First Battle with a Dou Emperor

"Sigh, what a nuisance."

Yun Zimo had roughly grasped Queen Medusa's intentions; if he were to be slightly excessive, it wouldn't be a breach of protocol, would it?

He immediately ceased his restraint, his cyan-white Dou Qi surging as his body transformed into a gust of wind, turning into a rainbow. In an instant, he appeared before Yan Ci, who stood in the third position on the left, and delivered a whip kick without any flashy movements!

Yan Ci was instantly smashed off the high platform. Before the others could react, Yun Zimo flashed again, punching Mo Basi and sending him crashing off the platform, embedding him into the floor.

"Presumptuous!"

"Human, you court death!"

Everything happened too quickly. By the time the Snake-Person elders reacted, Yun Zimo had already returned to his original spot, lightly dusting off his hands and straightening his robes, looking as if nothing had happened.

The Snake-Person elders couldn't help but want to rush forward, but a glance at Queen Medusa made them hesitate, not daring to act on their own.

Seeing this, Queen Medusa raised a hand to stop the furious elders.

Beneath her veil, her expression remained as indifferent as before, her exquisite eyes like deep pools, devoid of any other ripples.

"Your Majesty Queen Medusa, am I qualified now?"

Yun Zimo bowed once more, his handsome face wearing a smile that made the newly risen Mo Basi and Yan Ci want to tear him to shreds!

"To injure my Snake-Person elders right before my eyes—you truly do not hold this Queen in your regard!"

Queen Medusa spoke slowly, though despite the tone of reprimand, her voice remained calm, devoid of any emotional fluctuation.

"Ever since I entered the Snake-Person Holy City, Mo Basi has targeted me. Before Your Majesty Queen Medusa could even speak, Yan Ci uttered insults. Is this the hospitality of the Snake-Person Tribe?!"

Yun Zimo did not cower; meeting the gazes of the Snake-Person elders and staring into Queen Medusa's serpentine eyes, he spoke in a cold voice.

"This is a matter of our Snake-Person Tribe. Even if it violates etiquette, it is not for a human like you to discipline us!"

The Great Elder of the Snake-Person Tribe, Yin Shi, grinned. As the one in charge of the tribe's laws and etiquette, he spoke up at this moment.

"Hei Du!"

Queen Medusa, who had been quietly listening to their debate, softly called out a name. The elders' expressions tightened upon hearing it.

The Snake-Person Tribe's law, the Divine Guard Etiquette!

"Divine Temple Guard, Second Commander Hei Du, please grant me your guidance!"

The ink-black Snake-Person, who had been standing behind the throne like a statue, leaped down. His sturdy body was covered in mysterious patterns, and his cold, stern face bore not a hint of a smile.

"Misty Cloud Sect, Yun Zimo, please grant me your guidance."

Yun Zimo bowed as well; it seemed another fight was inevitable.

Observing the aura of the Second Commander before him, he was only around a two-star Dou Emperor, though perhaps with the secret arts of the Snake-Person Tribe, he could contend with a three or four-star Dou Emperor.

After the exchange of courtesies, the two did not hesitate. Their figures collided in the most brutal manner. Yun Zimo curled his palm into a fist, and when it struck Hei Du's claws, it produced the sound of clashing metal.

Having failed to gain an advantage in their first exchange, Hei Du licked his lips, a bloodthirsty glint appearing in his triangular snake eyes.

The two traded blow for blow, colliding with pure physical strength without any flair, their fists and palms creating a flurry of shadows.

Even the two elders who had crawled out of the ruins had to admit that Yun Zimo's strength far exceeded that of Dou Kings like themselves!

"Let us not destroy this temple. Shall we take this outside?"

Yun Zimo was beginning to feel the heat of the battle, and even in the midst of the exhilarating exchange, he managed to say this.

"Very well!"

Hei Du readily agreed. One after the other, a cyan figure and a black figure leaped out of the temple. The elders looked at the Queen, who had risen, and hurriedly followed her out of the hall.

"Wind Rises Clouds Surge!"

Upon arriving at the massive plaza outside the temple, Yun Zimo quickly formed hand seals. Pressing his palms together and then clapping them in mid-air, gusts of wild wind howled past, and clouds and mist spread from Yun Zimo as the center, covering the entire Snake-Person Holy City.

"This... what is happening?"

In the Snake-Person Holy City, many residents were panicked, but then the voice of Hua She'er came, calming them down.

"The Queen has ordered: perform your duties and keep to your stations!"

With the Queen's order, it meant there was no problem; they should just return to their homes and stay put.

Wisps of soft, moist mist clung gently to Hei Du's ink-black skin, bringing a sense of chill.

Enveloped in the mist, Hei Du discovered that with his Dou Emperor strength, his visibility was limited to only a few meters in front of him; everything else was a vast expanse of white.

"Clang!"

Realizing his reaction speed seemed to have slowed significantly, Hei Du decisively drew an ink-black spear and held it diagonally across his chest.

At a certain moment, relying on years of combat instinct, Hei Du thrust his spear through the air, blocking a strike from Yun Zimo's longsword.

Hei Du stood his ground, his spear dancing with such force it whistled; the sounds of clashing echoed as cyan Dou Qi and ink-stained Dou Qi collided and separated within the white mist.

There was truth to the saying that "one inch longer is one inch stronger." Even though Yun Zimo's swordsmanship was exquisite, the natural suppression of the long spear made it difficult for him to penetrate Hei Du's defense. If not for Hei Du's vision and perception being hindered, Yun Zimo might have found it difficult to win with swordsmanship alone.

"Wind Sweeps Away Clouds!"

Cyan Dou Qi swirled around Yun Zimo, drawing in the surrounding mist and clouds. In the blink of an eye, the cyan gale transformed into a towering tornado dozens of feet high, roaring as it charged toward Hei Du.

The mist before Hei Du's eyes was blown away, and the sky-covering tornado was already within reach. If Queen Medusa had not stepped in to cast a protective barrier, the entire Holy City might have been destroyed by this tornado.

Hei Du's hand seals flashed rapidly as he chanted, his long spear suddenly carving a line into the ground, releasing a surge of ink-black energy that rivaled the intensity of a tornado.

A wall of black water spanning the heavens rose from the earth, colliding with the cyan tornado. Neither side gave way, and the resulting shockwaves and sonic booms were so intense that even the low-ranking Temple Snake Guards struggled to withstand them.

Between the tornado and the water wall, two figures clashed incessantly in mid-air. The ink-black spear and the black-and-white sword flickered constantly, their Dou Qi wings vibrating at such a high frequency that they appeared perfectly still.

"This brat is a freak! A mere Dou King capable of fighting our tribe's Dou Emperor to a standstill—if a human with such talent remains an enemy, the Snake-Person Tribe will be in grave danger..."

Yin Shi, the Great Elder of the Yin Snake Tribe, stood beside the Queen leaning on his cane. Though his frame was hunched, his voice was resonant and full of vigor. Yet, by voicing such inflammatory words in the Queen's presence, it was clear he did not want Yun Zimo to leave the Snake-Person Tribe's Holy City alive.

Queen Medusa kept her hands folded before her abdomen, her expression indifferent and as still as an ancient well. Seeing the Queen's lack of reaction, Yin Shi silently retreated to stand at her side.

"Great Wind Hand Seal!"

Seeing that he could gain no advantage in martial arts, Yun Zimo's mind stirred; he instantly pulled back and began forming seals.

Three clones of Yun Zimo branched out, flashing to stand beside Hei Du, their hands forming the same profound seals.

In an instant, three Cyan Gale Palm Prints, each dozens of feet in size, slammed toward Hei Du. The immense wind pressure they carried made Hei Du's skin prickle with pain.

Hei Du's long spear danced rapidly, dragging his entire body into an ink-black whirlwind. In the blink of an eye, his figure vanished.

A ten-foot-long ink-black Ba Serpent appeared in mid-air, its massive jaws snapping down. The enormous palm prints shattered like spring ice, and while the gusts of wind energy sliced at the Ba Serpent's teeth, they only sparked against its hide, achieving nothing more.

The giant Ba Serpent's eyes held a cold glint, a flicker of black light flashing within its vertical pupils as it looked at Yun Zimo.

"Hmm?"

Yun Zimo immediately sensed danger. The surrounding air suddenly turned humid and viscous, and he felt a sudden, helpless sensation of being trapped in a swamp. Only by channeling his cyan Dou Qi to create gale-force winds—cutting through the water mist like a blade—was he able to break free.

"Brat, do you know the greatest difference between a Dou King and a Dou Emperor?"

Hei Du's deafening voice boomed from the Ba Serpent's mouth.

"With the power of heaven and earth, I am an Emperor!"

Two massive energy Ba Serpents emerged from Hei Du's sides, instantly lunging toward Yun Zimo.

This was exactly what Yun Zimo found most troublesome. Fundamentally, there was little difference between a Dou King and a Dou Emperor, save for the accumulation of Dou Qi and the degree of mastery over it.

However, a Dou Emperor was called an "Emperor" precisely because they could not only draw upon their own Dou Qi but also borrow the power of heaven and earth. By channeling the energy of the world to augment themselves, they could unleash far more powerful Dou Techniques and manipulate the ambient energy in the air to cause massive trouble from a distance.

Dodging the bite of the energy Ba Serpents once more, Yun Zimo felt a surge of helplessness. He formed seals again to unleash a technique, sending several spiral wind-spikes shooting out to slightly deflect the path of the serpents.

"Cyan Gale Thousand Blades!"

Facing the energy Ba Serpent lunging with its jaws wide, the cornered Yun Zimo raised his sword and danced. Countless cyan wind blades flew from the Judgment Sword, intersecting as they shot into the serpent's maw. A series of explosions followed; the Ba Serpent's body shattered, and the cyan-black energy shockwave rippled across the sky.

"Kid, I admit you're impressive, but now I'm going to get serious!"

The Ba Serpent, Hei Du, grunted, his body whipping through the air like a lash.

"Earth-Splitting Python God Strike!"

The sky filled with serpent shadows that tore through space, the tail sweeping in like a whip. Each strike was wrapped in sharp, biting winds and dark, heavy Dou Qi, possessing the power to shatter mountains and split stone!

Yun Zimo moved like a willow catkin in the air, a lone boat in a raging sea, nimbly dodging the massive, space-tearing tail amidst the storm of serpent shadows.

A powerful gust struck, and unable to dodge in time, Yun Zimo suffered a shallow cut on his arm.

"Ba Python Swallows Elephant!"

The true form of the Ba Serpent appeared before the momentarily stalled Yun Zimo, its massive shadow engulfing his small frame.

Facing the mountain-like head of the Ba Serpent, Yun Zimo suddenly grew calm. All emotion vanished from his eyes, and a mark on his forehead flashed and disappeared.

"Boom!"

The Ba Serpent's shadow swallowed him whole, slamming into the plaza. Cracks spread like a spiderweb from the center of the square. Amidst the thick mist and dust, Hei Du landed lightly on the edge of the plaza and bowed to Queen Medusa to report.

"Whoosh!"

A cyan streak of light shot out from the smoke. The sword light soared into the sky, illuminating the world, and the sound of the sword's hum rang through the heavens. A strange ripple locked directly onto Hei Du.

"This is... soul power?"

Queen Medusa finally showed a hint of interest. To strike a Dou Emperor with the strength of a Dou King—she felt as if she were seeing a shadow of her own past.

"The sword follows the heart, the thought precedes the blade..."

Yun Zimo closed his eyes slightly. The Xiezhi divine beast on his forehead roared in the blink of an eye, and thirty-six strands of soul power condensed into a sword intent that pressed down. It gave Hei Du the illusion that he had nowhere to hide. Before the Ba Serpent shadow could rise again, Yun Zimo's sword had already descended to the center of Hei Du's brow.

"When?!"

Hei Du had clearly just seen Yun Zimo raise his sword; how could he have crossed the space to behead him!

Space traversal—that was the "privilege" of a Dou Ancestor!

"My apologies, Commander Hei Du."

Yun Zimo sheathed his sword and stood with his hands behind his back. His cyan-white Dou armor dissipated like rain in the wind, and his long, unbound hair danced behind his shoulders. The indifference on his handsome face faded, replaced once again by the vibrant spirit of a young man.

"The younger generation is to be feared..."

Hei Du sighed, then turned to kneel before the Queen.

"Temple Snake Guard Hei Du, I await your Majesty's punishment!"

According to the laws of the Snake-Person Tribe, those who fail in a formal duel must request their own punishment according to tribal rules!

Those dispatched as adjudicators are inevitably the top experts of the tribe; to fail against an equal or even an inferior opponent is a matter of one's own incompetence.

"By the Queen's decree, Hei Du, Second Commander of the Temple Snake Guard, has been lax in his cultivation. He shall receive thirty lashes and forfeit one month's salary as punishment."

Perhaps because Yun Zimo was too formidable, or perhaps because Queen Medusa saw a reflection of herself in him, the female attendant beside her shouted the order, and the punishment for Hei Du was not overly severe.

Yet, Yun Zimo still sensed the harshness of the Snake-Person Tribe's laws within that decree.

"Human, your name is Yun Zimo?"

Medusa's voice carried a hint of softness; she had remembered his name, for this man's potential qualified him to be viewed with higher regard.

"Queen Medusa, can we discuss our cooperation now?"

Perhaps because the effects of Absolute Calm had not yet fully faded, Yun Zimo's voice was even colder and sharper than Medusa's.

"Heh..."

"All of you, withdraw!"

With a light shout from Medusa, all the snake-people bowed and retreated, while Medusa led Yun Zimo back into the temple.

"You are the first person who has dared to give this Queen a cold face."

After dismissing her attendants, Medusa's tone gained a rare touch of humanity, and she even began to joke with Yun Zimo.

"Speak, what great matter requires a private discussion with this Queen?"

Seeing this seemingly transformed Medusa, Yun Zimo was stunned for a moment, recalling a certain speculation.

Only a Medusa with two hearts merged into one was the true complete form; the perfect integration of humanity was what granted her the potential for atavism.

"Queen Medusa, please forgive my presumption."

Yun Zimo really wanted to ask something, but remembering the scene where he was beaten black and blue for his loose tongue last time, he forcibly steered the topic in another direction.

"I once read a secret regarding the Snake-Person Tribe in an ancient text..."

Yun Zimo spoke slowly, bringing up the mystery of Medusa's evolution. Surprisingly, Medusa did not interrupt, even though she knew the matter by heart.

"I know, news of a Heavenly Flame!"

It was only Yun Zimo's final sentence that truly made Medusa, who had begun to feel disappointed and bored, find some value in the conversation.

"Oh? A Heavenly Flame?"

Medusa's body, which had become languid enough to recline, straightened up once more.

"That is correct, a Heavenly Flame—or rather, two!"

"Interesting."

Queen Medusa was somewhat surprised. A Heavenly Flame, and two at that? It was truly rare. She had been stuck at the peak of the Dou Emperor realm for over twenty years.

Having sought a breakthrough to the Dou Ancestor realm to lead her people out of this accursed desert, Medusa had never ceased her search for a Heavenly Flame. Just as she was beginning to lose hope, she had not expected the news of one to come knocking on her door!

"An elder of my sect, the Pill King Gu He, recently obtained the Fire Cloud Water Flame, ranked sixteenth on the Heavenly Flame Ranking. Furthermore, the Green Lotus Core Flame, ranked nineteenth, lies hidden within the subterranean magma veins beneath this desert!"

Yun Zimo revealed the information about the two flames. Upon hearing that Gu He had obtained the Fire Cloud Water Flame, Medusa remained unmoved, but the news of the Green Lotus Core Flame truly stirred her heart.

"Green Lotus Core Flame..."

Medusa murmured, a glimmer of light flickering in her beautiful eyes as she looked at Yun Zimo.

"This information isn't being offered out of pure kindness, is it? State your conditions!"

"Break through to the Dou Ancestor realm!"

"What?"

"Break! Through to the Dou Ancestor realm!"