Second Round, Medusa's Advancement

By the pool, Medusa picked up her purple brocade robe and put it back on, her expression unreadable.

Nearby, Xiao Yan lay with his head resting on the ground, staring at the sky with an indescribable look on his face.

There was pleasure, exhaustion, lingering satisfaction—but more than anything, sadness and self-reproach.

He had kept himself for nearly eighteen years, only for his first time to suddenly be taken by a woman he had known for less than a month. For some reason, he even felt like he could relate to prostitutes who had just entered the trade.

Normally, this time had been meant for him and Xiao Xun'er to share their first night together, but instead...

"Sigh..." Xiao Yan let out a sigh.

The only thing that comforted him somewhat was that Medusa had been the same as him.

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 only just completed her evolution, and her body was at its most energy-starved state.

Meanwhile, he possessed the [Myriad Beast] talent. The allure his blood held for magical beasts went without saying. It was only natural that Medusa could not restrain herself, especially when he had taken the initiative to approach her.

But if he was to blame, he had only been trying to help. 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 for that missing fraction that Medusa's evolution this time had been so flawless.

Thinking back to Medusa when she had still been in her little snake form, Xiao Yan belatedly realized something important.

Medusa had not evolved into the Seven-Colored Heaven-Swallowing Python from the original story. She had gone a step further and become a Nine-Colored Heaven-Swallowing Python.

However, it seemed that Medusa's cultivation was still too low to support the strength of her bloodline, causing the nine-colored bloodline to remain hidden.

Of the nine colors on her body, seven were rich and complete, while the remaining two appeared faint.

Xiao Yan felt that once Medusa broke through to Dou Saint, her bloodline should naturally awaken in full.

"Were you unwilling?" Medusa suddenly asked coldly, an unconscious Dou Zong aura spreading from her body.

Xiao Yan looked at her without the slightest fear and nodded honestly. "You do not have a partner, but I do. After what you did, I do not even know what I am supposed to do afterward."

Medusa choked on her words, and a nameless fury immediately rose in her heart.

She was the Snake-People Tribe's Queen Medusa, whose beauty was renowned throughout the Northwest Continent. Countless experts would willingly become lapdogs beneath her skirts.

Now that this brat had gotten his hands on her, he actually wore an expression as though he had suffered a loss.

The Snake-People Tribe was famously loyal to their partners, taking only one for life.

By a twist of fate, she had now given herself to Xiao Yan. Naturally, she could never seek another man.

Yet Xiao Yan was still thinking about other women. Why should he?

Medusa knew that such thoughts were utterly unreasonable. She could not force her own standards upon someone else.

But she was still unhappy. The more unwilling Xiao Yan seemed, the more unhappy she became.

Medusa only felt stifled 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 expert.

Having become a Dou Zong, if she still had to endure such aggravation, what was the difference from not becoming one at all?

Looking at Xiao Yan's sturdy, flawless body, still warm with lingering heat, she ignored the minor wounds on her body, endured her soreness, and launched another attack.

Xiao Yan's eyes widened. "What are you doing?"

"Yes!" Medusa answered in a huff. Lowering her head to look down at Xiao Yan, her jade-like foot pressed down.

It had burned out.

Completely burned out.

Nothing remained but ashes.

Xiao Yan was certain that if his physical body had not been far stronger than normal, and if he had ever slacked off in his body training, he might have been reduced to skin and bones by now.

As for Medusa, she was not doing much better either.

Her head rested on Xiao Yan's chest as it rose and fell with her slow breaths.

In that tranquil, peaceful moment, Medusa unexpectedly found herself enjoying it, and some of the negative emotions in her heart gradually faded away.

She had originally intended to remain alone for her entire life. Xiao Yan's appearance had only been an unexpected interlude.

If Xiao Yan did not wish to have anything to do with her, then she would treat all of this 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 flames is exceptionally good. Otherwise, it would not have gone so smoothly."

"In that case, can I make a request of you?" Xiao Yan immediately seized the opening.

Medusa gave a faint "Mm."

Xiao Yan said directly, "Because of my body training, I need some of your heart's blood essence."

Medusa fell silent for a moment before saying, "That was also 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 and instead said, "Fine. Give me one month to recover. Then I will draw some blood essence from my heart for you."

"Works for me. Over this month, I will completely finish the transaction 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 infer the bloodline, but I cannot clearly sense your cultivation."

At the mention of this, delight flashed through Medusa's eyes, and her lips curved upward. "As for my bloodline, I evolved into an ancient exotic beast, the Nine-Colored Heaven-Swallowing Python. However, due to my cultivation, it has not awakened yet. Still, its potential is extraordinary. There will be no more bottlenecks below Dou Saint, and even 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 a four-star Dou Zong. And because my bloodline is so powerful, even Dou Zongs several stars above me are no match for me!"

"The Snake-People Tribe will no longer have to remain confined to this remote desert!"

"A four-star Dou Zong?" Xiao Yan's mouth fell slightly open, and he could not help but feel envious.

When Medusa had been at peak Dou Emperor, he could contend with her using his own strength, perhaps even defeat her in battle.

But now that Medusa was a four-star Dou Zong with the Nine-Colored Heaven-Swallowing Python bloodline, he feared that even if Yao Lao possessed him, he would not be her match.

Medusa stood up and said with feigned calmness, "This Queen is going to recuperate. You need not take what happened between us to heart. This Queen does not require you to take responsibility. You may simply pretend that none of it ever happened."

"If you think you suffered a loss, then this Queen... this Queen has no solution for that. Endure it yourself."

She left with a slight stagger. Halfway there, she suddenly transmitted her voice to Xiao Yan. "This Queen placed the Green Lotus Core Flame at... You may take it whenever you wish."

With that, Medusa's figure flashed, and she stepped into the void before departing.

Xiao Yan sat up, his eyes shining as he slapped his hands together.

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 definitely be considerable!