On the island of Ancient Ruins in the Eastern Sea grows the five-colored naidong flower, which never withers in any season. But from old times the island has had no inhabitants, and few people ever visited it. A certain Zhang of Dengzhou, fond of adventure and of hunting, heard of its beauties, and, providing himself with wine and provisions, rowed out to it in a small boat. On arriving he found the flowers in full bloom, their fragrance wafted for miles; some of the trees were more than ten spans round. He lingered long, well pleased with what he found, and opened his wine to drink alone, regretting that he had no companion. Suddenly a beautiful woman came out from among the flowers, in a dazzling red robe, without peer in loveliness. Seeing Zhang, she smiled. "I thought my own fancy was rare enough," she said, "but I did not look to find so early a kindred spirit." Amazed, Zhang asked who she was. "I am a courtesan of Jiaozhou," she said. "I came here with the Young Gentleman of the Sea. He has gone off to enjoy the sights, and as walking is hard for me I stayed behind." Zhang, wearying of solitude, was overjoyed to have such a companion and invited her to sit and drink. Her speech was gentle and bewitching, and Zhang was charmed by her. Fearing the Sea Gentleman might come and break off their pleasure, he drew her to him to make love. She yielded willingly. In the midst of their dalliance they suddenly heard a great rush of wind, and the grass and trees bent and broke with a sound. The woman hurriedly pushed Zhang up, crying, "The Young Gentleman of the Sea is coming!" Zhang drew on his clothes and looked about in alarm; the woman had already vanished.
Presently a huge snake, thicker than a great pillar, came out from the dense trees. Zhang, terrified, hid behind a big tree, hoping it would not see him. The snake came near, coiled its body round both the man and the tree, winding several turns; his two arms were bound fast to his sides and could not bend in the least. Raising its head, it pierced Zhang's nose with its tongue. The blood gushed down and collected in a pool on the ground, into which the snake bent and drank. Zhang thought his death was certain, when he suddenly remembered a sachet at his waist containing poison for foxes. With two fingers he drew it out, broke the wrapping, and emptied it into his palm; then, twisting his neck to look at his hand, he let the blood drip upon the poison until his palm was full. The snake, sure enough, came and drank from his hand. Before it had finished, it suddenly stiffened, lashed its tail with a sound like thunder, and struck the tree, splitting half of it down; then it lay dead on the ground like a beam. Zhang, too, was so dazed he could not rise; after some time he came to himself. He carried the snake home and was seriously ill for more than a month. He suspected that the woman, too, had been a snake.