Invincible Snake Emperor-Chapter 84 - 83: The Agreement from Years Past

Another day arrived in the blink of an eye.

That day, an impressive luxury car pulled up next to the large green stone at the foot of She Mountain. It was the kind of vehicle rarely seen in a small town, something one would expect to find only in a bustling metropolis.

A slim, middle-aged man stepped out of the car. His face was sickly pale, and a sinister, phantom chill clung to him, giving him the cold air of a venomous snake.

Fortunately, there were no Snake Catchers near Daqing Mountain just then. Had there been, the sight of this middle-aged man would have left them utterly astounded.

Bai Town had once produced two genius Snake Catchers, figures worthy of being recorded in the annals of the trade's history. In their presence, any venomous snake was rendered helpless, becoming like a mere toy with no power to resist.

However, one had died ten years ago, while the other had left Bai Town even earlier, his whereabouts unknown.

This man was none other than that Snake Catcher who had left Bai Town long ago: the former snakebite doctor, now Dr. Snake of the Wilderness Collective—Chen Mo.

As Chen Mo stepped out of the car, he took a deep breath. A faint smile touched his lips. Standing on this land, he felt a profound sense of familiarity.

Returning to his old home after more than a decade, he couldn't help but feel a surge of emotion.

Chen Mo stood motionless, his gaze distant, as if lost in thought. Images of people and events from the past surfaced in his mind. Gradually, an unconcealable sorrow and world-weariness filled his eyes.

"Brother Tu, I've returned. It's been so many years... to think we're now separated by life and death. Have you forgotten? We never did settle who was better. What a shame... what a true shame."

His gaze once again turned inward, lost in memory.

It was a region teeming with snakes. The mountain wind howled through the tangled trees and grass. In a clearing, two proud young men in their prime stood facing each other. Piled at their feet were countless venomous snakes of unknown species, writhing and hissing in terror. The scene was horrifying to imagine.

But to the two young men, the terrifying snakes might as well have not existed. They stared at each other from a distance, seeing nothing but their rival.

"Haha... Brother Tu, it seems we've tied again this time."

A young Chen Mo looked at the man opposite him, speaking with the respect one great talent holds for another.

The man opposite him, who had a handsome face and a warm smile, replied, "If I'm not mistaken, this is our tenth tie, Brother Chen. It seems we'll have to find a different way to compete. We'll never settle it like this."

Chen Mo's interest was piqued. "What do you have in mind?" he asked.

"Instead of catching snakes, how about we compete to cultivate them?"

"'Cultivating snakes?'" Chen Mo muttered. A flash of Battle Intent lit up his eyes, and he declared with bold certainty, "Alright, let's do that! Now that's an idea!"

The other man said, "Whoever can cultivate a peerless Snake Species, a one-of-a-kind in this world, will be the winner. He will be the Snake King of Bai Town."

"Haha, alright! It's a deal!"

At that, the two men locked eyes and burst into laughter, their gazes filled with Battle Intent. For them, snakes had long transcended their ordinary meaning.

The past is smoke, memories are dust. Looking back, the promise was as vivid as ever, but the man from that memory had already turned to a pile of white bones, scattered and gone from this world.

Dr. Snake's eyes slowly began to moisten. He muttered, "How could you die? How could you possibly die at the hands of a venomous snake?"

It seemed like a cruel joke.

"Brother Tu, even though you're not here, watch closely from above. Watch as I, Chen Mo, cultivate a peerless Snake Species and bring a new Snake King into this world."

His gaze was resolute, shining with a feverish ambition.

Just then, a young man popped out of nowhere and dropped to his knees directly in front of Chen Mo. "Master, I'm sorry," he said, his head bowed. "I have brought you shame."

The one kneeling was none other than Jiang Xingze, who had been so thoroughly humiliated on She Mountain. He seemed to have developed an addiction to kneeling, prostrating himself before everyone he met.

However, this act of kneeling was only proper, for Chen Mo was his master.

Chen Mo closed his eyes for a moment, erasing the ambition from his gaze. He looked down at the apprentice who knelt before him, not daring to lift his head, and asked coolly, "I heard another unusual snake has appeared on She Mountain, one the people of Bai Town are calling the Snake King. Is it true?"

At the two words "Snake King," Jiang Xingze's face twitched. The image of that Silver White Snake, like a recurring nightmare, surfaced in his mind.

"Master, it's true," Jiang Xingze said, a flash of fear in his eyes, quickly followed by overwhelming hatred. "That snake is bizarre, monstrous. It can release Thunder and command other snakes."

'That damned snake!' He wanted to drink its blood and eat its flesh. It had left him with a humiliation and a psychological scar that would last a lifetime.

"By the looks of it, you suffered quite a loss at its hands," Chen Mo said flatly, observing his apprentice who was gritting his teeth in fury.

Jiang Xingze lowered his head even further. "I was incompetent," he said in a panic. "I failed to capture the snake for you, Master."

"If you had been able to catch it, it wouldn't be nearly so interesting," Chen Mo replied. He had, in fact, already done some research. A hot, greedy light flashed in his eyes.

'This is another candidate for cultivation as a peerless Snake Species.'

Dr. Snake Chen Mo had never imagined he would have such an incredible stroke of luck. One after another, top-grade venomous snakes were appearing on She Mountain.

For him, this was absolutely fantastic, exhilarating news.

According to his investigations over the past two days, the Silver White Snake hailed as the Snake King by Bai Town's Snake Catchers had immense potential. It was a Snake Species that could likely withstand the Giant Snake Gene.

'The Vampire Snake, the Silver White Snake?'

'Interesting, very interesting. I want them both. Perhaps I can create two peerless Snake Species with them.'

'As for the future Snake King... that will depend on which one proves to be more powerful.'

'If both snakes can withstand the Giant Snake Gene, I'll cultivate them both. Then, I'll have them fight to the death. The loser will be subject to Devouring, and the stronger one will be the undisputed Snake King.'

'This is perfect. It's as if fate itself is on my side.'

"You can go back now. Leave the rest to me," Chen Mo said coolly.

Jiang Xingze's head shot up. "Master, are you going after the Vampire Snake, or that damned snake? Let me stay and help you!"

"Neither will escape. We'll take our time."

His tone was light, but his words radiated immense confidence.

In the world today, there was no venomous snake that Chen Mo could not catch.

"Go back," he repeated. "Your part in this is done. Go and get some rest."

Chen Mo then turned his gaze toward the stone steps of She Mountain. Jiang Xingze, for all his arrogance and conceit, seemed terrified of his master and didn't dare utter another word.

His eyes filled with resentment. The only reason he had remained in Bai Town was to wait for his master to come and deal with that damned snake.

'As long as Master handles it personally, the snake will definitely be caught. And when that happens, I'll skin it, rip out its sinews, eat its flesh, and drink its blood.'

The mere thought of it filled Jiang Xingze's eyes with sadistic glee.