Unexplained Dispute

A man clad in gray shouted, not far from Xiao Yan and his two companions. It was clear his words carried a pointed intent.

Xiao Yan gazed at the gray-robed man and was surprised to find that he also possessed the strength of a Dou Wang. The two burly and lean elders standing behind him possessed restrained auras; they were clearly no pushovers.

"I picked them, but those White Fragrant Berries don't seem to have anything to do with you," Xiao Yan said.

The gray-robed man stared at Xiao Yan and said, "Brat, if you know what's good for you, hand the items over. This young master can spare you from hardship."

"Hardship? Do you have the ability to do that?" Xiao Yan's indifferent voice rang out. He did not like to provoke others casually, but neither was he someone who could be casually manipulated at will.

The gray-robed man gave a cold laugh. "Brat, you really aren't afraid of death!" As he spoke, his palms slowly clenched into fists, and violent Dou Qi fluctuations erupted. Fierce Dou Qi enveloped the three of them near the campfire.

A purple figure violently rushed out, her small fist carrying terrifying force as she smashed it toward the gray-robed man. It was precisely Zi Yan.

The power of that punch shattered the Dou Qi fluctuations layer by layer. Just as her fist was about to land on the gray-robed man, it was caught by a withered, large hand, and Zi Yan's monstrous strength vanished into thin air.

"Little doll, to strike with such viciousness at such a tender age, I must teach you a lesson." The speaker was none other than the lean elder standing behind the gray-robed man.

Eerie black markings appeared on the lean elder's large hand and directly spread toward Zi Yan's arm. A blood-red fist abruptly materialized before the elder's face, and a scorching sensation arose from the depths of his heart.

The lean elder released Zi Yan. With both hands completely covered in black markings, he blocked in front of himself, only to be forced back three steps.

Xiao Yan pulled Zi Yan to his side. The blood-red flames swept across Zi Yan's arm, and the black markings vanished without a trace.

Xiao Yan watched the elder with vigilance. He could sense that his hitherto infallible Crimson Lotus Karma Flame had been neutralized to a considerable extent by the bizarre markings on the elder's arm.

"People from the Mystic Pattern Sect have markings on their arms that often possess special effects and rather bizarre methods," Yao Lao reminded him.

"For Your Excellency to deal such a heavy hand to a little child, that hardly seems reasonable, does it?" Xiao Yan said.

The lean elder's eyes narrowed as he stared at Xiao Yan, clearly shocked by the performance Xiao Yan had just displayed with a single move. The plump elder at his side also stepped slightly forward, and tyrannical Dou Qi erupted from Xiao Xun'er and Zi Yan as well. In an instant, the situation reached a stalemate.

Witnessing this scene, the lean elder's lips moved slightly as he spoke to the gray-robed man. A look of impatience appeared on the gray-robed man's face, but after scanning Xiao Yan and the other two repeatedly, he ultimately nodded.

"Brat, you've offended the Mystic Pattern Sect. I advise you to scram far away from the Northwest Region immediately, or else the next time I see you will be your day of doom," the gray-robed man said resentfully, before departing alongside the two elders.

Watching the three figures walk away, Zi Yan said indignantly, "What's so great about them? If that old fogey hadn't stepped in, he would've been beaten into a cripple by me ages ago."

Xiao Xun'er said softly to Xiao Yan, "Brother Xiao Yan, disciples of the Mystic Pattern Sect primarily cultivate Dou Qi markings with various unique effects and diverse methods. You must be careful if you cross paths with them next time."

Xiao Yan nodded in response. "You little girl know quite a bit, don't you?"

"Hehe, I just know a little bit more than Brother Xiao Yan, that's all."

"Elder Ge, why didn't you kill that brat just now?" After flying a certain distance away, the gray-robed man asked in confusion.

"Old Qin, did you feel it?" Instead of answering directly, the lean elder questioned the plump elder.

"It was a Heavenly Flame, wasn't it? Its might is quite terrifying."

"Indeed. My Spirit-Devouring Pattern was burned away by half directly." A trace of regret flashed across the lean elder's eyes.

"Could that brat possibly be a match for the two of you?"

The plump elder took the lead to speak. "Second Young Master, that girl in green gave me a feeling even more terrifying than that brat with the Heavenly Flame. Coupled with that little doll, the strength of those three is quite formidable. It isn't worth fighting them to the death over a single medicinal herb."

"Hmph, they're so young, they're probably the trump card of some sect preparing to show their faces at the Ten Thousand Beasts Assembly. When the time comes, I'll let them know the might of our Mystic Pattern Sect. I, Mo Fa, am not someone who can be easily provoked!"

Within the Heavenly Snake Empire, inside a secret chamber at the headquarters of the Heavenly Snake Mansion.

A young girl adorned in pale green attire sat cross-legged on the ground. She was merely fourteen or fifteen years old, yet her physical development had already begun to take shape. Her lovely, delicate oval face was endearing, resembling a meticulously crafted porcelain doll. The girl's eyes were closed tight, yet occasionally, bizarre eerie light emerged from within them. Opposite the girl was a serpentine phantom. Upon closer inspection, it was a tier-six monster beast comparable to a Dou Emperor—the Jade Blood Demon Python. Dou Qi linked the python and the girl, and the expression of the Jade Blood Demon Python held a mixture of dread and rage.

Each time it was swept by the eerie light radiating from the girl's eyes, the resistance of the Jade Blood Demon Python weakened by a fraction.

Time steadily passed. The girl's sitting posture remained steady without the slightest sway; on the contrary, the negative emotions of the Jade Blood Demon Python grew increasingly faint.

Finally, after approaching a certain critical threshold, the girl abruptly opened her eyes. Her eyes were covered by a verdant green light, and upon closer inspection, three tiny dots actually existed within her pupils. The tiny dots slowly expanded and transformed in an instant into three minuscule flowers. Eerie light erupting from the flowers enveloped the entire body of the Jade Blood Demon Python, and a green flower became imprinted upon the python's skull. The gaze of the Jade Blood Demon Python shifted from fierce and resistant to docile, finally transforming into a beam of light that entered the girl's eyes.

"The Saint's cultivation has advanced once more, managing to subdue a Jade Blood Demon Python comparable to a Dou Emperor expert. Congratulations!" A graceful female materialized.

"Aunt Chu, I don't want to be any sort of Saint. You all promised me that once I reached your demands, you would grant me my freedom," the girl replied.

Aunt Chu said helplessly, "My dear Saint and ancestor, has our Heavenly Snake Mansion treated you unfairly? Have we forced you? Is this place not vastly superior to that wretched mercenary group you were in before?"

The girl pouted. "You've all been very good to me, of course, but Brother Xiao Yan is the person who treats me best. I haven't even asked him about this yet."

The girl was precisely Qing Lin, Xiao Yan's former maid. During the period when Xiao Yan was absorbing the Crimson Lotus Karma Flame, Mo Chen had abducted Qing Lin, who was at the time preparing to undergo the transplantation of the Triple Jade-Green Snake Flower Pupils. People from the Heavenly Snake Mansion arrived, rescued Qing Lin, and brought her back to the Heavenly Snake Mansion. Because of Qing Lin's extraordinary innate talent, she was revered as their Saint.

Aunt Chu walked up to Qing Lin and poked her forehead, saying, "What? To be the lofty Saint in the Heavenly Snake Mansion, to be a dignified Dou Wang expert—is that not better than being a mere maid? Who knows, your Brother Xiao Yan has probably already forgotten all about a little maid like you."

Qing Lin immediately retorted, "He won't! Brother Xiao Yan would never be like that."

"Fine, fine, fine. All day long it's Brother Xiao Yan this and Brother Xiao Yan that. As long as you can achieve good results at the Ten Thousand Beasts Assembly, I will ask the Mansion Master to give you the opportunity to go outside!"

A satisfied smile immediately bloomed on Qing Lin's face. "Thank you, Aunt Chu! Hehe, I'll resume my cultivation immediately and strive to win first place at the Ten Thousand Beasts Assembly!"

Aunt Chu looked at Qing Lin, who had already resumed her cultivation, and helplessly shook her head. Was the Ten Thousand Beasts Assembly truly that simple?