.
Flying through the air, Xiao Ling retrieved the map of the Tagor Desert he'd obtained from Hai Bodong and carefully examined it. He discovered that the distance from the Charming Snake Tribe to the Serpent People's Holy City wasn't very far. If he could awaken the Splinter Cell, it would take less than two hours to reach. However, this was one of his trump cards for leaving the Serpent People after the failed deal, so it was best not to reveal it easily.
With the three Dou Wang cultivations and their all-out efforts, after more than half a day, they were nearly at the Serpent People's Holy City.
Endless yellow sand danced in the gusts of wind. The setting sun slowly slid across the horizon, illuminating the world in a golden glow. As the three watched, a vast city loomed faintly within the boundless desert.
Seeing the towering city rising in the desert ahead, Xiao Ling asked Yue Mei, who was standing beside him, "Commander Yue Mei, that must be the holy city of your Serpent People, right?"
Yue Mei nodded and replied, "Yes, it is our Serpent People's holy city ahead. The Serpent People's elders and the Queen have guarded it year-round. You must stay close to me, or the Serpent People guards will attack you without hesitation if they see two human Dou Wangs invading the Serpent People's holy city."
Xiao Ling nodded, indicating he would do as he was told. He then took Zi Yan's hand and flew a short distance behind Yue Mei.
As they drew closer to the Serpent People's holy city, Xiao Ling saw that within the monotonous yellow sand surrounding this majestic city, huge rocks began to appear. Behind these rocks lay the temple city where Queen Medusa resided.
Perhaps due to the martial law, the gates of this vast city were now tightly sealed. Atop the city walls, heavily armed snakemen guards patrolled back and forth. Above the walls, a dozen pitch-black birds circled back and forth, their sharp gazes scanning the city. Any slight movement would send these beasts wailing with alarm.
Xiao Ling's gaze swept over the walls with curiosity. Though at a distance, he could still see that the city's snakemen guards were undoubtedly more powerful than the Charming Snake Tribe from last night. Furthermore, among the guards, there were the occasional snakemen in strange attire. These snakemen, with their impassive expressions, stood like pillars on the walls. But a cursory glance revealed that no other snakemen dared to set foot within a few feet of them. Clearly, they were quite wary of these strangely clad snakemen.
"These guys... I guess they're Medusa's personal guards, right? They're indeed tougher than the average guard. But they don't pose much of a threat to me, so don't worry too much." Retracting his gaze from the Serpent-Man guards on the city wall, Xiao Ling continued to follow Yue Mei towards the city gate.
A short while later, the three of them arrived at the gate of the Serpent-Man Holy City, and the Serpent-Man guards turned their gazes towards Xiao Ling and his companions.
Seeing Yue Mei, one of the Eight Great Commanders, arrive with two human-like Dou Wang masters, they were all puzzled.
A Serpent-Man guard, whose strength had reached the peak of the Dou Ling realm, twisted his serpent tail and arrived at the front of the city wall. He first bowed to Yue Mei, then asked in a skeptical tone, "Commander Yue Mei, may I ask what the two Dou Wang masters behind you are up to? If we don't know their motives, we must not allow them into the Serpent-Man Holy City."
Upon hearing the guard captain's inquiry, Yue Mei replied, "Neither of them is a powerful figure from the surrounding nations. The man is a sixth-rank alchemist from Canaan Academy, and the girl is a magical beast transformation. They harbor no ill will toward the Serpent People. They came to the Serpent People simply to strike a deal with the Queen. It will definitely benefit the Serpent People, not harm them. Rest assured, I will not betray them."
After hearing Yue Mei's explanation, the guard captain took another closer look at Xiao Ling and Zi Yan. Reflecting briefly, he realized that the Serpent People's intelligence on the Dou Wang masters cultivated by the surrounding major empires did not include any portraits of these two. With Commander Yue Mei's assurance, it seemed that these two did not harbor any hostility toward the Serpent People.
Furthermore, within the Serpent People's Holy City, not only was there Queen Medusa, but also four elders with peak Dou Huang cultivation. Two Dou Wang masters were nothing to worry about.
He bowed to Yue Mei and said, "Since that's the case, I won't stop you any further." After saying this, he signaled to the surrounding Serpent Man guards that there was no danger and returned to their posts.
After receiving the Serpent Man's consent, Yue Mei, without further ado, accompanied Xiao Ling and Zi Yan, continued their flight towards the palace of Queen Medusa, the center of the Serpent Man's Holy City. Before
a magnificent palace, Xiao Ling and his companions retracted their Dou Qi wings, descended from the air, and arrived at the palace's main entrance.
After Yue Mei conferred with the Medusa guards for a few words, Xiao Ling and Zi Yan followed her, passing through layers of guards and entering a magnificent hall.
Even before Yue Mei, Xiao Ling, and Zi Yan appeared at the walls of the Serpent Man's Holy City, a Serpent Man had used a special sound transmission method to transmit Yue Mei's words to Queen Medusa.
Perhaps hearing that Xiao Ling was a sixth-rank alchemist and that he was seeking a deal with the Serpent People piqued the Serpent People's interest, she arrived early to the usual meeting hall, saving Xiao Ling from having to wait.
Gazing into the hall, she saw a voluptuous woman with a snake-like tail reclining on a luxurious chair in the prime position. Beside her, a serpentine woman wielding a spear stood guard. As expected, these two serpentine women were the renowned and ferocious Queen Medusa and her personal guard, Hua She'er. Xiao
Ling examined Queen Medusa with curiosity, feeling a wave of surprise. Medusa's beauty bordered on alluring, her narrow, lavender eyes radiating with a captivating allure that captivated almost every man's gaze. She was dressed in a graceful purple brocade robe. Beneath it, her delicate figure was plump and exquisite, like a ripe peach, oozing with a subtle charm. Her long, black hair flowed freely from her shoulders, cascading down to her slender waist. Beneath the robe, a purple snake's tail swayed slightly, radiating a wild, enchanting allure that inexplicably made one's body feel heated.
(End of Chapter)