"Heh heh heh heh heh! So this is one of the small countries on the Northwest Continent?"
The black-robed guardian at the head of the group let out a shrill, grating laugh.
"The Dou Qi of heaven and earth here is truly impoverished..."
A hunched-over guardian furrowed his brows and said with a look of disdain.
"What are people from the Ancient Clan doing in a place like this?"
Another guardian muttered in confusion, a hint of puzzlement in his eyes.
"Just a Dou Emperor..."
"The people above only told us to come and keep watch. We only need to take control of some faction in this country and then we can stay hidden..."
A trace of ruthlessness flashed through the black-robed guardian's eyes as he spoke coldly.
"Then let's look around..."
"See which faction would suit us best..."
As soon as he finished speaking, the many guardians scattered in an instant like ghosts, vanishing into the vast heavens and earth.
Meanwhile, high above the Tagor Desert, Xiao Fan hovered silently in the sky, surrounded by endless thunder.
Illuminated by the lightning, his body resembled a towering divine mountain, radiating a fearsome aura.
At that moment, he was immersed in a profound understanding of the Beginningless Scripture. Every breath seemed to stir an energy resonance throughout heaven and earth.
Tempered by the thunder, his Dao body grew ever more terrifying.
The bolts of lightning, each containing the power of destruction, not only failed to harm him in the slightest, but seemed to have been tamed by him, becoming energy that nourished him.
"Phew..."
After a long while, Xiao Fan slowly opened his eyes.
He looked up at the sky, his gaze utterly fearless, even challenging and brazen. He charged straight into the rolling thunder.
"Hahahaha! This lightning tribulation barely tickles!"
Xiao Fan's brazen laughter rang across the sky like a great bell, brimming with contempt for the tribulation.
The thick clouds seemed enraged by his laughter. More muffled thunder rolled through them, as if venting their boundless fury.
Then, countless bolts of lightning, like silver dragons, struck toward Xiao Fan all at once.
Every bolt contained terrifying power, enough to reduce a Peak Dou Zun expert to ashes in an instant.
Yet Xiao Fan, having undergone another transformation, was now beginning to reveal the terrifying might of the Innate Sacred Body Dao Fetus.
He smiled calmly and casually dispelled the scriptures protecting his body. As if bathing in sunlight, he stood openly amid the lightning. His figure flickered as he alternately threw punches and kicks, each movement precisely shattering the bolts rushing toward him. For a time, lightning flew in every direction, and the thunderous roars rang without end.
Below, Qing Lin watched alongside the many Snake-People.
Admiration shone in Qing Lin's eyes. She clenched her hands, trembling with excitement.
"Take a look! This is the Great Emperor! His strength is beyond anything you could imagine!"
She shouted proudly, as if sharing in his glory.
"Just tell me, do you dare face the lightning head-on?"
Qing Lin turned to the Snake-People beside her and called out loudly.
"Defying the ages, slashing heaven and earth; shattering yin and yang, defying the firmament! This is the Great Emperor!"
Qing Lin kept singing Xiao Fan's praises, her exaggerated words surging like a raging tide, one wave after another.
The Snake-People Tribe's powerful fighters listened to Qing Lin, their eyes burning with fervor.
They stared fixedly at the proud figure standing in the sky, as if he were the sole object of their faith.
[Ping! The Snake-People Tribe firmly believes in your exploits. You have gained 3,000 Bragging Points!] [Ping! The Snake-People Tribe firmly believes in your exploits. You have gained 5,000 Bragging Points!]
The system's notification rang in Xiao Fan's mind. He glanced down at Qing Lin and nodded approvingly.
Splendid. As expected of my mouthpiece.
He raised his head and looked toward the sky again...
Time flew by in the blink of an eye. Three days passed in silence.
At last, the thunder in the sky, after Xiao Fan's stubborn resistance, exhausted all its power.
The clouds that had once blotted out the sky had grown thin and dim, and the thunderous roars gradually faded.
The bolts of lightning weakened as well. They seemed to be making one last desperate struggle, yet there was nothing they could do.
Finally, with one resentful rumble of thunder, the clouds dispersed helplessly, and sunlight once again spilled across the earth.
Xiao Fan stood on empty air, bathed in the warm sunlight. In its radiance, his figure seemed immeasurably tall.
At that moment, he seemed both god and demon, radiating an aura that inspired awe.
He could clearly feel that his Innate Sacred Body Dao Fetus had reached minor completion. The power within him surged like a vast, roiling ocean.
"Not bad..."
Xiao Fan murmured, a satisfied smile on his face.
The effects of Thunder Tribulation Body Tempering far exceeded his expectations. He had no idea how strong he was now!
Ah... I wish some Dou Sheng would come and beat me up!
"Qing Lin..."
Xiao Fan turned to look below and called softly.
"Your servant is here!"
Qing Lin answered at once, her voice tinged with delight and excitement.
"Pass on my order. Assemble the Demon Division. I intend to teach you a technique..."
Xiao Fan's voice rang out, carrying a hint of authority.
"Yes!"
Qing Lin took the order and left. Before long, many Snake-People swiftly gathered from all directions.
They arranged themselves in neat rows below Xiao Fan, all looking up with fervent anticipation.
"Master!!"
The Snake-People's voices joined together like a roaring tide, their mighty chorus echoing across the desert.
Several months had passed. After being tempered by the Heaven-Swallowing Array, the Snake-People Tribe had gained twelve Dou Emperors, dozens of Dou Wangs, and countless Dou Lings!
As a result, they were filled with gratitude and awe for the man in the sky.
"Today, I will teach you two formations..."
Xiao Fan's voice rang out above them, carrying clearly to every Snake-Person.
"The Eight Trigrams Immortal-Trapping Array... and the Myriad Spirits Immortal-Slaying Array..."
Xiao Fan explained the mysteries of the two formations in detail.
The Eight Trigrams Immortal-Trapping Array required eight Snake-People to form a group and take up precise positions according to the Eight Trigrams. They then circulated their Dou Qi through a special method of connection.
Although each individual's cultivation was relatively low, when their power gathered together, the resulting flow of Dou Qi could create powerful interference. Even a high-level expert would be trapped in the formation and temporarily lose their sense of direction.
Even a Dou Zun expert who tried to tear through space and escape would be unable to break free of the formation.
Once an enemy was trapped in the Eight Trigrams Immortal-Trapping Array, four mid- to high-level Snake-People would then carry out the "Myriad Spirits Saint-Strangling Immortal-Slaying Array."
This formation allowed low-level Snake-People to gather the Dou Qi energy of heaven and earth around them. When a high-level expert entered the formation, it would instantly trigger a surge of Dou Qi. This frenzied energy crashed against the expert like a raging tide, weakening their strength.
In this situation, the Snake-People could rely on their numerical advantage and the powerful amplification of the formation to defeat high-level experts who had once seemed utterly unreachable.
To put it roughly, a formation made up of eight Dou Wangs could trap a Dou Zong. Then, another formation made up of four Dou Emperors could kill the Dou Zong expert!
"As expected of the Great Emperor! Even the formations he casually gives us are this powerful!"
A Snake-Person shouted excitedly.
"See that? The Master once used a single formation to slay an Immortal King!"
Qing Lin began bragging loudly again. Mm... her choice of words was getting more and more outrageous.
"Thank you, Master!"
The Snake-People shouted in unison, their voices resounding through the clouds.
[Ping! The Snake-People have complete faith in your exploits. You have gained 10,000 Bragging Points!]
Hearing the system notification, Xiao Fan's mouth twitched slightly. When had he ever said he'd killed an Immortal King?
Yet a hint of satisfaction flashed through his eyes.
Not bad... this little girl brags even better than I do...