Cao Ying's Jealousy, Medusa's Confusion

The Flying Boat flew steadily above the Tagor Desert.

Below lay an endless expanse of yellow sand, with scorching sunlight streaming through the portholes.

Shen Wen sat cross-legged in the center of the Flying Boat, holding the newly refined Yin Yang Profound Dragon Pill in his palm.

The pill was the size of a dragon's eye, black and gold all over. As it slowly rotated, a faint dragon's roar could vaguely be heard.

He no longer hesitated and tipped his head back, swallowing the pill.

After entering his body, the pill did not immediately erupt with violent energy. Instead, it dissolved like warm water, and a warm current swiftly spread through his limbs and bones.

Yet that gentleness was merely a surface appearance.

Shen Wen could clearly sense it.

A hidden force had quietly settled deep within his meridians and bones, waiting to be awakened by a certain opportunity.

That was the mystery of the Yin Yang Profound Dragon Pill.

There was no immediate effect after consuming it.

But once the user suffered severe injuries and stood at death's door.

That hidden power would erupt, protect the heart meridians, stimulate potential, help them break through their shackles, and rise to a higher level.

Shen Wen slowly opened his eyes. Though his cultivation had not directly increased, there was now a hint more composure in the depths of his gaze.

Yao Chen truly was impressive. The Yin Yang Profound Dragon Pill was practically an extra life.

Moreover, he had used a Seventh-tier Dragon-type Demonic Core to refine it, so its effects would certainly be stronger than the original.

The moment he opened his eyes, he met a pair of seductive eyes filled with scrutiny.

Cao Ying stood opposite him with her arms folded, her gaze subtly shifting between him and Medusa.

Medusa remained alone in a corner of the Flying Boat, her snake tail coiled beneath her as she rested with her eyes closed.

Her stunning profile looked especially cold and beautiful beneath the shifting light and shadows, as though she did not belong in her surroundings. Yet her faintly trembling eyelashes revealed that she was not as calm as she appeared.

Although Shen Wen had already explained to her why he wanted to keep Medusa.

Cao Ying still felt uncomfortable.

At that moment, Dan Chen's soul transmission sounded in Cao Ying's mind.

"Big Sister Ying... why did Brother Shen Wen keep Queen Medusa?

"She... she's so beautiful and so strong. Could Brother Shen Wen possibly have feelings for her...?"

Dan Chen's voice carried a trace of disappointment and worry. "Isn't he your Husband, Big Sister Ying? How could he..."

Hearing that, Cao Ying's heart became even more conflicted.

How was she supposed to explain it?

Should she directly tell Dan Chen that she and Shen Wen were only in a marriage of convenience, husband and wife in name only?

Even if Shen Wen truly had thoughts about Medusa, she had no right to interfere?

For some reason.

That thought made Cao Ying feel inexplicably irritated and stifled.

She did not want to, especially not to let Dan Chen, who seemed to have developed feelings for Shen Wen as well, know the truth.

So.

She could only use the reason Shen Wen had previously given her, making her tone sound as calm and objective as possible. "Don't overthink it.

"Shen Wen kept her because the soul of the Purple Nether Flame Python she fused with contains a faint trace of Seven-Colored Sky Swallowing Python bloodline.

"The Seven-Colored Sky Swallowing Python is an Ancient Exotic Beast with limitless potential. If it can be fully awakened, she may reach the Dou Sheng realm in the future.

"Shen Wen wants to make her useful to him and gain a powerful helper for the future."

"So that's how it is!" Dan Chen suddenly understood. Her clear eyes were filled with admiration when she looked at Shen Wen. "Brother Shen Wen truly has sharp eyes and a meticulous mind.

"Not only did he discover Qing Lin's Triple Jade-Green Snake Flower Pupils.

"He could even tell that Queen Medusa possesses an Ancient Bloodline... he's really amazing!"

Dan Chen's heartfelt praise only made Cao Ying feel even more stifled.

This guy had an incredibly keen eye.

He only ever picked "good seedlings" with limitless potential to keep by his side.

Qing Lin was one thing. She was still young and was only a Maid.

But Medusa...

Her appearance, strength, and temperament were all exceptional.

And now she had the added distinction of "possibly becoming a Dou Sheng in the future." If she remained by Shen Wen's side for a long time...

Cao Ying did not dare think any further. She only felt a heaviness in her chest, and even Shen Wen's handsome face suddenly looked especially punchable.

Although Shen Wen could not hear the soul transmissions between the two women.

Seeing Cao Ying's increasingly unfriendly gaze and Dan Chen's eyes full of admiration and complicated emotions, he guessed most of it.

He rubbed his nose. There was nothing he could do.

He really did have thoughts about Medusa.

Just then.

The Flying Boat's communication formation lit up, carrying Xiao Ding's somewhat excited voice. "Lord Shen Wen!

"We found a location, and the sand nearby shows signs of having been melted by high temperatures, forming a substance similar to glaze!

"There are remnants of scorching Fire Attribute energy around the edges.

"It perfectly matches the flame's location marked on the map!"

They had finally found it!

Everyone on the Flying Boat was instantly invigorated.

As for the Sand Mercenary Group?

After Xiao Ding and Xiao Li both advanced to Da Dou Shi, and after personally witnessing Shen Wen's terrifying strength as he crushed a Dou Huang Peak expert.

Luo Bu wisely chose to submit.

The process of incorporating the Sand Mercenary Group went so smoothly that it was hardly worth mentioning. Stone Desert City was already entirely under the Desert Iron Mercenary Group's control.

"Full speed ahead. Destination: Cave Entrance!" Shen Wen immediately gave the order, temporarily putting the subtle atmosphere aboard the Flying Boat out of his mind.

The Flying Boat changed direction and sped toward Xiao Ding's location.

The five of them disembarked from the Flying Boat and followed Xiao Ding to the unusual place they had discovered.

"Is this it?"

Shen Wen walked across the desert. This area was indeed rather unusual, and there were remnants of abnormally active Fire Attribute power nearby.

Medusa folded her jade-like arms across her chest and said, "I thought there was something strange about this place before. It was just that directly reaching below would be difficult, so I intended to proceed gradually."

"But someone beat me to it."

Shen Wen shrugged. "Then that benefits you instead. If I had arrived and discovered that the Green Lotus Core Flame had already fallen into your hands.

"I would have gone straight to attack your Snake People Clan."

"You..."

Seeing the two bicker, Cao Ying interrupted, "Husband, then how do we get in?"

Shen Wen looked at Cao Ying. During the time since their Marriage Alliance, she had never once called him Husband.

But soon.

Shen Wen understood what was going on. Medusa must have made Cao Ying feel threatened.

That was a good sign.

Shen Wen said, "The four of us can simply blast our way down."

"Even if you have found the likely location, the space below is so vast. Without any sense of direction, how will you find it?"

Medusa could not help but retort.

"I can vaguely sense the scorching flames below!"

Cao Ying spoke again.

In any case, she did not want Shen Wen and Medusa talking too much.

And her Red Emperor Fire Sovereign Qi truly could sense that extremely violent power below.

"I naturally have my own method of sensing it."

Shen Wen spoke frankly. His Flame Ancestral Talisman had long detected the incredibly dense flame power below.

"Qing Lin, come with us too."

Under the puzzled gazes of the three women.

Shen Wen had Qing Lin go down with them to see whether her Triple Jade-Green Snake Flower Pupils, which had yet to be fully awakened, could control the Two-headed Fire Spirit Snake.

"Ah... all right..."

Qing Lin nodded timidly. Mainly because of her physique, staying near Medusa always made her extraordinarily nervous.

Only by Shen Wen's side did she feel even a little safe.

With the combined strength of four Dou Emperors, a broad passage soon began to form.

As they went deeper, Cao Ying quietly said before long, "The Earth Attribute power in here is almost gone. It's nearly all Fire Attribute power now. We should be close."

Naturally, Shen Wen could sense what Cao Ying could sense.

At last, only a thick stone wall stood in their way. Shen Wen casually waved his hand, and his Dou Qi instantly transformed into a bolt of Silver Lightning as thick as an arm.

"Boom—!"

The stone wall shattered.

The next moment.

A crimson world appeared before the five of them, and a Heatwave instantly rushed toward them.

However, Shen Wen and the other two were all Alchemists.

They cultivated Fire Attribute techniques to begin with, while Medusa's bloodline was Yin Cold in nature, giving her resistance to the Heatwave.

Medusa, however, glanced at Qing Lin and noticed that Qing Lin also possessed a Yin Cold power similar to her own.

The bastard offspring of a Snake Person and a human? But why has she lived for so long?

Medusa frowned, her gaze falling on Shen Wen.

Why was this man always surrounded by all kinds of unusual women?

Cao Ying did not count.

As for that human woman named Dan Chen, during their earlier battle.

Medusa had noticed that when Dan Chen launched Soul Attacks against her.

There was always a strange devouring power trying to swallow her soul whole.

Had her own soul not fused with the Purple Nether Flame Snake, making her inherently unusual as well, she might not have been able to force those two women back at the time.

And now.

There was another one, a mixed-blood child of the Snake People Clan and humans who had survived for so many years.

Strange. Truly strange!