The Tale of the White Snake and the Green Snake

The Meeting at the Broken Bridge

It was the Dragon Boat Festival, and the streets around the West Lake were bustling with life. Bai Suzhen and Xiaoqing, disguised as women, mingled with the crowds. It was here that Bai Suzhen’s destiny became intertwined with that of Xu Xian, a humble and kind-hearted scholar. As rain began to fall gently, Bai Suzhen’s delicate parasol became entangled with Xu Xian’s. Their eyes met, and in that instant, a deep connection was forged—a bond that defied the boundaries between spirit and man.

Xu Xian, ever the gentleman, offered Bai Suzhen his umbrella, and thus began a love story that would transcend the heavens and the earth. They soon married, their lives filled with joy as they settled in a beautiful home near the West Lake. Bai Suzhen, using her vast knowledge of herbal medicine, opened a pharmacy and became known throughout the city for her healing abilities. Together, they lived in bliss, unaware of the looming shadow that threatened to tear their happiness apart.

The Wrath of Fa Hai

Not all were pleased by the union of the White Snake and the mortal Xu Xian. In a secluded temple high above the cliffs, an old monk named Fa Hai, renowned for his spiritual prowess and righteousness, sensed the disturbance in the balance between the human and spirit realms. To him, such a marriage was an affront to the natural order, and he vowed to destroy Bai Suzhen and return Xu Xian to the path of righteousness.

Fa Hai's first attempt to expose Bai Suzhen came during a seemingly innocent Dragon Boat Festival. Knowing that spirits were vulnerable to the special medicinal wine traditionally consumed during the festival, he arranged for Xu Xian to bring the wine to his wife. Trusting her husband, Bai Suzhen drank the wine, and within moments, she collapsed, her true form—an enormous white serpent—revealed. Xu Xian, terrified and heartbroken by the sight, fainted, and was taken to a nearby temple by Fa Hai.

Fa Hai took this opportunity to imprison Xu Xian in the Golden Mountain Temple, believing that the separation of man and spirit would restore order to the world. But Fa Hai underestimated the power of love.

The Power of Love

Desperate to rescue her husband, Bai Suzhen called upon her mystical powers. With Xiaoqing by her side, she mounted an assault on the Golden Mountain Temple. The earth trembled as the two spirits summoned torrential rains and floods, determined to reunite with Xu Xian. The waters rose high, washing over the temple’s walls as Fa Hai’s spiritual defenses crumbled under the sheer force of Bai Suzhen’s determination.

But despite her efforts, Fa Hai’s magic proved too strong. Bai Suzhen, weakened by the battle and the strain of using her powers, was forced to retreat. Her heart heavy with grief, she returned to the West Lake, vowing that she would one day free her husband from Fa Hai’s grasp.

Xiaoqing, ever the loyal companion, urged Bai Suzhen not to give up. The bond between Xu Xian and Bai Suzhen was stronger than the heavens themselves, and Xiaoqing believed that love, in the end, would prevail over all obstacles. But the cost of such determination was great, and Bai Suzhen’s once-invincible spirit began to wane as the burdens of her love weighed upon her more heavily.

The Birth of a Child

Though separated from Xu Xian, Bai Suzhen soon discovered she was carrying his child. This revelation renewed her hope and gave her the strength to continue her quest to free him. As her pregnancy advanced, she became more determined to protect the life growing inside her, even as Fa Hai’s forces closed in around her.

In a secret and sacred ceremony, Bai Suzhen gave birth to a son, whom she named Xu Mengjiao. The birth of their child symbolized the enduring love between Bai Suzhen and Xu Xian, a love that even the heavens could not destroy. But as Bai Suzhen held her son in her arms, she knew that her time was running out. The forces of the heavens and earth were converging, and soon, a final battle would determine her fate.

The Final Battle

The day of reckoning came on a stormy afternoon, when Fa Hai, wielding his mighty staff, once again sought to imprison Bai Suzhen. This time, however, Bai Suzhen was prepared. Summoning all her strength, she fought back with the power of a thousand storms, her magic shaking the very foundations of the earth. Xiaoqing, loyal to the end, fought bravely by her side, her green scales flashing in the dim light of the storm.

As the battle raged on, it became clear that neither Bai Suzhen nor Fa Hai would relent. The sky darkened, and the winds howled as the forces of magic clashed in a spectacular display of power. Yet even as the earth shook and the heavens roared, it was the love between Bai Suzhen and Xu Xian that would prove the most powerful force of all.

In a moment of pure desperation, Bai Suzhen reached deep within herself and unleashed a final burst of energy, a wave of light that enveloped Fa Hai and sent him tumbling into the depths of the earth. With Fa Hai defeated, the storm began to calm, and Bai Suzhen collapsed, her energy spent.

Xu Xian, freed from the temple, rushed to her side. As he held her in his arms, Bai Suzhen smiled weakly, her spirit finally at peace. She knew that their love had triumphed over the forces that had sought to tear them apart. But as the sun began to set over the West Lake, Bai Suzhen closed her eyes for the last time, her spirit finally returning to the natural world from whence it had come.

Epilogue: The Legacy of the White Snake

Xu Xian was left to raise their son alone, his heart heavy with grief but filled with the knowledge that Bai Suzhen’s love would endure forever. Their story became legend, passed down from generation to generation, a tale of love that defied the boundaries of heaven and earth.

Though Bai Suzhen had returned to the spirit world, her memory lived on in the hearts of the people of Hangzhou. The White Snake and the Green Snake, bound by loyalty, love, and friendship, had left a legacy that would echo through the ages—a reminder that love, no matter how impossible, could conquer even the greatest of forces.