The team continued their journey the following day.
Over the next two days, the changes in environment became increasingly apparent.
The sandy land was gradually replaced by hard Gobi Desert and rugged mountains, and greenery began to increase, although it was mostly low and drought-resistant shrubs, which also indicated the existence of life.
They even passed by one or two small Snake-People Tribe villages and saw ordinary Snake-People civilians working.
When the Snake-People saw Yue Mei's procession, especially the prison carts in the procession, their reactions varied: some were fearful, some were respectful, and some showed undisguised hatred for humans.
The faint pressure and ancient aura in the air became increasingly apparent, as if a primordial beast was slumbering ahead.
On the afternoon of the third day, when the group climbed to the top of a towering, crimson stone mountain, the view in front of them suddenly opened up, causing Xiao Yan and Xiao Huohuo in the prison cart to hold their breath.
Below was a huge basin, and in the center of the basin was not the desert one might imagine, but a vast and astonishingly large stone city!
The city is predominantly dark in color, with walls over twenty feet high, constructed entirely of deep black boulders. Dark red patterns seem to flow slowly between the stones, exuding an aura of solidity and unease.
The city walls were covered with arrow towers and watchtowers, flags fluttered, and countless Snake-People soldiers patrolled the city like ants, their metal and scales gleaming coldly in the blazing sun.
The city's architecture is rugged and tall, mostly pyramidal or trapezoidal in shape, with sharp edges.
In the very heart of the city, a colossal pyramid-shaped palace, far more magnificent and imposing than the surrounding buildings, rises majestically from the ground!
The palace was entirely dark gold, shimmering with a mysterious and majestic luster under the sunlight. At its top, there seemed to be a huge purple crystal, and even from this distance, one could feel the immense energy and heart-pounding fluctuations contained within it.
An invisible aura, a mixture of majesty, chill, and an indescribable heat, subtly enveloped the entire city and basin, centered on the pyramid palace.
The Snake-People Holy City!
Even though they had anticipated it, Xiao Yan and Xiao Huohuo were still deeply shocked to see the alien capital deep in the desert.
The city exudes an aura of wildness, mystery, and danger far surpassing any grand city in human lands.
A hint of surprise appeared in Xiao Yan's eyes.
Although this Snake-People Holy City did not appear as large and prosperous as the Spirit City or Heaven Dou City in the Douluo Continent, it was extremely majestic and mysterious.
Looking directly at the temple, Xiao Yan also felt a pressure emanating from his soul.
"We've finally arrived."
Yue Mei's voice came from the back of the sand lizard ahead, carrying a hint of relief. At her speed, if she were to travel at full speed, she could reach the Holy City in less than a day.
However, in order to escort Xiao Yan and the other person and prevent any accidents, Yue Mei traveled with the group.
Glancing back at the two people inside the prison cart, Yue Mei spoke calmly:
"Once we enter the city, take these two directly to the dungeon and keep them under strict guard. No one is to touch them without Her Majesty the Queen's or my orders!"
"Yes, Lady Yue Mei!" the team responded in unison, their morale noticeably boosted, and their gazes toward the Holy City filled with awe and Frenzy.
The group descended the mountain along a wide, clearly well-maintained road, heading towards the Holy City's black gates, which resembled the mouth of a giant beast.
The closer you get, the more you can feel the sheer size and oppressive atmosphere of this city.
The city gate was ten zhang high, and when it slowly opened, it made a deep, thunderous roar.
Inside and outside the city gate, the Snake-People soldiers guarding the area stood in a strict formation, exuding a fierce aura. After respectfully saluting Yue Mei, their cold gazes swept over the two people in the prison cart like knives.
Xiao Yan and Xiao Huohuo silently surveyed their surroundings, partly to explore the terrain and partly to understand the strength of the Snake-People Tribe.
Upon entering the Holy City, a cacophony of noise and exotic atmosphere immediately greets you.
The streets are wide, paved with huge stone slabs, and clean and tidy.
The buildings on both sides are constructed of massive stones and some kind of dark wood, and are carved with intricate snake totems, ancient epic murals, and some incomprehensible runes.
Snake-People thronged the streets, their snake tails making a unique rustling sound as they swam.
The air was filled with a complex aroma of spices, herbs, leather, metal, and the faint, fishy smell unique to the Snake-People Tribe.
Many Snake-People civilians and warriors noticed the procession and the prison wagon, pointing and whispering, their eyes filled with hostility, curiosity, and scrutiny.
The defenses inside the Holy City were loose on the outside but tight on the inside. Xiao Yan could sense that many seemingly ordinary buildings had powerful auras hidden behind their windows and in the shadows of street corners.
In just a short distance, Xiao Yan had already sensed several powerful auras, no weaker than the two Snake-People at the Dou Ling level in Yue Mei's group.
The group did not linger on the main road, but went straight through several bustling streets, heading towards the majestic pyramid temple in the city center.
The closer one gets to the temple area, the wider and more solemn the streets become, the taller and more magnificent the buildings grow, the higher the rank of the patrolling Snake-People guards become, and the more somber and oppressive the atmosphere becomes.
Finally, the group stopped in front of a heavily guarded group of black buildings on the outskirts of the temple area.
The buildings here are low and heavy, with almost no windows. The doors are made of thick metal, exuding an atmosphere of coldness and death. It's such a narrow and uncomfortable place.
Xiao Yan and Xiao Huohuo immediately realized that this must be the Snake-People Tribe's dungeon.
Xiao Yan and Xiao Huohuo exchanged a glance. Under Yue Mei's watchful gaze, they passed through several heavy metal gates that required special tokens or passwords to open before Yue Mei turned and left.
Inside the dungeon.
The damp, chilly air, mixed with the smells of rust, mildew, and a faint trace of blood, was extremely unpleasant.
Along the way, we passed some prisons, which held emaciated prisoners with numb eyes. Some were human, some were of other races, and there were even a few Snake-People.
Ultimately, they were imprisoned in a solitary stone cell deep underground.
The stone cell was more sturdy than the previous tent, with thick black stone walls engraved with more complex imprisonment and isolation runes than the Snake Spirit Lock, shimmering with a dark light.
The cell door was a heavy stone door mixed with a special metal, with only a small window, no bigger than a palm, used to pass food. Inside the stone cell, apart from a stone bed, there was nothing else; it was bitterly cold.
"Clang!"
The stone door slammed shut, the sound of the lock echoing in the cramped space.
The sound of guards standing still and hushed conversation came from outside the door.
The stone cell was shrouded in darkness, with only the faint light from the runes on the walls and a sliver of pale green phosphorescence seeping through the crack in the door.
We've finally arrived.
Xiao Huohuo let out a long breath and leaned against the cold stone wall. Although the environment was harsh, being temporarily free from Yue Mei's direct sight and the encirclement of the escort team made him relax a little.
Maintaining the persona of a prisoner for the past few days has been incredibly exhausting.
What's more, they had to be exposed to the scorching sun in a cramped iron cage.
"Teacher, can you sense the exact location of the Heavenly Flames?"
Xiao Huohuo asked impatiently.
Standing at the heart of the Snake-People Holy City, Xiao Huohuo's heart burned with excitement once more.
I am about to possess my first Heavenly Flames!
The Yao Lao was silent for a moment, his aged voice carrying a hint of solemnity and doubt:
"The sensations are strange."
The Green Lotus Core Flame is a rare treasure of heaven and earth, and its aura should be quite obvious. However, even though we are currently in the Snake-People Holy City, we still cannot detect the aura of the Green Lotus Core Flame.
Queen Medusa must have sealed it away using some means, or perhaps it's located within some special space.