Chapter 86: Escaping with the Serpent

As Mo Fan listened to what Tang Zhong said, he felt that Tang Zhong was intentionally speaking for Luo Mian's benefit. Although Tang Zhong couldn't confirm any direct connection between Luo Mian and the traitor, it was clear—anyone in such a high position wasn't a fool.

After leaving the meeting room, Tang Yue said, "I'm going to find the Xuan Serpent."

"I'll go with you." Mo Fan replied.

"Huh?" Tang Yue was surprised.

"Come on, you can't really believe everything your uncle said, can you?" Mo Fan remarked, giving her a look of disbelief.

This woman clearly had her thoughts muddled by the situation.

Even though the Xuan Serpent was about to shed its skin, it wouldn't be disturbed by a few high-level mages. With its protective scales, unless super-level magic was involved, nothing could harm it.

"The Xuan Serpent is a totem and also a Monarch-level creature. Do you really think high-level mages are any threat to it?" Mo Fan asked.

"But... my uncle..."

"Your uncle was just saying that for the benefit of that man with the goatee."

"You mean... Luo Mian?"

Tang Yue was starting to catch on, although earlier Luo Mian had seemed to be on the side of the Xuan Serpent.

Tang Yue wanted to understand more, but she agreed that the priority was relocating the Xuan Serpent. They quickly headed toward the location called Three Pools Mirroring the Moon. When they arrived, Tang Yue took out a black bead that Tang Zhong had called the Totem Orb—a special item designed to hold totem creatures.

The Totem Orb had a large internal space, allowing the Xuan Serpent to rest inside for a while. Most spatial tools couldn't contain living creatures, but the Totem Orb could inject life energy, ensuring the Xuan Serpent could survive within it. However, if the life energy ran out, the Xuan Serpent would have to come out; otherwise, it would suffocate.

This kind of item was rare and unimaginable for most people.

Although Zhu Meng had placed guards around Tang Zhong and his top people, he didn't realize Tang Zhong had already made arrangements for the Xuan Serpent's escape.

"Big guy, Zhu Meng is trying to go after you again. I'm going to take you somewhere safe for a while... Big guy, can you hear me?" Tang Yue called softly to the waters of the Three Pools.

Mo Fan stood quietly beside her. Even though he knew the Xuan Serpent wouldn't harm humans, the sheer size and power of the creature were still intimidating. Just reading about the Xuan Serpent in the papers had given him a sense of its immense presence.

As soon as Tang Yue finished speaking, the water began bubbling violently. Whatever was surfacing from beneath had to be enormous.

Sure enough, in the moonlit, silvery water, a massive dark shape slowly emerged. Mo Fan could hardly believe that such a small lake could hide something as large as the Xuan Serpent, whose body was as tall as a skyscraper.

There was clearly a formation at play here; otherwise, the Xuan Serpent's size would have been impossible to conceal in this lake.

The shadow grew clearer as it broke through the water's surface.

The gigantic head of the Xuan Serpent finally appeared, its sleek body glimmering under the moonlight.

As the Xuan Serpent surfaced, Tang Yue's face lit up with joy. She wasn't scared at all; instead, she eagerly reached out to touch its head. The snake's head was as large as a small house, with its flat nostrils the size of caves. Its wide mouth and long, forked tongue would terrify most people into running for their lives!

While Tang Yue jumped up to interact with the creature, Mo Fan stayed where he was.

Even though he knew the Xuan Serpent wouldn't harm him, it was better to be safe than sorry—just in case the serpent misunderstood his intentions.

Meanwhile, Tang Yue's demeanor shifted entirely, almost like a playful little girl in front of her elder, in contrast to how she carried herself before. In front of the Xuan Serpent, she radiated youthful joy, full of energy and innocence—completely different from the serious woman Mo Fan knew.

After playing with the Xuan Serpent for a while, Tang Yue introduced Mo Fan: "This brat is my student... yeah, my disobedient student."

She was a little shy as she said this, almost like a girl introducing her boyfriend to her parents for the first time.

The Xuan Serpent turned its enormous head, its lantern-like eyes focusing on Mo Fan. Its forked tongue flicked out in what seemed to be a greeting.

Mo Fan reminded her, "Get it into the Totem Orb and let's get out of here."

Though Mo Fan didn't think leaving would accomplish much, he couldn't suggest they stay in place and wait for Zhu Meng's lightning formations while they still needed the Red Eagle grass. The plan was to protect Tang Yue and the Xuan Serpent until they could safely move it.

Once the Xuan Snake was safely stored inside the Totem Orb, Mo Fan and Tang Yue set off along a pre-planned route. They were heading to a small town called Bai Town, located near the western edge of Hangzhou.

Bai Town wasn't too far from Hangzhou, but it wasn't exactly close either. There, in the Bai Mountain, was a hidden cave known only to the leaders of the totem guardians—a sanctuary in times of crisis.

Bai Mountain was not a place easily explored; it was a massive mountain range with interconnected caves. Once the Xuan Serpent was inside one of those caves, it would be completely safe, and even if Zhu Meng's forces found the entrance, they would get lost in the labyrinthine tunnels.

Bai Town itself had originally been a stopover for travelers but had grown into a town due to its position as a major junction for military fortresses in the area. It was now a bustling town where merchants, hunters, and magic association members mingled.

Normally, Bai Town wasn't heavily guarded and could be seen as an unofficial black market where people traded goods and treasures, whether obtained legally or otherwise. However, today the town was under strict surveillance.

The reason? A strange illness had spread through the town.

Although the solution was known, it wouldn't matter unless the White Eagle left their nests. Even with a plan in place, without the hawks moving, there was nothing anyone could do.

Entering the territory of the White Eagles to collect the Red Eagle grass and making it out alive was no easy feat, not even for Mo Fan in his demon form.

The White Eagles weren't just a small group—they were a massive tribe. Though the Xuan Serpent had managed to scare them off earlier in Hangzhou, that was because the city wasn't their territory. The Silver Sky Lord didn't fight too hard. But if they ventured into the Eagles' territory, even a fully restored Xuan Serpent might not make it out unscathed.

(End of Chapter)