Houchu paused, setting down his cup.
He looked up at everyone with an extremely serious expression and said, “Those are all Satan’s temptations. You must never be tempted by Satan. He’ll drag you into hell.”
Jiang Nanchen was only more excited by these words.
“Seriously? Does Satan actually exist?”
Houchu stared at him, his eyes deep and grave, “Those Forbidden Books contain knowledge of corruption that will erode your mind and twist your soul.”
“Once, there was a chosen one of God who read just half a page of a Forbidden Book, and his heart was consumed by evil thoughts—he ended up a puppet.”
“And a Guardian of the Sanctuary, just out of curiosity, once glanced at the index of a Forbidden Book—he lost his mind, and is still locked in the Purification Court to this day, seeking redemption…”
“Satan will tempt you to break taboos, and might even seize your body…”
The more he spoke, the more terrifying it sounded.
Jiang Nanchen’s face turned pale, “Whoa, that’s way too dangerous!”
“Not gonna read, not gonna read.” He shook his head like a rattle-drum, “Definitely not reading any!”
Houchu smiled, “Of course, even if you wanted to, you wouldn’t be able to.”
“? ? ?”
Jiang Nanchen: “…..”
‘Then why’d you scare me like that!’
While they were talking, a low and alluring voice suddenly rang out by Su Fu’s ear: “Don’t listen to him. Those people fell only because they were greedy and lacked the ability to control it.”
“But you’re different—you have me. I can help you master any knowledge… Gain power beyond anything you’ve ever known…”
Su Fu ignored it, thinking to herself, why does the Serpent of Temptation always say the same few lines back and forth?
It’s getting old.
The Serpent of Temptation whispered and tempted for a long time, but when Su Fu didn’t respond at all, it got so angry that it swore in her mind to never speak to her again.
Su Fu was surprised: ‘…Is there really such a good thing?’
Serpent of Temptation: “!!!”
***
2 p.m., Silent Library.
Su Fu stood before the library, gazing up at the majestic building.
It was constructed entirely of pure white jade, with a dome inlaid with stained glass—solemn and beautiful.
True to its name, there wasn’t a single sound inside.
The moment Su Fu stepped in, it was as if every noise was sucked away.
Footsteps, breathing, even the faint sound of fabric brushing—everything vanished.
Absolute silence.
In such utter quiet, she actually felt a little uneasy.
She looked up and for an instant, the sight made her dizzy.
Massive bookshelves stretched from the ground all the way to the dome, with spiral staircases and corridors connecting every level.
Countless books were neatly arranged on the shelves.
Many people were already there, searching or reading in various corners.
‘So big… so magnificent…’ Su Fu couldn’t help but marvel in her heart.
In the Paradise Pantheon, knowledge and wisdom were considered vital paths to divinity.
Just as it says in the Gospel of John, ‘Know the truth, and the truth shall set you free.’
They believed that only through constant learning and reading could one better understand the will of God, and thus achieve the salvation of the soul.
That’s why the Paradise Pantheon established “Reading Day,” to encourage all followers to read and study regularly.
To them, knowledge is not just power, but a kind of grace and responsibility.
Su Fu thought that reading was indeed a good habit.
Since the task required reading three books, which should she pick?
Definitely not dogma—those obscure theological theories just weren’t her thing.
In the end, she decided to visit the history section, since she was a bit curious about how history was recorded in the Paradise Pantheon.
She climbed the spiral staircase to the eighteenth floor—the history section.
On the walkway, she found that every few meters there was a small angel statue, holding a scroll or a feather pen, its expression solemn and dignified.
The wooden shelves were carved with exquisite angel reliefs, rows upon rows of ancient books neatly arranged, gentle golden light streaming down from the dome—it really was the perfect reading atmosphere.
She glanced over the titles: “Annals of Eden,” “Record of Angelic Advent,” “Flood and Ark True Account,” “Revelation Cipher,” “Legend of the Holy Grail,” “True Identity of the Four Horsemen of Apocalypse.”
Su Fu wandered, browsing as she walked, and before she knew it, she’d reached the end of the corridor.
At that moment, the Serpent of Temptation’s voice sounded in her ear again: “Aren’t you the least bit curious about the Forbidden Books? They’re called Forbidden because, like Forbidden artifacts, they hold tremendous power. Aren’t you even a little curious?”
Su Fu replied calmly, “Not curious.”
She casually pulled “Legend of the Holy Grail” from a nearby shelf and began reading.
Serpent of Temptation: “…..”
It was fuming, its tone full of disappointment, “You made it all the way here and now you’re just wasting this golden opportunity?”
“This is the Temple of Knowledge—people would kill for the chance to come here! Don’t you want to see those hidden secrets?”
The colored sunlight fell on Su Fu, bathing her in a soft glow as she quietly read, ignoring the Serpent entirely.
If she said she wanted to see, the Serpent would definitely demand a price.
If she said she didn’t… cough, cough.
The Serpent of Temptation, enraged, quickly thought of another trick.
Right then, Su Fu realized her book had changed.
Originally, it held contents about the Holy Grail, but now there was an anatomical diagram of a human body, and on the right, a section of incomprehensible incantations.
Su Fu raised an eyebrow, ‘Here it comes.’
The Serpent whispered, “This is the Forbidden Book, the Book of Adam. It contains the spell God used to create mankind.”
“If you recite it, you can reshape your body—perfect, flawless, and ageless…”
Su Fu studied it carefully, then replied, “But there’s a chance I’d lose my consciousness and become a puppet. Why didn’t you mention that?”
With the Third Eye of Erlang Shen piercing all illusions, such little tricks were nothing to her.
The Serpent was stunned, not expecting Su Fu to know even that.
‘No matter, let’s try another.’
The pages shifted again, revealing a black moon and, once again, an unreadable spell.
“This is ‘Lilyth’s Manuscript,’ the secret arts of the nocturnal witch. It’ll make you the most beautiful being in anyone’s eyes—no one can resist your charm…”
“Tch.” Su Fu admired the moon for a second, then calmly said, “And on the night of the full moon, Lilyth will take over my body.”
Serpent of Temptation: “???”
‘She knows that too? No, that has to be a coincidence. Let’s try again! There’s bound to be something Su Fu doesn’t know!’
The page changed once more—now a forest in flames, with a crimson figure in the center.
“‘Lucifer’s Fire.’ It grants you the power of destruction…”
“And you’ll be consumed by the shadow realm, losing your sanity and becoming a slave to destruction,” Su Fu said calmly.
The page flipped again, displaying a giant, solitary eye.
“‘Belial’s Eye,’ lets you see through all lies…”
“You’ll gradually lose your own sight, eventually only able to see the world through other people’s eyes.”
Page after page, the Serpent introduced, and Su Fu exposed the hidden price every time.
The Serpent was so angry it was practically steaming, ‘Who exactly was Su Fu? How did she know everything?’
It hissed in protest, “So what if you’re greedy? What’s wrong with paying a little price for power?”
Hearing this, Su Fu closed the book, her tone relaxed, “But in the Chinese Pantheon, we can obtain all these things without a price. Want eternal youth? The Queen Mother of the West’s elixir grants immortality with no side effects.”
“Beauty? We have the Flower Immortal’s pills, but honestly, I don’t need them. Want to see fate and secrets? The Eight Trigrams of Fuxi. Want to move mountains and fill the seas? The Water and Earth Art of Yu the Great can reshape the land. All of it powerful, none requiring a price.”
The Serpent didn’t believe it, “Impossible! No power comes without a price!”
It practically broke down, “That’s against the principle of equivalent exchange!”
Su Fu interrupted, “Of course it’s possible.”
“Your powers are borrowed and must be repaid someday.”
“Ours come from self-cultivation—understanding the Dao, learning, comprehending, and integrating.”
At this, she paused, and said slowly: “Do you want to become a dragon? I have a technique that can turn a serpent into a true dragon.”
The Serpent froze, its voice trembling with shock, “Wha… what?”
“Y-you’re lying, right?” It stammered, “How could a snake possibly become a dragon?”
Dragons and snakes were entirely different.
Dragons had legs, could fly, but the Serpent couldn’t.
“Do you mean a transformation technique?”
“Of course not,” Su Fu smiled calmly, “I mean truly becoming a dragon.”
“In our Chinese Pantheon, knowledge doesn’t require sacrificing your life or soul. Transformation only needs your own effort.”
“Follow the way of nature, unity of man and heaven. All things possess spirit and can cultivate.”
“The jiao-dragon is originally a serpent that, after a thousand years of cultivation, changes form—growing four legs, dragon scales, and eventually soaring among the clouds.”
“If you cultivate and attain enlightenment, you truly can become a dragon. That’s what we mean when we say ‘A python that attains the Dao transforms into a dragon.'”
The Serpent listened, utterly fascinated.
This philosophy was completely alien to everything it knew.
“Attaining the Dao is not about seeking outward, but searching within. Not plundering from others, but perfecting oneself. As long as you cultivate, comprehend the Dao, you will eventually grasp your own power.”
Su Fu continued, “Your forbidden arts are dangerous because they’re unequal bargains with higher beings. But in the Chinese Pantheon, it’s about your own cultivation. What you achieve is yours alone—no debts, no backlash.”
The Serpent was deeply shaken because it had never heard anything like this.
“Is this… really true? You’re not lying to me?”
Su Fu didn’t try to persuade it with words, but instead took out Tao Tao.
Tao Tao was sleeping soundly and, when woken, transformed into human form upon landing, rubbing its sleepy eyes.
“What’s the matter, sis?”
Su Fu smiled and said gently, “Time to get up and read.”
Tao Tao: “!!!”
‘This must be a nightmare!’
With a swish, it reverted to its original form and darted back into Su Fu’s arms.
“See that?” she said to the Serpent, enunciating every word, “Not only can you become a dragon… but eventually even take human form.”
The Serpent was silent for a long time, its voice tinged with unprecedented longing and anxiety, “Is… is this really possible?”
“Of course,” Su Fu raised her eyebrows, “You saw it with your own eyes.”
The Serpent hesitated, “I… I can do it too?”
“That all depends on whether you want to.” Su Fu finished and didn’t respond further.
She needed to continue reading—after all, her task wasn’t done yet.
She’d let the Serpent think it over on its own.
Su Fu’s words occupied the Serpent’s mind.
‘Is it really true? Could I really become a dragon? Even eventually take human form?’
And the best part—there was no need to pay with its soul or life?
Just put in effort?
If that was real…
It wanted to try.
But would Su Fu actually teach it?
It had tried to tempt her already; she probably disliked it now.
Or… was this just another kind of trap?
Still, if it could really become a dragon…
It couldn’t help but imagine soaring among the clouds.
What glory that would be!
It didn’t want to crawl on the ground anymore!
***
This scene froze on the surface of a crystal mirror.
In front of the mirror stood Olivia, with Belina beside her.
After listening to the whole conversation, the two exchanged a confused look.
“Uh, so… the Serpent of Temptation got tempted by Su Fu instead?” Belina said blankly.
‘God, how could this be!’
Olivia didn’t answer, lost in thought, ‘Why… did it all make so much sense?’
But she quickly shook her head.
No, no, she believed only in the One Lord.
“Indeed,” Belina said, “Su Fu is actually the Serpent of Temptation’s nemesis?”
Olivia nodded, “In that case, I’ll report it all truthfully to the head bishop.”
After a long silence, she couldn’t help but sigh, “So this is the Chinese Pantheon?”
All power comes from cultivation, and ultimately…
Is under one’s own control.
***
That evening, in Olivia’s study.
By candlelight, she sat and wrote a letter to the head bishop: “To the most supreme Archbishop Tikir, may the Lord’s glory shine upon you. It is with great excitement that I report an incredible miracle—you may not believe it, but the Tree of Life has been saved!”
“And the one who saved it is a chosen of the Chinese Pantheon, a young student named Su Fu. It’s truly miraculous! She was able to repair the Tree of Life’s self-healing ability, and with her help, it even began to ascend—something we have never witnessed before.”
“Such ability is far beyond our imagination, even earth-shattering. Of course, I am also writing to ask for your guidance concerning the Serpent of Temptation. From my observations, it seems that the child has a certain fondness for the serpent, and strangely enough, the Serpent of Temptation also appears drawn to her.”
“Yet the Serpent is extremely dangerous—responsible for the fall of countless chosen ones, one of the greatest threats in Eden. Is it wise to let such a dangerous being stay near Su Fu? But, to my astonishment, I discovered that Su Fu seems completely immune to the Serpent’s temptation, even turning the tables and influencing it instead.”
“I do not know if this is a unique ability of the Chinese Pantheon or something special to Su Fu herself. She has made a tremendous contribution to Eden, and I am at a loss as to what to do.”
“Therefore, I seek your counsel: if that child requests it, should we allow her to take the Serpent of Temptation with her?”
“I look forward to your reply.”
“Olivia Saint-En.”