田于源，江西人，生活在清代乾嘉年间，有《青苔夕照堂笔记》传世，其中多记怪异之事。早年田于源曾入某巨公宦邸当幕客。所谓幕客，就是师爷。他素有狂生之目，因为屡试不第，对科举失去信心，加上喜好游山玩水，因此常常告假外出，到处去走走。
有一次，田于源听说山里有一块秦朝的李斯小篆碑，便想去拓个本子回来。入山后找了半天，结果没找到，天却晚了，正在着急，见前面山坳里透出光亮，便上前求宿。到了近前，发现是个道观，观里有个中年道士，虽然僻处深山，但这道士谈吐清雅不俗，诗词歌赋皆通，让田于源深为心折。两人清谈良久，田于源腹中饥饿，道士便下厨去做了一碗面给他吃。面也是寻常的面，里面放了一段段的鸡脖子，汤很清，一尝之下，竟是鲜美异常。他大为惊奇，便问那道士，也没看见养鸡，哪来这么多鸡脖子，道士却是笑而不答。
正说着，外面突然起了一阵大风，屋子虽然关着窗，但烛火竟一下变小了。田于源只道是要变天了，谁知那道士却说有仇家来了，要田于源在屋里等着不要动，自己走了出去。没过一会儿，只听那道士说：“你既然来了，本来要当场见个高下，但今天我有佳客登门，改到明天吧。”
田于源很好奇，这个清雅的道士居然也会有仇家？他大着胆子从窗隙里一看，却见那道士站在院中，面前却不是人，而是一条巨蛇。这蛇形状相当古怪，身体只有四五尺长，宽倒有两尺许，简直是方的，上半身抬起来看着那道士，听那道士说了这话，这条蛇的头点了点，便从院中消失了。
等道士进屋来，田于源再也忍不住，追问刚才的事，道士才说，自己这一宗是专门养蛇的，田于源吃的那碗面里其实不是鸡脖子，而是蛇段。现代由于粤菜大行，吃蛇不算骇人听闻，当初却是让人胆寒的事。
日本人发明的味精刚进入中国时，乡间见这种粉末能让清水变鸡汤，就以讹传讹地说是蛇骨粉做的，所以才这么鲜。田于源开始也有点恶心，但回味起来，蛇段竟是异样的鲜美，便问那道士养蛇做什么。道士说，他是专门豢养蛇类的，主要是取胆卖给药铺，而且还有一手绝活，就是制蛇黄。
蛇黄是蛇体内的结石，是一味极其珍贵的中药，道士养蛇取胆取黄，赚了钱后再用来施舍给乡间贫民，田于源听了肃然起敬。也正因为养蛇杀蛇，方才引来的便是蛇王。蛇王的子孙被道士杀了不少，蛇王要来斗法复仇。
听说道士有难，田于源便要明天与道士一同去，一是帮忙，二来也是这等斗法的情形平生难得一见，实在想见识一下。
道士开始很为难，后来才点了点头说也好，因为蛇王极具灵性，不会伤及无辜，而自己生死未卜，一旦斗法失败，田于源也好给自己收尸。
第二天，道士削了一大堆竹签，然后带着田于源到了一个山顶，拿了块雄黄给他，要他含在嘴里站在一块大石后，千叮咛万嘱咐交代他斗法中途千万不要出来，自己便向前走去。
过了一阵儿，腥风大作，田于源大着胆子探头去看，只见草丛簌簌而动，不断倒伏，那蛇王已游了过来。到了道士面前大约五六步远，蛇王停住了，从嘴里喷出黄色的烟雾，远远闻来，仍是异常腥臭。道士则不断把竹签扔出去，每扔一下，黄雾便淡一些，但很快又浓了起来。
渐渐地，黄雾笼罩了周围方圆丈许，田于源眼前什么都看不到，不知道士怎么样了，他来时的雄心已荡然无存，两条腿不住打战。好一阵过去，只听得那道士脚步声响起，却是他踉跄着走了回来，一到田于源呆的石头边，便倒了下来。
田于源大吃一惊，连忙扶起他，那道士周身皆肿，已说不出话来，只是指了指胸前，田于源一摸他的胸口，见有个小瓷瓶，里面有两颗鲜红的药丸，就让道士服了下去。过了好一阵，道士才苏醒过来。
等黄雾散了，田于源过去看了看，只见蛇王已不知所踪，地上密密麻麻全是竹签，每根都有三分之二深入土中，有些甚至插在石头里，可知当时道士扔出去时力量有多大。田于源见道士斗法胜利后仍然一脸惶恐，便问他是不是已经把蛇王杀了，道士摇了摇头，说当时自己已尽全力，仍然只让蛇王受伤遁走，并不能伤它性命。虽然侥幸取胜，但蛇王是一公一母。这回来的是公蛇王。母蛇王三天之内必定会来，却是要大一倍有余。公蛇王都如此难对付，母蛇王一来，自己肯定不是对手，怕是难逃一劫了。
田于源听了也大惊失色，劝他干脆逃走算了，道士却说蛇王是有灵性的，就算千里之遥一样追得到。如果自己躲到人烟稠密的地方，蛇王追来会玉石皆焚，生灵涂炭，造的孽就更大了。田于源听得好不难受，问他还有没有别的办法，道士叹了口气说，办法倒是有一个，或许可以瞒过蛇王，但这事一定要田于源帮忙才行。
回到道观，道士将观中的大铜钟放了下来，自己钻进钟下，让田于源用六一泥封好口，说三天后再把自己放出来。这口钟少说也有几千斤，一进里面，自己是根本出不来的。
第二天，突然下了一场暴雨，山路都被冲断了。第三天，田于源叫了人赶到那道观，却见道观已成了一片瓦砾，只有铜钟还竖在地上，上面尽是摩擦后的痕迹。他把钟抬起来一看，只见里面热气腾腾，道士已经化成了一具焦尸。田于源感叹良久，只好将道士埋了。
后来田于源远游西域，在那里又遇到一个捉蛇的道士，说起此事，那道士泪流满面，原来田于源先前遇到的是他师兄。田于源问他当时到底发生了什么事？那道士说师兄棋差一着，也低估了母蛇王的灵性，他躲在大钟里，虽然母蛇王咬不到他，却缠绕在钟上不停打转，使得钟里温度急剧升高，而他师兄在里面根本无法躲避，最终仍是难逃一劫，被活活烧死。
田于源听后也唏嘘不已，觉得上天当真不公。但那道士说，世间万物，相生相克，这也是没办法的事。善有善报，恶有恶报只不过是安慰自己的话，“杀人放火金腰带，修桥补路无尸骸”，这话才是不假。
Introduce:Tian Yuyuan, jiangxi person, live in clear Dai Qianjia year, have " lichenous afterglow hall takes notes " be handed down from ancient times, remember strange thing more among them. Cropland of one's early years ever entered the residence of a high official of some gigantic public official to become act customer at the source. So-called act guest, it is a private assistant attending to legal. His element has the eye that is born madly, because try repeatedly not, lose confidence to imperial examinations, add be fond of to make a sightseeing tour, accordingly often ask for leave goes out, go everywhere. Once, the tablet of Li Si an ancient style of calligraphy that Tian Yuyuan hears of to there is a Qin Chao in hill, want to go develop notebook come back. Searched a long time into hill hind, the result was not found, the day is late however, anxious, see in front light gives fully in lap, constellation is begged before going up. Arrived close before, discovery is a path view, there is a middleaged Taoism priest in view, although out-of-the-way is in remote mountains, but elegant of style of conversation of this Taoism priest not common, ode of poetic word song all is connected, yu Yuan allowing a surname deeply the heart is folded. A long time of two people idle talk, tian Yuyuan starves in the abdomen, taoism priest prepares food went doing a bowl of face to eat to him. The face also is the face of common, one paragraph is put inside paragraph gallinaceous neck, boiling water is very clear, taste under, it is delicious and unusual unexpectedly. He greatly amazed, ask that Taoism priest, also did not see raise chicken, which come neck of so much chicken, taoism priest is to smile however. Saying, a strong wind had suddenly outside, although the house is closing a window, but candlelight unexpectedly decrescent. Tian Yuyuan only is to want restoration of reactionary rule, who knows that Taoism priest to say to have Chou Jialai however, want Tian Yuyuan to waiting to be not moved in house, oneself went. Had done not have a little while, listen to that Taoism priest to say only: "Since you came, want to see a relative superiority or inferiority on the spot originally, but I have beautiful guest call at sb's house today, change tomorrow. " Tian Yuyuan is very curious, can the Taoism priest of this elegant also have Chou Jia unexpectedly? He is big courage from the window unoccupied place in look, see that Taoism priest stands in the courtyard however, the person is not however before, however a gigantic snake. This snake form is quite odd, the body has 45 feet to grow only, wide two feet are made, it is square simply, the upper part of the body is raised will look at that Taoism priest, listened to that Taoism priest to say this word, the head of this snake is nodded, disappeared from inside the courtyard. Wait for Taoism priest to come into house, tian Yuyuan also cannot help again, examine minutely a moment ago thing, taoism priest just says, oneself raise a snake technically this, gallinaceous neck is not actually in that bowl of side that Tian Yuyuan takes, however snake paragraph. Contemporary go greatly as a result of dish of another name for Guangdong Province, eat a snake not to calculate appalling, it is the thing of be terrified letting a person however at the outset. When the gourmet powder that Japanese invents just entered China, country sees this kind of powder can let clear water change chicken broth, anguine bone dust does say with respect to ground of incorrectly relay an erroneous information, gift is so so little. Tian Yuyuan begins a bit disgusting also, but the aftertaste rises, anguine Duan Jing is peculiar delicious, ask that Taoism priest raises a snake what to do. Taoism priest says, he is special feed ophidian, basically be to take bravery to sell herbal medicine shop,
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