"System..."
Xiao Fan murmured silently in his heart.
In an instant, a virtual panel glowing with a faint light slowly appeared before his eyes, like an illusion reflected in water.
[Name]: Xiao Fan [Realm]: Three-Star Dou Zong (150,000/200,000) [Technique]: Heaven-Swallowing Demonic Art (Minor Achievement: 300,000/1,000,000) [Skills]: Nine Character Secret—Group (Beginner: 89,000/100,000) Nine Character Secret—Travel (12,000/100,000) Law of Space (Pierce, Lock, Rend—Beginner: 6,200/10,000) Thousand Flame Sword Aura (Perfection) Great Wind Hand Seal (Perfection), Explosive Step (Perfection), and so on [Points]: 160,000
During this time, Xiao Fan had immersed himself in comprehending the Heaven-Swallowing Demonic Art, and its experience points had soared.
As for the Group Secret, since he had been dealing with all sorts of wondrous formations day and night, its experience points were also on the verge of breaking through and reaching Minor Achievement.
As for those 160,000 Bragging Points, he had accumulated them over the course of telling stories again and again.
Xiao Fan's eyes narrowed slightly. With a thought, he closed the system panel.
He turned to look at Medusa beside him.
"Let's keep going."
As he spoke, he raised a hand and gave a gentle wave. The space before them seemed to be torn open by an invisible giant hand, and a huge black rift split open in an instant.
Xiao Fan led Medusa inside. With each crossing, the distance they covered grew at an astonishing rate as the spatial rifts opened and closed.
This was all thanks to Xiao Fan's heaven-defying talent, which allowed him to deepen his comprehension of the Law of Space without pause.
During these repeated journeys through space, Xiao Fan's figure grew ever more mysterious and powerful in Medusa's eyes.
At the same time, an inexplicable feeling quietly took root and sprouted in her heart.
After countless spatial leaps, the two finally arrived at the Tagor Desert.
So slow...
Xiao Fan was a little dissatisfied. If he had used the Secret of Travel himself, he would have arrived long ago.
But Medusa didn't have his physical strength. She might not have been able to withstand it.
"Hmm..."
Xiao Fan narrowed his eyes and looked down at the desert.
As far as the eye could see, there was nothing but a barren, lifeless landscape.
The howling wind swept toward them, carrying a sky full of yellow sand.
"Not bad..."
Xiao Fan glanced around. Though the environment was harsh beyond measure, he keenly sensed that the world here was filled with dense Dou Qi.
"Come on. Take me to your tribe..."
Xiao Fan turned to Medusa. He had already explained the situation to her, and she had agreed.
"Mm..."
Medusa nodded slightly, a complicated emotion flashing through her eyes—the longing she felt for her tribe.
The two walked side by side. Before long, they were nearing the Snake-People Tribe.
Just as the tribe's outline came into view, two agile Snake-People guards darted out of the shadows like ghosts. They leveled their sharp spears, blocking the way.
"Your Majesty!"
A gleam of delight flashed in one Snake-Person soldier's eyes as he called out excitedly.
But before his voice had even faded, another soldier rudely cut him off.
"What 'Your Majesty'? She's no longer the queen of the Snake-People Tribe!"
The soldier's voice was cold and shrill, as if he were speaking to an enemy.
"Oh?"
Medusa's narrow eyes narrowed dangerously at his words.
A foreboding feeling welled up in her heart. Something major must have happened in the tribe.
"Medusa, the elders said you've been expelled from the tribe."
The cold-hearted soldier continued.
"You can still leave while there's time. Otherwise, the elders will come and escort you out themselves!"
The Snake-People Tribe had more than just Medusa among its Dou Emperors. There were other Dou Emperor experts, along with several Dou Wang experts.
Even the former queen, Medusa...
Seeing her former subjects treat her so disrespectfully,
Medusa's face darkened at once. The Dou Qi around her stirred like a volcano on the verge of erupting.
She merely parted her lips, but her voice was cold enough to freeze the air. "Get lost!"
The Snake-Person looked as if he'd been struck by a heavy hammer. His face turned as pale as paper.
He stood rooted to the spot, dumbstruck and unable to move.
Medusa turned toward Xiao Fan, who was watching with keen interest, as if he were enjoying the show. She said softly, "Let's go."
"Mm..."
The corners of Xiao Fan's mouth lifted slightly, a glimmer of anticipation in his eyes. Yes, he was looking forward to the show!
The two kept walking and soon arrived at the great hall of the Snake-People Tribe.
The moment she stepped inside, Medusa's gaze was drawn to the throne. Someone both familiar and strange now sat upon the throne that had once been hers.
Her expression turned cold as frost, and her eyes filled with icy hostility.
"Medusa! You abandoned your people, and now you dare to come back!"
The usurper sprang to their feet, eyes wide with rage, and immediately tried to pin the blame on Medusa!
Damn it... We've only just started nurturing the next generation of Medusas. How did this woman come back?
The Snake-People surrounding them looked at Medusa with hostility and coldness. Clearly, the usurper had thoroughly brainwashed them during this time.
A smug look flashed across the figure on the throne. So what if you really did come back?
The tribe's experts have already thrown their support behind me!
"Hmph..."
A look of disdain flashed through Medusa's eyes. Her figure rose lightly into the air like a ghost, and in an instant, the powerful aura of a Dou Zong expert burst from within her like a raging tsunami.
The entire hall was instantly enveloped by that aura. Every Snake-Person felt as if a mountain were pressing down on their chest.
They struggled to breathe, their faces contorting in pain.
"You... You actually broke through to Dou Zong?"
The usurper's face turned deathly pale. Their body trembled as regret welled up in their heart.
Damn it, wasn't she gravely injured by a Heavenly Flame? How is she still alive? And she even broke through to Dou Zong?
Just as Xiao Fan, arms folded as he enjoyed the show, thought everything had been settled,
someone in the crowd thought fast in their panic. They pointed at Xiao Fan behind Medusa and shouted, "You actually brought a human lover here! Don't you know how many of our people have been killed by humans?"
Xiao Fan froze slightly.
Oh no. The show's coming for me now?
"Exactly! You selfish woman!"
"My parents were killed by humans!"
"You brought a human here. You're not worthy of being queen!"
In an instant, those Snake-People whose eyes had been blinded by hatred were set ablaze by those words. They all started cursing Medusa.
The Snake-People had great strength, and their people were born with extraordinary abilities. After being forced to migrate to the desert, they had occupied the Tagor Desert ever since.
Even so, human forces still coveted the Snake-People's territory and power, while the Snake-People remained wary of human incursions.
Humans often clashed with the Snake-People. For instance, human mercenary groups or adventurers would fight them over treasures the Snake-People protected.
As a result, relations between humans and the Snake-People were extremely tense.
On the throne, the usurper secretly sneered, a smug expression spreading across their face.
So what if you've broken through to Dou Zong? In the name of justice, I'm the one standing on the righteous side.
"How amusing. You dare speak to this queen like that..."
Medusa's expression grew ever colder, and the Dou Qi around her surged wildly...