At this moment, the other male serpent-men in the distance had already finished dismantling the giant crab. They wrapped the materials and food in soft animal hides and carried them on their backs.
Each bundle was over two zhang tall, nearly twice the size of the serpent-men themselves. Yet, they carried them effortlessly, demonstrating their astonishing strength.
As the four female serpent-men carried Han Li over, the burly leader shouted an order, and the male serpent-men joined the procession with their burdens. The group then set off toward the valley exit.
Upon exiting the valley, Han Li’s vision brightened. He realized that just a few li away from the valley mouth lay a vast expanse of shimmering blue waves.
The valley was astonishingly close to the sea—no wonder a monstrous crab had managed to intrude.
However, the sea was unusually calm now, with only a salty breeze and no significant waves. This was why Han Li hadn’t heard the sound of crashing waves while inside the valley.
The serpent-men carried Han Li along the coastline for a while before the path began to twist unpredictably.
Han Li glanced around and soon understood.
This wasn’t a coastal mainland but an unfamiliar island—and not a particularly large one at that.
After traveling another dozen li, the serpent-men arrived at a cluster of jagged rocks.
Among the rocks were seven or eight slender, peculiar bone boats. One was large enough to seat four or five people, while the others could only accommodate two at most.
These boats had pointed prows and stern posts carved into various monstrous heads, all crafted from wood.
Han Li and the two serpent-women boarded the largest bone boat, while the others took the smaller ones. They rowed with bone oars, swiftly heading out to sea.
Both male and female serpent-men possessed extraordinary strength, rowing tirelessly. The boats cut through the waves like arrows.
The sea remained eerily calm, with no sea beasts attacking the vessels.
After just an hour, a black dot appeared on the horizon—another island.
Han Li narrowed his eyes, a faint blue glow flickering in his pupils as he examined the island from afar.
It was a mid-sized island, spanning several hundred li, lush with greenery and rolling mountains. It seemed habitable, with numerous peaks and forests.
However, the tallest mountain had a reddish peak and a grayish-white base—likely a volcano.
Due to his depleted magic power, Han Li couldn’t enhance his spiritual vision further to observe more details. The bone boats swiftly approached the island.
Within the time it took to finish a meal, they were just over ten li away.
Suddenly, the tranquil sky darkened as countless storm clouds gathered in an instant. A fierce wind rose, and torrential rain poured down.
The abrupt change in weather was unbelievable.
Yet, it didn’t hinder the bone boats. The serpent-men pressed a raised section inside the boats, activating small formations at the bottom.
White, translucent barriers enveloped each boat. However, the serpent-men’s expressions remained tense.
As the weather worsened, towering waves, as high as buildings, surged toward the boats.
The small vessels, only two or three zhang long, seemed insignificant against the waves. Though the barriers prevented capsizing, they could only drift helplessly, unable to advance.
Han Li frowned, glancing at the two serpent-women. Though grave, they didn’t panic—they must have a contingency plan.
Just as he suspected, a milky-white beam shot from the island, piercing the dark clouds.
A thunderous explosion followed, and a massive burst of white energy tore a hundred-zhang-wide hole in the storm clouds.
Han Li was startled, turning his gaze toward the island.
The beam had been too fast for him to trace its origin.
With the hole in the clouds, the wind and waves weakened. Though not as calm as before, the serpent-men regained control, steering the boats toward the island.
Soon, they reached a natural harbor. Everyone disembarked, and Han Li was carried ashore on the “sedan chair” by the four serpent-women.
He glanced back at the sky—the hole had already been swallowed by the storm, and the sea raged once more.
But for the serpent-men, safely ashore, it no longer mattered.
Han Li pondered, intrigued by whatever had fired the white beam. Though his spiritual sense was weak, he could tell the energy was chaotic—likely from a formation or artifact powered by spirit stones, not a high-level cultivator.
Such power wasn’t impressive to him, but its presence on this small, foreign island was unusual.
These thoughts flashed through his mind before he refocused on his surroundings.
The harbor wasn’t deserted. Several stone houses of varying heights stood along the shore, alongside a towering hundred-zhang stone pillar.
Atop the pillar was a small wooden hut, seemingly occupied by other serpent-men.
Just then, seven or eight serpent-men emerged from the stone houses—mostly female, with a few males. Leading them was a voluptuous, strikingly beautiful serpent-woman in her twenties.
Her eyes swept over the group, lingering on the bulging bundles with a pleased smile. But when she spotted Han Li at the rear, she froze.
The burly leader quickly approached, bowing before speaking gravely to her.
After listening, the serpent-woman’s gaze dropped to Han Li’s legs, her expression shifting to shock.
Suddenly, she slithered forward with graceful movements, stopping before Han Li and speaking in an odd language.
Han Li raised an eyebrow and shook his head.
Undeterred, she cycled through seven or eight languages. When she reached the last, Han Li’s expression shifted—he recognized it as the language of the Feiling people!
Though her speech was halting and unpolished.
“You understand Feiling tongue?” Han Li remarked, surprised.
“Great! You, an upper clansman, also speak it! This humble one is Yanwu, an assistant priestess of the Huoyang Tribe. How may we address you, honored guest?” she replied joyfully, bowing.
“Call me Mr. Han. The Huoyang Tribe? This is my first time hearing of it. Where exactly is this sea region?” Han Li asked slowly.
“Our Huoyang Tribe is but a minor branch of the Wa Clan. It’s no surprise you haven’t heard of us. Your presence here is a great honor. However, as an assistant priestess, I know little of the upper clansmen in these waters and am unworthy to host you. Let me escort you to our High Priest—he will answer all your questions.” Her tone was neither subservient nor arrogant.
“High Priest?” Han Li’s eyes narrowed slightly as he studied her faint spiritual aura.
Though only at Qi Refinement level, she was undoubtedly a cultivator. Given her low cultivation, the High Priest couldn’t be much stronger. He had nothing to fear.
After a brief mental calculation, Han Li nodded faintly.
Relieved, Yanwu exhaled inwardly. This upper clansman’s aura was peculiar—sometimes faint, sometimes undetectable. Such ambiguity was best left to the High Priest.
She issued a few orders to the burly leader before retrieving a leather pouch from her waist. From it, she drew a snow-white spirit bird, the size of a fist, resembling a parrot but with fiery red eyes like embedded flames.
After stroking it and murmuring strange sounds, she released it. The bird shot toward the island’s interior as a streak of white light, vanishing in moments.
“I’ve informed the High Priest. Allow me to escort you to Huoyang City,” she said with a bright smile.
Han Li raised an eyebrow but didn’t object, closing his eyes instead.
Taking his silence as consent, Yanwu led the four serpent-women carrying Han Li along a stone path toward the island’s heart.
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