Xiao Jietian casually tossed the young man to the ground.
The pale youth landed in a sorry heap, coughing violently and gasping for air like a fish thrown onto dry land.
Han Yue and Qing Lin stepped forward to stand quietly at Xiao Jietian's sides.
The young man's eyes instantly locked onto the two stunning women. Even in his current predicament, he couldn't help but stare, momentarily forgetting his fear and humiliation.
Xiao Jietian gave a subtle gesture toward Qing Lin and Han Yue.
The two women understood immediately. They turned toward the trembling father and daughter nearby and spoke gently:
"You two should leave this place quickly."
The father and daughter hurriedly kowtowed once in gratitude, then scrambled away without looking back.
Xiao Jietian looked down at the sprawled young man from above, his voice carrying a bone-chilling coldness:
"Who is the Heavenly Serpent Mansion Master to you?"
The young man snapped back to reality under that icy tone. He didn't dare hide anything—hoping his identity might save his life so he could seek revenge later.
"She… she is my mother."
Qing Lin and Han Yue had already returned to Xiao Jietian's side.
Without another word, Xiao Jietian lifted the youth by the neck once more. With Han Yue and Qing Lin following closely behind, he shot into the sky, flying straight toward the heart of the Heavenly Serpent Mansion.
"Where… where are you taking me?!"
The young man was so terrified he nearly wet himself. In his mind, Xiao Jietian was surely planning to kill him in some desolate place. Panic flooded his face as he begged desperately for mercy.
Xiao Jietian, irritated by the noise, directly sealed the youth's vocal cords.
Moments later, the three arrived above the Heavenly Serpent Mansion's main stronghold.
Xiao Jietian didn't slow down. He flew straight toward the largest and most imposing hall in the complex.
The grand hall was covered in Heavenly Serpent totems from top to bottom—majestic, dignified, and faintly oppressive.
After knocking out the guards stationed outside with a casual wave, Xiao Jietian glanced meaningfully at the empty space beside him.
"Who dares trespass into my Heavenly Serpent Mansion?!"
A cold, authoritative shout rang out from within the hall.
Xiao Jietian flicked his sleeve. A surge of Dou Qi blasted the massive doors open.
Carrying the young man, he strode inside. Han Yue and Qing Lin followed right behind him.
Most people would expect a sect named after serpents to have an eerie, sinister atmosphere. Yet the interior of the Heavenly Serpent Mansion's great hall was surprisingly bright and open.
Heavenly Serpents were carved into every pillar, lending the space an air of ancient majesty and mystery.
At the very end of the hall, seated upon the highest throne, was a graceful and beautiful woman.
Her figure was alluring, her features exquisite—yet right now her lovely face was covered in frost and sharp vigilance.
Her gaze first swept over Xiao Jietian, then landed on the youth in his grasp. A flash of tenderness and fury passed through her eyes, but it was quickly suppressed. When she looked back at Xiao Jietian, her stare was like two sharpened blades.
This woman was none other than the Heavenly Serpent Mansion Master—She Yuyan, a five-star Dou Zong expert.
"Who are you people? How dare you cause trouble in my Heavenly Serpent Mansion and abduct my son?" she demanded coldly. Her voice was pleasant yet carried undeniable authority.
She Yuyan could sense a vague but very real threat emanating from the young man before her. Despite his youthful appearance—younger even than her own son—he was clearly no ordinary person. She did not act rashly.
Xiao Jietian's lips curved into a faint, cold smile.
"Heavenly Serpent Mansion Master, I came today with only one purpose: to make a deal with you."
She Yuyan frowned deeply.
She knew the other party had come with ill intentions, and with her son still in his hands, she was at a severe disadvantage. She could only grit her teeth and ask coldly:
"What deal?"
Inwardly she cursed him for being shameless. What kind of "good person" kidnaps someone's son and then claims they want to negotiate?
Xiao Jietian looked straight into her eyes and spoke clearly:
"The Ancient Heavenly Serpent's corpse."
She Yuyan's pupils contracted sharply for a split second before returning to normal.
The existence of the Ancient Heavenly Serpent's corpse had always been the highest secret of the Heavenly Serpent Mansion—known only to successive Mansion Masters. There was no possibility of it leaking out.
"Although our Heavenly Serpent Mansion bears the name 'Heavenly Serpent,' we possess no such corpse. Where would I possibly get one for you? Are you perhaps trying to trick me?"
Her expression had only flickered for an instant, but Xiao Jietian had still caught it.
"Heavenly Serpent Mansion Master, I advise you to think carefully. There's no need to use such words to stall me. Since I came here today, I naturally have my assurances. Either you agree, or I kill your son—and then we can continue talking."
With that, he lifted the young man in his hand and chuckled lightly:
"Madam, you wouldn't want your son to lose his life, would you?"
Hearing him openly threaten her son, She Yuyan's face turned deathly pale. She knew the other party had come fully prepared.
She gripped the armrests of her throne until her knuckles whitened and spoke in a deep, trembling voice:
"The Ancient Heavenly Serpent's corpse is the foundation of my Heavenly Serpent Mansion. How can I possibly hand it over to you?"
"It seems the Heavenly Serpent Mansion Master no longer cares about her son."
Xiao Jietian unsealed the youth's vocal cords.
The moment he could speak, the young man screamed hysterically, as though grasping at his last lifeline:
"Mother! Save me!! Forget about that damned corpse—just save me quickly!!"
Xiao Jietian immediately resealed his voice again.
She Yuyan, who had always doted heavily on her son, felt her heart clench painfully at his terrified cries. It was as though an invisible hand was squeezing her chest.
Before she could respond, Xiao Jietian's calm voice continued:
"Of course, I don't intend to take the entire Ancient Heavenly Serpent's corpse. I only want one thing from it."
All his earlier pressure had been building toward this single sentence: first apply crushing force, then open the tiniest crack of hope.
She Yuyan fell silent, deep in thought.
The most precious thing on the entire Ancient Heavenly Serpent's corpse was its hidden soul remnant—which could only be drawn out through a special secret method known to the Mansion Masters.
Just as she wavered, Xiao Jietian spoke again:
"Madam, I will give you one final chance. If you still refuse, then I can only apologize."
His grip slowly tightened.
The young man struggled desperately, face contorted in pain, growing paler by the second. His breathing became weaker and weaker.
She Yuyan watched her son suffer, her heart torn to the extreme.
His life and death now rested entirely on her next decision.
Her hands clenched into tight fists. After a long, agonizing moment, she finally spoke:
"I agree."
After uttering those words, her entire body seemed to deflate. She slumped slightly in her seat.
"But I hope you keep your word. Take only one item. After you take it, release my son immediately. Otherwise—even if I have to fight to the death—I will make sure to leave a mark on you."
Xiao Jietian heard those words and suddenly felt a strange sense of déjà vu.
*Fight to the death… leave a mark on you…*
Why did that phrasing feel so oddly familiar? As though he had heard it somewhere before?
He glanced back at Qing Lin and Han Yue, who were standing vigilantly behind him.
Qing Lin & Han Yue: ?
Xiao Jietian shook off the strange feeling. He slowly relaxed the strength in his hand and the Dou Qi restraining the youth.
A faint smile appeared on his lips.
"Of course. Madam has made a very wise decision."
The young man in his grasp gasped desperately for air. For a moment, he had truly believed his great-grandmother was coming to take him away.
"Then please lead the way, Heavenly Serpent Mansion Master. Once I obtain what I need, I will naturally release your son."