Chapter 174
A dull collision sound echoed within the cave, as if something heavy was randomly striking the stone walls.
The earth-shaking sound made Shen Tang’s heart race, unable to decide whether to enter or retreat.
“What’s happening? Xue Yinzhou isn’t going berserk again, is he?” Shen Tang frantically questioned the system in her mind.
She had just provided him with spiritual reassurance, so it shouldn’t be happening.
After scanning, the system replied, “It doesn’t look like a mental berserk; he seems to be… shedding his skin p>
“After each growth period, when the Snake Beast’s body grows, it will shed its skin. In adulthood, its size increases mainly through strength advancement. The stronger it is, the more robust and large the body becomes… Xue Yinzhou has broken through to the Ninth Rank, his strength has surged, and he’s entering a new transformation period p>
Shen Tang felt relieved, as long as it wasn’t berserk.
Listening to the dangerous noises in the cave, she hesitated for a moment and then went inside.
The interior of the cave was more expansive than imagined, with a damp and dark environment, and slippery moss growing on the ground and stone walls.
At the far end, there was a pond.
Part of a snake tail soaked in the spring water rolled in agony from time to time, emitting a chilling noise.
The pond was getting increasingly muddied, with water splashing all over the ground.
A silver-haired man hidden in the shadows heard the footsteps at the cave entrance, turned his head, and spoke hoarsely and dangerously, “Who p>
Shen Tang met a pair of dangerous snake eyes tinged with crimson blood.
However, it seemed that his eyes were covered with a thin membrane, appearing slightly murky.
More shockingly, Xue Yinzhou’s cold, white jade-like skin was slowly becoming loose like old tree bark, peeling away, creating a horrifyingly eerie scene.
Witnessing this, Shen Tang was taken aback.
Seeing her clearly, Xue Yinzhou’s pupils contracted instantly, almost immediately reverting to his original form, letting out a dangerous roar, “Who let you come over p>
“Get out p>
The man’s voice was as cold as ice, leaving Shen Tang frightened.
Fortunately, she knew Xue Yinzhou wouldn’t harm her now, so she didn’t retreat and stayed in place.
She spoke gently, “Sorry, I didn’t mean to witness this. I woke up in the middle of the night and found you were gone, got worried, and came to check p>
Shen Tang looked at the tense body of the white snake not far away, her expression serious.
She knew that shedding skin made Snake Beasts painful, irritable, sensitive, and uneasy, as it’s their most vulnerable time, and they dislike being seen by outsiders.
But they are husband and wife, not outsiders. As the Female Master, she has the responsibility to provide reassurance.
“Do you need spiritual reassurance? It might make you feel better p>
Shen Tang slowly approached it.
The white snake remained silent, seemingly hesitating. Its silver-purple snake eyes gradually became murky, making its emotions hard to discern.
Having received no rejection, Shen Tang felt relieved and hurried closer.
She nearly twisted her ankle by missing the puddle underfoot.
A cold snake tail wrapped around her waist in time, preventing her from a painful fall. The stones in the cave were so hard that she could have ended up with a bruised face.
“You, aren’t you afraid?” the cold snake tail pulled her close, the white snake’s voice softened slightly, yet remained gloomy and hoarse.
It seemed to hide a hint of unease.
Shen Tang swallowed, raised her hand to gently stroke the shedding snake tail at her waist, and spoke honestly, “A little afraid, but it’s alright. As long as you don’t harm me, there’s nothing to fear p>
The thick snake tail wrapped tighter around Shen Tang, and under her gentle touch, it lightly trembled.
Suddenly, the white snake raised its upper body, its beast form so enormous that, while standing, it was tall as a building level, bringing an immense sense of fear!
Had she not known the gigantic snake before her was an intelligent Beastman, her Beast Husband, Shen Tang might have been scared to death.
The white snake flicked its crimson tongue and licked Shen Tang’s face.
The cold and slippery touch made her flinch slightly, but she knew the white snake had no malice.
It seemed to like the scent on her.
It licked her cheeks, ears, neck p>
After being forcefully put through desensitization training by him, Shen Tang felt indifferent when the white snake came to lick again.
Taking advantage of their close proximity, Shen Tang quickly extended her palm, letting spiritual power flow out to soothe him.
The snake tail that had been writhing restlessly gradually calmed down, Xue Yinzhou regained some clarity, looking at the female forcefully held in his arms, he forcibly suppressed his inner desires, flicked his tail, and sent her outside the cave entrance.
Xue Yinzhou said softly.
At the last moment of transformation, he’d uncontrollably shift between his true form and human form.
The human form would be ugly.
He didn’t want her to see that unsightly appearance.
Shen Tang didn’t insist on going in.
After all, humans need to respect boundaries.
But she didn’t leave, only spoke softly, “I’ll be just outside. If you need help, you can call me anytime p>
Who knows how long time passed.
Quiet on both sides, with no words spoken.
In a hazy consciousness, Xue Yinzhou suddenly recalled those days when the Princess had just brought him to the Imperial Palace, before she fully exposed her nature.
Name-calling him disgusting and starting the abuse began after he had been in the palace for half a month, when he unintentionally exposed the shedding process to that female during his first shedding.
Back then, he was in human form, with sagging skin, and his ugly appearance made her puke on the spot.
Then, at his weakest, she had him locked in the basement, deprived of food and drink, not allowing him to eat.
When Xue Yinzhou was nearly starved to death, she might grant him a mouthful of food.
She aimed to control his growth through hunger, not allowing further shedding.
In the Princess’s eyes, he was a toy without personality. A beautiful toy only needed to maintain its perfect state, and once the fantasy was broken, it lost its value.
But now, Shen Tang saw his revealed ugliness with surprise and fear, yet without the nauseating and disgusting response expected when seeing something dirty.
She even proactively helped him with spiritual reassurance.
Even soft-spokenly comforted while gently stroking his damaged body.
Since childhood, Xue Yinzhou always thought his appearance was revolting, yet in her eyes, he saw compassion and care.
It was an unfamiliar emotion he had never seen in anyone else’s eyes before.
Unexpectedly, someone could care for him so compassionately.
Xue Yinzhou closed his eyes.
The eye membrane slowly peeled away.
Upon reopening, his silver-purple eyes were clearer and more profound, akin to fragmented moonlight, captivatingly piercing.
Xue Yinzhou turned towards the cave entrance and flicked his tongue, capturing the female’s scent.
She’s still here.
The snake eyes flickered with darkness.
She didn’t know that by kindly aiding him this time, she would make him increasingly insatiable p>
She didn’t understand the nature of snakes.