The Queen's Shock, the Path to Becoming the Heavenly Snake Mansion's Holy Son!

[In the first year, Hai Bodong delivered the remaining medicinal ingredients to you. You calmly made your preparations and fired up the cauldron to refine the Misfortune-Breaking Pill.]

[Then, the pill exploded in the cauldron, and your attempt ended in utter failure. You were not discouraged, however. After all, this was your first time refining a Sixth-Grade Pill, so mistakes were only natural.]

[On your second attempt, you adjusted the quantities of the ingredients and tried again. This time, you failed at the Pill Fusion stage. After a long period of contemplation, you fired up the cauldron for a third attempt.]

[This time, Hai Bodong watched you with anxiety written all over his face, terrified that you would fail again. Fortunately, after those first two failures, you finally succeeded in refining a sixth-grade Misfortune-Breaking Pill.]

[Afterward, Hai Bodong took the sixth-grade Misfortune-Breaking Pill. His seal was broken, and his cultivation recovered to that of a Two-Star Dou Emperor. The prolonged seal had weakened his bodily functions, however, preventing him from fully recovering his Five-Star Dou Emperor cultivation for the time being.]

[Half a month later, with all your preparations complete, you were ready to set out for the Tagor Desert to seize the green lotus core flame.]

[Late that night, a black-robed man entered your courtyard and invited you outside to meet him.]

[You stepped out of your room and looked at the black-robed figure, a smile curling your lips. Then you said, "Young brother Xiao Yan, what brings you here?"]

[Xiao Yan was not surprised that you had detected his presence. He pulled back his hood, revealing a delicate, handsome face, and said somewhat helplessly, "I want to make a deal with you, Senior."]

["A deal?" Surprise crossed your face before you asked, "What kind of deal?"]

[Then, an illusory soul emerged from the ring on Xiao Yan's hand. It was an old man with white hair and a white beard. His features were dignified, still bearing traces of his youthful handsomeness, and his bearing was as unfathomable as a deep pool and as imposing as a towering mountain.]

["I am the one who wishes to make a deal with you, young friend. An eighth-tier alchemist's legacy, along with a High-grade Earth-tier Cultivation Method, in exchange for a green lotus core flame. What do you say?"]

[Yao Lao stood with his hands behind his back, every inch a lofty expert, and spoke in a composed tone.]

["So you are the one who wishes to make a deal, Senior? You want to acquire a heavenly flame for young brother Xiao Yan?"]

[You regarded the master and disciple with an enigmatic smile, then pondered briefly before saying, "Besides those, I need two more things."]

["What things?" Yao Lao raised an eyebrow and asked in puzzlement.]

["Since you can offer an eighth-tier alchemist's legacy, Senior, I presume you were an eighth-tier alchemist in life. You also possess the bone spirit cold flame. With credentials like those, it is hard not to have suspicions about your identity..."]

[You first probed indirectly into Yao Lao's identity, making his expression shift slightly, before stating your demands.]

["Since it is you, Senior, you cannot blame me for opening my lion's maw wide. I also want a secret art capable of controlling the woeful poison body, along with a high-grade Earth-tier Body-Refinement Dou Technique."]

[You stated your demands with a smile, your eyes burning as you stared at Yao Lao.]

[Hearing this, Yao Lao frowned slightly. He looked at you and murmured to himself, "Has the woeful poison body appeared in the world again?"]

[After some deliberation, Yao Lao finally agreed to the deal, though he would only hand over the items after obtaining the green lotus core flame.]

[You had no objections. After discussing the details, you set out for the depths of the Tagor Desert the following day.]

[In the second month, your group reached the Snake-People Holy City, only to find a great battle raging there. Once again, Gu He was leading a group in an assault on the Snake-People Tribe.]

[This was no coincidence. You had deliberately timed your arrival so you could reap the fisherman's rewards while the others fought.]

[While Gu He's group battled the Snake-People Tribe, you left Bai Ya and Hai Bodong outside to provide support and slipped into the Snake-People Holy City with Lu Man, Xiao Yan, and his master.]

[Following your instructions, Lu Man kept Gu He occupied and drew the guards away. You soon found Queen Medusa's location.]

[It was the same classic evolution through swallowing fire. Watching Queen Medusa writhe in agony inside the great hall, you clicked your tongue in wonder but did not interfere at all. After all, although your heavenly flame could help her evolve, it could not provide the energy her evolution required.]

[By devouring the green lotus core flame, Medusa was not merely using a heavenly flame to temper her bloodline. She was also consuming the energy within the green lotus core flame to break through to the Dou Zong realm.]

[Before long, Medusa completed her evolution. You used the Green Lotus Platform to collect the green lotus core flame, then handed it over to Yao Lao, completing the deal.]

[Yao Lao gave you the items, and you immediately went your separate ways.]

[After leaving the Snake-People Holy City, Yao Lao and his disciple departed, while you grabbed the Seven-Colored Heaven Swallowing Python and fled at breakneck speed.]

[This time, Yun Yun did not pursue you, because Hai Bodong had intercepted her. Bai Ya held off the five elders of the Snake-People Tribe, and you returned safely to Stone Desert City.]

[In the third month, Lu Man and Bai Ya bid you farewell and left. You refined a sixth-grade Purple Spirit Recovery Pill, helping Hai Bodong recover his Five-Star Dou Emperor cultivation.]

["Human, how dare you!" The Seven-Colored Heaven Swallowing Python had only just assumed human form when she saw you holding up an alchemy cauldron and using a mass of deep-blue flame to burn her. She instantly flew into a rage.]

["Do not be hasty, Your Majesty. Let me burn you for a while first. I guarantee it will feel good." Your expression remained composed as you added several more medicinal ingredients to the cauldron, releasing an enchanting fragrance.]

[Queen Medusa's face was frosty as she watched you with displeasure. After briefly sensing what was happening, however, her expression changed drastically!]

["How is this possible? My bloodline is boiling? What did you do?"]

[You then gave Queen Medusa the same explanation as before. After hearing you out, the queen nodded thoughtfully and said, "In that case, you truly are extraordinary, to have devised such a secret art."]

[After some discussion, the two of you reached a gentleman's agreement. You would help Queen Medusa continue evolving, while she would serve as your bodyguard for a time and pay you a considerable quantity of rare medicinal ingredients.]

[In the fourth month, you returned to Jia Nan Academy, only to find Great Elder Su Qian already waiting for you. Waiting alongside him was a middle-aged man in green robes.]

[The man was pale and gave a light cough from time to time. His appearance was rather unusual, with a third eye between his brows that resembled emerald and emitted a faint green glow.]

["Little Chen, you're back?"]

["Come here. Let me introduce you. This is Lord Yang, the Heavenly Snake Mansion Master, known as the Heavenly Snake Venerable."]

["A Venerable? A Dou Zun expert?"]

[Your expression shifted slightly, and you instinctively looked toward the green-robed man beside him. He gave you a warm smile that carried a measure of goodwill.]

["Young friend, what you mentioned before greatly interested me. Would you bring out that Twin-Headed Fire Spirit Flood Dragon and allow me to take a look?"]

[The Heavenly Snake Mansion Master spoke gently, a smile on his face.]

[You nodded and had Qing Lin take out Little Red and hand him over.]

[The eye between the Heavenly Snake Mansion Master's brows abruptly opened. A beam of green light swept over the Twin-Headed Fire Spirit Flood Dragon before him. Only after a moment did the eye slowly close, and a look of gratification appeared on his face.]

["Excellent, excellent. The heroes of this world truly are as numerous as crucian carp crossing a river. Young friend, you are indeed a heaven-gifted genius!"]

[With that, the Heavenly Snake Venerable bowed respectfully to you and said solemnly, "I sincerely invite you to join my Heavenly Snake Mansion, young friend. I will grant you the position of Holy Son, second only to me in status. The entire Heavenly Snake Mansion will be yours to command!"]

["Please, young friend, grant my wish!"]