There was not the slightest trace of resistance. The instant the Ninth Grade Golden Pill's immense Dou Qi descended, Medusa did not even have time to feel stunned before her entire serpentine body was pressed flat against the ground.
The covering that Xiao Ce's earlier actions had already loosened slipped off again. Medusa's vulnerable spot rubbed against the sand, and humiliation showed on her face.
Xiao Ce wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth, clearly realizing that the real world was indeed different from novels or anime. Such skimpy clothing could easily become a weakness targeted in battle, especially in close combat with someone like him.
He had not realized at all that, in the eyes of powerful fighters, his way of fighting was rather too disgraceful.
"What... power is this?!" Queen Medusa forced the words out with difficulty, staring at Xiao Ce in disbelief.
Xiao Se boldly walked up to her and said with a smile, "I nearly died at your hands.
"You certainly live up to your reputation, Queen Medusa, as renowned for your beauty as for your ferocity. You really are frightening."
Medusa said nothing. Looking at the man before her, who had humiliated her to the extreme, the killing intent in her heart did not diminish in the slightest, nor did she conceal it in her eyes.
Seeing this, Xiao Ce sighed softly. "What a shame. I never intended to clash with you.
"I even wanted to use the Myriad Beast Spirit Flame I possess to make a deal with your Snake-People Tribe for some resources.
"Who could have imagined such a coincidence?"
He crouched down and brazenly pinched Medusa's firm cheek, his voice gradually growing calm. "There's too much killing intent in your eyes. Leaving you alive would invite future trouble.
"So prepare to die."
Xiao Ce held up three fingers, giving Medusa three minutes.
Faced with death, Medusa said nothing.
She was not afraid of death. If she had been, she would never even have considered using Heavenly Flames to evolve her bloodline.
At that moment, her heart held only worry and humiliation. She worried that, after losing her, the Snake-People Tribe would face another period of turmoil.
The humiliation came from the sand assailing her vulnerable spot, rubbing it until it hurt a little, but also felt a little... pleasant.
Seeing that Medusa remained silent, Xiao Ce did not force her to speak. His gaze shifted to the Storage Ring on her hand.
He smiled and, with some anticipation, removed the Storage Ring from Medusa's hand and quickly examined it.
Despite Medusa's considerable status, the Storage Ring she wore was only an intermediate one, without a soul restriction.
Xiao Ce easily extended his soul power inside and began inspecting the treasures within.
One by one, he took the items out of the Storage Ring.
Some medicinal ingredients that grew only in the Tagor Desert.
Varying quantities of Magical Beast Magic Cores ranging from the third to the fifth tier.
Several cultivation methods and Dou Techniques suited to the Snake-People Tribe.
As he examined them, Xiao Ce suddenly exclaimed in delight, "Oh, so much Ice Spirit Cold Spring."
Xiao Ce swept his hand over the Storage Ring, and more than a hundred bottles of Ice Spirit Cold Spring appeared on the desert sand. He immediately put them into the Gilded Ring.
Although Ice Spirit Cold Spring was less valuable than Heavenly Flames, it was itself an ice-attribute natural spiritual treasure.
In other words, he could refine and absorb it through the Spirit Refining Art, improving his own cultivation while also raising the cultivation method's grade a little.
Seeing this, Medusa closed her eyes in heartache.
She had collected all this Ice Spirit Cold Spring to protect herself when using Heavenly Flames to evolve. One or two bottles were nothing, but such a large quantity represented a considerable asset even for the Snake-People Tribe.
Xiao Ce ignored Medusa, his expectations for her Storage Ring rising further.
He continued searching. After taking out more medicinal ingredients, Dou Techniques, and similar items, he suddenly sensed a round sphere deep inside the Storage Ring.
Xiao Ce took out the sphere. The moment he did, he determined that it was a portion of some unidentified creature's essence blood, sealed with someone's power and condensed into a solid sphere.
No, he should not have called it an unidentified creature, because the instant the sphere reached his hand, Xiao Ce understood its origin.
That faint sense that he could undo the restriction whenever he wished was unmistakable.
He had laid this restriction himself-or rather, his clone had!
Something hidden in the Tagor Desert, bearing a restriction he had left behind-was there any need to guess where it came from?
Xiao Ce put the essence blood into the Gilded Ring and immediately asked Medusa, "Where did you get this?"
Medusa turned her head away without answering, already prepared to die.
Now it was Xiao Ce's turn to have a headache.
He tapped the Ninth Grade Golden Pill and sent it a voice transmission, telling it to release its suppression.
The next second, Medusa felt the pressure on her body ease. Without the slightest hesitation, she immediately rose and pulled her covering back into place, thinking that no matter how hot the Tagor Desert became, she would absolutely dress more securely in the future.
"Human, kill me. I won't tell you anything!" Medusa wore an expression that declared she would rather die than provide any information.
Xiao Ce set aside some of his playfulness, his expression becoming serious. "Queen Medusa, let's make a deal."
"I've heard that the Snake-People Tribe has a secret method that allows you to evolve your bloodline through Heavenly Flames and raise your cultivation to Dou Zong.
"As a flame of Magical Beasts, the Myriad Beast Spirit Flame offers tremendous benefits to Magical Beasts. If I use it to help you evolve, your chances of success will increase greatly.
"All you need to do is tell me where you obtained that portion of essence blood."
As the queen of her tribe, Queen Medusa was no fool ruled entirely by emotion.
She knew clearly that after her death, the Snake-People Tribe would face turmoil, and human empires might even exploit its vulnerability to wipe it out completely.
If she could live, she would naturally find a way to survive.
Now that Xiao Ce had offered her a chance, she began considering the truth of his words.
After a moment, she looked at Xiao Ce and asked, "How am I supposed to trust you?"
Xiao Ce was straightforward. "The fact that you obtained that essence blood means the place is somewhere in the Tagor Desert. Even without you, I can still find it. It will just take some time.
"In other words, with the bargaining chip you currently hold, there's no reason I have to convince you."
Xiao Ce was candid and direct, making no attempt to dress himself up. "If you can't trust me and refuse to make a deal, I'll follow through on my earlier choice and kill you!"
Medusa fell silent briefly, then nodded. "Fine. I trust you."
Hearing this, Xiao Ce gave her an amiable smile. "Good. Here's to a pleasant partnership, Queen Medusa."
As he spoke, he summoned a wisp of Myriad Beast Spirit Flame at his fingertip and sent it into Medusa's body.
Medusa instinctively moved to resist, only to meet Xiao Ce's unwavering gaze.
She understood that she had no room to resist.
Once the Myriad Beast Spirit Flame entered Medusa's body, Xiao Ce relaxed and said to Queen Medusa, "Queen Medusa, I'll come to the Snake-People Tribe to find you after some time."
"For now, you can leave with your guards."
Medusa glanced at the pit, which most likely concealed Heavenly Flames. However unwilling she felt, she could only choose to leave.
She had the female Da Dou Shi Snake-People guards who could still move carry Yue Mei and the three Dou Ling guards away, while she led the way.
Only after Medusa and the other Snake-People disappeared from sight did Xiao Ce turn toward the pit.
With Medusa driven off, the Green Lotus Core Flame was undoubtedly his!
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