"No! Befriending this human and even having the women of our tribe associate with him would be a disgrace to the Snake-People Tribe! Where would that leave our dignity?"
Just as the Second Elder proposed befriending Yao Chen, the Great Elder and the Third and Fourth Elders immediately rebuked him, firmly voicing their opposition.
A burst of arguing erupted around Medusa.
"Enough. Our urgent task is to find him first. Then we can decide whether to make peace or go to war."
Medusa's icy voice rang out.
After hearing her, the four elders stopped speaking and disappeared from behind Medusa's throne.
Medusa sat alone on her throne, considering how she should deal with Yao Chen.
"His strength is formidable, but if the four elders of the Snake-People Tribe join forces with me, we may still be able to defeat him."
As Medusa remained seated on her throne, deep in thought, a figure suddenly appeared above the square in the city outside.
"Finally, I found it!"
After leaving the Green Lotus Core Flame, Yao Chen had searched the desert with his powerful soul force and discovered several settlements of the Snake-People Tribe.
Yao Chen searched them one by one. Using Flying Thunder God and his formidable cultivation to conceal himself, he went unnoticed at each settlement.
At last, he had arrived in the city where Medusa was.
Hovering above the square, Yao Chen began to gather his aura and waited for Medusa to arrive.
The Snake-People around the square felt the overwhelming pressure and scattered in every direction.
At the same moment, Medusa, seated on her throne, and the four Snake-People elders behind her felt the crushing pressure.
"He's here!"
Medusa immediately furrowed her brow and called out to the four elders.
"In just one week, this man has reached the Peak Nine-Star Dou Emperor level! Elders, come with me to meet the enemy!"
In the blink of an eye, Medusa and the four elders arrived above the square, facing Yao Chen head-on.
"Are you the one who injured the leader of our Snake-People Tribe?"
The Great Elder glared at Yao Chen with murderous intent, as if he wanted to devour him, and shouted.
Yao Chen, by contrast, looked completely at ease. He smiled faintly as he replied,
"That's right. I was indeed the one who injured your Queen Medusa. If Medusa hadn't tried to kill my friend, I wouldn't have had to act."
"If your friend hadn't relied on his Dou Emperor cultivation to trespass on our territory, I wouldn't have struck so harshly. I warned him repeatedly to leave, but he remained utterly unafraid."
Seeing that Yao Chen had reached the Peak Nine-Star Dou Emperor level, matching their current cultivation, Medusa explained the situation to him.
Hearing Medusa's explanation, Yao Chen thought to himself, Why did that kid Hai Bodong go and provoke them? But he had been right to save Hai Bodong earlier. After all, Hai Bodong had the Purifying Demonic Lotus Flame Fragment Map on him. Yao Chen therefore said to Medusa,
"My friend Hai Bodong may have had some misunderstanding with you, but you didn't need to use such a heavy hand. If I hadn't arrived in time, he might have died."
Medusa was about to explain that she had only intended to seal Hai Bodong's cultivation when the Great Elder beside her shouted,
"Your Majesty, don't bother explaining yourself to him. The Snake-People Tribe isn't some soft persimmon anyone can bully!"
As soon as the Great Elder finished speaking, he launched an attack on Yao Chen.
Above the square in the Snake-People Tribe's settlement, the once-peaceful atmosphere was shattered in an instant.
Yao Chen hovered quietly in the air, his figure seeming somewhat lonely in the sunlight.
A breeze swept past, gently stirring his robes, and he seemed to blend into the world around him.
Suddenly, a powerful aura rushed toward them from afar.
The Great Elder of the Snake-People Tribe appeared like a ghost, his eyes glinting with icy murderous intent as he fixed them on Yao Chen.
The Great Elder swung his hands, and the surrounding energy of heaven and earth instantly began to gather in a frenzy.
He chanted under his breath, and a powerful surge of Dou Qi burst from his body.
In an instant, dark clouds covered the sky, lightning flashed, and thunder roared. The Great Elder swept out a hand, sending a massive black beam of energy hurtling toward Yao Chen.
Wherever the beam passed, space itself seemed to tear apart, letting out a piercing howl.
Yao Chen's gaze sharpened. He immediately sensed the attack's tremendous power.
But he didn't panic in the least. He swiftly drew upon the Ice Lotus Heart-Burning Flame's Dou Qi, forming a sturdy ice-lotus shield before him.
The black beam slammed into the lotus shield with an earth-shaking boom.
The immense impact caused the air around them to explode, sending out rings of shock waves visible to the naked eye.
Yao Chen's body trembled slightly, but he remained steady in midair.
A cold smile tugged at the corner of his mouth. "Is that all you've got?"
The Great Elder's expression darkened further at his words.
He swung his hands again and let out a furious roar.
A gigantic black serpent phantom suddenly appeared behind him. It opened its gaping maw and lunged at Yao Chen.
Yao Chen's gaze blazed as he rapidly formed hand seals.
A streak of blue light shot from his hands, meeting the oncoming black serpent phantom head-on.
The two collided fiercely in midair, light bursting in every direction. The powerful radiance of their energies blanketed the entire sky above the square.
The Snake-People below all looked up, their eyes filled with anxiety and worry.
"Great Elder, stop!"
Seeing that the Great Elder had gained no advantage and that Yao Chen remained composed, Medusa called out to stop him.
At the sound of Medusa's voice, the Great Elder immediately retreated.
But Yao Chen's attack had already been launched and continued to bear down on him. Caught off guard, the Great Elder spat out blood.
If Yao Chen hadn't used only two-tenths of his strength, that palm strike would have taken the Great Elder's life.
"Great Elder, are you all right?"
Seeing him spit blood, Medusa hurriedly asked.
"Your Majesty, it's nothing serious."
The Great Elder wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth and answered Medusa.
Medusa nodded, realizing that things were not looking good.
The Great Elder was far too impulsive, trying to ambush him alone. Although that man's cultivation is on par with ours, his strength is unfathomable. Only by joining forces can the five of us hope to contend with him.
"Queen Medusa, your Great Elder isn't much good. I wasn't even warmed up before he retreated."
Yao Chen taunted them from the side.
At his taunt, the faces of the Snake-People darkened. Only the Second Elder spoke to Yao Chen ingratiatingly.
"Your strength is extraordinary, senior. No one in our Snake-People Tribe can match you."
"What happened before was all a misunderstanding. Our Snake-People Tribe is willing to apologize. Whatever you ask of us, we'll do our best to provide."
"Senior, the women of our Snake-People Tribe are all quite beautiful. If you wish, you may choose any of them to serve you."
Before you continue