https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-695-The-Beginning-of-Destiny-the-Confluence-of-the-World/12852742/
https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-697-The-Dynastic-Fortune-Overflow-When-Full/12852744/
Chapter 696: Snake Temple Legacy, Doubts in Heart
Chapter 696: Snake Temple Legacy, Doubts in Heart
"Someone seems to be watching me," Shexi's expression was grave. Recently, he had been constantly reforming the clan's atmosphere and transforming his fellow clan members into venomous snakes. However, he always felt a sense of being watched, as if someone was constantly monitoring his every move.
This made Shexi extremely uncomfortable.
"It must be a powerful expert, definitely not weak. Could it be a contingency plan left by Sheqi?" Shexi immediately thought of his father, whom he had replaced.
As for humans? He never even considered it. The weakness of humans was well-known to him. If not for the blessing of the Great Qian Empire, they would have been slaughtered long ago. Before the snakes arrived in the Yousi Region, humans were merely livestock for their various tribes.
So, he never thought it could be humans. Even if the imperial blessing could suppress them, the humans themselves had no ability to resist them.
Thus, his concern shifted from external threats to internal worries.
As for other alien races, forget it. They had been exterminated by the Great Qian long ago. Even if some survived, they were just hiding, waiting to be discovered and killed as the Great Qian gradually reclaimed lost territories.
They were struggling to survive, so how could they possibly come to the snake people to cause trouble? Even if they did, it would be to seek refuge, not to cause destruction. What benefit would there be for the alien races seeking shelter in the Yousi Region to destroy it?
"Half of my clan hasn't been transformed into the new Yousi snakes yet. Even if they were transformed, they couldn't act against the Great Qian in the short term. They would be crushed by the imperial blessing."
Shexi, though eager for revenge, knew the importance of planning. The Great Qian was in a period of growth, and a direct confrontation would be a dead end.
Therefore, he could only bide his time, but enduring this humiliation was almost unbearable. After all, he had returned beaten and bruised, a great humiliation he couldn't easily bear.
"The current Qian Emperor is a man of great talent and vision. I cannot confront him head-on; I must find a way around him." Shexi, though frustrated, still admired the current Qian Emperor. This emperor had effortlessly dismantled the monopoly he and the other alien races had formed and addressed various issues. Shexi respected such abilities.
As a snake person who could manipulate a nation from the court, he had the breadth of vision and magnanimity to acknowledge this. He wouldn't attribute his failure to bad luck or the other's good fortune. Instead, he would analyze and improve, rather than complain.
Though the Great Qian was a tough nut to crack, he knew he had to crack it. As the High Priest of the Yousi snakes, he could feel the urgency of the Snake Father during each ritual. It seemed that if they didn't act soon to destroy the Great Qian, something dire would happen, not just to the Yousi snakes but to the Snake Father as well.
Therefore, he speculated that if they waited for this Qian Emperor to die before acting, the outcome would be the same as Sheqi's—death.
Whether it was losing the Snake Father's favor or being crushed by the rising Great Qian, the result would be death.
"Who is it?!" Shexi's snake eyes narrowed, and he broke through the wall with a swift hand.
Just now, he had felt that sense of being watched again, and it had locked onto a specific location. However, after his move, there was nothing.
"He got away, truly cunning. It seems I need more effective means to bring him out." Shexi didn't think about killing the person.
If the person had such strength, capturing and subduing him would be a great asset. After all, they were of the same race.
However, if he couldn't be subdued, Shexi wouldn't be indecisive. The Yousi snakes were at a critical juncture. Success would mean everything, but failure over something trivial would be a huge loss.
"No scent, no trace, how is this possible?"
Shexi's forked tongue detected no relevant scent in the air, confirming that the person was more cautious than Sheqi.
"Could it be a snake person who has been lying low, coveting the position of High Priest Sheqi?"
Shexi had doubts about his father's ability to attract such talent, so he shifted his focus. Could it be that someone was targeting him because he had taken the High Priest's position?
Putting himself in someone else's shoes, Shexi thought that his father, Sheqi, would likely have been equally infuriated.
"Given this, I can slowly investigate. If it really is about the position of High Priest Yousi, then I can always hand it over to them once the deed is done."
If he truly succeeded in destroying the Great Qian and restoring the Snake Father's reign, the Snake Father would undoubtedly shower him with great rewards. A mere position as High Priest would be insignificant by then.
His significant actions naturally drew the attention of many snake people.
So, he could only explain, "Nothing serious, just a minor issue."
He did not elaborate on what had happened to the gathered snake people.
"High Priest, there's been an incident at the Snake Temple," a snake person responsible for the Snake Temple rushed over and whispered.
Such matters were not to be shouted about, given their impact on the entire snake people, so he had to report in hushed tones to avoid rumors and panic.
Shexi's expression changed, and he quickly asked, "What happened? You seem very agitated."
"During today's cleanup, we found that someone had conducted a private ritual at the Snake Temple, and it happened within the last couple of days. As you know, every ritual and sacrifice is performed by the temple priest or you, the High Priest. Clearly, this unauthorized ritual was not conducted properly."
"Because of this, it left traces."
The snake person whispered the details.
"Do they have any other clues? Why didn't they perform the ritual openly?" Shexi was very concerned about this, as it involved the Snake Father.
"No, we have no idea when it happened. If it hadn't left traces, we might not have discovered it. The snake person who performed the ritual was very cautious," the snake person immediately replied, also trying to shift some of the blame. After all, this was a failure on their part.
Fortunately, Shexi was not focused on these details but was deep in thought about why the ritual left traces.
"Can you estimate when these traces were left?" Shexi suddenly asked.
"Not more than three time periods ago. The traces are very fresh, as if they were left due to a specific event," the snake person did not hide anything, knowing that Shexi's question meant they would not be in serious trouble, at most a few scoldings.
"Alright, I understand." Shexi knew that three time periods were equivalent to three hours. Although the terminology was different, since these snake people had once come from the surface, the time standard must be the same.
"Let's go, I'll inspect the Snake Temple myself." Shexi was not planning to pursue the matter further but felt it necessary to send a message. If mistakes were not punished, what would become of the rules?
However, given that the snake person who performed the ritual was quite powerful, a minor punishment would suffice. It was more about setting an example.
On the way to the Snake Temple, Shexi kept thinking about how to uncover the hidden snake person. He was certain that it was not just one snake person but a deeply hidden group.
'This means the transformation will have to slow down.' Shexi was frustrated. He was loyal to the Snake Father, but he knew the Snake Father needed a snake person who could help him return. There were many candidates, and if another snake person could achieve this, they would gain the Snake Father's favor.
Therefore, he had to suppress or expose this deeply hidden group. He could not let them have the power they sought.
'Maybe Sheqi changed because of this?' Shexi thought of his father, who was once the most devout follower of the Snake Father. Later, he changed, possibly due to the allure of power and the Snake Father's lack of response, or more likely, because he was provoked by this hidden group within the snake people.
After all, when they targeted him, the Snake Father did not protect him and might even choose them. Anyone would find that unacceptable.
Shexi was now experiencing the same thing.
'Is this worth it?' Shexi couldn't help but think back to the times he had lain in the mud at the altar, praying to the Snake Father. His faith began to waver, and a certain madness within him started to break free from its restraints.
(End of Chapter)
Chapter end
Report
