It Was a Misunderstanding!

Yao Chen was left speechless by the Second Elder's string of remarks, momentarily unsure of how to respond.

The space above the plaza fell into an instant silence, until a cough broke the stillness after a long moment.

"Ahem~~"

"This old man is no lecher; you can forget about those handmaidens."

Hearing Yao Chen say this, Queen Medusa and the four elders assumed their offer had failed to meet his expectations, so they exchanged nods, preparing to fight to the death.

Across the vast, open plaza, the atmosphere grew tense to the breaking point.

Queen Medusa stood with a graceful yet infinitely majestic posture, while the four elders beside her wore solemn expressions, their Dou Qi surging around them.

Queen Medusa launched the first strike. With a delicate shout, a multicolored long whip appeared in her hand, its surface shimmering with strange light. She lashed out, the whip tearing through the air with a sharp whistle as it swept toward Yao Chen.

Simultaneously, the four elders unleashed their own signature techniques.

One elder pressed his palms together, chanting incantations to summon countless venomous snakes that swarmed toward Yao Chen with flickering tongues; another elder danced his hands, spraying torrents of flame from his palms to form a sea of fire; the third elder's eyes widened, shooting out powerful wind blades that sliced through the air; the final elder stomped his foot and roared, causing the earth to tremble as massive stone spikes erupted from the ground, surging toward Yao Chen.

Facing this overwhelming onslaught, Yao Chen remained calm.

He slowly raised his hands, and the Dragon Abyss Star Sword appeared in his grip.

His gaze sharpened as he shouted, "Star Annihilation Sword!"

In an instant, the sky filled with brilliant starlight, and the power of countless stars converged into the Dragon Abyss Star Sword in Yao Chen's hand, forming a massive blue blade of light.

The sword shimmered with the blue glow of Heavenly Flame, appearing to contain infinite power.

Yao Chen gripped the hilt with both hands and swung with all his might.

A brilliant blue sword beam, like a cascading galaxy, met the attacks of Queen Medusa and the four elders with a world-shattering momentum.

Wherever the blue sword light passed, Queen Medusa's whip shattered instantly, dissolving into specks of light in the air.

The venomous snakes were reduced to ash under the radiance of the blue light, the flames were forcibly suppressed and extinguished, the wind blades were severed and vanished without a trace, and the rising stone spikes crumbled and collapsed under the blade's might.

Queen Medusa and the four elders were sent flying backward by the impact of this immense power, blood spraying from their mouths.

Their faces were as pale as paper, their eyes filled with shock and disbelief.

Yao Chen stood proudly in the air, holding the Star Annihilation Sword, his Dou Qi still surging around him like an invincible god of war.

He swept his gaze downward and said coldly, "Do you really think you can stand against this old man?"

The space above the plaza fell silent, with only the sound of a light breeze passing by, as if whispering of the thrilling battle that had just occurred.

Medusa endured the pain in her body and called out to Yao Chen.

"Do as you please, kill or maim. Injuring your friend earlier was my fault alone; do not trouble the rest of my tribe."

Yao Chen heard Medusa and asked, puzzled.

"This old man hasn't said anything yet, has he?"

"Look, we were talking perfectly fine at the start, then your elder launched a sneak attack on me, and I didn't even strike to kill."

"Later, another elder offered me handmaidens, and I refused, saying nothing else, yet you all suddenly attacked me together. I was merely forced to retaliate."

"From the very beginning, I only came to explain things to you; I had no desire to resort to violence."

"What are you all doing?"

Hearing this string of explanations from Yao Chen, Medusa was instantly filled with regret, thinking to herself.

I was too impulsive. It turns out this person only came to clear up a misunderstanding.

Medusa then spoke to Yao Chen with caution.

"Senior, you truly did not come to annihilate my Snake-People Tribe?"

"Nonsense! Why would this old man have nothing better to do than wipe you out?"

Yao Chen was left speechless and explained to Medusa.

Medusa's face turned bright red at Yao Chen's words.

"Senior, it was all a misunderstanding. We were the ones who were rash."

Yao Chen was amused by Medusa's words and let out a laugh as he spoke to her.

"Hahaha, since it is a misunderstanding, let us leave it at that. If there is nothing else, this old man will be taking his leave."

Seeing Yao Chen about to depart, Medusa hurriedly tried to keep him.

"Senior, please wait. My Snake-People Tribe failed to host you properly earlier; I hope you can be magnanimous."

"If you have no urgent matters to attend to, my tribe happens to be holding a banquet. Could you stay and attend so that we may show you our hospitality?"

Yao Chen was pleasantly surprised to hear an invitation to stay for a meal.

One had to know that the Snake-People Tribe did not easily host humans; setting up a banquet for him clearly showed they wanted to curry favor with him.

Yao Chen pondered for a moment. Before his rebirth, he had just been a fresh college graduate on Blue Star, and he was quite curious to see a banquet of the Snake-People.

"This old man does not have any urgent matters at the moment. Since you are so enthusiastic, and I happen to be a bit hungry, I can stay."

Yao Chen claimed to be hungry to justify staying, though powerful cultivators on the Dou Continent generally did not need to eat, as they could survive by absorbing the spiritual energy of heaven and earth.

"That is wonderful, Senior. My Snake-People Tribe will certainly treat you with the utmost hospitality."

Medusa was clearly aware that an expert at the level of a Dou Emperor had no need for food, yet she chose not to break the spell, speaking to Yao Chen with a knowing grace.

Afterward, Medusa and her group, accompanied by Yao Chen, arrived at the plaza.

"Senior, please follow me to the guest quarters to rest for a moment while I instruct my clansmen to prepare for the banquet," Medusa said softly and respectfully to Yao Chen.

Yao Chen nodded in response and followed Medusa toward the guest quarters.

As Yao Chen stepped through the doorway, the first thing to catch his eye was a carved sandalwood bed, its canopy crafted from fine silk and embroidered with exquisite snake patterns, as if whispering the mysterious tales of this city.

Beside the bed sat a small nightstand, upon which rested a glazed lamp; the light filtered through the shade, casting a soft and warm glow.

On one side of the room was a massive window inlaid with colored glass, allowing sunlight to spill onto the floor and create a tapestry of vibrant light and shadow.

A soft daybed was placed before the window, adorned with several plush cushions, offering a place for one to rest and admire the scenery.

Hanging on the opposite wall were several scrolls depicting the history of the Snake-People Tribe; the figures within were lifelike, their colors rich and vivid, adding a touch of cultural depth to the room.

In the corner of the room stood a wooden desk, where brushes, ink, paper, and an inkstone were neatly arranged, along with an open ancient tome, as if someone had just been reading there moments ago.

The floor was covered in a thick, plush carpet that felt soft and comfortable underfoot, its pattern echoing the snake motifs of the bed canopy and showcasing the unique artistic style of the Snake-People Tribe.

Yao Chen looked upon the layout of the guest room with considerable satisfaction.

"Please rest here for a while, Senior. I shall have my clansmen prepare the banquet and will return to call for you when it is ready."