"Yes, we will become even stronger!"
"The Snake-People Tribe will also rise to new heights!"
Those almost cryptic words suddenly came from Chen Xuan as he slowly sat down.
Everyone present exchanged glances upon hearing this, then turned to Chen Xuan. They knew Her Majesty likely had more to say.
Although they understood the Snake-People Tribe's strength very well, they would not belittle themselves.
Chen Xuan swept his gaze over everyone present from left to right before slowly saying, "You are all the pillars of our Snake-People Tribe. As long as you remain, our tribe will have hope of becoming strong."
"Are you willing to give everything for the Snake-People Tribe? Including your lives!"
In an instant, everyone's eyes flashed with a light as sharp as blades.
"We are willing to give everything for the Snake-People Tribe, whatever the cost!"
Everyone present spoke in unison.
The Snake-People Tribe was their root, something nothing else could ever replace.
For the future of the Snake-People Tribe, they were naturally willing to give everything.
Even Ji Xuan, Black Mountain, and Gu Luo, the three elders who had some disagreements with Medusa, spoke with absolute resolve at that moment.
Hearing this, Chen Xuan nodded slightly.
As a small race, if the Snake-People Tribe had lacked internal unity, it would probably have been buried beneath the yellow sands long ago. How could it have maintained its current strength?
And how could it have grown ever stronger in this endless desert?!
This was the power of unity!
Even the loyalty of Elders Ji Xuan, Black Mountain, and Gu Luo to the Snake-People Tribe was beyond question.
Chen Xuan merely differed from them in his ideals.
Then Chen Xuan turned his gaze toward the three elders of the Snake-People Tribe-Ji Xuan, Black Mountain, and Gu Luo-and said softly, "It seems the three elders have some objections to the Snake-People Tribe's internal reforms?"
"Today, everyone may speak freely. After all, the Snake-People Tribe does not belong to me, but to all its people."
"Whatever thoughts you have, you may share them."
"This is a discussion of a great matter concerning our tribe's future!"
The moment Chen Xuan finished speaking, uncertainty crossed the three elders' faces.
The three exchanged glances, and Elder Black Mountain slowly stepped forward, looking gravely at Chen Xuan. "I hear that Your Majesty intends to reform our internal system?"
Chen Xuan nodded slightly, then looked at Elder Black Mountain and said, "Yes! Is there a problem with that?"
"No! There is nothing wrong with that in itself!"
"It is even a good thing, both for the Snake-People Tribe and for everyone!"
Black Mountain shook his head slightly and said something no one could believe.
Elder Snake Ji and the eight leaders, including Yue Mei, Mo Bass, and Yan Ci, all froze.
They felt they must have misheard!
Nothing wrong?!
If there's nothing wrong, then why the hell are you opposing it?!
"Oh?!"
Hearing this, a hint of surprise appeared on Chen Xuan's face before he continued, "Then what would you like to say, Elder?"
"Your Majesty, there is nothing wrong with internal reform itself. The problem is, can our Snake-People Tribe truly bear the consequences of those reforms?!"
Elder Black Mountain stared straight at Chen Xuan, his gaze sharp. "Four hundred years ago, a newly crowned queen of the Snake-People Tribe swore, just as Your Majesty has, to lead our tribe to new heights and end this life of suffering."
"She launched sweeping internal reforms within the Snake-People Tribe, and the entire tribe's strength grew tremendously during that time."
At this point, Elder Black Mountain paused before continuing, "Back then, the Snake-People Tribe had eight Dou Emperors and more than a dozen Dou Wangs. We stood at the pinnacle of our strength!"
"But good times seldom last. The system itself was a double-edged sword, and the reforms only sharpened both edges."
"Soon, problems with the system caused a tremendous rift throughout the Snake-People Tribe. One faction advocated launching a campaign of conquest across the continent and ruling a territory of our own."
"The other advocated gradual development and preserving our strength. The two factions fell into disagreement."
"In the end, that internal discord affected the entire Snake-People Tribe, and civil war broke out."
"In that battle, the entire Snake-People Tribe suffered devastating losses. Seven Dou Huang experts died, and only three Dou Wangs remained. That was the ultimate result of the reforms."
"The remaining Dou Emperor also died of illness a year later, and we were those three surviving Dou Wangs."
Black Mountain's gaze grew distant, as though he were recalling the past.
At the same time, Ji Xuan and Gu Luo closed their eyes tightly and clenched their fists.
They seemed to be overcome by immense grief!
"What?!"
"Something like that happened? Why did I never know?"
Hearing this, Elder Snake Ji looked at Black Mountain in shock.
Seven Dou Emperors and more than a dozen experts of the Snake-People Tribe had all fallen in battle, leaving only three Dou Wangs. How could Snake Ji, a former queen of the Snake-People Tribe, have known nothing about it?
"Although Elder Snake Ji possesses extraordinary talent, you are still limited by your age."
"Back then, Black Mountain, Gu Luo, and I did not want this matter to have too great an impact, so we burned every record of it and strictly forbade anyone from discussing it."
"After so many years, naturally, no one knew about it anymore."
Seeing Elder Snake Ji's shock, Ji Xuan spoke slowly.
"So that is why the three of us oppose Your Majesty's internal reforms. We must never tread the same disastrous path again!"
Gu Luo's eyes were filled with grief as he looked up at Chen Xuan and spoke in anguish.
After hearing the three elders' reasons, Snake Ji and the eight leaders understood, and their gazes toward the three elders were filled with profound respect.
It was hard to imagine what the Snake-People Tribe had been like with only three Dou Wangs remaining!
Had they been oppressed, bullied, or forced to live every day trembling with fear?!
They could imagine the pressure the three elders had faced back then. Every burden had rested upon their shoulders.
"So that is what happened!"
"The three elders truly rendered unparalleled service to our Snake-People Tribe!"
Hearing this, Chen Xuan's expression grew slightly solemn.
The internal reforms back then had sparked a civil war, and the entire Snake-People Tribe had nearly been destroyed.
It was only natural that the three elders would protest against internal reforms.
"But... the Snake-People Tribe's internal reforms must proceed."
Then Chen Xuan's expression turned serious as he swept his gaze over everyone. "The reason that civil war broke out was that the supreme decision-maker was not powerful enough."
"If the queen back then had possessed the strength to suppress it, a civil war could never have occurred."
"I have confidence in myself, and I have confidence in you!"
"In our hands, the Snake-People Tribe will rise to new heights."
"Our goal is not the Jia Ma Empire, nor the Northwest Continent, but the Dou Qi Continent."
Chen Xuan's voice was not loud, but it was filled with power.
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