Standing before Xiao Yan was a substantial male serpentine humanoid, with a stern and formidable appearance. On each of his arms, two massive black pythons were tattooed, appearing almost lifelike as they writhed with the movement of his arms, exuding a palpable sense of cold, fierce intensity. At this moment, he was glaring fiercely at Xiao Yan, his powerful aura of combat energy swirling vigorously over his body, having cracked the solid stone beneath him where he had landed—clearly the result of releasing the accumulated force from their earlier clash. Xiao Yan nodded slightly. Upon seeing this nod, a fierce gleam flashed in Mo Basu's eyes as he clenched his fists, the strong muscles in his arms rippling, causing the two massive black serpent tattoos on his arms to seem alive and radiating an overwhelming aura of deadly energy. "If he comes again, I won't spare a single move," Xiao Yan said, a hint of determination flickering in his gaze as he watched the stubborn man. A jade-green flame rose from his palms, spreading gently. "Then let me show you what I'm capable of!" Mo Basu growled softly, only to have his body stiffen and freeze as a cold voice cut through the air. "Enough! Stop!" Medusa turned her head, her dark brows furrowed as she glared at Mo Basu. "Mo Basu, you're becoming more and more disorderly. He is a guest of our serpent people—how can you strike him without warning?" "After a sharp reprimand from Medusa, the robust Mbasis showed not the slightest sign of impatience, merely nodding with a look of restrained resignation. Yet in the way he gazed at Medusa, there was a deep and evident admiration and reverence. Casting Mbasis a gloomy glance once more, the latter reluctantly stepped back to the side. Upon seeing Mbasis retreat, Xiao Yan released the emerald flames clinging to his fists. While he couldn't quite fathom why Mbasis was so dissatisfied, the intensity in his gaze toward Medusa hinted at some underlying reason—though this didn't weigh heavily on Xiao Yan. As his eyes swept across the courtyard, however, his brows furrowed slightly. The courtyard, though spacious, was filled with numerous Serpent People, clearly among the elite of their clan. Notably, Yue Mei, the one he had saved once before, was also among them." The stronger Serpent Clan members all cast curious glances toward Xiao Yan. Clearly, his earlier feat of delivering a single punch that sent Mo Ba Shi reeling had sparked considerable interest. What truly astonished them, however, was Medusa's attitude toward Xiao Yan. Though her facial expression remained largely stern, her words revealed a clear sense of protection and advocacy—something truly unexpected, given Medusa's long-standing aversion to humans. "Follow me," Medusa said softly to Xiao Yan, who was standing at the entrance. Then, she turned and began walking toward the deeper part of the courtyard. After a brief hesitation, Xiao Yan, under the watchful eyes of the surrounding figures, followed suit. As Medusa and Xiao Yan entered the inner courtyard, the atmosphere instantly warmed, and the previously quiet space soon buzzed with lively chatter. … Following Medusa through several quiet pathways, they finally came to a halt before a bamboo pavilion hidden deep within a bamboo grove. As their footsteps paused before the pavilion, Medusa’s cheeks grew solemn. She then gently knocked on the door. “Come in,” a deep, elderly voice echoed from within the pavilion as the knock settled. The door opened promptly. Medusa glanced at Xiao Yan before turning and stepping inside. Hesitating slightly at the doorway, Xiao Yan could faintly sense four distinct, somewhat obscure presences within the pavilion. Though not as powerful as Medusa’s, they were certainly noteworthy—stronger than Jia Xingtian and Hai Bohedong, at least. Indeed, these four were still at the peak of the Battle Emperor rank, having not yet reached the Battle Sovereign level. After sensing the strength of these four presences, Xiao Yan exhaled a sigh of relief. As long as they weren't Daoist Conclave-level masters, he wouldn't have much to fear. With his own abilities, it should be rare among the Daoist Sovereigns to find someone who would wish to keep him. Once his mind settled, Xiao Yan moved forward, stepping steadily into the bamboo pavilion. As his feet touched the floor, the door of the pavilion automatically closed. As she opened her eyes, the other three elder women also suddenly blinked awake, and four streams of cold energy rose upward, eventually converging in the air to form a massive black serpent. The serpent's emotionless, piercing eyes locked onto Xiao Yan, and an invisible pressure began to build, gradually accumulating like a thousand pounds of weight upon his body. Feeling the powerful pressure pressing down, Xiao Yan's expression grew increasingly serious. With a sudden, soft cry, a vibrant green flame surged forth and instantly enveloped his entire body. As the green flame appeared, the indoor temperature rose sharply, dissipating completely the chill emanating from the four elder women. The massive black serpent, in turn, became more ethereal and translucent under the influence of the warmth. "Indeed, it is a unique fire..." Gazing at the emerald-green flames swirling around Xiao Yan's body, a flicker of astonishment passed through the elderly woman's cloudy eyes. Gradually, the great serpent-like aura hovering above her head began to dissipate, and she spoke calmly, "You are indeed the Grand Master of the Flame Alliance, Xiao Yan?" Her voice was rather harsh, reminiscent of stone being dragged across glass, creating an uncomfortable sensation that permeated every part of the body. Naturally, with Xiao Yan's strength, he easily filtered out this discomfort. He bowed politely to the four elder women and smiled, "I am Xiao Yan, at your service, honored elders of the Serpent Clan." "Indeed, I did not expect that someone of your age could have already reached the Battle Emperor level—such a rare talent!" The central elder offered Xiao Yan a rather unimpressive, even stern, smile. "I am the Grand Elder of the Serpent Clan. This one is the Second Elder, the Third Elder, and the Fourth Elder." "Following the movements of the Senior Elder's withered fingers, Xiao Yan bowed politely, one by one, making sure to uphold the necessary formalities, no matter how the situation might unfold." "Today, I've summoned Master Xiao Yan specifically to ask about one matter," the Senior Elder said, his rhomboidal pupils subtly shifting, his voice hoarse and somewhat strained. "Please go on, Senior Elder," Xiao Yan replied with a dry smile. "This matter is directly related to our clan's chief, Medusa." The Senior Elder's tone remained calm and steady, with minimal variation—yet precisely because of this composed demeanor, Xiao Yan felt no room for complacency. "Our chief, prior to assuming human form, has always remained a virgin. Of course, Medusa has now taken on human form, but she must undergo a ritual purification at our clan's altar before she can engage in intimate relations. This time, however, upon her return, she is no longer a virgin. According to her account, this change is directly linked to Master Xiao Yan?" "By the time it came down to it, the Senior Elder's voice suddenly grew sharp, and four piercing, stern glares shot toward Xiao Yan, locking him in place. His face slightly pale, Xiao Yan subtly stepped back, then offered a wry smile. "Senior Elders, this is not something I willingly agreed to—it's quite a complicated matter..." "Then, does Xiao Yan, the Alliance's leader, acknowledge that it was you who took Medusa's maidenhood?" the Senior Elder asked in a low, steady tone. Xiao Yan remained silent a moment, then nodded with a look of resignation. "According to our clan's regulations, Xiao Yan must undergo the punishment of being devoured by ten thousand serpents," the second Elder, seated beside the Senior Elder, suddenly said, his voice growing stern. Xiao Yan's expression darkened, and his inner qi flowed steadily. He spoke firmly, "Senior Elders, though this matter was not of my own volition, I do bear responsibility. Yet, I must ask—does your clan's regulation truly extend to me? If you insist on enforcing it, I shall certainly not yield without a fight!" Seeing Xiao Yan’s expression slightly gloomy, Medusa’s brows furrowed as well. She didn’t want to see Xiao Yan at odds with the elders, and the four elders had already mentioned that they wouldn’t trouble him. Why? “Well, it’s clear he’s a tough one,” the Senior Elder remarked, glancing at Xiao Yan, then lifting his hand and saying, “Alright, no need to scare you anymore. With the Serpent Clan now allied to the Gamma Empire, the Serpent Clan might actually need your role as the Alliance’s leader in the future. I certainly won’t have you endure the ordeal of being devoured by a thousand serpents.” Hearing this, Xiao Yan felt relieved and immediately smiled, saying, “Of course, that makes perfect sense. Then, I wonder what the elders have called me for today?” The Senior Elder and the other three elders exchanged glances, hesitated a moment, before slowly speaking, “During the ceremony of the Clan’s chieftain’s baptism, using a special technique, we detected a faint life signature within the chieftain’s abdomen—something that seems remarkably like the early signs of pregnancy.” As soon as the words were spoken, they echoed like a thunderbolt in the midst of the room, startling both Xiao Yan and Medusa to silence.