Successfully Snatching the Flower

Time passed slowly, and the beast remained undisturbed in its sleep. Wen Ran couldn't afford to wait any longer—he had to act. His fingers tightened around the hilt of his newly acquired sword, ready to strike should the beast awaken. His pulse quickened as he prepared for the worst, but he didn't want a fight if he could avoid it.

The difficulty lay in the fact that he couldn't feel the creature's strength. There were no telltale signs, no aura radiating from the serpent as there was with other creatures. Wen Ran's eyes narrowed in frustration. He had tried and failed to gauge its aura, something that never happened to him before. Even ordinary mortals gave off a faint energy, a subtle presence that could be sensed. But this creature? Nothing.

What kind of beast is this? Wen Ran wondered, an uneasy feeling settling in his stomach. It's hiding its aura even while asleep. That's a dangerous trait.