A Terrifying Little Story

"..."(д)b☆d(д)

Hua She'er and Yue Mei exchanged a glance, both seeing the shock in each other's eyes.

"Lord Xiao Yan, if our Snake People Clan plans to leave the Great Desert, it would be one thing if we simply killed them all to eliminate future trouble. But offending a Sixth Grade Alchemist like this... wouldn't that be unwise?" Yue Mei's tone lacked confidence.

"What's so bad about it? Our Lord Xiao Yan is already a Sixth Grade Alchemist himself. That so-called Pill King Gu He is nothing but shit compared to Lord Xiao Yan!" Hua She'er retorted.

Hua She'er had seen Xiao Yan practice Dou Techniques. She knew very well that he was not only a Fifth Grade Alchemist—his combat strength was also enough to rival a Dou King.

Yue Mei shrugged and did not argue.

The three quickly flew back to Queen Medusa's temple. After setting Xiao Yan down, Hua She'er immediately reported to Queen Medusa, summoned several elders back, and relayed Xiao Yan's proposal.

"Hehe, it seems our Chief Alchemist isn't such a kindhearted fellow either?" the Second Elder said with a smile.

"That works too. We'll only be responsible for fighting; he'll handle all negotiations himself. We need to send the outside world a message: our Snake People Clan has been subdued by a human," the Great Elder decided.

"We should also show off some muscle and let the humans know that our Snake People Clan is not to be trifled with," the Second Elder added.

Four Peak Dou Emperors hid themselves within Queen Medusa's temple, quietly waiting for Xiao Yan's command. The moment he called out, they would leap forth and capture every invading human alive.

Before long, several terrifying auras enveloped the city.

Several hundred meters above the city walls, a gigantic Magical Beast hovered in the air.

"What's going on? The Snake People Clan hasn't even put the city on lockdown?" Yan Shi faintly sensed that something was amiss.

"Perhaps Queen Medusa has guessed my purpose and is waiting for me to offer a bargaining chip that will move her."

Gu He smiled confidently, then flew to the front of the group and shouted with Dou Qi:

"Your Majesty Queen Medusa, I am Pill King Gu He. I have not come here to wage war against your clan, but solely for the Heavenly Flames. I ask that you please show yourself so we may meet!"

"Creak, creak, creak."

After a long while, Queen Medusa still did not appear. However, the city gates slowly opened a crack.

"Let's go! Let's meet this Queen Medusa!"

Gu He was the first to land and strode directly toward the opened gates.

"You two Dou Spirits stay on the flying Magical Beast in case anything happens," black-robed Yun Yun instructed before following behind Gu He.

Yan Shi and Feng Li exchanged a glance, then followed behind Yun Yun as well.

After the four entered through the city gates, they saw Hua She'er staring at them with an unfriendly expression.

But Gu He did not mind her hostile gaze. At least they were not being besieged by a large number of Snake People. If anything, this further proved that Queen Medusa was interested in making a deal.

"Come. I'll take you to see Her Majesty."

Hua She'er swept her gaze over the four as though looking at dead men, then turned around to lead the way.

That look made Yan Shi want to curse, but Gu He had already followed her, so he could not very well act up before Gu He.

The four followed Hua She'er into Queen Medusa's temple, only to discover in surprise that a man was seated at Queen Medusa's right hand.

"Your Majesty, Lord Xiao Yan, I've brought them here."

"Looks like a fellow alchemist got here before me?" Gu He immediately locked onto Xiao Yan and the Fifth Grade Alchemist badge on his chest.

"You may leave," Queen Medusa replied lazily.

"Yes!" Hua She'er left the temple and carefully shut its doors behind her.

Just then, Yun Yun suddenly noticed a terrifying fact—

Her attention had been drawn to that man earlier, but now Yun Yun abruptly realized that beneath Queen Medusa's slender waist were not a snake's tail, but legs!

Yun Yun had once chanced upon a passage in an ancient text concerning the queen of the Snake People Clan: when Queen Medusa reached the Peak Dou Emperor realm, if her fortune was sufficient, she could undergo a strange evolution.

After evolving, Queen Medusa would not only be able to freely transform into a human body, but her strength would also naturally advance into that of a Dou Zong.

Queen Medusa had already transformed into human form! This was the mark of advancing to Dou Zong!

Yun Yun abruptly pressed down on Gu He, who was about to say something else, and spoke up:

"I am Yun Yun, Sect Leader of the Misty Cloud Sect. I offer my congratulations to Queen Medusa on her successful evolution and breakthrough to Dou Zong."

"Gulp." Gu He's Adam's apple bobbed. He swallowed all the words he had been about to say, then laughed heartily. "How can one offer congratulations without bringing a gift? I am willing to present Her Majesty Queen Medusa with a Dou Ling Pill."

Queen Medusa neither confirmed nor denied it. She merely reclined lazily against the back of her chair, looking as though nothing interested her.

Yun Yun knew full well that Gu He could not possibly trade for the Heavenly Flames. Without sufficient strength as a guarantee, any bargaining chip could simply be taken away by the other side.

The crucial question now was how they could leave this place alive.

Yun Yun looked toward Xiao Yan. This man seated at Queen Medusa's right hand surely held an eminent position within the Snake People Clan, but that name...

"Lord Xiao Yan... my disciple Nalan Yanran was immature and unwilling to marry someone she had never met, which was why she went to the Xiao Family to break off the engagement. I hope you can be magnanimous."

"Oh, it's fine. I wouldn't have wanted her anyway."

"..." Yun Yun did not know how to respond for a moment.

Yan Shi and Feng Li both nearly broke down. After exchanging a glance, they both understood that surviving today would likely be very difficult.

"Your Majesty, since the ownership of the Heavenly Flames has already been decided, I would not dare take what another loves. I am willing to compensate the Snake People Clan double for the losses caused this time. Farewell!"

Gu He was no fool. He could not simply leave behind a Dou Ling Pill and run.

"Cough, cough." Xiao Yan tapped the armrest of his chair. "Some Snake People died."

The atmosphere instantly froze. That was right—Snake People had surely died during the fighting, but Queen Medusa might not have been willing to offend the Misty Cloud Sect and a Sixth Grade Alchemist. Perhaps she would have let a major matter become minor and settled it with some medicinal pills. But now that Xiao Yan had spoken, this matter could not possibly end peacefully.

"Sir, although you have joined the Snake People Clan, you are still human after all. Why must you..."

"You have misunderstood one thing," Queen Medusa interrupted.

"I invited him here. He had already refined the Heavenly Flames long ago, and my evolution only succeeded because of him. His status within the Snake People Clan is now in no way inferior to mine."

"How is that possible?!" Gu He could no longer maintain his composure.

Xiao Yan glanced at Queen Medusa and understood what she meant. Still, he was more than happy to bring the Snake People Clan under his control. "Yun Yun, Gu He, the two of you will stay with the Snake People Clan for a while. As for those two beside you, go inform the Jia Ma Imperial Family to set aside a region for the Snake People Clan to live in and plan their migration route—the Misty Cloud Sect will bear the cost."