Entering the Tagor Desert

[Confirm use of 1-Star Dou Sheng Experience Card *1]

"Confirm."

As the man's slightly helpless words fell, the surging Dou Qi within his body stirred the energy of heaven and earth. The space around him distorted, and faint cracks began to appear.

[Name: Zhang Nian]

[Age: 20]

[Items: None]

[Current Strength: Peak 1-Star Dou Sheng, Countdown 00:59:59]

Glancing at the prompt panel before him, Zhang Nian dared not waste a single moment. The experience card granted him the strength of a peak 1-Star Dou Sheng instantly, and he had fully grasped the corresponding abilities, but this item had a time limit. He had to begin his next major move immediately.

With a wave of his hand, powerful energy stirred up a gust of wind. Accompanied by billowing dust, the void before him seemed to be torn open by an invisible pair of hands, revealing a fissure large enough for him to enter.

He stepped inside slowly, and as his figure vanished, the fissure disappeared without a trace, as if this person had never existed in this world at all.

Tagor Desert

Amidst the endless yellow sand, traces of living beings could be faintly seen. The Snake-People Tribe had taken root in this barren land under the leadership of two elders and various tribal chiefs.

"Medusa, your talent is excellent, but to unite the eight tribes, you still need strength. Elder Li and I are nearing our limits; at most, we can protect the tribe for another ten years. From now on, this Snake-People Tribe will be in your hands."

The old woman draped in gray robes looked on with eyes full of gratification and expectation. Her face, etched with the marks of time, revealed deep comfort; the young girl before her was the future hope of the entire Snake-People Tribe.

"Don't worry, Granny Snake, I will definitely work hard. You will surely break through to that realm. I am waiting for you to see me sit on the throne of the Snake-People Tribe with your own eyes."

At this moment, Medusa's appearance was still slightly green. She wore a cyan robe, and the delicate, well-proportioned figure beneath it was faintly visible, like an apple in May—not yet ripe, but already possessing a unique charm. The look she gave the two elders was filled with determination.

The two elders smiled at each other, both seeing the helplessness in the other's eyes. The lack of successors in the Snake-People Tribe was what worried them most; as for breaking through their current realm, they had long since given up hope.

"Boom!"

A loud noise erupted in the sky. The people in the room froze, looking slightly suspicious as they turned their heads toward the doorway.

Immediately after, urgent shouts came from outside. A Snake-People subordinate rushed into the room, looking panicked as if he had seen something terrifying, and shouted:

"The two elders, the sky outside is acting strange!"

Granny Snake frowned. Although the Snake-People Tribe did not have many formalities, this behavior displeased her. She said coldly:

"What is wrong with the sky outside? Why are you so reckless and flustered?"

The subordinate knew he had been rash and lowered his head to apologize. When he looked up, his expression remained panicked. He raised a finger toward the outside and said urgently:

"Granny Snake, the sky outside... the sky has been torn open!"

Shock!

Although Medusa did not fully understand, she could see the gravity of the situation on the faces of Elder Li and Granny Snake. At this time, her strength had reached the 9-Star Dou King level, and she had not yet touched upon higher realms, so naturally, she did not think in that direction.

"Let's go, let's go out and see."

Granny Snake walked quickly toward the outside, her snake tail leaving a long trail on the ground. Elder Li followed closely behind, and driven by curiosity, Medusa also followed them outside.

When she saw the scene in the sky, she gasped, her mouth wide open:

"Heavens!"

At this moment, an irregularly shaped opening had split the sky. Looking closely, it was pitch black inside, with electric arcs and sparks flickering faintly.

Granny Snake glanced at Elder Li beside her, looked around, and lowered her voice:

"Tearing space?"

"Yes, it must be a Dou Sheng expert..."

Dou Sheng...

A cultivation level that made people turn pale at the mere mention of it. Since no Dou Di had appeared on the Dou Qi Continent for many years, a Dou Sheng was considered by everyone to be the highest realm a cultivator could reach. Yet, such an expert had come to such a godforsaken place, which could not help but arouse the vigilance of the two elders.

Granny Snake immediately shouted loudly: "All Snake-People, prostrate yourselves on the ground! No one is to look up without orders!"

As her voice fell, the two of them flapped their wings and flew into the sky, leaving Medusa behind in curiosity.

Indeed, in front of such an expert, even looking up might be a sin.

"Yes!"

Granny Snake's words were the decree for all Snake-People. In an instant, the entire sandy area was covered with Snake-People, all of them pressing their faces to the ground without exception.

"Whoosh~"

A figure flew out, and one could faintly hear a man's complaining voice.

"How strange, I've almost searched the entire Tagor Desert, where is the Snake-People Tribe?"

This sentence was heard by Granny Snake and her companion who had flown up to meet him. The look of fear on their aged faces deepened, but they dared not be negligent. To a Dou Sheng expert, the vast desert was but a blink of an eye; even if they wanted to hide, where could they go?

If the Snake-People Tribe could not be preserved, they would simply die on the spot today; there would be no other outcome.

"We did not know an expert was descending and failed to welcome you properly. Elder Granny Snake of the Snake-People Tribe is here to plead guilty!"

Her voice, wrapped in Dou Qi, resounded in all directions. Zhang Nian stopped, looked back at the ground below, and realized it was indeed the Snake-People Tribe he had been searching for!

He flew rapidly to the two of them and cast a glance. A powerful pressure instantly bore down on them, and the space around them surged, revealing faint ripples. With just a single look, the two felt a suffocating sensation of impending death and the powerlessness of facing a true expert.

Immersing his mind, he took a glance at the countdown displayed on the panel in his mind, took a deep breath, and said:

"I am in a great hurry. I have come today solely to take on a disciple. Where is Medusa of the Snake-People Tribe?"

???

The aged face was filled with a giant question mark. A Dou Sheng powerhouse wanting to take Medusa as a disciple?

This was a massive stroke of good fortune!

Originally, the Jia Ma Empire held hostility toward the Snake-People Tribe stationed in the Tagor Desert, and small-scale wars had broken out between them in the past. If Medusa could successfully become his disciple, it would be equivalent to the Snake-People Tribe gaining a powerful backer!

Joy overflowed, and the two elders were now streaming with tears. This was no invader; this was a blessing sent from the heavens to the Snake-People Tribe!

Seeing these two decrepit snake-people with tears welling in their eyes, yet remaining silent, Zhang Nian thought they were unwilling. He felt puzzled; he was a Dou Sheng, lowering himself to take a disciple, and they weren't just failing to show gratitude, they weren't even saying thank you?

The two before him didn't hold the entire script of Battle Through the Heavens like he did, so why were they making such expressions?

"Are you unwilling?" His tone grew impatient. His time was truly tight and his tasks heavy. He had already wasted quite a bit of time searching for the Snake-People Tribe in the vast Tagor Desert. After this, he still needed to head to the Jia Nan Academy in the Black-Corner Region, and on the way back, stop by the Misty Cloud Sect. It was a tight schedule indeed.

Granny Snake had grievances she couldn't voice. Her entire body was restrained, so how could she speak? If Zhang Nian could hear her inner thoughts, they would be:

"My lord, please take the child away quickly! We are more than willing!"