Still, we were unable to find anything even after searching for a while.

Just as everyone was losing hope, the wind blew and we heard a rustling sound from above; it was the sound of tree leaves.

We instinctively raised our heads and spotted a multicolored python twining around the branches above. The python was looking down at us, its flame-red tongue snaking out. While coupled with the rustling sound, the place looked spectral.

Seeing the python, people screamed and picked up stones from the ground, throwing them at the snake.

The Dai Clan"s members were skilled archers and good at using throwing weapons. Even if they were using stones, their shots were unerringly accurate.

The python found the pain hard to bear. The tree had also started to sway, which made it hard for it to keep its balance. 

Fourth Uncle roared, "Quick, cut the tree! Everyone, prepare your torches and get ready to burn the snake to death!"

The villagers sprang into action, surrounding the tree. The youngsters picked up their hatchets and started to cut down the tree. As for the others, they kept guard, waiting for the python to fall.

They had torches and gunpowder with them. If they sprinkled it on the python"s body and ignited it, the beast would have nowhere to run no matter how strong it was.

It was all my fault, and I really regretted telling them to bring the torches. 

The python seemed to have sensed what was going to happen. It anxiously twisted on the big tree, trying to dodge the attacks from below. However, there were simply too many people, and it wasn"t able to dodge all the stones.

As the tree was about to fall, the python arched its body and shot toward a nearby tree like an arrow.

As the snake shot across the sky, it felt as though it was flying, that it would grow claws and whiskers, turn into a dragon, and fly into the clouds.

However, it was a shame that what really happened wasn"t that cool. Thanks to its explosive power, the snake was indeed able to fly for a bunch of meters and reach another tree. It arched its body and slid onto the vine entwining the tree, quickly fleeing for its life.

The villagers refused to let it go. They screamed and pursued.

I even heard Fourth Uncle shout. "That python will soon turn into a spirit and gain the ability to fly! If we give it more time, the transformation will be complete, and our village will greatly suffer!"

Listening to his words, everyone went all-out. I thought of saying something to stop them, but my voice was drowned out amidst their battle cries. I had no choice but to give up.

Moreover, it wasn"t like they would believe me even if I tried to persuade them.

The python wasn"t too fast, but it looked very impressive as it continuously slithered between the branches.

Soon, I realized that it was weakening, as its speed was getting slower and slower. It seemed that it wasn"t going to hold on for much longer.

Everybody cheered as the snake got weaker. At last, the python failed to latch onto the next branch as it shot across the sky, cras.h.i.+ng to the ground.

The tree was around a dozen meters tall, and the fall was rather painful for the snake. It curled up in pain and hissed a few times.

My heart was beating like crazy. The python was finished. Curling up was its biggest mistake.

As soon as it curled up, the villagers rushed forward and started sprinkling gunpowder on its body.

The python was in too much pain, so it didn"t move and maintained the same position, with its head buried deep into its coiled body.

Fourth Uncle took the lead and stepped forward. He grabbed a hoe and hooked the python"s body, pulling it to one side and unfurling the corpse.

After the snake"s body was unfurled, a peculiar scene appeared before everyone"s eyes. Although the reptile"s skin had been burnt, with part of the skeleton becoming visible, its insides were still fine and had just slightly changed color due to the high temperature. The head, in particular, had been perfectly preserved.

After the python"s body was completely unfurled, its head moved slightly, and it weakly hissed.

The people present were scared out of their wits and quickly retreated. The python was very tenacious, and it was alive even after being reduced to this state.

Only I seemed to care how much it was suffering at this time.

Fourth Uncle calmed everyone down, telling them not to be afraid. Then, he grabbed the hoe and cautiously moved closer to the snake.

The python tried to raise its head, but it had no strength left. In the end, it opened its mouth and spat out something.

It was blood, as well as a few animals it had swallowed and had yet to digest. I took a quick look, and the animals were mostly hares or stray cats; there was no poultry.

Then, something among the dead animals attracted my attention. It was a round, odd-looking pitch-black object.

Just as I thought of taking a better look, Fourth Uncle swung his hoe again, hitting the python on the head and making one of its eyes pop out.

However, the snake was still alive, and it painfully swung its head around.

Then, as if gaining some clarity before its impending death, the python used the last bit of its strength to shake off Fourth Uncle and the hoe, hurling them away.

Fourth Uncle fell to the ground and gasped for breath. The young villagers were also dumbfounded as they started to discuss among themselves.

"Is that round thing a dragon pearl?"

"Heavens, it seems this snake has really become a spirit! I heard that only after pa.s.sing a tribulation can a python reach such a state."

"We can"t afford to offend a python that has become a spirit! What do we do now?"

"What can we even do? We can only wait and see. Hopefully, it will flee from us, because if it decides to stay, it is definitely going to retaliate against the village..."

I couldn"t help but sneer. I didn"t think it was the "dragon pearl". After all, that was something that only appeared in legends. I felt that the black thing that the python"d spat out was something else.

I slowly approached the python. I felt that it wouldn"t harm me, and the reason it had injured Fourth Uncle was that the latter didn"t leave it any choice.

Seeing me get closer to the snake, everyone got anxious, and they kept gesturing at me to stop getting closer to the beast as it was dangerous.

I sighed inwardly. It was sad that they were lumping me together with them. I knew in my heart that the python didn"t want to hurt anyone. Even if these guys had basically burned it to death, the python had yet to try to kill them.

If it wanted to, it could have gone on a rampage long ago.

When I got closer and clearly saw what the black object was, I was surprised.

It was a wooden fish used when chanting Buddhist sutras! It was just that the surface was coated in a layer of black blood. The python peacefully lay on the ground, staring at the wooden fish with the only eye it"d left.

I recalled what Fourth Uncle had told me about the road-blocking ghost. According to him, the ghost was once a Buddhist nun. As such, was it possible that this item was something that belonged to the nun?

The python and I looked into each other"s eyes. It seemed as if the beast was imploring me.

Then, its eyes s.h.i.+fted to the wooden fish.

I understood what it meant and grabbed a stick, sitting cross-legged in front of the python.

Fourth Uncle shouted from afar, "Warrior, quickly come back! That thing is too dangerous!"

The others also shouted the same thing, but I paid them no mind. I kept sitting in front of the snake.

I was less than one meter away from the python, and I could clearly see all the patterns on its head. Although I was trying to keep my calm, being so close to it still made a little bit afraid.

I suppressed my fear and used the stick to gently beat on the wooden fish.

A husky sound spread from it.

In the next moment, I felt the entire world quiet down. It felt as if the sound carried a magical power.

I felt my mind and soul sublimate. All impure thoughts vanished from my head, and only peace was left.

Amidst the sound of the wooden fish, the python slowly closed its eyes, just like a lost child that had finally found its mother.

It looked very serene as it listened to the sound. At last, its breathing gradually stopped, and its eyes also stopped moving.

I gently rubbed its head.

At this time, I wanted to believe that it was just asleep...

After a moment of quietness, the crowd burst into cheers. They lifted me up as they shouted, "Warrior, warrior, warrior!"

However, I wasn"t happy. In fact, I was in a terrible mood. The scene of me being hailed as a brave warrior formed a sharp contrast with the bleak figure of the python.

I hated the people of the Dai Clan. I hated them for being dumb savages.  From the beginning to the end, the python didn"t hurt them. Even if it was burned to death, it didn"t retaliate against them!

Yet, they did not stop until it was dead. Couldn"t they stop for a moment and think? Why did they have to keep on acting on their wrong understanding of the situation?

Other than being angry, I was also puzzled.

Why had the python tried to protect that wooden fish so hard? What secret was it hiding? Moreover, what was its relations.h.i.+p with the road-blocking ghost?

I felt that this matter was far from being over. Something bad was bound to happen very soon...