At this point, if you were to ask who had more influence within the Snake People Tribe, even the previous Medusa would fall short compared to Yun Shan.
Today, the Tagor Desert is no longer a desert, and the Snake People Tribe's habitat has improved. The main driving force behind all of this is Yun Shan. Within the Jia Ma Empire, Yun Shan's prestige isn't limited to just the human race.
He's a legend of the Jia Ma Empire simply because he rose from there, and because now, the surrounding countries have all been incorporated into Jia Ma!
Therefore, with Yun Shan and the other person leading the way, the journey was unimpeded. After a while, the group stopped in front of a massive courtyard. Feng Ling waved her delicate hand, and the courtyard gate automatically opened. Then, she motioned for Zhao Li and the others to enter.
Entering the small courtyard, Zhao Li's gaze swept across the area. There were quite a few Snake People present, and their auras were almost all at the Dou King level or above. This situation caused Zhao Li's heart to sink slightly—a small Snake People Tribe actually had over fifty Dou King and Dou Emperor experts!
Even the current Cloud Mist Sect didn't have more than two hundred experts at the Dou King and Dou Emperor level, and that was because of a legend like Yun Shan emerging, which allowed the Jia Ma Empire to unify several surrounding countries, resulting in countless geniuses joining the Cloud Mist Sect.
Yet, within the Snake People Tribe, a not-so-large group, there were over fifty individuals at the Dou King level and above. Even with Yun Shan providing special tutoring and resources, this was almost impossible!
After entering the small courtyard, Feng Ling didn't stop there. Under the fervent gazes of the Snake People experts, she led Zhao Li and the others through several quiet routes until they passed through a barrier. After the environment in front of them changed, they finally stopped in front of a bamboo house hidden within a bamboo forest in the deepest part of the area.
As if sensing their arrival, the previously closed door opened, followed by a voice as ancient and seemingly decayed as if it were about to rot:
"Please enter, honored guests!"
Feng Ling turned and glanced at Yao Chen and Xiao Yan. She hesitated for a moment but said nothing, inviting everyone into the small house together. She was the last one to enter, and as she stepped inside, the door of the bamboo house automatically closed tightly.
Upon entering the house, faint lamplight spilled down, creating a quiet and somewhat dim atmosphere that made people feel a little drowsy.
Of course, none of the people who came here were ordinary. Even Xiao Yan, who was considered a rare existence like a Great Dou Master here, quickly shook off that trace of sleepiness.
Zhao Li looked around. Inside the house were six old individuals. Only two of them were old men. His gaze, however, swept past them and landed on the giant Divine Statue behind them.
It was a giant python with a gaping maw, as if it wanted to devour everything. Within its mouth, the stone-carved teeth actually gleamed with a cold light.
It seemed to have heard their footsteps. The old woman leading the group slowly opened her eyes. Seeing that there were many more visitors than expected, her expression changed slightly, and her gaze towards Feng Ling held a hint of displeasure. She said,
"Feng Ling, this is an important place for our tribe. How can you easily bring outsiders here?"
As she spoke, her rhomboid pupils moved away from Yun Shan and the other person, sweeping across Zhao Li and the others. What startled her was that, except for a little guy at the Great Dou Master level, she couldn't see through any of them.
Feng Ling hadn't spoken yet when Yun Shan spoke first. His words were somewhat unfriendly, and he said coldly,
"Old guy, what did you say? I'm giving you face by calling you Elder. If I don't give you face, I'll bury you right now!"
He was annoyed. After so many years, these people were still clinging to the old ways, treating ideas that were almost abandoned by the times as treasures, guarding that ridiculous power, and couldn't even tell who was the real boss.
Yun Shan's words were not polite at all. As soon as he finished speaking, the expressions of the old individuals stiffened, but then they were helpless and could only chuckle awkwardly.
Feng Ling's expression was also somewhat helpless. These elders seemed to still be stuck in the past, only focusing on the Snake People Tribe. Although they had good intentions to protect the tribe, they were truly lacking in foresight.
She shook her head slightly, then said to Zhao Li,
"Teacher, the secret technique legacy is here."
Hearing this, Zhao Li moved his gaze away from the Giant Serpent Divine Statue behind the elders and looked at the elders themselves.
Under Zhao Li's gaze, the elders felt a sense of being seen through. It was as if they had no secrets at all under his gaze.
Interesting.
Not long after, Zhao Li chuckled inwardly. His gaze fell on the inconspicuous Fourth Elder in the corner, and he asked,
"May I ask, Senior, how old are you this year?"
On this Snake People Fourth Elder, he felt a special connection between her and the Giant Serpent Divine Statue. It was as if the Divine Statue was alive, and this old woman was just a vessel for its birth.
The old woman seemed not to have expected Zhao Li to notice her, and with such a strange question at that. She was stunned for a moment before saying with emotion,
"This old body has lived for over four hundred years. If it weren't for Sect Master Yun, I would probably only be lingering on."
The Snake People Tribe are not humans, but they are not simply Magical Beasts either. They combine some unique advantages of both humans and Magical Beasts. Compared to humans, they don't have the same fast cultivation speed, but compared to Magical Beasts, they don't have that long lifespan. Despite this, their growth is much faster than Magical Beasts, and their lifespan is also quite a bit longer than humans.
Ordinary human Dou Emperors, due to the violent Dou Qi, constant battles, hidden injuries, and other reasons, generally only live to about a hundred years old. But for the Snake People Tribe, they can live for five hundred years, even exceeding ordinary human Dou Venerates.
Of course, as she herself said, if Yun Shan hadn't helped her break through the Dou Sect barrier, she wouldn't have many years left to live either.
Hearing her words, except for Zhao Li and Xiao Yan, the others didn't have any particular reaction.
Xiao Yan was shocked. This was the first time he knew that a life form similar to a human could live for over four hundred years. In his understanding, this was already longevity.
It must be said, the protagonist is indeed the protagonist. This conversation actually caused Xiao Yan's worldview to quietly shift, and then his heart felt as if it had been baptized, his cultivation resolve becoming even firmer—not for anything else, but just to experience what kind of taste that longevity, which countless emperors throughout Earth's five thousand years had sought but failed to obtain, truly had.
Zhao Li heard her answer, but he was somewhat dissatisfied. He continued to size her up leisurely. After a moment, he simply laughed out loud and said in a somewhat sarcastic tone,
"Senior is too modest. A soul that is almost immortal and indestructible wouldn't show this kind of decayed aura after only four hundred years."
As soon as these words were spoken, the others hadn't reacted yet, but the Snake People Fourth Elder's pupils constricted, and then she forced herself to calm down and said with a dry laugh,
"Struggling bitterly before death, if I hadn't barely broken through to Dou Sect in recent years, I would have already decayed."
As she spoke, she was clearly still in human form, but her eyes were like venomous snakes, looking at Zhao Li with a cold and sinister gaze.
Zhao Li saw all her expressions and could now confirm that establishing a connection with the Giant Serpent Divine Statue was not a skill that all Snake People Elders possessed, but a unique skill of the person in front of him!
He chuckled softly, then shouted,
"I want to see what kind of demon you are!"
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