BTTH : From the beginning of the battle to the top

In the Tagore Great Desert, there is an oasis where a powerful member of the Serpent People resides in seclusion.

Yue Mei traveled along several quiet paths and finally stopped in front of a bamboo house hidden deep within a bamboo forest.

"We've arrived, the elders' place of seclusion."

Looking at the exquisite building before her and recalling the heritage of the Serpent People, Yue Mei's heart, which had been tense since receiving the colorful scales, finally began to settle a little.

Respectfully adjusting her appearance, Yue Mei gently knocked on the door.

"Elders, regarding the Queen, Yue Mei has urgent matters to report, may I have an audience?"

"Come in."

As soon as the knocking sound faded, an elderly voice came from within the bamboo house, and the door opened in response. Yue Mei bent her body and respectfully walked inside.

Upon entering the room, four figures exuding a subtle yet extraordinary powerful aura appeared before Yue Mei, each one at the peak of the Battle Emperor level.

"Seeing you so anxious, what exactly happened to the Queen?" One of the elderly women, noticing Yue Mei's evident panic, asked sternly.

"Elder, the details are as follows..."

Yue Mei began to recount everything she knew in detail.

"What? The Queen was defeated and captured, and was forced to take what seems to be a poison pill? You were also forced to take it? How could this happen? Third Elder, you are the most knowledgeable about poisons, come and check the situation."

After hearing Yue Mei's account, the Grand Elder was filled with astonishment, not expecting so many changes to occur in such a short time.

The Third Elder stepped forward, placing a hand on Yue Mei's wrist, and a stream of battle energy penetrated deeply as he began to examine her condition in detail.

"How is it, Third Elder? Is it poison? Is it difficult to handle?" the Grand Elder asked.

The Third Elder sighed and shook his head, his tone filled with distress: "It is poison, but not just any poison. The person who poisoned her is extremely knowledgeable about pharmacology, and if I am not mistaken, he is both a poison master and a high-level alchemist. To be able to so skillfully combine the properties of medicinal materials with the essence of fire poison is a level that I cannot handle."

After a moment of silence, the Grand Elder slammed his palm down on the table beside him, shattering it, and a chilling aura emanated from his voice: "A transaction, a transaction! We must go and meet this mysterious powerhouse. I want to see who is targeting our Serpent People and what kind of transaction he wants to discuss."

Before long, five streaks of light sped from the oasis towards the location of Lin Yuan and Queen Medusa.

By a water pool in the oasis within the desert.

Lin Yuan, who had been meditating not far from the unconscious Queen Medusa (who had been knocked out several times before regaining consciousness), opened his eyes, stood up, and looked into the distance.

Soon, several streaks of light appeared in the sky above Lin Yuan, rapidly descending and creating a gust of wind that pressed down towards him. However, these gusts naturally parted before Lin Yuan, merely ruffling his hair without causing any disarray.

"Let's skip the pointless probing and get straight to the point. Let's talk about a transaction or cooperation," Lin Yuan said with a light smile as he looked at the five figures before him. He raised his right hand and made a downward motion, dispersing and calming the chaotic air around him.

With a calm demeanor and exquisite control of battle energy, this person was certainly not simple. The four who had been together for many years exchanged glances, and a mutual understanding formed in their hearts.

The Grand Elder glanced at the unconscious Queen Medusa, whose clothes were tattered but still covered in key areas, and her aura was still present. It seemed that nothing irreparable had happened, and he breathed a sigh of relief, realizing there was still room for negotiation.

"Yue Mei, you guard the perimeter and ensure no one approaches here to disturb my conversation with the elders," Lin Yuan instructed Yue Mei.

Looking at Lin Yuan, who naturally gave her orders, Yue Mei felt a bit at a loss and glanced at the Grand Elder. The Grand Elder nodded slightly, "Go ahead, Yue Mei. We indeed need to have a good talk with this young friend."

"Yes, Grand Elder." Yue Mei cupped her hands and flew to the perimeter to begin her watch.

"Second Elder, go check on Her Majesty the Queen's condition," the Grand Elder said to the Second Elder beside him. The Second Elder acknowledged and walked towards Queen Medusa.

The Grand Elder turned to Lin Yuan, trying to muster a friendly smile, and asked, "Is there some misunderstanding or grievance between our clan and you, young friend?"

"There is none. I have no grievances with the Serpent People," Lin Yuan replied sincerely.

Hearing this, the Grand Elder seemed puzzled and asked, "Then why did you injure our Queen Medusa and poison her and Yue Mei?"

Lin Yuan smiled lightly.

"Queen Medusa wanted my异火 (strange fire), so I fought her fairly. She lost, and I did not take her life, but she naturally needs to pay another price. In other words, her life is now my bargaining chip, and if the Serpent People want to get her back, they need to trade with me and offer what I desire."

"To ensure that you can communicate properly, I specifically placed a seal on her and fed her poison. It seems to have worked well, as you are now patiently communicating with me," Lin Yuan said, looking at the people before him with a satisfied expression.

"Impudent! You are underestimating our Serpent People!" A sharp voice came from the Fourth Elder, who looked at Lin Yuan with a hostile gaze, her tone completely dismissing the dignity of the Serpent People.

Lin Yuan was unfazed by her anger and chuckled, "Speaking loudly does not make your words more persuasive. I specifically had Yue Mei take the poison pill so that you could try to handle it. The result is that you cannot handle it, isn't it? So now you need to have a good conversation with me."

"You brat, are you not afraid that the four of us will join forces and take you down directly?" The Fourth Elder's eyes were filled with a dangerous glint, and the battle energy at her fingertips seemed to be stirring.

"Oh?" Lin Yuan looked at the four with interest and confidently said, "Shall we gamble on this? With Queen Medusa's life as the stake. A friendly reminder, I have not used my full strength in the battle against Queen Medusa, and the fight was not satisfying. If you have that intention, I would be more than happy to oblige."

Seeing Lin Yuan's confident and assertive attitude, the Grand Elder took over the conversation and smiled, "Young friend, you misunderstand. This is our Fourth Elder, who is rather straightforward and has a fiery temper. Please do not take offense."

After a pause, the Grand Elder candidly said, "Since it is a transaction, how shall we trade? Please speak directly, and if there is anything our Serpent People can do, just say the word."

"Very well, this is the attitude a conversation should have. There are three conditions." Without paying attention to the interplay among the others, Lin Yuan prepared to state the terms of the transaction.

"First..."

Just as Lin Yuan was about to state his conditions, a soft moan attracted everyone's attention. It turned out that the unconscious Queen Medusa had also awakened with the help of the Second Elder.

She pressed her forehead, as if trying to dispel the confusion in her mind, and then focused her gaze, "Elders, weren't you in seclusion? Why are you here? It's you!!!"

Upon seeing Lin Yuan, Queen Medusa's tone shifted from confusion to shame and anger in an instant, her eyes filled with a violent killing intent. Meeting the person before her reminded her of the most humiliating moment of her life: defeat, being sealed, being knocked out, being knocked out, being knocked out again, and again. In her hazy memories of this time, only the hands that had knocked her out were vividly clear.

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(End of Chapter)