"It's a bit of a shame not to play, but she's not my type," Xiao Heng said. He pulled a black robe from his storage ring, draped it over himself, and, hefting a long saber, strode to the edge of the small lake.
Xiao Heng gazed at the bathing snake woman. Not my type, but a little eye candy doesn't hurt.
"Who are you?!" Yue Mei stared at the black-robed Xiao Heng in shock. She hadn't sensed his approach at all.
"Heh! Heh! Heh! Vanish within three breaths, or else…" Xiao Heng let out a sinister laugh, swinging his blood-red saber to unleash a pale blue blade arc.
The arc flashed with terrifying speed, grazing Yue Mei's neck and leaving a faint blood mark.
"Thank you for sparing me, Senior!" Yue Mei's mind raced. She quickly bowed and led her snake-woman guards away.
"Not bad. That attack was precise—reminds me of my prime," Yao Lao's white, ethereal figure drifted out.
"Far from it, far from it," Xiao Heng said with a chuckle.
"Truly impressive!" Xiao Yan nodded quietly.
"Fill up on water quickly, before the bathwater spreads to the shore," Xiao Heng reminded.
"Oh, right, right!" Xiao Yan crouched to collect water.
"There are traces of a fight nearby, with strong fighters involved. I'll stay out of it," Yao Lao said to Xiao Heng.
"No worries." After filling their water, the two headed toward the battle site.
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"That's the snake woman from earlier. Who are these people?" Xiao Yan asked. Yue Mei was locked in combat with two Dou Wangs from the Jia Ma Empire's Ten Great Experts, led by a refined middle-aged man.
"You don't know? That's Pill King Gu He, the so-called alchemist who's barely worth a fart," Xiao Heng said.
"So that's Gu He!" Xiao Yan took a closer look. The Jia Ma Empire's top alchemist, dismissed as a fart by Yao Lao.
"I bet a good chunk of Nalan Yanran's confidence in breaking off the engagement comes from him," Xiao Heng added. "Yun Yun might teach techniques or skills, but pills are the key to speeding up cultivation."
"Just a fart!" Xiao Yan spat, while Yao Lao nodded silently in the ring. "These so-called Ten Great Experts are kind of weak. Two against one, and they still can't take her down?"
"They can't win because their strengths are similar. But yeah, they're pretty pathetic," Xiao Heng explained, twisting the knife.
"What are these guys doing in the desert? Queen Medusa is a Peak Dou Huang. What good are a few Dou Wangs?" Xiao Yan wondered.
"What if their goal is the same as ours?" Xiao Heng suggested.
"They're well-informed!"
"And that black-robed figure by Gu He's side is likely a Dou Huang," Xiao Heng emphasized. "But they're drawing attention head-on, which gives a sneaky fish like you a better shot at the Heavenly Flame."
"What now?" Xiao Yan asked.
"Take this chance to slip through the snake tribe. We're strong enough, but it's best not to get caught," Xiao Heng said.
"Makes sense!" The two quickly distanced themselves from the battle, easily passing through Yue Mei's Charm Snake Tribe. They traveled nonstop, reaching the Snake Tribe's temple city—Queen Medusa's stronghold—by dawn the next day.
"Find a way to sneak in. Remember, if Queen Medusa succeeded in her breakthrough, her soul will be dormant. Search thoroughly nearby," Xiao Heng advised.
"Leave it to me!" Xiao Yan thumped his chest. With a few flickers, Xiao Heng vanished from his sight.
Xiao Heng hid behind a high rock, his aura suppressed to the bare minimum. Using his soul power to cloak himself, he benefited from cultivating the Di Class Mid-Level soul technique, Three Star Realm, which had significantly boosted his soul strength—and it was still growing.
The leaders of the Snake Tribe's eight major tribes were converging on the temple city. Mo Basi of the Mo Snake Tribe arrived first, joining Yue Mei, who had fled there.
After a brief exchange, Gu He and his group reached the city walls. Yue Mei and Mo Basi flashed to the great hall's exterior, their Dou Zhi Qi wings unfurling as they leaped onto the walls.
In the air beyond the walls, Gu He and his group stood atop a massive magical beast, hovering just out of reach of the snake guards' attacks.
Mo Basi spoke first, attempting to dissuade Gu He's group. Gu He, in turn, politely introduced himself, startling Yue Mei and Mo Basi.
Gu He requested a meeting with Queen Medusa, but Mo Basi refused. The queen was at a critical juncture, using the Heavenly Flame to break through—there was no way she'd appear.
Gu He spoke with remarkable courtesy, though Yan Shi, one of the Ten Great Experts and a Dou Wang, was far less restrained. His arrogance made it sound like a Dou Zong was speaking. As Yan Shi and Mo Basi traded verbal jabs, Gu He, left with no choice, shouted to the entire city, hoping to draw Queen Medusa out. Got to admit, Gu He's polite—aside from being a bit of a simp, he's decent.
Gu He's first shout yielded no response. As he prepared a second, the space nearby warped. A graceful figure emerged, clad in a purple robe that accentuated her voluptuous chest. Her dark hair cascaded to her slender waist, and her purple snake tail exuded a wild, seductive allure—though her fearsome reputation tempered that charm.
Especially for Xiao Yan, sneaking below.
"What do you want with me?" Queen Medusa's red lips parted, every gesture dripping with allure.
"I'm here for the Heavenly Flame in Your Majesty's possession," Gu He stated plainly.
While seeking a rare herb, Gu He had sensed the Heavenly Flame's aura and found a bloodied scale left by Queen Medusa, injured by the flame. He'd come to negotiate for it, offering a Transformation Pill and two Dou Ling Pills. Dou Ling Pills could boost a Dou Wang's strength by one star—a valuable item, but useless to Queen Medusa.
The Transformation Pill, however, held some appeal. Magical beasts needed to reach the seventh tier to transform into human form, but a Transformation Pill could enable it earlier, granting human cultivation talent alongside a beast's longevity. It was tempting for Queen Medusa.
Yet, she rejected the seemingly generous offer. No one knew her true intentions. Xiao Heng watched silently from his vantage point.
Gu He was left flustered, at a loss. He turned to the black-robed woman—Yun Yun, leader of the Yun Lan Sect—for advice. Yun Yun saw through Medusa's ploy and revealed that the queen in the air was merely a Dou Zhi Qi energy clone. Her jade hand struck, and a surge of Dou Zhi Qi shattered the clone, dispersing it into the air.
The black-robed woman broke the stalemate, and both sides erupted into chaos. Yan Shi and Feng Li held off Yue Mei and Mo Basi, while Gu He slipped into the city to search for the Heavenly Flame's trail.
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