Seven-Colored Heaven-Swallowing Python

"It is truly good to have a fine teacher."

Gu He watched Xiao Yan with eyes full of envy; he had struggled and clawed his way from a mere alchemist apprentice to a second-tier alchemist, which he had once thought was his limit.

Fortunately, he had gained the appreciation of the then-president of the Alchemist Guild, who opened the guild's resources to him, allowing him to advance rapidly to become a fourth-tier alchemist in his twenties and win the championship of the Alchemist Tournament. Later, after meeting the old sect leader Yun Shan, he relied on the Misty Cloud Sect to reach his current level as a high-tier sixth-tier alchemist.

Yet Xiao Yan, with a master's guidance, had already become a second or third-tier alchemist in just a year or two; by the time he reached his own age, he would likely have far surpassed him!

"Everyone has their own destiny; it cannot be forced."

Gu He comforted himself with this thought before stepping forward with Yao Lao to stand on either side of the Ice Spirit Cold Spring pool.

Their soul power spread out, carefully manipulating the Earth Fire Lotus Platform to release the Green Lotus Core Flame bound within.

"Master Green Fire, your soul power far exceeds mine. I shall assist you in controlling the Green Lotus Core Flame; please feel free to command my soul power as you wish!"

Gu He's soul fluctuations reached the air, and Yao Lao clearly received the message.

How truly sincere.

If he had any malicious intent and tampered with their soul connection, Gu He would be finished for life, but having finally encountered such a "foolish" lad, perhaps...

"Very well!"

In truth, Gu He was gambling. Based on what he had learned from Yun Zimo over the past few days and his own observations of Xiao Yan's character and conduct, he deemed them to be of the highest quality. A man who could teach Xiao Yan could surely not be a villain of great evil!

"It has been so long since I felt such power!"

After absorbing Gu He's soul power, Yao Lao murmured softly; this was the first time he had felt this way since falling into his slumber.

"Focus on sensing the application of the soul path."

After reminding Xiao Yan, Yao Lao manipulated his soul power to carry the Ice Spirit Cold Spring, its layers of mist gently enveloping the Green Lotus Core Flame, which had grown to the size of a human.

"Medusa! Now!"

When the Green Lotus Core Flame was controlled to the necessary degree, Yao Lao roared. Medusa did not hesitate; she flicked her snake tail and charged directly into the Green Lotus Core Flame.

"Hiss~!"

A shrill, mournful snake cry echoed through the heavens as the Green Lotus Core Flame instantly expanded, completely engulfing the ten-zhang-long Purple Nether Flame Snake.

The Purple Nether Flame Snake writhed within the Green Lotus Core Flame, emitting waves of fierce energy. The Snake-Person Tribe elders, Yun Zimo, and the other Dou Emperors immediately moved to intercept.

Hai Bodong vibrated his Dou Qi wings, sending snow flying across the sky. The scorching heat of the desert plummeted rapidly as layers of icy mist covered the area, turning the entire underground island of the Divine Temple and the temple itself into a world of white.

Yao Lao and Gu He continuously used the Ice Spirit Cold Spring to suppress the baleful aura of the Green Lotus Core Flame, preventing a sudden eruption of fire from burning Medusa to ashes.

"Medusa's soul fluctuations are weakening!"

In his augmented state, Yao Lao clearly perceived the situation within the Green Lotus Core Flame.

"Medusa, steady your mind! Gather your blood energy and spirit, and sense the call from the deepest depths of your bloodline!"

Yao Lao silently recalled the Fallen God Ice Plains of his past; how similar his near-consumption by the Bone Chilling Flame was to Medusa's current state!

He sent the soul fluctuation into the Green Lotus Core Flame, though he did not know if the delirious Medusa could hear him.

They burned her for the better part of a day, and Medusa's hissing gradually faded, her Dou Emperor aura even beginning to wane.

Yao Lao, who had been continuously calling out to Medusa with his soul voice, also sensed the increasingly dire situation.

"One must pass through death to find life!"

Yao Lao suddenly seemed to realize something. Gritting his teeth, he poured all his soul power into the Green Lotus Core Flame. This acted like adding fuel to a fire, and the power of the Green Lotus Core Flame surged violently.

"Master Green Fire!"

Gu He's soul fluctuated; he did not know what Yao Lao was doing, but being powerless to intervene, he could only maintain his output of soul power and struggle to control the Green Lotus Core Flame.

"Boom!"

Under the scorching heat of the Green Lotus Core Flame, the body of the Purple Nether Flame Snake became charred and unrecognizable, with the faint scent of cooked meat drifting out, until Medusa's aura completely vanished from everyone's perception.

The elders of the Snake-Person Tribe turned pale, their expressions turning frantic as they prepared to charge forward.

"Wait longer!"

Yun Zimo and his three clones stood at the four cardinal points, swords drawn. As their sword qi crisscrossed, they shouted with voices imbued with soul power.

"These hateful humans!"

Yan Ci stared fixedly at the humans, and Yin Shi's eyes were cold, waiting only for the command of the four great elders!

Just as the two sides stood on the brink of conflict, everyone suddenly froze, looking up toward the ground above the temple.

A melodic, ancient song seemed to drift through time and space from the distant past.

Every snake-person in the Holy City seemed to sense something; they all knelt before the statue of Medusa, chanting the war song of the Snake-Person Tribe.

"Hm?"

Yao Lao's expression suddenly hardened. What was that just now... what exactly was Medusa trying to do?!

"Rumble!"

In the depths of the desert, where the sky had been clear for days, pitch-black thunderclouds drifted from nowhere, layering themselves like a nine-story black pagoda over the Holy City of the Snake-Person Tribe.

Silver snakes of lightning danced between the layers of clouds, weaving together as they clawed and snarled, as if to destroy the tiny insects on the earth who dared to look directly at the might of the heavens!

Silver-white lightning pierced through the roof of the Divine Temple like a pillar of light, striking the charred snake body enveloped in cyan flames; the dazzling silver radiance forced everyone to instinctively squint their eyes.

Before the ear-piercing thunder had even dissipated, the clouds covering the sky vanished, and sunlight once again shone through the hole in the roof into the depths of the Divine Temple.

Thick cyan mist overflowed from the cyan flames, subsequently spreading out to shroud the entire Snake-Person Holy City.

"This mist can actually isolate soul power!"

Gu He's soul power was forcibly pushed back into his body, and when he tried to probe outward again, it was blocked within three feet by the cyan mist.

"Splash! Clatter!"

As if something had been heavily dropped into the remaining puddle of Ice Spirit Cold Spring, everyone cautiously crept forward, vaguely seeing a pitch-black, long-shaped object lying in the shallow pool, with eerie white frost clinging to it, revealing tiny, dense snake scales that were black beneath a white sheen.

Snake scales?!

"Your Majesty Queen!"

The Snake-Person Tribe elder shouted in panic; Queen Medusa's bloodline had not yet been continued, so Her Majesty must not meet with any mishap!

"Crack!"

Just as the Snake-Person Tribe elder was about to rush forward, a crisp cracking sound emanated from the cyan mist, causing everyone's footsteps to come to an abrupt halt.

"Crack! Crack-crack!"

The crisp cracking sounds grew louder and louder, like the sound of something breaking out of a shell, plucking at the heartstrings of the Snake-Person Tribe elders.

A vast, terrifying aura surged into the sky and then spread outward; the suppression from deep within their bloodlines forced every snake-person in the Holy City to kneel on the ground.

"Queen... Your Majesty Queen!"

The trembling yet joyful voices of the snake-people spread throughout the Holy City, but upon hearing the cheers that shook the heavens, those at the bottom of the Divine Temple were not so optimistic.

"Is... is this Her Majesty the Queen?!"

As the vast aura retracted into the depths, everyone looked at the tiny snake shadow circling in mid-air, glancing at each other in bewilderment.

"Its body is seven-colored, its pupils shimmer with purple, and its form emits a strange fragrance..."

Yao Lao said softly, then looked at the pitch-black snake body and shook his head with a sigh.

"Queen Medusa is indeed a person of great resolve!"

"Master Green Fire! Her Majesty, she, what is this..."

Hearing Yao Lao speak, the Great Elder of the Snake-Person Tribe bowed respectfully and asked.

"By taking one from a twin egg and merging two hearts into one, Medusa has indeed successfully undergone atavism to become the legendary Seven-Colored Heaven-Swallowing Python!"

Yao Lao's soul power extended, gently bringing the little snake before the group.

The little snake was barely an inch long, its entire body covered in dense seven-colored scales, its snake pupils shimmering with a hint of purple; though its body was no longer than a finger, it was filled with an air of elegance and nobility.

Circling the ball of soul light that enveloped it, the little snake hissed softly at the group, its large eyes gazing curiously at the strange creatures outside the light sphere that were not quite like itself.

"This, this..."

The Great Elder's mouth twitched slightly; although this little snake looked very similar to the image of the Seven-Colored Heaven-Swallowing Python recorded in the tribe's ancient texts.

But this silly appearance didn't look much like the usually noble, cold, and decisive Queen Medusa!

"Look there again, perhaps there will be another surprise!"

Yao Lao spoke suddenly, and the Snake-Person Tribe elder hurriedly ran to the frost-white snake body to observe it carefully.

"This... what is this?!"

A seven-colored snake egg lay quietly within the pitch-black snake body...