A black water vein ran through the valley floor. The stone walls on either side were damp and cool, making it ideal for the Snake-People Tribe to recuperate and rebuild. The tribe's elderly and weak had been settled in the inner valley, while Yue Mei and Hua She'er guarded opposite sides. Die personally inventoried the medicinal herbs and cave dwellings, while Qing Lin led the injured gray-scaled little snake to soothe the low-tier snake beasts still lingering outside the valley.
Yao Tianhuo stood watch at the valley entrance, lounging against a black boulder. His fire robe stirred faintly, yet the aura of a Dou Zun steadily enveloped the entire valley.
Zi Yan squatted nearby, seriously counting her candies.
"Three are missing."
Yao Tianhuo glanced at her. "You ate two yourself last night."
Zi Yan raised her head and replied with complete conviction, "Then one is still missing."
Xiao Yi Xian flipped through a medicinal scroll beside her and calmly added, "You gave that one to the gray-scaled little snake."
Zi Yan froze for a moment before remembering. She then hugged her candy pouch close and muttered softly, "It rendered meritorious service. It wasn't a loss to give it one."
In the distance, Qing Lin heard that and secretly smiled.
Xiao Fan stood at the valley entrance, watching the scene. At last, the taut string in his heart that had been stretched for so long loosened slightly.
The Snake-People Tribe now had a water vein, a valley, an autonomous tribal territory formally recognized by the Nine Nether Deep Earth Python Tribe, and enough protective strength to support their initial stability.
This journey—from the Tager Desert to the Central Plains, from the Ice River Valley siege to seizing power at Yellow Spring—had not been in vain after all.
Medusa stood beside him.