Chapter 304: 303 Scale Gold Assembly (Part 2)

"Sss."

"Ssssss?"

"Ssssssss!"

As the sun slowly sank below the horizon, a dense, intricate hissing rose from the boundless rice fields, all moving in unison toward a single direction.

When the sun vanished entirely and cold moonlight spilled across the land, a small altar at the field's center had become a serpent's paradise—thick and thin snakes of varied patterns coiled around the slender pillars surrounding the altar, their eyes fixed expectantly on the black sculpture at its center.

"That purple-black venomous ball python must be the high priest presiding over this homage."

Curling its tail and pointing at the only venomous ball python capable of coiling around the serpent sculpture, the spotted snake with six small blue dots on its forehead and a large red dot beneath its chin spoke to the fiery red snake beside it:

"Are you really a Divine Chosen? Are you certain that if the high priest's position becomes vacant, you can directly and unconditionally replace him?"

After hearing Tang Mu's question, Li Ang glanced at the gleaming Divine Chosen of the Scale Gold—'Devourer of Wealth'—then nodded firmly.

"Alright then."

Casting him a skeptical glance, the spotted snake spoke:

"If you're truly confident, this will make our move much easier… I'll create a distraction, find a way to kill that high priest, and while chaos breaks out, you climb up and coil around the serpent spirit sculpture to send it a warning signal and draw it back."

"As for positioning, aim for the tail end—or as far from the head as possible—and just make light contact before letting go. Your Divine Chosen status is suspicious; brief contact won't raise suspicion, but prolonged contact will expose you."

Nodded.

"Good. Move forward a bit and get ready!"

After giving these instructions, Tang Mu's spotted snake form twisted backward and slithered away silently through the gaps between rice stalks, while Li Ang, as instructed, slipped into the dense crowd of serpents and slowly squeezed toward the central sculpture.

…

"Sss."

With a weary serpent hiss, the purple-black venomous ball python coiled around the serpent spirit sculpture lifted its triangular head slightly, looking down upon the serpents below, then spoke in a strange, human voice:

"Shed the scales of your old life, bite the endless tail, hunt and devour beasts that crave wealth, entice and consume the forbidden fruit…"

"Brothers and sisters who come to pay homage to the Serpent Spirit, I am the servant of the Serpent Spirit, the messenger who carries His decrees and tends His flock upon earth. You may call me Poros."

After introducing himself, the purple-black venomous ball python flicked its tongue and, in a hoarse, slow, aged voice, began to speak slowly to the altar's base:

"When your guide brought you here, they must have already told you: this time, the Serpent Spirit has descended in bodily form."

"Thus, this time, you will not merely connect with the Serpent Spirit spiritually—you may, with your own eyes, behold His sacred body, touch His glorious scales. You are the luckiest of all believers!"

"Sss!"

"Ssssssss!"

Upon hearing the venomous ball python's words, the serpents coiled beneath the altar erupted into a chorus of hisses, raising their heads in excitement, gazing upward in anticipation of witnessing the holy descent as promised—some even abandoned their pillars and surged toward the altar.

"Silence!"

Slightly lifting its head, the purple-black serpent hissed at the crowd below, silencing the overexcited worshippers, then opened its massive jaws—two rows of fine, sharp teeth sprang forth, revealing a strange, half-smiling expression.

"Don't rush. Wildflowers, no matter how brilliantly they bloom, cannot be planted in golden pots. Only the rare are precious."

This supreme grace of direct communion with the Holy Spirit—

If granted indiscriminately to all, it would neither honor the Serpent Spirit's mercy nor align with our Lord's tenets. So come! Demonstrate your devotion to our Lord!"

Amidst the fervent speech, a small black-and-white crown subtly appeared atop the purple-black giant serpent—or rather, a three-headed pearl serpent with black scales and white spots, which extended its forked tongue, striped black and white, toward the waiting serpents below.

"Offer wealth, and receive health."

The left white head spoke solemnly, then slowly opened its mouth.

"Offer your beloved, and receive rank."

The right black head grinned, then opened its mouth with mocking eyes.

"Offer your soul, and gain peace."

The central gray head spoke coldly, then opened its mouth, revealing a full set of backward-facing, needle-sharp teeth.

"Come!"

After the three-headed serpent crown finished explaining the rules and opened its mouths, the purple-black venomous ball python grinned and spoke:

"Three paths to demonstrate loyalty to our Lord—you may choose one to offer your tribute. Proceed to the direction each head faces and present your offering; our Lord shall grant you a corresponding reward."

"When all have completed their offerings, the one who offered the highest value within each path shall earn the right to ascend the altar and pay direct homage to the Serpent Spirit's divine body, receiving His grace!"

…

This… is a variant auction? The three highest bidders in each category earn the right to pay homage to the Serpent Spirit?

Watching the serpents around him rush forward, each carrying coin after coin, reverently tossing them onto the altar, Li Ang, to avoid standing out, mimicked the others and stood before the white Wealth Serpent Head.

"Clang!"

With a dull, muffled chime, a violent wind that struck straight into the soul suddenly appeared in Li Ang's mouth—a black iron coin—and its meaning instantly surfaced in his mind.

8 gold wheels, 5 silver wheels, 7 copper wheels.

This was all the wealth he had left after paying rent for the Happy Apartment, tuition for William and Melanie, medicine for Anna's health, and supplies purchased in the Mirror World.

"..."

Glancing at the other serpents who chose the Wealth Head—each tossing bright gold and silver coins—and then at his own dull iron coin, Li Ang silently swallowed it back and began searching for other coins he could offer.

Better switch…

Not because I'm stingy—mainly because everyone else gives so much, and if I give so little, I'll stand out… Hmm, it's definitely not that I'm stingy, absolutely not!

Carefully securing all his possessions, Li Ang twisted his crimson serpent body, changed his offering target, and as the soul-piercing wind swept through again, new coins appeared in his mouth.

Unlike the previous dull iron coin, these two new coins shimmered with brilliant silver light, faintly tinged with gold, and the largest one glowed so brightly it was blinding—golden as the midday sun.

And unlike the previously dark iron coins, the two coins that now emerged glowed with brilliant silver light, faintly tinged with gold, while the largest one shone so brightly it was blinding, golden as the midday sun.

As the meaning of these three coins surfaced in his mind, Li Ang immediately tilted his head and swallowed them whole, then left the direction of the second Beloved Serpent Head and moved toward the third Soul Serpent Head.

Yet as if a gentle breeze had blown over a mountain, Li Ang stood before the third serpent head—his soul remained as immovable as a welded iron mountain. No matter how hard the wind blew, it stirred nothing; no coins appeared in his mouth.

Yet like a breeze blowing over mountains, Leon, standing before the third serpent head, possessed a soul as solid as iron welded to the earth—no matter how the wind blew, it did not stir an inch, and not a single coin emerged from his mouth.

Sensing the delay from the three-headed serpent crown, the venomous ball python coiled atop the black serpent sculpture twisted slightly, glancing at a small red serpent darting erratically between the three directions.

No soul fragments can be extracted… No reverence, no hope, no belief in any deity at all?

After a displeased glance, seeing the red serpent hastily retreat upon noticing his gaze, the venomous ball python's emerald eyes blinked slightly—but said nothing.

After all, neither the Serpent Spirit nor our Lord forces faith upon followers. As long as one possesses sufficient wealth and is willing to trade, they are permitted entry into the Secret Shrine. Though this little red serpent disrespects the gods, it is not a transgression under the Scale Gold Doctrine. I have no reason to punish it.

Still, even the most steadfast unbelievers, upon entering my ceremony and witnessing the true power of the Divine, even if they refuse to offer faith, still develop some measure of awe.

But this little red serpent's soul holds no awe whatsoever. The three-headed crown circled its soul several times and could not summon even the cheapest tin foil. Such ignorant, shallow souls are simply annoying.

Yet within this little red serpent's soul, there seemed no trace of reverence; the three-headed serpent crown spun several times within its soul but could not summon even the cheapest tin foil—such ignorant, shallow souls were somewhat annoying.

Noticed me?

Sensing the gaze of the "high priest serpent" atop the altar, Li Ang's heart tightened slightly, and he instinctively retreated deeper into the serpent crowd.

Tang Mu said he'd kill the high priest—and then vanished. No sign of him. To avoid disrupting the plan, I should stay hidden and avoid drawing attention.

The three small heads atop the "high priest" seem to demand wealth, love, and life. After careful thought, only the Wealth Head's demand is something I can barely accept.

No choice—looks like I'll have to part with my money!

Making up his mind, Li Ang ignored his grief over his wealth and quickly shifted position, slithering toward the white Wealth Serpent Head.

But during the time he had switched three different serpent heads and returned to the first, most of the "worshipper serpents" had already completed their offerings, gazing expectantly at the central sculpture—making this lone red serpent darting sideways unmistakably conspicuous.

Seeing the little red serpent, who showed no reverence to the gods, toss a pitiful iron coin toward the Wealth Head, the "high priest serpent," already displeased, could no longer contain himself.

Slithering down from the serpent spirit sculpture, he used his purple-black tongue to lift the inferior iron coin, then fixed his gaze on the red serpent and spoke in a cold, flat tone:

"Generosity is a virtue. The Serpent Spirit is not a miserly god. When you generously offer your wealth, He will generously give you more."

He retracted the iron coin—worth 8 gold, 5 silver, 7 copper, containing all of Li Ang's possessions—into his mouth, crushed it with a sharp crunch, then looked down at the trembling red serpent before him and said coldly:

"Our Scale Gold Doctrine does not compel others to trade. But offering something of such low value is an insult to the Serpent Spirit."

"Foolish one who disrespects the gods, I urge you to think carefully and make a wiser choice—offer something of greater value to the Serpent Spirit, such as your beloved…"

Fool who disrespects the gods, I hope you will think carefully and make a wiser judgment, offering the Serpent Spirit Lord something of greater value—such as your beloved…

A torrent of brilliant silver liquid metal exploded between the two serpents—the thick purple-black giant serpent was pierced a thousand times by needle-thin liquid metal, even the three-headed serpent crown upon its head was not spared, cleaved cleanly in two by suddenly solidified silver blades!

You ***—you could've just given it back! Why did you crush it?!

Seeing the spotted snake appear silently at the altar's center, Li Ang, knowing Tang Mu had prepared everything, struck in fury—controlling the Alchemi Silver formed from Pioni's rear end, he ripped the damned venomous ball python to shreds!

Seeing the mottled serpent appear silently at the center of the altar, knowing Master Tang had prepared himself, Leon—having lost everything he owned—lashed out in fury, controlling the Zhouyin formed from Master Pi'oni's buttocks to instantly tear apart the damned venomous ball python before him!

Reviving from stored lifespan at the altar's center, the "high priest serpent" cried out in alarm, its restored three-headed crown emitting a chilling hiss.

An invisible soul storm erupted violently.

Sssss—suddenly, an invisible soul storm erupted.

"No! I'm not!"

"High Priest!"

The soul storm swept through, and the serpents standing between Li Ang and the "high priest serpent" fell like wheat before a scythe.

After shedding the serpent bodies granted by the shrine, the human souls within were ripped from their flesh, torn apart in the razor-sharp storm like a thousand blades cutting flesh, screaming with soul-deep agony.

Yet just as the soul storm from the serpent crown struck Li Ang, about to drag his soul from his body, a rooster's crow rang from above the altar—and the terrifying storm, engulfing hundreds of souls, vanished instantly.

Yet just as the soul storm spat by the crown struck Leon and was about to drag his soul from his body, a rooster's crow rang out from above the altar, and the terrifying storm, sweeping hundreds of souls, vanished instantly with that single cry!

Seeing the hawk-eagle suddenly appear, snatching the white serpent head of the crown in its beak, the venomous ball python's form froze in shock.

Before it could react, a gray-brown honey badger scaled its head and bit down precisely on the black head; a slender, short-haired yellow weasel crept up from behind and seized the last gray head, yanking hard!

Before it could react, a gray-brown honey badger skillfully scrambled onto its head and bit down precisely on the black serpent head, while a slender, short-haired yellow weasel crept up stealthily from behind and seized the last remaining gray head, yanking hard!

Under the sudden attack of three inexplicable predators, the divine three-headed serpent crown made no sound before being torn apart and devoured whole by the three hunters—leaving not even a trace.

Under the hunting assault of these three inexplicable predators, the divine three-headed serpent crown atop the priest's head made not a single sound before being torn apart, swiftly and cleanly devoured by the three hunters, leaving not even a speck behind.

"Damn it!"

The officiant snake roared as it snapped out of its trance, forcibly shedding the serpent body granted by the Secret Shrine, sprouting human arms, and lunging for the slowest-moving snake-eagle, aiming to reclaim the serpent crown it had swallowed.

Retrieve it.

But the snake-eagle, with a wingspan of over a meter, instantly shattered and vanished, leaving only a few broken gray feathers, while a giant beak, wider than thirty meters, pierced through the false clouds above the Secret Shrine, striking straight down upon the monstrous serpent with human arms!