"The reckless acts of my youth were unworthy of mention. I have made a fool of myself before you, Fellow Daoist."
Song Wen wore a smile, forcing an expression of humility tinged with embarrassment, as though he truly felt ashamed of his own inferiority.
"You need not belittle yourself, Fellow Daoist. Though the method of combining humans and snakes recorded in this jade slip appears simple, it actually accords with the principles of yin and yang creation. The Man-Snakes you cultivated possess vitality far surpassing that of other demon beasts and humans of the same realm. What you have done is already to probe the mysteries of Heaven and Earth's creation and glimpse the truths of nature itself. The only pity is that the Azure Jade Snake you chose was merely a low-grade demon beast, limiting the Man-Snakes' innate talent. In the end, they will be hard-pressed to achieve greatness." Ying Wu spoke with utter sincerity.
"You overpraise me, Fellow Daoist. Such paltry tricks are hardly worth displaying before you. I had long heard that you possess profound knowledge of raising and modifying spirit beasts. Having admired you in my heart, I came specially to visit. Only upon seeing you today did I learn that not only are your attainments in raising spirit beasts extraordinary, but you are also blessed with immortal grace and jade-like beauty, peerless in elegance."
Ying Wu wore a moon-white robe patterned with clouds. Standing amid the white mist, her figure was as straight as a sword.
Her features were exquisite, her brows like sword edges, her eyes like cold stars, and her lips like a blade's line. She wore not a trace of makeup, yet possessed an inherently awe-inspiring heroic air.
Suddenly, a gust swept across the lake. White mist surged, her white robes fluttered,