Ten Thousand Dragon-Phoenix Pagoda

Cultivation of dual paths entwines at the pagoda's peak, while murderous intent lies hidden in the shadows of Yun Lan.

On the ninth floor of the Ten Thousand Dragon-Phoenix Pagoda, the star-studded dome appeared dreamlike and illusory, circulating with mysterious and brilliant light. The warm jade floor radiated a gentle glow, temperate as spring. The majestic and pure Earth Vein Dragon Qi intertwined with a trace of noble Heavenly Snake aura, transforming into a dense, spiritual mist that silently nourished everyone within, like nectar from a fairyland, moistening all things without a sound.

Queen Medusa sat atop the Seven-Colored Lotus Platform, the rosy light around her body already retracted, making her appear even more noble and mysterious. Her purple-gold eyes were as deep as an abyss, seemingly capable of swallowing all light, with seven-colored divine radiance swirling within them like flickering stars. Her fully awakened Heavenly Snake Supreme bloodline was like a dormant primordial beast; every breath she took caused the energy within the pagoda to rise and fall like a tide, stabilizing the majesty that placed her above all living beings. Yet, beneath this majesty, a trace of extremely faint, though undeniably real, origin fluctuation drifted quietly like an undercurrent beneath a calm lake—it was the residual energy of the Saint's Nirvana rules, left behind when she forcibly annihilated the Nirvana Soul Finger of Gu You Saint and condensed the Seven-Colored Glazed Finger to counterattack. This energy clung to her like a maggot on a bone, entrenched in the deepest part of her bloodline origin, hindering the complete harmony and release of her power.

Xiao Zhan stood by the Mystic Jade Platform. Though his green robes were stained with the dust of travel, he stood tall as a pine, proud and independent. His peak Dou Zong aura was as steady and heavy as a mountain, and the Dragon-Phoenix Dou Qi surged endlessly through his broad, resilient meridians like a rushing river. The exhaustion between his brows had vanished, leaving only a trace of depth and fatigue in the depths of his eyes from the overexertion of his power, yet it also revealed an unyielding will. He keenly sensed that imperceptible, abnormal fluctuation on the lotus platform, much like a hunter catching the trail of his prey.

"Your origin... is ailing?" Xiao Zhan's voice was low and powerful, breaking the silence and tranquility of the pagoda's peak. This was not a question, but a firm statement, as immovable as a mountain.

Queen Medusa's purple-gold eyes lifted slightly, seven-colored light swirling in the depths of her pupils like stars appearing in a dark night sky. Her cold, clear voice betrayed no emotional fluctuation: "A mere remnant of Saintly rules, a minor ailment, not worth worrying about." Having said this, she attempted to use her own power to suppress the abnormal fluctuation, but unexpectedly, the seven-colored light within her body stalled slightly, and she frowned imperceptibly, as if in sharp pain.

"Saintly rules are no trivial matter; their power is treacherous and unpredictable. Forcing a suppression will only damage your origin foundation, leading to endless future trouble." Seeing this, Xiao Zhan stepped forward, his gaze as calm as a pool, deep and resolute. He looked directly into those noble purple-gold eyes and said slowly, "The Dragon-Phoenix Power is supreme in its Yang and hardness, possessing the vitality of nirvana and rebirth. Perhaps we can try to help you channel and refine it, to purge this hidden affliction."

On the other side of the pagoda, Xiao Yan was carefully guiding the Chaos Fire Seed, attempting to integrate it perfectly into the circulation path of the Burning Mantra. Hearing this, his movements paused, a flash of surprise crossing his eyes, as if he were caught off guard by this sudden proposal. Xiao Yi Xian remained immersed in the profound runes of the Ten Thousand Poisons Immortal Record, light swirling in her purple-gold eyes as if she had formed a world of her own, seemingly deaf to the conversation outside, transcending the mundane.

Queen Medusa remained silent, her body beneath the seven-colored palace robes tensing imperceptibly for a moment. To allow a human man to probe the deepest origin of her Supreme bloodline with his Dou Qi? In her long and arrogant life, this was an impossibility, a fantasy. However, the steady power contained within Xiao Zhan's calm gaze, and the tyrannical purifying might the Dragon-Phoenix Power had displayed in the Desert of Buried Immortals, forced her to take this seemingly bold yet reasonable proposal seriously. Though that trace of Nirvana rule was faint, it was like a maggot on a bone, continuously eroding her perfect state; if not eradicated early, it could become a grave disaster.

Time passed quietly in the silent stalemate; a few breaths felt like an eternity.

Finally, in those purple-gold eyes swirling with seven-colored divine light, the cold, frost-like shell cracked, like the surface of ice melting in early spring, revealing an extremely subtle, complex emotion and... a trace of indescribable compromise. She slowly closed her eyes, her cold voice like pearls falling onto a jade plate, crisp yet carrying an imperceptible tension: "...I will trouble you."

Without unnecessary pleasantries or words, Xiao Zhan sat cross-legged before the lotus platform, facing Queen Medusa across the air like two silent statues. He slowly raised his right hand, palm upward, his mind sinking deep into his Dantian. That Dragon-Phoenix Origin Imprint, which had undergone the transformation of nirvana and become even more complex and profound, suddenly ignited like a shining star! A pure, tyrannical, yet warm and vital red-gold Dragon-Phoenix Dou Qi, mixed with a wisp of highly refined Green Lotus Core Flame origin, flowed like a golden stream, slowly spilling from his palm.

This wisp of Dou Qi did not rush directly toward Queen Medusa, but under Xiao Zhan's exquisite control, it transformed into countless energy threads thinner than hair, shimmering with red-gold and cyan-green light. These threads acted like tentacles with a life of their own, probing toward Queen Medusa with extreme caution and slowness, as if testing the unknown ahead.

Hum—!

When the first wisp of red-gold and cyan-green energy thread touched the invisible seven-colored protective light around Medusa's body, space seemed to stagnate for a moment, and time became slow and heavy. The seven-colored light rippled violently, as if a stone had been thrown into a pond! An extremely powerful repulsive force, born from the instinct of the Heavenly Snake Supreme bloodline, erupted like a storm, attempting to repel and annihilate this "intruder"!

"Focus." Xiao Zhan's low voice was like an anchor, steady and powerful, carrying unquestionable majesty. His eyes were tightly shut, yet fine beads of sweat had already seeped from his forehead, glistening in the light, clearly showing he was under immense pressure. Yet, the Dragon-Phoenix Dou Qi output from his palm did not retreat in the slightest; instead, it became even more condensed and gentle. The aura of nirvana vitality within the red-gold light grew richer, like a spring breeze brushing over the restless seven-colored light, conducting the most patient pacification.

The force of repulsion and the intent of pacification—two diametrically opposed powers clashed fiercely on an invisible level, sparking dazzling flames. Time seemed to grow slow and heavy, passing bit by bit.

Xiao Yan had long since stopped his cultivation, holding his breath as he watched the invisible energy contest between his father and the Queen. His palms were clenched, his knuckles white from the force, his eyes filled with tension and anticipation. Xiao Yi Xian was also startled by the subtle yet powerful energy fluctuation; a flash of surprise crossed her purple-gold eyes, before returning to stillness, like a deep, calm pool, without a ripple.

Finally, under Xiao Zhan's persistent "pacification" with the Dragon-Phoenix Holy Might and the vitality of the Green Lotus, the violent seven-colored light around Queen Medusa gradually calmed like a tamed wild horse. The repulsive force receded like an ebbing tide, and the invisible protective energy seemed to open its gates, clearing a tiny path for the red-gold and cyan-green energy threads.

Hiss...

An inaudible sound of energy flow arose, like fine silk passing through the air. Countless fine Dragon-Phoenix energy threads, like the most skillful craftsmen, carefully pierced through the seven-colored light and slowly submerged into Queen Medusa's body, like light rain nourishing parched earth.

The moment the energy threads entered her body!

BOOM—!!!

Both of their souls felt as if they had been thrown into a boiling furnace, undergoing an unprecedented baptism and transformation!

Xiao Zhan felt an indescribable torrent of will, vast as a sea of stars, cold and supremely noble, pouring backward along the slender energy threads! The scene before his eyes changed abruptly; the view of the pagoda's peak was instantly replaced by a boundless, magnificent world flowing with seven-colored light. It was an unconscious reflection of Queen Medusa's bloodline origin, unfolding like a grand scroll before his eyes. He saw the phantom of a giant Seven-Colored Heaven-Swallowing Python swimming freely in the rosy light, its snake eyes cold, yet with a point of dark gold light in the depths that anchored the world, revealing a haughtiness that looked down upon all living things, as well as the hidden confusion and heavy burden brought by the evolution of her bloodline, pressing upon his heart like an invisible mountain.

At the same time, Queen Medusa's consciousness was instantly pulled into a scorching, tyrannical, yet unyieldingly protective gold-red world! It was the depths of Xiao Zhan's Dragon-Phoenix Origin Imprint, a world filled with power and obsession. She witnessed the red-gold Divine Dragon and the cyan-flame Heavenly Phoenix coiling and singing together in the chaotic void, their voices shaking the heavens; she saw burning battlefields and raging fires; she saw the determination and unyielding spirit written on Xiao Yan's youthful face; she saw the Snake-People Tribe oasis swaying in the wind and rain... and she felt that obsession to protect everything around him, erupting time and again in desperate situations, as well as the heavy worry hidden deep within him—a worry he himself had not clearly realized—surging into her heart like a tide.

Their soul origins were exposed to each other without reservation at this moment! No secrets, no disguises, only the most primitive and real torrent of intent and emotion, like two rushing rivers merging together, stirring up monstrous waves.

"Ugh..." Both let out a suppressed groan, their bodies shaking violently! For the first time, an uncontrollable shock and a trace of panic appeared on Queen Medusa's flawless face, like a stone thrown into a calm lake, causing ripples to spread. Xiao Zhan's steady face was also instantly covered by the massive impact, his blood-stained lips pressed tightly together, revealing the pain and pressure he was currently enduring.

Yet, this unprecedented soul fusion also brought unexpected results! The wisp of Nirvana rule energy entrenched in the depths of Medusa's bloodline, under the dual lock of Xiao Zhan's Dragon-Phoenix Dou Qi and the Green Lotus Core Flame origin, and within the "resonance field" formed by the brief intersection of their soul wills, became as clear as ice exposed to the scorching sun, with nowhere to hide!