Behind the Dragon Hall on East Dragon Island.
Xiao Fan stood before an enormous map of the Beast Region, his finger slowly tracing several illuminated areas.
Zi Yan stood beside him, watching the Heaven Demon Phoenix Clan strongholds on the map steadily dim.
"The Snake Tribe has moved too?"
"Yes."
Xiao Fan said, "Yao Ming isn't foolish."
"At a time like this, he'll definitely follow."
Zi Yan looked at him.
"You had this planned long ago?"
"I had part of it planned from the moment I saved Yao Ming."
Xiao Fan did not deny it.
"Though the Nine Nether Deep Earth Python Tribe has mixed bloodlines, its numbers are vast and its roots run deep in the Beast Region."
"Medusa commands the Snake-People Tribe and has inherited the Yellow Spring Demon Saint's legacy."
"Qing Lin possesses the Triple Jade-Green Snake Flower Pupils and can control snake-type magical beasts."
"And you command the Ancient Void Dragons."
"In the Beast Region, both snakes and dragons now have their pieces in play."
After hearing this, Zi Yan suddenly asked, "Then am I a chess piece too?"
Xiao Fan's finger paused.
He turned to look at her.
Zi Yan's expression was calm. She did not seem angry; she was merely asking a question whose answer she wanted to know.
After a moment of silence, Xiao Fan said, "No."
"You are not a chess piece."
"Then what am I?"
Xiao Fan looked at her.
"You are one of the reasons I don't want to lose."
Zi Yan's eyelashes fluttered softly.
She did not speak at once.
In his palm, Jinyao quietly extended a wisp of golden light and asked in a small voice, "What does that mean?"
Xiao Fan ignored him.
But Zi Yan seemed to have heard.
She looked at Xiao Fan and, only