The Medusa Queen Appears

Setting out from Desert City at dawn, Yang Chen's group of four did not arrive near Rock Desert City until a full moon hung in the sky.

Although Desert City was not particularly close to Rock Desert City, under normal circumstances, flying magical beasts would not need much time to travel between them. Yet in normal circumstances, flying magical beasts often took even longer to fly from Desert City to Rock Desert City.

No, under normal circumstances, flying magical beasts would never fly here at all. This was the Tagore Desert, the territory of the snake people. Desert City could still be considered a city relatively close to the Jia Ma Empire, but Rock Desert City lay entirely within the Tagore Desert.

The powerful aura of snake people lingering in the air of the Tagore Desert made ordinary flying magical beasts afraid to approach.

"Second Master, are we heading over tonight, or...?"

Lei Na looked at the distant city that had come into view, scratched his head, and spoke softly. He seemed somewhat nervous. This was his first time teaching someone, and that someone was his own Second Master's nephew. There absolutely could not be the slightest mistake.

"No rush. I'll meet the two brothers first. Then, the two of you can find an excuse to pass down the cultivation technique inheritance to them."

A smile had just appeared on Yang Chen's face when his eyes suddenly narrowed. His sharp gaze instantly turned toward the ground below. At the same time, the flying magical beast beneath them slowly came to a stop, too afraid to fly forward, as if some terrifying aura was preventing it from advancing.

Immediately afterward, Hai Bodong sensed something as well. His expression changed abruptly, his fingers trembling uncontrollably as he cried out in alarm.

"This aura... it's the Medusa Queen!"

The Medusa Queen!

The moment that title was spoken, Lei Na and Lin Sen's expressions changed drastically, both looking as though they faced a formidable enemy.

Although their strength had greatly increased after receiving the inheritance, enough for them to contend with ordinary Dou Huang experts without falling behind, Lei Na and Lin Sen were still deeply wary of the infamous Medusa Queen.

That fearsome reputation had been carved out through slaughter by the ruthless queen of the snake people.

Dou Huang experts might hold lofty status within the Jia Ma Empire, but before that queen of the snake people, they were nothing special. How many Dou Huang experts had fallen at her hands?

Back then, in the entire Jia Ma Empire, even Yun Shan, a peak Dou Huang, and Jia Xingtian, a high-level Dou Huang, had both been defeated by the Medusa Queen alone. Hai Bodong had fared even worse, having been sealed by the Medusa Queen for years. If he had not escaped quickly, he would have lost his life.

"Hmph, what are you panicking for?"

Yang Chen snorted, snapping Hai Bodong and the other two back to their senses. Lin Sen and the others exchanged glances, their expressions all somewhat awkward.

The Medusa Queen was indeed powerful. In a one-on-one fight, any one of the three of them would lose to that ruthless woman who killed without batting an eye. But there were three of them. Forget defeating the Medusa Queen—at the very least, suppressing her, or failing that, ending in a draw, should not be a problem.

"Why would she appear here at this time?"

Yang Chen frowned slightly, feeling as though he had overlooked something. He racked his brain, while Hai Bodong's eyes flickered slightly at the side before he cautiously said,

"Second Master, I suspect the Medusa Queen is very likely searching for a Heavenly Flame!"

"A Heavenly Flame!"

At Hai Bodong's reminder, Yang Chen's eyes instantly lit up. He remembered now. The Medusa Queen had once entered the underground magma beneath Rock Desert City alone and taken away the Green Lotus Core Flame.

"That's right. The reason I was sealed by the Medusa Queen back then was because I accidentally obtained clues concerning a Heavenly Flame. While investigating them, I happened to encounter the Medusa Queen. And according to the clues I obtained, this place is one of the locations most likely to contain a Heavenly Flame."

Thinking Yang Chen was merely curious, Hai Bodong immediately explained in a low voice. Yang Chen simply nodded along without explaining, then said with a smile,

"In that case, let's go join the excitement and see for ourselves this Medusa Queen of the snake people, renowned across the Northwestern Continent!"

After saying that, Yang Chen and the other three leaped directly from the flying magical beast's back. After signaling for it to fly back to the Alchemist Association headquarters, the four followed the direction of the energy fluctuations. Before long, they found the passage outside the city and plunged straight inside.

Deep underground, within a world of magma.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

Within a space filled with azure light, seven-colored energy continuously collided with the azure flames, releasing powerful waves of energy. The magma below was blasted into columns that crashed back down heavily, splashing golden-red flowers of molten lava.

Amid the vast azure radiance, a tranquil green lotus slowly bloomed. A faint cyan glow curled around it, giving it a beauty that seemed detached from the world.

However, if anyone were dazzled by that beauty and tried to approach, or even attempted to play with it, the gently swaying tendrils around it would teach them what it meant to admire from afar but never profane.

Opposite that enormous green lotus stood a tall, slender woman with a pair of illusory wings on her back. She wore a fitted crimson armored dress that perfectly outlined her lush, enticing figure, while the snow-white skin exposed beneath it carried a primal wildness and allure.

Colors that would appear gaudy and vulgar on ordinary people became, upon her, a beauty both wild and noble, paired with her peerlessly gorgeous and aggressively striking face, as well as those cold, imperious eyes.

The golden crown atop her head resembled a snake's head. Her sharp brows swept into her temples, her ears bore slight pointed tips, and below her waist extended a bewitching purple snake tail that shimmered with seven-colored light. Every feature made it clear that she was not human.

Gazing at the massive blooming green lotus before her, the Medusa Queen's breath was slightly uneven, and urgency filled her heart. This was not the heart of the Tagore Desert. If she remained here too long and the Jia Ma Empire's experts discovered her, being entangled by them would be the lesser concern. What she truly feared was that the Green Lotus Core Flame would be discovered by the Jia Ma Empire's experts.

Looking at the magnificent green lotus that still bloomed quietly, the Medusa Queen's expression hardened. She decided to try once more. The opportunity was right before her—she absolutely could not miss it. If it proved impossible, she would return after making sufficient preparations and take this Heavenly Flame away.

At once, the Medusa Queen raised a hand. The violent Dou Qi within her body began gathering into the strange seven-colored longsword in her hand. Clearly, the Medusa Queen intended to stake everything on this attempt.

But just as the Medusa Queen was about to give it her all, several auras approaching from afar made her expression change abruptly. She immediately abandoned her attack on the Green Lotus Core Flame before her, spun around, and fiercely slashed her sword behind her.