Skeletal Snake#

A noble fate's vengeful breath, Binds the bones of snakes in death. A soul mistreated, here to stay, Resentful will, blown astray.

In the Village of Shaded Heights, there lived a young man, orphaned and impoverished, constantly mistreated by his fellow villagers.

One day, hunters from the village discovered a strange cave in the mountains, emitting eerie sounds that sent shivers down their spines. Too afraid to enter themselves, villagers pushed the young man in to investigate. Lost in the darkness, he stumbled and fell from a cliff, crying out in agony. Believing the cave harbored a fearsome guai, the villagers abandoned him and fled in terror.

Sitting at the bottom, the young man wept bitterly. Amidst his tears, he heard the sound of bones snapping and the rustling of movement.

Startled, he fell silent, only to hear footsteps approaching. Filled with fear, he yelled, "Stay away! I am an orphan and burdened with misery. My flesh is lean-feasting on me won't do you any good." Surprisingly, as soon as he spoke, the footsteps stopped.

Time passed, and within the darkness, hunger gnawed at the man's senses. Despairingly, he pleaded, "There's no one coming for me.. Devour me quickly, so I may have a merciful death." Then, the footsteps resumed, inching closer. Terrified, he assumed his end was imminent. Yet, to his astonishment, he felt a piece of cloth gently brushed against his face. Reaching out, he realized it was a sleeve, which he grasped firmly. The sleeve guided him to stand and led him through the darkness until they found the cave's entrance.

As the daylight bathed them, the young man finally saw what had been guiding him-a skeletal serpent guai! Seeing the young man startled, the guai suddenly extended its neck and swept him out of the cave. Afterwards, the young man was saved by passing merchants and departed from the village with them. From then on, his life gradually improved and prospered.

As the saying goes: "Misfortune may be the harbinger of fortune, and fortune may conceal misfortune." While not an absolute truth, when events reach their peak, change becomes inevitable. From change, opportunities arise, and the lowest valleys often reveal the clearest paths.