Metamorphosis

Looking at the increasingly impressive system panel, Liu Yu felt a sense of accomplishment.

But that age of ten really troubled him. If only he were eighteen...

Although he was only ten, his build and appearance made him look like a boy of fifteen or sixteen. In another three or four years, he would probably have the physique and looks of an adult...

Liu Yu stopped dwelling on it and went to find Hua She'er, asking her for the medicinal ingredients he would need for the next half month or so. He would soon be leaving the Snake-People Tribe for a while.

Hua She'er was surprised. Thinking Her Majesty had increased Liu Yu's workload, she could not help feeling sorry for him.

Liu Yu said little and went straight back to the alchemy chamber to begin refining medicine...

In the core area east of the Snake-People Tribe's Divine Temple, countless Snake-People soldiers stood guard around an enormous temple.

Among them were numerous Dou Wang experts, and even Dou Emperor elders were stationed there!

The upper ranks of the Snake-People Tribe had long since been informed that Queen Medusa intended to temper her body with heavenly flames. Although they wanted to dissuade her, their efforts were useless.

If she succeeded, the Snake-People Tribe would rise. If she failed, they still had Liu Yu, already a fifth-tier alchemist with limitless potential, and thus a chance to rise again from the ashes!

That was Queen Medusa's plan!

Inside the Divine Temple lay a clear lake, with a small island at its center.

The bamboo and flowers around a circular clearing in the middle of the island had all been cleared away. Small, smooth pebbles covered the ground, dipping into a little pool within the clearing.

The pool was filled with crystal-clear liquid. White mist curled over its surface, carrying an intensely cold chill!

It was an entire pool of ice spirit cold spring, worth an extraordinary fortune!

Liu Yu stood quietly a short distance from the pool, looking at Queen Medusa beside him with a complicated expression. "Are you... ready?"

"Yes. If... protect the Snake-People Tribe for me!" Queen Medusa tenderly stroked Liu Yu's face as she spoke earnestly.

Without waiting for Liu Yu's reply, she turned and gave the order. "Begin!"

Liu Yu remained silent. Under his control, a mass of Green Flame slowly descended onto the ice spirit cold spring.

The Azure Flame seemed almost alive. As it gently roiled, it sometimes took the shape of a lotus, sometimes a little green dragon. It appeared exceedingly docile—but only to Liu Yu.

At the sight of the Green Flame, a flicker of emotion crossed Queen Medusa's enchantingly beautiful face. Suppressing the tremor in her heart, she began adjusting her condition.

"It's nearly time..."

Queen Medusa murmured softly. A rare trace of hesitation flashed across her alluring face, only to turn into determination an instant later.

Swaying her purple snake tail slightly, she slowly straightened her voluptuous body. Her delicate hands undid the fastenings of her brocade robe, revealing a flawless body, as though crafted by heaven itself, before Liu Yu's eyes.

Her perfect, full figure, like white jade, radiated a temptation that left one's mouth dry. Her breathtaking face held a bewitching allure, while her long, fair neck formed an elegant curve.

But Liu Yu had no heart to admire her. Perhaps he had first been drawn to Queen Medusa by her beauty, but after so many years together, every little moment they had shared had long since made him fall hopelessly in love with her!

His only wish now was for his Queen to survive this tempering by heavenly flames safely!

Queen Medusa brought her hands together slightly, her delicate fingers continually forming strange seals. As the seals changed, the energy fluctuations over the island suddenly grew violent.

The disturbance intensified until an enormous vortex of energy formed above the island!

Queen Medusa's entire body radiated dazzling light. Within that glow, her body rapidly lengthened into an enormous purple serpent over a hundred feet long, suspended in the air.

The purple serpent's body was long and powerful, possessing a faint, elegant beauty. Her pale purple eyes held a hint of tranquility and composure.

She slowly twisted in midair, turning her enormous head slightly toward Liu Yu. Complicated emotions flickered through her pale purple eyes—reluctance, love...

Then dense purple light surged from her body, until it enveloped almost the entire Divine Temple.

After circling several times in the sky, the enormous purple serpent abruptly let out a clear, low cry, then plunged toward the Azure Flame without a backward glance.

As she dove, the green lotus core flame rapidly expanded under Liu Yu's control, soon becoming an enormous blaze like a miniature sun.

Without the slightest hesitation, the enormous purple serpent hurled herself into the green blaze.

The instant the purple serpent entered the heavenly flames, Queen Medusa's agonized scream resounded across the land. Everyone inside and outside the Divine Temple heard her anguished roar!

"Your Majesty!!!"

Outside the Divine Temple, the faces of the experts standing guard changed at the agonized cries. Several Dou Wang auras instantly erupted, leaving the Snake-People soldiers suffering under their pressure.

"Silence!"

Four Dou Emperor auras flashed out and vanished, instantly calming the agitated crowd.

Within the green flames, the enormous purple serpent thrashed madly. Soon after she entered the heavenly flames, her scales began twisting rapidly before being burned black and forcibly stripped away. In mere moments, her body was a mangled mass of flesh and blood.

After her scales fell away, the blood pouring from her wounds was burned into nothingness by the terrifying heat of the heavenly flames, leaving glaring crimson streaks across her body.

Muffled sounds continually rang out from the enormous Azure Flame, and the purple serpent's immense body shrank at a speed visible to the naked eye.

Liu Yu watched it all expressionlessly, his crimson eyes filled with worry.

His Queen was so proud and powerful. The pain that could drive her to such frenzied, agonized screams was unimaginable!

She was facing the burning heavenly flames without any Dou Qi protection, experiencing their full might. The suffering was no longer merely physical; it reached her soul...

Outside the Divine Temple, the many Snake-People Tribe experts watched the enormous purple serpent thrashing fiercely in the Azure Flame from afar. Their hearts burned with anxiety, but they could do nothing.

Only after Queen Medusa's piercing screams had continued for nearly half an hour did they gradually begin to weaken.

The purple serpent had almost stopped struggling. Her body, once covered in beautiful purple scales, was now charred black. Her length of well over a hundred feet had been burned down to only twenty or thirty feet. It was truly...

Outside the purple screen of light, more and more Snake-People stood on the surrounding rooftops, staring blankly at the churning green flames.

Suddenly, mournful hisses echoed throughout the city. Countless Snake-People prayed, and a desolate atmosphere shrouded their tribe's most sacred city.

Liu Yu stared fixedly at the motionless purple serpent within the Azure Flame. As the wielder of the Green Lotus Core Flame, he could sense the faint trace of life within—and it was growing stronger, almost imperceptibly!

As Queen Medusa's screams died away, the entire city gradually sank into deathly silence, grief flowing backward into a river...

But just then, the previously clear sky suddenly darkened. Masses of black clouds appeared from nowhere, slowly covering the heavens.

"Boom!" Thunder abruptly rumbled within the dark clouds. Silver lightning danced through them like long silver serpents in a wild dance of demons!

With an enormous thunderclap, heaven and earth lit up. A massive silver thunderbolt shot down from the clouds, piercing straight through the purple screen of light!

Already prepared, Liu Yu immediately drove the Green Lotus Core Flame to its full power. In an instant, it transformed into an enormous green dragon and collided with the thunderbolt!

"Bang!"

Terrifying energy spilled outward. The thunderbolt vanished, and the dark clouds overhead strangely receded as well. They had come in haste and left just as swiftly!

All the strange phenomena disappeared. A faint green mist seeped from the island, obscuring the view of the Snake-People Tribe's experts.

The aftershock of the collision between the lightning and the heavenly flames had stripped the island bare, and Liu Yu's face was deathly pale.

The lightning had collided with the heavenly flames, but those flames were not masterless. It was equivalent to him taking the power of the lightning head-on with the body of a Dou Ling! Compensation—his Queen had to compensate him! (Green Lotus Core Flame: ...)

Dragging his weakened body along, Liu Yu immediately approached the spot where the Azure Flame had been.

Although he had blocked the lightning with the Green Lotus Core Flame, he had deliberately allowed a small portion through to strike the purple serpent. This was a necessary step in her transformation. Only after undergoing the baptism of lightning could it be perfect.

The enormous, charred serpent lay soundlessly. As Liu Yu approached, movement came from within her blackened body.

The charred outer skin began peeling away, as though something were about to burst out!

"Bang!"

An explosion suddenly rang out from the enormous serpent's corpse. Blackened scales shot in every direction, and a section of the corpse instantly turned to powder and dispersed.

At the same time, a vast, terrifying aura abruptly descended, enveloping the Holy City at an astonishing speed!

"Her Majesty has succeeded!" Sensing something familiar within that tremendous aura, countless Snake-People throughout the city exchanged glances before their faces filled with wild joy. Earth-shaking cheers resounded through the clouds!

Outside the Divine Temple, the Dou Wang experts and the four elders also smiled in relief. Heaven had blessed their Snake-People Tribe!

But after only ten seconds or so, that aura receded like the tide.

As the aura vanished once more, the cheers within the Holy City abruptly stopped. Every Snake-Person wore a stunned expression, their hearts filled with apprehension and anticipation!

The people outside the Divine Temple looked solemn. Finally, the four elders decided to investigate!

Meanwhile, on the island, a slender little snake only about two centimeters long rested in Liu Yu's palm.

Her entire body was covered in tiny seven-colored scales, and her pale purple eyes held a faintly uncanny charm.

An unusual, fresh fragrance lingered around her body. Although she looked like nothing more than a miniature snake, she exuded elegance and nobility.

The little snake was adorable and astonishingly beautiful. Faced with such a lovely creature, most women would probably forget their fear and loathing of snakes.

The Seven-Colored Little Snake had few sharp features for attacking and seemed harmless to humans and animals alike, but the power contained in her tiny body was terrifying!

Liu Yu felt this most keenly. The little darling possessed power comparable to a Dou Emperor!

Not to mention that Queen Medusa, the main soul, was currently asleep. The one controlling the Seven-Colored Little Snake now was the Purple Flame Nether Python Soul that coexisted with the queen. Once his Queen awakened, even an ordinary Dou Zong would probably be no match for her!

Hehe, I should be able to swagger wherever I please in the Jia Ma Empire now. "Drunk, I rest upon the queen's lap; awake, I hold the world in my grasp!" Liu Yu thought gleefully as he looked at the Seven-Colored Little Snake in his hand.

"Hiss, hiss..."

With her exceedingly pure, clear pale purple eyes, the Seven-Colored Little Snake affectionately licked Liu Yu's hand. She did not know why, but the boy before her felt familiar and dear, making her unable to resist drawing close to him.

Looking at the utterly adorable little snake in his hand, Liu Yu's "boyish heart" overflowed. He could not help gently stroking her little head with a finger, and even felt an urge to tuck her into his arms and smother her with affection!

Just then, figures swiftly descended from the sky onto the island in the lake.

"Liu Yu, Her Majesty..."

Four aged figures appeared before Liu Yu. The old woman in the middle spoke, her diamond-shaped eyes full of anticipation.

These four aged figures were none other than the Snake-People Tribe's Four Great Elders, one of the pillars of the tribe's strength!

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