143. Tang Xueyan, Ancestor of Snake Island

Within the Snake Island sector, the Snake Beauty tightened her grip on the snake-headed armrests of her wheelchair. To outsiders, she remained in her vegetative state, but ever since Xie Wuji had left her side earlier, a bizarre phenomenon had occurred.

The White Snake Sword, which had remained dormant for a thousand years, had begun to emit a rhythmic, resonant hum. Traditionally, the masters of Snake Island wielded the Green Snake sword, one of the sect's twin blades, while the White Snake Sword had never been unsheathed by anyone. Legend held that whoever drew the White Snake Sword would lead Snake Island to its zenith. This had always been dismissed as a mere myth, and the Snake Beauty had treated the blade as nothing more than a symbolic relic.

However, the sword’s reaction to Xie Wuji’s departure suggested a hidden connection. During this duel, the Snake Beauty had instructed the Snake Fairy to bring the White Snake Sword to Xie Wuji, hoping he might draw it. With Snake Island’s influence waning and its treasury in constant deficit—forcing the sect to sell rare spirit beasts just to survive—the mother and daughter watched with bated breath as Xie Wuji reached for the weapon.

As Xie Wuji laid his hand upon the pristine white hilt, he felt a scorching heat in his pocket, as if a pulse of energy within his own Dantian was resonating with the sword.

"Draw it! Let us decide the victor through swordsmanship," the Snake Fairy said, struggling to contain her excitement.

Xie Wuji looked at her and replied, "Very well!"

As he tightened his grip, the Snake Beauty’s eyes widened, locked intently upon him. The Snake Fairy’s face flushed with anticipation. Suddenly, a warm current surged from a corner of Xie Wuji’s Dantian, wrapping around his arm. He clearly saw faint golden markings appear on his skin—so subtle they were nearly invisible, perceptible only at such close range.

With a sharp *clang*, he drew the blade; the brilliant, polished steel appeared in his hand.

The moment the sword left its scabbard, a strange phenomenon occurred. Countless snakes, previously hidden in the shadows of the arena, emerged as if summoned. They swarmed toward the stage and surrounded Xie Wuji.

"Is this a trap?" Xie Wuji exclaimed. But as he prepared to strike, he realized the snakes were not attacking; they were circling him in a protective ring.

"The prophesied one has appeared! The ancestors' legend is true!" the Snake Fairy gasped.

Xie Wuji felt the technique of the Immortal Heaven Sword Array—a set of three formations deeply etched into his soul—resonating with the White Snake Sword. Could there be a link between Snake Island and the Immortal Heaven Sword Sect?

"What was the former name of Snake Island?" Xie Wuji asked.

The Snake Fairy’s expression shifted, her guard rising.

Xie Wuji clenched his fist and whispered, "Xue Leng."

Watching from afar, the Snake Beauty saw the shape of his lips. The shock caused her to tighten her grip so violently that the snake-headed armrest shattered into dust. The Snake Fairy covered her mouth; the name "Xue Leng" was all too familiar. Her surname was Tang, and her ancestor—the founder of Snake Island—was Tang Xueyan.

"It seems we have much to discuss," Xie Wuji said. "Unfortunately, I am currently beset by trouble, but we must finish this match; it is a duty to the spectators and the sect."

"Agreed," the Snake Fairy replied softly. "Let us decide the victor first!"

Since only a few on Snake Island knew the significance of that name, the surrounding disciples were merely puzzled by the sword-drawing display, most still doubting that this newcomer could be their savior. Xie Wuji assumed the opening stance of the Immortal Heaven Sword Art. That single movement convinced the Snake Beauty of his identity.

Elsewhere, in a corner of the Extreme Immortal Sect, a pair of eyes as sharp as a hawk’s watched Xie Wuji, their pupils suddenly constricting.

"Here I come!" The Snake Fairy lunged, utilizing the unique sword techniques of her island. Xie Wuji countered with the Immortal Heaven Sword Art, launching a fierce assault. The two exchanged blows, but Xie Wuji’s technique was vastly superior. Since both had depleted much of their spiritual energy summoning their spirit beasts earlier, this was a pure test of swordsmanship.

"Since when did this kid Xie Wuji learn such exquisite swordplay?" Ding Desheng remarked to Dongmen Yong.

Dongmen Yong glanced at him and said slowly, "I don’t know. He hasn't been in the sect long; he used to study all sorts of odd things. Who knows which minor sect this came from?" Dongmen Yong wasn't concerned; victory was the only thing that mattered. If Xie Wuji defeated the Snake Fairy, it would be a massive boon for the Danxia Sect.

After a hundred rounds, Xie Wuji gained the upper hand. With a final move, he unleashed a gust of spiritual energy that sent the Snake Fairy flying. Seeing her about to land on the back of her head, Xie Wuji lunged forward and caught her by the waist.

In that moment, his vision blurred. For a fleeting second, the Snake Fairy resembled the woman he had first met, Zhu Feifei. He leaned in, his lips drawing closer to hers. The Snake Fairy’s heart hammered against her ribs, her mind in a chaotic whirl.

Just as they were about to touch, her Green Snake sword clattered to the ground, jolting them back to reality. Xie Wuji instinctively let go, and the Snake Fairy fell to the ground with a thud. "Xie Wuji!" she cried out in anger.

"My apologies, I was momentarily distracted," he replied.

The Snake Fairy, blushing deeply, said, "I concede."

The crowd erupted. No one had expected Xie Wuji to defeat the Snake Fairy. Though she had yet to receive the inheritance of the Abyss Flood Dragon, she was a Nascent Soul expert. That she had fought the Peak Golden Core-stage Xie Wuji to a standstill and ultimately lost shocked everyone.

Back at her seat, the Snake Beauty whispered, "Daughter, it is basically confirmed."

"Should we then tell him the true purpose of our visit to the Extreme Immortal Sect?" the Snake Fairy asked.

When the Snake Beauty had regained her senses, she had shared the plan—a special operation she had intended to launch upon arrival, only to be thwarted by an assassination attempt. Now, she trusted only her daughter.

"Not yet," the Snake Beauty said. "Let us observe him further. If he truly has ties to the Immortal Heaven Sword Sect, we will confide in him. If not, there is no need to drag an outsider into this whirlpool."

The Snake Fairy nodded. "I will follow your lead, Mother."

"Besides," the Snake Beauty added with a playful, peerless smile, "he seemed quite eager to kiss you."

The Snake Fairy’s face turned an even deeper shade of crimson. "Mother! You are insufferable!"