Today, early in the morning, while receiving several powerful figures from the Great Oases, an unexpected distinguished guest arrived.
The alluring Madam Snake was escorting someone into the inner sanctum of the Hearthfire Organization.
This person resembled a young girl, with dense, waterfall-like black hair that cascaded to her ankles, gently curling and lifting at the ends, resembling a serpent raising its head.
The girl's face was delicate and seemingly expressionless, devoid of sorrow or joy. At first glance, she appeared very young, but deep within her placid eyes lay a profound weariness that had seen through the passage of time.
Her movements carried an ineffable, indescribable charm, as if she were born to nobility.
Before the girl, Madam Snake lost all her usual languid freedom, displaying only respect and humility. She appeared to be the girl's mother, but in reality...
"Grandmother, we will soon meet the 'Mentor' of Blue Star. According to my investigations, many experts on Blue Star have received teachings from this Mentor, and it seems to be more than just sheer strength."
"Once we meet, everything will become clear."
The girl's voice remained devoid of emotion, but as she finished speaking, she licked her lips. "He should be an interesting person."
"...Perhaps?"
Whether he was interesting or not, Madam Snake didn't know. She only knew he was incredibly greedy, unmoved by her every charm, and even demanded more payment.
Madam Snake herself had never suffered such indignity!
But this was different... to suffer indignity at the hands of an invincible being with mythological combat power, she felt no shame.
Moreover, even Grandmother seemed intrigued.
Although Madam Snake was the leader of the 'Ten Thousand Serpents Society,' she had only met the venerable Grandmother a few times. The Ten Thousand Serpents Society was created by Grandmother on a whim, yet Grandmother herself was not part of it.
The Ten Thousand Serpents Society had a powerful backer, but its own strength and scale were far from sufficient.
This was one of the reasons why the Ten Thousand Serpents Society's reputation was not widely known.
Grandmother was very capricious, but this time, she had directly used Madam Snake as a coordinate anchor and descended with a divine sense avatar.
—A divine sense avatar's combat power was far inferior to true divine descent, and it could not be maintained indefinitely. However, divine sense avatars were convenient and swift, forming with a thought and crossing multiple realms with a single intention. This avatar possessed six-sense combat power and consumed almost no resources.
This was the greatness of a mythological existence, far beyond just their combat power.
Madam Snake, who had painstakingly infiltrated Blue Star, possessed only four-sense combat power.
The two walked inwards. Although there were many Hearthfire personnel and even experts along the way, they seemed to completely ignore the two figures, as if they were invisible, like ghosts that did not exist.
Until,
They arrived before a large door.
...
The moment Madam Snake and the girl stepped into the Hearthfire Organization, they were detected by Xitina.
Fang You then teleported over.
Otherwise, the next client on his appointment list would arrive in another half an hour. How could he possibly wait here? Mentor Fang had many important matters to attend to, after all.
"My plan for training during my spare time is ruined again. Sigh."
"However, it turns out to be a mythical being. The backing of the Ten Thousand Serpents Society is a myth."
Fang You was also surprised.
The Ten Thousand Serpents Society was an elite oasis, but it didn't often take on mercenary or assassin missions. Its classification as an 'elite oasis' was due to its insufficient scale and sparse population.
Yet, from such a small population, it could produce more powerhouses than many other great oases and possessed a multitude of skills.
Thinking of it this way, having a powerful backer was perfectly reasonable.
"Xiao Yun, open the door. We have distinguished guests."
"Ah? Yes."
Assistant Jiang Siyun glanced at her watch. It wasn't time yet, and there shouldn't be any scheduled clients. Thinking this, she instinctively walked forward and opened the door.
She was met by two figures.
The one in front was a three-dimensional girl with hair like a waterfall. Trailing behind her by one step was... it was Madam Snake!
Jiang Siyun was surprised and bewildered, but she had been the Mentor's assistant for some time. After a brief moment of astonishment, she put on her signature smile and said, "The Mentor is already waiting for you. Please come this way."
...
In the reception hall, Fang You received Madam Snake and...
"Outsiders all refer to our Grandmother as 'Madam Ten Thousand Serpents' or 'Your Excellency Ten Thousand Serpents.'"
Madam Snake introduced the girl beside her, who, though appearing to be her daughter, was in fact her grandmother.
The girl remained expressionless, with a flat figure, but these were merely appearances. As Fang You's gaze fell upon her, her black hair, which reached her ankles, seemed to come alive, transforming into numerous eerie black serpents that writhed around her body, flicking their forked tongues, as if tens of thousands of black snakes were surrounding her.
She turned her head, and countless pairs of eyes fixed on him.
Terrifying! Powerful!
In the blink of an eye, the vision of 'ten thousand serpents entwined' vanished, as if it were a mere illusion.
But Fang You knew it was not.
Madam Ten Thousand Serpents' divine sense had descended. Her strength might not be formidable, but her status was undeniable. What he had just seen was likely Madam Ten Thousand Serpents' 'status,' which she had intentionally displayed.
He had to admit, mythological beings possessed many flamboyant methods.
Even though he, Mentor Fang, could kill a myth with a single punch, his other methods paled in comparison. Alas, myths were too powerful.
"Hehehe..."
Within the expressionless Madam Ten Thousand Serpents' mind, a slight smile curved her lips.
It seemed this Hearthfire Mentor was not a myth. Even if he possessed the power to slay a myth, he was still mortal and faced the daunting challenge of ascending to godhood—it wasn't guaranteed that one who could defeat a myth would necessarily ascend.
From a metaphysical perspective, the more battles of reversal one engaged in, the more terrifying the tribulation of awakening would be during ascension.
She chuckled softly and looked down at the Hearthfire Mentor. Suddenly, she tilted her head slightly, her gaze falling upon an inconspicuous figure behind the white-robed Mentor.
Black robe, silver armor, golden hair.
Just a common warrior's attire, standing guard by the side, but...
She exuded a divine aura!
Madam Snake sensed wisps of divine aura from the golden-haired woman, a trait unique to myths!
This... this was a myth!
Then...
She shifted her gaze back to the Hearthfire Mentor.
This man, who appeared to be merely mortal, unremarkable except for his handsome appearance, was he also a myth?
This man was hiding himself very well!
...
...
"Respected guest, our Mentor is currently receiving a distinguished visitor and requests your patience for a moment."
Hearing the words of the Blue Star attendant, the First Prince frowned.
"What distinguished guest?"
"We apologize, but we are unaware of their identity, sir."
Many in the team from the Fallen Star City showed displeasure.
The First Prince was also annoyed, though he didn't show it. His assessment of Blue Star had significantly declined.
These Blue Star people were too rude, showing no respect for their Fallen Star City!
Not only had they made a prior appointment, but even without one, shouldn't the leader of Blue Star have personally come out to greet them? And now they were receiving a distinguished guest, but who could be more distinguished than them!
"Blue Star seems to have gotten too arrogant."
"Indeed, after all, they defeated several descended myths. Perhaps they think they are stronger than our Fallen Star City."
"People from indigenous worlds only have such limited vision, huh? Mythical combat power? That is still far from true mythological existence. Combat power is, after all, just combat power."
A noble from the team sneered.
Defeating myths was considered an incredible miracle by the inhabitants of the great oases, but in the eyes of the people of Fallen Star City, it was not impossible for a mortal to slay a descended myth.
The First Prince himself knew of several methods.
These methods required extensive preparatory rituals and materials, and the user had to pay a great price. The First Prince was unsure which method the Blue Star people had used, perhaps none he was aware of.
However, regardless of the method, to defeat a myth as a mortal would inevitably incur a significant cost.
Cost and benefit were conserved.
How many more times could Blue Star use these one or two methods of defeating myths? Twice? Once? Or perhaps they could no longer use them at all.
The First Prince shook his head slightly, suppressing his displeasure, and waited patiently.
Soon, with a "click," the door opened.
The first to emerge was a man in white robes, a gentle smile on his face, his eyes seeming to hold a brilliant glow, making him appear extraordinary at first glance.
He must be that 'Hearthfire Mentor.'
Emerging alongside him was a girl who, at first glance, seemed expressionless, but a faint smile still graced her lips.
Was this girl the distinguished guest of Blue Star?
And because of this ordinary girl, they had been kept waiting for over ten minutes?
The First Prince was deeply displeased.
Just as he stood up to express his dissatisfaction, he suddenly saw a figure several steps behind the girl.
Her seductive figure exuded an inexplicable allure, making one wish to spend a night with her.
This person looked familiar.
Wait, wasn't this Madam Snake!
Within the Fallen Star Dungeon region, there were only a handful of powerhouses that caught his attention.
Madam Snake was one, and the mysterious Tower Master of White Tower, whom the Fallen Star City's intelligence network could not gather much information on, was another. As for other great oasis powerhouses? They were insignificant in his eyes.
'Madam Snake is definitely among the top echelon of the six senses, and the Ten Thousand Serpents Society itself is very mysterious, with intricate ties to a certain Excellency.'
'Wait...'
Seeing Madam Snake trailing a few steps behind, like a maidservant, a thunderclap sounded in the First Prince's mind.
Then, he looked at the flat-faced girl... no, this Excellency, who was elegant and noble, was anything but ordinary; she exuded an aura of nobility from head to toe.
The First Prince trembled and slightly lowered his head in respect.
"It is a great honor to meet you, the venerable Madam Ten Thousand Serpents."
Behind him, those who were ready to cause trouble saw their expressions shift from displeasure to stunned silence, and then to reverence for a true Excellency, all within a matter of seconds.
An Excellency had arrived, no wonder Blue Star had kept them waiting. This was...
They had waited completely reasonably!
...
The envoy from Fallen Star City held a high status, and the First Prince's status was even more noble. Any leader of a great oasis would have to greet him with utmost respect.
However, in the presence of a myth, let alone just the First Prince, even his father, King Xileer XIII, would have to express his reverence.
This was the power of a myth!
Just like the myth that had passed through their Fallen Star City a few days ago, they were like beings in the clouds, and he hadn't even had the chance to see them.
Myths were so lofty and magnificent.
Possessing mythical combat power? That was still below the clouds.
The First Prince's attitude changed rapidly.
After bidding farewell to Madam Ten Thousand Serpents, Fang You began negotiations with Fallen Star City. The process went quite smoothly, with both sides getting what they needed. The First Prince of Fallen Star City appeared to be a rather humble person.
Fang You nodded slightly.
Then, the First Prince leaned forward slightly, lowering his voice,
"Your Excellency, have you heard of the glorious empire, once immensely powerful, that existed deep within the realm of the peculiar? The Glorious Empire."