Chapter 706: Golden Scale Gathering (Part 2)

"Sss."

"Ssssss?"

"Ssssssss!"

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

When the sun vanished completely and cold moonlight spilled across the land, a small altar at the center of the field 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."

After 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 the 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 glowing 【Golden Scale Divine Chosen (Devourer of Wealth)】 in the slot, then nodded firmly.

"Alright then."

After casting him a skeptical glance, the spotted snake spoke:

"If you're truly confident, this will make our move much easier… I'll cause a distraction, find a way to kill that high priest, and you slip in during the chaos, coil around the serpent spirit sculpture, and send it a warning signal to 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 alarms, but prolonged exposure will expose you."

Nodded.

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

After giving these instructions, Tang Mu's spotted snake form slithered backward, vanishing soundlessly through 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, and spoke in a strange, human voice:

"Shed the scales of your old life, clutch the endless tail, hunt and devour beasts that covet 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 on 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 to the serpents below:

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

"Thus, this time, you will not merely connect with Him 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 in hissing, raising their heads in excitement, gazing toward the altar, eager to witness the holy descent as promised—some even abandoned their pillars and surged toward the altar.

"Silence!"

The purple-black serpent on the black serpent sculpture lifted its head slightly and hissed, silencing the overexcited worshippers, then opened its massive mouth—two rows of fine, sharp teeth sprang forth, revealing a sly, half-smiling expression.

"Do not rush. Wildflowers, no matter how brilliant, cannot be planted in golden pots. Only the rare are precious."

"This supreme grace of facing the Holy Spirit cannot be granted indiscriminately—it would not honor the Serpent Spirit's mercy, nor align with our Lord's tenets. Come then! Show your devotion to our Lord!"

As he spoke with fervent zeal, a small black-and-white crown subtly appeared atop the purple-black serpent's head—or rather, a three-headed pearl snake with black scales and white spots, its forked tongue flickering black and white toward the waiting serpents below.

"Offer wealth, and receive health."

The left white serpent head finished speaking, then solemnly opened its mouth toward the crowd below.

"Offer your beloved, and receive rank."

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

"Offer your soul, and gain peace."

The central gray serpent head finished speaking, then opened its mouth with cold eyes, revealing a full set of backward-pointing, needle-like fangs.

"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 show 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 face the Serpent Spirit's divine form, 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, resonant chime, a violent wind surged into his soul, depositing a black iron coin into Li Ang's mouth—its meaning instantly appearing in his mind.

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

This was all he had left after paying rent for the Happiness Apartment, covering William and Melanie's tuition, buying supplements for Anna's health, and stocking supplies in the Mirror World. It was his entire fortune—the only offering he could give to the Wealth Serpent Head. "..."

Glancing at the other serpents who chose the Wealth Serpent 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 he minded spending money—mainly because everyone else gave so much, and if he gave so little, he'd stand out… No, it's not that I'm stingy. Absolutely not!

Carefully tucking away his entire fortune, Li Ang twisted his crimson serpent body, changed his offering target, and as the soul-piercing wind swept through, 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, like the midday sun.

William, Melanie, Anna…

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, now standing before the third serpent head, felt his soul as solid as iron welded to the earth—no matter how hard the wind blew, it stirred nothing, and no coin appeared in his mouth.

Hm?

Sensing the delay from the three-headed serpent crown, the venomous ball python coiled on 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 demands faith from followers. As long as one possesses sufficient wealth and is willing to trade, they are permitted entry into the Secret Shrine. Though this red serpent disrespects the gods, it is not a sin under the Golden Scale Doctrine—no reason for me to punish him.

Still, even the most steadfast unbelievers, upon entering my gathering and witnessing the true power of the Divine, may still feel some awe—even if they refuse to offer faith.

But this red serpent's soul holds no awe whatsoever. The three-headed crown circled his soul several times and could not even summon a single cheap tin foil. Such ignorant, shallow souls are… annoying.

…

Am I being watched?

Sensing the gaze of the "high priest serpent" on the altar, Li Ang's heart tightened slightly, instinctively retreating 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 must stay hidden, avoid attention.

The three serpent heads atop the high priest seem to demand wealth, love, or life. After careful thought, only the Wealth Serpent Head's price is something I can barely afford.

No choice. I'll have to spend my money.

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

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

Seeing the red serpent, who showed no reverence for the gods, toss a pitiful iron coin toward the Wealth Serpent Head, the high priest serpent could no longer contain his displeasure.

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 tone:

"Generosity is a virtue. The Serpent Spirit is no miser. When you generously offer your wealth, He will generously give you more."

He curled the iron coin—worth 8 gold, 5 silver, 7 copper, Li Ang's entire fortune—back into his mouth, crushed it into shards with a crunch, then looked down at the trembling red serpent before him and said coldly:

"Our Golden Scale Doctrine does not compel trade, but offering something so worthless is an insult to the Serpent Spirit."

"Foolish one who disrespects the gods, I urge you to reconsider. Offer something of greater value—perhaps your beloved…"

"Puff!"

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

You bastard… 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 knew Tang Mu was ready. Enraged at losing all his wealth, he unleashed control over Pion's rear-end-turned-silver, instantly tearing apart the damned venomous ball python!

"No! You're not a worshiper!"

Reborn from stored lifespan at the altar's center, the "high priest serpent" roared, sensing something wrong. His restored three-headed crown hissed with a chilling sound, unleashing an invisible soul storm.

"Help!"

"No! I'm not!"

"High Priest!"

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

Stripped of their serpent bodies granted by the shrine, the serpents' true human souls were ripped from their flesh, torn apart in the razor-sharp storm like a thousand blades, screaming with soul-deep agony.

Just as the soul storm struck Li Ang, about to drag his soul from his body, a rooster's crow rang from above the altar—the terrifying storm, carrying hundreds of souls, vanished instantly with that single cry!

What the—what is that?!

Seeing the serpent-eagle that had suddenly appeared, snatching the white serpent head of the crown, the high priest serpent—now a venomous ball python—was stunned.

Before it could react, a gray-brown honey badger climbed nimbly onto its head, biting the black serpent head with precision; a slender, short-haired yellow weasel crept up from behind and seized the last gray serpent head, yanking hard!

"Crack!"

Under the sudden assault 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 a trace.

"Damn it!"

The high priest serpent roared, forcibly shedding its shrine-given serpent body, sprouting human arms, and lunging for the slowest serpent-eagle, trying to reclaim the swallowed crown.

But the serpent-eagle, with a wingspan over a meter, instantly dissolved into nothingness, leaving only a few broken gray feathers—while a colossal chicken beak, wider than thirty meters, pierced through the false clouds above the shrine, descending straight onto the monstrous serpent with human arms!

(End of Chapter)