It's a pity that we couldn't successfully kill the snake this time.

The snake was injured, and Ku Qubi was also injured. This outcome was unexpected for me.

Back in Hongqi Village, Ku Qubi's complexion was already very bad. He instructed me, "When you go back, hang the peach wood sword in the main hall **. If the snake comes to seek revenge, it won't dare to enter because of the power of the peach wood sword! During my seclusion and recovery, you will have to handle everything on your own!"

After finishing his instructions, Ku Qubi bid me farewell at the village entrance.

Seeing Ku Qubi's figure limping away, a sense of sadness for a declining hero rose in my heart.

When I returned home, I found a nylon rope and stood on the table, hanging the peach wood sword in the center of the main hall **.

Grandfather asked me what I was doing, and I said, "This peach wood sword is a divine object that wards off evil spirits. Ku Xian said that as long as the peach wood sword hangs in the main hall **, evil entities won't dare to enter!"

Several days passed peacefully.

I was very worried about Ku Qubi. I didn't know when he would recover. Without Ku Qubi as my support, I lacked confidence in handling things. If something major happened, I didn't know if I would be able to handle it.

Another weekend came, and my family went out to attend a distant relative's wedding. I didn't go because I was preparing for my final exams in elementary school. I stayed home alone, reviewing my lessons for most of the day. Then I took out the book "San Qing Shu" and sat in the yard, basking in the spring sun while reading "San Qing Shu". I quickly immersed myself in the world of "San Qing Shu".

The afternoon passed quickly, and as the sun began to set, I put away "San Qing Shu" and stretched lazily. I realized that I hadn't eaten anything all day, and my stomach was empty.

So I went to the chicken coop and picked two eggs, plucked some scallions, and entered the kitchen to cook a big bowl of fragrant egg fried rice for myself.

Just when I was about to start eating, I heard knocking on the door from outside the courtyard.

It couldn't be my parents; they had said they wouldn't come back today. So who could be knocking on the door?

I put down the bowl and walked to the door, only to see a skinny old man with a hunched back standing outside.

The old man was dressed in tattered black clothes, looking like he had just come back from a funeral. His bones were sharp, and there were stains on his face. A lump protruded from his forehead, and he emitted a foul smell. He looked like a beggar.

His left hand was hidden in his sleeve, and the sleeve was empty, revealing that he was disabled.

This black-clothed old man was probably not from our village because I had never seen him before.

"Grandpa, who are you looking for?" I asked.

The old man extended his trembling chicken claw-like hand and begged me, "Little child, please, I've been begging all the way here and haven't eaten for days. Can you give me a bite to eat?"

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I examined the old man from head to toe. He did look pitiful. In a person's lifetime, everyone would grow old. If it weren't for life's circumstances, he should be enjoying his twilight years and wouldn't have to beg for a living.

I was naturally kind-hearted and immediately felt sympathy. I opened the door and let the old man in.

I asked him to sit in the yard while I went into the kitchen, took out another bowl, and divided a large portion of the fried rice for him.

"Grandpa, I just cooked some egg fried rice. If you're hungry, you can have some," I said as I carried the bowl out of the kitchen. But I found that the beggar wasn't in the yard.

I scratched my head, thinking that maybe he had left.

At that moment, I suddenly heard the sound of chickens cackling from near the chicken coop.

I approached and was shocked by what I saw.

The beggar was squatting behind the chicken coop, grabbing a hen, and without plucking its feathers, he actually swallowed it alive, leaving only the chicken's buttocks sticking out of his mouth.

"What are you doing?" I exclaimed in horror. Had the beggar gone crazy from hunger to the point of eating raw chicken?!

The beggar raised his head, grinned at me, and the chicken blood dripped down from the corner of his mouth. Several chicken feathers were stuck to his chin.

The beggar wiped the chicken blood off his mouth, licked his fingers, and chuckled, "Your family's chicken tastes good. It must not have been fed with feed, right?"

Seeing the beggar's eerie appearance with blood all over his mouth, disgust welled up in my heart, and I couldn't help but feel nauseous.

"Get out! Get out right now!" I was angry. I had kindly let him in to have a meal, but he ended up stealing and eating our chicken like a monster. This beggar was either mentally disturbed or had psychological issues. In any case, he was abnormal. I regretted letting him in and now just wanted to get rid of him.

The beggar stood up, gave me a sinister smile, and suddenly his eyes turned fierce. He pounced on me, reaching out his only right hand to grab me.

I was shocked and instinctively smashed the porcelain bowl in my hand toward the beggar. The egg fried rice scattered everywhere.

The beggar screamed harshly, "You little brat! Without that damn cripple protecting you today, let's see if you can escape from my grasp!"

I trembled all over. "Who... Who are you?"

The beggar grinned maliciously, then opened his mouth, and a bloody red snake tongue flicked out, making hissing sounds.

"Have you forgotten about me so soon after just a few days? Isn't this broken dragon claw of mine your handiwork?" The beggar raised his empty sleeve and shook it. "This severed dragon claw is the result of your actions!"

A chill ran down my spine. I took a step back in fear. "You... You're the snake!"

His severed left hand was the broken dragon claw, and the lump on his forehead was the growing dragon horn. These were all characteristics of the snake, which I had completely overlooked just now.

Damn it!

I never expected that the snake would come looking for revenge!