The Deal Continues—How Could I Have Forgotten Nalan Yanran?!

"My Queen..."

Queen Medusa gritted her teeth. Her pride would not allow her to admit defeat.

However...

"Put your clothes on! Don't come near me!" She suppressed the metallic sweetness in her throat and shouted.

After that clash, Xiao Yan's injuries had recovered with the help of pills, but his clothes had not.

And Xiao Yan's clothes had been of poor quality to begin with. They had all been destroyed in the battle just now.

He was now like a plucked chicken.

When he had gotten that close to her just now, his true dragon had nearly slapped her in the face.

"Cough, cough. Thanks for the reminder."

Xiao Yan also noticed the awkward situation and swiftly took out a fresh set of clothes from his Storage Ring and put them on.

After that interruption, the atmosphere he had created, with the victor dominating the defeated, gradually dissipated.

He stepped forward, intending to support Queen Medusa.

But Yue Mei had already rushed over and stood directly between him and Queen Medusa, glaring at him fiercely.

"Your Majesty, are you all right?" Yue Mei asked anxiously.

Queen Medusa wiped the blood from the corner of her lips. Her red lips were glistening and alluring, lending her yet another touch of unique charm.

"You won. You may take her away." Queen Medusa maintained her regal bearing without showing the slightest hint of yielding. Even as she spoke those words, her voice remained calm.

Xiao Yan did not move. Shaking his head, he said, "Fighting you was not my intention."

"Defeating you was merely to prove that I am fully capable of achieving my goal through force."

He turned to look at Yun Yun, who had been blasted away and was now slowly making her way over, and said, "I need a Heavenly Flame."

"She stole the Heavenly Flame for my sake."

"Perhaps you do not understand the bonds between people."

"But for a woman willing to give this much for me, I do not think there is anything wrong with violating the plan I set for myself."

"I do not wish to cancel the deal, but plans cannot keep up with changes. There is nothing I can do about it." Xiao Yan sighed slightly and started to leave.

A flicker of emotion passed through Queen Medusa's eyes as she said coldly, "Then continue. The deal continues!"

Xiao Yan stopped, surprise on his face. "Hm? You are still willing to trust me?"

Queen Medusa's expression was serious. "You possess strength greater than mine, yet you did not use force to achieve your objective. Why should I not trust you?"

"Besides, if you leave this time, you will surely find another way to obtain the Green Lotus Core Flame afterward, won't you?"

Xiao Yan did not deny it and nodded.

In truth, the reason he had not seized the Green Lotus Core Flame by force was because he had his sights set on the drop of heartblood essence Queen Medusa would possess after evolving into a Seven-Colored Heaven-Swallowing Python, which he could use to awaken his talent.

That was why he had chosen the safer route of trading for the Green Lotus Core Flame. By helping Queen Medusa evolve into a Seven-Colored Heaven-Swallowing Python more safely, he was not only helping her, but also helping himself.

It was just that Yun Yun's matter had truly disrupted his plans somewhat and forced him to reveal greater strength.

After the battle, he had assumed Queen Medusa would abandon the deal with him after weighing all the factors.

If that happened, he could only retreat for now and make further plans later.

With his strength and hidden cards, obtaining the Green Lotus Core Flame would not be difficult. He was merely greedy and wanted to reap greater rewards.

Queen Medusa's decision to continue the deal spared him the trouble of racking his brains.

"Yue Mei, escort me back to my bedchamber," Queen Medusa said.

Yue Mei gave Xiao Yan a wary look before respectfully supporting Queen Medusa as she left.

Halfway there, Queen Medusa suddenly said, "My rash attack this time was my fault. During our deal, you will consume the Snake-People Tribe's stored medicinal ingredients to refine pills. I will now give you one-third of them as compensation."

She then said to Yue Mei, "Have someone prepare a bedchamber for Master Xiao."

"She is quite generous." Xiao Yan smiled. He felt that Queen Medusa was rather qualified as a leader; she knew to offer compensation when she had done something wrong.

Although he had backed down for the Green Lotus Core Flame and the Seven-Colored Heaven-Swallowing Python blood essence he might obtain in the future, he could not help but feel somewhat resentful.

Queen Medusa's willingness to compensate him, setting aside the considerable value of it, made him feel much better simply because of her attitude.

Inside the Snake-People Tribe's bedchamber.

Xiao Yan said to Yun Yun, who was seated in a chair, "Someone from the Snake-People Tribe will come and remove the seal within you shortly. Do not worry."

Yun Yun nodded. After remaining silent for a while, she asked, "Xiao Huo, how did you end up here?"

Xiao Yan considered it briefly, omitted some details, and told her how he had left the Magical Beast Mountain Range, gone to have his alchemist rank assessed, and then come to the Tagor Desert in search of a Heavenly Flame.

However, in order to conceal his identity, he did not mention Xiao Ding or Xiao Li. He merely vaguely said that he had found traces of the Heavenly Flame on his own.

Yun Yun was not surprised upon hearing this.

She knew that Xiao Yan needed Beast Flame and Heavenly Flames. Although she did not know why he was searching for a second Heavenly Flame when he already possessed one, she did not ask and had no intention of asking.

"I have finished telling you about myself. What about you?"

"Yun Zhi... no, Yun Yun?" Xiao Yan pretended that he had only just learned Yun Yun had been using a false name all along, his expression somewhat hurt.

Seeing that look on Xiao Yan's face, Yun Yun felt her heart begin to ache. She hurriedly explained, "I only used a false name because I did not trust you at first. Later, I did not tell you because I was afraid you would no longer trust me."

"Originally, I planned to give you the flames I had gathered and reveal my identity when the Alchemist Conference began."

"But I never expected..."

Yun Yun lowered her head in shame and laid bare every detail, from why she had come to the Tagor Desert to how she had been captured.

After hearing her out, Xiao Yan could not help asking inwardly, Did all her nutrition go to her chest? How could she be this stupid? No wonder she was so absurd in the original story.

He rubbed his brow and thought to himself again, If not for this mess with Yun Yun, I would not have fought Medusa, nor would I have received Medusa's compensation. One-third of the entire Snake-People Tribe's medicinal ingredients is quite a substantial haul.

After thinking that through, Xiao Yan's mood improved considerably.

No matter how many twists and turns there had been, at least the outcome was good.

The Green Lotus Core Flame and the foreseeable Seven-Colored Heaven-Swallowing Python blood essence would both fall into his hands as long as he waited patiently. That already met his expectations.

One was a Heavenly Flame born from the essence of heaven and earth, while the other was the bloodline of a top-tier magical beast. Both were worthy of awakening his talent.

When that time came, his strength would rise considerably once more.

Just as Xiao Yan was envisioning the future, Yun Yun hesitated for several seconds before speaking.

"Xiao Huo, I have a request. Could you hear me out?"

Xiao Yan came back to himself and smiled. "Go ahead."

Yun Yun clenched the corner of her clothes, looking somewhat embarrassed. "Could I trouble you to speak with Queen Medusa and ask her to release Yanran?"

"Do not worry, I will not let you owe me this favor for nothing. I will compensate you afterward."

Xiao Yan's expression stiffened, and his scalp went numb.

How could he have forgotten Nalan Yanran?!