Yan Zhen was merely an Eight-Star Mystic Scholar these days—having advanced from Seven-Star through recent cultivation—but he was still just a minor Mystic Scholar at the end of the day. It was impressive enough for someone his age, but far from enough to take center stage. He was at the level where the elders might pat him on the back and offer some praise, and that was it.
So he put on a little show right away. He made his entrance using the Starry Sky Dance movement technique, tracing a dazzling trail of starlight paths through the air before landing gracefully at the Myriad Snake Queen’s side. He now stood in direct confrontation with the three Snake God Priests.
“I’ll vouch for her,” Yan Zhen repeated firmly. “I’ll keep her safe, so the three of you can rest easy.”
The three Snake God Priests were momentarily stunned.
They had sensed Yan Zhen’s weak aura from the start and hadn’t thought much of it. Never in their wildest dreams had they imagined he would dare insert himself into the middle of things like this.
The High Priestess sized him up and down before suddenly understanding.
“You’re the male pet that She Ji recently took in, aren’t you?”
—Who the hell is a male pet?!
Yan Zhen nearly lost his composure. He opened his mouth to retort, but the Myriad Snake Queen cut him off.
“Not a male pet—my beloved consort.”
—Consort my ass! Get lost!
“Who I am doesn’t matter,” Yan Zhen said. “What matters is that I can suppress the Great Crimson Heaven Flame and ensure She Ji completes her bloodline evolution without a hitch.”
“You?” The High Priestess replied coldly. “Your movement technique is impressive, but your cultivation is far too weak. Why should this old one believe you can aid the Female Monarch?”
Yan Zhen smiled faintly. The flames in his pupils suddenly blazed brighter, subtly shifting into vertical slits. A five-clawed evil dragon—its body pitch-black, as if inked by a brush—coiled around him. The dragon’s form slithered through the air, its whiskers drifting lazily.
“Roar~”
A deep dragon roar echoed through the grand hall. A pressure powerful enough to make even a Mystic Lord tremble erupted outward, sending the bloodlines of every snake descendant present into a frenzy as they instinctively resisted the dragon might.
Beyond the dragon might came an unsettling evil aura radiating from Yan Zhen himself. It felt as though he might slaughter someone without reason—or save them just as capriciously—a madman through and through.
The Eight Serpent Generals immediately blurred into motion, positioning themselves in front of the three Snake God Priests. They eyed Yan Zhen with utmost vigilance.
He might be nothing more than a Mystic Scholar, but the Eight Serpent Generals sensed real danger from him. Ye Mei, in particular, recalled that devastating sword strike of his.
Even the three Snake God Priests’ unchanging zombie faces betrayed a flicker of surprise. Their three pairs of sharp, aged eyes locked onto Yan Zhen.
“This is… an Extreme Flame?”
“What terrifying dragon might and evil aura.”
“With power like that, it has to rank within the top thirty-six at least—a Heavenly Extreme Flame.”
The Heavenly Extreme Flames were divided from the Earthly Extreme Flames, with those in the top thirty-six spots on the Extreme Flame List classified as Heavenly, and the rest as Earthly.
The strongest of the Earthly Extreme Flames could only reach Half-Saint level.
The Heavenly Extreme Flames were another story entirely.
The Great Crimson Heaven Flame ranked exactly thirty-sixth on the Extreme Flame List—the very weakest of the Heavenly Extreme Flames. It had once vaporized Great Lake Country, turning its lakes into desert, and now it was driving the sand scorpions to evolve, pushing the City of Water to the brink of annihilation.
That alone spoke volumes about its capabilities.
Even these Mystic Lord experts wouldn’t dare touch a Heavenly Extreme Flame, yet Yan Zhen—a mere Mystic Scholar—had refined one?
“…”
This was the first time Yan Zhen had unleashed the Evil Spirit Dragon Breath Flame after refining it. The sensation was worlds apart from using the Gold-Silver Fire. A wild arrogance swelled within him, tempting him to tilt his chin up and look down on the three Snake God Priests.
He let his lips curl into a wicked, roguish smirk and said coolly, “The Evil Spirit Dragon Breath Flame, ranked thirteenth on the Extreme Flame List. More than enough to suppress the Great Crimson Heaven Flame.”
—Thirteenth?
Whether it was the three Snake God Priests or the Eight Serpent Generals, they were all shocked.
That was leagues above the Great Crimson Heaven Flame’s ranking!
How could someone without Mystic Venerable cultivation possibly withstand its power?
“You… how can a mere Mystic Scholar control a Heavenly Extreme Flame like that?”
“That’s my personal secret,” Yan Zhen replied with a cocky tilt of his head. “No comment. But rest assured, She Ji will complete her bloodline evolution.”
The three Snake God Priests fell silent. For a lone Mystic Scholar to control the thirteenth-ranked Evil Spirit Dragon Breath Flame, he clearly had some secret method. If he used it to help She Ji, her odds of succeeding in her bloodline evolution would skyrocket.
Once She Ji broke through to Mystic Ancestor—with her mighty Snake God Bloodline—it would be child’s play for her to crush the Red Sand Scorpion Lord. The City of Water’s standing on the world stage would rise, and their treatment at the sect conference would improve—no more kowtowing to foreign powers.
Still, after pondering for a long moment, the High Priestess shook her head.
“Your power is simply too lacking in the end. You’re an unstable element. This old one can’t feel at ease.”
Yan Zhen let out a mocking chuckle. The ink-black evil dragon coiling around him glared with crimson eyes, its arrogance surging.
He descended the steps from the throne, closing the distance between them without a hint of fear.
“The High Priestess is welcome to test me,” he said. “See for yourself just how strong I really am.”
The High Priestess narrowed her aged eyes at him for a long moment before issuing an order.
“Charm Guard, test his skills.”
Charm Guard was none other than Ye Mei. Among the Eight Serpent Generals, she had the weakest overall combat strength but excelled at survival techniques. Picking her as Yan Zhen’s opponent was already considerate of his realm.
Ye Mei hadn’t expected the High Priestess to call on her. She hesitated briefly before speaking up.
“To report to the High Priestess, this subordinate knows this Young Master Yan Zhen. It was his single sword strike that wounded the Purple King Scorpion earlier, giving me the opening to finish it off.”
“What?” The High Priestess frowned. “Is that true?”
“Absolutely,” Ye Mei said earnestly. “In fact, because of it, this subordinate still owes Young Master Yan Zhen a debt of gratitude. I never imagined he was friends with Your Majesty.”
“There’s such a thing?”
The High Priestess grew even more inscrutable about the handsome youth before her, but she didn’t take Ye Mei’s word at face value. Instead, she changed tack.
“It seems this old one must test you personally. I’ll use just one move. Block it, and I’ll believe you—and approve She Ji’s plan.”
The Myriad Snake Queen and Yun Xiu both looked worried at this, but Yan Zhen merely beckoned the High Priestess with a casual hook of his finger.
The High Priestess raised her hand. From her wide sleeve emerged a withered finger, dry as a twig, pointed straight at Yan Zhen.
The Power of Heaven and Earth gathered at her fingertip, then erupted as a beam of light shooting forth.
It was one of the most common attacks among Mystic Lord powerhouses.
Without Mystic King realm cultivation, no one could block it.
Yet Yan Zhen didn’t so much as twitch. The beam passed straight through his body, exploding against the steps behind him.
The three Snake God Priests and the Eight Serpent Generals all jolted in shock, thinking for an instant that Yan Zhen had been slain. But the next moment, they were even more stunned—he was utterly unharmed!
What was going on? The High Priestess’s attack had clearly gone right through him!
Yan Zhen brushed off his robe with a flick of his hand and said expressionlessly, “That’s it?”
“Was that just now… Spatial Power?” The High Priestess’s hand trembled. “You… you’ve even mastered Spatial Power?”
