Queen Medusa Takes Qing Lin as Her Disciple

During the time Ao Qing was away, quite a few interesting things happened at the Misty Cloud Sect.

The first was the rivalry between Yun Yun and Medusa.

Ever since losing her last battle against Medusa, Yun Yun had been thinking about how to win back her pride.

Clearly, she had little hope of defeating Medusa in a direct fight, so Yun Yun took another approach, hoping to find something Medusa was inferior to her in.

Sometimes, women could be quite competitive. Neither wanted to admit she was inferior to another woman.

After searching long and hard, Yun Yun found nothing she did better than Medusa. She was the Sect Leader of the Misty Cloud Sect, but Medusa was the Queen of the Snake-People Race. Moreover, Medusa was now a Dou Zong powerhouse.

Just when Yun Yun was at her wits' end, Nalan Yanran came into view. She realized that if she could not compare herself to Medusa, then she could compare their disciples. Her little Yanran was tremendously talented now. In just over a month, she had advanced considerably from the sixth stage of Dou Qi. In a few more months, she would surely reach the seventh stage. When Yun Yun herself had been Yanran's age, she had not even quite reached the fifth stage.

No sooner said than done. Yun Yun began lavishly praising her disciple, Nalan Yanran. She was practically telling everyone she met, "My disciple Yanran has the potential to become a Dou Emperor!"

And Yun Yun did not limit her boasting to the sect. She often visited the small courtyard where Medusa lived, and barely three sentences could pass without mentioning Nalan Yanran. One sentence would be about Yun Shan praising Nalan Yanran, and the next would be about how remarkable Nalan Yanran was.

Although Medusa did not believe Nalan Yanran possessed the potential to become a Dou Emperor—at most, she would only reach Dou Zun in this lifetime—she was still endlessly annoyed by it. Her own pride was stirred by Yun Yun's actions.

"Hmph! Does Yun Yun think she is the only one who can have a disciple? I, Medusa, am no worse than her. Isn't it just finding a gifted disciple? I can do that too!"

Yun Yun did not know what Medusa was thinking, but Medusa's somewhat gloomy mood over the past few days delighted Yun Yun for several days.

And when Yun Yun was happy, Nalan Yanran suffered. After all, Yun Yun had already boasted so much. If Yanran failed to live up to it, Yun Yun would only be slapping herself in the face. Thus, she increased the amount of time she spent guiding Nalan Yanran's training, making Yanran miserable during this period.

A few days later, Medusa took Little Fox and temporarily left the Misty Cloud Sect, intending to find an exceptionally talented disciple.

Perhaps that was the pride of a queen—she could not allow herself to be surpassed in any regard.

After leaving the Misty Cloud Sect, Medusa returned directly to the Snake-People Tribe. Without lingering, she gave Yue Mei and the other Elders several instructions before beginning her journey to take on a disciple.

Just as Medusa departed—

In the vast Gobi Desert, yellow sand filled the sky. Finding anything capable of surviving in such a desert was like searching for a needle in the sea. Within the Mo Tie Mercenary Group, a thin, frail-looking little girl of seven or eight was doing odd jobs. Yet this seemingly inconspicuous girl possessed a peculiar ability and a rare special constitution: the Triple Jade-Green Snake Flower Pupils, the bane of the snake race. Once her strength reached its peak, she would be among the most formidable experts even in the Central Continent. Yet now, she was merely a pitiable child. This little girl was Qing Lin!

Little Qing Lin's tasks were especially heavy today, and her tiny frame was truly pitiful to behold. It was not that she was treated inhumanely within the mercenary group. In a place like this, simply staying alive was already difficult. How could anyone ask for anything more? Besides, the mercenary group was rather kind-hearted. Otherwise, who would be willing to take in such a child, one with little combat ability and who was difficult to care for?

What Qing Lin did not know was that today, she would welcome a completely new life and encounter the benefactor she would never forget for the rest of her life—Queen Medusa!

As usual, Qing Lin continued doing chores while the members of the mercenary group examined their missions and planned their next arrangements.

At that moment, Queen Medusa arrived at the mercenary group!

Medusa had come here by chance. Perhaps it was fate.

The moment Medusa arrived, she spotted Qing Lin, who was diligently cleaning. Fortunately, Medusa was now the Seven-Colored Sky Swallowing Python and possessed the cultivation of a Dou Zong. Otherwise, she truly would not have been able to see Qing Lin's special constitution.

With a flash, Medusa appeared before Qing Lin, startling the girl.

"Y-you... who are you?"

Hearing Qing Lin's question and seeing her flustered state, Medusa found it somewhat amusing.

"Little girl, don't worry. I will not harm you. I merely noticed your special constitution and became interested."

Seeing Medusa appear so suddenly, the mercenary group members feared that she might hurt Qing Lin and rushed forward together. Yet seeing Medusa suspended in midair, they could tell her strength was extraordinary, so they did not dare attack immediately.

"Senior, may I ask what brings you to our small mercenary group?"

"I have no interest in your mercenary group, but I am somewhat interested in this little girl.

"You were wise not to choose to attack me. Otherwise, you would all be corpses by now."

Medusa chuckled as she looked at the mercenaries before her, the strongest of whom was only a Dou Shi.

"I did not come here to harm anyone present. I merely wish to take this little girl as my disciple. That is all. Little girl, are you willing?"

Medusa turned to Qing Lin and asked.

Qing Lin was clearly at a loss. She had never expected this incomparably beautiful woman to want to take her as a disciple. Qing Lin turned her gaze toward the mercenary group members, hoping they could give her some advice.

The mercenary group's leader began to deliberate. Before long, however, he asked Medusa, "Senior, it is not impossible for you to take little Qing Lin as your disciple. But we hope that you will not harm her in the future. That is all."

Then he said to Qing Lin, "Little Qing Lin, you have suffered a great deal following us these past years. If possible, we hope you can leave this place—leave behind slaughter and hunger."

After saying this, the leader could not help feeling saddened. Still, he believed little Qing Lin would be better off following Medusa than staying with him. They were nothing more than desperate men who lived on the edge of death. Perhaps one day they would...

Qing Lin was also very sensible and seemed to have guessed something. She looked at the leader and silently kowtowed three times. Then she turned to Medusa and kowtowed another three times.

"Teacher, from today onward, Qing Lin is your disciple!"

Seeing how sensible little Qing Lin was, Medusa could not help feeling moved. With a wave of her hand, a stream of Dou Qi lifted Qing Lin to her feet.

"Little girl, you are very sensible. You are far better than a certain woman's disciple.

"And you, leader of this mercenary group, from this day forth, this girl is the disciple of Medusa, Queen of the Snake-People Race! With me here, no harm will come to her. You may entrust her to me without worry."

Afterward, Medusa left behind some cultivation resources for the mercenary group. She could tell that the leader already possessed the strength of a nine-star Dou Shi. With the resources she had given him, breaking through to Da Dou Shi should not be difficult. At least they would gain some ability to protect themselves.

After doing all this, Medusa took Qing Lin and sped toward the Misty Cloud Sect.

The moment Qing Lin arrived at the Misty Cloud Sect, she was so shocked by the sight before her that she could not speak. She had always lived near the desert before; how could she ever have seen scenery like this? The towering pavilions, drifting clouds and mist, vibrant forests—everything refreshed Qing Lin's understanding of the world.

Only after arriving at the small house where Medusa lived did Qing Lin finally regain her senses somewhat.

"Does my disciple have a name?"

Medusa's gentle voice made Qing Lin's heart feel warm.

"Teacher, my name is Qing Lin. Teacher may call me Qing Lin from now on."

"Qing Lin, go bathe first. Later, Teacher will teach you how to cultivate."

Seeing Qing Lin's small, frail appearance, Medusa could not help empathizing with her. It was as if she were seeing her former self, striving desperately to push forward.

From a certain perspective, when teachers took disciples, they generally preferred disciples whose personalities and experiences resembled their own. That way, the relationship between master and disciple felt more like a true inheritance.

Night came quickly. Today seemed to have ended a little too fast.

That evening, Medusa had many delicious dishes prepared for Qing Lin. She had originally intended to begin Qing Lin's cultivation now, but restrained herself and decided to let Qing Lin recuperate for a time first.

Just as Medusa and Qing Lin were preparing to eat, Ao Qing returned.

Medusa's small house was right beside Ao Qing's. The moment Ao Qing returned, he saw his Little Fox inside Medusa's house, so he simply entered, intending to take Little Fox away.

The moment he entered, Ao Qing saw Qing Lin sitting amid a spread of delicious food, delicately eating.

The instant he saw Qing Lin, Ao Qing noticed the uniqueness of her Triple Jade-Green Snake Flower Pupils and immediately guessed the identity of the little girl before him.

Qing Lin, meanwhile, felt somewhat uneasy as she looked at this handsome man with his extraordinary bearing. Still, she politely greeted him.

"Big brother, are you here to see my teacher?"

Teacher? Ao Qing had not expected Medusa to take Qing Lin as her disciple. Logically speaking, Medusa should not have taken disciples. Without thinking much about it, Ao Qing spoke.

"Little girl, I am indeed here to see your teacher. Do you know where your teacher is at the moment?"

"Oh, you are looking for me? A certain someone disappears for over a month at a time. What do you want with me?"

The moment Ao Qing finished speaking, Medusa walked in with her arms folded, staring at him as though trying to read his reaction.

Ao Qing did not know how to respond. He could only smile without saying anything, then left Medusa's small house with Little Fox in his arms.

Seeing this outcome, Medusa did not know whether to be angry or amused.

Seeing that her teacher seemed somewhat strange, Qing Lin could not help asking, "Teacher, who was that handsome big brother just now?"

Seeing Qing Lin's innocent face, Medusa collected herself.

"Him? He is a bad person. Remember to stay far away from him in the future."

"Teacher, Qing Lin understands. From now on, I will stay far away from that big brother."

"Ah, Qing Lin is so good! Come, eat something delicious!"