Lizard at the same time. The Younger Lizard Brother endured the pain of letting go and moved far away—from the east end of the valley to the west end, becoming Leng Qingqing’s neighbor. Thus, the Younger Lizard Brother spent every day expressing his melancholy and gloom to Leng Qingqing, reciting his profound understanding of emotions and such. Over time, the Younger Lizard Brother developed a faint, calm-as-water affection for Leng Qingqing. [Leng Qingqing interjected: "See, Xiao Jing? 'Calm as water' is actually just one of the growing pains of youth."] Coincidentally, at that time, the Black Bear often came to find Leng Qingqing for drinks. The Younger Lizard Brother felt pain and loss, believing he had lost the choice between himself and the Black Bear. Thus, he exiled himself again. Whenever it rained, he would rush outside to soak in it, bingeing on fruit wine and complaining about the unfairness of fate. Just as he was disheartened and prepared to spend his demonic life in a wine vat, Miss Lizard ran away from her wedding on the actual day. She came to the Younger Lizard Brother’s side and had a passionate encounter with him, telling him that he was the one she truly loved. Only then did the Younger Lizard Brother realize that the one he could never forget was actually Leng Qingqing! But Miss Lizard told him she was pregnant! The Younger Lizard Brother continued to suffer. At that moment, the Elder Lizard Brother caught up to them, intending to duel the Younger Lizard Brother without listening to reason. The Younger Lizard Brother went to find Leng Qingqing with a suicidal heart, speaking a great deal of profound words, the gist of which was that he liked Leng Qingqing but they were not fated in this life, hoping they could be a couple who grew old together in the next. The result? The next day, the lizard brothers began their duel to the death. After hearing the Younger Lizard Brother’s touching words the night before, Leng Qingqing did something that caused the Younger Lizard Brother incomparable heartache— He called all the demons in the valley over to watch the spectacle. From then until Leng Jing grew up, the relationship between the lizard family and the Leng family remained hostile. "You see, so-called emotions cannot withstand the test," Leng Qingqing concluded as he sipped his tea. "......Then massage my legs." Leng Jing finally lay back on the lounge chair and crossed his legs. As for so-called emotions, one had to seize the opportunity to enjoy them. *** The heavy rain continued to pour. The Azure Dragon, White Tiger, and White Rabbit, who had gone out to buy food, were nowhere to be seen. They had been gone for several hours and had not returned. As evening approached, Leng Qingqing and the White Mink, who were playing two-person mahjong in the luxury suite, found their stomachs growling. Leng Jing, who usually slept in or read idle books, was uncharacteristically diligent and volunteered to go buy food. One must know that normally, he was the type who wouldn't even pick up a fallen oil bottle. "Son, take an umbrella! Be careful not to get your robes wet!" Leng Qingqing called out solicitously. "I know." Leng Jing took an oil-paper umbrella and headed downstairs. The inn’s corridors were lined with guest rooms, all occupied by the wealthy or noble. Leng Jing emerged from his "Heaven" grade room with his umbrella. As he passed the neighboring room of the Manor Lord of Frost and Snow, he couldn't help but steal a few glances. It was said the Manor Lord had suddenly vanished the day after checking in, leaving the room empty. Leng Jing figured they had probably gone to that legendary Wanxiang Pavilion. As he walked down the stairs, he could see the situation in the lobby below. Two guests were standing by the front counter, seemingly discussing business with the innkeeper. Leng Jing didn't pay much attention, wanting only to pass by quietly. He kept his head down, hurrying through the first floor past the counter. "What a coincidence, Young Master Sheng. We meet again." A somber voice came from his side. Leng Jing found it somewhat familiar and turned to look. With that one look, Leng Jing was so startled he took a step back, knocking over the nearby tables and chairs. Because the person speaking to him was indeed the Manor Lord of Frost and Snow—he had returned. What shocked the omnipotent Dragon God was the youth beside him—a youth standing there vividly, draped in a gray cloak. It was none other than the Manor Lord’s son, Kai'er, who had died that day! He really was resurrected?! Leng Jing looked at him in shock and suspicion. The Manor Lord let out a low, sinister laugh. "Young Master Sheng, why the great fuss? I haven't had the chance to settle the score for that grudge from last time! Where are your two guards? Why are they nowhere to be seen?" Leng Jing, however, focused all his attention on the resurrected Kai'er. This Kai'er was indeed a living person; he even nodded and smiled at Leng Jing. But that smile made Leng Jing feel extremely uneasy and uncomfortable. Exactly what was wrong? Leng Jing deliberately said in a trembling voice, "You... you... didn't your son die?" "Your son is the one who's dead! My Kai'er is alive and well! It is thanks to the brilliant medical skills of Wanxiang Pavilion that my Kai'er was saved. Haha, it is truly the will of Heaven!" The Manor Lord sneered. "I returned this time specifically to repay the humiliation you gave me that day!" "Father, forget it. Young Master Sheng is a frail scholar who knows no martial arts. Do not let this cycle of vengeance continue," Kai'er actually spoke up to stop him. The Manor Lord huffed. "Fine. Since Kai'er says so, I shall spare him this once. Hey, you stinking scholar, you’d better not let me see you again! Now get lost!" Leng Jing "sensibly" hurried away. He ran past the father and son as if fleeing for his life. He ran for three miles in one breath, not even holding his umbrella, until he stopped at an alley corner. Only then did he carefully recall the scene he had just witnessed. Leng Jing possessed the greatest speed in the world; therefore, his vision could capture the most minute, instantaneous changes. Just now, when he brushed past Kai'er, the corner of his eye had clearly caught a terrifying sight—Kai'er had rolled his eyes. It was an extremely brief instant, but in one of the youth's eyes, two pupils had appeared. With those strange eyes, he had used his facial features to squeeze out a horrific smile that could only be seen at a speed where time nearly stood still. That incredibly eerie smile had been captured by Leng Jing’s eyes in an instant. At the same time the youth smiled, his complexion had taken on a faint, ashen grayness unlike that of a normal person—just like a corpse. In truth, the one the Manor Lord brought back was still a corpse, wasn't it? Leng Jing felt his heart tighten. Wanxiang Pavilion—a mysterious organization that could make the dead walk. *** **Glossary** Chinese | English | Notes/Explanation ---|---|--- 异梦 | Alien dreams | Strange, vivid dreams that feel like glimpses into another world. 蛇神秘术！蛇影万道 | Snake God Secret Art! Ten Thousand Snake Shadows | A technique used by Leng Qingqing to create illusions of snakes. 万象楼 | Wanxiang Pavilion | A mysterious medical facility rumored to be able to resurrect the dead. "Wanxiang" means "all manifestations" or "myriad things." 圣公子 | Young Master Sheng | The pseudonym/title the Manor Lord uses to address Leng Jing. 重瞳 | Double pupils | Polycoria; in this context, a terrifying physical anomaly seen in the "resurrected" Kai'er.