Seven-Star Dou Zong Medusa!

In the blink of an eye, two days passed in an instant.

Inside the stone chamber, large sections of the walls had been melted, leaving the area riddled with pits and craters. A Green Lotus Divine Sun, burning with cyan flames, hovered behind Gu Shenge, rotating slowly. It radiated a scorching heat that incinerated the heavens and refined all things, causing the very space around it to distort.

Gu Shenge's aura was even more formidable than it had been two days ago. The Sun God Mark between his brows bloomed with brilliant sword light, rippling with waves of energy. His skin shimmered with a faint golden luster, and his blood energy was vast and vigorous, rising like a crimson mist. Set against the backdrop of the Green Lotus Divine Sun, he appeared sacred and noble, like a deity who commanded the sun.

After a long while, he slowly opened his eyes. A brilliant golden glow emerged within his pupils, as if he could pierce through illusions and observe existences invisible to ordinary people. The Green Lotus Divine Sun behind him then returned into his body.

"Five-star Dou Huang..."

Gu Shenge sensed the changes in his Dou Qi cultivation. After refining the Green Lotus Core Flame, he had utilized its energy to break through to a five-star Dou Huang. Not only that, but his physique had become even stronger under the tempering of the Heavenly Flame, and the meridians within his body had become significantly wider and sturdier. The harvest was substantial.

He looked at his own naked body, manifested a set of clothes, and after dressing, walked out of the stone chamber.

Not long after he stepped out, the Great Elder found him. Looking at the stone chamber behind Gu Shenge, which had been ravaged beyond recognition by the Heavenly Flame, a flash of astonishment crossed the Great Elder's eyes. It seemed this cultivation chamber would be unusable from now on. The Great Elder then spoke.

"Wang Fu, your timing is perfect. The Queen has also finished her seclusion."

Hearing that Medusa had also finished her seclusion, Gu Shenge revealed a look of surprise. It had taken him a month just to fuse the Origin Points of the Flawless Sun Physique, yet his beloved wife had been so fast.

He bid farewell to the Great Elder and hurried to see Medusa.

On the other side, Medusa sat upon her throne. Her progress was even greater; having fused the Origin Points of the Nine-Colored Heaven-Swallowing Python, she had evolved into a Nine-Colored Heaven-Swallowing Python herself.

As an ancient exotic beast capable of contending with the Ancient Heaven Snake King, her potential was no less than that of a divine-grade Dou Di bloodline. Her cultivation had seen a leap-style improvement, breaking through from a one-star Dou Zong to a seven-star Dou Zong—a jump of six full stars. In the Northwest Continent, where Dou Zong were rare, she could be considered a top-tier powerhouse.

With the might of the Nine-Colored Heaven-Swallowing Python, fighting above her rank was no difficult task. Average eight-star or even nine-star Dou Zong might not necessarily be Medusa's match.

With her strength increased, her ambition naturally expanded as well.

The strongest person among the four great empires of the Northwest Continent was the Supreme Elder of the Wanxie Sect in the Chu Yun Empire, Xie Biyan, a four-star Dou Zong. He was simply no match for the current Medusa.

Medusa pondered for a long time, unsure for a moment which empire she should strike first.

"Beloved wife, what are you thinking about?"

Gu Shenge's voice interrupted Medusa's thoughts. She looked up to see her husband walking in. Sensing that his aura was even more profound, she parted her red lips slightly and asked, "Have you finished refining the Green Lotus Core Flame?"

Gu Shenge nodded and said with a smile, "Yes, the harvest was plentiful. I've broken through to a five-star Dou Huang. And you, my beloved wife?"

Seeing him ask, a look of pride appeared on Medusa's alluring face, though she feigned indifference as she replied, "My harvest was not much, merely a breakthrough to a seven-star Dou Zong."

Seven-star Dou Zong! A look of surprise appeared in Gu Shenge's eyes. He had not expected Medusa's fusion with the Nine-Colored Heaven-Swallowing Python's Origin Points to yield such a massive improvement. Even in the Black-Corner Region, she would now be considered a top-tier powerhouse.

In the Black-Corner Region, aside from Jianan Academy, the strongest was the Old Demon of Earth from Diyan Valley, whose cultivation had reached the seven-star Dou Zong level, but he would definitely not be Medusa's match.

After all, in the original story, after Medusa became the Nine-Colored Heaven-Swallowing Python, she defeated the clan leader of the Heavenly Demon Phoenix—a six-star Dou Sheng—despite a two-star gap.

The gap between Dou Sheng was not something that could be compared to that of Dou Zong.

He suspected that Medusa could pin the Old Demon of Earth to the ground and rub him into the dirt; even the Qian and Bai Elders of Jianan Academy might not be her match.

Suddenly, Gu Shenge felt immense pressure. With his beloved wife being so strong, wouldn't their positions at night have to change?

He hurriedly stepped up behind Medusa, reaching out to knead her shoulders and back, beginning to curry favor with his beloved wife.

"My beloved wife must be exhausted from seclusion. Let your husband massage your shoulders."

"What would my beloved wife like to eat tonight? I will prepare it for you."

"My beloved wife..."

Watching Gu Shenge fawning over her, Medusa rolled her eyes at him. What was this dead man pretending for? Although she had reached the seven-star Dou Zong level, the Marriage Contract was still in effect; even if she wanted to discipline him, she couldn't.

She raised her hand and lightly patted Gu Shenge's hand on her fragrant shoulder, telling him to be serious. He was a Dou Huang powerhouse, after all; he shouldn't be so frivolous.

Gu Shenge smiled faintly but did not withdraw his hand, instead asking again what Medusa had been thinking about earlier.

Medusa told her husband what she had been considering. Upon hearing it, Gu Shenge urged her to set her sights further.

"My beloved wife, you have now reached the seven-star Dou Zong level and have no rivals across the four great empires. The heaven and earth energy in the locations of the four empires is much thinner than in other places. Furthermore, with the population of the Snake-People Tribe, you couldn't possibly consume the land of an entire empire. Instead of wasting time here, why don't we move to a different place?"

"A different place?" Medusa asked, somewhat puzzled. Move to a different place—move where?

"Exactly. In my view, the Black-Corner Region is a good place. It is chaotic and lawless, and it strictly adheres to the philosophy that the strong are respected. The density of heaven and earth energy there is also quite high for the Northwest Continent, and resources are abundant. The Snake-People Tribe is warlike, so it is a good choice. And there is one most important point: the Tuoshe Ancient Emperor's Cave Mansion is in the Black-Corner Region."

"What! The Tuoshe Ancient Emperor's Cave Mansion is in the Black-Corner Region!"

Hearing that the Ancient Emperor's Cave Mansion was actually in the Black-Corner Region, Medusa instantly lost her composure. Her alluring face was filled with shock; this information was too staggering.

Gu Shenge nodded and warned her, lest she act impulsively.

"My beloved wife, please stay calm. Although the Tuoshe Ancient Emperor's Cave Mansion is in the Black-Corner Region, we cannot open it without the key. Even someone as powerful as the old Dragon Emperor of the Taixu Ancient Dragon clan, a peak nine-star Dou Sheng, tried to force his way into the cave mansion because he lacked the key, and he remains trapped inside to this day."

Medusa gradually calmed down. If the Tuoshe Ancient Emperor's Cave Mansion were truly in the Black-Corner Region, then if she migrated the Snake-People Tribe there and occupied the Black-Corner Region in advance, wouldn't she be able to enter it ahead of everyone else once she found the key?

Thinking of this, Medusa had made her decision.

To hell with the four great empires and the Tagor Desert; she would occupy the Black-Corner Region!

"However, given the situation of the Snake-People Tribe, occupying the Black-Corner Region will not be an easy task. Let's wait until the four elders break through to the Dou Zong level."

Gu Shenge saw that his beloved wife was tempted by the Black-Corner Region, but he did not forget to advise her to wait. After all, there were still quite a few powerhouses in the Black-Corner Region, not to mention the existence of Jianan Academy. Its founder was a Half-Saint; although they were rarely around, it was not something the current Snake-People Tribe could afford to offend.

Medusa nodded. Naturally, she would not be reckless; she still needed to plan this out carefully.

~

PS: The protagonist will leave the Snake-People Tribe very soon, and another persona will make an appearance. Hehehe.