Medusa

Opening a stone box on the Dou Qi Continent was no different from unboxing a delivery in his previous life.

How could he let someone else do something so enjoyable?

Shi Kang did not bother looking for a key. He stepped forward and gave the stone box three resounding punches, looking every bit like someone violently tearing open a package.

In any case, he knew what was inside. Those things were useless to him, so he naturally was not afraid of damaging them.

After three punches, the stone box shattered with a crack, revealing the items within.

Just as expected, the three stone boxes contained a Sound Wave Dou Technique, a Flight Dou Technique, and the Seven-Colored Poison Canon.

Shi Kang put on a show of flipping through them before tossing them aside.

"Trash!"

Only then did Shi Kang "happen" to discover that one section of dried bone contained something, finding the Demonic Flame Fragment Map hidden inside.

Shi Kang unfolded it for a glance, stored the fragment map in his Storage Ring, then turned and left without taking any of the items from the three stone boxes.

Although Shi Long and Shi Fei were curious about what those items were, they did not ask and closely followed Shi Kang.

Shi Kang knew Xiao Yan was most likely hiding in some corner of the Monster Beast Mountain Range, but he had no intention of seeking him out.

The current Xiao Yan was simply too weak. Meeting him would have been meaningless.

In this Monster Beast Mountain Range, only this fragment map was useful to him.

As for some Companion Purple Crystal Source, Shi Kang truly did not think much of it.

Afterward, Shi Kang headed straight for the Tagor Desert.

It was time to meet the legendary Medusa...

When he watched the animation in his previous life, Shi Kang had liked Medusa's character very much.

Now that he had the chance to meet her in person, he was somewhat looking forward to it.

Meanwhile, in a certain cave, Xiao Yan was still hiding nervously, completely unaware that one of his opportunities had already been seized by someone else.

The Tagor Desert was filled with flying sand and rolling stones, its heat unbearable.

To find Medusa, Shi Kang had to go to the Snake People Temple.

It did not matter if he did not know the location. He could simply capture a snake person and have him lead the way.

The three of them flew through the air above the desert with a burly snake man in tow.

The Snake People Clan had always despised humans, and at first, this snake man refused no matter what to guide them.

Shi Long had wanted to kill him outright, but Shi Kang felt there was no need. He still intended to recruit Medusa later, so killing her clansman now would not be very appropriate.

"We have business to discuss with your Queen. Lead us obediently, and all will be well. If you refuse, we can still find the temple ourselves. It will merely take a little more effort. But by then, it will no longer be as simple as having a 'pleasant discussion'..."

Under Shi Kang's threat, the burly snake man ultimately compromised.

Shi Kang was right. The temple's location was no secret. If this brought three Dou Zong experts upon the Snake People Clan, he would become a sinner to his people.

Well, the burly snake man had seen Shi Kang's group standing on thin air, so he knew they were not people to be provoked.

With the burly man leading the way, the three quickly passed through one Snake People Clan settlement after another.

The snake people's dwellings were all more or less the same, surrounded by flying sand and rolling stones. The environment was exceptionally harsh.

Snake people were naturally cold-blooded, yet they had been forced to live in this scorching desert. One could easily imagine how miserable their lives were.

The surrounding empires had presumably driven the Snake People Clan here.

Shi Kang had no particular thoughts about it—those suffering were not Shi Clan Members, so why should he concern himself with it?

The strong devoured the weak. That had always been the survival rule of the Dou Qi Continent.

At most, Shi Kang sighed inwardly. No wonder Medusa would rather risk death to evolve with the help of Heavenly Flames.

She wanted to break through to the Dou Zong realm, then lead the Snake People Clan out of this desert.

Shi Kang rather admired that spirit of devotion to her people.

When he read the novel in his previous life, he had been very interested in Medusa, whether because of her beauty or her sense of responsibility.

Does she want to lead the Snake People Clan out of the desert?

I can use that angle to make Medusa submit to me...

Shi Kang flew onward while making calculations in his heart.

Before long, the four of them arrived above the Snake People Temple.

With Shi Long and Shi Fei present, the patrolling snake people, who were at most Dou Ling, naturally could not detect them.

Now that they had arrived, Shi Kang had no intention of hiding any longer.

He descended slightly and revealed himself, appearing directly before the snake guards while standing on thin air. The aura of a One-star Dou Ancestor was fully unleashed.

"Standing on thin air... a... a Dou Zong expert!" A snake guard cried out in shock, his first instinct being to hurry and report to Queen Medusa.

At that moment, a graceful figure with Dou Qi Wings swiftly flew toward Shi Kang.

Shi Long and Shi Fei reacted instantly, stepping forward and releasing their auras.

Although the two could tell that this person could not harm the Young Clan Leader, they still had to show the proper attitude.

The rapidly approaching figure was immediately forced to a halt by their overwhelming auras, then bound in place.

She was a female snake person with dazzlingly seductive features. Her pair of pale violet, narrow eyes carried a soul-stealing allure with every shift of her gaze. She wore a noble and luxurious purple Brocade Robe that outlined her voluptuous, exquisite delicate body like a ripened peach, radiating charm from every inch; beneath the robe, a section of purple Snake Tail swayed lightly, emanating a wild temptation.

With such beauty, coupled with the strength of a Nine-star Dou Emperor, Shi Kang guessed her identity at once—was she not Queen Medusa herself?

Shi Kang appraised Medusa and thought to himself, Just as I expected, she is a peerless beauty.

Even though he had seen countless beauties, he had to admit Medusa's looks and charm.

Yue Ru, who stood beside him, was already a top-tier beauty among millions, with both figure and appearance at the very pinnacle. Yet Medusa could actually rival her, making her stunning beauty self-evident.

If he absolutely had to compare the two together, Shi Kang could only say that each possessed her own unique merits.

Yue Ru was obedient and compliant, doing whatever she was told. That gentleness always made people want to be a little more "rough" with her; Medusa, on the other hand, possessed the icy temperament unique to a Queen. Combined with the wild allure of her Snake Tail, it gave her a different kind of charm.

The two had one thing in common—they both made people want to conquer them.

Shi Kang's gaze held more appreciation than anything else. After all, he had seen all kinds of beauties, so he naturally did not reveal an infatuated expression.

Medusa was restrained in place. Seeing this, the nearby snake people wanted to rush forward and rescue their Queen, but in the next instant, they too were crushed by the aura until they could not move.

Half-Saint Experts were terrifying indeed!

Medusa, unable to move, had her pupils contract.

Wariness, fear, confusion, and other complex emotions intertwined.

Who were they? What was their strength? What did they want from the Snake People Clan?

At this moment, only Shi Long, Shi Fei, and Shi Kang could move freely.

Seeing the restrained snake people, Shi Kang did not blame the two guards for acting without permission.

Shi Kang himself did not like wasting words on the weak. Shi Long and Shi Fei had displayed their strength to intimidate Medusa first, which would make discussing matters later much smoother.

"Alright, withdraw your auras," Shi Kang said.

"Yes, Young Clan Leader!" the two answered in unison.

The next moment, Medusa felt the mountain-like pressure upon her body vanish.

Shi Long and Shi Fei's utter respect toward Shi Kang shocked Medusa even more.