Chapter 182: "Old Man, How Much for This Map?"
"As a branch leader of the Snake Clan, you should understand the hierarchy within our tribe. Since the ancestor has designated you as part of the dowry, you should behave accordingly," the elder woman said, glaring at Yue Mei.
"The queen hasn't even consummated her relationship with Lord Xiao Yan, yet you're trying to take her place?"
"Yes, Elder. I understand my mistake," Yue Mei finally admitted, bowing her head under the elder's scolding.
Satisfied, the elder nodded but couldn't help a trace of wistfulness from crossing her eyes.
"Little vixen. If I were 200 years younger, do you think you'd have a chance at such fortune?"
She sighed softly to herself. Time had not been kind to her, and her advanced age meant she no longer had the charm to tempt someone like Xiao Yan.
Xiao Yan's Preparations
Far away, Xiao Yan remained blissfully unaware of the drama among the Snake Clan women. His thoughts were focused on his next target: the Green Lotus Core Flame.
As the desert's morning sunlight turned the black sands into a glittering sea of gold, Xiao Yan opened his eyes, his mind clear and determined.
His next objective was to meet someone a certain figure often dubbed the "greatest venture capitalist on the Dou Qi Continent." Of course, with Xiao Yan's current abilities, that person wouldn't get the chance to invest in him. Still, Xiao Yan decided to help him out for the sake of Ya Fei and nostalgia for the original timeline.
"You three should return to the Snake Clan after refining the essence blood. Once I've handled my affairs, I'll come visit," Xiao Yan instructed the three snakewomen.
"Yes, Lord Xiao Yan," they responded obediently.
Xiao Yan turned to the First Medusa, cupping his hands respectfully.
"Senior, I'll be leaving now."
"Go on. I've entrusted the Snake Clan to you," she replied with a warm smile, waving him off.
"Rest assured," Xiao Yan said with a nod.
He then stored the massive severed head of the Purple Sky Demon Python into his storage ring. Despite its enormous size, the ring, crafted by Xiao Lin himself, could easily hold something as large as a small mountain.
The Loyal Dusty Ancient Snake
As Xiao Yan soared into the sky, he noticed a familiar yellow python sprawled obediently outside the ancient city. It was the Dusty Ancient Snake, still waiting patiently.
"Why haven't you left yet?" Xiao Yan asked with a playful smile.
"Without your orders, how could I dare leave, Young Master?" The snake transformed into a burly man, grinning sheepishly but with a hint of flattery in his eyes.
Xiao Yan quickly understood his intentions.
"Would you like to become one of my subordinates?"
"Yes, yes! I would!" The Dusty Ancient Snake nodded eagerly, practically wagging his tail like a loyal dog.
If a Dou Sect can summon twelve Dou Saints, this is a thigh I can't afford to miss. I'd never get another chance like this in my life!
Seeing his eager expression, Xiao Yan smiled faintly and flicked his fingers, sending a portion of the Purple Sky Demon Python's essence blood toward him.
The essence blood, which would have been too potent for someone like Yue Mei, was perfect for the Dusty Ancient Snake, who had already reached the eighth rank as a magical beast.
"Thank you, Young Master!" the snake exclaimed, his face lighting up with gratitude. While the blood wouldn't help him break through immediately, it would still bring significant benefits.
"Your task is to escort the three snakewomen back to the Snake Clan's holy city and serve as their guardian. Once there, you'll act as the Snake Clan's protector beast. Understand?" Xiao Yan ordered.
"Ah?" The snake looked confused and a bit disappointed.
"Young Master, don't you need a mount?"
"Mount? In your dreams!" Xiao Yan rolled his eyes.
"You're not even female. Why would I want you as a mount?"
The snake's expression turned pitiful, his burly form looking oddly dejected, which made Xiao Yan shiver in disgust.
"Stop looking at me like that. Do your job well, and there'll be plenty of rewards."
With that, Xiao Yan ignored the snake's crestfallen look and stepped into the air, flying off.
At the Dou Sect level, Xiao Yan no longer needed to use Dou Qi wings to fly. Anyone who saw him walking through the air would immediately recognize him as a Dou Sect powerhouse.
Finally, people will shout, 'A Dou Sect expert! How impressive!' instead of mistaking me for a Dou King. Being young and talented really gets you underestimated.
Arriving in Mo City
The Tagger Desert stretched endlessly, almost rivaling the size of the Jia Ma Empire. Despite the harsh environment, life thrived. Cities belonging to both humans and snakepeople dotted the desert like stars in the yellow expanse.
Mo City was one such bustling hub, located at the border between human and snake territories. Despite being in the desert, it was even more prosperous than Wu Tan City.
On one of Mo City's ancient streets stood a humble shop named "Ancient Maps."
Though the shop didn't have many customers, its clientele consisted of Mo City's elite, as they all knew its owner was no ordinary mapmaker.
Today, however, an unexpected visitor entered the shop.
Meeting the Mapmaker
The black clothed young man who stepped into the store immediately caught the attention of the elderly shopkeeper. The old man paused in his work, his eyes narrowing slightly when he glanced at the youth.
After confirming the boy bore no hostility, the shopkeeper resumed drawing his maps, though his steady hand betrayed a slight tremble.
Unbothered by the old man's reaction, Xiao Yan browsed the store's shelves. Many maps were priced exorbitantly, some costing tens of thousands of gold coins.
But Xiao Yan's attention wasn't on the expensive displays. Instead, he walked toward an old rack filled with failed or discarded maps.
Among the moldy scrolls, Xiao Yan's eyes gleamed as he picked up a particularly decrepit map. Giving it a light shake, a small fragment fell out.
As the fragment landed, the shopkeeper's calm expression finally faltered.
Still smiling, Xiao Yan walked over to the counter, holding the map fragment.
"Old man, how much for this map?" he asked.
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