Medusa

On Xiao Jie's side, the three of them flew toward the Snake-People Holy City deep in the desert, openly releasing the auras of a Dou Emperor and a Dou Wang. They did not stop even when passing Snake-People Tribe settlements. Their objective was clear: to find Queen Medusa in the Snake-People Holy City. They maintained high-speed flight, hoping to arrive as quickly as possible, finish their business, and leave this dangerous desert interior at once.

After flying through the desert for over an hour, Xiao Jie and the other two finally saw the Snake-People Holy City in the distance. Beneath them was no longer a desert containing nothing but sand; countless enormous boulders surrounded the distant city. Its walls stood tall, with a Snake-People guard stationed every few meters, each holding a spear and staring straight ahead. Armored patrols carrying broadswords also marched atop the walls. The two kinds of guards patrolled the city without interfering with one another. The gates below remained tightly shut. Several tamed low-tier eagle-type magical beasts circled above the city as aerial scouts, their sharp eyes sweeping back and forth outside the walls. Even the slightest disturbance several miles away would likely be spotted by those beasts, prompting an alarm.

From afar, the buildings within the Snake-People Holy City displayed a style unlike that of the Jia Ma Empire. Cylindrical structures dominated the city, with Snake-People statues erected atop them. The closer one got to the city center, the taller the statues became. In the central plaza stood statues nearly a hundred meters high. These Snake-People statues took varied poses—some raised their heads, some extended their hands, some opened their mouths wide, and some held weapons—different in form yet united in style.

"Screech..."

In the silent desert, a sharp whistling sound suddenly approached from afar. The distant Snake-People guards had clearly discovered Xiao Jie and the others through the giant eagles atop the city and fired an arrow as a warning.

At the same time, within the Snake-People Holy City, inside its grandest and most magnificent palace, a Snake-People woman stood silently in a luxurious purple brocade robe. Her body beneath the robe was full and exquisitely curved, like a ripe peach tempting one to drool. Her long black hair cascaded over her smooth, fragrant shoulders all the way down to her hips. Her slender waist swayed gently, while a section of purple snake tail protruded from beneath her robe and slowly waved. She possessed a wild charm even more seductive and bewitching than Yue Mei's, enough to make one's entire body burn for no reason. A weak person might be ruled by desire after only one glance at her.

She suddenly vanished from where she stood. When she appeared again, she was already above the city, facing Xiao Jie and the others from afar. Her red lips parted slightly as she spoke.

"Human, trespassing into the territory of my Snake-People Tribe comes at a price."

Xiao Jie's gaze swept across her nearly flawless body before finally settling on her stunningly beautiful face. A nameless fire immediately rose in his heart. Only after seeing this woman in person did Xiao Jie truly understand why so many neighboring nations claimed that Queen Medusa's fearsome reputation rivaled her beauty. With such peerless looks and such formidable cultivation, she truly deserved to be called the greatest beauty among the surrounding nations.

Her beauty could only be described as bewitching. Yet beneath that alluring appearance lay a noble, frosty, and dignified bearing. That dignified aura of someone in a position of power was especially impossible to resist.

Compared to her, even Yue Mei, the alluring snake woman who had originally been considered a top-tier beauty, was dimmed by several degrees beneath her radiance.

"Your Majesty!"

The moment this seductive woman appeared, a sea of Snake-People guards knelt atop the walls. Their voices, filled with boundless reverence, pierced the heavens and lingered throughout the desert.

Xiao Jie looked toward Queen Medusa, who had appeared abruptly above the city, and muttered.

"So that is Queen Medusa, whose beauty and fearsome name have spread throughout the surrounding nations? She truly is a peerless beauty."

"That is right. She is Queen Medusa, a peak Dou Emperor powerhouse. Her strength is extraordinarily formidable, and her methods are cruel. Back then, it was that woman who sealed me."

Hai Bodong spoke with a grave expression beside Xiao Jie.

"Brother Xiao, Brother Hai, we are already deep within Snake-People territory. We must be doubly careful."

Shi Jian looked even more solemn, his entire body taut as if facing a great enemy.

Above the Snake-People Holy City, another pretty and glamorous female Dou Wang appeared behind Queen Medusa. She was Hua She'er, captain of the Medusa Snake Guard.

"Hehe, I have long heard that Queen Medusa's beauty and fearsome name have spread across the surrounding nations. Seeing you today, I find the rumors entirely true. I have witnessed the truth of your beauty, but I wonder—what exactly is so fearsome about your reputation?" Xiao Jie said with a light laugh to Queen Medusa.

Queen Medusa did not grow angry upon hearing Xiao Jie's frivolous tone. Instead, her red lips curled into a faint arc. In an instant, her exquisite face became utterly enchanting, and a mere smile or frown was enough to leave Hai Bodong and Shi Jian, a Dou Emperor and a Dou Wang, dazzled and spellbound. Then she spoke.

"I wonder what sort of confidence makes a mere peak four-star Dou Emperor dare speak to me in that tone. Let me weigh your abilities, then. You had better last a while. Do not let me beat you to death in just a few moves. It has been a long time since I encountered someone as bold as you, so let me have some fun. And you, Hai Bodong. I spared your life decades ago, yet you dare return? Then stay in this desert forever!"

Before her words had even faded, Queen Medusa had already charged at Xiao Jie.

"Haha, then Your Majesty can rest assured. I, Xiao, am certainly tough enough. Today, I will let you enjoy yourself to the fullest."

As Queen Medusa rushed toward him, Xiao Jie charged forward as well, not forgetting to tease Medusa.

Deep cyan flames wrapped around Xiao Jie as he rushed at Queen Medusa and struck out with his palm. Sensing the exceptionally scorching flames, Queen Medusa's vertical pupils abruptly contracted. Dou Qi surged through her body, and she answered with a palm strike of her own.

After their brief probing exchange, Queen Medusa stood to one side of the sky and said to Xiao Jie.

"Heavenly Flames?"

"Hehe, it seems Queen Medusa is indeed well informed. The flames in my hand are indeed Heavenly Flames."

"Hmph. Do not think Heavenly Flames can make up for the gap of several stars between us. Since you have come, you shall stay here!"

After saying that, Queen Medusa charged at Xiao Jie again. Once she learned that Xiao Jie possessed Heavenly Flames, she became even more determined to keep him here. She had been trapped at the peak of the Dou Emperor realm for far too long. Every moment, she dreamed of breaking through her shackles and advancing to Dou Zong, leading the Snake-People Tribe away from this harsh desert environment. From countless ancient texts, she had found a method: use the cleansing power of Heavenly Flames to destroy and rebuild herself, breaking free of the restraint imposed by her companion magical beast's soul and thereby advancing to Dou Zong. Therefore, she had to obtain the Heavenly Flames on this man!

High in the sky, Medusa charged at Xiao Jie once more, and Xiao Jie did not yield. He activated Flame Step, a low-grade Xuan Tier movement Dou Technique, as well as Crimson Flame Palm, a Profound-tier Mid-grade palm Dou Technique. Xiao Jie left only a flaming afterimage behind where he had stood, appearing before Queen Medusa the next instant and launching another palm strike. Queen Medusa answered with another strike as well.

However, in that hasty exchange, Queen Medusa suffered a slight disadvantage. The force from their clashing palms sent her flying back over ten meters through the air, while Xiao Jie retreated only seven or eight meters. This brief probing clash ended with Xiao Jie holding a slight upper hand.