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Yue Mei quickly traversed the sand, her expression painful and lost.
The Snake-People had suffered a great catastrophe; even their Holy City had been captured, and their people slaughtered. For a moment, she didn't know where to flee.
She felt as if there was no place for her in this vast world.
Apart from the Tager Desert, all other territories belonged to humans, and humans were not friendly to the Snake-People. Even with her Dou King strength, approaching human cities was a dangerous endeavor.
Especially for a young and beautiful female Snake-Person like her, once the news spread, she would likely be hunted down by human Dou Emperor powerhouses.
She suddenly stopped, looking ahead in terror, a feeling of despair rising in her heart.
A slightly hunched old man with cloudy eyes, holding a scorpion-headed staff, floated in the air before her, looking at her expressionlessly.
Yue Mei forced a smile: "You really think highly of me, for a Dou Ancestor powerhouse to personally come and hunt me down… Should I say I'm honored?"
"There's no need for so much sentimentality for someone about to die."
Xie Bi Yan thrust his staff forward, and a faint blue beam shot towards Yue Mei like a sharp arrow.
The latter felt as if the surrounding air had solidified, preventing her escape.
Unable to resist, unable to dodge, Yue Mei could only watch as the beam shot towards her.
Just then, a seductive and beautiful figure appeared in front of her, wielding a seven-colored longsword, which swiftly dispersed the faint blue beam.
Upon seeing this figure, Yue Mei's face lit up with joy, tears almost streaming from her eyes: "Your Majesty!"
Cai Lin looked at the haggard and sorrowful Yue Mei, her beautiful brows furrowed, a premonition of ill fortune rising in her heart. She asked: "What happened?"
Yue Mei concisely replied: "The Chu Yun Empire's army is pressing down, and Xie Bi Yan launched a surprise attack on the Holy City, slaughtering our Snake-People clan."
"Where are the Elders and the other commanders?" Cai Lin asked.
Yue Mei immediately replied: "Yan Ci was killed not long after the war began, Commander Yin Shi died at Xie Bi Yan's hands, and the four Elders are probably also in grave danger…"
"Mo Basi and I fled separately from the Holy City. The other four commanders are resisting the Chu Yun Empire's army in their respective tribes and did not come to the Holy City, so their situation is probably not good either."
Cai Lin's gaze towards Xie Bi Yan was filled with fury: "You are truly audacious, daring to slaughter my people while I was away!"
Xie Bi Yan's cloudy eyes remained calm: "Even if you were here, you couldn't change their fate. Since you've come, it's a good opportunity to capture you."
His figure suddenly vanished from mid-air, reappearing in front of Cai Lin. The latter's expression changed slightly, and she swung her seven-colored longsword to meet the opponent's descending staff.
"You leave first," Cai Lin quickly told Yue Mei.
The latter knew she couldn't intervene in a Dou Ancestor-level battle, so she nodded and ran into the distance.
Xie Bi Yan's dark staff glowed with a faint blue light, each swing carrying immense Dou Qi, which put Cai Lin under great pressure.
Although her true form was a Seven-Colored Sky Swallowing Python, giving her a physical advantage, her soul and the Seven-Colored Sky Swallowing Python's soul had not fully merged, and there were still some disharmonious aspects. Furthermore, Xie Bi Yan's Dou Qi cultivation was higher, so even in such a close-quarters battle, she could not gain the upper hand.
"I heard you successfully evolved and are now a complete Magical Beast… Truly worthy of being Queen Medusa, to be able to hold out against me for so long despite just entering the Dou Ancestor realm," Xie Bi Yan said indifferently.
Cai Lin's eyes turned into serpentine vertical pupils, and fine scales appeared on her skin. The powerful enemy had awakened her innate ferocity as a Magical Beast.
Xie Bi Yan suddenly unleashed a powerful aura that even made Cai Lin feel suppressed. His aura had reached the peak of the six-star Dou Ancestor realm!
"How is that possible? Your progress these past years has been so immense!" Cai Lin's face showed an expression of disbelief.
When she first became the Queen of the Snake-People, she had fought Xie Bi Yan, and at that time, the gap between them was not significant.
"Hehe… Because I chose the right side," Xie Bi Yan chuckled faintly.
"Heaven Shaking Staff!"
He unleashed a staff Dou Technique, demonstrating overwhelming power. Even with Cai Lin's powerful bloodline, she couldn't bridge the five-star gap. She was repeatedly beaten back and soon struck on her left shoulder.
She let out a muffled grunt, stumbled back a few steps, her right hand clutching her shoulder, her left arm hanging limply.
Xie Bi Yan did not press his advantage, but instead suddenly retreated rapidly.
Cai Lin was initially puzzled by his actions, then her pupils constricted, and she immediately gave chase.
The direction he retreated was the same direction Yue Mei had fled!
Cai Lin ultimately couldn't catch up to Xie Bi Yan's movements. With a scream, Yue Mei's beautiful head was kicked towards Cai Lin by Xie Bi Yan like a soccer ball, making her eyes burn with rage.
She revealed her Magical Beast true form, transforming into a seven-colored giant python, and charged towards Xie Bi Yan.
"This is… a Seven-Colored Sky Swallowing Python!" As an experienced poison master, Xie Bi Yan had a deep understanding of venomous creatures like scorpions, snakes, and spiders, and he had also heard of the ancient beast, the Seven-Colored Sky Swallowing Python.
His figure suddenly ascended rapidly, dodging the giant python's pounce.
"If I gave you more time, your cultivation would probably quickly surpass mine… but unfortunately, there are no ifs," a hint of relief flashed in Xie Bi Yan's eyes.
From the giant python's wide-open mouth, a terrifying suction force erupted. This was her innate ability—"Sky Swallowing."
Xie Bi Yan felt as if the surrounding space had solidified, and his body was involuntarily drawn towards the large mouth emitting a faint dark light.
He remained composed, and just as he was about to be swallowed by the giant python, he let out a fierce roar. A powerful surge of Dou Qi broke through the confinement, and he could move freely again!
Xie Bi Yan's body flashed, and he surged to the top of the giant python's head, bringing his staff, laden with immense Dou Qi, down hard.
With a loud bang, the giant python's head was smashed and bleeding, letting out a mournful cry.
Seven-colored light surged, and the giant python vanished, transforming back into the alluring and exotic beauty she was.
Cai Lin's forehead was constantly bleeding, her face pale, her eyes filled with deep-seated hatred.
Xie Bi Yan was unmoved by her gaze, his expression still calm. He said with some regret: "I did want to take you as my private toy…"
"Dream on," Cai Lin gritted her teeth.
She suddenly unleashed a seven-colored energy blast towards Xie Bi Yan, which then exploded, transforming into countless small snakes that darted in various directions—towards the sky, the sand, and other different paths.
Xie Bi Yan waved his sleeve, deflecting the seven-colored energy.
The beam landed on the ground, emitting a sizzling corrosive sound, instantly corroding a large pit in the sand.
"Hmph, I was already prepared for that move of yours," Xie Bi Yan snorted coldly. A bloody energy spread outwards from him, enveloping all the small snakes Cai Lin had transformed into.
The energy snakes exploded one after another, and Cai Lin's true form also trembled violently. She spat out blood and fell unconscious.
Xie Bi Yan cautiously approached the seven-colored small snake lying on its back in the sand, and extended his staff to poke its belly.
The small snake was pushed around by him but remained motionless, as if dead. Only then did he slightly relax.
He harbored extreme vigilance towards Cai Lin. If his cultivation hadn't far surpassed hers, and if he hadn't been completely focused during the battle, the outcome might have been different.
Just as he was about to pick up the small snake, he suddenly found that the scene before him had changed. It was no longer the vast desert under the scorching sun, but a dark hall.
In front was a chair with two scorpion heads carved on its armrests. On the surrounding pillars, vivid scorpions were carved, and long scrolls hung from the surrounding walls. On the scrolls were various scorpion-shaped Magical Beasts, each carrying a trace of spiritual imprint, making them appear as if they were about to break out of the paintings.
Xie Bi Yan was not unfamiliar with this scene; this was the main hall of the Ten Thousand Scorpions Sect!
But he had just been in the Tager Desert, a thousand miles away. How could he suddenly be back in the Chu Yun Empire?
An illusion?
Xie Bi Yan's expression became solemn. For someone to be able to silently plunge him into an illusion, the person who made the move was clearly extraordinary.
Someone wanted to help Queen Medusa?
His cloudy eyes swept across the hall, and he was surprised to find how realistic this illusion was. Even the light and shadow, and some details of the hall that he himself couldn't quite remember, were not blurred at all!
"Hehe," a soft chuckle came from the chair.
Xie Bi Yan looked over. On the chair, which symbolized the Sect Master of the Ten Thousand Scorpions Sect, a person had appeared at some point. He wore a black robe with a white 'Soul' character printed on his chest, had a slender figure, and his face was obscured by a faint black mist, making his features indistinct.
He frowned slightly: "Protector Meng?"
"You seem a bit confused," Protector Meng's clear voice came from within the black mist.
"Did you cast this illusion?" Xie Bi Yan asked.
Protector Meng said in a strange tone: "Who told you this was an illusion?"
Xie Bi Yan was slightly startled, and then an unspeakable fear rose in his heart, making him shiver.
Not an illusion?
This was more terrifying than a realistic illusion!
What kind of method was this? Silently, in an instant, transferring him from the distant Tager Desert to the Ten Thousand Scorpions Sect…
He looked at the figure in front of him with utter shock, his eyes filled with disbelief.
"Well done… Hmm, go. The front lines still need you. Continue to lead the army to attack the Jia Ma Empire… Serve me well, and you will gain more," Protector Meng said with a smile.
When Xie Bi Yan walked out of the main gate of the Ten Thousand Scorpions Sect, his expression was still somewhat dazed. It wasn't until he saw the sun in the sky and his eyes slightly narrowed from the glare that he realized his clothes were soaked with cold sweat.
What exactly happened?
Did he really not fall into an illusion?
But who could have silently, in an instant, brought him back to the Ten Thousand Scorpions Sect? Was this truly possible?
What level of cultivation did Protector Meng possess?
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