An Youyu, a tribute scholar from Shaanxi. He was known for his extravagant generosity and kind heart. Every time he saw a hunter returning from the chase, he would spend a fortune buying the game just to release it back into the mountains.

One day, An Youyu was traveling to his uncle's house for a funeral. Returning at dusk, he passed the foot of Mount Hua. The sky was dark, and he found himself lost in a mountain valley, unable to tell which way to go. Fear gripped An Youyu, but suddenly, about a hundred meters away, he saw a flickering light. Eagerly, he hurried towards it, hoping for refuge.

He had only taken a few steps when an old man approached, stooped with age and leaning heavily on a cane. An Youyu stopped and inquired, but the old man spoke first, asking, "Who is the young master?" An Youyu replied, "I am lost. That light ahead must be a mountain village; I wonder if I can seek lodging there." The old man cautioned, "By no means. That place is extremely perilous, not a haven of peace. My own humble dwelling is not far from here; if you do not disdain it, my thatched hut can offer you rest."

An Youyu was overjoyed and readily agreed. After walking about a li, he indeed spotted a village. The old man knocked on a door, and an elderly woman opened it, asking, "Has the young master arrived?" The old man confirmed, "He has." Entering the house, An Youyu found the living quarters sparse. The old man lit a candle and invited An Youyu to sit, instructing his wife to prepare a meal, saying, "Young Master An is my benefactor, not a stranger. Since your legs trouble you, go call Hua Guzhi out to pour the wine."

Presently, a young woman emerged, holding a wine pitcher, standing beside the old man. Her eyes, like flowing autumn water, constantly appraised An Youyu. He gazed at the lady and saw she was young and beautiful as a celestial being. The old man ordered the girl to warm the wine. In the west corner of the room stood a small charcoal brazier, and the girl walked over, stirring the embers to begin brewing the wine.

An Youyu asked, "Who is this young lady?" The old man replied, "She is my daughter. This humble elder is named Zhang, seventy years of age, and she is my only child. Being a poor household, we have no servants, so I asked my daughter to pour the wine. Please forgive the sight, Young Master." An Youyu inquired, "Is she betrothed?" The old man answered, "Not yet married." An Youyu profusely praised the girl's beauty, to which the old man humbly replied, "You flatter me, Young Master."

Suddenly, the girl cried out in alarm; the wine had boiled over, causing the flame to flare up. The old man extinguished the fire and scolded, "Such a grown girl, how can you be so careless?" An Youyu glanced over and saw, next to the brazier, an unfinished effigy of the Zigu goddess, woven from corn husks. The old man grumbled again, "You are not getting any younger, yet you act like a child! All day long, you do nothing but weave straw dolls. Just now, Young Master An was praising how virtuous you are, and in the next moment, you cause trouble. Have you no shame?"

An Youyu took the straw figure to examine it, noting how lifelike the features and clothing were, and praised, "Young Lady, your craftsmanship is superb, truly ingenious."

The group returned to the table. Hua Guzhi attended to An Youyu, frequently refilling his wine cup, smiling sweetly, and behaving with perfect grace. An Youyu watched her for a long time, his heart stirred. He then heard the old woman call out, "Husband, come here for a moment." The old man rose and left.

Seeing that they were alone, An Youyu addressed the girl: "Your beauty is heavenly, Lady. I can hardly contain myself; I wish to become your husband. Is that possible?" The girl, holding the wine pitcher, faced the brazier and remained silent, seemingly having heard nothing. An Youyu repeated himself several times, but she still did not respond, rising instead to return to her room.

An Youyu followed her inside. The girl showed displeasure: "Presumptuous scholar! Why have you burst in here?" An Youyu knelt, pleading for marriage, but the girl refused and tried to bolt out the door. An Youyu grabbed the edge of her clothes, unwilling to let go. The girl cried out in a trembling voice. The old man, hearing the commotion, rushed in to see what was happening. An Youyu, his face burning with shame, let go, feeling deeply mortified.

The girl tried to cover for him, calmly stating, "The wine was boiling over just then; if Young Master An hadn't arrived, the pitcher might have melted."

Hearing this, An Youyu felt reassured and became even more grateful to the girl. He was so captivated that he knew staying longer might lead him to commit some indiscretion. Thus, he pretended to be drunk and left the feast. The old man brought him a quilt, but An Youyu tossed and turned, unable to sleep. As dawn broke, he took his leave immediately.

Upon returning home, An Youyu immediately begged a friend to go to the village to propose marriage. By dusk, the friend returned, reporting, "I couldn't find the old man's dwelling." An Youyu would not give up and rode out himself. Near the foot of Mount Hua, he saw towering cliffs overgrown with wild grass; there was no sign of any village. Inquiring among the nearby residents, they all replied, "There is no one surnamed Zhang here." Disappointed, An Youyu returned, his yearning for the girl becoming an illness. He grew dizzy and faint, unable to eat, spitting up the congee they offered, his lips constantly murmuring only the name, "Hua Guzhi."

His family was bewildered and anxious, watching An Youyu fade toward death.

That night, while his family slept exhausted from caring for him, An Youyu vaguely felt someone gently nudge him. Opening his eyes, he saw Hua Guzhi beside him. Instantly, his mind cleared, and he gazed at her with adoration, tears streaming down his face. Hua Guzhi smiled gently, "Foolish boy, how have you come to this state?" As she spoke, she extended her hands and massaged his temples.

The moment An Youyu felt her skin and smelled the wave of fragrance emanating from her, his whole body melted with pleasure. After a moment of massage, An Youyu's forehead grew hot, and he broke out in a sweat, his spirit greatly revived. Hua Guzhi whispered, "It is not convenient to stay long with so many people here. I will return to see you in three days." She then took several steamed buns from her sleeve and quietly departed. An Youyu slept until midnight; the sickness seemed to leave with the sweat. Feeling hungry, he ate the buns, finding them extraordinarily delicious, and consumed three in one sitting. He wrapped the remainder in his clothes and closed his eyes to rest. When he awoke the next day, he felt light and strong, as if a great burden had been lifted.

Three days later, having finished the buns, An Youyu was completely recovered. He immediately dismissed his family, unbolted the door, and waited only for the girl's return. Soon enough, Hua Guzhi arrived, smiling, "Foolish young master, why don't you thank the divine physician?" An Youyu, filled with joyous relief, embraced the woman, and they reveled in their affection, deeply entwined.

Afterward, Hua Guzhi said, "My risking this secret meeting with you, Young Master, was all to repay a debt of kindness. Our fate together is shallow, and we are not destined to remain together long. Please make arrangements for your future soon."

An Youyu remained silent for a long time before finally asking, "We have never met before, so how could I possibly have repaid a kindness? I truly cannot recall. Can you offer me a hint?" Hua Guzhi smiled mysteriously and replied, "Think slowly, and you will remember." An Youyu pleaded, "Let us marry then." Hua Guzhi responded, "It is not right for us to continue meeting like this, and marriage is also impossible."

Hearing this, An Youyu's spirits plummeted. Hua Guzhi then softened, "If you absolutely insist on marriage, you may come to my home tomorrow night." An Youyu's sorrow turned to joy, and he asked, "The journey is long. You are delicate; how can you manage to walk all that way?" Hua Guzhi explained, "I haven't gone home. The old woman in the east village is my maternal aunt, and I have been staying with her these past few days due to your illness. I don't know if my parents will be angry."

An Youyu shared her bedding. The fragrance around her was constant. He asked, "What perfume do you use? It smells wonderful." Hua Guzhi replied, "I use no perfume; this is my natural scent."

An Youyu marveled at this in secret. The next morning, Hua Guzhi rose to depart. An Youyu worried, "I have only visited your home once. What if I get lost?" Hua Guzhi assured him, "Don't worry, I will wait for you by the roadside." As dusk fell, An Youyu made his way to the village. The woman was indeed waiting by the road. They entered the house hand in hand, and her parents came out to greet them. Wine and food were served—all vegetables and tofu, nothing carnivorous, yet the dishes were exquisitely prepared and tasted exceptionally good.

After eating, An Youyu retired to bed, waiting and waiting, but the girl did not come. Not until late into the night did Hua Guzhi finally visit, apologizing, "My parents kept chattering and refused to go to sleep. I have kept you waiting a long time." They found intimate solace together. Hua Guzhi then whispered, "This meeting tonight will be our last." An Youyu asked, "Why is that?" Hua Guzhi explained, "My father dislikes how remote our small village is and plans to move. We only have this one night; we must cherish it." An Youyu felt profound reluctance and shed sorrowful tears.

As they spoke, the night deepened. The old man suddenly burst into the room, cursing, "Shameless wench, ruining the family honor! Get up this instant!" Hua Guzhi's beautiful face turned pale, and she fled in haste. The old man chased after her, still shouting his abuse. An Youyu, feeling guilty as if he had been caught in a transgression, felt utterly disgraced and hastily returned home.

Over several days, An Youyu yearned for the beauty so intensely that his mind wandered. He resolved, "Tonight, I will sneak over, climb the wall, and enter the house. I will observe the situation then. Didn't the old man say I was his benefactor? Even if I am discovered, it shouldn't be too serious." So, under the cover of night, he ventured into the mountains. In the gloom, he could not discern the path, and panic flared. Just as he was about to turn back, he faintly saw a corner of a house peeking out from the valley. Overjoyed, he quickened his pace.

When he arrived, he saw tall, overlapping structures, suggesting the residence of a noble family. Even in the dead of night, the main door was not shut. An Youyu asked a gatekeeper for information, inquiring, "Is there anyone surnamed Zhang here?" A man in green clothing emerged upon hearing him, asking, "What business do you have looking for someone surnamed Zhang so late at night?" An Youyu fabricated, "The Zhang family are my relatives; I got lost and cannot find their place." The green-clad man replied, "No need to look for the Zhangs; this is his maternal aunt's home. Hua Guzhi is inside as well. Let me announce you."

Soon, the green-clad man returned and invited An Youyu inside. As they passed a long corridor, the "Hua Guzhi" figure emerged to greet them, saying to the attendant, "Young Master An has traveled far tonight; he must be tired. Hurry and prepare the bedding." Before long, the two went to the bed arm-in-arm. An Youyu asked, "Why don't I see the maternal aunt?"

The "Hua Guzhi" replied, "She has an errand and left me to watch the house. What a happy coincidence to meet you again, Young Master—it must be fate!" An Youyu smelled a pungent, fishy odor and grew suspicious. The maiden wrapped her arms around An Youyu's neck and licked his nostrils with her tongue, the tip piercing into his brain with a sensation like being stabbed by needles. An Youyu was terrified and struggled fiercely, but his body felt bound by thick ropes, impossible to shake off. Gradually, his mind clouded over, and he lost consciousness.

An Youyu did not return, and his family searched everywhere. Someone reported, "We saw Young Master An in the mountains." The family ventured into the mountains to search and found An Youyu completely naked, dead beneath a cliff. The search party was stunned and confused as to the cause. They carried An Youyu home, weeping. Just then, a woman arrived to mourn, wailing loudly. She touched the corpse, tears streaming down her face, crying, "Young Master, why were you so foolish? It is fate, fate!" Her cries became hoarse, lasting a long time before ceasing.

The woman wiped her tears and instructed the family, "Do not rush to bury him; wait seven days first." The family, not knowing who the woman was, was about to inquire, but the lady was aloof and rude, leaving immediately. The family rushed out to detain her, but the woman had vanished. Someone speculated, "This woman must be an immortal; we must heed the words of an immortal."

That night, the woman returned again, weeping as she had the day before. This continued for seven consecutive days.

On the night of the seventh day, An Youyu suddenly awoke, groaning repeatedly, to the horror of his family. The woman entered the room, and they faced each other, both sobbing. An Youyu raised his hand, signaling the family to withdraw. The woman took a handful of green grass from her bosom, brewed it into a bowl of decoction, and fed it to An Youyu.

Instantly, An Youyu could speak, sighing, "You were the one who tried to kill me, and you are the one who saved me." Hua Guzhi explained, "That was a snake spirit acting maliciously, impersonating me to harm you. Earlier, when you were lost and saw a light, that light was the snake's eye." An Youyu asked, "With such power over life and death, are you an immortal?"

Hua Guzhi confessed, "I always wanted to tell you the truth, but I feared your terror. Do you recall five years ago, at the foot of Mount Hua, when you saved a roe deer?" An Youyu confirmed, "That did happen." Hua Guzhi revealed, "That roe deer was my father. My father always spoke of you as his benefactor—that is the reason. You were nearly killed by the snake spirit, but my father pleaded with the King of Hell, offering his life in exchange for yours, and willingly died in your place to save you. You were deeply poisoned; although you have awakened, your lower limbs are paralyzed and you cannot walk. You must drink the blood of the snake spirit to neutralize the poison."

An Youyu gritted his teeth and said, "The snake spirit is exceptionally powerful; I fear it will not be easy to capture." Hua Guzhi replied, "That part is not difficult, though killing so many creatures will impede my own ascent to immortality for a hundred years. The snake spirit's lair is within the cliff. Tomorrow at noon, you can pile up dry wood outside the cavern and set it ablaze. Also, prepare strong bows and crossbows and stand guard; the demon can be eliminated." She paused, then added, "It is regrettable that I cannot stay by your side constantly. In saving you this time, I have lost seventy percent of my spiritual cultivation. For the past month, I have felt movement in my womb; I must be pregnant. Regardless of gender, I will bring the child to you in a year." With those words, she left in tears.

That night, An Youyu indeed felt his lower body paralyzed, feeling nothing when he scratched or clawed. He relayed Hua Guzhi's instructions to his family, asking them to arrange the monster hunt. The family went to the cave, set the firewood alight, and flames soared toward the sky. Amid the inferno, a white serpent burst out, and everyone loosed a volley of arrows, slaying the giant snake on the spot.

After the flames died down, the group entered the cave to investigate. Inside, they found piles of charred corpses—hundreds of snakes, large and small—all burned black, emitting a nauseating stench.

An Youyu drank the giant serpent's blood, and after three days, his condition improved; he could move his legs. Within half a year, he was fully recovered. Later, while walking alone in the valley, he chanced upon Hua Guzhi's mother, who was holding an infant. She said, "This is Young Master's flesh and blood; please accept him. My daughter is well; do not worry about her."

An Youyu was about to inquire further, but the old woman had vanished. Opening the swaddling clothes, he found a boy. He took the child home to raise, and never remarried thereafter.