The Mighty Mage
Chapter 326: Mind Controller Snake

Chapter 326: Chapter 326: Mind Controller Snake

He couldn’t.

His mother’s face flashed in his mind—her kind eyes, her gentle smile, her soft voice that used to hum lullabies to him.

He missed her, but now, all he could feel was guilt. Was it true? Was he really the reason she was gone?

A guest, an older woman dressed in an expensive silk gown, leaned forward, her voice dripping with disdain.

"It’s no wonder tragedy follows him. He was born unlucky. Poor Yanyu sacrificed everything for this boy, and what did she get? Death."

Another guest chimed in, a man with a pompous air,

"If she hadn’t insisted on giving birth to him, she could’ve survived. She should’ve chosen herself over a child that brings nothing but misfortune."

The room was filled with nods of agreement, murmurs of "unlucky" and "cursed" rippling through the gathering.

Long Yifan’s small shoulders trembled as he tried to hold back his tears. But the cruelty didn’t stop.

A group of children, sons and daughters of the guests, gathered in a corner, whispering and pointing at him.

One bold boy stepped forward, a smirk plastered on his face.

"Look, there he is. The boy who killed his own mom. What kind of kid does that?"

"Yeah," a girl added with a giggle. "My dad says you’re cursed. Stay away from us, or we’ll catch it too!"

The children’s laughter felt like knives stabbing into Long Yifan’s chest.

He wanted to run, to hide, but his legs wouldn’t move.

His father’s harsh voice thundered again.

"You owe her, boy! She gave her life for you, and you will spend the rest of your life repaying that debt."

A kindly-looking woman, who had said little until now, stepped forward.

She crouched down to Long Yifan’s level, her expression soft but her words laced with manipulation.

"Yifan, do you know what your mother’s last wish was?"

Long Yifan blinked through his tears, looking up at her for the first time. His voice was barely a whisper.

"N-no..."

He didn’t want to.

The woman smiled gently, placing a hand on his shoulder.

"She wanted you to marry Gu Aihan and take care of her. She arranged this engagement because she knew it would give you a good future. If you don’t honor her wish, her soul will never rest in peace."

"Do you understand, child?" another guest interjected, his tone firm. "Your mother’s sacrifice will be meaningless if you fail her now."

"But..." Long Yifan’s voice trembled. "What if... I don’t want to?"

A sharp slap echoed in the room. His father had struck him across the face, sending him staggering backward.

"It’s not about what you want!" his father barked. "You will do as you’re told. This is your duty, your obligation!"

The tears Long Yifan had been holding back finally spilled over.

"I—I’m sorry," he choked out. "I didn’t mean to hurt Mama. I—I’ll do it. I’ll marry Gu Aihan. I’ll do whatever she wants."

The guests exchanged satisfied glances, their mission accomplished. One patted the elder Long on the back.

"Good. The boy knows his place now. Yanyu’s soul can rest easy."

The children continued to mock him, but their voices faded into the background as Long Yifan stood there, his small figure dwarfed by the adults surrounding him.

A suffocating weight settled in his chest, a burden far too heavy for a child to bear.

As the adults returned to their drinks and conversation, Long Yifan stood alone, his tiny hands clutching the hem of his shirt.

His mother’s image haunted him, her once-loving gaze now twisted by his imagination into one of disappointment.

From that day on, he vowed to do whatever it took to honor her memory—even if it meant sacrificing his own happiness.

The scene suddenly changed and Gu Jin’s words echoed in his ears,

"I will never love you! If you ever love me again, I will break your heart."

The scene changed and Gu Aihan appeared in front of him, instead of him and smiled,

"You are tied to me for the rest of your life. Don’t even think of ever breaking away from me."

Her hand then got replaced by black tendrils and she wrapped herself around Long Yifan.

................

Long Yifan woke up. His back was drenched in cold sweat. After looking around he found himself on the corner of the tent.

Looking at the peacefully sleeping Gu Jin, his heart gradually calmed down.

For a brief moment, Long Yifan allowed himself to admire the quiet strength she carried even in unconsciousness.

But that fleeting peace shattered when the faintest movement outside the tent caught his attention.

Two shadowy figures loomed just beyond the edge of the tent. Long Yifan’s expression hardened instantly.

He moved without hesitation, lunging toward Gu Jin and rolling them both away from where they had been resting.

The moment they cleared the space, a flurry of small, silvery-white snakes was hurled into the tent, landing precisely where Gu Jin had been moments ago.

Long Yifan’s breath hitched as his sharp night vision allowed him to discern the horrifying sight before him.

These were no ordinary snakes.

Their metallic sheen, their small size no larger than a human finger, and the eerie way they slithered in unison were unmistakable. Mind Controller Snakes.

For most people, spotting these creatures in the dark was nearly impossible, but Long Yifan’s honed senses made every detail chillingly clear.

He knew the nature of these beasts all too well.

They didn’t kill immediately.

Instead, they infiltrated their host’s body through any available orifice—most often the ears—creating small, agonizing holes in the eardrums as they burrowed into the brain.

Once inside, the snakes would wreak havoc, devouring brain matter and absorbing the host’s mana reserves.

The worst cases were unthinkable: nests forming inside the brain, eggs hatching within, and the victim’s body becoming a hollow shell, devoured from within.

For a cultivator like Gu Jin, the effects would be even more devastating.

Her mana would be drained, leaving her cultivation stagnant until death mercifully claimed her.

Long Yifan’s face darkened further as he realized the truth.

These snakes weren’t ordinary hunters—they had been sent here with purpose.

Judging by their unusually aggressive behavior, they were mates, some even pregnant.

His mind immediately connected the dots. Gu Aihan.

She had gone too far this time. Sending such a gruesome assassination attempt after an unconscious woman was unforgivable.

But now wasn’t the time to dwell on her treachery.

The snakes were fast—unbelievably so—and even a single moment of hesitation could mean disaster.

Long Yifan shifted his focus entirely to the creatures, his hand forming a quick series of gestures.

Flames burst forth from his palms, forming small fireballs that illuminated the tent in bursts of orange light.

The snakes hissed and writhed as the first volley of flames scorched them.

But they were relentless.

Their speed was their greatest weapon, and Long Yifan barely managed to incinerate another group that attempted to slither toward Gu Jin.

His precision was flawless, his fireballs landing mere inches from her as he fought to protect her sleeping form.

Three rounds of relentless attacks passed.

Long Yifan’s breathing was steady but his focus was razor-sharp as he scanned the tent again and again for any remaining threats.

Finally, when the last snake lay charred on the ground, he exhaled and let his flames die out.

He crouched beside Gu Jin, carefully examining her for any signs of injury or disturbance.

Thankfully, she remained untouched, her mana flowing evenly—a sign the snakes hadn’t managed to harm her.

Long Yifan let out a long breath and gathered her gently into his arms. She didn’t stir as he cradled her, his protective instincts overriding his weariness.

This was the fifth assassination attempt.

He had suspected Gu Aihan after the first attempt but had hoped to resolve the matter quietly.

He had warned her, given her opportunities to stop her schemes, but each time, she escalated.

Tonight was the breaking point.

His expression hardened. Enough was enough. Gu Aihan needed to understand that he won’t stay quiet if she dared to harm Gu Jin.

Carefully setting Gu Jin back down on the cot and securing a protective barrier around her,

Long Yifan reached into his storage ring.

From within its depths, he retrieved a small cage.

Inside the cage, nearly invisible in the darkness, was a creature that looked more like a shadow given form than a living being.

Its glossy black fur absorbed the faint light, and its beady red eyes glowed with a malicious intelligence.

This was no ordinary rat—it was a Shadowcrawler Rat, a magical beast.

Long Yifan’s voice was low, but it carried a sharp edge as he addressed the rat. "Go and torture the person of this smell..."

Saying so he took out a handkerchief of Gu Aihan.

He had stolen it yesterday in the hope of teaching Gu Aihan a lesson later. But now it will be useful.

The rat sniffed the handkerchief. It tilted its head, as if understanding his words, then vanished into the darkness with unnerving speed.

Its ability to meld seamlessly into the shadows made it the perfect tool for the job he had in mind.