Xiao as in Arrogant (Thanks to Harem Beauties 3000 for the recommendation votes,

monthly votes)

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Salt City, Xiao Family

Within a quiet, secluded courtyard.

"Huh, she's starting to prepare for Evolution? She isn't even waiting for her injuries to heal? Fine, since you're so pretty, I'll lend you a hand."

A faintly amused voice slowly echoed through the courtyard, and then the lazy figure within it—

vanished along with ripples spreading through the air.

In the vast desert, several dozen fully armed Snake People held poisoned spears, their sharp gazes carefully sweeping this small area. Any creature that was not part of the Snake People Clan would suffer their devastating slaughter. This Snake People squad patrolled in staggered formation, leaving behind trails carved by their swaying snake tails.

As the blazing sun in the sky gradually sank toward the west,

a huge city finally appeared faintly at the end of the horizon.

If someone were looking down upon this region at this moment, they would be surprised to discover that the closer one got to the city, the more—

massive boulders appeared amid the endless yellow sand. Beyond those scattered rocks stood the temple city where the Medusa Queen resided.

Perhaps because night was falling, the gates of this enormous city were already tightly shut. Fully armed Snake People guards patrolled back and forth atop the walls. Over the city walls, more than a dozen huge black birds circled continuously, their sharp eyes constantly scanning outside the city. Any slight disturbance would cause these beasts to sound an alarm.

Inside the spacious and luxurious main hall, a beautiful figure leaned lightly against the back of a chair, looking somewhat weary. Her lazy gaze occasionally swept toward the purple crystal throne suspended above the platform, and she could not help shaking her head helplessly.

Her slender hand rubbed her smooth forehead. A trace of delight suddenly appeared on the woman's lovely face as she raised her head and looked toward the entrance of the hall. A pitch-black shadow shot inside like lightning.

"He finally made it..."

Seeing the pitch-black figure enter the hall, the woman could not help letting out a sigh of relief.

"Yue Mei, what exactly happened? You actually issued three martial law orders in a row? Are those humans that strong?"

The figure entering the hall was clearly a male Snake Person. He was somewhat powerfully built, with a thin garment casually draped over his body. His arms were covered in strange black tattoos, which extended to his palms and formed two savage black snake heads. The snake heads were slightly raised, as though they might burst free from his body at any moment, faintly exuding a fierce and vicious aura.

Glancing at this male Snake Person, whose status within the clan was equal to her own, Yue Mei let out a light sigh. She straightened her waist slightly, making the alluring curves of her full figure even more pronounced, and said lazily, "Very strong... I ran into them last night and fled in a sorry state. Mm... They should have reached the area around the temple by now."

"Oh? Do you know their exact strength?"

Hearing this, the male Snake Person's pupils narrowed slightly. He walked to the center of the hall and sat down before the wide table, his voice carrying an undisguised chill.

"One Dou Emperor, three Dou Kings, and four Dou Lings. Judging by their attire, they should be from the Misty Cloud Sect. Their leader is called Gu He, the Jia Ma Empire's only tier-six alchemist."

Yue Mei pursed her seductive red lips and said softly, "Mo Bass, it looks like this time, we may be in trouble."

"The Misty Cloud Sect? The Snake People Clan has always kept to itself and never interfered with the Misty Cloud Sect. What are they planning with such actions? Could it be that they intend to start a war with the Snake People Clan?"

His expression slightly grave, the male Snake Person called Mo Bass asked in a low voice, "Have you informed Your Majesty the Queen? What did she say?"

"I informed her. But Your Majesty the Queen seemed very calm. She only told me to send out the intelligence reports and summon all of you." Yue Mei nodded and said helplessly. "Those people suddenly came to the desert. They must have some purpose, right?" Mo Bass pondered for a moment, somewhat puzzled.

"I clashed with them once last night. From what they said, it seemed they wanted to find Your Majesty the Queen..."

Yue Mei played with a strand of green hair between her fingers and said with interest, "Find Your Majesty the Queen?"

Hearing this, Mo Bass was rather stunned. Weren't those human experts usually terrified of Your Majesty the Queen? Why were they now—

"I don't know what they want to do either... In the past, they could not run away fast enough. Now, they're fighting to squeeze their way in... Did these people get their heads caught in a door?" Yue Mei mocked in a low voice.

With his brows tightly furrowed, Mo Bass suddenly stood and said, "I want to see Your Majesty the Queen. I think we should get to the bottom of this."

"Don't bother. Your Majesty the Queen isn't seeing anyone right now. Even I haven't seen her. Everything she has to say is conveyed through Hua She'er, captain of the Medusa Snake Guards."

Yue Mei curled her lips and curled her bonelessly soft body into the chair like a lazy, beautiful snake. "Your Majesty the Queen has not appeared? How is that possible? This isn't like her usual way of doing things." Mo Bass frowned tightly and said suspiciously, "I'll go try."

Seeing that Mo Bass did not believe her, Yue Mei gave an indifferent hum. Just as she was about to close her eyes, her lovely face abruptly changed. Her body shot up from the chair as her narrow eyes stared coldly at the sky outside the hall. "They're here!"

Just as Yue Mei sensed those several auras suddenly appearing outside the city,

Mo Bass beside her sensed them as well, and his expression immediately darkened.

After exchanging a glance with Yue Mei, the two instantly flashed outside the hall.

Their bodies rapidly rose into the air. Moments later, they arrived atop the city walls, which had already entered a state of martial law. Several hundred meters beyond the walls, a huge Demon Beast floated in midair. Several figures hovered not far in front of it, and those terrifying auras were precisely emanating from them.

The figures steadily walked through the air toward the city. Moments later, they stopped just outside the attack range of the spear throwers atop the walls.

Looking at the group that had stopped outside the attack zone, two streaks of light slowly rose from the city wall. Mo Bass's cold shout, containing a trace of chill, echoed through the sky. "Humans, why have you trespassed into our territory without permission? If you do not wish to provoke a war between the Jia Ma Empire and the Snake People Clan, I advise you to return where you came from!"

"Hehe, this must be Chief Mo Bass of the Mo Snake Tribe?" Among the people hovering in the distance, that distinguished middle-aged man slowly stepped forward and said with a smile.

"Who are you?" Mo Bass lightly flapped the energy wings behind his back, his cold gaze sweeping over the middle-aged man as he sneered.

"Hehe, I am Gu He." The middle-aged man paid no heed to Mo Bass's gaze and smiled slightly.

"Hehe, Chiefs, we have come to your clan uninvited only because we have something to discuss with the Medusa Queen. Might we ask Your Majesty the Queen to appear for a conversation?" Gu He asked politely with a smile.

"I doubt she has time to see you right now. Isn't that right, you two?"

Suddenly, a hearty laugh rang out.

As the voice sounded, everyone's faces filled with shock. At some unknown moment, a young man in a long purple robe had appeared atop the city wall.

The young man appeared to be in his twenties. His looks could not be called particularly handsome, yet they were unforgettable.

But whenever someone tried to remember his appearance, it was as though a layer of mist obscured him, making it impossible to retain his features in their mind.

"Who are you?" Mo Bass's face darkened like water as he asked coldly.

To silently evade every pair of eyes in the city and reach the city wall, he had to be at least no weaker than the Snake People Clan's queen.

And the man before them was clearly from the Human Race. For the Snake People Clan in its current state, that was not good news.

"Just a nobody, not worth mentioning. I have long admired the Medusa Queen's reputation for beauty and traveled thousands of miles to see her. By chance, I saw these gentlemen last night—no, and this pretty lady too—fighting this beautiful snake lady. What a coincidence, right?"

"Hiss!"

"Hiss!"

"Hiss!"

Hearing this, not only did Gu He and the others suck in cold breaths, Yue Mei also stared at the man with horror on her lovely face.

During last night's battle, neither she nor Gu He's group had noticed that there was another person present.

She was one thing, but setting aside Yun Yun, the suspected Dou Emperor expert and Misty Cloud Sect leader beside Gu He, Gu He himself was a tier-six alchemist. The strength of his soul power far surpassed everyone present, yet even he had failed to notice this person.

This could only mean one thing: either this man possessed some extraordinary treasure that concealed his presence, or his realm surpassed everyone else's.

In other words, he possessed terrifying strength at least equal to that of the Medusa Queen.

"Beautiful lady, don't rush! I haven't introduced myself yet! Chen Xiao—Xiao as in arrogant."

The young man grinned, revealing two rows of teeth that glinted with a cold, sinister light beneath the moonlight.

Seeing this, everyone immediately felt a little uneasy. They looked at the man with wary eyes.

"Dou Zong!"

Beneath her black robe, Yun Yun's delicate hand clenched tightly as a sense of helplessness rose within her heart.

Just now, when she had prepared to strike and test the man's strength, the space around her body had instantly frozen.

Not only that, even the Dou Qi within her body had gone still, leaving her unable to mobilize it.

To control the power of space, one had to reach at least the Dou Zong realm.

In other words, the man before them was at least a Dou Zong expert.

Dou Zong—those two simple words were enough to shatter everything they had planned for this trip.

Forget the Heavenly Flames; if they were careless, they might even leave their lives behind.

"Sir, do you intend to help the Snake People Clan?"

Gu He's expression was extremely ugly as he spoke.

After dealing with Nalan Yanran's matter, he had immediately rushed around gathering friends and calling in favors. He had no idea how great a price he had paid to invite so many people to risk their lives and accompany him to the Snake People Clan.

If this man caused them to return empty-handed, then everything he had paid before would have been wasted.

"No, no, don't misunderstand. I merely admire the Medusa Queen's famed beauty. As for whether I will help the Snake People Clan, that depends on whether the Medusa Queen is willing to accompany me for a few drinks beneath this fine moonlit scene and spend the night talking."

"Human, you dare!"

Before Chen Xiao had even finished speaking, Mo Bass roared in fury.