Medusa Lowers Her Pride

Shi Long and Shi Fei stood with their heads lowered, respectful to the point of humility. Medusa saw through it at a glance—the young man standing casually in the middle was the one truly in charge.

She could not help but study Shi Kang closely.

He looked eighteen or nineteen, tall and straight as a pine, solid as a boulder, carrying an air of steady gravitas.

His features seemed carved from jade, with sharp brows, a high nose bridge, and lips curved in a faint smile. His obsidian-like eyes held an unconcealed confidence and pride. His black Brocade Robe was embroidered with subtle golden patterns. Though he stood casually, he could not hide his noble bearing, as if he carried his own radiance.

Medusa could also clearly sense the aura emanating from Shi Kang. He had likely just broken through to Dou Zong.

Becoming a Dou Zong at such an age, he had to be a carefully cultivated prodigy from some great clan. He could never be an Old Monster disguised through transformation.

Shi Long and Shi Fei's earlier address of Young Clan Leader further confirmed it.

Then she looked at Shi Long and Shi Fei. The pressure those two gave her was unlike anything she had ever felt.

They merely stood there, yet Medusa felt like an ant.

Just how strong were these two?

As a Nine-star Dou Emperor, Medusa could not discern Shi Long and Shi Fei's cultivation realms, but she guessed they were at least High-rank Dou Zongs.

The circumstances of the Northwest Continent had ultimately limited her imagination. She only dared to guess as far as High-rank Dou Zong.

Half-Saint guards? She did not even dare imagine it!

Not to mention Medusa—even in the Central Continent, Half-Saint guards were a top-tier arrangement.

With these three powerful figures suddenly arriving among the Snake People Clan, Medusa was deeply uneasy.

The Snake People Clan might still be able to fight with everything they had against a single Dou Zong.

But the three before her were simply not opponents the Snake People Clan could contend with.

It was no exaggeration to say that if these three wished it, they could easily wipe out the entire Snake People Clan.

"I had long heard that Queen Medusa's beauty was unmatched beneath the heavens. Seeing you today, I realize the rumors did not capture even a fraction of it." Shi Kang's gaze fell upon her, his undisguised admiration carrying the composure of one in a superior position.

Medusa tugged at the corner of her lips, revealing an extremely unnatural smile.

Everyone knew the Queen of the Snake People Clan was incomparably proud. Such deliberate flattery was likely the first time she had shown such a manner since ascending the throne.

"You flatter me."

Suppressing the tension in her heart, she tried to keep her voice steady. "May I ask why the three of you have come to my Snake People Clan?"

Shi Kang lightly rubbed the edge of his sleeve with his fingertips. His tone was calm, yet carried unquestionable certainty. "I want the Green Lotus Core Flame in your possession."

Medusa's pupils shrank, and shock filled her heart. How did he know the Green Lotus Core Flame was in my hands?

The fact that she had brought the Green Lotus Core Flame back to the Snake People Clan had been concealed even from the clan's Elders. How had Shi Kang learned of it?

She opened her mouth, intending to deny it, but swallowed her words when she met Shi Kang's knowing eyes.

Since he was so certain, he had clearly already confirmed the whereabouts of the Heavenly Flame. Lying would only bring more trouble.

"How... did you find out?"

Shi Kang raised his eyes and glanced at her. "No need to ask. Hand over the Heavenly Flame. You cannot keep it."

Medusa's heart sank to the bottom.

Medusa did not want to hand over the Green Lotus Core Flame. She had searched for this Heavenly Flame for a long time and had hoped to use it to evolve, break through to Dou Zong, and lead the Snake People Clan out of the desert.

Yet the strength of the three before her was like a mountain pressing down on her, leaving Medusa unable to resist.

Resist? That would be no different from gambling with the lives of the entire Snake People Clan.

If she angered them, the Snake People Clan would be destroyed at once.

Compared to letting her people remain trapped in the desert and suffer, she found the prospect of her entire clan being exterminated even more unacceptable.

So whether she wanted to or not, she had to hand over the Heavenly Flame.

Medusa closed her eyes. When she opened them again, only helplessness remained in her gaze.

"Come with me."

Medusa led Shi Kang to Lake Heart Island. She had hidden the Green Lotus Core Flame there, and it was also the place she had prepared for her own evolution.

The Green Lotus Core Flame was a blue-green flame, currently sealed by Medusa within a Crystal Lotus Pedestal. The specially made pedestal ensured that the Heavenly Flame's aura would not leak out.

In truth, the lotus pedestal in the magma, which had grown alongside the Green Lotus Core Flame, already had the effect of concealing the Heavenly Flame's aura. Medusa simply had not recognized its value and failed to bring it back, then made another one herself.

This was the first Heavenly Flame Shi Kang had seen. With a lift of his arm, the Green Lotus Core Flame flew out and landed in his grasp.

Thanks to tempering his body since childhood, Shi Kang's physical body had nearly reached the level of a Dou Zun. Naturally, the Green Lotus Core Flame could not harm him.

Feeling the temperature it gave off, he only sensed a gentle warmth in his palm. To be honest, Shi Kang found it rather ordinary. Its power was not even as strong as the Beast Flames of some Tier 7 Magical Beasts.

After easily suppressing the Green Lotus Core Flame, Shi Kang put it away.

The Green Lotus Core Flame ranked far too low, and its power was insufficient. Even if he refined it, its body-tempering effects would certainly be weak.

Well acquainted with the original story, Shi Kang knew the whereabouts of quite a few Heavenly Flames, and every one of them was stronger than the Green Lotus Core Flame.

He had never intended to refine the Green Lotus Core Flame in the first place.

He glanced at the hesitant Medusa, then pretended to leave.

But Medusa's hesitant voice sounded behind him. "Please wait!"

Medusa finally could not hold herself back and called out to stop Shi Kang.

Shi Kang halted and turned to look at her. One brow rose slightly, and his tone carried a hint of impatience. "Is there something else?"

Medusa was somewhat nervous, but she still forced herself to speak. "Could you lend me the Heavenly Flame just once?"

Medusa could not hold back in the end. She truly was unwilling to miss this opportunity to evolve.

It was rather absurd. The Green Lotus Core Flame had originally belonged to Medusa, yet now she not only had to offer it up, but had to beg its new owner to lend it to her for a moment.

If Shi Kang and the others had not been so powerful, and if Medusa had not so desperately wished to break through to Dou Zong, she would never have said such words.

There was no helping it. Her strength was inferior to theirs, so this was all she could do.

Medusa did not hate Shi Kang for taking her Heavenly Flame. On the Dou Qi Continent, the strong preyed upon the weak. Medusa understood that.

Shi Kang had not acted against the Snake People Clan, and Medusa already considered herself fortunate.

She was merely unwilling and unable to accept that the Heavenly Flame she had worked so hard to find would be gone before she could even begin her evolution.

"Why do you think I would lend the Heavenly Flame to you?" Shi Kang asked with an amused smile.

Shi Kang understood that if he wanted to conquer a proud woman like Medusa, he had to make her lower her head of her own accord.

There was no way he would become a pathetic simp. With such a powerful background, why would he act like one?

"My clan possesses a secret art that uses a Heavenly Flame to stimulate our bloodline, allowing us to evolve our bloodline and break through to Dou Zong... So I ask that you lend me the Heavenly Flame. I will return it immediately after using it, and it will cause you no loss."

Afraid that Shi Kang would refuse, Medusa added, "If I successfully evolve, consider it a favor I owe you. I will certainly repay you in the future."

Shi Kang looked at her as she suppressed her pride, lowered her stance, and pleaded with him. Then he suddenly smiled.

He pointed at Shi Long and Shi Fei beside him, his tone carrying a trace of amusement. "Do you think I would lack the favor of a Dou Zong?"