C7 They Were All Playing with the Snake!

Ma Tianming arrived at Golden Ocean South City without delay. Although Golden Ocean didn't categorize its market, the traders naturally sorted themselves into different sectors.

In Golden Ocean South City, hunters selling game were a common sight.

Ma Tianming inquired around and learned of a man known for his snake-catching skills. He was called Snake King Mah due to his surname.

Guided by locals, Ma Tianming easily located Snake King Mah.

"Young Master Ma? What brings you here?"

Snake King Mah instantly recognized Ma Tianming, who had deliberately dressed down and donned a bamboo hat.

Unsure of Snake King Mah's intentions, Ma Tianming refrained from asking outright if he might betray him. Instead, he simply inquired, "What kinds of snakes do you have?"

"Why does Young Master Ma seek to purchase snakes?"

Though curious, Snake King Mah was ready to make a sale. He gestured towards his snake cages and listed, "We have a variety, including Flat-head Wind, Golden Buns, Silver Buns, and Five Steps Snakes..."

Ma Tianming felt a chill. He wasn't usually interested in snakes but knew well enough that these were all highly venomous.

The snakes, vibrant and varied, lay quietly in their cages. With Ma Tianming's arrival, several reared up, poised to strike, flicking their sinister tongues or yawning to display their venomous fangs.

"What kind of snake would you like, Young Master Ma?" Snake King Mah inquired.

Ma Tianming's gaze was drawn to a solitary Flat-head Wind, its large, flat neck a clear warning to any would-be aggressor.

He queried further, "Which snake is the most formidable?"

"This one!" Snake King Mah pointed to the Flat-head Wind. "It preys on other snakes. Very aggressive!"

Ma Tianming eyed the Flat-head Wind, which was just over a meter long. Its size did nothing to diminish its menacing appearance. "This snake preys on other snakes? Can it kill a person with its bite?" he inquired.

Snake King Mah offered a faint smile and replied, "This Flat-head Wind is still a juvenile. Once it matures, it will reach a length of ten feet. It won't just be capable of killing a person; it could devour them whole."

"Ten feet long?" Ma Tianming shuddered at the thought. Such a snake could indeed be lethal in a direct confrontation.

He was intent on finding a way to counteract human threats, prompting him to ask, "Where can one find such a ten-foot-long snake?"

"They're not found around here because they're captured before reaching full size, as a precaution against their bite. If you're truly eager to see a ten-foot-long Flat-head Wind," Snake King Mah spoke with an eerie tone, "you might find one near Golden Ocean, at Top Touching Mountain. The snakes there are too dangerous for people to attempt capturing."

Top Touching Mountain, that name again. He had heard it mentioned when purchasing medicine.

Ma Tianming's interest was piqued. "Are you certain that Top Touching Mountain is home to such a Flat-head Wind?"

"Do you really want to go?" Snake King Mah's eyes gleamed. His earlier mention of the snake's size wasn't an exaggeration or meant to intimidate Ma Tianming; it was a genuine expression of awe and fear for Top Touching Mountain.

Ma Tianming nodded and asked, "Have you ever been to Top Touching Mountain?"

"I've ventured in, but never dared to go too far."

Pointing at the caged snake, Ma Tianming proposed, "I'll buy all your snakes if you guide me to Top Touching Mountain. Is that agreeable?"

Sensing the Snake King's reluctance about Top Touching Mountain, Ma Tianming reassured him, "We don't have to venture too far in, just around the outskirts will do."

"This..." the Snake King hesitated.

"Let's discuss this elsewhere."

The area was bustling, and Ma Tianming preferred not to linger lest he be recognized.

With the snakes sold, Snake King Mah led Ma Tianming to his home.

Inside Snake King Mah's home, there was an impressive array of dried snakes and various medicinal herbs laid out to dry. Ma Tianming glanced around nonchalantly, his curiosity piqued by the prospect of finding Mandara Flowers and King Pearl Juice among the collection.

Upon Ma Tianming's arrival, Snake King Mah's wife and son extended a warm welcome, their hospitality evident. Yet, it seemed inappropriate for women and children to accompany them to Top Touching Mountain.

Snake King Mah led Ma Tianming inside the house and presented a jar of wine, offering, "Young Master Ma, this is Realgar Wine. Have a taste."

"Realgar Wine?" Ma Tianming inquired with intrigue, "Snake King, you're not afraid of snakes. Is it because you drink this Realgar Wine?"

"The Realgar Wine can indeed frighten off the common snakes. But when it comes to catching them, a desperate snake won't care if you've consumed Realgar or not; it will bite regardless," Snake King Mah explained.

"But when you're out catching snakes in the wild, they'd just flee if they could, right? They wouldn't get desperate enough to attack," Ma Tianming reasoned.

Snake King Mah chuckled, "If all the snakes could simply escape, how would I have managed to catch so many?"

"You have a point there!" Ma Tianming conceded.

The conversation flowed effortlessly as they discussed Snake King Mah's snake-catching adventures, eventually turning to the subject of the serpents of Top Touching Mountain.

"Brother Snake King, have you ever encountered a snake ten feet long on Top Touching Mountain?"

With a sheepish smile, Snake King Mah replied, "I've seen the tracks left by such a massive snake."

"Tracks," Ma Tianming mused, somewhat skeptical. Yet, he considered Snake King Mah's reputation as a straightforward man. If he claimed to have seen such a creature, who could dispute it? After all, his experience with capturing numerous venomous snakes lent him credibility.

"Can you estimate its size? Or identify the species?" Ma Tianming pressed.

Demonstrating with his hands, about as thick as Ma Tianming's own arms, Snake King Mah elaborated, "As for length, it was around ten feet. If it wasn't a Flat-head Wind, then it must have been a large python."

"So thick and ten feet long!" Ma Tianming's imagination conjured the image of such a snake, especially with the Flat-head Wind as a reference. The mental picture of the serpent became so vivid and lifelike, it seemed almost within reach.

Ma Tianming felt a chill run through his body. "Then why didn't you catch that snake? You're the Snake King, after all!"

"Hmm, the title of Snake King is just something others have made up," Snake King Mah responded with a grave tone. "Even though I'm in the business of catching snakes, I, along with many others, steer clear of those nearly ten-foot-long Flat-head Winds, and we avoid the big pythons whenever possible. You see, for us snake catchers, it's a life-or-death game. Every one of those snakes you just saw has the potential to kill a person."

Ma Tianming wondered to himself, "Is this Snake King just trying to intimidate me? Playing with death and catching snakes every day, he's probably just worried that others might catch them all!"

Outwardly, Ma Tianming asked with feigned modesty, "But what if I do encounter those snakes?"

"You generally won't encounter them unless you venture into deep forests like Top Touching Mountain," Snake King Mah cautioned. "So, Young Master Ma, heed my advice: don't casually venture up to Top Touching Mountain. You could lose your life for no good reason."