Taking on Queen Medusa? How could that be!

Xiao Chen put away the fragmentary map and turned to head outside.

Qing Lin hurried after him. "Young Master, where are we going now?"

"Back."

The two had just stepped out of the wooden hut when they saw two figures approaching from the desert.

The woman in front wore a red dress. She was breathtakingly beautiful, with an enchanting air about her. Her purple, vertical pupils radiated a cold light that made people afraid to meet her gaze. A female Snake Person followed behind her—it was Yue Mei.

Xiao Chen stopped and looked at the woman.

Queen Medusa. She had finally arrived.

Yue Mei's eyes lit up as soon as she spotted Xiao Chen. She hurried to Queen Medusa's side and pointed at him. "Your Majesty, it's him."

Queen Medusa stopped and sized Xiao Chen up.

The fifteen- or sixteen-year-old youth wore a black robe and had delicate features. There was nothing particularly remarkable about him at first glance.

Yet this boy had killed the Great Elder of the Snake-Person Tribe, slain more than a dozen elite Dou Lings, and wounded Yue Mei.

A trace of coldness flashed through Queen Medusa's eyes as she walked toward Xiao Chen.

Hai Bodong had just come out of the wooden hut when he saw Queen Medusa approaching. His face instantly turned deathly pale.

Queen Medusa—the woman who had sealed his strength. He instinctively took two steps back, only to bump into the wall behind him.

He stared at Xiao Chen, his eyes full of shock.

What on earth had this boy done to provoke Queen Medusa?

Whatever the reason he provoked Queen Medusa, boy, you're dead this time, no matter what.

He murmured to himself.

As the former Ice Emperor, Hai Bodong knew Queen Medusa's strength all too well. A Peak Nine-Star Dou Emperor, she was the strongest being in the entire Jia Ma Empire.

Even at his peak, he hadn't lasted more than a few moves against her. In the end, she had sealed his strength, leaving him in the sorry state he was in now.

No matter how strong this boy was, he couldn't possibly be Queen Medusa's match.

Queen Medusa walked up to Xiao Chen and stopped.

"Were you the one who killed the Great Elder of my Snake-Person Tribe?"

"I was."

"And killed more than a dozen of my elite Dou Lings?"

"Yes."

"And wounded Yue Mei?"

"That's right."

A killing intent flashed through Queen Medusa's eyes. "And you twice humiliated Yue Mei and took liberties with her."

Xiao Chen glanced at Yue Mei, the corner of his mouth lifting slightly.

"So what?"

Queen Medusa's expression darkened.

So what? He had killed her people and humiliated her subordinate, yet he was still so brazen. This human certainly had some nerve.

"Do you know what crime you've committed?"

"No."

"Then let me tell you. Killing members of my Snake-Person Tribe and humiliating one of our Seven-Star Dou Wangs—those two crimes are enough to have you killed a hundred times over."

Xiao Chen said nothing.

Queen Medusa took a step forward. Dou Qi surged within her, and the aura of a Peak Nine-Star Dou Emperor burst from her body. The air around them trembled.

Sand scattered across the ground, and the wooden planks of the hut creaked. Qing Lin could barely breathe under the pressure. Her face turned deathly pale, and her body trembled.

Xiao Chen glanced at her and pulled her behind him.

Leaning against the wall, Hai Bodong felt that aura and grew even more distressed. A Peak Nine-Star Dou Emperor was far stronger than he had been at his own peak. He thought it over carefully: he really hadn't stood a chance against Queen Medusa back then.

This boy was dead for sure.

Yue Mei stood to the side, a smug look flashing across her eyes as she watched Xiao Chen.

"Xiao Chen, aren't you so powerful? Didn't you say you'd kill whoever you wanted? Why aren't you saying anything now?"

Xiao Chen glanced at her but said nothing.

"Her Majesty came here in person. You're dead for sure! You killed the Great Elder and so many of our people, and you took liberties with me twice. Today is the day you die!"

"Finished?"

Yue Mei froze.

"If you're finished, shut up."

Yue Mei's expression darkened, and she was about to speak when Queen Medusa raised a hand to stop her.

Queen Medusa looked at Xiao Chen. "You certainly have some nerve."

"Thanks for the compliment."

Queen Medusa gave a cold laugh. "I hope you have as much ability as you have nerve. If your strength doesn't measure up, you'll die at my hands in a moment—and that would be a real waste."

She flashed forward and struck at Xiao Chen with a palm, using thirty percent of her strength to test him.

Xiao Chen sidestepped the blow and casually struck back with his palm. The two bursts of palm force collided with a dull thud.

Queen Medusa stepped back, and so did Xiao Chen. A trace of surprise flashed through her eyes.

Although she had only used thirty percent of her strength, it still wasn't something an ordinary person could withstand. This youth had not only blocked her attack but forced her back a step. Queen Medusa's expression flickered with surprise.

"Interesting."

She attacked again, this time using fifty percent of her strength. Her palm shot toward Xiao Chen's chest with a howl of wind.

Xiao Chen raised his hand and met it with his palm.

Bang.

Another dull thud.

Queen Medusa retreated half a step, and so did Xiao Chen.

Queen Medusa furrowed her brows slightly.

Even at fifty percent strength, she still hadn't managed to hurt him. This boy was stronger than she'd expected.

"What level of strength do you have?"

"Guess."

A flash of anger crossed Queen Medusa's eyes, and her expression darkened completely. Dou Qi surged wildly within her, more terrifying than before.

This time, she used seventy percent of her strength. Her palm struck out, shaking the air as sand was blown away to form a huge hollow in the ground.

Watching her palm strike toward him, Xiao Chen joined his hands in a seal. An icy chill burst from his body, and the temperature plunged.

An ice dragon took shape in his palm, its body crystalline and its cold piercing to the bone.

Mystic Ice Dragon Soar.

The ice dragon lunged at Queen Medusa, baring its fangs and claws.

Queen Medusa's pupils contracted sharply.

She could feel that the power contained in the ice dragon far exceeded her expectations.

Her palm force collided with the ice dragon with a thunderous boom.

Sand exploded in every direction, and several planks of the wooden hut shattered from the impact.

Queen Medusa retreated two steps and steadied herself. She lifted her head to look at Xiao Chen, her eyes full of shock.

He had actually neutralized seventy percent of her strength.

Just what level of strength did this boy have?

Leaning against the wall, Hai Bodong watched the scene, completely dumbfounded.

This boy had used his Mystic Ice Dragon Soar to block Queen Medusa's attack.

Queen Medusa was a Peak Nine-Star Dou Emperor, yet this boy could actually fight her evenly. From the looks of it, Queen Medusa was even at a disadvantage. He had never imagined that his Mystic Ice Dragon Soar could unleash such tremendous power. In terms of mastery, this boy was actually far better than he was.

"What kind of monster is he?"

Yue Mei stood to the side. The smug look vanished from her face, replaced by shock.

She had thought Xiao Chen was bound to die now that Her Majesty had stepped in. But it looked like not only was Xiao Chen still alive, he had even blocked Her Majesty's attack.

"How is this possible?"

Yue Mei's face turned pale, shock written all over her.

Queen Medusa stared at Xiao Chen, the killing intent in her eyes growing stronger.

This man—he had to die.