Medusa's Gaze

The scene was deathly silent.

"So your second trial is this difficult? Are you kidding me?!"

Murong Ci was indignant, though his physical state would not allow him to continue his tirade.

"Cough, cough!"

He coughed violently twice, staring at Dugu Bo with eyes full of rage.

Dugu Bo spread his hands helplessly, though his tone was not as rigid as it had been before.

"Who told you to be such a stunning little monster? I originally intended for my Jade Phosphorus Poison Palm to serve as the third trial, but you blocked it, didn't you?"

"Fine, fine."

Murong Ci was clearly impatient, shaking his head to signal his annoyance.

Dugu Bo grew slightly more serious.

"The first two trials tested your offense; now, let's test your defense."

A dark green light spread out from Dugu Bo's forehead.

A spirit bone! It was none other than Dugu Bo's head spirit bone!

Murong Ci's pupils contracted sharply.

Damn it, you want me to tank this?

"This is my spirit bone skill, Medusa's Gaze. After I released it last night, those three fellows didn't even dare to lift their heads. Since you have already exceeded my expectations, I will no longer hold back."

With that, a gray-green halo of light shot out from his forehead, rushing straight toward Murong Ci.

Murong Ci had no time to dodge, and given his current physical condition, he couldn't have dodged even if he wanted to.

The beam struck his leg directly, and Murong Ci felt a searing, fiery pain.

[He held back; he didn't shoot you directly in the face.]

...Could you be a bit more tactful? And how do I break this?

[This thing has a petrification effect. As for stone, well, temper it with ice and fire. Can you use your brain for once in the future instead of asking me about everything?]

Murong Ci ignored the system's final jab.

Instead, he focused his thoughts.

Tempering with ice and fire?

But since ancient times, ice and fire have been incompatible; how could they be condensed together?

Or perhaps an alternating cycle of ice and fire?

Murong Ci was utterly baffled.

However, time waited for no one; Murong Ci's ankles had gradually turned a grayish-white, and cracks were already spreading upward.

"Whatever! Fire, come!"

Red flames erupted from Murong Ci's body, instantly covering him from head to toe, and the entire petrified layer began to glow red from the heat.

But the rate of petrification only accelerated.

"System, you bastard, you set me up!"

Murong Ci cursed inwardly, but he didn't stop moving.

He switched to his ice attribute, and an extreme chill instantly enveloped him.

A thick layer of frost condensed over the petrified shell.

The speed slowed down! It was working!

Moreover, Murong Ci could clearly feel that at the point where the fire and frost were most intensely intertwined, the stone seemed to become somewhat brittle.

The hardness had decreased!

He put his thoughts into action.

Murong Ci began to switch back and forth between ice and fire.

One moment, he tempered it with the Ultimate Fire.

The next, he covered it with the Ultimate Ice.

"Ice-Fire Polar Domain!"

As ice and fire intertwined, the entire petrified layer became brittle.

A look of surprise appeared on Dugu Bo's face.

Could this kid actually break it?

But the good times didn't last; as Murong Ci struggled, the spirit power he had just barely recovered was once again drained away.

Conversely, however, the petrified layer had now become incredibly fragile.

If Murong Ci had full soul power at this moment, he would be confident in breaking through with a single strike.

Unfortunately, fate was unkind; the timing was wrong, the location was unfavorable, and the circumstances were not in his favor.

[Becoming brittle is only the first step. Turning into stone means it should be earth.]

[Among the Five Elements, wood conquers earth. By unleashing the Ultimate Wood next, you can break it without using much soul power. Otherwise, given your previous state, you wouldn't have been able to shatter it at all.]

After Murong Ci finished speaking, his eyes brightened, only to see the petrified layer slowly extending to his shoulders.

He could not afford to hesitate any longer.

He closed his eyes and focused his mind!

"Whoosh!"

A brilliant, vivid green light flared up.

The aura of Ultimate Wood!

A favor received should be repaid with a gushing spring.

Murong Ci had stabilized the Ultimate Wood at the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well.

And now, he had to use the immense life force of the Ultimate Wood to nourish the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well in return.

As a massive amount of heaven and earth essence surged into his body, Murong Ci felt his strength recover slightly.

With the green light flickering, the phantom of the Demon Eye Magic Tree King appeared behind Murong Ci.

The Demon Eye Magic Tree King slowly opened its eyes, its leaves swaying.

Murong Ci's fingers were already petrified and unusable, so he could only control it with his thoughts.

The Demon Eye Magic Tree King conjured several vines out of thin air, which pierced into the petrified layer covering Murong Ci's entire body.

Internally, Murong Ci also secretly circulated his energy, generating extremely fine threads of wood-attribute soul power to resist from within.

"Crack--"

The sound of stone splitting echoed.

Dugu Bo's expression changed drastically, his heart pounding wildly.

Right now, he was even more excited than Murong Ci.

The cracks continued to spread, expanding to an unprecedented degree.

Finally, when the pressure reached a critical point:

"Boom!" With a loud blast, the stone shattered.

Murong Ci was also sent flying several meters, slamming into the wall.

The Demon Eye Magic Tree King behind him vanished instantly.

He was completely drained of strength now.

Murong Ci collapsed to the ground, rolled over to face the sky, and gasped for air.

Dugu Bo walked over, his eyes filled with approval.

He reached out his hand, gently grasped Murong Ci, and helped him up with the utmost care.

"Kid, you're quite something. To break this old man's soul bone skill as a Soul Elder—I admire you! You're even more of a handful than the Golden Sacred Dragon those three had last night."

Murong Ci was helped up, stumbling and unsteady on his feet.

"Then... these three trials, kid... have I passed?"

Murong Ci asked tentatively, fearing that this old monster might come up with more tricks.

Dugu Bo threw his head back and laughed.

"Naturally. Not only have you passed, but I've decided to make you my friend!"

"Good... then, old monster, you must open this treasure land of yours to me."

"Of course! My word is as heavy as a mountain."

Murong Ci pursed his lips into a smile, though he truly lacked the energy.

"Once I've rested for half a day, you must send me away. Huo Wu will be getting anxious."

Dugu Bo flicked his sleeves; the usually dignified Poison Douluo appeared surprisingly irreverent at this moment.

"You brat, always thinking about Huo Wu this, Huo Wu that. What's wrong with my granddaughter? Is she not as good as that fire girl?"

Murong Ci rolled his eyes.

"You old monster... why are you so protective? I never said your granddaughter wasn't good. I just miss Huo Wu; she is my girlfriend."

"Sigh, that's where you're wrong. A real man born between heaven and earth is bound to have a few wives and concubines. Besides, my granddaughter isn't lacking in any way; why are you being so unappreciative?"

If people on the continent saw the Poison Douluo speaking like this, they would likely be dumbfounded.

Yet, it was happening exactly as it was.

Moreover, Dugu Bo had already done all he could; for someone who usually doted on his granddaughter so much, it was shocking that he would say such things.

It was truly hard to believe.

Murong Ci suddenly thought of something and clicked his tongue twice.

"And I'm afraid your granddaughter has already cooked the raw rice with Yu Tianheng; it's cooked to the point of being overdone."

Dugu Bo's expression shifted upon hearing this.

"You little monster, stop spouting nonsense. I keep a close eye on my granddaughter. You continue healing; I'm leaving."

Murong Ci chuckled twice, picked up his cup, and took a sip.

[Rest assured, she is a virgin.]

Murong Ci choked, nearly dying on the spot, and had to pound his chest violently.

"Are you that concerned about my private life?"

[Of course, we are one entity; it's symbiosis.]