Invincible Snake Emperor-Chapter 197 - 193: A Visual Feast

To release over twenty thousand venomous snakes in front of a massive crowd was essentially an act of murder.

The sheer number of densely packed venomous snakes swarmed outward in an instant, like a poison gas attack, immediately triggering mass panic.

The scene immediately descended into utter chaos. Panicked shouts and screams rose in waves. If a crowd of hundreds of thousands were to descend into chaos, the consequences would be dire; many would likely be trampled to death.

Many people, burning with fury, confronted the man in the Daoist robe, Li Shun. But Li Shun remained silent, offering no explanation or defense. After opening the baskets, he simply retreated quietly to the side.

He allowed them to brand him a villain for all time.

SKREEE...

The scene had devolved into utter chaos due to the thousands of swarming snakes. But in that instant, a celestial serpent's cry soared into the heavens. The crowd spun around to see the Snake King statue glowing brightly, as if it had come to life.

Suddenly, a wave of realization washed over the crowd, and they calmed down, their faces showing their shame.

The Lord Snake King was here. What did they have to fear?

There was nothing to be afraid of.

The Snake King commanded all snakes under heaven; none dared disobey. How could these venomous snakes dare act so brazenly during the Snake King's own ritual?

Sure enough, what happened next left the hundreds of thousands of people utterly astonished and stunned into silence.

Thousands of snakes poured from their baskets in a torrent. But as the serpent's cry rose to the heavens, the venomous snakes—their scales glittering in the sunlight—grew reverently fearful. One by one, they involuntarily prostrated themselves before the Snake King statue. With tails curved upward and bodies held straight, they all bowed their heads in worship.

Nearly twenty-four thousand venomous snakes simultaneously worshipped the Snake King statue, performing a solemn and ancient ritual with meticulous precision.

The sheer visual impact of the scene was staggering.

The crowd was no longer panicking. Instead, people began pulling out their phones to record the scene, a sight one might see only once in a century.

Only in a place like Bai Town could one witness such an unbelievable spectacle.

The venomous snakes were so sentient, expressing their reverence for the Snake King like true devotees.

SKREEE...

The Snake King statue once again emitted a majestic and extraordinary serpent cry. As if they had received a command, the more than twenty thousand worshipping snakes turned in unison. They formed a long, serpentine procession and began to move in an orderly fashion toward the mountain behind the Snake King Temple.

Many of the venomous snakes slithered right past people's feet without the slightest pause or aggression, keeping pace with the main procession. It was a magical sight: a great Snake Army on the march. The snakes moved in a thousand different ways—some in straight lines, others in winding, sinuous paths. The sight of over twenty thousand snakes moving in unison was not menacing or unruly, but rather breathtakingly graceful and elegant.

Seen from above, the procession looked like a single, colossal python gliding toward She Mountain.

The crowd of hundreds of thousands watched, dumbstruck, as every last snake slithered away to the mountain behind the temple, returning to the sanctuary of She Mountain until none remained.

For a long time, the scene was silent. Everyone remained captivated by the spectacle of the swarming snakes, unable to tear themselves away.

After a long moment...

Suddenly, thunderous applause erupted, followed by cheers that rose and fell like the roar of a tsunami.

"Long live the Lord Snake King!"

"Long live the Lord Snake King!"

"Long live the Lord Snake King!"

The Snake King had presented the world with the wondrous spectacle of the snakes Ascending She Mountain, a sight that was both soul-stirring and utterly stunning to all who witnessed it.

The Snake King ritual was a series of thrilling climaxes that left everyone's blood pumping with excitement.

「Around 6:00 PM...」

With all other matters concluded, Elder Li's voice boomed like a great bell, "The hour has arrived! We respectfully invite the Snake King to enter the temple!"

Four strongmen came forward and once again lifted the Snake King statue. Amidst the deafening roar of firecrackers and the cheers of the massive crowd, the statue was officially carried into the temple hall and placed upon its seat of honor.

The statue's placement in the temple hall marked the official end of the ritual. Immediately after, an endless stream of people holding incense sticks began to file in, placing them in the temple's urns.

The end of the ritual, however, did not mean the end of the Snake King Festival. On the contrary, it was merely the beginning.

Outside the Snake King Temple, street stalls and folk activities sprang to life, kicking off a variety of events.

As the sky gradually darkened, households all across Bai Town set off firecrackers and fireworks. With the Snake King enshrined in the main hall, a solemn bell tolled once more, its chime resonating in the hearts of Bai Town's people.

As the toll of the bell faded, snake-shaped lanterns in front of every home began to drift slowly upward. In an instant, they illuminated the newly darkened sky. The countless lanterns hanging in the air looked like a dazzling field of stars—a truly spectacular sight.

Although the Snake King ritual at the temple had ended, the area only grew more bustling. Inside the temple, a constant stream of worshippers offered incense. Outside, a dizzying array of street festivities and Battle Serpent competitions were underway.

Without a doubt, the Snake King Festival in Bai Town was even grander and more festive than the New Year celebration. This year's festival in particular had already broken countless records from years past.

It was a festival for both humans and snakes. All over the streets, people could be seen interacting with snakes, their faces beaming with joy.

A group of small children gathered around a python fully four meters long, taking pictures without a hint of fear. When the photos were done, apparently still not satisfied, the children cheerfully worked together to lift the large python, as if it were a prize they had hunted and brought down from the mountains themselves.

Outside the temple, the crowds bustled like a busy marketplace. A handsome young man with a devilish charm slowly emerged from the temple hall, which was thick with the smoke of incense. A faint smile graced his delicate features.

"This is so nice."

Tu Xiao'an murmured as if in a dream. He gazed out at the bustling streets, then looked up. The sky above Bai Town was a kaleidoscope of brilliant color, beautiful beyond measure.

"Since it's all so beautiful, let's make the sky a little more beautiful." Tu Xiao'an extended a hand, turning his pale palm upward. In a bizarre twist, a plume of Flame flickered to life in his hand.

Ever since gaining control of Flame Power by Devouring the Vampire Snake, Tu Xiao'an hadn't had a proper chance to display this new ability.

'This is the perfect occasion. I'll let my Flame Power light up the sky over Bai Town completely.'

The thought had barely crossed his mind when, in the next second...

A massive serpent of fire suddenly appeared in the skies above Bai Town, soaring straight up in a magnificent ascent. In that same instant, everyone on the streets seemed to sense it, looking up, utterly speechless.

With a deafening BOOM, the fire serpent burst apart like a blossoming tree of fire. It scattered in a shower of brilliant sparks, like a thousand pear trees bursting into bloom at once, reforming into countless smaller fire serpents that began to slither through the air.

Then, the fiery serpents began to intertwine with one another, vying for splendor in the sky above Bai Town. As they opened their mouths, they sprayed out pellets of golden sand that blossomed proudly in the air.

In an instant, the sky was dyed crimson. The fiery red light was a magnificent, multicolored spectacle.

The eyes of the hundreds of thousands of spectators slowly widened, completely captivated by the visual feast. They were so enthralled they nearly forgot to breathe.

"Lord Snake King..."

The murmured words escaped from the lips of countless people.