Word Count: 3,176 Words
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The Magic Beast Mountain Range had once spanned the borders of several empires, renowned for its diverse array of magical beasts.
That, however, was in the past.
While it had indeed once spanned multiple nations, the entire range now belonged exclusively to the Yan Alliance. Its reputation no longer rested on its abundance of magical beasts but on the formidable tribe that had claimed it as its territory.
For within its boundaries thrived a kingdom of magical beasts. More precisely, the Snake-People Tribe, whose very name sent tremors through the Western and Northern Regions of the Central Plains!
All because of its ruler.
Deep within the Snake-People Empire's palace, a woman reclined upon the dragon throne. Clad in a red gown, her graceful form leaned lazily against the backrest. Her coldly enchanting features carried a trace of icy dominance, while those uniquely alluring eyes brimmed with the authority and pride of one long accustomed to supreme authority.
It was the kind of pride that not even the passage of years could diminish.
This was, of course, Cai Lin, ruler of the Snake-People Empire, also known as Queen Medusa.
"Your Majesty, regarding the Heavenly Mountain Blood Pool in the Heaven Eye Mountain Range, the Gold Swallowing Mouse Tribe has agreed to our proposal. If our alchemists can clear the fire poison from the bottom of the pool, they will allow us to take turns with the Yan Alliance in accessing its depths," reported Mo Ba Si, once leader of one of the eight great tribes.
Tribe Leader Yan Ci snorted coldly. "Hmph. In my view, we should deploy our forces to wipe out the Gold Swallowing Mouse Tribe and claim the entire Heaven Eye Mountain Range outright."
Yue Mei shot him a withering glance. "Is your brain stuffed? The Nine Serene Deep Ground Python Tribe and the Profound Sky Sect are already covertly backing the Wind Lightning Pavilion. Such brazen moves would only provoke more factions against us. Besides, Grandmaster Xiao Yan once forged an alliance with the Gold Swallowing Mouse Tribe. Do you wish for Her Majesty to bear the infamy of betrayal?"
Yan Ci was terrified by such a grave accusation and immediately dropped to his knees. They had once been the proud eight tribal leaders, but now only Yue Mei and Hua She Er had reached Rank 7, while the others remained at Rank 6.
Cai Lin glanced indifferently at the squabbling group below. Beneath her imperial robes, her serpentine tail swayed gently, accentuating her mature, swaying allure.
Her reluctance to adopt aggressive tactics stemmed from a simple truth: the Yan Alliance's expansion had grown too swift, stirring unease among hidden clans and sects.
Sound Valley, for instance, was a reclusive power whose disciples rarely ventured beyond their territory. The Dou Qi Continent was not limited to just the Four Pavilions, Three Valleys, and Two Sects; numerous hidden sects preferred to avoid open conflict.
Since Xiao Yan had claimed victory at the Pill Gathering, the Yan Alliance had swept through city after city with unstoppable momentum, nearly uprooting the Wind Lightning Pavilion entirely.
This show of force had even startled the Yellow Springs Pavilion in the Western Region and the Ten Thousand Sword Pavilion in the Eastern Region, causing them to abandon several cities, all of which Cai Lin had promptly absorbed into the Yan Alliance's territory.
Suddenly, Cai Lin's elegant brows furrowed slightly as she listened with apparent languor. Her gaze drifted through the window toward a garden beyond the palace walls. A faint smile touched her lips when she saw that familiar silhouette.
"We'll end here for today. You may withdraw." She rose gracefully from the throne. Multi-colored light shimmered as her serpentine tail transformed into a pair of shapely legs.
"Yes, Your Majesty!"
Cai Lin stepped through the void, arriving in the palace garden with a single stride.
There, Xiao Yan was playing with Xiao Xiao.
"Yah!" Xiao Xiao threw a ball high into the air with a thunderous shout. She vaulted upward with a void step and spiked it down with tremendous force. The ball hurtled toward Xiao Yan like a meteor.
"So fast!" Xiao Yan adopted an expression of exaggerated amazement, then gritted his teeth as if facing a formidable opponent.
Had the Black and White Tianzun been present, they would have been utterly speechless. This man who had maintained perfect composure while fighting Dou Venerates was now pretending to struggle against a small Dou Ancestor!
The ball struck his forearm with a loud thump, flattening against the impact. If it had not been crafted from the hide of a Rank 7 magical beast, it would have burst on contact.
Xiao Yan planted his feet firmly, a sly grin forming on his lips as he gently tapped the ball, sending it floating toward the opposite side.
But! A triumphant smirk curved Xiao Xiao's lips as she stomped through the void, appearing precisely where the ball was headed. Her little foot lifted just in time, and before Xiao Yan's feigned astonishment, the ball landed squarely on the ground.
"Argh, so close! I lost," Xiao Yan feigned a look of someone who had been just a hair short of victory.
"Daddy is amazing too," Xiao Xiao offered him an encouraging thumbs-up.
Cai Lin emerged from the palace at that moment. Gone was her cold, imperious demeanor from the throne room. Though she had shed that icy edge, the gentleness that replaced it lent her beauty an entirely new depth.
"Mama!" Xiao Xiao shifted into a colorful streak, springing to cling around Cai Lin's neck with affectionate warmth.
Xiao Yan stood, his features softening with tenderness. "Finished with your affairs?"
"Mm." Cai Lin cradled Xiao Xiao and drew nearer.
Though they were now husband and wife, their time together remained relatively brief. Even now, meeting each other's gaze still brought a hint of shyness and quickened heartbeats.
Just then, the air rippled as a black cat leaped from the void. Under Xiao Yan and Cai Lin's puzzled stares, Mao Wu bounded toward a nearby rockery.
Moments later, Mao Wu returned with Xiao Cai clamped in its jaws, the little one playing dead with tongue lolling. Mao Wu deposited her at Xiao Yan's feet.
Understanding dawned, and Xiao Yan fought back laughter.
This was a reenactment of how he and Cai Lin had first met, when Mao Wu had carried back a tiny, half-charred Cai Lin.
Little Xiao Cai indeed resembled that past version of Cai Lin.
An icy chill suddenly emanated from behind him. Cai Lin's expression had turned glacial as she fixed him with a withering stare. Mao Wu vanished into the void in a flash, while Xiao Cai dropped the act and scampered off.
"Amusing?"
Xiao Yan shook his head vigorously, scooped up Xiao Xiao, and bolted. "Mama's mad! Run!"
Cai Lin stood stunned. Had she become the villain?!
After playing for a while, Xiao Xiao and Xiao Cai finally fell asleep in Cai Lin's embrace. Their unique constitutions kept their bodies in a juvenile stage, requiring frequent periods of deep sleep for growth.
Seated beside Xiao Yan, Cai Lin stroked Xiao Xiao's hair and asked with seeming casualness, "How long will you stay this time?"
Xiao Yan studied her profile and answered softly, "Most matters are settled. I should remain with the Yan Alliance for nearly two years."
A flicker of emotion crossed Cai Lin's eyes. She knew he would soon travel to the Gu Realm, and his purpose there was essentially a marriage proposal.
During that moment of enlightenment when their souls had merged, Cai Lin had learned about Xun Er. Without that twist of fate, she would never have entered Xiao Yan's life. In some ways, she felt like a third party.
Noticing the look in her eyes, Xiao Yan grasped her delicate hand. "It's not your fault. It all began because of my greed for the Green Lotus Core Flame."
The entire situation had started because Xiao Yan, this Hall of Souls' good representative, had coveted the Green Lotus Core Flame. To put it bluntly, back then he had charged into the palace to snatch away the Heavenly Flame and had even launched a soul attack while Cai Lin was using it to evolve.
He was the chief culprit!
Cai Lin gently shook her head. "Without you, the Snake-People Tribe would have been destroyed, and I probably would have died too. You needn't blame yourself."
Xiao Yan stretched lazily. "There's no point dwelling on it. We'll wait until I see Xun Er and explain everything clearly. The Gu Realm is no benevolent place. I'm still only a 3-star Dou Venerate. I'll need to improve further over these two years."
Cai Lin rolled her eyes in exasperation at his humble-bragging. Even with her Seven-Colored Heaven Swallowing Python bloodline and fully evolved Heavenly Flame serpent body, she had only reached peak 2-star Dou Venerate.
Once upon a time, her strength had far exceeded his, yet now she had been surpassed!
One could only imagine how terrifyingly swift Xiao Yan's cultivation progress had been.
"There actually is a secret realm that can improve cultivation," Cai Lin said suddenly, as if remembering something.
!?
"The Yan Alliance has a secret realm that can improve a Dou Venerate's strength?!" Xiao Yan asked in shock. Though the Yan Alliance had developed rapidly, he thought they wouldn't have access to realms suitable for Dou Venerates.
Secret realms of that caliber would at minimum be ancient ruins or Half-Saint inheritances. Ordinary Dou Venerate inheritances were already useless to him.
Though the Yan Alliance was large, they should not be able to control a secret realm of this level.
Sure enough, Cai Lin shook her head. "It's not a Yan Alliance secret realm."
"About a month ago, when Qing Lin and I went to eradicate Ice River Valley remnants from their former territory, her Triple Jade-Green Snake Flower Pupils discovered something in an ancient forest where the territory bordered the Eastern Region."
Xiao Yan's heart skipped a beat. Discovered by the Triple Jade-Green Snake Flower Pupils! The Triple Jade-Green Snake Flower Pupils was known as the number one pupil physique on the Dou Qi Continent!
"Did you investigate?" he asked.
"No, the overlord of that place is somewhat special, so we didn't rashly enter. Moreover, Qing Lin sensed that what exists in that ancient forest is very terrifying, likely a presence at the Dou Saint level. We decided to wait for Elder Yao's return before investigating further."
Xiao Yan frowned. Something that could inspire fear in the Triple Jade-Green Snake Flower Pupils?!
"Where is Qing Lin now?" Xiao Yan swept his Spiritual Strength across Jia Ma Sacred City, only to find his cute little maidservant nowhere to be found.
"Qing Lin is waiting at Tian Bei City on the Northern Region border. That's also the northern boundary of the Yan Alliance," Cai Lin explained.
Xiao Yan's eyes immediately grew heated. This was the benefit of a large faction: extensive information networks and vast territories. He had barely returned, yet already learned of such a promising location.
"I'll make arrangements immediately. There's no time to lose." Despite Cai Lin's composed tone, she had long wanted to explore that ancient forest.
Qing Lin had already reached half-step Dou Venerate. Cai Lin herself was a 2-star Dou Venerate, while this freak Xiao Yan had already reached 3-star. Not only had Xiao Yan surpassed her, but soon Qing Lin with her Triple Jade-Green Snake Flower Pupils might overtake her as well.
As the Queen of the Snake-People Empire, she naturally had her pride!
Although they had not explored it yet, Qing Lin had sensed the location was likely the remains of a Demon Saint, almost certainly a snake-type Demon Saint! Such ruins would be perfect for Cai Lin and could significantly increase her strength.
After arranging for Xiao Ding to care for Xiao Xiao and Xiao Cai, Xiao Yan and Cai Lin opened a wormhole toward Tian Bei City on the Northern Region border.
With their level of cultivation, they arrived at Tian Bei City from Jia Ma Sacred City in just three days.
"Young Master Xiao Yan! Why have you come?" In Tian Bei City's City Lord Manor, Qing Lin sensed Xiao Yan's arrival and hurriedly emerged from seclusion.
"Didn't I hear you discovered something good? I've come to freeload food, drinks, and maybe an inheritance to boost my strength."
The Tenth Tianzun loved to eat soft rice!
Xiao Yan looked at her sparkling eyes and gently stroked her head. Qing Lin's face reddened slightly. With her jade-like complexion, large round eyes that shimmered like liquid crystal, and a figure as alluring as Cai Lin's combined with innocence, every one of her glances and smiles tugged at one's heartstrings.
"If Young Master needs anything, Qing Lin can give everything to Young Master," she offered with sincere devotion.
Xiao Yan withdrew his hand and touched his nose awkwardly. Even soft rice is hard to swallow if it's too soft.
He then changed the subject. "Qing Lin has already reached half-step Dou Venerate. Of the two pill recipes the Jade-Eyed Snake Saint left behind, one can help you break through to Dou Venerate."
The Jade-Eyed Snake Saint had indeed left numerous treasures, including two pill recipes. One would help Qing Lin break through to Dou Venerate and stabilize her Triple Jade-Green Snake Flower Pupils; it was merely a tier 8 pill that would draw two-colored Pill Lightning.
The other could attract eight-colored Pill Lightning and cause her Triple Jade-Green Snake Flower Pupils to evolve, but unfortunately, he still had not gathered all the necessary ingredients.
Refining a pill that drew two-colored Pill Lightning was trivial for the current Xiao Yan with his Heavenly State soul. He completed it in just two days.
With her cultivation already approaching Dou Venerate, Qing Lin quickly absorbed the pill and broke through.
After her breakthrough, Xiao Yan brought both women to a city outside the ancient forest to understand the situation.
Strange Serpent Forest. This famous forest in the Eastern Region had existed since ancient times. It was extraordinarily abundant in resources and produced various spirit fruits and precious gems.
The reason it was called Strange Serpent Forest was because the overlords here were the Strange Serpent Tribe. As their name suggested, they appeared rather strange, having multiple heads; the more heads they possessed, the stronger they were.
The Strange Serpent Tribe's patriarch had eight heads and was a Rank 8 magical beast. It was one of the few serpent tribes that belonged neither to the Nine Serene Deep Ground Python Tribe nor to the Yan Alliance.
In the city outside Strange Serpent Forest, Qing Lin summoned her Two-Headed Flame Spirit Serpent. The three of them standing on it was a normal sight in this city.
Giant snakes over ten meters long were everywhere here, so they were not strange at all.
The only attention-grabbers were Cai Lin and Qing Lin. Two peerless beauties, no matter where they went, always drew admiring glances.
Cai Lin's face remained cold and indifferent, her sharp eyes like frost. She resembled a winter plum standing proudly in snow, a beauty capable of toppling cities that made people stop and stare from a distance.
Qing Lin, by contrast, gazed about with curious, sparkling eyes. Her watery orbs held an innocence and naivety that could make anyone's heart race.
Despite their beauty, no one dared approach them. After all, under Qing Lin's care, the Two-Headed Flame Spirit Serpent had reached peak Dou Emperor strength.
A peak Dou Emperor Two-Headed Flame Spirit Serpent serving as a mere mount was enough to deter many small fry.
"Snake Rock Spirit Fruits! Dragon Snake Spirit Fruits just harvested from Nine Snake Ridge! Three Snake Rock Spirit Fruits for one Dou King Pill! Fixed price!" a vendor's voice cut through the street noise.
Xiao Yan glanced over, shot out a Dou King Pill with a casual flick, and then with a slight gesture, three Snake Rock Spirit Fruits flew into his hand. He bit into one immediately, sweet juice bursting in his mouth.
These spirit fruits had body-tempering effects for snake-type magical beasts, but for Xiao Yan, they were simply delicious snacks.
Hiss hiss! The Two-Headed Flame Spirit Serpent twisted its neck to look at Xiao Yan pleadingly. It wanted some too!
Xiao Yan smiled and said, "Of course."
He tossed out four more Dou King Pills, buying all the remaining fruits at the stall, and threw them to the serpent. What were Dou King Pills for Xiao Yan now? Merely something he could refine with a casual wave of his hand!
The stall owner stared at the few medicinal pills in front of him, completely dumbfounded. His 'fixed price' had been mere pretense; he had been waiting for customers to haggle! Was that not how business worked? How had someone simply purchased everything at full price?!
"Thank you, great sir! Thank you!" The vendor hurriedly collected the Dou King Pills, bowing repeatedly to Xiao Yan as if he were the God of Wealth incarnate.
Xiao Yan lightly jumped down from the Two-Headed Flame Spirit Serpent. "No need for thanks. I actually have some questions for you."
"Please ask anything, sir! This humble one will tell you everything I know!" The vendor rubbed his hands together like a fly, his smile broadening.
When visiting unfamiliar places, gathering intelligence was always the first step.
"Are there any interesting locations in this Strange Serpent Forest? I want to show these two beauties a good time." Xiao Yan adopted the air of a wealthy young master out for amusement.
The vendor glanced up, noting the extraordinary beauty of both women. With their strength hidden, he naturally could not see through them and immediately took Xiao Yan for a young clan leader from some major faction, out sightseeing with his companions.
"Sir, your timing couldn't be better! Strange Serpent Forest's Nine Snake Ridge opened just days ago and is still accessible."
"Nine Snake Ridge?" Xiao Yan's eyes narrowed thoughtfully. This place might be connected to what Qing Lin had sensed.
"Hehe, Nine Snake Ridge is a true treasure land! Legend says it formed where a powerful Ancient Heaven Serpent fell, which is why it produces such precious spirit fruits and medicinal ingredients. It was originally the Strange Serpent Tribe's private property, but continuously monopolizing such a valuable area would cause problems, so they open it periodically, allowing everyone to enter and harvest the spirit fruits."
!?
At these words, both Cai Lin and Qing Lin's eyes widened in shock. An actual Ancient Heaven Serpent!
"Is there truly an Ancient Heaven Serpent ruin?" Xiao Yan asked eagerly. He was certain the legend must be true, but if others had already excavated it, that would be a tremendous loss.
"Hah! What Ancient Heaven Serpent ruins? If such a thing existed, wouldn't the Strange Serpent Tribe have claimed it for themselves long ago? Would they let others near it? That legend is just something they spread to attract more people to Nine Snake Ridge."