I was just twenty years old when I experienced a peculiar and erotic dream that would forever alter the course of my life.

In this dream, a large white snake, thick as my thigh, slithered into my room through the window. But as soon as it landed, it transformed into a breathtakingly handsome man. Clad in a flowing white robe, he exuded a celestial elegance that left me spellbound.

Throughout the dream, he remained silent, yet his touch was tender, his kisses gentle, and he pressed me beneath him with a passionate intensity. At first, I dismissed it as a mere erotic fantasy that left my heart racing and my body weak upon waking.

But a month later, as I grew increasingly nauseous and fatigued, I began to suspect that something was amiss. Ignoring the signs, I endured another month until the sickness finally subsided. However, it was then that I realized I hadn't menstruated for three months.

My dormmates, concerned for my well-being, urged me to seek medical advice. With much hesitation, I finally went for an ultrasound scan, hoping for answers. The experienced doctor conducting the scan gasped in shock as she looked at the display screen. The words that followed left me both surprised and disbelieving, "You... you're pregnant."

Laughter threatened to escape me, as the notion of being pregnant without a boyfriend or any semblance of a man seemed utterly ridiculous. However, as I glanced at the screen and saw the cluster of shadows resembling snakes instead of an ordinary embryo, a chill ran down my spine, and a terrified scream escaped my lips.

It reminded me of a recent dream I had, where a man transformed into a giant white snake before disappearing into the light and shadows. Clutching at my clothes in fear, I couldn't deny the facts laid bare before me. Was it possible that I was impregnated by that snake and now carrying its child?

As ludicrous as it sounded, I couldn't shake off the undeniable truth. I recalled an article I had stumbled upon in the U News website about a thirteen-year-old girl pregnant with a snake fetus. Overwhelmed, I rushed out of the ultrasound room, seeking solace in solitude. With trembling hands, I dialed my grandmother's number, tears streaming down my face as I confided in her.

To my surprise, my grandmother remained remarkably calm upon hearing the full story. Taking a deep breath, she asked, "Do you remember anything from your childhood?" I paused, eager to hear the details she held. And so, she began to recount an old tale, one that had been hidden away for twelve years.

Twelve years ago, during the winter of the Year of the Snake, I fell seriously ill without any apparent cause. Desperate, my grandmother sought help from the village doctor, who tirelessly administered medicine for three days. Yet, my condition showed no signs of improvement. Filled with panic, my grandmother embarked on a journey to the Mountain God Temple, offering rice and eggs in hopes of finding a remedy.

That fateful night, consumed by fever, I lay delirious in bed. In my haze, I witnessed a large white snake slither into my quilt, making its way toward me along my leg. Terrified, I called out for my grandmother, but no answer came from the house. Clutching the quilt in fright, I dared not lift it to uncover the mysterious presence. All I could perceive was movement within the quilt, where the snake resided. And then, I succumbed to unconsciousness.

The next morning, my grandmother returned from the temple, waking me from my fevered state. She lifted the quilt and discovered that my fever had miraculously broken. Grateful, she knelt in gratitude to the Mountain Goddess. However, as she expressed her thanks, a chilling breeze swept through the room, causing me to shiver in fear. Startled, I prepared to get out of bed, only to realize that I had wet it. My grandmother, upon noticing, said nothing and swiftly changed my clothes, concealing the bloodstained pair.

She warned me never to speak of this incident to anyone. At that tender age, I couldn't fully comprehend the weight of her words, but I obeyed, keeping the secret locked away within me. Strangely enough, ever since that day, my high fever receded mysteriously, and my grandmother never mentioned the Mountain Goddess again. As for the white snake, it never made another appearance.

My grandmother assured me that the man in my recent dream was undoubtedly the white snake from twelve years ago, returning to claim his hold over me. Upon hearing this, panic surged within me. "What must I do to rid myself of him? I cannot bear the thought of giving birth to a nest of snakes!"

"Do not fret," my grandmother soothed. She had a plan to take me back to our hometown to seek the guidance of the Horse-riding Immortals, spiritual beings known in our northeastern region. They were once ordinary animals dwelling in the mountains, absorbing the essence of heaven and earth until they developed spirituality. These Immortals sought out mortals with a natural affinity for supernatural matters, taking them as disciples to carry on their legacy.

In the twenty-first century, the Horse-riding Immortals remained renowned in our hometown, especially with the peculiar circumstances that befell me. And so, that very night, I packed my belongings and embarked on a journey back home.

My grandmother had arranged for me to meet Miranda, a respected exorcist in the neighboring area who possessed exceptional insight. As we entered Miranda's house, my eyes were immediately drawn to a vibrant red-and-green shrine at the center of the hall. Upon it, an enigmatic deity figure was worshipped, its true nature unknown to me.

Miranda, dressed in a vivid flower-patterned cotton-padded jacket, greeted us with her curly hairdo and narrow eyes. She knelt before the shrine, softly chanting prayers under her breath. At first glance, she appeared no different from the gossipy ladies in our neighborhood. Sensing my impatience, I suggested to my grandmother that we leave.

But just as the words escaped my lips, Miranda rose from her prayers and cast a piercing gaze at my lower abdomen. With an air of certainty, she declared, "You carry a snake fetus. Are you sure you want to leave now?"

I stared at her in disbelief. With one glance, she had unraveled the secret growing within me. Fear took root, and I nodded hastily, confessing my ignorance. "I don't understand how this could have happened."

Miranda smirked, her eyes filled with knowing. "This is your family's retribution. Your family has an unresolved feud with that snake, and this is its vengeance upon you."

Confusion clouded my mind as I tried to comprehend her words. Yet, the gravity of the situation was evident in my grandmother's grave expression. Miranda continued, "Your parents are divorced, aren't they? Let me tell you, it was that snake who set them on that path."

I widened my eyes in disbelief. "H-how is that possible?" While it was true that my parents divorced when I was young, my grandmother had always attributed it to irreconcilable differences.

Sensing my doubt, Miranda pursed her lips. She lit a few sticks of incense and placed them reverently into the censer on the altar. "Do not doubt it. Those snakes are not to be trifled with! How many lives have they devastated? Your current condition should not be underestimated. Once the snakes grow larger, they will burst forth from your stomach, feasting on your flesh and blood until nothing remains of you."

The terror that gripped me was undeniable, sending a shiver down my spine. Hastily, my grandmother inquired about a solution. Miranda, however, shifted her gaze behind me and suggested, "Why ask me when you can ask him directly?"

Confusion swirled within me as I turned around, finding nothing but empty space. Miranda seized the opportunity, grabbing the paper money and kneeling on a cushion. "He is right behind you, always present yet unseen. I shall invite him to possess me so that you may converse with him and uncover any grievances between you."

With those words, she motioned for my grandmother to leave. A mix of worry and uncertainty filled her eyes as she glanced at me, then obediently exited the room. Left alone with Miranda, I observed as she lit the paper money, murmuring incantations into the air. Gradually, the paper burned away, and she suddenly opened her eyes wide, crawling forward like a snake, inching closer to me.

Fear gripped my heart as I took two steps back, unable to meet her gaze. But she clung to my leg, climbing upward while a man's eerie and mournful voice emanated from her lips. "Isabella, your mother nearly lost you when she carried you in her womb. To save your life, your father captured my wife and concocted a stew to nourish your mother's body. You lived, but my wife perished. How shall we reconcile this debt?"

Though her face remained the same, her eyes had transformed into vertical pupils. I trembled, shutting my eyes tightly as I pleaded with him, tears streaming down my face. "I am sorry. I never desired any of this. When I was in the womb, I knew nothing. You have already torn my family apart and exacted your revenge. Can you not release me from this burden?"

Dread weighed heavily upon me, and I knelt on the ground, unable to meet his gaze. "Great Immortal, I beg of you, spare my life. I will comply with any demand you make, as long as you release me from this impending doom."

There was a momentary falter in his voice as he considered my plea. Stealing a glimpse by opening my eyes, I saw him squinting, a glimmer of something flickering in his gaze. It seemed he was calculating something, and then he left my side, settling upon the cushion, his tone significantly softer.

"Because of your sincerity, I shall offer you two choices," he spoke. "The first is to become my disciple, keeping my spirit within your home, performing good deeds, and aiding me in my spiritual practice. The second choice is to become my wife, bearing my children and continuing our lineage. Your existence caused the death of my wife, and this is the debt you must repay."

Any fool could discern the vast difference between these two conditions. He was a white snake, and I, a mere human. The thought of becoming his wife and bearing his children seemed impossible to fathom. Thus, I made a decisive choice, opting for the first condition.

"Great Immortal, I willingly become your disciple. I shall perform good deeds and assist you in your quest to become an Immortal as swiftly as possible."