Negotiation (Many Thanks to Boss Naughty for the Alliance Leader Reward, Deepest Gratitude!)

Lü Man gave a disdainful snort at the Eight-Winged Black Serpent Emperor's stance, then said to Medusa Queen, "Medusa Queen, we didn't come for you this time. What do you mean by sticking your nose into this?"

"On my territory, how could I let you take them away as you please?" Medusa Queen wore an aloof expression, her tone utterly resolute.

The Eight-Winged Black Serpent Emperor swayed its massive tail slightly, then said with some regret, "Medusa Queen, although I am quite fond of you, I cannot give up because of you this time!"

Medusa Queen shifted forward slightly. Purple Dou Qi had already gathered in her hands. "Just the two of you want to take people away from me? Wishful thinking!"

"Hiss~ Medusa, I really do like that domineering spirit of yours!" With that, the Eight-Winged Black Serpent Emperor moved abruptly, directly whipping up a sandstorm as its body plunged headfirst into the desert.

At the same time, Lü Man did not remain idle. She attacked at once, continuously driving her Wood Attribute Dou Qi with both hands. Thick green trees burst from the sand, forming a Wood Prison that trapped Medusa just as it had previously trapped Mo Yun.

Only, compared to Mo Yun's prison, this one had more than a single layer. One layer was stacked atop another, and layer upon layer overlapped until it became completely airtight, without the slightest gap.

Medusa did not rush to break free from the prison binding her. Instead, beneath her brocade robe, her purple snake tail lashed fiercely against the ground, causing the surrounding desert to tremble without end.

A crack immediately opened in the desert, and sand continuously poured into it.

Just then, a black shadow shot out from the fissure. It was the Eight-Winged Black Serpent Emperor, though it looked somewhat disheveled. Clearly, Medusa's attack had been aimed directly at it!

Sensing Medusa Queen's strength, the expression in the Eight-Winged Black Serpent Emperor's snake eyes shifted slightly. The next moment, it charged even more decisively toward Mo Yun and Qing Lin.

Purple light emerged from within the layers of wooden cages imprisoning Medusa. The purple glow gradually intensified, and with a tremendous bang, it shattered the layers of wooden cages.

After escaping, Medusa Queen swiftly darted sideways, directly blocking the space between the Eight-Winged Black Serpent Emperor and Mo Yun. With a sweep of purple radiance from her hand, she forced the Eight-Winged Black Serpent Emperor back once more.

A slender wound appeared on the Eight-Winged Black Serpent Emperor's pitch-black body from Medusa's strike, blood slowly flowing from it.

Lü Man flashed to the Eight-Winged Black Serpent Emperor's side, gathering emerald Wood Attribute Dou Qi in her hands before directing it straight at the wound.

As powerful Wood Attribute Dou Qi continuously entered its body, the Eight-Winged Black Serpent Emperor's wound healed at an astonishing speed. The bleeding was quickly stopped, and the wound gradually scabbed over.

"Hiss~ This woman's strength has improved again. Her attacks have become so fierce!" the Eight-Winged Black Serpent Emperor said with a sharp intake of breath.

After healing the Eight-Winged Black Serpent Emperor's injuries, Lü Man said, "Although Medusa's bloodline is extremely special, allowing her cultivation before the Dou Zong realm to proceed quickly and smoothly, I never expected her to have reached the peak of the Dou Huang realm. Even so, we must take those two little ones away today!"

The Eight-Winged Black Serpent Emperor flicked its tongue and replied, "I know. At worst, I'll take a few more beatings from her. I also like her precisely because she's violent enough!"

The Eight-Winged Black Serpent Emperor's masochistic tendencies earned it nothing but an eye roll from Lü Man.

On the other side, Mo Yun watched the brief clash between the two sides. That spectacle was far beyond anything five-cent special effects could compare to.

It also further confirmed just how powerful Medusa Queen was within the Jia Ma Empire.

After recovering, the Eight-Winged Black Serpent Emperor's aura gradually grew stronger. Its eight wings beat in unison, and black radiance overflowed from its mouth. The next moment, it spewed out a mouthful of poisonous flames.

Medusa Queen's expression tightened. Her figure flickered and shifted as she evaded the attack.

After gathering vast purple energy in her hand once more, she directly blasted an energy beam toward the Eight-Winged Black Serpent Emperor.

Seeing the rapidly approaching energy beam, the Eight-Winged Black Serpent Emperor had no time to dodge. It simply tilted its head, and its poisonous flames collided head-on with it.

Boom!

As the two collided, an earth-shaking roar rang out. Massive shockwaves surged forth, scattering purple and black light in every direction.

In particular, the black poisonous flames that fell onto the ground continuously corroded the earth, fully revealing their terrifying toxicity.

Neither side stopped there. Instead, they repeatedly launched attacks at one another. Purple and black streaks of light continuously intertwined, staining the sky above.

During this time, Lü Man continuously healed the Eight-Winged Black Serpent Emperor. At the same time, she often drove her Wood Attribute Dou Qi to summon trees to attack, restricting Medusa Queen's movements.

Perhaps because of her Wood Attribute Dou Qi, Lü Man's combat ability was fairly ordinary. She was more suited to control and recovery.

Medusa Queen was no fool either. She understood the principle of killing the healer first. But the problem was that this healer was truly difficult to kill.

The unending attacks from the trees could not inflict fatal harm upon Medusa, yet they prevented her from subduing Lü Man in a single strike.

If she failed to succeed in one blow, the Eight-Winged Black Serpent Emperor would quickly shield Lü Man again. In the end, it would still become a battle between Medusa and the Eight-Winged Black Serpent Emperor.

After witnessing Medusa Queen's formidable strength, the Eight-Winged Black Serpent Emperor's scales would strangely contract before every subsequent attack from her. A faint layer of black oil seeped from between the scales, swiftly coating its enormous body completely without leaving a single spot exposed.

With this oily membrane, the Eight-Winged Black Serpent Emperor's defense instantly rose by an entire level. Its body became slick, causing Medusa Queen's Dou Qi attacks to lose much of their force each time.

Although the Eight-Winged Black Serpent Emperor looked utterly disheveled under Medusa Queen's barrage of attacks, with numerous wounds all over its body, a closer look revealed that they were merely superficial injuries. Under Lü Man's healing, they were no problem at all. As for wounds that damaged its foundation or could prove fatal, there was not a single one.

With a sonic boom, Medusa Queen and the Eight-Winged Black Serpent Emperor separated once more.

The Eight-Winged Black Serpent Emperor coiled its tail and laughed loudly. "Medusa Queen, you truly are violent enough. I really am growing more fond of you!"

"Courting death!" Medusa Queen's expression was icy as killing intent radiated from her entire body.

Although Lü Man played the role of healer and had been supporting from the sidelines, she was somewhat weary as well. She had also realized that taking people from Medusa's hands today was likely unrealistic.

Moreover, if they drew the attention of the Jia Ma Empire's other experts, the losses would outweigh the gains. Likewise, there were several old monsters among the Snake-People Tribe. If they disregarded the consequences and intervened, then Lü Man and the Eight-Winged Black Serpent Emperor alone would likely gain nothing.

After weighing her options, Lü Man said in a sweet voice, "Medusa Queen's bloodline truly is extraordinary. But even if you can drive the two of us back today, so what? Once we return to the Heavenly Snake Mansion and report this matter in full, if the Inner Sect Elders act, Medusa Queen, no matter how formidable you are at the Dou Huang level, can you stop the elders of our mansion without reaching the Dou Zong realm?"

Lü Man's words seemed to touch some sensitive nerve in Medusa Queen. Her purple eyes narrowed slightly, faint anger rising within them as she said coldly, "Are you threatening me?"

"It isn't a threat. I am merely stating the facts!" Lü Man replied with a light laugh, as though she had Medusa Queen completely figured out.