The flight time was almost up, and Yarrow, holding Peach Fox in his arms, slowly descended to the ground. The wings on his back dissolved into shimmering specks of light, vanishing into the air.
Though the Soaring Brand's duration was brief, its speed had been remarkable. In just half an hour, they had already flown out of the dense forest and over the expansive grassland.
He pulled out the item-finding list and glanced at it, confirming their next steps.
"Still a bit of a distance left," Yarrow muttered. "Walking will get us there faster."
They had reached the edge of a black forest. The gnarled trees around them, twisted and ancient, made it clear they were in familiar territory. Based on the directions from the list, Yarrow pressed on. In the distance, he could already make out the spire of a building peeking from behind the trees.
Just then, Peach Fox's ears twitched. She glanced toward the black forest with a concerned look.
"Yarrow, did you hear something?" she asked.
"Hmm?" Yarrow stopped and cocked his head. Indeed, faint shouts echoed from the forest.
Peach Fox looked at him, her voice tinged with worry. "It sounds... like a cry for help."
Yarrow dismissed it with a wave of his hand, his expression unchanged. "In a desolate place like this? It's probably just the wind. Don't worry about it."
Peach Fox gave him a skeptical glance but didn't press further. She followed him as he continued walking.
But before they'd gone much further, something unusual caught their eye—a figure hanging from a tree in front of them. Yarrow initially thought it was Red Boy, but a closer look revealed it to be a chubby snake with red fur along its back and green scales on its body.
"Help! Help!" The snake's voice was high-pitched and childlike, twisting frantically on the branch.
It was only about a meter long, its round head adorned with large, dark green eyes that shone with distress. As soon as it noticed Yarrow and Peach Fox, it perked up and shouted eagerly:
"Finally! Someone's here! I've been tied up by some bad people! Please, come save me!"
Peach Fox glanced at Yarrow, who sighed heavily. He then pointed at the snake, muttering under his breath.
"See that? Classic honey trap. You go over, and I bet a few big guys will pop out and surround us."
"Then... what do we do?" Peach Fox asked, a little unsure.
Yarrow gave her a pointed look. "Stay away."
Peach Fox nodded, and they continued walking, bypassing the tree.
"Hey! Where are you going?" the snake called after them, wriggling in place. "I'm not a bad snake! Come back and help me!"
They ignored it and pressed on, but not far ahead, they heard the voice again.
This time, the snake was tangled in a net by the roadside.
"Help! Someone, save me! I'm trapped in a net!" it wailed, squirming frantically.
Yarrow frowned but didn't break stride. He grabbed Peach Fox's arm and steered her away from the snake once more. They moved past it and continued walking.
Yet, just a short distance ahead, there it was again. The same plump snake, now tied to another tree.
"Help, please! I'm stuck! Come save me..." it cried desperately.
Yarrow stopped in his tracks, his patience wearing thin. He turned to the snake and snapped.
"Are you ever going to stop? How determined are you to pester us?"
The snake, seemingly offended, wriggled out of its bonds and slithered up to Yarrow's face. Its tail flicked in front of his nose as it scolded him.
"Excuse me? You have the nerve to ignore a cute little snake like me? Cold-blooded, much?!" it said, pointing its tail at him in indignation.
Yarrow raised an eyebrow. "What kind of honey trap is this? At least transform into a human first. Even a cute little boy in a bib would be better than this! Who in their right mind would save a snake?"
Peach Fox crossed her arms, nodding in agreement. "Honestly, even I can tell this is fake."
The snake's expression soured. "Humans are so blind. I came here to test you, and you failed at the simplest test."
Yarrow sighed. "Well, I guess we've disappointed you."
With that, he turned and walked away, continuing down the path with Peach Fox.
The snake's voice trailed behind them, but they paid it no mind, their steps growing quieter as they left the creature behind.
"Stop right there!"
The plump snake slithered in front of them, propping itself up with its tail. It raised its chubby upper body and gave a cold chuckle.
"You don't seriously think I'm just an ordinary snake, do you? Watch closely—I am the legendary mythical creature, the Feathered Serpent God!"
Suddenly, a pair of red feathered wings unfurled from its back. However, compared to real wings, these were comically small—no larger than two tiny ornaments, even smaller than Ji Xiaofei's wings.
"See that? Foolish humans," the plump snake sneered, clearly proud of itself.
Yarrow raised an eyebrow and couldn't help but laugh. He pointed at the wings.
"May I ask, is this Feathered Serpent God of yours still a child? Even my chicks have bigger wings than you."
Peach Fox crossed her arms and added, "Haven't you been cultivating properly? You can't possibly have an immortal body with wings that size."
The plump snake's face turned red with embarrassment. "Don't laugh at me! I'm not fully grown yet!" it shouted, flustered.
"Anyway, both of you have failed my test. Humans without a shred of compassion are unworthy of the Feathered Serpent God's recognition!" It huffed, trying to look dignified.
Yarrow gave it a bored look. "Is that so? What a shame." He then grabbed Peach Fox and continued walking.
"Hey!" The plump snake, now clearly frustrated, slithered after them and blocked their path again. "Are you really not going to care? This is the recognition of a mythical creature! Even if I'm just a small snake who hasn't come of age, I could still become a powerful divine beast in the future!"
The little snake puffed up its chest, standing on its tail in an attempt to look impressive, but it only seemed more comical.
Yarrow sighed in annoyance. "If you're such a divine beast, why are you always pestering us two humans? Shouldn't you have better things to do?"
The plump snake suddenly faltered, its voice growing softer. "I... I just wanted to test the character of humans," it muttered, avoiding eye contact.
"Goodbye," Yarrow said curtly, attempting to bypass it once again.
"Okay! Okay! I admit it!" The plump snake suddenly lunged, wrapping its soft body around Yarrow's left leg. With its big, round eyes filled with tears, it pleaded, "I've been trapped in this secret realm for over three months! I just want to go home!"
Yarrow paused, bewildered, as the little snake clung tightly to his leg. "You—let go of me!"
The snake squeezed harder. "I won't let go unless you agree to help me!"
Yarrow groaned. "Alright, alright! We'll listen to you. Just let go, okay?"
The plump snake reluctantly released its grip, sliding down Yarrow's leg. Its eyes were still filled with tears as it stared at him, aggrieved.
Yarrow frowned, clearly impatient. "Speak. You said you came from outside the secret realm—what's going on?"
The little snake sniffled, clearly embarrassed. "I... I snuck in here three months ago. I heard there were treasures inside that could help me grow up quickly, so I came in. But... it's been three months, and I haven't found anything, and I can't even leave..." The little snake let out a soft sob, clearly distressed.
"I didn't meet you two until today, but when I saw the gems on your hands, I knew you came from outside the secret realm. So, I came to ask for your help," it finished, looking up at Yarrow with big, pleading eyes.