"Hey, Big Guy! Long time no see! How's it going?" Mo Fan called out casually, waving at the enormous Black Serpent as if greeting an old friend.
But something was off.
The Black Totem Snake's eyes locked onto Mo Fan, its pupils narrowing into threatening slits. The yellow glow in its gaze was anything but friendly. It radiated pure hostility, a simmering rage that seemed ready to erupt at any moment.
"...W-why are you staring like that?" Mo Fan stammered, confused by the serpent's aggressive demeanour. He had no idea what had triggered this reaction.
Unbeknownst to him, the Black Totem Snake had sensed a vile and ominous presence within him the moment he'd arrived in the city.
The snake had restrained itself only because of the children and humans nearby, not wanting to cause chaos. But now, with no one else around, it saw no reason to hold back.
To the Black Totem Snake, Mo Fan's presence was a dire threat. Though he appeared to be an Intermediate Mage, the latent power of the Sacred Evil God within him was so overwhelming, making the massive creature feel small and insignificant in comparison. This was because Mo Fan didn't directly put the Demon element in his system but kept the orb on him for later use. This devastating aura was a caution even to a supreme Monarch something so sinister a true totem beast like the the Black Totem Snake could not let slide.
It was as if Mo Fan could obliterate it with a mere thought. The serpent decided it couldn't afford to wait for that moment; it needed to strike first.
WHOOSH~
Without warning, the Black Totem Snake reared its colossal body high into the sky from the lake, its black scales blending ominously in the night sky. It opened its massive maw, and a thick, noxious green gas began to gather, swirling ominously as it prepared to attack.
Mo Fan's eyes widened in shock. "What the—?!" He hadn't anticipated this level of hostility. There was no time to think, only to react.
He threw his hands up instinctively.
He knew this wasn't going to be enough... To face off against a Supreme Ruler Level entity like the Black Totem Snake in his current state was practically a death sentence. On top of that, it was a Totem Beast.
ZWHOOSH!!!
SWOOSH!!!!!!
The snake unleashed its deadly green gas without mercy, a violent storm of toxic energy roaring toward Mo Fan with terrifying speed.
He braced himself, heart pounding, as he tried to shield himself from the onslaught, but the odds were against him, and he knew it all too well.
"The fuck are you doing?? This is a residential Area!"
BWOOOSH!!!
The tranquillity of the evening was shattered by an enormous surge of energy erupted from the depths of West Lake, sending shockwaves rippling across the water's surface.
The once peaceful waters now lashed out violently, overflowing into the park in what resembled a mini-tsunami, the wave crashing up to a meter high and sweeping through the paths and lawns.
SPLOOSH!
Water splattered against the banks, drenching the area in a fine mist that clung to everything. The initial eruption sent a geyser of water shooting skyward near the small central island, creating an almost surreal scene as the spray cascaded back down like rain.
Drip… drip…
"What the?!"
Tang yue was scared
"What in the world…" Tang Yue thought, her mind racing but her demeanour calm.
The creature that dominated the horizon was the Black Totem Snake, a revered and ancient being that was normally quite docile and friendly.
As a Supreme Ruler Level entity, the Black Totem Snake possessed strength capable of levelling cities with a single strike. It was a guardian, a totem beast of unmatched power, and yet now it moved with alarming aggression.
Though the eruption from the lake had been violent, the surrounding village had not yet descended into panic. Most of the nearby residential areas were built a safe distance away from the lake, and the park—usually teeming with families and children during the day—was relatively quiet in the evening. This stroke of luck prevented a potential catastrophe.
"CALM DOWN BIG GUY" Tang Yue yelled this is a friend of our!!!!!!
"Damn," Mo Fan muttered under his breath. "Big Guy's sharp... way sharper than I thought. I didn't expect him to sense the Sacred Evil God's energy lingering inside me."
He rubbed his temples, replaying the chaotic scene in his mind. The Black Totem Snake had nearly killed him. If Tang Yue hadn't shown up when he did, Mo Fan wasn't sure how he would have survived.
Sure, he had a few tricks up his sleeve, but not enough to fend off a Ruler-level beast like that.
Tang Yue quickly pulled out the Totem orb
The Totem Orb was extremely spacious inside. It was more than enough to provide the Skyscraping Snake with a temporary habitat.
The Totem Orb was, in fact, a type of Space Container, but most of them were not able to contain a living creature inside. The Totem Orb was modified with plenty of life energy, which was sufficient for the Skyscraping Snake to stay inside it.
If the life energy was depleted, the Totem Beast would be forced to come out from the orb. Otherwise, it would suffocate inside it.
Tang Yue bit her lip, her hand instinctively brushing over the Totem orb. "The Black Totem Snake... it's not just any creature to me, Mo Fan. It's... it's my family."
Mo Fan blinked, feigning surprise. "Your family?" he already knew all of this, but in this life, she still hadn't told him, so he had to act accordingly.
She nodded, her gaze distant as she spoke. "My parents adopted me when I was young, but before that... the Black Totem Snake was like a guardian to me.
It's been in my life for as long as I can remember. It protected me when no one else did. I owe it everything."
Mo Fan didn't respond but quietly listened to her.
A heavy silence settled between them for a moment. Tang Yue stood there, visibly trembling, unable to look at him directly.
Mo Fan was also lost for words... He had to tread carefully so as to not embarrass Tang Yue's resolve.
"Ms. Tang Yue..." Mo Fan finally spoke, his tone soft and calming.
She flinched at his voice, her fists clenching tightly.
Despite how difficult it was to come outright and tell the truth, she still did it and apologized for it, though it wasn't her mistake at all.
Mo Fan took a step closer, gently reaching out and placing his hands on her forearms.
His grip was firm but comforting. "You don't have to apologize for Black Totem Snake's actions. It's not your fault."
"But—" Tang Yue started, her voice cracking, "it attacked you, Mo Fan. It could have killed you! How can you forgive it so easily?"
Mo Fan's expression softened, his gaze steady and understanding. "Tang Yue, listen to me. The Black Totem Snake didn't attack out of malice. I don't blame it, and I do not blame you."
Her trembling only grew as she shook her head vehemently.
"No! You don't understand! Big Guy has always been calm, protective... it's never attacked someone like that before. I can't just accept this so easily, and neither should you!"
Mo Fan opened his mouth to refute her but, he hesitated for a brief moment clenching his jaw again with a complicated expression.
He couldn't tell her the truth—the truth about the Evil Godly power lurking within him, the power that had provoked the snake.
But he could see how deeply this was affecting her, how the guilt was eating away at her.
"Tang Yue," he said gently, his voice carrying a rare sincerity. "I understand what Big Guy means to you. And I'm telling you, it wasn't its fault.'
"It's okay," Mo Fan continued, his hands still resting on her arms.
"I'm okay. You don't need to carry this guilt. Black Totem Snake did what it thought it needed to do, and I'll never hold that against it—or against you."
Tang Yue's eyes filled with tears.
She bit her lip hard, her chest rising and falling as she fought to contain the storm of emotions raging within her.
"How... How can you just let it go?" she demanded, her voice trembling.
"How can you forgive it so easily? You almost died, Mo Fan! Doesn't that mean anything to you?"
Her words struck him, forcing him to pause and reflect.
He hadn't really dwelled on that day—at least not deeply.
Now, faced with her raw anguish, he couldn't help but confront the reality he'd been brushing aside.
_Now that I think about it... I don't have my Demon Element anymore. Even though I know a few tricks that surpass my current level, it's still nowhere near enough to handle Ruler-class monsters—let alone Supreme Rulers like the Black Totem Snake._
A heavy weight settled in his chest as the realization hit him. _If Tang Yue hadn't saved me just now... I really might've died. Damn. I've been taking everything too lightly all this time._
"I didn't know it attacked you, Mo Fan. I didn't know until now. And when I heard... I felt so..." She trailed off, her hands trembling slightly.
"..."
Tang Yue looked up at him, her eyes glistening. "You're important to me, Mo Fan. But so is Big guy. I came here to save Big Guy, but... now that I'm here, I don't even know where to start."
For a moment, his gaze darkened, but then he shook it off and gave Tang Yue a faint, reassuring smile.
"It matters, Ms. Tang Yue. Of course, it matters." His tone was calm, steady.
"But holding onto anger or blame won't change anything. Black Totem Snake didn't mean to hurt me. I know that. I trust him. Just like I trust you."
Her breath hitched as his words sank in. Tears brimmed in her eyes and spilled down her cheeks.
"I don't deserve that trust..." she whispered, her voice cracking under the weight of her guilt.
Mo Fan stepped closer, his expression resolute yet gentle. "You do, Ms. Tang Yue. What happened is in the past. I've already let it go. You should too."
Tang Yue's shoulders trembled as she struggled with his words, her emotions caught between relief and self-reproach.
She closed her eyes tightly, her tears continuing to fall.
Mo Fan didn't say anything more. He simply stood there, his presence steady and unyielding.
Slowly, her sobs quieted, and the tension in her frame began to ease.
Though her guilt didn't disappear entirely, something about his calm assurance—his unwavering trust—soothed the storm within her.