Time was like the fine sand in the desert. You could try to hold on to it, but it slipped through your fingers, leaving only a few grains behind to prove it had ever been there.
In the blink of an eye, half a year had passed.
Gu Shenge had spent the entire six months in Snake-Person City, and quite a few things had happened in that time.
With the help of the Top-Grade Sect-Breaking Pills, only the First Elder and Fourth Elder had managed to break through to Dou Zong. The Second Elder and Third Elder had both failed.
The price of failing was that their lifespans were exhausted and their blood and qi ran dry, leaving them with little time to live. If Gu Shenge hadn't given them two Qingming Longevity Pills to take, they would have perished sometime during those six months.
Medusa had also advanced from Seven-Star Dou Zong to the peak of Eight-Star Dou Zong, just half a step away from Nine-Star Dou Zong.
During those six months, Gu Shenge had diligently studied the Tier 6 Alchemist Manual. With the Snake-People Tribe's Magic Cores and medicinal ingredients to aid him, it took him less than five months to reach the Tier 6 alchemist realm.
Of course, a major reason for this was that the Nine Sun Emperor Characters protected his soul. He learned as if aided by a divine force, progressing several times—or even more than ten times—faster than ordinary people.
His cultivation had advanced from Five-Star Dou Emperor to Seven-Star Dou Emperor.
This was because Gu Shenge hadn't deliberately cultivated. He had spent most of the past six months studying alchemy, and had barely cultivated at all. Even without practicing, the Divine Sun within his flesh and blood absorbed the energy of heaven and earth as it revolved, converting it into Solar Dou Qi and allowing him to advance naturally.
The Snake-People Tribe's Great Commander had also emerged from seclusion during those six months. When he learned that Mo Basi had been killed by a single punch from Gu Shenge, he came to pick a fight with him—and was killed by a single punch as well.
Because of this, Medusa gave Gu Shenge the cold shoulder for several days.
After all, the Great Commander had been one of the Snake-People Tribe's few Dou Huang experts, and an Eight-Star Dou Emperor at that. His death meant the tribe had lost a major fighting force.
But as the saying went, a quarrel between husband and wife was over by bedtime.
Although Medusa was giving Gu Shenge the cold shoulder, their nightly marital activities never stopped. After he had worn her down a few times, the proud queen finally snuggled obediently into his arms.
After merging with the Origin of the Nine Serenities Earth-Underworld Python, Yue Mei had evolved into a Nine Serenities Earth-Underworld Python, and her strength had increased considerably. After taking a Top-Grade Dou Ling Pill, a Top-Grade Emperor-Breaking Pill, and a Top-Grade Huangji Pill in succession, she had reached Four-Star Dou Emperor and become the Snake-People Tribe's new Great Commander.
The Jia Ma Empire, the Chu Yun Empire, and the other two great empires learned that the Snake-People Tribe had suddenly gained three Dou Zong experts, while their queen Medusa had reached Eight-Star Dou Zong. The four empires were thrown into a panic, afraid the Snake-People Tribe would come after them. After all, everyone knew that Medusa wanted to lead her people out of the Tagor Desert.
Yet they waited and waited, and the Snake-People Tribe showed no sign of moving. This left the four empires baffled, unable to guess what Medusa was up to.
Snake-Person City, Divine Temple.
The queen's bedchamber.
"Master, wake up! The sun's almost on your bottom!"
A clear, tender voice urged Gu Shenge beside his ear. He slowly opened his eyes, and Qing Lin's slightly childish, pretty face came into view. Her cherry lips were puckered like a goldfish's, and she knelt beside the bed with her hands propping up her cheeks, urging Gu Shenge to get up.
Gu Shenge's gaze cleared. He sat up in bed and looked helplessly at Qing Lin beside him. Reaching out, he patted her head. Qing Lin clearly enjoyed it, like a Little Mother Cat accepting her master's affection.
Qing Lin had made tremendous progress over the past six months. With Gu Shenge's help, she had used her Triple Jade-Green Snake Flower Pupils to establish a connection with the Black Prison Soul-Devouring Python and the Double-Headed Fire Spirit Snake. Her own cultivation had reached Three-Star Dou Zhe, and she had become increasingly adept at using her Triple Jade-Green Snake Flower Pupils.
The Black Prison Soul-Devouring Python had also advanced from the early fifth rank to the late fifth rank, making it equivalent to a high-rank Dou Wang among humans. This was all thanks to Gu Shenge feeding it the Snake-People Tribe's Great Commander's soul to devour.
The energy contained in an Eight-Star Dou Emperor's soul was immense. Once the Black Prison Soul-Devouring Python had fully absorbed it, it might be able to break through to the sixth rank.
Gu Shenge asked, "Qing Lin, where's your Sister Medusa?"
Qing Lin thought for a moment, then answered, "Sister Medusa and the First Elder are discussing something. I think it has to do with the Black-Corner Region."
The Black-Corner Region. It seemed Medusa was getting ready to make her move.
Gu Shenge's eyes took on a thoughtful look.
The Snake-People Tribe was now much stronger. Besides Medusa, a peak Eight-Star Dou Zong, they had the First Elder and Fourth Elder, both One-Star Dou Zong; the Second Elder and Third Elder, both peak Dou Huang; Yue Mei, a Four-Star Dou Emperor; and thirteen Dou Wang experts, including Hua She'er and the New Eight Great Leaders.
With such a formidable lineup, they could sweep across the Black-Corner Region. Unless the Half-Saint dean of Jia Nan Academy stepped in, even the Qian and Bai Elders wouldn't be able to stop Medusa.
"Come on. Let's go see what they're discussing."
Gu Shenge pinched Qing Lin's cheek. After getting dressed and washing up, he took her by the hand and headed for the Divine Temple.
At that moment, inside the Divine Temple.
Medusa's enchanting face was lightly made up, her beauty peerless. She wore a bright-red, rose-patterned qipao that accentuated her mature, graceful figure. After Gu Shenge had tended to and nourished her, her curves had grown even fuller, while her slender snake waist could be encircled in a single hand. She lounged lazily on her throne, one delicate hand propping up her fair, jade-like cheek. Her long, shapely legs, clad in translucent black stockings, were crossed. She looked both noble and languid, yet her every gesture carried the majesty of a queen, making it hard for anyone to dare raise their eyes to meet hers.
The First Elder looked respectfully at her queen. Her voice had changed, too—perhaps because she had broken through to Dou Zong. It had become much gentler and was no longer as grating as before.
"Your Majesty, the Snake-People Tribe has reached an unprecedented level of strength. It's time for you to lead the tribe out of the Tagor Desert and into a broader land with richer resources."
The Fourth Elder, meanwhile, kept glancing at Medusa's belly, which had shown no change at all over the past six months. She was rather puzzled.
Her queen and Wang Fu had never missed their nightly marital activities, so why hadn't there been any sign of a pregnancy?
Should she advise the queen to try her own remedy?
The two elders were clearly thinking about entirely different things.
Hearing the First Elder's suggestion, Medusa gave a slight nod.
With the Snake-People Tribe's current strength, there was no faction in the Black-Corner Region that could stand against her, except Jia Nan Academy, which had a Half-Saint. It was time to begin the migration.
She had also visited the Black-Corner Region several times over the past six months and had familiarized herself with the situation there. Each faction occupied a city. Since the Snake-People Tribe intended to establish itself in the Black-Corner Region, they would naturally have to target its strongest faction first.
Diyan Valley was Medusa's target.
Old Demon of Earth was only Seven-Star Dou Zong, while Medusa had now reached the peak of Eight-Star Dou Zong. Killing him would be as easy as turning over her hand.
Medusa parted her red lips, her voice cool yet commanding as she gave the First Elder an order.
"Pass down my command. Every Snake-People Tribe settlement must prepare to move. In three days, we head for the Black-Corner Region!"
"Yes!"
The First Elder nodded respectfully. She didn't need to worry about how they would move every Snake-person to the Black-Corner Region. Since the queen had given the order, she must have a plan.
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