Gazing at the six who leapt down from the beast, the astonishment on Yue Mei's face deepened, with a subtle hint of awe emerging. Her eyes, full of caution, swept over the cloaked figure, and at that moment, she no longer paid attention to Xiao Yan, retreating instantly by several dozen meters to coldly observe the group, chuckling, "What wind is blowing through this desert tonight? It's rare to see such powerful individuals gathering in groups these days!" "Haha, I didn't expect that just recently, upon arriving in this great desert, I'd encounter a cultivator of King-level strength. I presume you must be one of the leaders from one of the eight tribes of the Serpent People?" Among the group, the middle-aged man slowly took a step forward, smiling warmly at Yue Mei as he spoke. Sitting atop the dune, the shock on Xiao Yan's face gradually faded. He blinked, his gaze slowly sweeping over the eight figures. He noticed that, aside from the cloaked figure, who remained enigmatic and hard to discern, the others seemed to subtly follow the middle-aged man's lead. "Who is this person? How remarkable is it that so many strong individuals listen to him?" Upon observing this, Xiao Yan felt a growing sense of astonishment. After all, every one of the powerful cultivators who had reached the Duke-level rank was a regional powerhouse—each possessing an inherent aura of superiority, a pride that made it difficult for them to truly submit to someone of equal standing. His gaze shifted from one person to another, finally settling on the smiling middle-aged man. A quick glance was enough to make Xiao Yan admit that this man possessed an indescribable aura. His sharply defined features suggested he had been a rare beauty in his youth. Though now older, the maturity cultivated by the passage of time added a sense of composure and depth to his presence. These qualities, in fact, seemed to have a certain impact on some younger women. "Seems this man isn't ordinary at all..." Xiao Yan murmured softly. After all, who could be ordinary when one had achieved the rank of a Battle King? The gaze shifted from the middle-aged man to the figure standing beside him, wrapped tightly in a black robe. For some reason, Xiao Yan felt as though, since this mysterious figure had appeared, there had been a subtle, ever-present gaze upon him from beneath the robe. "Who are you? Why have you come to our deep reaches at night? Didn't you know this place is off-limits to humans?" The gentle smile on Yue Mei's face had completely faded, replaced now by a cold, composed demeanor—clearly, in the face of this sudden and imposing gathering, she had no room for casual conversation. "Hum, we indeed have matters of urgency in the Tagoor Desert. Would your lordship be so kind as to guide us into the heart of the desert and meet with the noble queen?" The middle-aged man smiled warmly. "To meet the queen, you say?" "Heard that, Moon Mei's beautiful eyes instantly curved into a graceful yet formidable arc, and she coldly remarked, 'Our serpent people have been at odds with your human beings for years, each having spilled the other's blood. What could possibly be left to discuss? If you value your position, I urge you to depart immediately. Otherwise, once our eight serpent clan chieftains gather, the strong elite of the Jamma Empire will surely see a significant reduction in numbers.' 'Old River, I've been saying for some time now—don't even think about negotiating with the serpent people. They simply don't buy into that kind of approach...' A sturdy man in the sky, addressing the middle-aged man with a firm voice, spoke so forcefully that his words echoed like thunder, resonating through the air before gradually fading away. 'I know this woman—she is the chief of the Mesi Clan, one of the eight serpent tribes. Heh, back when the Jamma Empire went to war with the serpent people, Elder Reina fought her, though in the end, she seemed to have the upper hand.'" The Han glanced at the graceful Moon Mei, smiling. "Reyna? You mean the old man who practiced lightning-based techniques during the great battle back then? I wonder if his poison has been cured by now?" Moon Mei's lips curled with a cold, mocking tone. "Thanks to you, though the poison has indeed been cleared, he's now effectively disabled in one arm." The Han spoke calmly, his gaze passing a sharp glint through Moon Mei's eyes. "Old He, take her directly and secure her. Don't waste any more time—otherwise, if we're too late, the things you're after might be lost. And if she escapes, our difficulties might increase even further." He looked down at the middle-aged man. Upon hearing this, the man known as Old He paused slightly, nodded with a touch of resignation. "Since you're unwilling to cooperate, we won't blame you for outmaneuvering you. Old Lion, Wind Li—please, step in." "The last sentence was spoken by the middle-aged man, who raised his head and addressed the tall figure in the air and the other, slightly thinner elder. 'No problem,' the middle-aged man said. 'I've long wanted to see the true strength of a Snake People warrior.' Upon hearing this, the tall man immediately patted his chest and smiled confidently. The thinner elder, on the other hand, hesitated slightly—clearly holding himself back due to his sense of status—but only for a brief moment before he decided to step forward. He was well aware that having a Battle King-level strength on their side would significantly complicate the upcoming mission. The two figures trembled slightly, then transformed into two streaks of black, appearing directly near Yue Mei, their bodies suddenly accelerating to such a speed that they created audible shockwaves in the air. 'Yan Li,' the tall man said, lifting his head slightly and speaking with a measured tone—this was a small courtesy between warriors. 'Feng Li.' "The frail elder spoke calmly. Hearing these two names, both Xiao Yan and Yue Mei felt their hearts leap with sudden excitement. '...Hmph. Are these indeed Lord Yan Lin, the Lion King, and Feng Li, the Wind Traveler—two figures renowned throughout the Jia Ma Empire, ranked among its top ten warriors?' Staring in astonishment at the tall, robust figure and the slender one across the distance, Xiao Yan couldn't help but take a sharp breath. These usually distant, towering warriors were rarely seen, yet tonight he had encountered both of them at once. 'I always thought it would be someone daring enough to venture deep into our clan—now I see it's two of the Jia Ma Empire's top ten warriors!' With a slightly mocking, light chuckle, Xiao Yan said, yet his expression grew increasingly serious. Though she had never faced them in battle, Yue Mei had heard of their reputations. As the saying goes, 'no one is truly outstanding beneath a great name.' To be among the top ten of the Jia Ma Empire's strongest was no mere achievement—it clearly spoke of their exceptional qualities." With Yue Mei's strength, she would have no hesitation in fighting either of these two alone. But should she face them both at once, it would become challenging. Moreover, beyond these two, the silent figure in the black robe—her true concern—was the true source of her apprehension. A Battle Sovereign... that was a power only the Queen herself could match. "Why have these people suddenly gathered in the Great Desert? Unusual circumstances often signal hidden motives. Regardless of their intentions, I must relay this information to the Queen. With their combined forces—eight tribes—none of them could stand against them alone." Her thoughts racing, Yue Mei swiftly decided to act without further hesitation. With delicate hands, she quickly formed a unique hand seal. At the same time, her serpent tail gently tapped the sand surface. A soft, resonant thud echoed, and then, the tranquil dunes erupted violently, surging into a massive wave of sand that instantly surged forward, sweeping over the gathered figures with overwhelming force. "Go!" Seeing Yue Mei take the initiative, Yan Shi didn't hesitate either. With a low command, he lifted his head, hands spread wide, and a tangible, silvery roar of sound surged forth from his open mouth. Where the sound waves expanded, the surging sand waves instantly froze and then collapsed, falling helplessly. As Yan Shi countered the sand waves, Feng Li trembled slightly and suddenly vanished. Moments later, powerful energy surges erupted behind the sand waves. After successfully deflecting Feng Li's attack, Yan Shi charged into the nearby battlefield with a nearly crude force, causing vast sand gullies—each stretching dozens of meters—constantly to appear as the streams of energy shot forth. Amidst the swirling yellow sand, Yue Mei, with a graceful expression, gathered two flowing streaks of deep azure energy in her palms, which coalesced into a massive green serpent. This serpent was clearly no match for the one Xiang Yan had seen earlier. The two colossal serpents were not only covered in hard, scale-like plates, but as their massive mouths opened and closed, sharp fangs gleamed with a pale brilliance. Most astonishing of all, the serpents seemed to possess a life of their own—two faint, fierce energies emanated from within them, pulsing and surging in an eerie manner, and in a sudden, unexpected assault, they managed to hold off Yan Li and Feng Li. "It's been said for a long time that some of the Serpent People's elite can extract a beast's soul and cultivate unique abilities using it. Such cultivated skills not only preserve most of the beast's original strength but also, under the master's command, become fiercely resilient and unyielding—making them extremely troublesome in battle. Today, seeing this firsthand, it truly proves to be no exaggeration." Gazing at the scene where sand danced and energy surged violently, the middle-aged man expressed his mild astonishment. "Senior, it seems the two elders aren't able to subdue her immediately—should we also join in?" asked a man who had stepped close to the middle-aged man, speaking respectfully. Upon hearing this, the middle-aged man slightly turned his head, fixing his gaze on the enigmatic figure fully draped in black robes. Noticing the man's attention, the figure gently shook his head. Beneath the black hood, his eyes subtly shifted once more, now resting on the young man standing atop the dune, his face aglow with awe from the intense combat, the meaning of his gaze unmistakable. At the sight of the black-robed man's actions, the middle-aged man nodded slightly, paused thoughtfully, and then spoke softly, "Well, with the strength of Old Lion and Feng Li, she's merely holding on—soon, the outcome will be clear." "Yes!" replied promptly, this man who once held the title of the strongest in a major city at the Spirit Combat level, respectfully glanced at the black-robed figure beside him, then slowly stepped back.