However, Yan Xiaobao took her there anyway. Even if it might hurt her, she remained a proud Demon Beast within the Magic Forest. She stood upright, facing forward, without flinching at the possibility of humiliation crossing her mind.
Beside Sha Yun, Yan Xiaobao chuckled softly. Seeing the intense expression on her face, he nodded slightly before knocking on the door.
"Come in." A weary voice called from inside. Yan Xiaobao pushed open the dilapidated wooden door. He stepped inside to announce his arrival, then made sure to pull Sha Yun close to him.
"Hello, Mom." He said politely, looking at the beautiful woman sitting in the kitchen. Her belly was so large that Yan Xiaobao thought it might explode rather than simply deliver a child.
Hui Lifen noticed Yan Xiaobao had brought a snake-bodied woman along, yet her face showed no fear, only curiosity as she furrowed her brow slightly. After all, it was her son who had brought this unfamiliar woman, and Hui Lifen completely trusted her son. He would never deliberately put her in harm’s way.
"Mom, I want to introduce Sha Yun to you," Yan Xiaobao said as he sat on the chair next to his mother and gestured for the Snake Woman to follow, which she did quickly. Although she appeared unaffected, as if the opinions of others didn’t matter, Yan Xiaobao noticed her tail had begun slowly tapping the floor to help her stay calm.
"Sha Yun is a magical beast with human blood in her veins. Though she hasn’t mastered our language yet, she’s just as intelligent as you and me. She’s promised to follow me wherever I go and protect me." Upon hearing this, Hui Lifen’s impression of Sha Yun rose significantly. She reached out to hold the snake woman’s hand and gazed into her silver eyes with her warm brown ones.
"Thank you," Hui Lifen said, her voice trembling slightly. "I know Xiao Yue has many friends, but knowing that he has someone as strong as you beside him makes me feel more at ease. Please, you must take care of him for me."
Seeing the relief wash over his mother, Yan Xiaobao’s face lit up with a gentle smile. He knew she’d been worried about him leaving the village and felt anxious about how he would fare in the vast world beyond. Knowing he’d found a companion reassured her, but having witnessed his earlier conflict with the three Beast-Woman sisters, she remained uneasy about the world Yan Xiaobao was stepping into.
Now, a promise from one of the most powerful creatures to constantly travel with and protect Yan Xiaobao—it was impossible for her not to feel happy.
Hui Lifen had lived in this village her entire life. Although Rong Liang and Bu Were were remarkably strong, she’d never seen them fight, so the strongest person she could imagine was Sha Yun. How could Yan Xiaobao not be safe with such a formidable companion?
Seeing the happiness on Hui Lifen’s face, both Yan Xiaobao and Sha Yun felt a sense of comfort. Yan Xiaobao was relieved because he wanted his mother to stop worrying, especially now that she was about to give birth to his sibling. She needed all her energy for herself instead of worrying about him.
Sha Yun, on the other hand, felt deeply comforted knowing not everyone hated her. She couldn’t comprehend the rare feeling of having someone grasp her hand and even thank her. The sensation was so unfamiliar that Sha Yun didn’t know how to process it. Nevertheless, it left a trace of warmth deep in her heart—a feeling that made her inexplicably happy.
"We have to leave now," Yan Xiaobao said regretfully as he stood up. Hui Lifen’s smile was tinged with sadness as she saw her guest head for the door.
"Promise me you’ll be careful," she pleaded. "The life of a cultivator is long and dangerous. Death lurks in every corner. I’d rather have a living, weak son than a strong son who dies young."
Hearing this, Yan Xiaobao couldn’t help but smile. He gave his mother a big hug and took one last glance at their familiar little cottage. It seemed likely he wouldn’t return to this poor village within the Magic Forest for at least another year.
Catching up with the others wasn’t a problem since they were all waiting for their designated items. Everything was ready, and now all they needed was Yan Xiaobao and Sha Yun.
As Yan Xiaobao rode a magical horse, Sha Yun refused to ride anything. Unable to understand her reasoning, Yan Xiaobao accepted her refusal and instead watched how she followed them swiftly while maintaining her graceful movements on the ground. In such moments, Yan Xiaobao fully grasped that Sha Yun was indeed a Divine Beast, not an ordinary cultivator.
The first village Yan Xiaobao and the company passed through clearly left the villagers astonished as they saw the serpent-like woman running as elegantly as the magical horses. The curling movements of her body captivated any young boy or man who watched, freezing them in place, their gaze stuck on her until she disappeared into the distance.
After the group passed through the village, they eventually decided to continue straight to the city. If they were delayed, they could go directly to the academy and settle there.
Though it was currently summer break, the academy never closed its doors to students, and Yan Xiaobao found himself yearning for his courtyard, his favorite tree, and his soft bed fitted with sheets and pillows. These were certainly better than the cold, hard ground he’d been sleeping on for many nights, not to mention the old bed at his parents’ home. No, Yan Xiaobao missed his bed, but realizing that he’d need to purchase several things for Sha Yun drained his energy just from thinking it over. While she was considered a beast, she was undoubtedly more like a woman.