You brat, how dare you!

Murderous intent surged in Queen Medusa's eyes.

She held nothing back, unleashing the Dou Qi within her body without reservation.

The aura of a peak nine-star Dou Emperor swept across the surroundings, whipping the desert sands into a sky-filling dust storm.

Leaning against the wall, Hai Bodong found himself gasping for air under the pressure of this aura. He was deeply shocked; the moment this powerful energy erupted, he froze, his face instantly betraying his astonishment and terror.

This was Queen Medusa at full strength—even more formidable than when he had faced her years ago. It seemed her cultivation had improved by far more than just a small margin over these years.

"Kid, you're done for. To dare provoke Queen Medusa... you truly overestimate yourself," Hai Bodong muttered to himself.

Yue Mei stood in the distance, watching Queen Medusa's back, a hint of triumph flashing in her eyes.

Her Majesty was finally getting serious; no matter how strong Xiao Chen was, he couldn't possibly block this.

She struck out with a palm, exerting her full strength.

The air was compressed to its limit, emitting a shrill, explosive screech.

Watching the palm strike coming toward him, Xiao Chen formed hand seals.

A frigid chill erupted from his body, and an ice dragon coalesced into form.

Its entire body was crystalline, even larger than before, and its cold aura was even more bone-piercing.

Mystic Ice Dragon Soar.

The ice dragon bared its fangs and brandished its claws as it lunged toward Queen Medusa.

The palm wind and the ice dragon collided.

BOOM.

With a deafening roar, sand was blasted in every direction.

Queen Medusa's palm wind was shattered by the ice dragon, which continued its charge and slammed into her chest.

Her expression shifted as her body was sent flying backward, crashing into the sandy ground and spitting out a mouthful of blood.

Yue Mei's face turned deathly pale in an instant.

Her Majesty had lost. How was that possible? Yue Mei stood frozen, rubbing her eyes, unable to believe the scene before her. Never in her wildest dreams had she imagined that Her Majesty would lose to a human boy.

The peak nine-star Dou Emperor, the strongest existence in the entire Jia Ma Empire, had actually lost to a fifteen or sixteen-year-old youth.

Hai Bodong, still leaning against the wall, was completely dumbfounded.

He stared at Xiao Chen, his mouth agape, unable to utter a single word.

This youth had defeated Queen Medusa—the very woman who had sealed his power and reduced him to his current state—defeated by a fifteen or sixteen-year-old boy.

"What kind of monster is he?" His voice trembled. He truly hadn't expected Xiao Chen's strength to reach such a terrifying degree.

Queen Medusa climbed up from the sand and wiped the blood from the corner of her mouth.

She looked at Xiao Chen, her eyes filled with complex emotions.

Anger, shock, and unwillingness appeared on her face. She couldn't believe she had been wounded by him, and had lost so miserably. As the Queen of the Snake-Person Tribe, she found this outcome utterly unacceptable.

She had cultivated for decades to reach the peak of a nine-star Dou Emperor, yet this boy, only fifteen or sixteen, had already surpassed her.

"Do as you please, kill me or carve me up."

Xiao Chen walked toward her.

She stood motionless, her face devoid of expression, though a flicker of imperceptible tension crossed her eyes.

He stopped when he reached her.

Looking at Queen Medusa's face, the corners of Xiao Chen's mouth curled upward. His smile carried a hint of malice and a touch of deviousness.

That smile made a bad premonition surge in her heart. Although she didn't know what this human intended, she felt it was definitely something malicious.

"What do you want to do?"

Xiao Chen did not answer; he reached out and pinched her chin.

Her pupils constricted violently.

"You—"

Before she could finish her sentence, he kissed her.

She froze completely.

Her mind went blank, her body stiffened, and her heart skipped a beat in that instant.

He stepped back and looked at her. "There."

Queen Medusa's face flushed red instantly.

The redness spread from her cheeks to her earlobes, and from her earlobes down to her neck.

Her body was trembling, and her lips were quivering.

"You—you actually dare—"

Her voice was trembling.

In all her years of living, she had never been humiliated like this before.

As the Queen of the Snake-Person Tribe and a peak nine-star Dou Emperor, she had actually been kissed by this human.

Killing intent surged in her eyes as her Dou Qi roiled within her body once more.

She charged toward Xiao Chen and struck out with a palm. Every move was lethal; a single hit would result in death or crippling injury. Queen Medusa was absolutely enraged—this was unforgivable. He could kill her, but he absolutely could not humiliate her in such a manner.

He dodged to the side, casually neutralizing the attack.

She did not stop, striking out with another palm.

He dodged again.

She attacked continuously, putting her full strength into every strike.

Yet, having suffered heavy injuries, her speed and power were far from their peak.

He easily evaded all of her attacks.

Hai Bodong watched this scene, unable to stop himself from clicking his tongue.

This kid's guts were truly too big; he had kissed Queen Medusa, and Hai Bodong was completely dumbfounded.

That was Queen Medusa, the most terrifying woman in the entire Jia Ma Empire, and he had actually dared to kiss her.

"Good fellow," he muttered to himself, "really, I'm impressed."

Yue Mei was also stunned.

She looked at Xiao Chen, her eyes filled with shock.

This human had kissed her twice, and now he had kissed Her Majesty the Queen; his audacity was truly boundless.

"He's insane," she whispered to herself.

Queen Medusa's attacks grew faster, yet they also became increasingly powerless.

Her injuries were too severe, and there was little Dou Qi left in her body.

--

Yet she continued to strike, refusing to stop, determined to kill the man who had humiliated her.

Xiao Chen sighed and formed hand seals.

A formidable aura erupted from his body.

Great Wind Hand Seal.

A massive handprint coalesced and blasted toward Queen Medusa.

Her pupils constricted violently.

She recognized this Dou Technique: the Great Wind Hand Seal, the signature technique of the former Misty Cloud Sect leader, Yun Shan.

How could this youth know a Misty Cloud Sect technique?

The handprint slammed into her.

Her body flew backward, crashing into the sandy ground as she spat out another mouthful of blood.

Lying on the sand, she no longer had the strength to climb back up.

She looked at Xiao Chen, her eyes filled with shock.

"You—you are from the Misty Cloud Sect."

"No."

"Then how do you know the Great Wind Hand Seal?"

1

He did not answer.

Countless thoughts raced through her mind.

This youth was so young yet possessed strength surpassing a Dou Emperor, knew the exclusive techniques of the Misty Cloud Sect, and even possessed that strange ice-type Dou Technique—who exactly was he?

"Who exactly are you?" Medusa's voice was already weak and powerless.

He walked up to her and looked down at her.

She lay on the ground, looking at his face, her eyes filled with complex emotions.

She had never lost so miserably, nor had she ever been humiliated like this before.

"That is no concern of yours."

Xiao Chen gritted his teeth and said nothing more.

She knew she was no match for Xiao Chen; to continue fighting would only be inviting further humiliation.

He turned around and walked toward Qing Lin.

"Let's go."

Qing Lin nodded and hurriedly followed behind him.

Yue Mei stood where she was, watching Xiao Chen's departing back, not knowing what to say.

Glancing at Queen Medusa lying on the sandy ground, she hurried over.

"Your Majesty, are you alright?"

Queen Medusa did not speak, only staring in the direction Xiao Chen had left.

A complex look flashed through her eyes.

This Xiao Chen—she would remember him!