Queen Medusa's Summons

Medusa Temple, Saint King Palace.

"Qing Lin, you'll live here from now on. You can treat this place as your own home."

Yan Lin brought Qing Lin to a side hall within his Royal Palace, adjacent to his bedchamber, and granted it to her.

After all, he had said Qing Lin would be his personal maid. It would be more convenient for her to serve him if she lived nearby.

To maintain the lie, Yan Lin also told the other maids that they no longer needed to attend to him. Qing Lin alone would serve him from now on.

Home?

Qing Lin was deeply moved. The word "home" felt both strange and familiar to her. She had not heard it in many years.

Her emerald eyes grew slightly moist. Lowering her head, Qing Lin obediently answered, "All right, Brother Yan Lin."

Originally, Qing Lin had called him Lord Yan Lin. But Yan Lin wanted to win the little girl's heart, so naturally he did not want such a distant form of address. He had her change it.

Yan Lin was about the same age as her, so Qing Lin called him Brother.

That change in address brought them considerably closer. At the very least, Qing Lin was no longer afraid to speak with him.

Still, the girl clearly had yet to fully open up. Yan Lin knew that if he wanted to change her and make her sincerely accept him, he would need to spend time with her and slowly earn her trust.

Yan Lin was patient. Holding Qing Lin's hand, he showed her around his Saint King Palace.

The Saint King Palace and Queen's Palace were actually part of the same area. However, after Yan Lin arrived, Queen Medusa had granted half of the Royal Palace to him and separated it into its own residence.

According to Queen Medusa, once they truly married, there would no longer be a distinction between the Saint King Palace and Queen's Palace. It would all be known simply as the Royal Palace.

Put simply, it was like living together without sharing a bed, and living together while sharing one.

"Whoosh!"

As Yan Lin led Qing Lin around the Royal Palace, a striking pink figure flashed into existence before him.

She was a snake woman with wine-red hair, clad in black-and-red battle armor.

Her figure was full and graceful, while her features were mature and beautiful, carrying the air of an older sister. She looked like a valiant female general, with a uniquely captivating charm. Among all the snake women Yan Lin had seen, she was one of the most outstanding.

Of course, she still fell short of Queen Medusa.

Even so, she was an exceptionally pleasing woman to look at, and Yan Lin could not help taking a few extra glances.

Liking the opposite sex was human nature.

Looking at beautiful women could even prolong one's life!

There was no reason for Yan Lin not to look.

"Hua She'er pays respects to the Saint King."

Retracting the Dou Qi wings behind her, the suddenly appearing snake woman respectfully gave Yan Lin the Snake People Clan's customary subordinate's salute.

This woman was Hua She'er, commander of Medusa's personal guards and one of the Snake People Clan's Dou Wang experts.

Unlike the other commanders, Hua She'er was one of Queen Medusa's most trusted confidantes, and she obeyed the Queen's commands most faithfully.

Before Yan Lin, the Saint King, she displayed none of a Dou Wang commander's arrogance.

That gave Yan Lin a favorable impression of her. After nodding at her kindly, he asked, "Commander Hua She'er, you came to find This King. Is something the matter?"

Hua She'er raised her head to face Yan Lin and went straight to the point. "Saint King, Your Majesty summons you."

So it really came to this.

Yan Lin had long guessed that forcibly bringing Qing Lin, an "inauspicious person," back into the clan would certainly draw attention.

He was a key protected figure of the Snake People Clan. There were people guarding him both openly and secretly, and none of his movements could escape the higher-ups' notice.

Hua She'er was one of the experts secretly assigned to protect Yan Lin. She had been jointly recommended by Medusa and the four elders.

Yan Lin had vaguely sensed it himself. Having lived two lives, his Soul Power far surpassed that of ordinary people. He simply had not known that the person watching over him in secret was Hua She'er.

"Fine. Wait for me a moment."

After speaking to Hua She'er, Yan Lin said a few more things to Qing Lin. Then he called over several snake women and instructed them to safely escort Qing Lin back. Once he returned, he would continue showing her around.

Qing Lin listened obediently to Yan Lin and left with the other snake women. Only then did Yan Lin depart with Hua She'er.

No, it should have been called flying.

Hua She'er spread her Dou Qi wings and gave Yan Lin another taste of flight.

He remembered that the last time had been with Queen Medusa. Both times, they had flown while holding hands.

Well, Hua She'er's hand was very soft, but the Queen's delicate hand was clearly better—soft and boneless, white as jade, impossible to put down.

"Commander Hua, why did you bring me to the Bath Palace? Is the Queen here?"

Outside the Bath Palace in the Queen's Palace, Yan Lin looked at the conspicuous sign and thought that the Bath Palace did not seem like a suitable place to discuss business.

Or was the Queen inviting him to bathe with her...? Yan Lin laughed at himself, feeling that he was daydreaming. How could that possibly happen?

"Yes. Her Majesty is bathing in the Bath Palace." Hua She'er nodded and answered as though it were entirely ordinary.

Bathing!

Staring at the tightly shut doors of the Bath Palace, Yan Lin's gaze immediately lit up. In his mind's eye, his gaze seemed to pierce through those closed doors, revealing a beautiful snake woman within a warm bath shrouded in white steam...

Perhaps he had imagined something that made his throat dry. Yan Lin secretly swallowed. On the surface, however, he merely gave a calm "Oh" and asked somewhat against his will, "Then should I wait outside?"

He did want to go in and watch the live show, but Yan Lin did not think that was realistic.

Who would have thought that Queen Medusa inside the Bath Palace would actually tell him to enter?

"No need. Come in."

Hearing the Queen's familiar voice, Yan Lin was still rather surprised. Did this woman truly not consider him an outsider?

She had probably finished bathing already.

Thinking so, Yan Lin followed Hua She'er into the Bath Palace.

The moment they pushed open the doors, wisps of mist drifted over with the wind, accompanied by a distinctive fragrance that made Yan Lin's breathing grow heavier.

Looking ahead, the spacious hall was filled with even denser mist. The bath curtains around the central pool swayed gently, half-concealing the scene, yet Queen Medusa could still be clearly seen languidly floating in the warm pool.

The instant his gaze met the naked Queen, Yan Lin froze. His eyes widened dramatically. Then, as if by reflex, he raised his hand and covered Hua She'er's face beside him. His thoughts became a complete mess, and his calm state of mind was thrown into utter turmoil.

This woman really doesn't consider me an outsider!

Yan Lin's blood roiled at that moment, as though he had been poisoned. He could not stop recalling the stunning figure in the bath that left his mouth dry.

Though most of her body was submerged beneath the water, the movement of the water still stirred up some waves...

Hua She'er did not have as many thoughts as Yan Lin. With her view blocked, she frowned and pulled his hand down. "Saint King, why are you covering my face?"

"I was afraid you'd see... uh, sorry. I forgot you were a woman." Once Yan Lin realized Hua She'er's gender, his voice grew softer and softer. Too embarrassed to look at her, he turned away and raised a hand to cover half his own face.

Seeing his awkward expression, Hua She'er nearly failed to hold back her laughter. She secretly found it amusing. Afraid someone would see the Queen, so he covered my face instead of his own?

Our Saint King is rather possessive, isn't he?