The High Priest

After a while, the high priest returned to the altar.

Those who lived at the Snake-People Tribe's altar all belonged to the priestly lineage. They kept a very low profile and ordinarily followed the queen's orders.

But the altar was sacred ground. Without their permission, even the queen and the elders could not come here lightly.

This tribal rule had been passed down through the generations.

And every Snake-People queen had to undergo an altar baptism at birth and upon reaching maturity.

The altar before the high priest was circular, with eighteen carved statues of giant serpents coiled atop it. They were so lifelike they seemed alive. Each serpent held a crystal orb in its mouth, with pale blue flames swirling inside and radiating scorching heat.

He went to the center of the altar, bent down, and knelt on the ground. His lips parted as he murmured an incantation and formed seals with his hands.

Soon, the runes on the altar floor lit up, flickering with an eerie glow.

Before long, all eighteen giant serpent statues on the altar opened their eyes, their pupils gleaming with seven-colored light.

"Why have you awakened me? I told you three hundred years ago that this generation's Medusa was utterly disappointing. Like her mother, she is a disgrace to the Medusa Lineage."

A female voice filled with authority resounded throughout the altar.

"No, my mistress. Recently, the current queen met a benefactor and defied the heavens to rewrite her fate. Her bloodline has now become incomparably noble, surpassing even yours in your prime," the high priest hurriedly said.

"Really? She defied the heavens to rewrite her fate?"

The female voice sounded somewhat surprised, then fell silent for a while.

"Tell me everything in detail."

"Yes, my mistress."

The high priest began recounting the matter of Long Xiao, including all the extraordinary things about him.

"The world today truly is interesting," the female voice murmured after hearing the high priest's account.

"This man always gives me an ominous feeling. I cannot see through him, and he has eyes only for the queen. I fear he will obstruct our plans, which is why I awakened you ahead of time."

"Heh, nearly eight thousand years, and the moment has finally come. So what if you cannot see through him? He is still only a boy. Before absolute strength, can he stop me?"

"That boy may harbor an earth-shaking secret, but it does not matter. When the time comes, it will all be mine!"

The female voice sounded exceedingly proud.

She had waited through the long years as though solely for this moment to arrive. She had thought all hope was lost, yet things had taken such an unexpected turn.

"My mistress, although this generation's Queen Medusa is still young, she has won illustrious victories in battle. The entire tribe places its faith in her. I fear this will be difficult," the high priest said.

"Hmm? Is that not the principle the Snake-People Tribe has always upheld? Rest assured, leave this matter to me. The more loyal she is to the Snake-People Tribe, the easier she will be to deal with. The rules I laid down thousands of years ago have not honed you all in vain."

"Now that she has defied the heavens to rewrite her fate, she no longer needs an altar baptism. We cannot act unnoticed as we did before. So, in the coming days, we shall make our move openly."

"Yes, my mistress. Please descend as soon as possible. We need your instructions," the high priest said respectfully.

"Enough. You may leave now. Begin preparations immediately. The day I descend shall be the day the Snake-People Tribe returns to the continent!"

"Yes, my mistress!"

The high priest withdrew from the altar.

Meanwhile, inside Medusa's bedchamber.

Exhausted from their battle, Medusa had been sleeping soundly beside Long Xiao when she suddenly jolted upright.

"What's wrong? Sleepwalking?"

Long Xiao rubbed his eyes groggily and asked in confusion.

"I think I just heard a voice, and I have a bad feeling."

Medusa clutched her chest and frowned.

A sudden fear had arisen deep in her heart, even though the word "fear" had never existed in her vocabulary.

Yet this time, she had felt that very emotion.

Seeing this, Long Xiao pulled Medusa straight into his arms, nestling her head against his chest.

"Don't be afraid. With me here, any bad feeling is just a passing cloud... go to sleep!"

Long Xiao gently comforted Medusa in his arms.

Feeling his strong, powerful arms around her and hearing his heartbeat, Medusa's heart inexplicably settled.

She thought no more of it, closed her eyes, and fell into a deep sleep.

Somewhere deep beneath the Tagor Desert.

"Master! How can it be gone?!"

A young man stared at the lotus pedestal before him. The thing he wanted was nowhere to be found, and his expression darkened as he spoke.

"Xiao Huohuo! Calm down. If it is not here, we will simply keep looking."

Beside him, a soul in the form of an old man also frowned as he spoke.

"Yes, Master." Xiao Huohuo took several deep breaths and composed himself.

Yao Lao nodded, his gaze settling on the lotus pedestal.

He stepped forward and discovered a purple snake scale caught among the green lotus petals. At last, he understood.

He picked up the scale, brought it before Xiao Huohuo, and said, "It seems someone beat us to it."

At the sight of that snake scale, Xiao Huohuo's heart lurched. He knew who had taken the heavenly flame!

Who else could it be but Queen Medusa?!

"Gather the remaining treasures. We will have to pay a visit to the Snake-People Tribe."

Yao Lao put away the snake scale and sighed to Xiao Huohuo.

This journey would be fraught with danger.