Chapter 1183: Kingdom Envoy

Zu'an sighed. With their heads bowed, he couldn't clearly see the faces of the two women in white and green. He observed their figures were graceful and enchanting, but then recalled that all snake people had horrifying split mouths. He thought, "Even with such good figures, their faces would still be terrifying."

At this moment, Yu Yanluo said softly, "Please, everyone, there's no need for such formality. Quickly, rise."

The numerous snake people rose, and the two women in white and green followed suit, lifting their heads. Zu'an was astonished. Far from having split mouths, both women possessed small, cherry-like lips and delicate, pretty features. Though not as breathtakingly beautiful as Yu Yanluo, they were still graceful and charming, and their youthful, innocent aura made it difficult to feel any animosity towards them.

At the same time, the two women, Xiaobai and Xiaoqing, curiously examined him. They usually took pride in their own beauty, and though they had heard rumors among their people that the chieftain was as beautiful as a celestial being, they had harbored some disbelief. Seeing her today, they found her even more radiant than the rumors described, leaving them completely won over.

They were also very curious about the identity of the person standing next to their chieftain.

He stood intimately close to the chieftain, suggesting a very close relationship.

Furthermore, his attire and appearance suggested he was human.

He possessed an exceptional handsomeness; no young man in the snake tribe could match him.

It was the young woman in white who first recovered herself. "Xiaobai (Xiaoqing) greets the Chieftain. We have been sent by our respective grandfathers to welcome your return."

Yu Yanluo nodded subtly, saying, "Thank you, young ladies, for your trouble."

At this point, Xingnu said indignantly, "Elder Bai and Elder Qing are truly swamped with affairs. It's quite difficult to get an audience with them."

Yu Yanluo shot her a look, "Xingnu!"

While she appeared to be reprimanding her, there was no actual criticism intended.

One was playing the good cop, the other the bad cop.

The young woman named Xiaobai explained, "Chieftain, our grandfathers had originally planned to come themselves, but unfortunately, an envoy from the Demon Race Royal Court arrived. They had to remain in the tribe to host the envoy, and they hope you won't take offense."

Zu'an, standing nearby, was somewhat surprised. From the outset, these individuals had displayed a highly respectful demeanor, devoid of any arrogance. This was quite unlike the typical behavior of powerful officials, and somewhat different from Xingnu's initial description.

At this point, Yu Yanluo asked with some curiosity, "An envoy from the Demon Race Royal Court? What is their purpose?"

The Demon Race differs from the Great Zhou Dynasty; while various races nominally revere the Demon Emperor, the Royal Court's control over local regions is not extensive. Dispatching an envoy like this is an event rarely seen, perhaps only once in decades.

"We don't know the specifics," the young woman named Xiaoqing said, wrinkling her delicate nose in clear displeasure, "we only know the envoy is quite arrogant."

Yu Yanluo also frowned. With too little information to make an accurate judgment, she said, "Let's return to the tribe first to discuss this."

Xiaoqing said with a cheerful smile, "Alright, we'll lead the way for the Chieftain... Chieftain, you're truly beautiful... Chieftain, how do you maintain such flawless skin? What's your daily routine?"

The endless stream of questions along the way left Yu Yanluo amused and bewildered, yet she found herself influenced by Xiaoqing's vivaciousness, making it difficult to feel any annoyance towards her.

Zu'an was inwardly remarking on Xiaoqing's extreme social confidence, finding the quiet beauty of Xiaobai next to her far more soothing.

To his surprise, Xiaobai then tilted her head, looking at him inquisitively. "Are you human?" she asked.

"Yes," Zu'an replied with a smile.

"We rarely see humans in the snake tribe," Xiaobai mused. "I've seen some human slaves at auctions in other major cities with my grandfather before, but none were as handsome as you."

Zu'an gave a wry smile. "Alright, I'll take that as a compliment."

Xiaobai then secretly glanced at Yu Yanluo, lowered her voice, and leaned closer to him. "What's your relationship with the Chieftain? You two seem very close."

Zu'an, remembering that Yu Yanluo didn't object to their relationship being known, thought it might be good to let the news spread through Xiaobai to avoid future unnecessary trouble. "I'm her man," he stated.

Xiaobai's eyes widened in realization. "Oh, so you're the Chieftain's male companion."

Zu'an was dumbfounded.

Could "man" and "male companion" mean the same thing in the snake tribe's language?

Once Zu'an's relationship with Yu Yanluo was confirmed, Xiaobai lost all interest in him and quickly joined her sister Xiaoqing in conversation with Yu Yanluo.

Yu Yanluo had initially felt some displeasure towards Elder Bai and Elder Qing, but she found it difficult to truly dislike these two charming and beautiful young women.

Zu'an, content with his newfound leisure, spent the journey observing the surrounding environment.

The convoy had now left the great mountain, the snake tribe's forbidden territory, and along the route, signs of villages began to appear.

The dwellings along the path were vastly different from human homes, appearing more like cave-like structures built from earth.

Each household cultivated numerous flowers, plants, and trees, likely a reflection of their serpentine nature, as these natural covers seemed to provide them with an exceptional sense of security.

Upon hearing of their chieftain's return, countless snake tribe villagers rushed out to greet her, eager to catch a glimpse of her beautiful face.

Zu'an noticed that many of these snake people resembled lizardmen, with bulging muscles, appearing strong and numerous.

From their appearance, these individuals seemed to be lower-ranking members of the snake tribe, typically engaged in roles such as warriors or heavy manual labor.

Additionally, there were some individuals with split mouths, who, despite having moved past a half-snake, half-human form, still retained some serpentine characteristics on their faces.

As for the tribespeople Yu Yanluo brought from Cloudtop Commandery, they likely represented a higher echelon of the snake tribe, given that, apart from their vertical pupils, they appeared indistinguishable from normal humans.

Even higher in rank were individuals like Xiaobai, Xiaoqing, and Xingnu, who could even conceal their vertical pupils, leaving no discernible serpentine features in their appearance.

The entire journey was filled with the cheers of the snake people; clearly, the return of their king was an inspiring event for the populace.

Yu Yanluo remained outside, waving to her people along the route.

Concerned for her safety, Zu'an dared not leave her side and remained close by.

As the convoy continued, the surrounding buildings gradually became more numerous, indicating a transition from scattered villages to a more densely populated town.

In the distance, a valley sprawled with numerous buildings, encircled by a city wall where various guards stood watch.

Xingnu explained, "Master Zu, that is the royal city of the snake tribe."

Zu'an nodded. The city's scale and splendor, he noted, were not comparable to major cities like the capital, Cloudtop City, or Bright Moon City; even some smaller towns in various commanderies surpassed it.

However, built into the valley, the city was exceptionally formidable.

After entering, they discovered the city was remarkably lively, filled with bustling markets and noisy vendors. It was evident that despite their limited resources, their spirits were high.

Soon, they passed a colossal statue in the city center. Yu Yanluo raised her hand, signaling the convoy to halt, then walked to the statue. With a deeply complex expression, she murmured, "Mother, I'm back..."

While in Cloudtop Commandery, Zu'an had previously seen this Medusa statue through Xiao Yao's audio-visual mirror. Now, experiencing it firsthand, he couldn't help but marvel at the visual impact, which far surpassed anything an audio-visual stone could convey.

The statue's face was indeed remarkably similar to Yu Yanluo's, though it bore a more profound sense of majesty. Coupled with the surrounding guards and the daily reverence of the populace, the statue appeared to possess an added aura of divinity.

Zu'an also bowed to the statue. "Mother-in-law," he vowed, "I will certainly protect Yanluo well and ensure she does not suffer your fate."

After paying their respects at the Medusa statue, the group proceeded to the snake tribe's council hall.

Yan Xuehen and Yun Jianyue also disembarked from the carriage, intending to seize the opportunity to meet the snake tribe's influential elders and the envoy from the Demon Race Royal Court, hoping to gain a deeper understanding of the Demon Race.

However, seeing Yan Xuehen instinctively clutching her behind as she exited the carriage, Zu'an stifled a laugh and quickly went to assist her.

Yan Xuehen, as if finding a savior, quickly ducked behind him, fearing Yun Jianyue might seize her again.

Xiaobai, watching from the side, widened her eyes. She had believed that the chieftain's beauty was unparalleled in the world; why were there now two more individuals of similar caliber?

More importantly, both women appeared to be quite intimate with Zu'an.

Could a male companion be so audacious now? Flirting with other women right in front of the chieftain?

Just then, an impatient voice resounded from within: "I don't care; you must choose a new chieftain today, or else pick one from among the two of you!"