Medusa

As for Xiao Jie and his group, the three of them made no attempt to conceal the auras belonging to a Dou Emperor and a Dou King as they flew toward the Snake-People Holy City deep within the desert. They did not even pause when passing by various Snake-People tribes. Their objective was clear: to head to the Holy City and seek out Queen Medusa. Thus, they maintained high-speed flight, aiming to arrive as quickly as possible so they could finish their business and leave this dangerous, deep desert.

After flying through the desert for over an hour, the three finally caught sight of the Snake-People Holy City in the distance. The ground beneath them was no longer just sand; it was surrounded by numerous massive boulders encircling the city. The city walls were towering, with a Snake-People guard standing every few meters, holding a long spear and staring straight ahead. Atop the walls, patrol squads clad in armor and wielding broadswords kept watch. The two types of guards patrolled the city without interfering with one another. The city gates were tightly shut, and above the city, several tamed, low-tier eagle-type magical beasts acted as scouts. These large birds circled back and forth, their sharp, hawklike eyes scanning the area outside the city. It was likely that any slight movement within several miles would be detected by these beasts, triggering an immediate alarm.

Viewed from afar, the architecture within the Holy City was built in a style distinct from that of the Jia Ma Empire. It was dominated by cylindrical structures, each topped with a statue of a Snake-Person. The closer one looked toward the center of the city, the taller these statues became. In the central plaza, there stood a statue nearly a hundred meters high. These statues varied in form—some looking upward, some reaching out, some with mouths wide open, and others brandishing weapons—each unique in its own way.

"Chirp..."

In the quiet desert, the sound of wind being torn apart suddenly rang out from afar. It was clear that the Snake-People guards had already spotted the trio via the giant eagles above the city, firing a warning arrow to signal them.

At the same time, inside the most magnificent and grand palace of the Holy City, a female Snake-Person dressed in luxurious purple robes stood silently. Beneath the robes, her body was full and exquisite, as tempting as a ripe peach. A cascade of long black hair flowed over her smooth shoulders down to her hips. As she swayed her slender waist, a section of her purple snake tail peeked out from beneath the robes, undulating slowly. Her wild, bewitching aura, even more alluring than that of Yue Mei, made one's body heat up inexplicably; those with weak willpower might be completely dominated by desire at a single glance.

She suddenly vanished from where she stood, reappearing atop the city walls to gaze at Xiao Jie and the others from afar. Her red lips parted slightly as she spoke.

"Humans, you shall pay the price for trespassing into the territory of my Snake-People tribe."

Xiao Jie's gaze swept over that near-perfect figure before finally resting on her stunning, peerless face. A nameless fire instantly surged in his heart. Only after seeing this woman in person did Xiao Jie finally understand why the surrounding nations claimed Queen Medusa's reputation for ferocity was matched only by her beauty. With such a breathtaking appearance combined with such formidable cultivation, she was truly worthy of being called the greatest beauty among the surrounding nations.

The beauty of this woman could only be described as enchanting. Yet, beneath this seductive exterior lay a noble, cold, and graceful temperament—a sense of high-status majesty that made one unable to look away.

Compared to her, even the naturally alluring Yue Mei seemed to dim under such radiance.

"Your Majesty!"

Following the appearance of this enchanting woman, the Snake-People guards on the walls knelt in a dense, dark mass. A chorus of voices filled with immense reverence pierced the clouds, lingering in the desert for a long time.

Xiao Jie looked at the Queen Medusa who had appeared so abruptly atop the city and muttered to himself.

"So that is Queen Medusa, whose fame for beauty and ferocity has spread across all the surrounding nations? Truly a peerless beauty of the mortal realm."

"That is correct. She is Queen Medusa, a peak Dou Emperor powerhouse. Her strength is immense and her methods are ruthless. Years ago, it was she who sealed me."

Hai Bodong, standing beside Xiao Jie, said with a grave expression.

"Brother Xiao, Brother Hai, we are deep within the heart of the Snake-People territory now. We must be doubly careful."

Shi Jian, looking as if he were facing a formidable enemy, had his entire body tensed and his expression solemn.

Atop the Holy City, another delicate and beautiful female powerhouse of the Dou King level appeared behind Queen Medusa. She was Hua She'er, the captain of the Medusa Snake Guard.

"Heh, I have long heard that Queen Medusa's reputation for ferocity and beauty has spread across the surrounding nations. Seeing you today, I realize the rumors are true. I have witnessed the beauty, but I wonder, how does the ferocity compare?" Xiao Jie said with a light laugh toward Queen Medusa.

Queen Medusa did not show anger at Xiao Jie's flippant tone. Instead, her red lips curled into a faint arc. In an instant, her exquisite face became filled with an enchanting aura. Her every smile and movement left even the two powerhouses, Hai Bodong and Shi Jian, dazed and mesmerized! She then spoke.

"I wonder what kind of confidence allows a mere four-star peak Dou Emperor like you to speak to me in such a tone? Let me weigh your worth. You had better hold on for a while; don't let me kill you in just a few strikes. It has been a long time since I met someone as bold as you. Let me play with you a little longer. And you, Hai Bodong—I spared your life decades ago, yet you dare to return? Then this time, stay in the depths of this desert forever!"

Before her voice had even faded, Queen Medusa had already charged toward Xiao Jie.

"Haha, please rest assured, Your Majesty. I, Xiao, am quite resilient. Today, I shall let you play to your heart's content."

As Queen Medusa rushed toward him, Xiao Jie also charged forward, not forgetting to tease her as he did so.

Xiao Jie was enveloped in a deep cyan flame as he lunged toward Queen Medusa and struck with his palm. Sensing the abnormally scorching heat of the flame, Queen Medusa's vertical pupils suddenly constricted. She channeled her Dou Qi and struck back with a palm of her own.

After a brief, probing clash, Queen Medusa stood on one side of the sky and said to Xiao Jie.

"Heavenly Flame?"

"Heh, it seems Queen Medusa is quite knowledgeable. The flame in my hand is indeed a Heavenly Flame."

"Hmph, do not think that a Heavenly Flame can bridge the gap of several stars between us. Since you have come, you shall stay!"

After saying this, Queen Medusa charged at Xiao Jie again. Knowing he possessed a Heavenly Flame only strengthened her resolve to keep him. She had been trapped at the peak of the Dou Emperor realm for too long and dreamed of breaking the shackles to reach the Dou Ancestor realm, so she could lead her people out of this harsh desert. She had found a method in ancient texts: to use the baptism of a Heavenly Flame to break and then rebuild, shattering the shackles of her innate beast soul to advance to the Dou Ancestor realm. Therefore, she had to obtain the Heavenly Flame on this man!

High in the sky, Queen Medusa rushed at Xiao Jie once more. Xiao Jie did not show weakness. He activated his Xuan-tier low-level movement Dou Technique, Flame Step, and his Xuan-tier mid-level palm Dou Technique, Crimson Flame Palm. He left only a fiery afterimage behind, appearing before Queen Medusa in the next instant to strike with his palm again. Queen Medusa returned the blow.

However, in this hurried exchange, Queen Medusa suffered a slight disadvantage. The force of their palms colliding sent her retreating over ten meters in the air, while Xiao Jie only retreated seven or eight. This brief, probing clash ended with Xiao Jie holding a slight upper hand.