Chapter 5: The Snake’s Veil

The forest was alive with a thousand scents and sounds as Yun Xi followed Lian Hua back to the heart of the ancient woods. Sunlight slanted through the trees, dappling the path in patterns of gold and shadow. She tried to quiet the thoughts that buzzed in her mind, but her heart wouldn’t be still.

She had met the wolf, the lion, and the crane—but there was still one more. The snake. The thought of him sent a shiver down her spine, a mixture of fear and fascination. What kind of creature was he? What secrets did he hold?

As if in answer, the air grew thick and warm, the heady scent of jasmine and something darker curling around her senses. Lian Hua paused, his expression distant, as if listening to something only he could hear.

“He comes,” he murmured. “The white snake who weaves the threads of fate.”

Yun Xi’s breath caught. She scanned the forest, but saw nothing. Just as she was about to speak, a soft voice echoed from the shadows.

“So, you’re the one they’ve chosen.”

She turned and saw him—tall and sinuous, with hair as pale as moonlight and eyes that gleamed a mesmerizing green. He stepped into the light, his movements languid and graceful, his long white robe trailing behind him like the whisper of silk. Around his waist coiled a silver serpent, its scales catching the light like liquid pearls.

“I am Bai Feng,” he said, his smile both kind and cruel. “The white snake of the river’s edge.”

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🐍 The Snake’s Embrace

Yun Xi’s mouth went dry. There was something about him—an allure that tugged at her deepest fears and desires. He moved closer, his green eyes glinting with amusement as he studied her.

“You’re trembling,” he said softly. “Do I frighten you, little lamb?”

She swallowed hard, forcing herself to meet his gaze. “I’m not sure,” she admitted. “I… I don’t understand any of this.”

Bai Feng chuckled, a low, musical sound. “Of course you don’t. The world of beasts is a web of secrets, and the snake is the keeper of the greatest of them all.”

His fingers brushed her cheek, cool and smooth like river stone. “But do not fear me,” he murmured. “I have no intention of harming you—unless you wish it.”

She flinched at the teasing note in his voice, but something in her chest fluttered in response. “I don’t know what to believe,” she said, her voice shaking.

Bai Feng’s smile softened. “Then let me show you.”

He took her hand in his, and his touch was both comforting and electrifying. “There is a place,” he said. “A pool deep in the forest where the snake’s wisdom sleeps. Come with me, and you will see the truth.”

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🌊 The Serpent’s Pool

They walked together, Bai Feng’s presence a steady warmth at her side. Lian Hua followed silently, his serene gaze flicking between them. They reached a hidden glade where a pool of water lay as still as glass, its surface reflecting the sky in perfect clarity.

“This is the Serpent’s Pool,” Bai Feng said. “It shows not what you want to see, but what you need to understand.”

He stepped behind her, his hands resting lightly on her shoulders. “Look into the water, Yun Xi,” he murmured. “Let the pool reveal your heart.”

She knelt, her reflection staring back at her—pale, uncertain, but resolute. As she watched, the water shimmered, and images began to form: Kael’s fierce devotion, Lian Hua’s quiet wisdom, and now Bai Feng’s sinuous grace. She saw herself standing among them, her heart open and her spirit strong.

She gasped, tears welling in her eyes. “Is this… really me?”

Bai Feng’s fingers tightened on her shoulders. “It is who you can become,” he said. “If you have the courage to claim your place.”

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🐍 A Test of Trust

Yun Xi turned to face him, her voice barely above a whisper. “Why me?” she asked. “Why are you all drawn to me?”

Bai Feng’s green eyes were inscrutable. “Because you are the one who can bind us together,” he said. “The Moon-Blessed One, whose light can guide even the most twisted of hearts.”

He leaned closer, his breath warm against her ear. “But the snake does not trust easily,” he said. “If you would have me, you must prove you can embrace even the shadows of this world.”

Yun Xi’s heart pounded. She met his gaze squarely. “Then tell me what I must do.”

Bai Feng’s smile was slow and wicked. “For now… just trust me.”

He pressed a kiss to her forehead—cool and fleeting, like a promise and a warning. And in that moment, Yun Xi felt something shift inside her. The bonds that had begun with Kael and Lian Hua now twined around Bai Feng, weaving a tapestry of fate that shimmered in her soul.

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🌌 A Glimmer of Destiny

As the sun set, painting the sky in hues of crimson and gold, Bai Feng led her back to the forest’s edge. Lian Hua walked at her side, his quiet presence a balm to her racing heart. She didn’t know what the future held, or what trials awaited her in this world of beasts and secrets.

But as she walked between the crane’s calm and the snake’s dangerous grace, she felt a spark of hope.

Three mates had claimed her heart—each so different, each so necessary. And she knew, deep in her bones, that the fourth was still waiting.

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End of Chapter 5.

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