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"So, can we begin?" Wei Yang asked calmly.
"Mm." Medusa lightly inhaled, then gave a small nod.
Her gaze shifted toward the female snake-people commander standing nearby. Her lips moved slightly, as if silently issuing an order.
The commander hesitated for a moment, seemingly wanting to say something. But in the end, she only bowed in obedience. She raised her head, cast a deep glance at Medusa, then turned and quietly left.
At the very moment she turned around, a single tear slipped down unnoticed, vanishing into the breeze.
The atmosphere, at some unknown point, had become inexplicably heavy.
Wei Yang gazed at Medusa. Hers was a beauty bordering on the demonic—an intoxicating, dangerous allure.
She wore a luxurious purple robe embroidered with golden patterns, hugging her flawless figure. Her voluptuous, curvaceous body radiated a seductive charm with every subtle movement. Her long, narrow amethyst eyes shimmered with a natural enchantment, enough to draw in the gaze of any man.
Beneath her purple robes, a portion of her violet serpent tail could be seen gently swaying, exuding a wild, exotic allure.
At this moment, Medusa's own eyes were locked onto Wei Yang and Xiao Yan, a trace of unease flickering deep within her pupils. Clearly, her outward calm was far from how she truly felt inside.
What she was about to undergo… was far too dangerous.
This might very well be her final day in the world.
And yet, she showed not even the slightest intention to back down.
In that moment, the domineering aura of a queen seemed to fade from her entirely.
She smiled softly, as if chatting with close friends, her tone much gentler than usual. "To be able to meet Mister Wei and Young Master Xiao Yan… I consider myself fortunate. After all… we Snake-People have never been well regarded by you humans. You've always seen us as outcasts. In your eyes, we're no different than magic beasts."
"And as for noble alchemists… most won't even spare us a glance."
She lifted her head and looked at the swaying bamboo forest ahead, a bitter smile on her lips. "Even though we Snake-People have long retreated to survive in this boundless desert, your kind still refuses to let up. You continue to suppress us at every turn, preventing us from ever rising."
"But… that's just the way things are between different races. One race expands, another must give ground. There's no right or wrong in that—I understood this when I was still very young. So, I have nothing to complain about."
"There is no right or wrong."
"I only resent… that I am not strong enough."
Her eyes turned distant, filled with yearning. "I've always dreamed of one day leading the Snake-People out of this endless desert. To find a better place to settle. That way, my people wouldn't have to suffer the harsh heat of the desert every single day."
"Even if it's just a small patch of land—just enough for my people to thrive and survive…"
"That's why I have no choice. No matter how great the risk, I'm willing to take it."
As she spoke, she looked at Wei Yang and Xiao Yan, a glimmer of gratitude in her eyes. "Mister Wei, Young Master Xiao Yan, thank you. Thank you for coming to the Snake-People Clan and agreeing to trade with us, and for refining pills for us."
Three pills.
All three were superior-grade Dou Spirit Pills!
Even Wei Yang couldn't help but be moved by Medusa's character and sincerity.
She was… beyond exceptional.
At the same time, he felt a quiet pride within himself. With the power of his formidable soul, his Heavenly Flame, and Yao Lao's guidance, he had successfully refined three superior-grade Dou Spirit Pills in a row—without failure.
Such a feat… even a peak Tier 6 alchemist might not dare make the same claim.
This was the power of a Heavenly Flame—the ultimate blessing for an alchemist.
"And thank you, for being willing to lend me your precious Heavenly Flame," Medusa added, bowing deeply in earnest. "Meeting the two of you may have been the greatest fortune of my life."
Wei Yang waved his hand lightly. "This is a trade. We each get what we need. There's no need for such formality."
Xiao Yan also smiled, raising a hand in a polite gesture of support, though his heart was filled with complex emotions.
Who would've thought… that one day, he would receive a bow of gratitude from the infamous and terrifying Queen Medusa?
It was truly an honor.
And at the same time, he couldn't help but feel a pang of sympathy for this proud queen.
Behind the glory and fearsome reputation… lay the weight of her entire race on her shoulders.
"Mister Wei, Young Master Xiao Yan, I've already issued the orders. Once this is over, you're free to leave at any time. No one in the Snake-People Clan will dare stop you."
Medusa smiled faintly. "Even if… something unfortunate should happen to me… the order still stands."
"That's even better." Wei Yang nodded, already growing weary of Medusa's unexpected sentimentality.
Seriously, where did the cold, aloof queen go?
It was just a transaction—they each needed something.
Why was she acting like they were lifelong friends sharing a final farewell?
Too much...
"Then let's begin. No more wasting time." His gaze turned to Xiao Yan, signaling with his eyes.
Xiao Yan's expression shifted slightly, a flicker of reluctance in his eyes. After all, what man could endure a beauty suddenly becoming this emotional?
He, too, was finding it hard to handle.
He glanced at the stunningly seductive woman before him… Soon, she would lie before him, engulfed in the terrifying heat of the Green Lotus Core Flame—perhaps reduced to nothing but ashes...
Sigh...
In the end, Xiao Yan let out a long sigh in his heart. With a flip of his hand—
Whoosh!
A three-foot-wide green lotus suddenly materialized in the air, gently floating in his palm.
It was a lotus seemingly carved from the finest jade, flawless in design, radiating a sense of perfection.
Eight lotus petals unfurled gracefully, encircling the central lotus platform.
At the very heart of the lotus, a cluster of green flame was quietly burning.
The soft glow of the green flame formed a faint light screen, lightly enveloping the three of them in a halo of emerald light.
The chill that lingered in the surrounding air was instantly dispelled.
A warm aura spread outward, blanketing the space.
"This—!" Medusa was visibly shaken.
Her gaze locked on the green flame.
Her pupils abruptly shrank to the size of pinpricks, and her amethyst eyes filled with disbelief.
How could this be?
Wasn't it supposed to be the black flame?
This… is another Heavenly Flame?!
Medusa stood dumbfounded.
This green flame burned with an almost sentient intelligence within the lotus platform. Occasionally, as it flickered, it would shift forms—sometimes taking the shape of a lotus blossom, other times forming into a tiny green serpent of flame. It would hover gently in midair, coiling adorably with a docile aura.
Despite its heat, it seemed to carry a trace of strange vitality.
Medusa stared unblinkingly at the shifting green flame, completely entranced and unable to snap out of it.
A long while passed before she finally inhaled deeply, then turned to Wei Yang and Xiao Yan and asked, "This… is also a Heavenly Flame?!"
"Naturally," Wei Yang nodded with certainty. "Surprised?"
At that moment, Medusa's expression turned bizarre—somewhere between a smile and a grimace. It was difficult to describe the look on her face.
Truth be told, such a question hardly needed asking. Anyone with a discerning eye could instantly tell this was without a doubt a Heavenly Flame—its spirit, its form, its aura—it was unmistakable.
"I think I've figured out what you're trying to do with the Heavenly Flame."
Wei Yang's lips curved into a smirk. "I have to say—your courage is immense. And your idea? Absolutely insane! But… I also have to admit, you're incredibly lucky."
"If you had actually tried to purify your bloodline using the black Heavenly Flame I possess… heh, then I can tell you now, you'd be dead for sure."
"But with this one—the Green Lotus Core Flame—you might just have a sliver of a chance."
"Hehe," Xiao Yan grinned as well and added, "Although the Green Lotus Core Flame is still a Heavenly Flame, its searing heat also contains a trace of wood-element vitality. That single thread of life is what you must cling to… whether you succeed or not depends entirely on whether you can hold onto that one thread of life."
And that same thread of life… is what I must cling to as well, Xiao Yan thought quietly to himself.
Wei Yang looked at Medusa with a calm smile.
That's fate for you.
Had she truly tried to devour the Black Sun Burning Heaven Flame instead?
Well then...
Heh.
The Black Sun Burning Heaven Flame would have gladly taught her how to die properly.
The path to death already set; your name etched upon the Reincarnation Stele.
Even the gods wouldn't have been able to save her.
She would've turned to ash, just like that.
"Green Lotus Core Flame… nineteenth on the Heavenly Flame Ranking…"
Medusa murmured blankly. "So this flame… ended up in your hands…"
She couldn't help but recall the incident from half a year ago, when she returned empty-handed after diving deep into a sea of magma.
At that time, she'd been fuming with frustration at being one step too late—only to then be ambushed by a Two-Headed Flame Spirit Serpent in the midst of its evolution. Though she'd only suffered minor injuries, she'd still been furious. Of course, that serpent hadn't gotten off easy either, escaping heavily wounded.
If it weren't for being so deep underground, and for her anger at the time, she would've skinned that snake alive.
Now that she thought about it… she couldn't help but chuckle bitterly. Fate, huh.
The Heavenly Flame she had missed back then… had somehow, through all the twists and turns of fate, come to her of its own accord.
Could this be… that one sliver of hope granted by destiny itself?
She took a deep breath and bowed slightly to the two men with solemn respect. "Thank you. No matter what the final result may be, this kindness… the Snake-People Clan will never forget."
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