The little green snake rubbed her soft, warm head against Su Yang's hand with such affection that it melted his heart. Her small body fit perfectly in his palm, and her scales were as smooth as silk—glistening under the soft spiritual light of the spirit land.
Su Yang chuckled softly as he gently stroked the top of her head with his finger.
> "You're really affectionate, aren't you?"
The moment she felt his touch, she lifted her head and met his gaze with wide, curious purple eyes that shimmered with joy and innocence.
But Su Yang's smile slowly faded as he remembered her weakened state.
> "Your body's too fragile right now," he said with concern. "If you don't take my blood, you might not survive for long. You need energy."
He gently lifted his finger and placed it near her small mouth.
> "Here, bite it. Just a little. Drink my blood."
But instead of biting, the tiny snake blinked, then rubbed her head against his finger again with even more affection, letting out a soft hiss—almost like a purr.
Su Yang blinked, half amused and half troubled.
> "Eh? You're playing again?"
He pulled his finger back and sighed.
> "She doesn't understand... Of course. She was just born. She's like a child."
The snake, thinking it was a game, eagerly continued to play with his finger, wrapping around it and flicking her little tongue.
> "Looks like I'll have to do it myself."
Su Yang bit his own finger gently, drawing a few drops of blood. Warm crimson slowly welled up. Then, he carefully placed the bleeding finger near her nose.
The moment the scent of his blood reached her, her playful eyes shifted. Her instincts took over. With surprising urgency, she opened her tiny mouth and began to suck his blood with delicate care, as if afraid of hurting him.
Su Yang watched her quietly, feeling the bond between them deepen with every drop she drank. After a while, she let go.
Then something unexpected happened.
She stared at his finger—and her violet eyes began to glisten. Her expression changed from joy to guilt. Tiny tears began to form in her large eyes and rolled down her cheeks. She looked at the wound, heartbroken.
> She's crying...?
The little snake slowly extended her tongue and, with the gentleness of a whisper, began to lick the wound on his finger, trying to heal it.
Su Yang's heart clenched.
> "Hey… It's okay. Don't cry, little one."
He gently wiped her tears away with his uninjured fingers, showing her the wound as it healed in real time.
> "See? All better. It's already healed," he said with a warm smile.
The little snake blinked at his finger, then back at his face. Her tears stopped, and her expression brightened. A joyful hiss escaped her lips as she wrapped herself around his hand again, this time playfully and with noticeably more energy.
Su Yang's eyes widened slightly.
> "Your strength… it's already increasing."
Indeed, her movements were quicker, her body more agile. The bond they had formed through blood had not only saved her—it had begun awakening her latent power.
> "So it's true… my blood really is helping her recover."
As the little snake coiled and uncoiled in circles around his wrist and hand, Su Yang noticed Max sitting to the side, watching the two with bright, eager eyes and a wagging tail.
> "Max… you want to play with her too, huh?"
The moment he spoke, Max let out a happy bark and began circling around them, his tail wagging like a fan. The lit
tle snake paused for a moment, turned toward Max, then flicked her tongue as if in greeting.