However, Xiao Jie knew he could not keep dragging this out. One or two probes were enough. It was time to get serious. Thus, he spoke to Medusa, who was likewise suspended in the air.
"Hehe, I wonder whether Queen Medusa is satisfied with my current strength? Your Majesty, there is no need to keep using such pointless probing tactics to stall for time. I know what you are thinking—you merely want to delay until the leaders of the Snake-People Tribe's other eight tribes arrive and keep me here, correct? I do not fear them, but I would rather avoid unnecessary trouble. I estimate those eight tribal leaders will need another half an hour to arrive. Let us finish this battle within that time!"
With that, Xiao Jie raised his right hand. Fire-attribute energy rapidly gathered in his palm. This was the Earth-tier Low-grade Dou Technique he used most often—Heaven-Burning Palm! For someone like Xiao Jie, who possessed Heavenly Flames, this palm technique was exceptionally powerful. An Earth-tier Low-grade Dou Technique could unleash power beyond its original rank. It came from the same source as the Heaven-Burning Fist and Heaven-Burning Finger, and was said to burn heaven and earth, shatter mountains and rivers with a single palm!
The moment Xiao Jie raised his right hand, everyone present could feel the nearby fire-attribute energy rushing toward it. Several seconds later, he thrust out his palm, and a massive dark-green flaming hand shot through the sky at Queen Medusa with astonishing speed!
Queen Medusa had already noticed the changes in the surrounding fire-attribute energy when Xiao Jie raised his hand. Watching it pour into his right hand, she refused to be outdone and raised her own hand, unleashing the Snake-People Tribe's signature Dou Technique—the Deep-tier Advanced Dou Technique, Myriad Serpent Devour! Countless slender purple snakes immediately appeared in the void, wrapping around the massive flaming hand charging toward Queen Medusa from every direction!
Above the sky, the two Dou Techniques collided, producing a crackling series of explosions. Yet Xiao Jie's technique seemed to be stronger. A damaged flaming hand, left with only half a palm and two fingers, continued charging toward Queen Medusa without slowing, carrying its remaining energy. Queen Medusa's expression changed, and she flashed away from the damaged flaming hand's energy lock. With a thunderous boom, the space where she had just stood seemed to ripple under the force of that flaming palm!
Queen Medusa's expression turned rather ugly. She had not expected this man's Dou Technique to become so powerful when combined with a Heavenly Flame. That strike had clearly reached the limit of a Dou Emperor.
The Heaven-Burning Palm was naturally so powerful because of the enhancement from Xiao Jie's Heavenly Flame. The Mysterious Yellow Lotus Core Flame, formed by devouring and fusing three Heavenly Flames, possessed strength that could at least rank among the top fifteen on the Heavenly Flame Ranking. When used to execute the Heaven-Burning Palm, it elevated the palm technique's power to that of an Earth-tier High-grade Dou Technique, while consuming only the Dou Qi of an Earth-tier Low-grade Dou Technique. Xiao Jie was quite satisfied with this, so he smiled at Queen Medusa again.
"If Queen Medusa's strength is only at this level, then it seems you will not be able to keep me here today. That is truly rather disappointing, Miss Xiao. I came all the way to the Snake-People Holy City in the depths of the Tager Desert not only to witness Your Majesty Queen Medusa's beauty, but more importantly to test your strength. It seems I overestimated you. Your fierce reputation does not appear worthy of your renowned beauty."
Xiao Jie spoke again, intending to provoke Queen Medusa into revealing her full strength. He knew that Medusa's scales would take on seven-colored hues in her strongest battle state, rather than remaining as they were now.
Sure enough, upon hearing Xiao Jie's contemptuous tone, Queen Medusa could no longer maintain her graceful and regal bearing. Colorful Dou Qi emerged around her body, while her eyes became brilliantly multicolored, dreamlike as glazed crystal. Her long black hair transformed into countless small snakes that danced and hissed through the air. A pair of fangs emerged from her mouth, and the section of snake tail beneath her purple brocade robe took on seven-colored hues as well.
Then Queen Medusa's still-seductive voice rang out.
"Boy, every human who has seen me like this has been killed by me. You will be the next!"
With that, Queen Medusa roared at Xiao Jie, and an invisible soundwave surged toward him. A dark-green flaming barrier appeared before Xiao Jie, and he opened his mouth as well, responding with the soundwave Dou Technique Mad Dragon Roar. This was the first time Xiao Jie had used the Earth-tier Low-grade soundwave Dou Technique since learning it. Furthermore, due to the Yin Yang Profound Dragon Pill he had consumed, the technique contained a trace of draconic might.
The two invisible soundwaves collided in midair, twisting the surrounding space. Immediately afterward, an immense burst of energy exploded from the center of the collision, and a deafening boom resounded throughout the entire Tager Desert.
From all directions across the Tager Desert, eight Snake-People Tribe experts at least at the Dou Wang level saw the explosion rising from the depths of the desert. They accelerated once more, racing toward the Snake-People Holy City at even greater speed.
In the sky above the Snake-People Holy City, Medusa appeared to have gained the upper hand in the soundwave clash between her and Xiao Jie.
Xiao Jie let out a muffled groan the moment the two energies collided, then staggered back several steps. Medusa, by contrast, had merely retreated half a step.
After all, Xiao Jie was only a Four-Star Dou Emperor, while Queen Medusa had been at the Peak Dou Emperor realm for a long time. Though he had the advantage of Heavenly Flames and high-tier Dou Techniques, he still could not make up for such a gap. The reason his earlier Heaven-Burning Palm had forced Queen Medusa back was that Medusa had not used her full strength. Furthermore, Xiao Jie had the advantage of the Mystic Yellow Lotus Heart Flame, which restrained yin-attributed serpentine creatures like Medusa, along with the power of an Earth-tier Dou Technique. That was how he had gained the advantage.
But now that Queen Medusa had gotten serious, Xiao Jie immediately fell into a disadvantage. Fortunately, his soul realm was powerful. Otherwise, that blow alone would have seriously injured him. In a place like this, serious injury led down only one path—death. Seeing Xiao Jie at a disadvantage, Shi Jian and Hai Bodong called out worriedly.
"Brother Xiao, are you all right? If you cannot hold on, we should leave immediately! It will not be long before the Snake-People Tribe leaders from the other eight tribes arrive!"
"That's right, Brother Xiao. We do not have much time. We must leave this place quickly."
As they spoke, they moved to intervene. The Dou Wang Hua She'er blocked Hai Bodong, while another Dou Wang-level expert rapidly approached from nearby. It was Yue Mei, the enchantress serpent who had first discovered Xiao Jie's group of three. Seeing the situation, she immediately stepped forward to stop Shi Jian from interfering in the battle between Xiao Jie and Medusa.
Out of the corner of his eye, Xiao Jie saw that one Snake-People Tribe leader had already arrived. The other seven would likely be here soon as well. Taking a deep breath, he spoke to Queen Medusa.
"It seems this sparring match must end here. Then let us decide the victor! Green Lotus Transformation!"
Xiao Jie's tone gradually shifted from lazy and casual to grave. The instant his words fell, his aura surged from the level of a Four-Star Dou Emperor all the way to that of a Nine-Star Dou Emperor! This was the first transformation of the Heavenly Fire Three-Mysterious Transformation—Green Lotus Transformation! Xiao Jie used the first transformation with an enhanced Green Lotus Core Flame formed by fusing two Green Lotus Core Flames. Two identical Heavenly Flames fused together possessed power sufficient to rank among the top fifteen on the Heavenly Flame Ranking. The first transformation performed with this flame caused Xiao Jie's cultivation to soar by five stars!
Sensing Xiao Jie's suddenly surging cultivation, a flash of shock appeared in Queen Medusa's narrow eyes. She then stared at him as if facing a formidable enemy, because she had already seen him raise his right hand. This time, his hand was not spread open, but clenched tightly into a fist. Yet the same thing happened—nearby fire-attribute energy once again rushed rapidly into his clenched fist, and this time, its absorption speed was clearly faster than when he had executed the palm technique.
Shi Jian, Hai Bodong, and the two Snake-People Dou Wangs all stared at Xiao Jie in the sky with expressions of utter shock.
Sure enough, several seconds later, Xiao Jie's voice rang out once again.
"This fist is called... Burning Heaven!"
Before you continue