"Here you go, little one..."
Xiao Hua sighed softly as he took out several jade bottles, each filled with a purple-colored liquid.
The moment the bottles appeared, the small snake darted over as if it had teleported, arriving instantly at his palm. It flicked out its tiny tongue and began lapping at the bottle's opening with eager, ferocious licks.
The purple liquid within the jade bottles was none other than the Amethyst Lion Birth Essence.
Xiao Hua didn't particularly care about this item. After performing numerous Gacha pulls, he had amassed an abundance of them in his storage rings. In fact, he could easily fill a twenty-foot pool with the essence and still have plenty left over.
Even the cub of the Amethyst Winged Lion King had a small pond of this essence set aside—personally gifted by him.
Moreover, the Amethyst Lion Birth Essence wasn't particularly useful to him—or to anyone around him. No matter who it was, none found the essence especially valuable. Because of that, Xiao Hua had been storing it in a separate storage ring rather than the Mysterious Heaven Ring. That was likely the reason the small snake had been able to sense it.
It was also why Xiao Hua didn't hesitate to let the little snake have some. He could tell the creature understood the power of the Amethyst Essence. It didn't act greedily and absorb beyond its limit.
After a few eager licks, it withdrew its head, its crystal-clear pupils shimmering with excitement and satisfaction.
Having consumed the essence, the cautious light in the white-colored snake's eyes seemed to fade. As it looked up at Xiao Hua, its gaze now held a faint trace of trust.
Sensing the subtle shift in the snake's demeanor, Xiao Hua shook his head helplessly. A resigned smile tugged at the corners of his lips.
"To think this little fellow actually trusts me just because of this…"
He could already tell—once he brought this little fellow along, there'd be yet another glutton in the group.
Letting out a resigned sigh, Xiao Hua extended his hand and gently caressed the small creature's delicate body.
At first, the little white snake twisted in resistance, but upon seeing his persistence, it gave up avoiding his touch. Instead, it turned its tiny head and lazily rubbed itself against his hand, as if in silent acceptance.
'It's time to stop… If that haughty and prideful queen takes control, she might really kill me for this,' He thought with another sigh, withdrawing his hand and ceasing the gentle strokes.
Carefully, Xiao Hua cradled the small white snake in both hands. The little snake didn't resist his touch. Instead, it flicked its tail, coiling around his wrist, and began to sway its body as though playing on a swing.
"Little one… your current situation is quite unusual. Would you like to leave with me… and follow me?" he asked softly, raising his hands until the snake's eyes met his own.
His words weren't just meant for the small white snake—they were also intended for the consciousness of Queen Medusa slumbering within it.
Opening its purple-colored eyes, the small seven-colored snake stared silently at the young man's face. A strangely human-like expression of confusion flickered within its pupils. It slowly straightened its body, gazing blankly at Xiao Hua.
Seeing the little creature react this way made Xiao Hua feel somewhat at a loss himself. For a moment, he felt like a man trying to coax a lost little girl by the roadside.
"Why don't you talk it over with the other consciousness and let her decide? After all, she's the one with experience in the outside world..." he said gently.
With a helpless smile, he gave up on persuading the snake directly and suggested it speak with Queen Medusa instead. He knew she was awake—he had sensed her killing intent the moment he touched the snake's head earlier.
As if understanding his words, the small white-colored snake closed its large, innocent eyes. In that instant, the entire underground space fell into silence.
After a short while, the small snake opened its eyes once more, gazing at Xiao Hua with its large, quartz-like pupils before gently nodding in agreement. A moment later, its tail coiled around his wrist, and it slipped into his sleeve, gradually falling into a deep slumber.
Seeing that the little snake had accepted and entered its resting state, Xiao Hua shifted his attention to the Green Lotus Core Flame, which still hovered in midair. Its energy was clearly much weaker than before.
It seemed that being struck by lightning multiple times, coupled with its fierce struggle against Queen Medusa, had drained a considerable amount of its strength.
Without hesitation, he retrieved the green-colored Lotus Seat from his storage ring—the same one he had taken while observing the battle between Queen Medusa and the Green Lotus Core Flame—and raised it before him.
Xiao Hua gently pushed the Lotus Seat forward. As it left his hand, it rotated slightly, releasing a faint energy wave. Slowly, it drifted toward the turquoise-colored flame, which had taken the form of an eight-petaled lotus.
As it approached the Green Lotus Core Flame, a bright turquoise glow emerged from the Lotus Seat. When it reached the base of the flame, the glow quietly enveloped the Green Lotus Core Flame.
With the turquoise light gradually shrinking, the Heavenly Flame slowly descended into the lotus's core without offering any resistance. In the next moment, a strange turquoise-colored flame surged to life within the now-filled core of the seat.
Xiao Hua watched the Green Lotus Core Flame, now sealed within the Green Lotus Seat, with an unreadable expression. He had expected this outcome, so he showed no hint of surprise.
Stepping forward, he carefully grasped the base of the Lotus Seat with care, his eyes fixed intently on the flickering turquoise flame nestled within.
After a moment of silent observation, he finally tore his gaze away and turned toward a nearby flat-surfaced rock. Walking over, he sat down and remained still—quietly waiting for the arrival of a certain noble lady and the few Snake-People who followed not slightly far from her.
Now that the Green Lotus Core Flame had been sealed within the Lotus Seat, the flame barrier surrounding the shrine would naturally dissipate.
Moreover, with her sharp perception, there was no doubt she would come here. Xiao Hua could sense that she had been extending her spiritual sense ever since Queen Medusa began her evolution.
Having been by his side for some time now, she had become familiar with the aura of a Heavenly Flame. In fact, she recognized it even more clearly than Gu He—despite him being an alchemist.
...
It didn't take long for the noble lady Xiao Hua had been waiting for to arrive. She descended gracefully through the opening left behind by the lightning tribulation that had struck during Queen Medusa's evolution.
He opened his eyes and slowly raised his head, gazing at the elegant and beautiful woman who now stood before him.
Her pretty face, usually calm and composed, was filled with shock and disbelief as she staring at him. Clearly, she hasn't expected him to be here.
'I'm going to get scolded pretty harshly…' Xiao Hua murmured inwardly, a faint, resigned smile appearing on his handsome face.
Just as the thought crossed his mind, Xiao Hua's gaze swept over Yun Yun's figure—only for his eyes to suddenly widen in shock upon noticing her injuries.
"You're injured!" he exclaimed, instantly appearing before her to examine her condition. "How is that possible? Was it because of the token?"
"I'm fine. It's just a minor injury…" Yun Yun, who had been ready to scold him, swallowed her words. She had wanted to berate him for relaxing while she struggled outside—but the moment she saw the worry in his eyes, all her anger faded.
"Even if it's minor, why did you come back?" Xiao Hua sighed softly, his tone carrying both concern and a hint of reproach. "You should be focusing on recovery. There's no need for you to worry about the Heavenly Flame."
She closed her eyes and shook her head, momentarily speechless in the face of his gentle concern. Clearly, he hadn't expected her to be hurt at all.
"If your injuries had been serious... and if there were any scars left behind," he added with a playful glint in his eyes and a brilliant smile, "I suppose I'd have no choice but to take responsibility and marry you."
Her figure stilled in an instant. Surrounded by wreckage and bloodied earth, she stood like a swan adrift on stormy waters—elegant and serene, defying the fury around her.
She opened her eyes once more and stared at the young man's brilliant smile—one that carried both playfulness and sincere concern. A soft, involuntary smile appeared on Yun Yun's slightly moist, red lips.
She didn't take Xiao Hua's words—despite their lethal charm effect on the heart—too seriously. It was clear he had only been joking, a lighthearted remark made in relief, even if there was a teasing undertone to it.
Yet… that simple, playful joke stirred something gentle within her heart.
Though she had long been protected by her sect and her master, in the end, it was only because she was the sect's young mistress and the direct disciple of Yun Shan, the sect leader at the time.
But genuine concern—true, heartfelt worry—towards her own self as Yun Yun was something she had never truly received before.
Even back in the cave, Xiao Hua had worried more for her safety than his own. And now, the sincere relief in his eyes when he realized she wasn't seriously hurt… it wasn't unpleasant at all.
"Anyway, what are you doing here? Don't tell me you just showed up and didn't bother helping us at all?" Yun Yun shook her head, brushing aside the gentle stirrings in her heart. Her tone sharpened by the end of her question, her eyes narrowing slightly.
"Honestly… I never imagined you'd get hurt," Xiao Hua replied, his voice sincere. "I'm sorry."
He didn't try to make excuses. The guilt in his voice was genuine.
Though he had sensed Yun Yun's presence in the city through his spiritual perception, the chaotic phenomena surrounding the Heavenly Flame and Queen Medusa's tribulation had made it impossible to assess her condition clearly.
'As I thought… you really did make sure I wouldn't be harmed by that strike.' A soft smile briefly touched Yun Yun's lips, but she quickly masked it, resuming her composed, stern expression.
"This should heal your injuries and restore you to peak condition," Xiao Hua said. With a light rub of his finger across the Mysterious Heaven Ring, several jade bottles filled with high-grade recovery pills appeared in his hand. Without hesitation, he passed them to her.
Naturally, Yun Yun accepted the jade bottles. She opened one and swallowed a pill without hesitation. Given the trust between them, refusing it would have been nothing more than empty formality.
As Yun Yun swallowed the pill, nine Snake-People finally arrived at the shrine. One of them suddenly surged forward, his serpentine lower half coiling with tension as he pointed a finger sharply at Yun Yun.
"You human woman! How dare you enter our sacred city—let alone our holy shrine! Do you take the Snake-People as a joke?" he roared, his voice filled with fury and killing intent.
The speaker was a muscular warrior, his powerful frame clearly forged through countless battles. His most striking feature was the pair of massive forearm guards—dark, metallic, and etched with angular designs of gold and bronze. The patterns gleamed sharply under the light, emphasizing his imposing presence.
Blinded by rage, he failed to notice the calm young man standing silently beside Yun Yun.
However, Yin Shi, Yue Mei, and Mo Ba Si did notice—and their expressions changed instantly. Alarmed, they moved swiftly to intervene.
"Wait—Yan Ci! Stand down!" Yin Shi barked, stepping forward and placing a hand on the angry warrior's shoulder. "That goes for all of you as well!"
He then turned to address the rest of the group, his tone urgent. "Those of you who don't know him—be very careful with your words. This is not someone we want to offend."
Though confused, the Snake-People obeyed Yin Shi's command. Despite sensing no aura from the young man beside Yun Yun, their battle-honed instincts screamed of danger. Just a glance at his faint smile was enough to send a chill through their hearts.
Yin Shi, however, understood the gravity of the situation more clearly than the rest. He knew exactly why Xiao Hua had come—he had witnessed the entire process of their Queen's evolution. More importantly, he was well aware of the unusual bond Queen Medusa had formed with Zi Yan.
But that very connection now placed them on a razor's edge.
Yin Shi also knew of the closeness between Xiao Hua and Yun Yun. One careless word or misstep, and the Snake-People might end up offending the single most dangerous man in the Jia Ma Empire.
Just as he was about to speak and smooth things over, Yin Shi's expression subtly shifted. A message had suddenly entered his mind. He swallowed his words and quickly masked the change, choosing instead to remain silent.
Seeing Yin Shi remain silent while keeping the other Snake-People in check, Xiao Hua turned to Yun Yun. He glanced briefly at the Lotus Seat before shifting his gaze back to her.
"Do you want this?" he asked, his voice soft. Then, with a troubled smile, he added, "If so, I'll have to apologize in advance… because I can't give it to you."
"If Gu He asks, just tell him there's a Spiritual Imprint on this Heavenly Flame—one that only I can remove. That way, no one can try to steal it from Queen Medusa or the Snake-People."
Upon hearing this, Yun Yun's beautiful eyes flickered with mixed emotions—both fury and amusement. She was furious because, even if she wanted it, she knew she couldn't take it from him. Yet she was also happy, because Xiao Hua had chosen to take the blame on himself without hesitation.
After a long silence, she let out a bitter laugh and shook her head, suppressing the emotions swirling in her heart. It was becoming harder and harder to resist the man standing in front of her.
She knew that even if Xiao Hua were weak, she would still struggle to fight him for the Heavenly Flame—because deep down, she simply didn't want to.
Ugh… he really is my… Yun Yun muttered inwardly. She quickly turned her head away from Xiao Hua's gaze, trying to hide the flush of bright red spreading across her beautiful face.
Helplessly, she shook her head and sighed softly, her thoughts swirling. After a moment of silence, she waved her hand absentmindedly—completely unlike her usual composed and elegant self—and grumbled, "Don't worry. I already told Gu He that the difficulty of obtaining the Heavenly Flame has increased drastically. It's unlikely I'll be able to take it away."
"Ha… ha… really, sorry about this," Xiao Hua replied with an awkward laugh and a sheepish smile.
After a short pause, he turned his gaze toward the group of Snake-People who had remained still. However, a few of them were staring at Yun Yun with barely concealed bloodlust.
"I'll talk to them and make sure they let you go. So… you should probably leave before someone explodes," he said lightly.
"I'll leave it to you, then," Yun Yun nodded. With a soft whoosh, a pair of Dou Qi Wings spread out from her back, and she shot into the sky, quickly retreating through the path she had entered.
"Do you think we'll just let her—!"
"Enough, Hua She Er," Yin Shi interrupted coldly, cutting off the furious roar from one of the Snake-People. He shot a sharp glare at the Snakewoman standing beside Yue Mei. "There's nothing we can do if she's under his protection."
Though visibly frustrated and brimming with anger, Hua She Er chose to remain silent. No matter how unwilling she was, she knew she couldn't defeat the young man standing before her.
Once Yun Yun had disappeared from view and a few moments of tense silence passed, Yin Shi's hostile expression slowly eased. He cupped his hands respectfully toward Xiao Hua.
"Young Master, may I ask… was the message you sent me true? Has Her Majesty truly successfully evolve?"
"Elder Yin Shi, is that true?!"
"Didn't Her Majesty fail to evolve?"
"Where is Her Majesty? Why can't we sense her presence?"
"And why did Her Majesty's aura suddenly vanish?"
Yin Shi's words caused an uproar among the Snake-People. One after another, they bombarded him with frantic questions, their voices filled with anxiety and disbelief.
Xiao Hua's brows twitched slightly at the barrage of questions directed at him. It was only now that he truly understood how deeply Queen Medusa was loved by her people. Still, if he allowed them to go on like this, nothing meaningful would be resolved.
Raising his hand, he signaled for silence, his calm and composed presence slowly bringing order back to the group.
"I understand your concern," Xiao Hua began calmly, "but rest assured—she has survived the tribulation and successfully completed her evolution."
He paused, letting his words sink in as his gaze swept over the group. Some sighed in relief, others cried out in joy, while a few even shed tears. A wave of positive emotions spread among the Snake-People.
He waited quietly for their excitement to settle, his presence steady and composed. Fortunately, they noticed from his expression that more news was coming, so they gradually calmed down, their eyes fixed on him with anticipation.
"As for why Queen Medusa's aura has completely vanished… and why she hasn't appeared in front of you—it's because she's currently in a strange state. One that even I have never seen before."
"A strange state…?" Yin Shi's excitement quickly gave way to worry upon hearing that.
The others behind him shared his reaction. Concern and unease appeared on each of their faces, their joy giving way to anxious silence.
"First of all, how much do you know about Her Majesty's evolution method?" Xiao Hua asked, wanting to gauge their understanding of the path Queen Medusa had chosen.
The Snake-People exchanged glances among themselves before Yin Shi stepped forward and responded on their behalf. "We know a little about the method Her Majesty selected. But since it comes from an ancient record, our understanding is quite limited."
"I see. Then allow me to explain based on my own analysis." Xiao Hua nodded slightly and began speaking in a calm, steady tone.
"From my observation, Queen Medusa's previous accompanying spirit was a sixth-ranked Magical Beast known as the Quiet Purple Flame Serpent. According to ancient legends, this species possesses a faint trace of ancestral bloodline. Under extremely rare circumstances, they can awaken it and transform into one of their ancient ancestors. However, the odds of success are so low that most would consider it impossible."
He glanced at the group to ensure they were following before going on.
"Normally, the chance of such a transformation is so minuscule it's considered nearly impossible—practically negligible."
He paused again, allowing the weight of his words to settle.
"Yet, against all odds… it happened. Queen Medusa succeeded. She awakened that dormant bloodline and evolved into their ancient ancestor—the Seven-Coloured Heaven Swallowing Python."
A hushed gasp spread through the group, but Xiao Hua continued unfazed.
"This ancient magical beast is incredibly rare. In ancient times, the Heaven Swallowing Python was renowned for its might—so powerful that it could rival even a Dou Sheng!"
"Dou Sheng?!"
A shocked exclamation burst from the Snake-People, their eyes wide with disbelief. None of them had expected that their queen had actually succeeded in evolving into such a powerful magical beast.
Naturally, excitement and joy surged across their faces. Their expressions lit up with pride and hope. But before the celebration could reach its peak, Xiao Hua's next words poured cold water over their enthusiasm.
"But… this evolution method has also placed her in a strange and dangerous state."
"Strange? What do you mean…?"
This time, it wasn't Yin Shi who spoke, but Yue Mei. Her concern for Her Majesty was too strong to remain silent, prompting her to step forward.
Xiao Hua nodded slightly and began to explain. "Queen Medusa's so-called evolution wasn't merely physical. It involved evolving her very spirit—abandoning her original body and condensing a new, true form using only her Spiritual Strength."
"In essence, Queen Medusa's spirit is now being suppressed by the very creature she evolved into—the Seven-Coloured Heaven Swallowing Python, which has become her new physical body. The only way for her to regain full control is to merge her spirit with this newly formed body."
A moment of silence passed before Xiao Hua added with a trace of awkwardness, his voice trailing off slightly near the end:
"And… that's not something I believe the Snake-People have the means to help with—since she chose to follow me…"
"That's…" Yin Shi was momentarily at a loss for words. What Xiao Hua said was undeniably true.
They had no method capable of merging their Queen's spirit with her new physical body. And he had to admit—Her Majesty's current state was indeed unusual… even troubling.
"If that's the case, then we must entrust Her Majesty's care to you, Young Master Xiao Hua," Yin Shi finally nodded, his tone both respectful and resigned.
"Elder Yin Shi… is that really fine?" one of the Snakemen asked cautiously. The concern and hesitation in his eyes were clear.
"It cannot be helped, Nan She," Yin Shi replied with a weary shake of his head and a soft sigh. "We lack the means to reunite Her Majesty's spirit with her physical form. And after what happened, it's not as if we can turn to Gu He for assistance."
"That…" Nan She's expression darkened. His fists clenched tightly, and he gritted his teeth in silent frustration.
Naturally, the same feelings echoed through the rest of the group. Their faces were marked with helplessness, self-blame, and deep frustration at their inability to aid their queen in her time of need.
"Besides, you don't need to worry about whether he harbors any ill intentions," Yin Shi added, understanding the unease in their hearts and seeking to ease it.
"Let's not forget the little girl in purple who caused such a ruckus during her stay. She and Her Majesty share a close bond. She wouldn't allow anyone to harm her."
Yue Mei and the others exchanged glances. At the mention of Zi Yan, a mix of fear and helplessness flickered in their eyes.
That little girl had truly been a force of chaos among them—so much so that she'd even gotten them scolded by the Queen herself...
Yet, it was undeniable that Zi Yan had grown close to Her Majesty. In fact, the tokens they had received from Xiao Hua were given because the girl had personally asked him for them.
With a sigh of acceptance, they shook their heads and stepped forward. One by one, they cupped their hands and offered a slight bow toward Xiao Hua.
"We shall entrust our Queen to your care, Young Master Xiao Hua."
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