Xu Xian had just received yet another invitation to the opening ceremony of the new Jin Shan Temple. His wife, Bai Su Zhen, had warned him not to attend. Since she was in fact a benevolent white snake spirit in human form, their marriage had already weathered attacks by meddling monks. But devout Buddhist that he was, Xu Xian felt obligated to make an appearance. What they didn’t know was that these invitations had come from none other than Fa Hai– the misguided monk who had tried to separate the young lovers, almost killing Xu Xian in the process. The monk confronted Xu Xian, telling him that because he consorted with a demon, he must remain at the monastery and cleanse his soul. Xu Xian protested, but Fa Hai would not let him escape.
Xu Xian baru saja menerima sebuah undangan untuk menghadiri upacara pembukaan Kuil Jin Shan. Istrinya, Bai Su Zhen, mencegahnya datang ke acara itu. Karena Bai Su Zhen adalah siluman ular putih berwujud manusia, pernikahan mereka sering terkena campur tangan para biksu. Namun, sebagai penganut Budha yang taat, ia merasa wajib untuk hadir. Mereka tidak tahu bahwa undangan tersebut berasal dari Fa Hai-- seorang biksu sesat yang pernah mencoba memisahkan mereka, dan hampir membunuh Xu Xian. Sang biksu mengonfrontasi Xu Xian, memberitahunya bahwa karena istrinya adalah iblis, Xu Xian harus tetap tinggal dalam biara dan membersihkan jiwanya. Xu Xian tidak terima, tetapi Fa Hai tidak membiarkannya pergi.
At home, Bai Su Zhen was uneasy. Her husband had departed so quickly that she hadn’t been able to tell him she was pregnant with his child. And now he had been gone so long she sensed something must be wrong. She made her way to the temple, and upon encountering Fa Hai the monk threw his prayer mat, which erupted into fire and smoke. Weakened from her pregnancy, Bai Su Zhen desperately summoned a fleet of shrimp soldiers and crab generals to subdue the monk, and waves to put out the blaze. But the water also flooded the surrounding area, drowning many innocent villagers. For the first time, Bai Su Zhen had harmed humans, and she fell out of the gods’ favor. With their blessing retracted, Fa Hai attempted to trap her in his magical alms bowl. But just when all hope seemed lost, a bright glow came from within her belly, saving her from the mad monk’s magic.
Di rumah, Bai Su Zhen merasa tidak tenang. Kepergian suaminya sangat mendadak, sehingga ia tak sempat memberitahu bahwa ia tengah mengandung. Dan sekarang perasaannya tidak enak karena suaminya tak kunjung pulang. Ia berjalan menuju kuil dan ketika Fa Hai melihatnya, sang biksu melempar tikar sembahyangnya yang meledak menjadi api dan asap. Lemah karena kehamilannya, Bai Su Zhen memanggil pasukan tentara udang dan jenderal kepiting untuk menahan sang biksu, dan ombak untuk memadamkan api Namun, air juga membanjiri daerah sekitarnya, menenggelamkan banyak penghuni desa yang tidak bersalah. Untuk pertama kalinya, Bai Su Zhen mencelakakan manusia dan kehilangan perlindungan dari para dewa. Tanpa perlindungan para dewa, Fa Hai berusaha mengurung Bai Zu Chen di dalam mangkuk ajaibnya. Saat Bai Su Zhen hampir menyerah, cahaya terang keluar dari perutnya, dan menyelamatkannya dari sihir sang biksu.
The couple fled home, grateful to the mysterious power that had saved them, and soon after, Bai Su Zhen gave birth to their son, Xu Shi Lin. Yet despite this joyous occasion, Xu Xian was uneasy. He was shaken by his wife’s accidental act of destruction, and he feared the misfortune it might bring upon their home.
Pasangan ini kembali ke rumah, bersyukur atas kekuatan misterius yang menyelamatkan mereka. Tak lama kemudian, Bai Su Zhen melahirkan anak laki-laki, Xu Shi Lin. Di balik kebahagiaan mereka, Xu Xian merasa khawatir. Dia tidak bisa melupakan bencana yang ditimbulkan istrinya dan takut akan petaka yang mungkin menimpa rumah tangga mereka.
Not a month later, Fa Hai appeared at their doorstep. He offered Xu Xian an alms bowl to ensure good fortune for his newborn son. Still wary of the monk, but also remembering Bai Su Zhen’s destructive act, Xu Xian accepted the gift. But as soon as the bowl entered their home, it flew to Bai Su Zhen’s head and trapped her inside. Against the family’s wishes, Fa Hai buried the bowl beneath the Lei Feng Pagoda. And when Xu Xian begged him to release his wife, the monk sternly replied: “She will be free when the iron tree blooms.”
Kurang dari sebulan kemudian, Fa Hai mengunjungi mereka. Ia menawarkan Xu Xian sebuah mangkuk untuk menjamin keberuntungan putranya. Masih curiga pada sang biksu, tetapi teringat musibah yang disebabkan oleh istrinya, Xu Xian pun menerimanya. Namun, begitu mangkuk berada di dalam rumah, mangkuk itu terbang dan menangkap istrinya. Berlawanan dengan keinginan keluarga, Fa Hai mengubur mangkuk di bawah pagoda Lei Feng. Dan ketika Xu Xian memohon agar istrinya dibebaskan, sang biksu menjawab: "Ia akan bebas saat pohon besi berbunga."
Overcome with guilt, Xu Xian ran away to a monastery, leaving Shi Lin in the care of his aunt. But there was something neither of them knew. The boy was the reincarnation of Wen Qu Xing, the wisdom god, sent to the family to reward Xu Xian’s devotion. It was this power that had protected Bai Su Zhen at the temple, and as he grew, so did his wisdom. At age 19, Shi Lin went to the capital city to take the nation-wide imperial exam and obtained the highest score in all the empire. The Emperor himself bestowed Shi Lin’s prize: an ornate hat decorated with jewel-encrusted flowers. But though he returned home in glory, the fate of his parents still weighed heavy on his mind.
Dipenuhi rasa bersalah, Xu Xian lari ke sebuah biara, meninggalkan Shi Lin dengan bibinya. Namun, ada sesuatu yang mereka tak tahu. Shi Lin adalah reinkarnasi dari Wen Qu Xing, Dewa Kebijaksanaan, yang dianugerahkan sebagai hadiah atas ketaatan Xu Xian. Kekuatannyalah yang melindungi Bai Su Zhen di kuil, dan seiring beranjak dewasa, Shi Lin semakin bijaksana. Pada usia 19 tahun, Shi Lin ke ibukota untuk mengikuti ujian kekaisaran, dan memperoleh nilai tertinggi di seluruh kekaisaran. Kaisar sendiri yang menganugerahkan hadiahnya pada Shi Lin: sebuah topi yang dihiasi dengan permata berbentuk bunga. Meskipun pulang dengan rasa bangga, nasib orang tuanya masih membuat Shi Lin sedih.
Coaxing his father from exile, Shi Lin took him to visit the Lei Feng Pagoda to pay respects to his mother. Kneeling before it, he placed his jeweled prize on the iron tree as an offering. Suddenly, the ground opened and Bai Su Zhen stepped out. With her sins absolved by the tribute of a god, and a blossom on the iron tree, Shi Lin had freed his mother, and reunited his family– both mortal and divine.
Shi Lin membujuk ayahnya keluar dari biara, dan membawanya ke Pagoda Lei Feng untuk melawat ibunya. Duduk bersimpuh di pusara ibunya, Shi Lin mempersembahkan topi hadiahnya di pohon besi. Tiba-tiba, Bai Su Zhen muncul dari dalam tanah. Dengan pengampunan dosanya oleh seorang dewa, dan sekuntum bunga di pohon besi, Shi Lin membebaskan ibunya, dan menyatukan kembali keluarganya– di alam fana maupun baka.