"Yun Shan, you dared enter my Snake-People Tribe's sacred grounds without even breaking through to Dou Zong? I have to admire your nerve!"
Inside the Snake-People Tribe's royal palace, Queen Medusa leaned languidly against her throne, undisguised killing intent in her eyes.
Yun Shan glanced at Queen Medusa, seemingly recalling some events from years ago.
Back then, he had been young and reckless, believing his strength as a Dou Emperor allowed him to go anywhere. He had even once wanted to catch a glimpse of Queen Medusa's true appearance.
He had succeeded, but only because Queen Medusa had found him interesting back then and had not held it against him. Otherwise, he would never have made it out of her palace.
Seeing her again now, remembering what he had said back then and comparing their present strength, Yun Shan rather wanted to find a crack in the ground to crawl into. Still, he had not forgotten what he had come here to do.
"Your Majesty, I haven't come to fight you this time. Someone wanted to meet you, so I brought him here."
"A child? Yun Shan, a mere child dares ask to see me? Have you mistaken my royal palace for your Misty Cloud Sect?"
Queen Medusa's oppressive presence descended in an instant. Fortunately, Yun Shan was also a high-level Dou Emperor. He stepped forward, shielding Su Yun and easily dispelling the pressure.
"Don't act rashly, Your Majesty. I'll say just one thing: he's thirteen, and a First-Grade Alchemist."
"What did you say?"
At those words, surprise briefly flickered through the queen's beautiful eyes.
As the queen of the Snake-People Empire, Queen Medusa had lived for over two hundred years and seen far too many geniuses. But a thirteen-year-old First-Grade Alchemist? In all those years, not only had she never seen one, she had never even imagined one.
To become an alchemist, one had to be at least a Dou Zhe. A thirteen-year-old Dou Zhe was already a genius of whom only a handful could be found in the Jia Ma Empire, let alone someone who had studied alchemy while becoming a Dou Zhe.
Even with guidance from the Jia Ma Empire's finest alchemist, producing an alchemist quickly was by no means easy. It all took time, and a great deal of it.
In an instant, Queen Medusa appeared before Yun Shan.
"Move aside."
Hearing this, Yun Shan silently stepped back a little.
Then Queen Medusa reached out and caught Su Yun's wrist. The next second, her pupils widened again.
"You're only eight?"
When she felt Su Yun's bone age, even someone as composed as Queen Medusa could not help crying out in shock.
A thirteen-year-old First-Grade Alchemist would shock the world. An eight-year-old First-Grade Alchemist? Queen Medusa even suspected there had never been one before, and perhaps there would never be another.
After all, an alchemist had to be a Dou Zhe. A thirteen-year-old Dou Zhe was at least something she could accept; there had been records of them over the years.
But an eight-year-old Dou Zhe? Even searching every history book in the Snake-People Empire, the Jia Ma Empire, and surrounding empires such as the Mulan Empire would never turn up a single one.
More terrifying still, he had also become an alchemist. This truly challenged everything she knew.
"Refine a pill. Let me see."
"All right."
Su Yun took out a medicinal cauldron, and black flames appeared at his fingertips. Queen Medusa's eyes narrowed slightly at the sight.
Eight years old, a Dou Zhe, and possessing the Beast Flame of a fifth-tier magical beast. Judging by that fifth-tier beast fire, it did not seem to have come from an ordinary fifth-tier magical beast, either.
Those flames definitely possessed the kind of might only a trace of a high-level Soul Beast's bloodline could confer.
Quietly watching Su Yun refine the medicine, Queen Medusa returned to her throne and sank into thought.
Only when Su Yun finished refining the pill and presented it to her did Queen Medusa come back to herself.
"What have you come here for?"
"To make a deal with Your Majesty. I want the Snake-People Tribe's secret method for extracting the souls of snake magical beasts and placing them inside Snake-People."
"As for payment, once I become a Sixth-Grade Alchemist, I can refine one Sect Breaking Pill and two Emperor's Extreme Pills for you. Once I become a Seventh-Grade Alchemist, I can refine one Transformation Pill for you."
"Besides that, I'll also owe Your Majesty a favor. You may ask me to refine one other Seventh-Grade Pill. How does that sound?"
Hearing Su Yun's offer, a conflicted look crossed Queen Medusa's face. "Extracting the souls of snake magical beasts and placing them inside members of the Snake-People Tribe is a secret method our tribe forbids teaching outsiders. Even I cannot make that decision lightly."
Seeing Queen Medusa's conflicted expression, Su Yun frowned as well. "You won't trade it?"
"No, that'll cost extra."
Su Yun: "..."
"Our tribe also has several elders. If the rewards are solely for me, I'm afraid it would be difficult to give them an account, especially when there is nothing tangible yet. That's why I need a little more. I hope you understand."
"I understand. Then I'll add one more opportunity to have me refine a pill. A seventh-tier pill, of course."
"Agreed."
Queen Medusa agreed without much hesitation, making Su Yun feel that he might have been swindled.
"Also, sir, it would be a blessing for our Snake-People Tribe if you could become a Seventh-Grade Alchemist as soon as possible. Therefore, our tribe will give you some additional medicinal ingredients. Please do not disdain them."
Listening to Queen Medusa from the side, Yun Shan raised his eyebrows.
This was the first time he had discovered that Queen Medusa could actually be so gentle, so accommodating, and even so polite as to address a young friend as "sir."
But when he thought of Su Yun's talent for becoming a First-Grade Alchemist at eight, Yun Shan realized this was not something he could envy his way into.
"In that case, thank you, Your Majesty."
"As long as it helps you, sir. Also, our Snake-People Tribe wishes to befriend you. Might I invite you to stay at the Snake-People palace for a while, so that I may extend some hospitality as your host?"
As Yun Shan listened to Queen Medusa, his brows twitched even more violently.
He felt that Queen Medusa was acting completely out of character. Then he thought again of an eight-year-old First-Grade Alchemist, of how the Seventh-Grade might not even be Su Yun's limit, and of how Su Yun might not be without a chance of becoming an Eighth-Grade Alchemist. Yun Shan felt that he, too, ought to change his attitude toward Su Yun.
"That works. But Your Majesty, please make sure you inform your subordinates that I'm staying in the Snake-People Tribe's royal palace. Let's not make things unpleasant for both sides."
Su Yun did not want to run into anyone blind to the situation, especially while he still lacked strength.
Some face-slapping and showing-off scenarios would be one thing, but getting caught in a Dragon King scenario without sufficient strength would be far too miserable.
"Rest assured, sir."
Queen Medusa beckoned, and her guard captain, Hua She, stepped forward.
"Your Majesty."
"You will be responsible for the gentleman's safety during his stay. If anything goes wrong, I will hold you alone accountable!"
"Yes, Your Majesty."
"This way, sir."
Su Yun glanced at Yun Shan, and Queen Medusa waved a hand. "He may come, but he cannot stray too far from you. It's a necessary precaution."
"I understand. Thank you."
Su Yun soon left with Hua She'er, while Yun Shan stayed beside him to ensure his safety. Only Queen Medusa remained in the great hall, silent, with no telling what she was thinking.
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