That feeling reverberated endlessly within his soul. It tugged relentlessly at Yi Tianxing's heart, making it impossible for him to let go. Unless he got to the bottom of it, he knew he wouldn't be at peace. Combined with the matter of the Behemoth King, he had no choice—he had to see it for himself.
"Time to visit the Serpent Queen."
Taking a deep breath, Yi Tianxing made up his mind.
Without hesitation, he began following the strange bloodline resonance guiding him forward. He moved through the shadows undetected, slipping past the vigilant serpentfolk guards as if he were a phantom. No matter how alert they were, they couldn't sense him.
To avoid unnecessary trouble, he had no intention of revealing himself.
"The Serpent Valley hasn't changed much... but there are a lot more serpentfolk children now."
He didn't need to guess. Given the decadent atmosphere of the Serpent Valley, it was only natural—almost inevitable—that more serpentfolk offspring would be born. It would have been strange if there weren't so many.
Moving silently, he eventually arrived before a shimmering lake.
As he looked upon the lake, memories resurfaced in his mind, bringing with them a strange feeling. This place was filled with memories for him.
"There's an island in the center of the lake?"
Yi Tianxing looked closer. The lake was shrouded in mist, concealing a small island. It was nearly imperceptible unless you looked carefully. Some kind of concealment force masked its presence.
He stepped onto the lake.
His foot touched the surface—yet not even a ripple formed. As if an invisible force lifted him naturally from the water. With his Water God Acupoint, he could command all waters under heaven. Moving across water as though walking on land was effortless. The current beneath his feet gently propelled him forward.
Before he knew it, he stood on the heart-island of the lake.
"What a peaceful and elegant island… So different from the outside world."
The moment he stepped onto the island, Yi Tianxing couldn't help but sigh in admiration.
If the rest of Serpent Valley reeked of decadence and indulgence, then this island was a sanctuary. Verdant bamboo groves dotted the land, quiet and serene. The air carried a faint, natural fragrance. Here, there was no trace of corruption—only clarity and calm, a place that stilled the mind.
In the depths of the grove stood a bamboo pavilion, built entirely of jade-green stalks. It lent the island a unique, almost ethereal atmosphere.
There, in front of the bamboo pavilion, a woman sat.
She leaned casually on a bamboo railing, gazing out at the lake. In her hand, she held a handful of rice grains—but these were no ordinary grains. They were slender, glowing faintly green, shaped like tiny bamboo leaves and gleaming like jade. A pure, natural spiritual aura radiated from them.
These were not common grains.
"Serpent Queen. Bamboo Rice."
Yi Tianxing recognized them at a glance. This was a kind of spirit grain, rare and precious. Unlike normal rice, this kind grew from bamboo when it blossomed—a rare phenomenon. Once it bloomed, it bore bamboo rice, a grain rich in nutrition and imbued with a distinctive fragrance.
More importantly, it contained spiritual energy, able to cleanse the body, expel impurities, and greatly aid in refining scholarly energy. Eating it would spark inspiration, improve mental clarity, and even increase cultivation—it was an extremely valuable cultivation grain.
As the Serpent Queen sprinkled the grains into the lake, fish gathered to snatch them up, clearly aware of their benefits.
"That scoundrel… I wonder if he'd come if he knew what was happening to me."
"If he doesn't, then he can forget about ever meeting his child."
She muttered softly to herself, a look of melancholy on her face. Her hand drifted gently across her lower abdomen. Though her body hadn't visibly changed, she had grown more voluptuous—imbued with a deeper, mature allure.
"Scoundrel… a child. You're having a child."
Yi Tianxing froze, stunned by what he had just heard. The words escaped his mouth instinctively. His hidden presence vanished, his body appearing naturally under the weight of shock.
The Serpent Queen… was pregnant?
And the child… was his?
The term "scoundrel"—was she referring to him?
Then the child in her womb, could it really be his?
The feeling of bloodline connection he'd sensed earlier—was it from the child in her belly?
Blood might lie… but bloodline resonance could not.
"Scoundrel. It's you."
The Serpent Queen turned at the sound behind her. Her hair stirred without wind, turning into writhing venomous serpents that hissed menacingly, their eyes flashing cold light.
But when she saw Yi Tianxing, her expression changed—first surprise, then joy, quickly followed by embarrassment and irritation. It was clear he had overheard everything.
"Of course it's me. If I hadn't come, I wouldn't have known how much has changed. The Behemoth King has gone too far, sending an army to force you into marriage. How could I not come?"
Yi Tianxing spoke quickly, taking a deep breath.
"No… something's not right. Little Bi left not long ago. She couldn't have relayed the message so quickly. How did you get here this fast?"
The Serpent Queen frowned, immediately sensing something amiss. With Little Bi's speed, even under ideal conditions, it would take at least a day or two for her to return.
"You've planted spies around Serpent Valley… You're monitoring me."
The realization struck her instantly, and her face turned cold. Placing informants outside the valley—was that his way of watching her?
She felt instinctively angry.
"Of course not. You know the Great Yi Dynasty is expanding outward, and Serpent Valley falls within our next targeted territory. Naturally, the Calamity Guards of the Hall of Calamities have been infiltrating the surrounding regions. By chance, they spotted the Beast King's Army encircling Serpent Valley and reported it. That's how I found out—and rushed here immediately."
Yi Tianxing explained calmly, eyes firm.
"Hmph!"
She snorted coldly. Though she took in his words, whether she believed them was another matter. Still, she was aware of Great Yi's fearsome speed when it came to expansion. Their invasions struck like thunderclaps, leaving the world shaken.
To not scout the surrounding terrain before expanding—that was something even she couldn't believe.
"Hmph, what are you doing here? I have nothing to do with you," she said, still peeved.
"How can we have nothing to do with each other? You're carrying my child. That makes you the mother of my heir—and I, the father. It's fate. You're my woman. No one can change that."
Yi Tianxing declared without hesitation. His tone brooked no dispute.
He had come to Serpent Valley with conflicted feelings, unsure how to face the Serpent Queen. But upon learning she bore his child, he no longer hesitated.
She had to be the mother of his child—and his woman. That was non-negotiable.
"Hmph, who says I'm your woman."
The Serpent Queen's eyes flickered with mixed emotions before she turned her head with another huff.
"Never mind all that. I'll go deal with the beastmen outside. They dared to threaten my woman? That's a death wish."
Yi Tianxing's gaze turned toward the outskirts of the valley.
Since the beastman army had come—none of them would be leaving alive.
"You brought troops with you?"
The Serpent Queen frowned.
"Troops? I came alone. But so what? One man is all I need. A mere beastman army can't stop me—nor can they escape my wrath. Threatening my woman? Do they think I have no temper?"
Yi Tianxing's smile turned cold.
To even think of laying hands on the Serpent Queen—he would slaughter them all.
The killing intent that had been simmering within him boiled to the surface.
He triggered a thought, and a spatial gate appeared before him.
Stepping through it, he vanished—and in the next instant, he emerged outside Serpent Valley, directly before the Beastman Army.
"Who goes there?!"
"Who dares approach our army!"
"Come any closer and you die!"
The beastmen were already on high alert, their nerves taut to prevent any serpentfolk from escaping. When they saw a man suddenly appear before them, they were instantly alarmed.