Ashina Outskirts, Underbridge Valley.
After healing Isshin Ashina, Xia Yu left with Emma, leaving Isshin Ashina alone to continue enjoying his drinks.
Upon returning to the Upper Tower, he first instructed Emma to write a letter to Genichiro, telling that scoundrel brother of his to return first.
Since they were to face the Interior Ministry's Red Guard, they definitely needed to stack some buffs; this would also eliminate the other's desire to seize the Dragons Heritage power.
He had already reserved the Dragons Heritage power. Although this power wasn't exactly a good thing, one could learn by analogy.
Afterward, he told Emma that once he finished his business, he would return to teach her Onmyo Arts, even though he could directly input memories to let her master the techniques in an instant.
However, hand-to-hand teaching was the way to foster feelings. He wasn't a dense, "steel-straight" man; how could he use a shortcut just to save trouble?
The business he spoke of was, naturally, the two Great Serpents from the game. Those two Great Serpents were very likely the Mountain Gods of this land, as evidenced by the Great Serpent Shrine and some details in the game.
Of course, even if they weren't Mountain Gods, they were still a type of exotic beast. As a big shot, how could he not have a proper pet?
Thus, he came to the Underbridge Valley in the Ashina Outskirts. This was the mandatory path Wolf took at the beginning of the game to reach Ashina Castle.
It was also here that Wolf encountered an extremely massive Great Serpent, one so large that its full length was unknown.
Of course, despite its size, this Great Serpent's brain definitely wasn't very good. Otherwise, it wouldn't have foolishly lowered its head to look into the dilapidated palanquin, only to be blinded in one eye by Wolf.
The stupid snake didn't know to smash it with its body first; it just had to lean in for a look, only to be tragically blinded.
In the late game, this stupid snake was even killed by Wolf with a "Death from Above" plunge attack, its heart being taken away.
Because the Great Serpent's side quest corresponded to one of the game's endings, "Return," the Great Serpent was destined to die.
"I wonder if coming this early will let me run into that stupid snake."
Standing by the bridge, Xia Yu looked down into the valley. Although this bridge was somewhat old, it hadn't been destroyed yet at this point in time.
After a brief scan of the Underbridge Valley, Xia Yu's eyes lit up as he discovered a snake skin.
Since there was a skin, it meant the Great Serpent was still here. Based on the freshness of that skin, the serpent might have just molted not long ago.
Realizing this, Xia Yu released his Divine Sense. The massive Divine Sense centered on him and instantly enveloped the surrounding area.
Patrolling soldiers, birds flying in the sky, and venomous lizards crawling on the ground were all clearly reflected in his mind.
"Hmm? Found it."
Xia Yu opened his eyes with a smile. He found it; that stupid snake was still curled up at the bottom of the valley, sleeping.
Having found it, Xia Yu didn't linger and flipped over the bridge, jumping down.
Accompanied by the scientific law of universal gravitation, Xia Yu free-fell to the very bottom of the canyon, then unscientifically slowed his descent and landed gently on the ground.
Not far from him, a Great Serpent of unknown length lay coiled. Its eyes were closed, seemingly in a deep slumber.
"As expected, it's no ordinary snake." Seeing this, Xia Yu curled his lip.
Biology states that snakes have no eyelids, so they don't blink, let alone close their eyes.
This Great Serpent not only used its eyes to watch prey but could also close them to sleep. It really wasn't a normal snake.
Xia Yu didn't hesitate and walked straight up to the Great Serpent's head. Even then, the serpent didn't wake up.
Looking at the soundly sleeping Great Serpent before him, Xia Yu raised his palm and swung it down hard.
Slap—!
"Hiss hiss hiss!!!"
The Great Serpent, suddenly hit with a massive slap, jerked its head up, its open eyes filled with confusion.
What happened?
But soon, it noticed the tiny speck in front of it—a human. In an instant, the serpent's eyes filled with human-like rage, seemingly furious that a human dared to disturb its slumber.
"Hiss hiss hiss!"
The Great Serpent lunged at Xia Yu to bite him, and a visible cold white mist spewed from its mouth.
"Ugh, get lost."
Looking at the Great Serpent that seemed to have bad breath, Xia Yu raised his palm again, and then—
Slap!
With its head slapped aside once more, the Great Serpent's eyes were full of bewilderment. It... had been hit by a human?
But a second later, this bewilderment turned into a rage that burned away all reason.
"Hiss hiss hiss!!!"
Slap!
"Hiss hiss!!"
Slap!
"Hiss!"
Slap!
"Hiss hiss..."
Slap!
"Ying..."
Slap!
It couldn't win, it simply couldn't win. It was being hit even when trying to beg for mercy. The Great Serpent felt fear and wanted to pull its head back to flee.
But just as it retracted its head slightly, the human suddenly lunged forward.
"Did I let you run?"
Slap!
"Ying ying..."
"You still dare to make noise?"
Slap!
Thoroughly terrified, the Great Serpent lowered its head humbly, fearing it would provoke the ill-tempered human in front of it and get slapped again.
"You dare to ignore me now?"
Slap!
"..."
The light faded from the Great Serpent's eyes. It understood: this human simply wanted to play it to death.
Seeing that the Great Serpent had completely lost the will to resist, Xia Yu lowered his raised palm. He couldn't hit it anymore; if he continued, it might really break.
"Alright, you should be able to understand human speech. I'm not some cruel person; I'm actually very gentle. After all, a protagonist's primary trait is being kind-hearted."
The Great Serpent didn't want to talk; it just wanted some peace and quiet.
"Ignoring me..."
"Hiss hiss..."
Seeing Xia Yu's raised palm, the Great Serpent immediately lowered its head and flicked its tongue, deeply afraid of being hit again.
Seeing this, Xia Yu nodded with satisfaction, then leaped onto the Great Serpent's head and placed his palm on it.
Then, his spiritual power suddenly erupted and invaded, carving his mark onto the Great Serpent's soul.
He wasn't naive enough to think that just because the Great Serpent submitted, it had truly surrendered. Only after carving his mark would it be considered truly tamed.
Feeling the tremor in its soul, the Great Serpent lowered its head even further.
"Alright, from now on, you'll be called Bai Suzhen. This name carries my deep expectations."
Xia Yu sat cross-legged on the Great Serpent's head and patted its head.
"Hiss hiss..."
"By the way, Bai Suzhen is a cultivator. You still need to cultivate to transform into a human." Xia Yu slapped his forehead, realizing a key point.
Thinking it over, he tried to channel a sliver of spiritual energy into the Great Serpent's body.
"Huh?"
But just as he channeled it, Xia Yu let out a small sound of surprise. He discovered another energy, somewhat like spiritual energy but not quite.
Xia Yu tried to guide that energy with his spiritual energy, but the Great Serpent beneath him began to tremble. Seeing this, Xia Yu didn't try to pull it all out, but instead wrapped a sliver of that energy with his spiritual energy and guided it out.
Looking at this energy wrapped in spiritual energy, Xia Yu had some guesses. This was very likely the Great Serpent's divine power.
After all, the Great Serpent Shrine had proven that these Great Serpents were like Mountain Gods, local deities, while the Divine Dragon that brought the Dragons Heritage power was an outsider god.
Perhaps it was the Divine Dragon seizing the power of the local gods that made the Great Serpent so weak and easily killed.
This plot is just my speculation and might not necessarily be correct.