Starting with a Super Five-Star Hotel

"Young Master!" Wu Bo wailed, wiping away his tears as he ran to Zhu Hongyun's side. He helped clean off the mucus covering his body, peeling it away as if unwrapping a cocoon until Zhu Hongyun was completely revealed.

Seeing that Zhu Hongyun was unconscious, Wu Bo hurriedly took out a medicinal pill and fed it to him.

「After a long while,」

Zhu Hongyun gradually awakened. He looked around, and the first words he uttered were, "I'm not dead?"

His hair had been partly dissolved by the snake's gastric juices, making him look unkempt and disheveled, even somewhat comical.

But Wu Bo couldn't find it in himself to laugh at all. He quickly nodded and said, "Not dead, not dead. It was our boss who saved you!"

Wu Bo lifted his hand and pointed towards Su Xuan.

At that moment, Su Xuan had already descended from the snake's back and was now face-to-face with Protector Cai from the Yu Xian Sect. Their expressions appeared calm, yet it seemed as though both were on guard against each other.

"Boss, thank you for saving my life!" Zhu Hongyun, who had just regained a bit of his vitality, leaned on Wu Bo's arm, bent his knees, and knelt before Su Xuan.

This time, it wasn't a pretense but came from the bottom of his heart.

He knew what he had gone through. Being swallowed by a giant snake was a situation of almost certain death, but now he was alive. Su Xuan was truly his savior! He instantly made up his mind. In the Valley of Thousand Snakes trial, Su Xuan was his boss. Even after leaving this place, Su Xuan would still be his boss—provided, of course, that Su Xuan still wanted him as a subordinate. He harbored this thought for another reason: Su Xuan's overwhelming strength! Submitting to such an impressively strong boss was no loss at all!

"The person has been spit out." Protector Cai of the Yu Xian Sect looked at Su Xuan's handsome face and smiled. "May I take it away?"

"Well..." Su Xuan, uncharacteristically hesitant, scratched his head. "You see, one of my men has been left in such a sorry state by your snake. If I let it go just like that, I won't be able to justify it to my subordinates! Besides..."

Su Xuan's gaze swept across the surroundings.

A light rain was still falling. In the distance, the figures of the other Trialists stood watching the spectacle.

Su Xuan retracted his gaze and continued, "Besides, my reputation would take a hit. And the trial rules don't forbid killing snakes, do they?"

The corner of Protector Cai's mouth twitched. He knew all too well that in this trial, Su Xuan was regarded as the tyrant of the valley.

Protector Cai opened his mouth. "What else do you want?"

Su Xuan glanced at the white snake and commented, "This snake is truly an excellent specimen. If I could take it as a mount, my search for the Blood Immortal Vine would be much more efficient, don't you think?"

The corner of Protector Cai's mouth twitched again.

This white snake was already three hundred years old, with combat power comparable to a Longevity Realm Expert. In the past, Trialists were only ever bullied by it; no one had ever dared to bully it, let alone take it as a mount. Su Xuan was undoubtedly the first.

A sly look suddenly appeared in Protector Cai's eyes as he lowered his voice. "Although I can't tell if your cultivation has reached the Longevity Realm, your physical strength is definitely on par with it. This trial has a rule: Longevity Realm Experts are not allowed to enter, and that includes bodily longevity!"

He wasn't just trying to intimidate Su Xuan. When he had blocked that staff strike earlier, he had felt the suppression of Longevity Force. As a Longevity Realm Expert himself, his palm still faintly ached.

Strangely, however, he couldn't confirm whether Su Xuan had truly achieved bodily longevity. Whenever Su Xuan retracted his aura, he seemed no different from an ordinary person. Protector Cai was tempted to call Su Pei over and let her see for herself whether Su Xuan was intentionally suppressing his cultivation.

Su Xuan might be able to deceive his eyes, but he couldn't deceive Su Pei's.

"I'm really not a Longevity Realm Expert," Su Xuan shrugged with unabashed cheekiness.

He was certain of one thing: even if the other party confirmed he was a Longevity Realm Expert, they wouldn't expose him immediately. This was the Yu Xian Sect's trial. If a Longevity Realm Expert was found to have slipped in, how would the Yu Xian Sect explain it to the other Trialists? Wouldn't the entire trial become a complete joke? It was likely why Protector Cai was speaking so softly, as if afraid someone else might hear.

"Just consider it a favor to me," Protector Cai said, still keeping his voice down. "Once the trial is over, I will be sure to show my gratitude. You won't be disappointed."

"Since you're being so polite, I suppose I can't refuse you any longer," Su Xuan finally relented. "Take it with you."

"We'll meet again."

Protector Cai cupped his hands toward Su Xuan, then patted the white snake and turned to leave.

"Wait a moment." Su Xuan looked at Protector Cai with curiosity. "Why do you care so much about this snake?"

"It belonged to an old friend who entrusted it to my care," Protector Cai replied.

"Was it Ancestor Meng?"

"I'm leaving."

Protector Cai didn't answer directly. He left, leading the white snake, and slowly walked into the distance. The terrified Human-faced Little Snake scurried away with them.

The onlookers in the distance also slowly dispersed, their wariness of Su Xuan having grown even deeper. Even a protector from the Yu Xian Sect treated him with such "politeness"!

Su Xuan watched Protector Cai's figure disappear, pursing his lips slightly.

He didn't believe the snake had come for revenge over the eggs. How could a snake of that size lay such tiny eggs? If it were to lay any, they'd have to be at least the size of a soccer ball! The white snake was very likely acting on someone's orders—for example, Protector Cai's. But what was their motive? Could there be an ulterior agenda?

"Cousin, are you alright?" Ji Sisi came over, interrupting Su Xuan's thoughts. She asked with concern, "That terrifying snake didn't hurt you, did it? It really scared me just now!"

"It was nothing," Su Xuan said with a wave of his hand, glancing at Zhu Hongyun. "This guy, on the other hand, had quite the ordeal, huh!"

PFFT!

Ji Sisi glanced at Zhu Hongyun and couldn't help but chuckle. "He really had a brush with death. Being eaten and then spat back out… I bet he'll have nightmares for days!"

"Let's go back."

Su Xuan smiled and gestured with his hand, heading towards the small wooden cabin.

Ji Sisi happily latched onto Su Xuan's arm. Rain drizzled from the night sky, cool and ticklish as it landed on their skin.

Wu Bo followed behind, carrying Zhu Hongyun on his back.

"Boss, after the trial is over, I insist on treating you to a grand meal."

"Boss, the Zhu Family isn't some small-time operation. I'm the eldest young master! Please don't look down on me!"

"Boss, I have a rather good-looking sister. How about I introduce you?"

Overflowing with gratitude, Zhu Hongyun kept rambling at Su Xuan's retreating back, desperate to express his appreciation.

And that night, Zhu Hongyun indeed had nightmares. He repeatedly cried out, "Boss, save me! Boss, save me!" while Wu Bo watched from the side, deeply troubled.

His young master was destined to take over the Zhu Family. If he became this reliant on Su Xuan, wouldn't the entire family soon be following Su Xuan's lead?

「When dawn broke,」

It was the last day of the trial, and the atmosphere in the Valley of Thousand Snakes suddenly grew lively...