"What exactly do you want?" Medusa's eyes flickered with cold light. She had now realized that the man before her had another purpose.
Qin Chen slowly walked up to Medusa and said teasingly, "Your Majesty, how about we make a deal?"
"You went to all this trouble to capture me just to make a deal?" Medusa looked as though she had heard a joke, a trace of mockery appearing on her stunning face.
"No, no, no. I did this to show my sincerity."
"Sincerity?"
Medusa snorted coldly, her eyes filled with disdain. "Your idea of sincerity is using such despicable means to imprison me here?"
Qin Chen's smile remained unchanged. "Your Majesty, you wish to use the power of Heavenly Flames to evolve, don't you?"
"How do you know?"
Medusa's voice suddenly rose, and a flash of incredulous shock crossed her eyes.
Using Heavenly Flames to evolve was one of the Snake-People Tribe's deepest secrets. She had never revealed this idea to anyone, and even the snake guards closest to her knew nothing of it. How had this human man learned of it?
"That is why I said this was my sincerity."
Qin Chen crouched down until he was level with Medusa's eyes and continued, "If I had simply told you that I wanted to help you evolve, would you have believed me?"
Medusa fell silent. The man before her was right. Even if he had been willing, she would not have allowed him to participate in her evolution process so easily.
Thus, her first thought upon seeing Qin Chen had been to seize the Heavenly Flames from him.
After a long while, Medusa raised her eyes to Qin Chen. Much of the hostility between her brows had faded. "What exactly is this deal you speak of?"
Seeing Medusa's attitude soften, Qin Chen revealed his purpose. "I am an alchemist. With the aid of my pills, your chances of successfully evolving will increase considerably."
"In exchange, I need to use the medicinal ingredients accumulated by the Snake-People Tribe over the years to refine pills and improve my alchemy."
"What do you think of this deal?"
Gods Clear, Spirits Refreshed—Old Hai After hearing this, Medusa fell silent. Light and shadow shifted within her violet eyes as though she were weighing the pros and cons of the deal.
After a long while, she slowly spoke. "Can you answer a few questions for me?"
"That depends on what you ask." Qin Chen's expression was calm.
"What tier is your alchemy?" Medusa asked with a frown.
"Tier 6." Qin Chen chuckled softly.
"Tier 6!?" Medusa's violet pupils contracted, her voice filled with astonishment.
It was no wonder she was so shocked. Alchemists were already scarce to begin with, one in ten thousand.
Those capable of reaching Tier 6 were even fewer in number. In the entire Jia Ma Empire, only the Pill King Gu He had reached that level.
This seemingly young human man possessed such terrifying alchemical ability?
Seeing that Medusa seemed unconvinced, Qin Chen added, "Your Majesty, you have already witnessed my soul power and Heavenly Flames. You should be able to make some judgment regarding my alchemy."
Medusa was silent for a moment. Recalling the powerful soul force she had sensed earlier, as well as the Heavenly Flames that had made her heart tremble, the doubts in her heart gradually faded.
With that in mind, Medusa asked her final question. "You wish to improve your alchemy through pill refinement. Why not go to another empire? Why seek out my Snake-People Tribe instead?"
"Well..."
Thinking of that gods-clear, spirits-refreshed Ice Emperor, Qin Chen could not help teasing, "The rulers of the other empires are all crusty old men. How could they possibly be as pleasing to the eye as Your Majesty?"
Qin Chen was not lying. He had done all this for Medusa.
More precisely, for Medusa after her evolution. With a Dou Zong expert like her at his side, he would be able to accomplish many things he wanted to do but was powerless to achieve.
"..."
Medusa looked disdainfully at Qin Chen, who was laughing heartily. If her movements had not been restricted, she would definitely have whipped him with her tail.
"Fine, I accept." In the end, Medusa agreed to Qin Chen's deal.
After all, the other party was a Tier 6 Alchemist, enough for her, the queen of the Snake-People Tribe, to take seriously. There was also the most helpless point of all: she was currently a prisoner and had no right to bargain.
This human's origins were far too mysterious, and some of his methods were things she had never even heard of. Until she had investigated him properly, it would be unwise to make an enemy of him.
"Your Majesty truly understands the situation. May our cooperation be pleasant." As soon as he finished speaking, Qin Chen removed the seal on Medusa and handed her a pill.
After taking the pill, Medusa did not inspect it. She simply slipped it between her red lips. The pill melted as soon as it entered her mouth, and a gentle yet pure energy slid down her throat into her abdomen, swiftly spreading through her limbs and bones.
Feeling the changes within her body, Medusa finally believed Qin Chen's words completely. Though this fellow spoke frivolously, his alchemy was indeed extraordinary. The quality of this pill was far purer than any healing pill she had seen before.
Medusa took a deep breath and suppressed the turmoil in her heart. Her tone regained some of a queen's coldness. "What do you plan to do next? Will you return to Snake-People Holy City with me?"
"We are definitely going to Snake-People Holy City."
However, Qin Chen's lips curved into a meaningful smile, and he suddenly changed the subject. "But before that, I would like to ask Your Majesty for a small favor."
Medusa's slender brows furrowed slightly. "What favor?"
"Does Your Majesty still remember that Ice Emperor you sealed away?" Qin Chen asked with a smile.
Medusa nodded slightly. "You mean that unlucky fellow who wandered into the desert decades ago?"
Qin Chen nodded.
"You want me to remove his seal, don't you?" Medusa already understood.
"That's right."
Qin Chen chuckled, his tone carrying a hint of certainty. "I imagine this should be quite simple for Your Majesty."
"Where is that old fellow now?"
"He is in Stone Desert City, not far from here. Your Majesty, come with me."
Taking Qing Lin, who had been waiting beside him for some time, Qin Chen took the lead out of the cave. Medusa followed as she watched their retreating backs.
Sand Mercenary Group, in a spacious room.
Hai Bodong sat alone by the window, holding a strange-looking black pen as he carefully made a map.
This had originally been Rob's private residence, but after learning that Hai Bodong would be staying here, the fellow immediately packed up his belongings and respectfully gave up the room.
Knock, knock, knock!
At that moment, a sudden knock sounded at the door.
"Who is it?" Hai Bodong asked indifferently.
"Old Hai, it's me. I brought you a surprise." Qin Chen's smiling voice soon came from outside, mixed with a trace of mischief.
Hai Bodong's hand holding the black pen paused slightly. He raised his eyes toward the tightly shut door, a hint of confusion flashing through them.
He put down the black pen, rose to his feet, and walked to the door before slowly pulling back the bolt.
"You brat... Queen Medusa!?"
Before Hai Bodong could finish speaking, the sight outside the door made his pupils shrink sharply.
Qin Chen and Qing Lin stood off to the side. The former wore a smile as though watching a show, while standing before Hai Bodong was a woman with a graceful figure and peerless beauty.
She was none other than the nightmare forever etched into his memory—Queen Medusa.
"Y-you-you!!!"
The instant he saw Medusa, Hai Bodong was so startled that he could barely speak. He staggered back repeatedly, his legs trembling.
Although the Dou Qi within his body was perfectly normal, he could not summon even the slightest thought of resistance.
Seeing the old man utterly devoid of his former expert's bearing, Qin Chen teased, "Relax, Old Hai. Her Majesty will not harm us."
Hai Bodong's gaze darted back and forth between Qin Chen and Medusa before finally settling on Qin Chen's face. His voice trembled with disbelief. "Qin Chen, what exactly are you trying to do? Do you know who she is!?"
Medusa's narrow eyes swept lightly over Hai Bodong. She understood why Qin Chen had made her stand outside the door. Then, a meaningful curve appeared on her lips as she said lazily, "What? Is the great Ice Emperor not welcoming me?"
"You... you two..."
Medusa's teasing words left Hai Bodong's face shifting between green and white. Having lived for so many years, when had he ever received such "treatment"?
"Enough, stop scaring him. Hurry up and remove his seal." Seeing that the moment had gone on long enough, Qin Chen stepped in to smooth things over.
Medusa turned her head toward Qin Chen, her eyes filled with strange disbelief, as though saying, Weren't you the one who scared him first?
Qin Chen spread his hands, an innocent expression on his face.
I didn't do anything. Don't slander me!
Medusa snorted softly. Though displeased, she turned her gaze back to Hai Bodong.
Her slender fingers moved rapidly, and a complex rune swiftly condensed before her. As Medusa injected the final strand of pale violet Dou Qi into it, the rune's light surged, transforming into a dark gleam that shot toward Hai Bodong's brow.
Hai Bodong's body instinctively tensed at the sight, but recalling their earlier conversation, he forcibly suppressed the unease in his heart.
Breaking the Seal The instant the rune touched his skin, a gentle yet powerful force seeped into Hai Bodong's brow and merged with a dark cyan snake mark that had lain dormant within him for many years.
As the rune gradually fused into the seal, the dark cyan snake mark began to glow faintly before rapidly melting away like snow beneath the blazing sun.
Hai Bodong could clearly feel that the seal which had clung to him like a festering parasite for years was gradually loosening under the guidance of that gentle force. Fierce icy Dou Qi continuously surged out from within his body.
Bang!
Hai Bodong's aura, originally at the peak of the Dou Ling realm, rapidly soared. In an instant, it broke through the barrier and entered the Dou Wang realm.
That was not the end. His aura continued to surge until it finally stopped at the level of a two-star Dou Emperor.
Feeling the surging Dou Qi within his body, Hai Bodong felt utterly refreshed.
If Medusa had not been here today, this refreshed Ice Emperor would have burst into wild laughter and shouted, "This damned seal has finally gotten lost! This old man is a Dou Emperor again!"
But now...
This old man did not dare say another word, afraid Medusa might place another Serpent Sealing Curse on him.
Gulp~
Hai Bodong swallowed, unsure what he was supposed to do now.
"Old Hai, our deal was that I would help you remove the seal in exchange for the remaining fragmentary map in your possession. Is that correct?" Qin Chen's voice sounded at just the right moment, breaking the delicate silence in the room.
"Indeed."
Before you continue