Negotiations Fail

"Master Gu He has come to our Snake-People Race in person. You must have some important business, I presume." Queen Medusa's gaze first fell upon Gu He.

Then she looked at the people behind him.

There were Dou Lings, Dou Wangs, and even a Dou Emperor.

These people had come with ill intent...

"I heard that Queen Medusa had obtained a Heavenly Flame, so I came this time hoping to trade for it with Queen Medusa." Gu He went straight to the point.

"Master Gu He is certainly well-informed. Even this reached your ears."

Gu He smiled modestly. "I assume Queen Medusa also knows that, to us alchemists, Heavenly Flames are a lifelong pursuit."

"So I hope Queen Medusa will part with it. Of course, I am willing to offer compensation."

"I am willing to exchange one Human-Shaping Pill and two Dou Ling Pills for the Heavenly Flame, Your Majesty."

The moment those words fell, everyone present was stunned.

"Damn, Old Gu is really going all out!"

The Human-Shaping Pill was a Rank Seven Elixir that could allow a Magical Beast to completely assume human form.

The Dou Ling Pill was a Six-Grade Pill that could directly raise a Dou Wang's cultivation by one star.

Either of these pills alone was an irresistible treasure to the present-day Snake-People Race.

Across the entire Jia Ma Empire, that bargaining chip was enough to make anyone do anything for him.

Yet Gu He was using them merely to trade for a Heavenly Flame.

Even Queen Medusa was startled by Gu He's offer.

"As expected of Master Gu He. You are indeed generous."

"If it were anything else, I might have agreed to the exchange. But if you wish to trade for the Heavenly Flame, this is still not enough."

The Human-Shaping Pill could only allow her to assume a complete human form and slightly improve her strength; it was not enough to help her break through to the Dou Zong realm.

As for the Dou Ling Pills, they could only be used by the Snake-People Leaders.

If he were trading for something else, these pills would indeed be highly competitive.

But Gu He wanted to exchange them for a Heavenly Flame, and they were far from sufficient.

Queen Medusa intended to use the Heavenly Flame to charge into the Dou Zong realm. To exchange for it, he would at least need to produce something of equal value—something that could help her attempt a breakthrough to Dou Zong.

"I can add another two Dou Ling Pills!" Gu He said through gritted teeth.

For the Heavenly Flame, he was going all in!

The others were too shocked to speak.

With two more, that would be one Human-Shaping Pill and four Dou Ling Pills!

That was outrageous.

But Queen Medusa still refused. "I'm sorry, but I will not trade with you."

"For Master Gu He's sake, if you leave now, I can overlook your trespass into our Snake-People Race."

He had still been refused.

Gu He smiled bitterly.

Although he had been mentally prepared for it, being rejected still left him unwilling to accept it!

"Old Gu, are you giving up?" Feng Li asked quietly from the side.

"What else can I do?"

"As long as you say the word, we can rush them right now. Rather than give them four Dou Ling Pills, you might as well give them to us." Yan Shi grinned.

Gu He was a wealthy patron.

As long as he was willing to pay, they did not mind causing a major disturbance.

At that moment, the black-robed woman behind Gu He stepped forward and looked at Queen Medusa.

The others all unconsciously turned to look at her.

Though Gu He was the one speaking, they all knew that this person was their greatest support.

"I once read some records about the Snake-People Race in an ancient book. It said that although the Snake-People Race possesses an inherently cold physique, under the right circumstances, they can use a Heavenly Flame to evolve, surviving only by courting death first."

"Though the risk is immense, once successful, they can shatter themselves and be reborn, completing their evolution."

"You obtained the Heavenly Flame because you wish to use it to complete your evolution, correct, Queen?"

Queen Medusa looked at the black-robed woman with some surprise.

To actually see through her intentions—there was quite an extraordinary person in the Jia Ma Empire after all.

She just did not know whether this person was from the Misty Cloud Sect or the Gama Royal Family.

"This is a gamble with nine chances of death and only one of survival. Why must the Queen take such a risk?" the black-robed woman said.

"What I do is not for you to criticize here." Queen Medusa frowned.

"Leave now, and I can still pretend nothing happened. Otherwise... I would not mind letting the Jia Ma Empire lose a few experts."

These damned humans.

Once she completed her evolution, she would definitely settle the score with them!

"If you were here in your true body, we would naturally have no choice but to retreat. But unfortunately, your true body should be preparing for evolution right now, and it cannot be interrupted."

"If this is only an avatar..."

The black-robed woman moved. Her figure flashed forward in an instant, and she struck Queen Medusa with her palm.

Bang!

Queen Medusa's avatar was scattered without the slightest ability to resist.

At the same time, within the Forbidden Land.

Queen Medusa sensed that her avatar had been destroyed.

"These hateful humans, coming at a time like this..."

She gritted her teeth.

The evolution ritual had already begun and truly could not be interrupted.

In that case, she could only begin evolving immediately and strive to finish as soon as possible.

"Once I complete my evolution, I will make these humans die!"

Queen Medusa looked at the Heavenly Flame before her, quickly formed hand seals, and began her evolution.

If she left the Forbidden Land now, she would be unable to evolve!

"So it really was only an avatar?"

Gu He looked at Queen Medusa's scattered avatar, somewhat astonished.

None of the Dou Wangs among them had realized that the Queen Medusa before them was merely an avatar.

Sure enough, the gap between a Dou Wang and a Dou Emperor was insurmountable!

"Queen Medusa is evolving right now. If you want the Heavenly Flame, this is the best opportunity—and also your last opportunity."

"The decision is yours." The black-robed woman looked at Gu He.

What should he do?

Should he seize it or not?

"Old Gu, what are you afraid of? Let's do it!"

Yan Shi cracked his knuckles beside him, eager to fight.

Gu He struggled internally for a moment before finally gritting his teeth and making his decision.

"Take it!"

The Heavenly Flame was right before him. If he missed this chance, he might never have another.

Making an alchemist give up a Heavenly Flame was even more painful than killing him.

Though this would completely enrage Queen Medusa.

Gu He could no longer care about that. He had to obtain the Heavenly Flame!

"Hahaha, that's what I was waiting to hear!"

"Old Feng, let's go!"

Yan Shi and Feng Li immediately charged forward.

With Gu He's pills covering the cost, they were not afraid of getting injured. They only needed to create an opportunity for Gu He.

"We'll hold off the Snake-People Race's experts for you. The rest will depend on you," the black-robed woman said as well.

"Mm."

Then, the black-robed woman stepped forward and blocked all the Snake-People Race's experts.

The others also sprang into action, and a fierce battle erupted in the Snake-People Royal City.

Meanwhile, taking advantage of their efforts to draw the enemy's attention, Gu He decisively flew toward the depths of the Snake-People Royal City.

Some snake-people tried to stop him along the way.

But Gu He was still a Dou Wang. Though his combat strength was not particularly formidable as an alchemist, dealing with ordinary snake-people was more than easy enough.