Return to the Little Valley

Before that, Tang Chen felt he still needed to settle Qing Lin and the others first. His breakthrough to Dou Venerable might take some time.

"Let's leave first."

Tang Chen put away the Green Lotus Core Flame and left the Evolution Grounds with the Little Heaven-Swallowing Python.

Several elders had long been waiting at the entrance. But when they saw Tang Chen emerge alone, they exchanged glances, their hearts immediately sinking.

The elders hurried over to Tang Chen and asked nervously, "My lord, how is the Queen?"

"She evolved successfully," Tang Chen said calmly.

Upon hearing this, the elders' tense expressions turned to wild joy. When they smiled, the wrinkles on their faces bunched together like chrysanthemums.

"My lord, may I ask where the Queen is now? Does she require care?" an elder hurriedly asked, unable to hide the joy in her voice.

Tang Chen certainly would not hand the Little Heaven-Swallowing Python over to these elders. It would be better to keep her by his side and foster their bond.

"You only need to know that your Queen is safe." Tang Chen's expression remained indifferent. He did not say anything further, and after leaving behind those words, he vanished before the four elders.

"This..." The elders looked at one another, each seeing helplessness in the others' eyes.

"It is a good thing that the Queen can follow this lord. With the Queen's connection to him, our Snake-People Tribe can be considered to have some support."

"That's right. We only need to help the Queen protect the Snake-People Tribe."

"..."

The four elders came to terms with it as well. With Tang Chen, the Queen could go farther in the future and become stronger. If the Queen grew stronger, their Snake-People Tribe would flourish as well.

"Qing Lin, it's time for us to go." Tang Chen arrived at Qing Lin's residence and called into the house.

"I'm coming, Young Master!" Hearing Tang Chen's voice, Qing Lin happily ran out.

Seeing Qing Lin become more cheerful made Tang Chen happy as well. He affectionately patted her little head and said, "Let's go. I'll take you to meet an older sister."

As soon as he finished speaking, Tang Chen left the Snake-People Tribe with Qing Lin.

Monster Mountain Range, little valley.

Xiao Yi Xian sat on the steps of the small wooden house, gazing resentfully beyond the valley.

"That guy has been gone for so long. When is he finally coming back?"

After Xiao Yi Xian emerged from seclusion and failed to find Tang Chen, she searched around before discovering the message he had left for her. Only then did she learn that he had gone out to handle something.

During the time she had lived with Tang Chen in the little valley, Xiao Yi Xian had long grown used to having him by her side. Now that he had suddenly left, she felt an emptiness in her heart.

As the days passed and Tang Chen still did not return, she began to worry that he had encountered danger—or that he had forgotten about her.

"Yeah, I'm only a little physician from some backwater place. How could I possibly be worthy of him?" Xiao Yi Xian murmured bitterly to herself, looking despondent as her eyes reddened.

"Sounds like someone isn't happy?"

Just as Xiao Yi Xian was feeling down, a voice she knew extremely well suddenly rang through the valley.

Her eyes lit up at once. She hurriedly stood and looked around, asking uncertainly, "Tang Chen, is that you?"

"If it's not me, who else could it be?" Tang Chen appeared before Xiao Yi Xian with Qing Lin, looking at Xiao Yi Xian with amusement. "Was someone just about to cry?"

"I... I wasn't!" Hearing Tang Chen tease her, Xiao Yi Xian suppressed her joy at seeing him and argued back.

"I never said it was you. Why are you admitting it yourself?" Tang Chen walked over and stared at Xiao Yi Xian, his eyes full of laughter.

"Tang Chen! You... you're awful!" With Tang Chen staring at her, Xiao Yi Xian's little face flushed red, and she rained her small fists down on him.

Absence truly made the heart grow fonder. Their relationship had not been this close before, yet their reunion after being apart rapidly drew them closer.

While Xiao Yi Xian was playfully fighting with Tang Chen, she noticed Qing Lin hiding behind him, at a complete loss.

Her first impression was that Qing Lin was tiny and adorable.

"Let me introduce you. This is Qing Lin, a little sister I took in while I was away." Tang Chen pulled Qing Lin out from behind him and introduced her to Xiao Yi Xian.

"Qing Lin, this is Xiao Yi Xian. She's a little older than you, so just call her Sister Xiao Yi Xian." Tang Chen then introduced Xiao Yi Xian to Qing Lin.

"Sister Xiao Yi Xian, my name is Qing Lin. I'm... I'm Young Master's maid." Qing Lin looked nervous, and even her voice was cautious. "I'm... I'm very happy to meet you."

Qing Lin was always somewhat timid around strangers other than Tang Chen. That was not something she could change in a short time.

Xiao Yi Xian could tell that Qing Lin was nervous, so she gave her a gentle smile. "Sister Qing Lin, I'm happy to meet you too."

Seeing Xiao Yi Xian's gentle smile, Qing Lin gradually relaxed.

With Tang Chen's help, the two quickly grew familiar with each other. Xiao Yi Xian also learned about Qing Lin's past and became even more fond of her.

The three of them settled down in the little valley.

"Not bad, Xiao Yi Xian. You're already a Dou Master." Sensing Xiao Yi Xian's current cultivation, Tang Chen looked somewhat surprised.

"Didn't expect that, did you? While you were gone, I didn't slack off for even a moment." Xiao Yi Xian was clearly pleased by Tang Chen's praise, her face brimming with pride.

"Impressive. Keep it up." Tang Chen smiled slightly and gave Xiao Yi Xian a thumbs-up.

Qing Lin was very envious. She also wanted to receive Tang Chen's praise.

Her little face gradually turned serious as she silently thought, Qing Lin, cultivate hard and earn Young Master's praise soon.

Over the next few days, Tang Chen cultivated, refined medicine, taught Xiao Yi Xian and Qing Lin how to cultivate, and began making preparations for his breakthrough in advance.

One day, while Tang Chen was making preparations, the Little Heaven-Swallowing Python on his arm suddenly reacted.

She slipped directly out from Tang Chen's sleeve.

Upon seeing Tang Chen, her little head rubbed against him as she gazed at him with longing eyes.

It was clear that the Little Heaven-Swallowing Python thought highly of Tang Chen, the one who fed her.

Looking at the adorable little creature before him, Tang Chen could not help smiling. "Hungry again, little one?"

The little fellow seemed to understand and nodded at Tang Chen.

Seeing her nod, Tang Chen wasted no time. With a wave of his hand, numerous jade bottles and a large pile of rare treasures appeared on the ground before him, arranged one by one for her to choose from. His generosity was truly extravagant.

Seeing all the good things on the ground, the little fellow's eyes lit up. She licked her lips and immediately began devouring them with gusto.

Before long, her little belly was round and swollen from eating. The little fellow let out a full belch and could barely even fly.

After rubbing against Tang Chen, she darted into his sleeve, coiled around his arm, and fell into a deep sleep.

"Medusa should awaken after the next time." Tang Chen sensed the Little Heaven-Swallowing Python's condition, anticipation appearing on his face.

Once everything had been prepared, Tang Chen left Xiao Yi Xian and the others some cultivation resources. Then, alone, he found a secluded spot in the little valley and began preparing to break through to Dou Venerable.

Tang Chen had set up an array around the little valley. Unless someone was stronger than him, they would be unable to discover or enter it.

Tang Chen took out the two sealed Heavenly Flames from within his body.

He reached out and removed the seals on the two Heavenly Flames.

The two Heavenly Flames floated before him. One was green, while the other was yellowish-brown.