How to Raise a Crazy Beautiful Snake Demon - Chapter 12

Make her happy?

Ji Qingwu had never expected to receive such an answer. Her heart rippled like a spring breeze ruffling the surface of a pond.

She tucked the two spirit stones into her sleeve and crouched down, using her spiritual power to flip the skewers from a distance while asking the white snake:

“Where did you get all these things?”

Zhu Jiuyin was devouring the skewers with her mouth wide open. If she accidentally bit into a spirit fruit, she’d spit it out immediately, only eating the choicest cuts of meat—quite picky about her ingredients.

Her eating manner was rather elegant: first touching the food with her forked tongue, then using her fangs to deliver it into her mouth before swallowing whole. The lumps of meat could be seen sliding down her neck into her belly.

Hearing Ji Qingwu’s question, she sharply turned her head and glared:

“What are you thinking? Do I look like someone who can’t produce these things?”

Ji Qingwu:

“Are these all your belongings? Where were you keeping them before? Did you go retrieve them this morning?”

With her mouth full of meat, Zhu Jiuyin answered loudly:

“That’s a secret! Just know that your master has lived for over a thousand years and accumulated countless rare treasures. As long as you serve me well, these little trinkets are yours for the taking!”

Ji Qingwu pursed her lips in a smile, not entirely convinced. She simply felt the white snake had become remarkably unguarded around her, practically revealing all her secrets. Their relationship was progressing quite delightfully.

She said calmly:

“In that case, I’ll accept these gifts. But what would you like in return?”

Zhu Jiuyin:

“Just serve me well—that’s the best repayment you can offer. Now, bring me some soup.”

Ji Qingwu ladled out the meat broth with a wooden spoon. The soup had few seasonings, which only accentuated the pure, delicious flavor of the meat. The steaming heat wafted over the snake’s scales, making her nostrils twitch and scales flare like a cat puffing up its fur.

Amused, Ji Qingwu said:

“Slow down, there’s more. No one’s competing with you… I’m the only one here.”

She served herself a bowl too, standing at a distance as she sipped delicately from her spoon.

How pleasant—an undisturbed mountain peak, warm broth, bright sunshine, autumn breeze caressing her face, and good rapport with the white snake. Everything was moving in a positive direction.

Ji Qingwu felt this was the most relaxed and peaceful moment since arriving in this cultivation world. She couldn’t help but etch this scene into her memory.

With an Nascent Soul cultivator’s recall, she could later recollect every detail—each swaying leaf, every flicker of flame, every nuance of the food’s aroma carried by the wind—all vividly preserved.

“Ji Qingwu! Come drink with me!”

Zhu Jiuyin shouted loudly. It was hard to imagine how such a slender snake throat could produce such volume.

“Mm.”

Ji Qingwu finished her last sip of soup and walked over.

–

And so their days continued like this.

Ji Qingwu discovered that as long as the snake didn’t cause trouble, living together wasn’t so bad.

During the day, Ji Qingwu would meditate, cultivate, read, or contemplate, while the snake either sunbathed belly-up or chased butterflies, hunted birds, and climbed trees nearby, thoroughly enjoying herself.

In the evenings, she’d prepare a meal. With limited ingredients, she cooked just enough for a taste, sharing the modest portions with the snake.

After eating, she would go to the back mountain to play for a while, tending to her spiritual plants and herbs. The snake would occasionally follow, strolling through the forest as a way to aid digestion.

By late night, Ji Qingwu would either meditate or sleep on the small bed made of prayer mats, while the snake coiled into a tight circle inside its little wooden bowl to cultivate.

Unlike humans, snakes cultivated at night. In serpent form, it didn’t need to sit in meditation—instead, it curled into a spiral like a mosquito coil, its head raised high to breathe in the spiritual energy of heaven and earth. Its eyes were covered by a nictitating membrane, completely still in deep concentration, resembling a white jade serpent statue.

Given Ji Qingwu’s cultivation level, she could only observe that when the white snake cultivated, spiritual energy from several kilometers around would be drawn in, converging like rivers into the sea, pouring endlessly into its small body. But she couldn’t discern how the snake absorbed and refined this energy internally.

Ji Qingwu wasn’t particularly curious about it, but she couldn’t refuse the snake’s insistence on having her stand guard every time it cultivated.

Ever since witnessing her lie to the sect elder that day, the white snake had developed an inexplicable trust in her. Whether cultivating or drinking itself into a stupor, it no longer avoided her presence—in fact, it actively demanded her participation.

When drinking, it required Ji Qingwu to pour its wine.

When cultivating, it demanded she stand guard nearby.

When sleeping, it insisted she remain within a few steps, never leaving.

And if it woke to find Ji Qingwu missing, the snake would immediately call out until she responded.

In a way, Ji Qingwu felt the white snake seemed rather insecure. Its world was confined to this small mountain, yet it constantly followed her around, in and out, like a little white tail.

She had once asked why it always shadowed her. In response, the snake scoffed, lifting its small head with an air of disdain:

“Your life here is so dull—the most interesting thing is you. What’s wrong with amusing myself with you?”

Ji Qingwu could only sigh in resignation, letting it trail after her as it pleased.

And so, the first week of her confinement passed. By then, all the food in her storage ring had been eaten.

She herself had long since satisfied her craving for delicacies, but that evening, when the snake realized Ji Qingwu hadn’t prepared dinner, its red eyes immediately narrowed:

“Where’s my food?! And my wine?!”

Ji Qingwu spread her hands helplessly.

“Gone. I didn’t bring much to begin with.”

The snake stiffened as if struck by tragedy, turning into a rigid white stick before toppling over onto the ground.

Ji Qingwu stifled a laugh, quickly schooling her expression—she didn’t dare let Zhu Jiuyin catch her laughing at its antics, or it would get angry.

“So, what now?”

Zhu Jiuyin lifted its triangular head, peering up at Ji Qingwu.

“Nothing, I suppose. I’m under confinement—I can’t fetch more ingredients. Besides, neither of us actually needs to eat. Unless… my cooking was so good you can’t live without it?”

She said this deliberately, glancing at the snake with a teasing glint in her eye.

“Who said that?! Don’t flatter yourself—who can’t live without it?!”

Zhu Jiuyin predictably took the bait, puffing up in exaggerated denial before adding:

“My cultivation is profound—I truly don’t need mortal food. If it’s gone, it’s gone. As long as you serve me well in other ways, that’s enough.”

Ji Qingwu gave a faint nod, her lips aching from suppressing laughter. The longer she spent with this snake, the more she realized its nature wasn’t bad—it was even somewhat adorable at times. As long as she understood the snake’s temperament, getting it to follow her lead wasn’t difficult.

That night, the snake coiled up on a meditation cushion to cultivate, while Ji Qingwu lay down on another cushion, still dressed, her mind occupied with thoughts: Going without food was manageable, but once her confinement ended, the first thing she’d do was expand these three small rooms and bring in a luxurious wooden bed. Should she also build a small bed for the white snake? Something like a pet bed?

Just as she was pondering this, she suddenly sensed something amiss in the surrounding energy—it felt more turbulent than usual. Turning her head, she saw the white snake swaying unsteadily, its head rigidly stretched forward.

Was this… a qi deviation? But wasn’t it supposed to be safe until the night of the red moon?