In the Tager Desert, a secluded oasis served as the hidden residence of powerful members of the Snake-People Tribe.
Yue Mei followed a few quiet paths and finally stopped in front of a bamboo house hidden deep within a bamboo grove.
Looking at the exquisite building and considering the heritage of the Snake-People Tribe, Yue Mei finally felt a slight easing of the tension that had gripped her since receiving the seven-colored scale.
She respectfully tidied her appearance and gently knocked on the door.
"Elder, I have urgent news regarding the Queen. Yue Mei requests an audience."
"Come in."
As soon as the knock sounded, an aged voice came from inside the bamboo house, and the door opened in response. Yue Mei bowed slightly and entered respectfully.
Inside, four figures appeared before her, each exuding a powerful aura, subtle yet extraordinary. Every one of them had reached the pinnacle of Dou Emperor.
"You look so uneasy. What happened to the Queen?" Noticing Yue Mei's clearly flustered expression, one elderly woman seemed to realize the gravity of the situation and asked solemnly.
"Grand Elder, here are the details…"
Yue Mei began recounting everything she knew in full.
"What? The Queen was defeated and captured, forced to take a pill suspected of being poison, and you were forced to take it as well? How could this happen? Third Elder, you are the expert on poisons—come see this."
After hearing Yue Mei's account, the Grand Elder was filled with astonishment and doubt, never expecting so many incidents to have occurred in such a short time.
Upon hearing this, the Third Elder stepped forward, placing a hand on Yue Mei's wrist. Streams of Dou Qi flowed in, carefully inspecting her condition.
"So, Third Elder? Is it poison? Difficult to treat?" the Grand Elder asked.
The Third Elder shook his head with a sigh, a troubled tone in his voice. "It is poison, but not ordinary poison. The one who administered it is highly skilled in pharmacology, and if I am not mistaken, he is both a poison master and a high-level alchemist. The way he has intricately combined the medicinal properties with a supreme fire poison is beyond my ability to handle."
After a brief silence, the Grand Elder slammed his palm on the nearby table, sending chills through the air. "A trade… a trade! Let's go see this mysterious powerhouse. I want to find out who is targeting our Snake-People Tribe and what deal they want to propose."
Soon, five streaks of light shot from the oasis toward the location of Lin Yuan and Queen Medusa.
By a water pool in the desert oasis,
Lin Yuan, seated near the unconscious Queen Medusa—who had been knocked out multiple times even before waking—finished retracting his cultivation hand seals, opened his eyes, and stood, looking into the distance.
Soon, several streaks of light appeared above him, rapidly descending while stirring up gusts of air aimed at him. However, the air naturally parted before Lin Yuan, only ruffling his hair without causing him the slightest discomfort.
"Spare me these pointless tests. Let's get straight to the point, let's discuss trade or cooperation." Lin Yuan looked at the five figures before him and smiled lightly. Raising his right hand in a slanted downward sweep, a wave of energy emanated from him, dispersing and calming the surrounding turbulent air currents.
His composed demeanor and exquisite Dou Qi control revealed that he was no ordinary individual. The four elders, who had long worked together, exchanged glances, forming an unspoken understanding.
The Grand Elder glanced at the unconscious Queen Medusa beside him. Her clothes were torn, but the critical areas remained covered, and her vital energy was intact. He breathed a sigh of relief; there was still room for discussion and negotiation.
"Yue Mei, guard the perimeter. Don't let anyone approach here and disturb our conversation with the elders," Lin Yuan instructed.
Slightly taken aback by Lin Yuan naturally giving orders, Yue Mei looked at the Grand Elder. He nodded slightly. "Go ahead, Yue Mei. It is indeed necessary for us to have a proper discussion with this young friend."
"Yes, Grand Elder." Yue Mei cupped her hands respectfully and flew to the perimeter to begin her watch.
"Second Elder, check if Her Majesty the Queen is all right," the Grand Elder said to the Second Elder beside him. The Second Elder responded and approached Queen Medusa.
The Grand Elder looked at Lin Yuan, attempting a friendly smile. "Has our tribe somehow offended you, young friend? Do we have some misunderstanding or grievance?"
"Not at all. I have no enmity with the Snake-People Tribe," Lin Yuan replied honestly.
Hearing this, the Grand Elder appeared somewhat puzzled. "Then why did you injure our Queen Medusa and give poison to her and Yue Mei?"
Lin Yuan smiled calmly.
"Queen Medusa sought my Special Fire, so I fought her in a fair battle. She lost. I did not take her life, but naturally, she had to pay another price. In other words, her life is now my bargaining chip. If the Snake-People Tribe wants her back, you must negotiate with me and provide what I desire."
"To ensure you could engage in proper discussion, I specifically set a seal on her and administered poison. It seems to have worked very well, you are now patiently talking to me," Lin Yuan said, looking at the elders with satisfaction in his eyes.
"Bold brat! Do you take the Snake-People Tribe lightly?" a sharp voice rang from one of the four elders of the tribe. The elder's gaze toward Lin Yuan carried hostility—this person's tone completely disregarded the Snake-People Tribe's authority.
Lin Yuan paid no mind to the elder's anger and smiled lightly. "Raising your voice doesn't make your words more persuasive. I specifically had Yue Mei take the poison so that you could attempt to deal with it. The result? You couldn't, right? That's why we are having this proper discussion now."
"Boy, aren't you afraid if the four of us strike together, we could take you down directly?" another elder said, eyes radiating danger, fingertips tingling with Dou Qi as if itching to act.
"Oh?" Lin Yuan looked at the four of them with interest and a confident smile. "Wanna gamble on this? With Queen Medusa's life as the stake. Friendly reminder: I haven't even unleashed my full strength in the battle with her. The fight wasn't even satisfying yet. If that's what you intend, I'd be more than happy to oblige."
Seeing Lin Yuan's confident and forceful demeanor, the first elder took over the conversation, smiling, "Young friend, you misunderstand. This is our fourth elder, straightforward and hot-tempered—please don't take offense."
After a pause, the elder spoke candidly, "Since this is about a trade, state your terms directly. Whatever you need from our tribe, just say it plainly."
"Excellent. This is the attitude a proper discussion should have. There are three conditions," Lin Yuan said, ignoring the subtle coordination among the elders, ready to state his terms.
"First—"
"Ying~" Just as Lin Yuan began to speak his first condition, a soft cry drew everyone's attention. Queen Medusa, who had been unconscious, had woken up with the second elder's assistance.
She pressed her hand to her forehead, as if clearing the lingering chaos in her mind, then focused her gaze. "Elders, weren't you in seclusion? How… how are you here? It's you!!!"
The moment she saw Lin Yuan, Queen Medusa's tone instantly shifted from confusion to shame and anger, her eyes flashing with feral killing intent. Facing him, she had endured the most humiliating moments of her life: defeated in battle, sealed, knocked unconscious repeatedly, and again. In the blurred memories of that time, only the clarity of each strike that knocked her out remained vividly etched.
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