Dou Emperor Melee, Waiting for an Opportunity!

"BOOM!"

Six figures radiating terrifying auras descended upon the sky above the Holy City of the Snake-People Tribe like vultures catching the scent of blood.

Tearing through the firmament, they were the first to arrive.

They were the six human Dou Emperors led by Yun Yun, Hai Bodong, the Dou Emperor of the Black Skull Tomb, the Copper Flame Dou Emperor, and another mysterious Dou Emperor.

Their gazes were scorching and greedy, locked firmly onto the center of the Holy City.

Those two Heavenly Flames soared into the sky, reflecting each other's brilliance:

"Hiss!"

The violently raging, bright yellow Wind Fury Dragon Flame and the endlessly vibrant, cyan Green Lotus Core Flame!

At such close range, the aura of these two distinct yet equally world-destroying Heavenly Flames rushed toward them.

Even these knowledgeable and experienced Dou Emperors felt their heartbeats quicken and their breathing grow ragged!

However, the very moment they descended:

From the most magnificent temple in the center of the Holy City, a graceful and peerless figure, radiating icy killing intent, slowly rose into the air.

The moment she appeared, it was as if she had instantly stolen all the color from the world!

A luxurious purple-gold brocade robe wrapped tightly around her provocative, alluring body.

Yet, it exuded a sense of nobility and majesty that brooked no profanity.

Beneath the robe, a section of a purple snake tail was revealed, swaying lazily.

It radiated a heart-palpitating, dangerous aura.

Her face was breathtakingly beautiful!

Her exquisite features seemed like the most perfect masterpiece of the heavens, naturally charming and enchanting.

A pair of long, narrow, light purple eyes flickered with innate allure.

Yet, they carried the coldness and majesty of a queen, as if she could make one willingly fall into death while intoxicated.

It was none other than Queen Medusa!

But looking closely, one could detect a trace of imperceptible paleness on her stunning face.

Her aura also seemed less rounded and surging than the rumors suggested, with a faint sense of instability.

Clearly, she had paid a heavy price during the process of subduing the Green Lotus Core Flame, and her injuries had not yet fully healed.

"Humans, you have crossed the line!"

Queen Medusa's icy voice rang out like clashing glaciers, carrying biting killing intent.

"This place is the Holy City of my Snake-People Tribe; withdraw at once!"

"Otherwise, there shall be no mercy!"

Although she was not in her best state, her aura as a queen remained undiminished! Her purple eyes swept over every human Dou Emperor, as if looking at a group of ants who did not know whether to live or die.

"Queen Medusa!"

Gu He stepped forward, his gaze sweeping over her pale complexion as a flash of realization crossed his eyes, and he said in a deep voice:

"Heavenly Flames appear in the world, nurtured by nature, and belong to those capable of claiming them!"

"Your Snake-People Tribe wants to swallow these two Heavenly Flames alone; I fear your appetite is not that large!"

"If you are sensible, hand over the Heavenly Flames, and we might consider withdrawing; otherwise..."

The Dou Emperor of the Black Skull Tomb chimed in sinisterly, his voice like a blade scraping bone.

"Otherwise, today, the Snake-People Tribe shall cease to exist in this Tagor Great Desert!"

The terrifying pressure of the six Dou Emperors combined like a physical force.

It made every Snake-Person in the entire Holy City feel a suffocating terror!

Many of the weaker Snake-People collapsed directly to the ground, shivering.

Cold light surged in Queen Medusa's purple snake pupils as she lashed her tail, and a tyrannical aura erupted.

Forcing back the pressure of the six Emperors, she let out a cold snort:

"Arrogant!"

"Do you truly think my Snake-People Tribe can be bullied?"

"The Green Lotus Core Flame belongs to this Queen; it is absolutely impossible for me to hand it over!"

"As for the Wind Fury Dragon Flame, do not think you can take it away so easily either!"

"So, there is nothing to discuss?"

The Copper Flame Dou Emperor had a fiery temper; the crimson Dou Qi around his body had already begun to boil, and the air distorted due to this scorching energy.

Just as both sides stood at daggers drawn, with a great battle on the verge of erupting—

"Sigh..."

An aged and long-drawn-out sigh drifted from the depths of the forbidden grounds behind the Holy City.

It carried the vicissitudes and helplessness of time, yet contained a power that could not be underestimated.

Immediately following, four vast and majestic auras, far more formidable than Queen Medusa's current state, surged forth.

Like dragons that had slumbered for a thousand years, they roared into wakefulness!

Four streaks of light shot out from the forbidden grounds, landing beside Queen Medusa.

They transformed into four old women dressed in ancient Snake-People attire, their faces withered, each clutching a snake-headed scepter.

Their auras had all reached the level of high-tier Dou Emperors!

Though aged, the pressure accumulated through the passage of time was enough to make one's heart tremble!

Every glance they swept across the field seemed to carry the weight of Thousand Jun.

"Humans, you go too far."

The Great Elder in the lead had drooping eyelids, her voice flat yet carrying an unquestionable power.

"Of the two Heavenly Flames, my Snake-People Tribe must keep at least one."

"Otherwise, even if you win, you will surely pay a price too heavy to bear!"

"I believe none of you wish to perish together with us four old bones, do you?"

Five Snake-People Dou Emperors, including the injured Queen Medusa!

Facing off against six human Dou Emperors!

Though slightly inferior in number, the Snake-People Tribe had four high-tier Dou Emperors in peak condition and held the advantage of the terrain.

If they truly fought to the death, the human side would definitely not come out unscathed, and some might even fall here!

The expressions of the human Dou Emperors in the air instantly turned grave, their momentum stalling.

They exchanged glances, eyes flickering, clearly weighing the pros and cons.

Was it worth risking their lives for the Heavenly Flames?

For a moment, no one dared to make a move.

The scene fell into a strange silence and standoff.

Invisible gunpowder permeated the air, as if it would ignite at any second.

However, just then, among the human camp, apart from Yun Yun and Hai Bodong who remained silent, two of the other four Dou Emperors slowly stepped forward.

One was the Dou Emperor from the Black Skull Tomb, who hailed from the Black-Corner Region and possessed a chilling aura.

The other was the Copper Flame Dou Emperor, whose skin was bronze-colored and who came from a neighboring country.

They smiled at each other, their faces showing no fear, but rather a certainty of victory.

The Black Skull Tomb Dou Emperor chuckled sinisterly:

"Hehe, four Snake-People elders, what great prestige."

"If it were any other time, we might truly have to weigh our options."

"But today..."

The Copper Flame Dou Emperor boomed in response:

"But today, these two Heavenly Flames, we two brothers are determined to have them!"

As soon as he finished speaking, both men flipped their palms!

A uniquely shaped jade talisman appeared in each of their palms, which they crushed violently!

"I invite Your Excellency to appear!"

"Hum! Hum!"

The moment the jade talismans shattered!

Four streaks of light suddenly erupted from the desert beneath their feet!

Four terrifying auras, peerless and in no way inferior to anyone present, descended abruptly!

Four figures appeared out of thin air like ghosts, standing behind the Black Skull Tomb Dou Emperor and the Copper Flame Dou Emperor.

All four were clad in wide cloaks that concealed their faces.

But the pressure of peak Dou Emperors, like that of primordial beasts, swept out without the slightest restraint!

Four peak Dou Emperors in total!

"Allow us to introduce ourselves."

The Dou Emperor from Black Skull Tomb laughed triumphantly, his eyes flickering with greedy light:

"This old man is Mo Fa, an elder of Black Skull Tomb, and also a Tier 6 Alchemist."

"This is Venerable Tong Yan, who is likewise a Tier 6 Alchemist."

Alchemists!

And Tier 6 at that!

The crowd suddenly understood; no wonder they could enlist such powerful helpers!

The connections and influence of an alchemist were never to be underestimated!

A single high-tier medicinal pill was enough to make many experts risk their lives.

Mo Fa continued:

"As for these two Heavenly Flames, one for me and one for fellow Daoist Tong Yan—it is a perfect arrangement."

"As for the rest of you..."

His gaze swept over Gu He, Yun Yun, Hai Bodong, and the other mysterious Dou Emperor.

"If you are willing to assist us in seizing the Heavenly Flames, once the deed is done, each of you shall receive one Imperial Extreme Pill!"

"Plus, one free opportunity to have a Tier 6 pill refined! How about it?"

As soon as these words were spoken, the expressions of Gu He, Yun Yun, Hai Bodong, and the mysterious Dou Emperor shifted violently!

An Imperial Extreme Pill! A precious, peak Tier 6 pill capable of directly increasing a Dou Emperor's strength by one star!

Not to mention the promise of a Tier 6 Alchemist! This was an offer of no small scale!

Gu He struggled internally; he had come for the Heavenly Flames, yet now he was being asked to submit to others.

But after glancing at Yun Yun beside him and seeing her nod in agreement, and then looking at the four unfathomable peak Dou Emperors on the other side, he finally sighed bitterly and nodded:

"The Misty Cloud Sect... agrees."

He knew that with the strength the Misty Cloud Sect had currently dispatched, a head-on collision would be no different from courting death.

Getting an Imperial Extreme Pill was not a bad consolation.

The mysterious Dou Emperor also nodded slowly, clearly swayed by the Imperial Extreme Pill and the alchemical promise.

Hai Bodong cursed the two men's treachery in his heart for hiding such a trump card.

But on the surface, he could only feign interest and nod in agreement.

Privately, he resolved to put in minimal effort and watch how the situation unfolded, hoping for both sides to suffer heavy losses so he could reap the benefits.

In this way, the human side's strength instantly swelled to ten Dou Emperors!

Mo Fa, Venerable Tong Yan, the four peak Dou Emperors they brought, Yun Yun, Hai Bodong, and the mysterious Dou Emperor...!

Ten against five! And among them, four were peak Dou Emperors!

The situation reversed in an instant, becoming incredibly lopsided!

The Snake-People Tribe, including the four elders and Queen Medusa, saw their expressions turn grim!

Not only had the enemy's numbers doubled, but their top-tier combat power was also completely overwhelming!

Queen Medusa clenched her fists tightly, her purple nails nearly digging into her palms, her eyes filled with fury and unwillingness.

A flash of ruthlessness crossed the eyes of the two alchemists; with so many experts gathered, if they took the opportunity to... wipe out the Snake-People Tribe, the wealth and resources they could plunder

would likely be no less valuable than a Heavenly Flame!

"Kill! Since they refuse a toast, we shall force them to drink a forfeit—exterminate the tribe!"

Mo Fa shouted sharply and struck first, a pitch-black ghost claw tearing through the sky.

Carrying a cold, corrosive aura, it lunged straight for the Great Elder of the Snake-People!

The great battle erupted instantly!

"BOOM!!!"

The ten human Dou Emperors descended like tigers into a flock of sheep.

Various powerful Dou Techniques rained down upon the Holy City of the Snake-People like a deluge!

Dou Qi surged, energy rampaged, and the sky was stained with a kaleidoscope of colors.

The four Snake-People elders roared, slamming their Serpent Canes into the ground.

A massive, snake-shaped energy barrier rose instantly, shrouding the core area of the Holy City!

At the same time, the four of them connected their auras, forming a profound and mysterious formation.

With the power of the formation, they actually managed to temporarily block the first wave of frenzied attacks! Light flowed across the protective barrier, continuously resisting the impacts from the outside.

Queen Medusa also suppressed her injuries, her purple hair dancing in the wind.

She condensed a long purple energy whip in her hand, which whistled as it tore through the air, lashing out fiercely at the enemies!

Every strike contained terrifying power, forcing several Dou Emperors to dodge repeatedly.

However, a subtle change began to appear on the battlefield.

Hai Bodong's eyes flickered; the ice-type Dou Techniques he released appeared fierce, but their power was actually sharply reduced.

Landing on the snake-shaped barrier, they merely stirred up a spray of ice crystals, unable to cause any substantial damage.

He kept circling the edge of the battlefield, his gaze vigilantly observing the movements of all parties, searching for the most advantageous moment.

That mysterious Dou Emperor was the same, his attacks soft and weak, more like he was just going through the motions.

He glanced toward the two Heavenly Flames from time to time, clearly harboring his own calculations.

Even Gu He and some of the Dou Kings held back in their attacks.

They only released some inconsequential Dou Techniques at critical moments.

It was precisely because these people were not using their full strength that even though the human Dou Emperors held the numerical advantage, both sides were barely evenly matched at the start.

Although the Snake-People Tribe's barrier was shaking, there were no signs of it collapsing anytime soon.

Seeing this, Mo Fa and Copper Flame felt a flash of displeasure in their eyes.

But as this was a critical moment, they had no time to be distracted by forcing these people.

They could only increase their offensive, hoping to break the stalemate as soon as possible.

Even so, the attacks of ten Dou Emperors could be described as world-shaking!

The Snake-People Tribe's barrier trembled violently, and cracks began to spread!

The four elders forming the formation turned pale, fine beads of sweat seeping from their foreheads; it was clear they were struggling immensely to hold on.

They could feel the energy of the barrier depleting rapidly.

Yet, on the edge of this chaotic, top-tier battle, no one noticed.

Lin Chen was like an insignificant bystander.

He hovered quietly in the air far away, watching all of this with cold indifference.

Mo Fa? You certainly have some tricks.

Lin Chen chuckled inwardly:

Fight on, the more brutal the better.

Only when you are both left battered and exhausted will my opportunity arrive.

Although he was confident he could contend with or even kill a Dou Emperor, facing so many powerhouses—

Especially those four peak Dou Emperors he couldn't see through—rushing in to snatch the prize directly was by no means a wise move.

The fisherman reaping the benefits was the true path to success.

His gaze lingered mostly on the two Heavenly Flames.

Suddenly, he keenly noticed that the Wind Fury Dragon Flame, which appeared to be rotating violently in place while resisting the energy of the Snake-People Tribe's barrier, was acting strangely.

Its core essence seemed to be moving in an extremely subtle way, slowly and imperceptibly...

Approaching the Green Lotus Core Flame, which was being suppressed by Medusa and appeared somewhat weak!

Hm? What is it trying to do? Devour the Green Lotus Core Flame?

Lin Chen's heart stirred, and he became increasingly vigilant. The devouring of one Heavenly Flame by another...

Often triggered an even more terrifying energy explosion; he had to remain focused at all times.

The Dou Kings on the periphery had long since been frightened away by a battle of this level.

They could only act as terrified spectators, not daring to approach even an inch.

The battle remained deadlocked, but the balance was soon broken!

The human Dou Emperors were, after all, numerous, and Mo Fa, Copper Flame, and the others were attacking fiercely.

Yun Yun transformed into a breeze, her sword light sharp as she attempted to find a flaw in the barrier.

Perhaps in her eagerness to break the stalemate, her figure pushed too far forward, exposing a weakness!

"Now! Snake Spirit Bind!"

A fierce glint flashed in the eyes of the four Snake-People elders as the formation shifted.

Four purple snake-shaped energy beams shot out like chains, cleverly bypassing Yun Yun's sword light.

In an instant, they coiled tightly around her!

"Oh no!"

Yun Yun let out a cry of alarm as her Dou Qi was instantly sealed, rendering her unable to mobilize it.

Her entire body was struck by the massive force that followed immediately after!

It was the combined strike of the four great elders!

"BOOM!!"

She spat out a mouthful of blood, her figure instantly sent flying violently!

Like a kite with a broken string, she traced a parabolic arc through the air.

She was actually flung directly out of the Holy City's perimeter, plummeting toward the desert below.

In an instant, she was swallowed by the sweeping sandstorm, vanishing from everyone's sight!

"Yun Yun!"

Gu He's eyes were split with rage, his heart filled with frantic urgency as he sought to rescue her.

Yet, he was intercepted by a quick-reacting Snake-Person Dou King who fought to the death to block him!

He could only watch helplessly as Yun Yun disappeared into the sandstorm, his heart burning with anxiety.

And just as the four elders combined their strength to fling Yun Yun away, the moment the formation showed a flicker of stagnation:

"A perfect opportunity!"

Mo Fa, Copper Flame, and the four peak Dou Emperors they brought with them saw their eyes erupt with brilliant light simultaneously!

Without a single word of exchange, the six of them displayed perfect tacit understanding, unleashing their strongest attacks at once!

"Nether Ghost Claw!"

"Flame Emperor Heaven-Burning Palm!"

"Space-Splitting Slash!"

"..."

Six terrifying Dou Techniques, each capable of destroying a city, converged into a single destructive torrent.

It tore through the momentarily weakened serpentine barrier, slamming fiercely into the four Snake-Person elders who were temporarily drained from executing their combined strike!

"BOOM!!!"

Queen Medusa let out a shriek of shock and fury, her eyes bloodshot.

She exhausted every ounce of her strength, wanting to intercept it, but it was already too late!

The light of destruction instantly swallowed the four aged figures!