Dou Zong Powerhouse, Terrifying Beyond Measure!

She stared at that familiar yet somewhat indifferent face, completely stunned.

Xuan Jin!

He had indeed come!

Had Young Master Xuan come to the Tager Desert for the Heavenly Flame as well?

But... didn't Young Master Xuan already possess a Heavenly Flame?

For a moment, all kinds of thoughts flooded Yun Yun's mind—shock, confusion, and a trace of relief that even she herself had not noticed.

Queen Medusa's reaction, however, was graver than ever before.

Her bewitching Purple Eyes locked tightly onto Xuan Jin as the Dou Qi within her was raised to its peak in an instant.

That indescribable sense of oppression!

She was only one step away from becoming a Dou Zong, so she could sense this man's terror more clearly than Gu He and the others.

Within that seemingly calm body lay power sufficient to tear her apart with ease.

This man was ten thousand times more dangerous than any enemy she had encountered before!

"Your Majesty!"

Four aged figures instantly appeared behind Queen Medusa.

They were the Four Supreme Elders of the Snake People Clan.

Their aged faces were filled with deep wariness, while sharp glints flickered in their clouded eyes as though they faced a great enemy.

"A Dou Zong powerhouse..."

One of the elders spoke in a dry voice. Those four words alone conveyed the terror in their hearts.

Hua She'er had long since retreated to Medusa's side. Looking at Xuan Jin in the sky, her palm around the sword hilt was drenched in cold sweat.

She could feel that with a single thought from him, she would be reduced to ashes in an instant.

The entire battlefield fell into an eerie silence.

The wind stopped, and so did the cries of battle.

Everyone's attention was focused on that black-robed figure standing in midair.

He was like the center of this world. Every movement he made tugged at everyone's nerves.

Amid this suffocating atmosphere, Gu He finally recovered from his immense shock.

He looked at Xuan Jin as though a drowning man had spotted his final lifeline.

He thought that since the other man was a human powerhouse, he should help their side, shouldn't he?

As long as this senior Dou Zong was willing to act, let alone a mere Queen Medusa, even the entire Snake People Clan would be no concern!

When that happened, wouldn't the Green Lotus Core Flame be his for the taking?

With that thought, the greed and hope in Gu He's heart overcame his fear once again.

He straightened his disheveled robes and forced out what he believed was a humble smile, preparing to step forward and speak.

Gu He forcibly suppressed the excitement and unease in his heart, then respectfully clasped his hands toward Xuan Jin in the sky.

"Senior!"

"This junior is Gu He, honorary elder of the Jia Ma Empire Alchemist Guild and a Sixth Grade Alchemist!"

"We came today only to exchange for the Heavenly Flame with the Snake People Clan, yet this Snake People Queen has been utterly unreasonable and even seeks to slaughter us all!"

"I ask Senior to lend us a hand and help us subdue these Snake People! If this junior can absorb the Heavenly Flame, I will surely become a Seventh Tier Alchemist!

"After this is done, this junior will certainly offer a generous reward! At that time, any Seventh Tier medicinal pill Senior desires, this junior will do his utmost to refine!"

Gu He first introduced himself and presented the identity he was most proud of, hoping to draw the other man's attention.

Then, with great emotion, he accused them while placing himself in the role of the victim.

Gu He's calculations were loud and clear.

A Dou Zong powerhouse would surely need high-grade medicinal pills as well.

Using medicinal pills to befriend a Dou Zong—no matter how he calculated it, it was a tremendously profitable deal.

After speaking, he looked at Xuan Jin expectantly, waiting for this "senior's" response.

In his view, he had already made his case to this extent. There was no reason for the other man to refuse.

But he had miscalculated. A Dou Zong powerhouse would never place a mere Sixth Grade Alchemist in his eyes.

Even if Xuan Jin was not an alchemist, would trading the Heavenly Flame to a Seventh Tier Alchemist who was also a Dou Zong not be better than dealing with a Sixth Grade Alchemist?

Gu He's world was too small, and his horizons were naturally narrow as well.

Xuan Jin chuckled softly and casually glanced at him.

That look was calm and undisturbed, as though he were looking at a stone by the roadside or an ant.

Then, a single word came clearly from Xuan Jin's lips.

"Get lost!"

At those words, Gu He's smile instantly froze, and he was utterly dumbfounded.

Get lost?

He had actually told him to get lost?

He was Pill King Gu He!

Countless powerhouses of the Jia Ma Empire fawned over him!

When had he ever suffered such humiliation?

A blaze of fury surged from his heart to the crown of his head, turning his face the color of liver in an instant.

Yet when he met Xuan Jin's indifferent eyes, all his anger was doused as though by a basin of icy water. It vanished at once, leaving behind only endless fear.

Gu He, whose mind had just been clouded by desire, finally regained his reason at this moment.

That was right. Before a Dou Zong powerhouse, a mere Dou Wang who was a Sixth Grade Alchemist truly amounted to nothing.

On the Snake People Clan's side, Hua She'er and the four elders unconsciously relaxed their tightly wound nerves somewhat.

They had thought this Dou Zong powerhouse was an ally of the humans. If so, the Snake People Clan would likely be doomed today.

Unexpectedly, he was so impolite toward that human alchemist.

It seemed they were not on the same side.

Yet the gravity on Queen Medusa's face did not lessen in the slightest.

Her keen instincts told her that the true crisis had only just begun.

This man's purpose was definitely far from simple.

The faint, almost imperceptible Dou Qi around him was extremely well concealed, but Medusa, who had also come into contact with a Heavenly Flame, still detected some clues.

This man had come for the Green Lotus Core Flame as well! And he was far more troublesome than fools like Gu He!

Amid the awkward and tense atmosphere, Yun Yun bit her red lips lightly and finally gathered the courage to speak toward the sky.

"Young Master Xuan, we meet again."

Her voice carried complicated emotions, breaking the dead silence.

Xuan Jin's gaze finally moved away from Gu He's pale and livid face and landed on Yun Yun.

Xuan Jin gave Yun Yun a casual nod, counting it as a greeting.

That simple action made Gu He and the others beside him feel their hearts sink sharply.

They knew each other!

This Dou Zong powerhouse actually knew Sect Master Yun Yun!

Yun Yun's heart skipped slightly as well, and she was just about to say something else.

However, Xuan Jin's icy voice sounded before she could, echoing in everyone's ears.

"Yun Yun, you are only a mere three-star Dou Emperor, yet you dared to trespass into the Snake People Clan's Holy City?"

"You truly do not know the immensity of heaven and earth."

Xuan Jin's words were utterly impolite, as though a teacher were reprimanding a student.

Yun Yun's graceful, beautiful face instantly flushed crimson.

Being rebuked so harshly in front of so many people by a man younger than herself, even with her calm temperament, she felt a wave of embarrassment and humiliation.

Yet for some reason, beneath that embarrassment, a strange feeling arose in her heart.

Although Xuan Jin's tone was cold, the meaning behind his words... seemed to be that he was blaming her for putting herself in danger?

Was he... concerned about her?

The moment that thought appeared, ripples spread across Yun Yun's heart, and even she found it somewhat unbelievable.

After all, given Xuan Jin's indifferent nature, if he truly did not care, he would probably be too lazy to spare her even another glance.

Thinking of it that way, the embarrassment in Yun Yun's heart faded considerably.

Little did she know that it had merely been a casual remark from Xuan Jin.

Queen Medusa watched all of this, her brows furrowing as she found it difficult to relax them.

She took a deep breath, gave Xuan Jin a slight bow, and spoke in a voice that remained cool but was somewhat more courteous than before.

"May I ask what important business brings Your Excellency to my Snake People Clan?"

Xuan Jin's gaze finally left Yun Yun and settled on Medusa's incomparably alluring face.

He had to admit that this woman truly was a rare beauty.

Whether it was her appearance, figure, or the queenly aura she had been born with, all of it held a fatal attraction for men.

Seeing her in person was far more stunning than anything from the videos of his previous life.

But Xuan Jin had not forgotten the purpose of his trip. He said coldly:

"My name is Xuan Jin."

"I have come for the Green Lotus Core Flame."

Xuan Jin's tone was exceptionally calm, as though the Green Lotus Core Flame were already his possession.

The moment those words fell, Queen Medusa's expression became incomparably ugly.

Just as expected!

He had indeed come for it!

The last trace of hope in her heart was completely shattered.

"If you know what is good for you,"

Xuan Jin continued, his tone still calm,

"I may perhaps point your Snake People Clan toward a way out."

"If you do not..."

Xuan Jin did not finish his sentence.

Yet the threat contained in those unfinished words was more chilling than any cruel declaration.

Xuan Jin merely looked quietly at Medusa, as though waiting for her to make a wise choice.

Queen Medusa's pride would not allow her to yield so easily.

The Heavenly Flame was her only hope of breaking through to the Dou Zong realm, and the Snake People Clan's only chance to escape the desert's constraints!

She could never hand it over!

"If you want this Queen's Heavenly Flame, then let's see whether you have the ability!"

Medusa shouted sharply as the aura of a Peak Dou Emperor erupted without restraint once more.

"Overestimating yourself."

Xuan Jin gently shook his head, seemingly somewhat disappointed by her choice.

He said no more.

The next moment, a vast aura hundreds of times more terrifying than Medusa's swept out from his body!

It was no longer ordinary Dou Qi pressure, but a terrifying might carrying a trace of spatial power!

The strength of a Nine Star Dou Ancestor was revealed without reservation!

Boom!

When Xuan Jin's Nine Star Dou Ancestor aura erupted without restraint, the entire world seemed to freeze at that very moment.

The clouds in the sky were scattered instantly, and the yellow sand on the ground ceased its swirling.

An indescribable, terrifying pressure descended upon everyone's hearts like billions of tons of seawater pouring down upon them.

Thud!

Yan Shi and Feng Li, the weakest among them, did not even manage a groan before their legs gave out and they fell to their knees.

Their faces were filled with horror, their bodies trembling violently beyond their control. They did not even dare lift their heads to look at Xuan Jin.

Though Gu He barely managed to remain standing by relying on his Dou Qi and Soul Power, his legs were shaking, his face was pale as paper, and sweat rolled down from his forehead like a stream.

Could he be a high-level Dou Zong?

How was that possible!

Just who was this man?

A genius from beyond the Northwest Continent?

Only endless fear and regret remained in Gu He's heart.

He regretted coming to provoke Medusa, and regretted even more seeking help from this monster just now!

Yun Yun was in slightly better condition, but she was suffering as well.

That pressure made the circulation of Dou Qi within her body sluggish, while even breathing became incomparably difficult.

She looked at Xuan Jin in shock, enormous waves surging through her heart.

How long had it been since they parted ways in the Magical Beast Mountain Range?

His strength had actually undergone such an earth-shattering increase once again!

This could no longer be described as "genius." He was simply a "monster"!

Queen Medusa and the four Snake People elders, who faced this pressure directly, felt it most deeply.

Queen Medusa felt as though even her soul were trembling.

The Peak Dou Emperor strength she had always been proud of seemed as insignificant as dust before this aura.

She finally understood that from the very beginning, the other man had never considered her worthy of notice.

His so-called "pointing out a way" was merely the casual charity of a stronger being toward the weak.

But Medusa's pride would not allow her to surrender without a fight!

"You want this Queen's Heavenly Flames! Then step over this Queen's corpse!"

Medusa let out a shrill cry and drove the Dou Qi within her body to its limit.

The four elders behind her also understood that if they did not risk their lives today, the Snake People Clan would be doomed beyond redemption.

They exchanged glances, bit their tongues at the same time, and spat out mouthfuls of blood essence. An unnatural flush appeared on their aged faces.

"Secret Technique! Five Snake Poison Brake Seal!"

At that moment, the auras of the five were flawlessly connected through an arcane secret technique.

Vast Dou Qi surged into the sky, condensing above their heads into a colossal energy python a hundred zhang long, entirely black and radiating a foul, poisonous stench!

This giant python was the most powerful strike unleashed by five Peak Dou Emperor experts burning their life force. Its power was already infinitely close to that of a true Dou Zong's attack!

"Hiss!"

The giant python roared toward the heavens, then lunged at Xuan Jin with an earth-shattering force that seemed capable of destroying heaven and earth!

Yet in the face of this heaven-shaking attack, not the slightest ripple appeared on Xuan Jin's face.

He merely raised his right hand casually and extended a single index finger.

A wisp of icy blue flame danced at his fingertip like a spirit.

Nether Sea Ice Flame.

He lightly pointed at the black giant python charging toward him.

The icy blue flame flew from his fingertip.

Before the hundred-zhang black python, it was so tiny that it could almost be ignored.

Yet in the next instant, a scene that no one would ever forget unfolded.

The icy blue flame touched the black python's head.

The terrifying giant python jointly unleashed by five Peak Dou Emperor experts was like a punctured balloon, like ice and snow beneath the sun. Beginning with its head, it silently and swiftly melted away and disintegrated!

In merely the span of a breath, the hundred-zhang python vanished completely into nothingness.

As though it had never existed.

"Pfft!"

Queen Medusa and the four elders suffered a crushing backlash, simultaneously spewing large mouthfuls of blood. Their bodies fell from the air like kites with snapped strings, crashing heavily onto the ground as their auras instantly withered to the extreme.

One finger.

Just one finger.

The combined attack of five Peak Dou Emperors had been reduced to ashes.

A Dou Zong expert was terrifying indeed!

The entire world fell deathly silent.

Gu He watched this scene, and his soul nearly fled his body in fright.

He no longer dared harbor even the slightest hope of luck. Seeing that Xuan Jin's attention remained on Medusa and the others, he quietly signaled Yan Shi and Feng Li, then began inching backward step by step.

He was going to run!

He had to leave this dangerous place at once!

Though Gu He's movements were subtle, everyone present possessed keen senses.

It was simply that Xuan Jin could not be bothered to pay him any attention.

They were merely a few ants he could crush at any time. If they ran, then they ran.

Receiving this tacit permission, Gu He was overjoyed.

He no longer dared linger. Gathering the terrified Yan Shi and Feng Li, he pushed his Dou Qi to the limit. The three became streaks of light and fled madly toward the desert's edge without looking back.

In that pathetic state, where was even a trace of the bearing of the Pill King and Dou Wang experts?

Yun Yun remained where she was, without moving.

She stared blankly at the godlike figure in midair, then at Gu He's retreating back. An immense sense of helplessness welled up in her heart.

Was this the gap between them?

Before absolute strength, so-called status and so-called schemes were all so laughable.

"I... am still too weak."

She murmured to herself, clenching her fists tightly until her nails sank deep into her palms.

At that moment, Yun Yun's desire for strength had never been more intense.

After taking one deep look at Xuan Jin, Yun Yun finally turned around, becoming a streak of azure light as she chased after Gu He.

She knew that even if she stayed, she would not be able to help. She might instead become Xuan Jin's burden.

Xuan Jin did not stop her.

Only after watching the five vanish beyond the horizon did he turn his gaze downward again.

Xuan Jin slowly descended and hovered before Queen Medusa and the four elders, looking down at them from above.

"Now, do you still want me to step over your corpses?"

Xuan Jin's voice remained calm.

Queen Medusa struggled to rise, but her injuries were simply too severe. The moment she moved, she spat out another mouthful of blood.

She raised her head and fixed Xuan Jin with those purple eyes, still filled with defiance and stubbornness, saying nothing.

She accepted defeat.

But making her beg for mercy was absolutely impossible!

Yet while she could endure, the four elders could not.

They were already at the end of their strength. That strike had nearly exhausted all their life force.

The eldest among them used the last shred of his strength to extend a withered hand toward Xuan Jin, pleading in a hoarse voice:

"Sir... please... spare the Snake People Clan..."

"We... are willing... to offer the Heavenly Flames..."

Hearing the elder's plea, Medusa's delicate body trembled, and sorrow appeared on her face.

She knew the elders were doing this for the sake of the entire clan. And she could no longer uphold her pride.

Medusa slowly closed her eyes, tacitly accepting it.

At that moment, eight powerful auras rapidly approached from the distant sky.

They were the Eight Great Commanders of the Snake People Clan, who had arrived too late.

The moment they arrived, they saw the Queen and four elders lying on the ground, barely clinging to life, as well as Xuan Jin hovering in the air.

"Your Majesty!"

"Elders!"