Queen Medusa gazed at Gu He and his group, her heart stirring slightly. As expected, everything was proceeding exactly as that person had anticipated, Gu He had taken the bait far faster than imagined. It seemed that the chess piece planted within the Jia Ma Empire possessed considerable influence, capable of skillfully delivering those information into Gu He's ears within such a short time.
"Speak. You've gone to such great lengths to see me, what is it that you want?"
Although she was already well aware of their purpose, Queen Medusa still spoke. After all, she was quite interested in how many treasures Gu He had brought to offer as gifts.
Gu He raised his head and looked toward Queen Medusa in the sky, his voice deep and solemn.
"This trip of mine is for the Heavenly Flame in Your Majesty's possession!"
"Oh? A Heavenly Flame? And what makes you think I have such a thing in my hands?"
"The Heavenly Flame beneath that underground cavern was taken by Your Majesty, was it not? We found Your Majesty's seven-colored snake scales there, bearing the aura of a Heavenly Flame. Presumably, Your Majesty was injured by it when retrieving the flame."
Queen Medusa sneered inwardly. Gu He's deduction was logical, yet completely wrong. Those seven-colored snake scales in the cavern had actually been deliberately placed there by Lin Yuan, and the Heavenly Flame aura had also been intentionally left behind by him. The purpose was precisely to lure Gu He and the others here.
At this thought, the gaze Queen Medusa directed at Gu He carried a hint of pity, and an inexplicable sense of pleasure rose within her heart. It seemed that not only she and the Snake-People were being thoroughly manipulated by that man, even these people of the Jia Ma Empire were no exception.
However, when she suddenly recalled that those seven-colored snake scales had somehow been taken from her body by Lin Yuan without her noticing, the fleeting pleasure instantly vanished. She spoke indifferently, "Oh? A Heavenly Flame? Even if it were in my hands, such a precious thing—do you really think the Pill King can take it just because he wants to?"
"I am willing to exchange two Sixth-Grade Dou Ling Pills and one seventh-grade Transformation Pill for the Heavenly Flame! What does Your Majesty think?" Hearing a slight softening in Queen Medusa's tone, Gu He felt delighted and hurriedly presented his terms.
Meanwhile, elsewhere, Lin Yuan leaned quietly against a wall, completely concealing his aura.
"A Transformation Pill… so it really exists. Good stuff, this will make a fine gift for Zi Yan. Hopefully, with this gift, that little girl's resentment toward me will ease a bit when we return to Jia Nan Academy."
He glanced at the people confronting each other in the sky, then turned to Qing Lin beside him and smiled.
"Qing'er, let me introduce them to you. Those people are all big shots of the Jia Ma Empire."
"That burly man is one of the Jia Ma Empire's Top Ten Experts—Lion King Yan Shi."
"That old man is also among the Top Ten Experts—Windwalker Feng Li."
"That middle-aged man is the renowned alchemy grandmaster of the northwest—Pill King Gu He."
"As for that mysterious figure shrouded in a black robe, that is the current sect master of the Misty Cloud Sect—Yun Yun."
"These are all powerhouses of the Jia Ma Empire you would normally only hear about. Now they stand right before your eyes. Qing'er, what do you think?" Lin Yuan asked pointedly.
'For some reason, Young Master has been very fond of asking me, 'Qing'er, what do you think,' lately,' Qing Lin thought to herself.
After pondering for a moment, Qing Lin answered seriously, "They feel… inferior to Young Master."
"Haha!" Lin Yuan laughed softly. "Qing'er speaks the truth. They really are inferior."
He then secretly transmitted his voice to Queen Medusa,"Enough playing around. Make your move. If this succeeds, I'll agree to what you mentioned before."
Upon receiving the transmission, Queen Medusa's eyes instantly sharpened. Her gaze toward Gu He and Yun Yun grew noticeably fervent. Although she did not know why Lin Yuan was not personally making a move to capture them, this was precisely her chance to do him a favor. If this succeeded, she would have him help her accomplish that matter she had long yearned for.
With a single thought from Queen Medusa, a chilling killing intent instantly spread out, enveloping the entire sky.
"Killing intent? Why?"
As a Sixth-Grade alchemist, Gu He's soul perception was likewise keen, and he immediately sensed that something was wrong.
In the blink of an eye, Queen Medusa's demeanor completely changed. Her peak Dou Emperor aura erupted in full, shaking the heavens as murderous intent overflowed from her eyes.
"You trespassed into my clan's scared city, treating the dignity of my Snake-People as nothing. Today, you will either die or surrender without resistance. Now, reveal your true face, Misty Cloud Sect Master. Let me see how capable Yun Shan's successor really is."
Her voice was icy and majestic, sending chills through all who heard it.
"Queen Medusa, do not insult my teacher."
Yun Yun tore off her black robe in one motion, revealing a beautiful and dignified face of stunning elegance. Her slender body was wrapped in a plain dress, her green hair gathered into a phoenix-style hair ornament. She held a strangely shaped long sword, her brows and eyes tinged with anger.
"Wait, Your Majesty!"
Seeing Queen Medusa turn hostile without warning, Gu He was shocked. He had thought the negotiations were nearly complete, yet Queen Medusa proved to be so mercurial and utterly unconcerned with his status as a sixth-tier alchemist.
"This matter is indeed our fault. I am willing to offer compensation."
"Once I take you, everything will be mine anyway." Queen Medusa's voice was utterly indifferent as a streak of condensed energy lashed toward Gu He.
"Wind-Pushing Force!"
Yun Yun swiftly formed seals. Green Dou Qi transformed into a violent windstorm that wrapped around Queen Medusa's energy strike, deflecting it toward the desert behind them. Instantly, yellow sand filled the sky.
A trace of solemnity appeared in Yun Yun's eyes. From the moment she sensed Queen Medusa's overwhelming aura, she knew this trip was fraught with danger. If Queen Medusa was not, as she had speculated, attempting to use the Heavenly Flame to evolve, then this deep incursion into the desert would be exceptionally perilous.
"You all leave now. I'll find a way to hold her off for a while. Wind Vortex Dance!"
Yun Yun let out a light shout, her slender hands sweeping through the air as raging whirlwinds rose, forming a barrier of wind that trapped Queen Medusa within.
"Many thanks, Sect Master Yun. Split up and run." Knowing that Yun Yun, who was extremely fast would be burdened by them, the others immediately began retreating.
"Leave? Too late. You think being a Dou Emperor like me means you can stop me? Ridiculous!"
A seven-colored long sword condensed as Dou Qi surged. A heaven-splitting sword qi slashed forth, tearing apart Yun Yun's wind barrier in an instant.
Queen Medusa did not bother with Yun Yun in front of her. Instead, she shot toward Gu He like a purple celestial arc. As a peak Dou Emperor, her flying speed far surpassed Gu He's, and the distance between them rapidly shrank. Seeing this, Yun Yun pushed her speed to the limit, turning into a streak of green light as she chased after Queen Medusa, trying to intercept her.
Yun Yun's movement technique was excellent, and her wind-attributed Dou Qi provided tremendous speed enhancement. Despite being only a three-star Dou Emperor, the distance between her and Queen Medusa was actually closing. The gaps between Gu He, Queen Medusa, and Yun Yun rapidly shortened.
Sensing Yun Yun drawing closer, a cold smile curved at the corner of Queen Medusa's lips. Yun Shan's disciple a mere three-star Dou Emperor dared to chase her?
As she flew at high speed, Queen Medusa gathered Dou Qi onto the seven-colored long sword, which began to radiate brilliant rainbow light.
"Heavenly Rainbow Sword Radiance!"
With a sharp cry, a seven-colored rainbow beam shot out from the long sword, splitting into seven Dou Qi sword rays of different hues that blasted toward Yun Yun.
Yun Yun coated her long sword in Dou Qi and beat her wings, dodging and blocking in turn as she received all seven sword rays. Though she was not injured, the obstruction from the seven-colored sword radiance caused her speed to stall.
"Rainbow Transformation!"
At the same time, Queen Medusa formed seals with her hands. Seven-colored energy wrapped around her entire body, her speed surging once more as she transformed into a streak of rainbow light, shooting toward Gu He like an arrow released from a bowstring.
Sensing Queen Medusa's attack, Gu He realized it was already too late to flee. Extremely dense purple flames erupted from his hands, the churning fire condensed a massive purple eagle.
"Purple Eagle Incineration!"
He shouted loudly as the purple-flame eagle, carrying overwhelming momentum, crashed toward the rainbow light formed by Queen Medusa.
"Boring."
Queen Medusa let out a cold laugh from within the rainbow light as it collided head-on with the purple-flame eagle. The solid rainbow light pierced straight through the fire eagle, its momentum unabated as it reached Gu He. She struck with a palm, shattering Gu He's Dou Qi defense, then followed with a hand chop that knocked him unconscious.
"As expected, alchemists not being adept at combat is the norm. That one is the exception."
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