Among the women that Xiao Yan had known, few could match the grace and charm of Ya Fei from Wutan City. "Gurrr..." Gazing at this elegant woman, Xiao Yan's throat rolled slightly, and his hand slowly moved up to his thigh, firmly pinching it. The sharp pain brought him back to a clearer state of mind. His eyes swept over the lake beside the woman, where beneath the clear water, a silvery snake tail gently swayed, exuding a wild, alluring charm. "A serpent-being..." He murmured softly, his eyes slightly narrowed. In an instant, his face was covered with astonishment—because, with his keen spiritual perception, he could not detect the exact level of the naked woman before him. "This is quite a challenge. This woman is at least a Dou Ling, if not a Dou Wang, level. Swallowing a lump of saliva, Xiang Yan, who had just vaguely gauged the woman's strength, was about to retreat when he suddenly noticed the naked woman in the lake suddenly fixing her sparkling gaze upon his concealed position. "With Yao Lao's help masking my aura, how could she possibly have detected me?" Xiang Yan murmured, slightly startled. The graceful serpent woman, with her eyes as clear and gentle as spring water, fixed her gaze tightly on where he had hidden. After a moment, she gently covered her red lips with her slender hand and smiled softly, "Little human, you've taken advantage of my beauty and now intend to just walk away like that?" As soon as she finished speaking, she swiftly struck the lake's surface with her hand, sending a jet of water soaring upward. With a gentle opening of her red lips, she expelled a stream of green venom into the jet, then launched it directly toward the spot where Xiang Yan had concealed himself. Though her words had been as tender as those between lovers, her actions upon making contact were remarkably ruthless—should Xiang Yan be struck by the poisoned arrow, he would likely not only survive with injuries but would surely be left with a layer of skin peeled off. Fortunately, once Xiao Yan realized the snake woman's formidable strength, he remained fully focused on her. When she suddenly launched a fierce attack, Xiao Yan swiftly planted his foot firmly into the ground and surged forward with great momentum. "Shhh—" The water arrows missed their mark, and the tree grove where they landed withered rapidly into dry, brittle wood within a blink of an eye. Glancing at the large area of withered trees where she had previously stood, Xiao Yan couldn't help but take a sharp breath—how potent was this woman's poison! "Haha, I didn't expect you to be such a fresh, handsome young fellow!" The snake woman in the lake beamed brightly as she saw Xiao Yan emerge from the tree grove. Unbothered by the fact that her upper body was fully exposed to his gaze, she smiled warmly. "Haha, Sister, you go on washing yourself—I was just passing by," Xiao Yan chuckled, facing the lake and swiftly retreating backward. Gazing at Xiao Yan retreating like lightning, the serpent woman slightly lifted her delicate fingers—thin as jade stalks—and then suddenly began to move them in a graceful, dance-like motion. As her fingers danced, a cold, powerful qi surged forth from the dense jungle, striking directly at Xiao Yan's back. Noticing the sudden surge of cold qi rushing toward him, Xiao Yan was momentarily startled, his body trembling slightly. The purple flame aura of his robe swiftly enveloped him. With a quick finger snap, he sent a strand of purple flame toward the rear, where it collided with the cold qi. A soft sound echoed as the purple flame gradually faded, while the cold qi transformed into a vibrant, multicolored little snake—though now, it had become a perfectly roasted one. "The youngster does have some talent, yet in this jungle, how many hidden venomous snakes are there—do you really intend to kill them all one by one?" Gazing calmly at the small snake just slain, the female serpent gently parted her red lips, emitting a peculiar sonic wave. As the wave resonated, a rustling sound surged throughout the forest. Within moments, the trees surrounding Xiao Yan were densely covered with countless venomous snakes, their cold, triangular eyes fixed with an eerie stillness upon the young man below. They merely awaited the serpent's command before unleashing a deluge of deadly venom. Gazing at the dense throng of venomous snakes surrounding him, Xiao Yan couldn't help feeling a sharp tingling in his scalp, and a subtle sense of clarity dawned upon him—finally understanding why the woman had been able to detect his presence. He had somehow forgotten that they were capable of controlling the snakes, which meant they had effectively established countless eyes and ears throughout the forest. It was likely that even from the very moment he stepped into the oasis, they had been watching him. Two figures flashed past, appearing behind Yue Mei and draping a black robe over her body, shielding the delicate springtime charm that could stir a man's passion. As her subordinates helped her fasten the robe, Yue Mei gently brushed the damp strands of hair from her forehead and smiled warmly at Xiao Yan, asking, "Little one, could you tell me why you've come here? After all, humans are rare visitors to the heart of the desert, let alone to the oasis near the tribe. Could it be that you're a spy from the Jamara Empire? Are you planning another campaign?" By the end of her words, Xiao Yan clearly sensed the subtle coldness beneath Yue Mei's graceful smile. "Haha, indeed, there's something rather off about him..." With alluring eyes dancing over Xiao Yan, Yue Mei smiled gracefully, her smile exceptionally beautiful. "Heh, since he doesn't quite fit the bill, then Madam, please continue washing. I'll be off now." As she spoke, Xiao Yan swiftly planted his foot on the ground, and with a burst of energy, his figure shot off toward the adjacent jungle. "Back!" As soon as Xiao Yan began to move, a snake woman materialized from a tree trunk beside his path, appearing like a flash, her slender snake spear aimed straight for his head. "A Grand Combatant..." Xiao Yan couldn't help but draw a brief smile at the strong aura of combat energy emanating from her body. He instantly grasped the handle of his Xuan Zhong Chi, then swung it powerfully. The Xuan Zhong Chi whistled past, its force so strong that it even knocked down a small grove of trees nearby. "Clang!" As the crisp sound echoed through the forest, Xiao Yan's body instantly recoiled, retreating until his feet left behind over a dozen footprints before gradually dissipating the overwhelming pressure that reached him. Compared to Xiao Yan's defensive retreat, the snake woman grand combatant appeared remarkably composed—only slightly swaying, she mysteriously absorbed the force of the heavy staff, then lifted her eyes to gaze coldly at Xiao Yan. "Heh... Truly a grand combatant. The gap between us is quite evident," Xiao Yan said, shaking his slightly numb hands and brushing his lips, a wry smile forming in his heart. "Ah, little one. Since you've come, why not stay? Come with me to my tribe—trust me, you'll love it so much that you'll forget you're even human." A spark of surprise flickered in Yue Mei's eyes upon seeing that the young man had successfully withstood her capable subordinate's attack, before she smiled gracefully. "Well, compared to being a serpent, I still prefer to be human. After all, that tail of mine makes walking quite a challenge..." Xiao Yan exhaled slowly, rotating the heavy ruler in his palm before sealing it into his storage amulet. He turned his head to gaze at the graceful woman draped in a magnificent black robe, chuckling softly. "Hmm…" Feeling the killing intent surging from all directions, Xiao Yan exhaled softly, his back trembling slightly as his massive purple cloud wings suddenly shot out, his feet firmly pressing into the ground. With a burst of energy, his body surged skyward. Once his body reached mid-air, Xiao Yan waved his wings once, gesturing to the stunned group of serpent women below, and laughed heartily, "Goodbye, everyone! You go on with your baths—I was just passing by!" Hiding her smile behind her red lips, Yue Mei's eyes sparkled with warmth, yet beneath that gentle expression lay a quiet, sharp resolve. Gazing upward at Xiao Yan, who was speeding away from the oasis, she waved gently to the surrounding serpent women and said softly, "You all go back to the tribe first. I'll see if this young one can escape from me." "Yes, Lady!" Hearing this, several serpent women who had just stepped forward to pursue him immediately paused, bowed respectfully to Yue Mei, and then without hesitation vanished into the jungle, swiftly disappearing. Only after all the serpent women had retreated did Yue Mei slowly lift her delicate face, gazing at the slender silhouette that had now dwindled to just a dark dot. A graceful, alluring smile spread across her face. Her body trembled slightly, and from behind, two massive wings gradually took shape—solidifying instantly into a pair of pale jade-colored energy wings. With a gentle flutter, Yue Mei rose swiftly into the air, pursuing Xiao Yan with the grace of a star chasing the moon. "Hehe, little one, if anyone finds out that a mere Du Sheng could escape from my hands, they'll surely be laughing at him for years to come!" As the delicate laughter of Yuen Mei gradually faded, the green oasis returned to its usual calm.