Appearing before Xiao Yan was a male snake person of considerable build, his appearance particularly fierce. On his arms were tattoos of two colossal black pythons. As he moved his bare arms, the tattoos seemed to come alive, exuding an aura of frigid and violent energy. The latter was now staring at Xiao Yan with a menacing gaze, his powerful Dou Qi surging relentlessly on the surface of his body. The hard stone slabs where he had landed had already cracked from the force dissipated from their previous clash.
“Who are you?” Xiao Yan gazed at this fierce male snake person. He could sense that the latter was a mighty fighter at the peak of the Dou Wang level, but this was not a formidable opponent for him. However, he felt a bit angered by the sudden attack.
“Snake-People Tribe, Commander Mobas!” The male snake person’s eyes locked fiercely onto Xiao Yan, the hostility in them evident. “You are that Xiao Yan?”
Xiao Yan nodded slightly. Seeing him nod, Mobas’ eyes flashed with a fierce glint. Suddenly clenching his fist, the muscles on his arm writhed, making the tattoo of the two black giant pythons appear almost alive, radiating a menacing aura that soared to the sky.
“If you continue, I will not hold back.” Seeing this stubborn fellow, Man Yan’s eyes also flickered with a hint of ruthlessness. His hand ignited with emerald flames as he spoke slowly.
“Then let me, the Commander, test you!” Mobas growled angrily, but just as he was about to pounce, a cold voice interrupted, causing his body to stiffen.
“Enough, stop it at once!” Medusa turned her head and frowned, looking at Mobas. “Mobas, you’ve become more and more undisciplined. He is a guest of my Snake-People Tribe. How can you dare to attack him so brazenly?”
Though sternly reprimanded by Medusa, the burly Mobas did not show any impatience. He nodded reluctantly, but his eyes, when looking at Medusa, filled with adoration and reverence.
Sending another dark look at Xiao Yan, Mobas reluctantly stepped aside. Seeing the man retreat, Xiao Yan dispelled the emerald flame from his fist. From the way Mobas looked at Medusa, he could guess the reason for his dissatisfaction. However, this did not concern him much. His gaze swept through the courtyard, only to find it filled with the figures of numerous snake people. These were clearly the elite fighters of the Snake-People Tribe, and among them was the Moon Charm, whom he had rescued once.
These strong snake people looked at Xiao Yan with curious eyes, no doubt intrigued by his earlier display of power that forced Mobas back. Of course, what surprised them most was Medusa’s attitude towards Xiao Yan. Though her expression was not entirely soft, her words revealed a protective nature, which was quite unbelievable for someone who once despised humans.
“Follow me.” Medusa said softly to Xiao Yan, who was standing at the door. She then turned and led the way into the depths of the courtyard. After a moment’s hesitation, Xiao Yan followed, under the watchful eyes of the wary crowd.
As Medusa and Xiao Yan entered the inner courtyard, the yard suddenly buzzed with conversation. Following Medusa through several quiet paths, they finally stopped at a bamboo house hidden deep within the bamboo grove.
Pausing at the entrance of the bamboo house, a faint expression of seriousness appeared on Medusa’s face. Then, she gently knocked on the door.
“Come in!” a gravelly voice came from inside the bamboo house. The door opened, and after giving Xiao Yan a glance, Medusa turned and entered.
Hesitating for a moment at the door, Xiao Yan vaguely sensed four obscure auras within the bamboo house. Though not as strong as Medusa, they were still formidable. At least, they were stronger than Jia Xingtian and Haibo Dong, though they had not yet reached the Battle Sect level, but were at the peak of the Battle Emperor stage.
Relieved that the auras were not Battle Sects, Xiao Yan relaxed slightly. With his abilities, he would be hard to keep under control even within the Battle Emperor realm.
Feeling more at ease, Xiao Yan followed Medusa into the bamboo house, and the door closed automatically behind him. Inside, dim lights suddenly rose, and in the spacious room, four old figures appeared in Xiao Yan’s line of sight. Medusa was sitting quietly on a cushion nearby.
As if sensing Xiao Yan’s footsteps, the elder in the center slowly opened her eyes, her rhombic pupils locking onto Xiao Yan like a venomous snake, causing a chill to run down his spine.
As she opened her eyes, the other three elders did the same, and four icy auras rose, gathering in mid-air to form a massive, pitch-black python. The python’s emotionless eyes fixed on Xiao Yan, exerting a weighty, invisible pressure that accumulated upon his body like a thousand pounds.
Sensing the immense pressure, Xiao Yan’s expression became serious. With a sharp shout, emerald flames enveloped his body, instantly raising the temperature and dissipating the coldness caused by the four elders. The black python, affected by the flames, became less substantial.
“Truly, a strange fire…” Staring at the emerald flames around Xiao Yan, the central elder’s turbid eyes flashed with surprise. The aura of the python above her head gradually faded, and she spoke: “You are the leader of the Flame Alliance, Xiao Yan?”
Her voice was harsh, like stone scraping against glass, causing a sense of discomfort. Ignoring the unpleasant sound, Xiao Yan bowed politely. “I am Xiao Yan. Greetings, honored elders of the Snake-People Tribe.”
“I never expected… you to have reached the Battle Emperor level at such a young age. Truly, you possess an extraordinary talent,” the central elder smiled, though it was more of a grimace. “I am the Great Elder of the Snake-People Tribe. This is the Second Elder, Third Elder, and Fourth Elder.”
Following the direction of the Great Elder’s bony finger, Xiao Yan bowed to each one, maintaining the necessary formalities.
“Today, we have called you here because we have a matter to discuss.” After introducing everyone, the Great Elder’s rhombic eyes shimmered, and she spoke in a grating voice.
“Please proceed, Great Elder,” Xiao Yan responded with a forced smile.
“This matter concerns our Tribal Chief, Medusa,” the Great Elder’s voice remained calm, with no great fluctuations. But her words made Xiao Yan uneasy.
“Before our Tribal Chief fully transformed into human form, she was a virgin. Of course, Medusa has now taken on human form, but she must undergo a ritual cleansing at the Tribal Altar to engage in intimate relations with humans. This time, the Tribal Chief returned, not a virgin. According to her, this is related to you, Alliance Leader Xiao Yan?”
As she spoke, the Great Elder’s voice grew more severe, and four piercing glares pinned Xiao Yan in place.
Xiao Yan’s expression shifted slightly, and he subtly took a step back. “Elders, this was not my intention. The situation is quite complex…”
“So, you, Alliance Leader Xiao Yan, admit that you took Medusa’s virginity?” The Great Elder’s voice was low.
Xiao Yan, silenced, reluctantly nodded.
“According to our tribal rules, you, Xiao Yan, must endure the punishment of ten thousand snakes devouring your flesh…” The Second Elder, seated next to the Great Elder, interjected in a sinister tone.
Xiao Yan’s expression changed, and his Dou Qi began to circulate. “Elders, this may not have been my voluntary action, but I do have some responsibility. However, your tribal rules should not apply to me. If you insist, I will not submit quietly!”
Seeing Xiao Yan’s darkening face, Medusa’s brows furrowed. She did not want things to deteriorate further, and the four elders had promised not to cause him any trouble. Why?
“Heh, truly a hard-headed one…” The Great Elder looked at Xiao Yan, eyebrows raised, then waved her hand. “No need to frighten you, young man. Since the Snake-People Tribe and the Jia Ma Empire have formed an alliance, we may need your help in the future. Naturally, I won’t subject you to such punishment.”
Xiao Yan was pleased to hear this and quickly asked, “Of course… May I ask why you called me here, Elder?”
The Great Elder exchanged a look with the other three, hesitated for a moment, and then spoke, “During the purification ritual for the Tribal Chief, we detected a faint life force within her using a secret technique. It seems… it might be a sign of pregnancy.”
This statement hit like a thunderbolt, leaving both Xiao Yan and Medusa shocked and speechless.
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