Divination, a Reason

The next morning, Ye Xiu came out of the courtyard and saw a snake-person guard standing at the door.

"Human, Her Majesty the Queen requests your presence."

Ye Xiu nodded and followed him towards the Temple.

The snake-people he encountered along the way looked at him differently than they had a week ago. Before, it was curiosity mixed with vigilance; now, there was a sense of awe.

Ye Xiu knew clearly that the batch of Soul-Melting Pills he refined a week ago had completely solidified his status here.

A Sixth-grade Alchemist who produced five pills with Pill Patterns from a single batch was explosive news anywhere. Although the Snake-Person Race lived in seclusion in the desert, they weren't fools and knew what such a person represented.

Moreover, the most crucial point was that they all knew Ye Xiu's batch of Soul-Melting Pills was refined for their Queen.

Upon reaching the Temple entrance, the guard stopped.

"Her Majesty the Queen is waiting for you inside. You may enter yourself."

Ye Xiu pushed the door open and went in.

Inside the Temple, only Medusa was present.

Today, she wasn't wearing her regal red dress. She had changed into a purple robe, her hair down, giving her a less sharp and more everyday appearance.

Seeing Ye Xiu enter, she raised her chin slightly. "Come here."

Ye Xiu casually found a chair and sat down, looking at her. "Is the Green Lotus Core Flame in the Temple?"

Medusa didn't answer directly but instead asked, "Aren't you curious?"

Ye Xiu blinked. "Curious about what?"

"Why I am willing to give the Green Lotus Core Flame to you," Medusa looked at him, her eyes scrutinizing. "This Heavenly Flame is something our Snake-Person Race has guarded for hundreds of years. To hand it over to a human so readily, don't you have any doubts?"

Ye Xiu fell silent for a moment.

Honestly, he had indeed considered this question.

Since his transmigration, everything he had encountered had gone smoothly. His sign-in rewards were generous, his physique was heaven-defying, and people offered him benefits wherever he went. But Medusa's situation felt a bit too smooth.

The conditions he offered—100% evolution success, soul contract guarantee, Sixth-grade Soul-Melting Pills—while tempting, were they truly enough for a Queen of the Snake-Person Race?

Given Medusa's personality, she would rather gamble on her near-certain death than easily trust a stranger.

"I would like to hear your explanation." Since Medusa had brought it up, Ye Xiu followed her lead and asked.

Medusa stood up and walked to the window, her back to him.

"What do you think is the current situation of our Snake-Person Race?"

Ye Xiu thought for a moment and said, "Do you want to hear the truth or a lie?"

"The truth."

"Then I'll tell you the truth." Ye Xiu leaned back in his chair. "On the brink of destruction."

Medusa didn't turn around, but her posture visibly stiffened.

Ye Xiu continued, "Although you are a Peak Dou Huang, there are few in the entire Jia Ma Empire who can fight you one-on-one, and that's about it. As for your tribesmen, apart from the Great Chieftain, almost none of the Dou Huangs have the fighting strength, and there are only a few Dou Wangs. The rest are cannon fodder. On the Jia Ma Empire's side, with the Yun Lan Sect and a few old fellows from the royal family, could you withstand a real fight? Not to mention the several neighboring countries eyeing us covetously."

He was speaking the truth.

This was the predicament of the Snake-Person Race in the original work. Medusa, however strong, was only one person, while the human side had an endless stream of experts. If not for her successful evolution later and Xiao Yan's help, the Snake-Person Race would have been annihilated sooner or later.

Medusa was silent for a while, then turned to look at him.

"Then, where do you think the way out for our Snake-Person Race lies?"

Ye Xiu said, "There is only one. You must successfully advance to a Seventh-tier Magic Beast and reach the Dou Zong realm. At that time, even the combined strength of the old fellows in the Jia Ma Holy City won't be enough for you to fight, and the neighboring countries will also not dare to act rashly. Only then can the Snake-Person Race establish a firm foothold."

Medusa nodded. "You are correct. But as you know, the evolution with a Heavenly Flame is extremely dangerous. If I die, the Snake-Person Race will be plunged into eternal damnation."

Ye Xiu didn't speak but nodded.

Medusa stared at him for a while and suddenly said, "Four months ago, our Snake-Person Race's High Priest performed a divination."

Ye Xiu raised an eyebrow.

Divination?

This event didn't seem to be in the original work.

Medusa continued, "The High Priest said that within half a year, an outsider would come to our Snake-Person Race. If I can seize the opportunity, I can completely change the current situation of the Snake-Person Race. From then on, my people will have no worries."

Ye Xiu was stunned for a moment, then pointed at himself. "The outsider you're talking about, it couldn't be me, could it?"

Medusa looked at him, her lips twitching, and snorted coldly.

"You're being self-important."

Ye Xiu: "..."

Fine.

Medusa withdrew her gaze and looked back out the window.

"The High Priest's divinations have never been wrong. If she said someone would come, they will definitely come. But whether that person is you, I don't know."

Ye Xiu thought for a moment and said, "Do you believe me now?"

Medusa was silent for a while.

"This Queen does not believe in destiny," she said. "But this Queen believes in what she sees."

She turned around and looked at Ye Xiu.

"This Queen has been observing you. Your youthful composure is not faked. To achieve so much at such a young age, this Queen has lived for so many years and has never seen anyone with such extraordinary talent."

Ye Xiu didn't speak.

Medusa continued, "And your physique. Don't think this Queen can't tell. When you signed the soul contract with this Queen, that aura was off. An ordinary Dou Huang couldn't withstand this Queen's pressure, but you withstood it, and even sent back a warm current."

Ye Xiu's heart stirred.

This woman observed him quite closely.

Medusa looked at him and continued:

"So what this Queen believes is not divination, but what this Queen has seen with her own eyes. If you can help this Queen evolve successfully, what does it matter if the Green Lotus Core Flame is yours? If you die, this Queen will proceed with the original plan."

After Ye Xiu listened, he was silent for a long time.

Then he stood up and walked in front of Medusa.

The two were very close, able to feel each other's breath.

Ye Xiu smiled, "Rest assured, just wait and see."

Medusa looked at him, her eyes moved.

"This Queen is waiting."

The two didn't speak further and walked together towards the depths of the Temple.

After about the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, a cave entrance appeared ahead. The entrance was not large, blocked by a huge stone, and guarded by four Snake-Person guards, all at the Dou Ling level.

Seeing Medusa approach, the four guards saluted simultaneously.

"Your Majesty!"

Medusa nodded slightly, "Open the door."

The four guards exchanged glances, and one hesitated before speaking, "Your Majesty, this..."

The transaction between Ye Xiu and Medusa was known only to a few leaders and priests; most of the Snake-Person Race was unaware.

Medusa glanced at him, and the Snake-Person immediately shut his mouth and turned to push the huge stone.

Rumble--

The giant stone slowly moved aside, revealing the cave entrance behind it. A wave of heat rushed out from within, carrying a strange aura that made one feel uneasy.

Ye Xiu took a deep breath.

This was the scent of the Green Lotus Core Flame.

Medusa turned to look at him, "Are you ready?"

Ye Xiu nodded.

The two walked inside together.

The cave was quite deep and winding, getting hotter as they went deeper. Some glowing stones were embedded in the walls, barely illuminating the path. After walking for about fifteen minutes, the area suddenly opened up.