Queen Medusa and Yao Chen?

After dealing with the earlier trouble, Medusa brought Yao Chen to the guest room where he had stayed last time.

Looking at the familiar room, both Medusa and Yao Chen felt their faces grow slightly flushed.

Yao Chen coughed, breaking the quiet atmosphere.

"Cough..."

"Um... Queen Medusa."

Hearing Yao Chen still address her so formally as Queen Medusa, Medusa wore a faintly disappointed expression.

"Senior, you can just call me Xiao Mei."

As soon as she said it, her face began to burn.

Yao Chen felt embarrassed by her words, so he simply said, "Then I'll call you Xiao Mei from now on. You don't need to be so formal with me, either. I'm probably a little older than you, so just call me Brother Chen."

Yao Chen regretted his words as soon as they left his mouth. The ambiguous atmosphere between him and Medusa made both their faces feel as hot as Heavenly Flames.

Medusa bashfully called out to him.

"Okay, Brother Chen."

After those words, the room's ambiguous atmosphere grew even thicker, and neither of them dared to speak again.

The silence lasted for a quarter of an hour before Yao Chen couldn't stand it any longer and spoke first.

"Xiao Mei, why did the Cloud-Out Empire suddenly attack your Snake-People Tribe?"

Hearing Yao Chen bring up the earlier attack on the Snake-People Tribe, Medusa relaxed a little and answered.

"Brother Chen, the Cloud-Out Empire has long clashed with our Jia Ma Empire over territory, but those were always minor skirmishes. They'd never mobilized their entire force like this before."

Yao Chen listened to Medusa's account with a serious expression.

"When I fought Wu Li earlier, he said that his country wasn't the only one involved. The Golden Goose Sect from the Falling Goose Empire and Mulan Valley from the Mulan Empire were participating, too. I just haven't seen them yet."

"Wu Li was probably being used as cannon fodder by the Golden Goose Sect and Mulan Valley, sent ahead to probe our strength," Yao Chen said thoughtfully, stroking his beard.

"Probably. I think someone's helping them behind the scenes to deal with our Jia Ma Empire. Wu Li was only at the Peak Dou Emperor level, just like me, but this time he showed up with the strength of a Four-Star Dou Zong."

Medusa's words reminded Yao Chen of something. Could Soul Hall have acted ahead of schedule? Had his unexpected transmigration moved the timeline forward? Once this was over, he'd have to pay a visit to the Xiao Clan.

"Now that you've wiped out Wu Li of the Poison Sect, the Cloud-Out Empire probably won't come again. But the Golden Goose Sect and Mulan Valley are still eyeing us like tigers watching their prey."

Medusa continued, her brows knitted tightly.

"Don't be afraid, Xiao Mei. With me here, you don't need to worry about them. I'll do everything in my power to keep the Snake-People Tribe safe."

Yao Chen thumped his chest confidently as he assured Medusa.

The flush that had faded from Medusa's face returned.

"Xiao Mei, you're still at the Peak Dou Emperor level. Those two empires probably have Dou Zong experts, so you need to raise your strength."

Yao Chen suddenly wanted to help Medusa improve her cultivation. According to the book from his previous life, Medusa had reached the Dou Zong level by absorbing the Green Lotus Core Flame's energy. Perhaps his Dream-Illusion Blazing Flame could help her, too.

"Brother Chen, I want to improve my strength, too, but I don't know how. Our tribe once had a secret technique for absorbing Heavenly Flame energy. I sensed a Heavenly Flame in the desert before, but someone got there ahead of me."

Medusa frowned in frustration and could only voice her complaint to Yao Chen.

Yao Chen felt awkward at her words, though he didn't let it show.

"I have a Heavenly Flame here. Xiao Mei, you can use mine."

Hearing that Yao Chen had a Heavenly Flame, Medusa sprang to her feet, her excitement plain.

"Really, Brother Chen?"

"Really, Xiao Mei."

As he spoke, the purple Dream-Illusion Blazing Flame appeared in Yao Chen's hand.

Medusa gazed at the dazzling flame, overjoyed. She didn't know how to thank Yao Chen for his help.

"Then let's begin. Xiao Mei, don't worry about anything else. I'll protect you from the side."

"Thank you, Brother Chen. It's a little cramped here. Please come with me to the place where I usually cultivate."

Yao Chen nodded in agreement, then followed Medusa to the secret chamber beneath the plaza.

In the secret chamber, Medusa sat cross-legged, her beautiful face now full of solemn resolve.

Yao Chen stood before her, his expression serious. In his hand, the Dream-Illusion Blazing Flame roared, radiating mysterious and powerful energy.

Medusa took a deep breath, preparing to absorb the Heavenly Flame's formidable energy.

She slowly closed her eyes and circulated the Dou Qi in her body, forming a powerful suction that swept toward the Dream-Illusion Blazing Flame.

At first, the instant Medusa's Dou Qi touched the Heavenly Flame, a violent force surged back at her.

Her body shook violently, her face turned deathly pale, and a trace of blood seeped from the corner of her mouth.

"Hold on, Xiao Mei!"

Yao Chen shouted as his hands quickly formed seals, sending out streams of gentle Dou Qi in an attempt to help Medusa stabilize the situation.

Medusa gritted her teeth, enduring the agony that seemed ready to tear her soul apart, and continued to increase the flow of her Dou Qi.

The Heavenly Flame's energy was like a wild horse breaking free of its reins, rampaging through her body and wantonly damaging her meridians and dantian.

Wisps of smoke rose from her body. Sweat poured down like rain, soaking her clothes.

But Queen Medusa's will was extraordinarily firm. She knew this was a crucial opportunity to raise her cultivation, and no matter how much it hurt, she would never give up.

Yao Chen was wholly focused, watching Medusa's condition closely.

He constantly adjusted the Dou Qi he was releasing, carefully guiding the Heavenly Flame's energy so Medusa could gradually absorb and refine it.

As time passed, Medusa's body gradually adapted to the Heavenly Flame's violent energy.

The rampant power began to be suppressed by her Dou Qi and slowly grew docile.

However, just then, another accident occurred.

An even stronger surge of energy burst from the Heavenly Flame. Medusa was flung away in an instant and slammed hard into the stone wall of the cave.

"Not good!"

Yao Chen's expression changed. He flashed to Medusa's side and helped her up.

"Brother Chen, I can keep going!"

Medusa wiped the blood from the corner of her mouth, her eyes filled with defiance.

Yao Chen nodded, then increased the flow of his Dou Qi again, bringing the Dream-Illusion Blazing Flame's violent energy under control.

With Yao Chen's help, the Heavenly Flame's energy finally began to fall under Medusa's control.

The violent power flowed, strand by strand, into her Dou Qi, nourishing her meridians and dantian. Her aura began to grow stronger.

At last, after the final trace of Heavenly Flame energy had been completely absorbed and refined, a powerful aura burst from Medusa.

The air in the secret chamber shuddered. She had successfully advanced to the Dou Zong level.