Realm of the Night God

"Hello, little one, you're so cute. What's your name?" The serpent demon gently touched Xiaokang's head, smiling as she inquired.

"I'm Yang Kang. Aunt, what's your name?" Xiaokang asked innocently.

"I'm Bai Xue, but don't call me aunt. I'm not that old. Just call me sister," the serpent demon chuckled.

Upon hearing this, Yang Haoran wanted to say something, but in the end, he held back.

Calling her sister? This serpent demon had been alive for who knows how many years to become enlightened. Even if it were him, addressing her as grandma would feel like tempting fate.

Yet, he kept these thoughts to himself. Uttering such words might provoke the serpent demon, especially considering women's sensitivity to age. He thought it best not to test her boundaries.

Although he held the serpent demon's lifeline now, stepping over her limits might lead to extreme actions, and he wasn't sure what the serpent demon would do.

He was still waiting for the serpent demon to take him to that place. According to her description, it might be another extreme yin place, which he needed for his current plans, not just for malevolent spirits but also for extreme yin places.

Even though he didn't need it immediately, being prepared could make his future plans more advantageous.

This matter was crucial for Yang Haoran, which was why he took the risk of keeping the serpent demon. Otherwise, how could he leave a man-eating demon at home?

Xiaokang was still an innocent child, not overthinking like Yang Haoran. When the serpent demon asked him to call her sister, he immediately complied.

"Sister Bai Xue!"

The joy in the serpent demon's heart was evident. Just as she was about to praise Xiaokang, the little one noticed Yang Haoran downstairs and happily ran toward him.

"Uncle Yang, is Sister Bai Xue your friend?"

Faced with Xiaokang's innocent question, Yang Haoran could only smile and nod. Some things were beyond a child's understanding, so Yang Haoran didn't provide any explanation.

"Sister Bai Xue is indeed Uncle Yang's friend. By the way, Uncle Yang, how about taking Xiaokang out for a stroll?"

At the mention of going out, Xiaokang became excited. Whenever Yang Haoran took him out, he bought many things Xiaokang liked.

However, in the next moment, Xiaokang seemed to remember something and shook his head regretfully.

"No, I haven't finished the homework Mom assigned me. I can't go shopping with Uncle Yang until I complete it. Mom said if I study more now, I won't lag behind other kids when I go to kindergarten."

As Xiaokang finished speaking, Xiu Juan's voice came from the Soul Gathering Bead.

"Divine envoy, you two go. I'll stay here with Xiaokang."

Upon hearing this, Yang Haoran hesitated for a moment, then nodded. He didn't insist because he understood Xiu Juan's good intentions.

"Alright, we'll be back soon."

Yang Haoran signaled to the serpent demon, and they both left the grocery store, getting into Yang Haoran's luxury car.

Once in the car, to ease the awkwardness, Yang Haoran drove towards their destination and initiated a conversation.

"Before I met you, I heard there's a temple on the mountain. What kind of temple is it?"

At the mention of the mountain temple, the serpent demon's expression changed slightly. She then smiled and asked Yang Haoran, "Do you really want to know?"

"Of course, why else would I ask you?" Yang Haoran responded with a smile.

"If you really want to know, then I'll tell you." After a pause, the serpent demon organized her thoughts and continued, "There used to be a temple on that mountain, built by the nearby villagers. The deity they worshipped was the Snake Deity."

"Snake deity?" Yang Haoran was somewhat surprised. He had expected the mountain temple to enshrine a significant deity, not a snake deity he had never heard of.

"Yes, snake deity. However, this snake deity is not a true god but a serpent demon who has cultivated into enlightenment. The villagers regarded her as a deity because, during a year of flooding, she manifested herself and, through her abilities, cleared the floodwaters for the nearby villages. After that incident, the villagers worshipped her as a deity and built a temple dedicated to the snake deity on the mountain."

As she spoke, a nostalgic expression appeared on the serpent demon's face, and her gaze softened.

"The villagers had limited resources and abilities, so the snake deity temple they constructed was small and simple, housing only a modest divine statue. However, despite its size, Xiao Xiao's snake deity temple continuously received offerings, and the villagers often spontaneously climbed the mountain to worship. Though small, the temple maintained a steady stream of worshippers."

"On the day the serpent demon manifested, it became a designated festival for the nearby villagers. Every year on that day, the villagers held a temple fair at the snake deity temple, worshipping the snake deity and seeking her protection. It was quite lively."

"The serpent demon couldn't fulfill every villager's wishes, but she used her abilities in secret to ensure the nearby villages had favorable weather conditions. She assisted them with draining floods, finding water during droughts, and extinguishing fires. She did her best to help them."

At this point, the softness in the serpent demon's eyes gradually disappeared, replaced by a cold resentment.

"The serpent demon thought all of this would continue according to the circumstances at the time. However, she was too naive. She underestimated the complexity of human hearts. The arrival of two women changed everything."

"Both of these women were believers of the Fu Sect – one a black talisman master, the other a yellow talisman master. They came to the village to spread their teachings, hoping the villagers would become believers of the Fu Sect and only worship their deity, the Fu ancestor."

"At first, the villagers were unwilling because they already had their own deity, the snake deity. The villagers firmly believed that the village thrived because of the snake deity's hidden protection. They were unwilling to believe in or worship any other deity."

"However, the two talisman masters did not give up. They began using various methods to tarnish the reputation of the snake deity and showcased abilities before the villagers that ordinary people didn't possess, aiming to sway them."

"Gradually, some villagers started to doubt their inner faith. The abilities of the two talisman masters were visible, while their snake deity, apart from manifesting during the initial flood, had not appeared since. They even began to question whether the village's prosperity in recent years was just a coincidence and had no connection to the snake deity."

"Initially, only a few villagers had such thoughts, but with the instigation of the two talisman masters, more and more villagers began to share these doubts. Gradually, they stopped believing in the snake deity. Guided by the talisman masters, the villagers not only stopped believing in the snake deity but also began to harbor resentment towards her, as she was, after all, a demon who could potentially devour them. The fact that she hadn't done so yet didn't mean she wouldn't in the future."

"With these biased beliefs and the deliberate influence of the talisman masters, few villagers near the snake deity temple continued to believe in her. Those who still believed in the snake deity were considered traitors and heretics by the other villagers, using the excuse of being influenced by the serpent demon to eliminate them."

"At that time, an old farmer who still believed in the snake deity foresaw the impending bloodshed. He escaped to the snake deity temple on the mountain in advance, temporarily avoiding the absurd judgment of the other villagers. Kneeling in front of the divine statue, he wept and conveyed his feelings to the serpent demon, who was still in seclusion and initially unaware of the unfolding events in the village."

"The serpent demon was furious. She wanted to descend the mountain and kill the two talisman masters, revealing to the villagers that she had been silently protecting the nearby villages all these years. However, before she could act, the villagers, led by the talisman masters, attacked the snake deity temple."

"Some villagers wielded hoes, others carried bamboo poles, and some even had knives and shotguns. If the snake deity didn't manifest, they would use their tools to smash the temple. If she did manifest, they intended to use their tools to kill her. In the villagers' eyes, with the presence of the two talisman masters, eliminating the snake deity was supposed to be an effortless task. They weren't afraid; on the contrary, they were excited."

"Because, once they killed the demon, as they saw it, they would earn great merit for their Fu Sect beliefs. They were eager to contribute to their sect, so they were all very enthusiastic."