The narrator stays in the village to record the views of the snake kingdom. He wonders why this peaceful life was so short and beautiful. He tells us that both Xiao fan and he had agreed not to talk of the blood devil. He wants to ask Mr. Xio to accept him as his apprentice. He says that he can help him get rid of the "blood contract" and teach him the "superstitious blood lotus cultivation" . He also wants to learn about how to protect his clansmen. The narrator says that there is only one herb that can cure the illness of ziqian. It is called "trunnion youth grass" and he will accept it as an apprentice if it is given to him.