Harvest

"We should head up! Otherwise, they'll start worrying!"

It wasn't that he couldn't continue breaking through, but advancing to the Dou Wang realm required even more energy and time. He needed a long period of secluded cultivation, and remaining in this magma for too long was hardly suitable. Besides, if he broke through to Dou Wang, he might drain the Green Lotus Rootstalk dry. It was better to wait until he got out.

Lin Qing and the Lion rode the Fire Spirit Snake, swiftly returning along the path they had taken.

When they reached the entrance to the passage, Lin Qing and the Lion jumped off the Fire Spirit Snake. It then spat out several items it had hidden in its stomach.

Master, these are my treasures. As for the rest, anything that wasn't hard was eaten by me!

The Fire Spirit Snake lowered its head as it explained to Lin Qing.

Watching the Fire Spirit Snake's actions, Lin Qing thought of Yao Ming, who had also hidden things in his stomach. Was this some common snake habit?

Lin Qing swept his gaze over the items.

The Fire Spirit Snake's savings were not particularly abundant. After all, it was not a regional overlord like the Lion King. However, its collection was rare enough.

"A ten-thousand-year Fire Spirit Mushroom, a Tier 7 medicinal herb. You actually didn't eat it. Fire Origin Crystals, Fire Spirit Jade—both are Tier 5 medicinal herbs. And these are several Tier 3 poison-element Monster Cores. Fine, I'll hold onto them for you. Don't worry, if I need to use them, I'll definitely trade medicinal pills with you!"

Taking out a Jade Box, Lin Qing packed the items away and placed them into his Storage Ring. Then he took out two Spirit-Raising Pills and fed one to each of the Fire Spirit Snake's heads.

Xiao Yan truly had not obtained these things in the original story. Perhaps the Fire Spirit Snake had not had time to take out its hidden treasures back then?

After hearing Lin Qing's words, the Fire Spirit Snake swallowed the pills and nodded in a human-like manner. Its two heads nodding together looked rather adorable.

"Let's go!"

As soon as Lin Qing spoke, the Fire Spirit Snake turned into a flash of red light. Its massive body rapidly shrank until it became a tiny snake and slipped into Lin Qing's sleeve, transforming into a snake-ring bracelet as it began digesting the medicinal pills it had just swallowed.

Does this count as taking Qing Lin's opportunity?

Lin Qing touched the snake ring around his wrist and laughed inwardly.

When he walked out of the cave, Lin Qing discovered that Ling Qingzhu was holding someone in her hand. No, not a person—a Snake-Person. Li Qingchan, Lin Qi, Xiao Yi Xian, and the others were standing beside her as well.

Why had they come? Hadn't he told them to wait at the inn?

Lin Qing carefully looked at the Snake-Person in Ling Qingzhu's hand.

Was this Medusa?

Sure enough, she had still come in search of the Heavenly Flames. He had no idea how she had learned about it, but never mind. He could ask her later.

Though it seemed that Ling Qingzhu and the others had beaten her up.

As for how Lin Qing had recognized her?

Naturally, it was because she was bewitchingly beautiful. Of everyone Lin Qing had ever met, only Ling Qingzhu could compare to her, though their temperaments were different.

What truly confirmed it for him was the aura identical to the seal on Hai Bodong.

That allowed Lin Qing to instantly confirm that she was Medusa.

"Brother Lin Qing!" Qing Lin looked at Lin Qing as he emerged from the cave, her face filled with delight.

"Young Master!"

"Brother!"

"Young Master!"

The others, along with the beast, surrounded him as well. Their gazes repeatedly swept over Lin Qing, and only after confirming that he was uninjured did they finally breathe sighs of relief.

At this moment, Ling Qingzhu, who had been standing silently to the side, spoke.

"She appeared several hours after the two of you entered below. Because you instructed us to only knock out anyone above the Dou Wang realm, we did not kill her. Her strength was at the Dou Emperor Peak, and she was quite powerful. If Sister Qing Chan had not come to help, we would not have been able to capture her. But when we were about to capture her, she prepared to self-destruct. We had no choice but to knock her unconscious and seal the Dou Qi in her body. Now, you must decide whether she lives or dies."

Hearing Ling Qingzhu's explanation, Lin Qing roughly guessed what had happened. Medusa was likely too proud and unruly, immediately insisting on entering the cave to find the Green Lotus Core Flame beside him. Ling Qingzhu, meanwhile, was cold by nature, so the two had begun fighting outright. Then Li Qingchan joined the battle. Unable to escape, Medusa prepared to self-destruct, only to be captured by Ling Qingzhu and Li Qingchan.

Looking at the unconscious Medusa, Lin Qing chuckled. "This is Queen Medusa. Let's return to the inn first and talk after she wakes up. She has also been searching for the Heavenly Flames, so it's normal that she was drawn here. Besides, I was planning to seek her cooperation."

Lin Qi asked softly, "Did everything go smoothly this time, Brother?"

"It went smoothly. The gains were considerable. Not only did I obtain the Heavenly Flames, I also found some precious medicinal herbs, and my strength rose by two stars. But why did all of you come?"

Lin Qing introduced everyone to his gains from this trip before asking the question.

"Because energy fluctuations appeared on Sister Qingzhu's side! Sister Qing Chan rushed over, and we were worried something might have happened to you, so we all came."

Lin Qi's beautiful eyes reflected Lin Qing's figure as she spoke with a serious expression.

Lin Qing rubbed Lin Qi's head, his tone full of relief. "Make sure to stay safe next time, understand?"

The group then returned to the inn together. Lin Qing also washed up and changed into a fresh set of clothes.

[ Ding! A new system task has been issued. It has been detected that the host has captured Queen Medusa. The following choices have been triggered: ]

[ Choice 1: Promise to help Medusa evolve and take her in as a subordinate. Reward: one Tier 6 Soul-Melding Pill, one Tier 8 nine-colored Bodhi Foundation Pill. (An item for fetal Foundation Establishment.) ]

[ Choice 2: Hand the Heavenly Flames to Medusa and return to reclaim it three years later. Reward: High Heaven Grade wood-element Cultivation Technique Azure Origin Formula ]

[ Choice 3: Kill Medusa. Reward: Tier 9 treasured medicinal pill, Heavenheart Pill. (An item for fetal Foundation Establishment that gives the fetus the potential to reach Battle Saint.) ]

This really is a difficult choice! Choice 3 can be ruled out. Medusa and I have no enmity at the moment, though it is a pity to give up a Tier 9 treasured medicinal pill. As for Choice 2, although Xiao Ding has the wood element, that has nothing to do with me. Besides, too many uncertainties can arise over three years. I should choose 1. The Soul-Melding Pill can also be used to trade with Medusa, while the Bodhi Foundation Pill can be kept as a collectible or traded with others.

After making his choice, Lin Qing rose and headed for the room where Medusa was being kept.

At the inn, Medusa slowly awoke from her unconsciousness. She discovered that she was in a room, and judging by its furnishings, it was a guest room.

Rubbing her somewhat dizzy head, she found that aside from her cultivation being sealed, nothing else had changed. Medusa could not help but breathe a sigh of relief. These past few days had been the most humiliating time she had experienced since becoming the queen of the Snake-People Tribe.

Her cultivation had been sealed for days, and she had repeatedly been knocked unconscious.

Lin Qing gently pushed open the door and entered. He found that Medusa was already awake, sitting upright in a chair. Beneath her purple brocade robe, her delicate body was full and exquisitely curved, like a ripe peach, exuding a faint seductive charm. Her long black hair cascaded casually from her fragrant shoulders to her slender willow-like waist, while the snake tail swaying faintly beneath her brocade robe revealed a wild, bewitching allure.