Medusa Queen

Xiao Yan took out the map he had obtained earlier from Hai Bo Dong's shop and carefully compared it with the surrounding terrain, confirming his direction.

He had run too fast just now, and with so many pursuers behind him, Xiao Yan had had no time to distinguish directions. He could only flee wildly in every direction, and now he was completely lost.

The map drawn by Hai Bo Dong was quite useful. Although the desert's terrain changed constantly due to the wind, certain landmarks had not changed much. Their vague outlines could still be seen, and using them as reference, one could determine one's position in the desert.

Comparing the map, Xiao Yan found that he was currently heading due east, while the Snake-People Royal Court he sought lay deep in the desert to the north.

After confirming his direction, Xiao Yan carried the unbearably heavy Xuan Heavy Ruler on his back and ran toward the Snake-People Royal Court, seeming slow but actually moving swiftly.

"Sect Leader, Elder Jia, I have already made inquiries this time. The Snake-People Queen Medusa possesses a Heavenly Flame. You both know how important a Heavenly Flame is to an alchemist. I ask that you lend me your aid. Afterward, whatever requests you may have, I will certainly do my utmost to fulfill them." Three figures flew through the skies above the Tagor Desert. One of them, a somewhat thin figure, spoke to the other two men dressed in black robes.

"Rest assured. Since this old man has accepted Master's benefits, I will naturally spare no effort." Jia Xingtian did not dare put on airs and promptly assured him.

Gu He was not only a guest elder of the Yunlan Sect, but also a fifth-tier master alchemist. He bore the title of Pill King within the Gama Empire. Those who usually sought him out for pill refinement were as numerous as fish crossing a river; even Jia Xingtian occasionally had to ask him for help.

Now that Gu He had come to him, promising all sorts of benefits—including refining pills for him three times free of charge, as well as owing him an alchemist's favor—Jia Xingtian had no reason whatsoever to refuse.

"This old man is somewhat puzzled. Does the Yunlan Sect not have a great expert? If he were to act, suppressing a mere Medusa would be as easy as turning his hand. Why would you still need this old man's assistance?" Jia Xingtian asked curiously.

Upon hearing this, Pill King Gu He wore a bitter smile. "This old man wished to do the same, but unfortunately, that esteemed figure left to travel the continent not long ago. I do not know where he has gone."

"So that's how it is!"

Jia Xingtian nodded in understanding.

It was not that they had not wanted to invite him; they had simply missed the right time and had no choice but to settle for the next best option.

Jia Xingtian felt no dissatisfaction at being considered a backup. He knew his own limits and understood that he could not compare with Xiao Xian. No one would leave a top-tier expert uninvited only to hire someone weaker.

As they spoke, the three had already crossed a thousand li and arrived above the Snake-People Royal Court around noon.

The three figures hovered so brazenly in the air, utterly unconcerned whether the Snake-People below noticed them. The aura belonging to Dou Huang Experts spread out without restraint, filling countless Snake-People nearby with terror.

Enemy attack!

Alarms immediately blared throughout the skies above the Snake-People Royal Court. Countless Snake-People Tribes sprang into action upon hearing them. Large numbers of Snake-People warriors gathered, then surged toward the royal court like floodwaters bursting through a dam.

Medusa Queen was the unquestioned ruler of the Snake-People Tribes, and the Snake-People Royal Court was the sacred land in the hearts of all Snake-People. No being was permitted to defile it; otherwise, the entire Snake-People Race would fight them to the death.

Thus, even though many Snake-People were not highly cultivated and were no more than cannon fodder, they still resolutely chose to support the royal court.

Though the Snake-People Race appeared to be a scattered mass, with its various tribes spread across the four directions and governing themselves in ordinary times, whenever the royal court needed them, they would become its most loyal warriors and shed their last drop of blood for their queen.

"Damnable humans! You actually dare trespass into the sacred land of the Snake-People Race! Do you wish to wage war against the entire Snake-People Race?" Yue Mei, the lovely-looking female Snake-Person captain of the Snake-People Tribe Temple Guard, shouted sharply.

At Yue Mei's command, all the Snake-People guards around the temple raised their spears toward the sky, ready at any moment to hurl their sharp weapons and turn the three people in the air into human pincushions.

"Humans, you had better leave now. I can overlook your offense against this sacred land. Otherwise, at my command, even if you are Dou Huangs, you will still die beneath an army of thousands." A tall, muscular male Snake-Person spoke with killing intent, his eyes gleaming coldly.

"Hehe, this must be Mo Bas, chief of the Ink Snake Tribe, one of the Eight Great Snake-People Tribes. I am Gu He. I have come to request an audience with Medusa Queen regarding a certain matter. Could you convey my request?" Gu He paid no heed to Mo Bas's threat, clearly confident that he had something to rely on.

"Never!" Mo Bas refused without a moment's thought. "Humans, it is not too late for you to leave now. You should know that the Snake-People's other eight great tribes are on their way. You know how much they hate humans. By then, even if you wish to leave, I fear you will no longer have the chance."

Gu He was determined to obtain the Azure Lotus Core Flame today. Until he achieved his goal, there was no way he would leave.

Thus, Gu He no longer paid any attention to Mo Bas and Yue Mei. He stepped forward, circulated his powerful Dou Qi, and called out loudly, "Medusa Queen, I am Gu He. I have come today to discuss a matter, not to wage war against your race. I ask Medusa Queen to appear and grant me an audience."

"You..." Mo Bas's expression turned rather unpleasant, but he soon fell silent.

The other side had clearly come with ill intent. It was better for the queen to step forward at a time like this. His status was insufficient; he was simply not qualified to speak with them as an equal.

Boom!

An overwhelming aura erupted from within the Snake-People temple. Then a crimson flash streaked past, and an enchanting figure appeared on the scene, wearing a crown, human from the waist up and serpent from the waist down.

"Your Majesty."

At the sight of that beautiful figure, all the Snake-People guards bowed slightly and addressed her as Your Majesty, their faces filled with fervor.

Beautiful!

That was everyone's first impression after Medusa Queen appeared.

Seductive, bewitching, noble, elegant.

Medusa seemed to be the embodiment of all beauty in the world. Her exquisite face shone with a silky luster, her slender waist seemed as though it could be grasped in one hand, and she wore a fiery red silk garment that barely covered certain important parts of her body.

Especially those emerald-green eyes, which constantly exuded an alluring aura, made her radiate an unrivaled charm at every moment.

The nine-headed serpent crown atop her head gave her an incomparably noble bearing, while the wildness in her body stirred boundless urges of conquest in the hearts of men.

This was the ruler of the Snake-People Race of the Tagor Desert, the spiritual symbol of countless Snake-People—Medusa, a powerful being with the bloodline of the Seven-Colored Sky Swallowing Python.