By the pool, Medusa picked up her purple brocade robe and put it back on, her expression inscrutable.
Nearby, Xiao Yan lay with his head on the ground, staring at the sky with an indescribable expression.
There was pleasure, exhaustion, lingering satisfaction, but more than anything, there was sadness and self-reproach.
He had kept himself for nearly eighteen years, only to have his first time taken by a woman he had known for less than a month. For some reason, he even felt like he could relate to those prostitutes who had just entered the trade.
Normally, he had intended for this time to be with Xiao Xun'er, but instead...
"Ah..." Xiao Yan sighed.
The only thing that comforted him somewhat was that Medusa was in the same situation.
It was not as though either of them had truly lost out.
If anyone had to be blamed, neither of them could blame the other.
Medusa had just completed her evolution, and her body was at its most energy-starved state.
And he possessed the [Myriad Beast] talent. The temptation his blood held for magical beasts went without saying. It was normal for Medusa to lose control, especially since he had been the one to approach her.
But if he was to blame, he had only meant well. He had been afraid that Medusa might suffer an accident and die.
Moreover, it was precisely because she had absorbed his blood and made up that final deficiency that Medusa's evolution had been so perfect.
Thinking back to Medusa when she had still been in her little snake form, Xiao Yan belatedly noticed something important.
Medusa had not evolved into the Seven-Colored Heaven-Swallowing Python from the original story, but gone a step further and become the Nine-Colored Heaven-Swallowing Python.
However, it seemed that her current cultivation was still too low to support the power of that bloodline, preventing the nine colors from fully manifesting.
Of the nine colors on her body, seven were rich and complete, while the other two appeared faint.
Xiao Yan felt that once Medusa broke through to the Dou Saint realm, her bloodline should naturally awaken completely.
"You're very unwilling?" Medusa suddenly asked coldly, unconsciously releasing the aura of a Dou Zong.
Xiao Yan looked at her without the slightest fear and nodded honestly. "You don't have a partner, but I do. After what you did, I don't even know what I'm supposed to do going forward."
Medusa choked, and nameless fury immediately rose in her heart.
She was Queen Medusa of the Snake-People Tribe, whose beauty was renowned across the entire Northwest Continent. Countless experts would gladly become lapdogs beneath her skirt.
Yet now that this brat had gotten his hands on her, he still wore an expression as though he had suffered a loss.
The Snake-People Tribe was famously loyal to their partners. They would only ever have one in their entire lives.
By a twist of fate, she had given herself to Xiao Yan, so naturally, she could never seek another man.
Yet Xiao Yan was still thinking of other women. Why should he be allowed to?
Medusa knew that such thinking was unreasonable. She could not force her own demands upon someone else.
But she was upset. The more unwilling Xiao Yan seemed, the more upset she became.
Medusa only felt a suffocating pressure in her chest, as though she had to do something to ease it.
Now that her evolution was complete, she had become a Dou Zong.
Having become a Dou Zong, if she still had to endure this sort of grievance, what was the difference between becoming one and not becoming one?
Looking at Xiao Yan's sturdy, perfect body, still warm from before, she ignored the minor wounds on her body, endured her soreness and weakness, and launched an attack.
Xiao Yan's eyes widened. "What are you doing?"
"That's right!" Medusa snapped petulantly. Lowering her head to look down at Xiao Yan, her jade-like foot came down.
Burned out,
Completely burned out,
Nothing but ashes remained.
Xiao Yan was certain that if his physical body had not been stronger than ordinary people's, and if he had ever slacked off in his body tempering, he might have already been reduced to skin and bones.
As for Medusa, she was not in much better condition.
Her head rested against Xiao Yan's chest, her chest rising and falling as she breathed slowly.
In that peaceful, tranquil moment, Medusa found herself inexplicably enjoying it, and some of the negative emotions in her heart faded away.
She had originally planned to remain alone for the rest of her life. Xiao Yan's appearance had merely been an unexpected interlude.
If Xiao Yan did not wish to have anything to do with her, then she would treat it all as nothing more than a dream.
That was what Medusa thought.
"Your evolution this time was perfect," Xiao Yan suddenly said, breaking the silence.
Medusa's voice was lazy, as though she had little strength left. "It was thanks to the pills you prepared for me, as well as your Myriad Beast Spirit Flame. Your control over fire is exceptional. Otherwise, it would not have gone so smoothly."
"Since that's the case, can I make a request of you?" Xiao Yan seized the opening.
Medusa gave a soft, indifferent "Mm..."
Xiao Yan said directly, "Because I temper my body, I need some of your Heart Blood Essence."
Medusa fell silent for a moment before saying, "That was one of the reasons you went all out to help me evolve, wasn't it?"
Xiao Yan did not deny it. "Yes."
Medusa did not press further. Instead, she said, "Fine. Give me a month to recover. Then I'll extract some Heart Blood Essence for you."
"Works for me. During this month, I'll finish the transaction completely and use up as many of your Snake-People Tribe's medicinal ingredients as possible," Xiao Yan agreed.
Suddenly, he thought of something and asked Medusa, "How far did your bloodline and cultivation advance in this evolution? I can roughly guess your bloodline, but I can't sense your cultivation clearly."
At the mention of this, delight flashed through Medusa's eyes, and her lips curled. "As for my bloodline, I evolved into an ancient magical beast, the Nine-Colored Heaven-Swallowing Python. Because of my cultivation, it has not awakened yet, but its potential is extraordinary. There will be no more bottlenecks below the Dou Saint realm. Even becoming the legendary Dou Emperor may not be impossible."
"As for my cultivation, thanks to your preparations and your precise control of the Heavenly Flames, you drew in a massive amount of natural energy. After absorbing it, my cultivation rose from Peak Dou Emperor to Four-Star Dou Zong. And because my bloodline is so powerful, even Dou Zongs several stars above me would not be my match!"
"The Snake-People Tribe no longer needs to remain confined to this remote desert!"
"Four-Star Dou Zong?" Xiao Yan's mouth fell open, and he could not help feeling intensely envious.
When Medusa had been at Peak Dou Emperor, he could contend with her using his own strength, and might even have defeated her.
But now that Medusa was a Four-Star Dou Zong with the bloodline of the Nine-Colored Heaven-Swallowing Python, even if Yao Lao possessed him, he likely would not be her match.
Medusa stood up and said with feigned calmness, "I'm going to recuperate. You needn't take what happened between us to heart. I do not require you to take responsibility. You can simply pretend that nothing happened."
"If you feel that you suffered a loss, then I... I have no solution for that. Endure it yourself."
She left with a slight stagger. Halfway there, she suddenly transmitted her voice to Xiao Yan. "I left the Green Lotus Core Flame at... You can take it whenever you wish."
After saying that, Medusa flashed away, stepping through the air as she departed.
Xiao Yan sat up, his eyes gleaming, and clapped his hands sharply.
He had nearly forgotten. Although Medusa could gain several stars of cultivation in a single evolution, he was no worse off.
Once he absorbed the Green Lotus Core Flame, his own advancement would certainly be substantial!
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