Do You Still Have Any Choice?

Following Shen Wen's guidance, Qing Lin took a deep breath.

She worked hard to calm her surging emotions. Rather than blindly "staring," she focused all her awareness on sensing her unusual eyes.

She tried to "grasp" that power and guide it, no longer allowing it to crash about chaotically.

Instead, it became an invisible thread that slowly extended along the spiritual bridge actively built by the Two-headed Fire Spirit Snake...

This time, everything fell into place naturally.

The instant her spiritual power truly touched the Two-headed Fire Spirit Snake's soul core—

An abrupt change occurred!

Within Qing Lin's eyes, the three pupils that had originally been mere tiny jade-green dots suddenly burst forth with brilliant jade-green radiance!

The three small dots seemed to come alive, unfurling and blooming at a speed visible to the naked eye.

They ultimately became three lifelike, exquisitely delicate phantom jade-colored flower buds, slowly rotating deep within her pupils!

At that moment.

Qing Lin clearly felt that a close connection had formed between herself and the Two-headed Fire Spirit Snake before her.

She could vaguely sense its emotions, and she could even transmit simple commands to it through that connection.

"Y-Young Master! I did it! I can feel it!"

Qing Lin abruptly turned her head and lifted her little face to look at Shen Wen.

Her former grievance and nervousness had been replaced by immense joy and excitement. Her eyes, blooming with jade-colored flower buds, shone brilliantly.

"Very impressive."

Shen Wen naturally did not skimp on encouragement. Qing Lin was timid by nature, so she needed more encouragement and guidance.

In truth, he recalled that Qing Lin in the original story had only fully awakened the Triple Jade-Green Snake Flower Pupils when her life was in danger.

Naturally, he would not allow her to fall into danger.

Medusa, meanwhile, stared deeply at Qing Lin's unusual eyes, her willow eyebrows lifting slightly.

Triple Jade-Green Snake Flower Pupils?

As the Queen of the Snake People Clan, she naturally knew of the Triple Jade-Green Snake Flower Pupils. Yet even among the Snake People Clan, they were only a legend, let alone among humans.

More importantly, whenever the Triple Jade-Green Snake Flower Pupils appeared, they would often be hunted by snakes and Snake Demonic Beasts.

Once the Triple Jade-Green Snake Flower Pupils fully matured, they would become the nightmare of all Snake Demonic Beasts. Back then, many Snake People Clans spread across the Dou Qi Continent had been exterminated.

That might not have been unrelated to this.

Medusa gave Shen Wen a deep look. Before the Triple Jade-Green Snake Flower Pupils were exposed, they were extremely difficult to detect.

This guy had not been in the Central Continent for long, yet he had already discovered someone with the Triple Jade-Green Snake Flower Pupils?

"Have it lead the way," Shen Wen instructed.

Qing Lin nodded forcefully.

The Two-headed Fire Spirit Snake immediately lowered its body obediently. Its two heads rubbed ingratiatingly against Qing Lin's feet.

Then it turned around, swaying its enormous body as it skillfully swam toward the depths of the magma, leading the group onward.

As they continued downward, the surrounding crimson magma began to take on a bluish-green hue, while the heatwaves rolling through the area grew ever more intense.

Even their vision had begun to distort. Restless Fire Attribute energy suddenly gathered and exploded like fireworks.

"We're almost there..."

Cao Ying's mind had already begun to waver. After all, this was a Heavenly Flame—the dream of every Alchemist.

Her beautiful eyes could not help turning toward Shen Wen as she sent a soul transmission. "Do you really not regret giving the Heavenly Flame to me? You don't actually have to give it to me."

"You can definitely refine it."

"Of course not."

A faint jade-green color had already appeared in Shen Wen's field of vision, and the Flame Ancestral Talisman had begun to stir as well. "But when the time comes, you'll need to do me a small favor."

"Hmm?"

"Help Medusa Purify Bloodline."

Cao Ying's beautiful eyes narrowed. In her view, Medusa was her Love Rival, yet Shen Wen was asking her to help Medusa evolve?

She had actually been wondering how Shen Wen intended to help Medusa evolve. Even now, Medusa still did not know that she was the one refining the Heavenly Flame.

Not Shen Wen.

Cao Ying fell silent for a moment. Shen Wen's soul transmission carried a trace of disappointment. "If you aren't willing to help, then I'll think of another way."

"It's not that I don't want to! I'll do anything you ask!"

Cao Ying snapped back to her senses and hurriedly replied. Though helping Medusa made her uncomfortable, she wanted even less to disappoint Shen Wen.

After all...

Shen Wen had helped her find this Heavenly Flame, and the cultivation technique she practiced now had also been given to her by Shen Wen.

She was his wife as well. Helping him was only natural.

Hmph!

Shen Wen merely valued Medusa's potential. Her looks and talent were no worse than Medusa's.

Besides, she could refine pills. She would definitely be more useful to Shen Wen than Medusa!

Shen Wen raised a hand and rubbed Cao Ying's soft hair. "We're here."

They stopped, and all five of them saw a place in the distance where jade-green light blazed brightly.

The jade-green radiance blanketed this sea of magma.

When they focused their gaze, they could vaguely see a jade-green lotus standing gently within that light.

"These are the Blood Lotus Pills I prepared. I improved the Pill Recipe, and they've reached Rank Six. They'll be enough to sustain you for quite some time."

"During that time, use the Red Emperor Fire Sovereign Qi to try to control it. If necessary, use the Sky Burning Cauldron to cover yourself and weaken the eruption of its power!"

Several bottles of pills appeared in Shen Wen's hand and landed in Cao Ying's hands.

Cao Ying gripped the pills nervously and nodded.

"Good! Go."

Cao Ying walked toward the lotus in the distance.

Before she had gone far, the power of Shen Wen's Flame Ancestral Talisman could no longer cover Cao Ying.

The next moment.

Cao Ying felt a wave of extreme heat crash into her face. Even with the Blood Demon Spirit Flame and Dou Qi protecting her body, she could barely withstand it.

Her heart jolted. If not for the Red Emperor Fire Sovereign Qi Shen Wen had given her, she likely would not have been able to endure this environment for long.

Even though she was a Dou Emperor.

At this moment.

Medusa wore a puzzled expression.

She looked at Shen Wen. "Wait, Shen Wen, you mean... Cao Ying is the one refining the Green Lotus Core Flame? Not you?"

She had always believed that Shen Wen had gone to such lengths, even clashing with her without hesitation, because he wanted this Heavenly Flame that could greatly increase his strength.

If Cao Ying refined it, then how would he fulfill all his earlier promises about helping her Purify Bloodline and Breakthrough Dou Ancestor?

Would Cao Ying... be willing to help her?

Before Shen Wen could answer.

Cao Ying's voice rang out with a hint of pride. "What else would it be? This Green Lotus Core Flame was originally one of the Betrothal Gifts Husband found for me."

She deliberately emphasized the words "Husband" and "Betrothal Gift." Her eyes flowed with unmistakable intimacy and possessiveness.

Medusa's brows furrowed even more deeply. Looking at Shen Wen, she spoke with obvious distrust. "She says you promised to help me Purify Bloodline?

Words alone prove nothing. Why should I believe her? And why should I believe your promise now?"

Hearing this, Shen Wen calmly met Medusa's violet eyes, which were full of wariness and doubt.

He asked in return, "Medusa, at this point, do you think you still have the right to choose?"

"Or rather, did you ever think you had the right to choose?"

Shen Wen was merely stating the simplest of facts.

"Does it matter whether you believe it or not? What you need to do is accept it, and pray that my arrangements go smoothly.

"Otherwise, the fate of the Snake People Clan..."

He did not finish the rest, but the unspoken meaning wrapped around Medusa's heart like icy chains, making her breath catch.

Shen Wen's gentleness over the past few days had made her forget somewhat just how domineering he was.

Her strength was inferior, and her clan's lifeline was in his hands. Other than passively accepting whatever terms he set, what choice did she have?

A powerful sense of humiliation surged through her once more.

Yet she could only clench her fists tightly and forcibly suppress those churning emotions.

With a cold snort, she turned her head away and said no more.