Medusa looked at Han Feng with hesitation.
"I'm not a Snake-Person. What would I want with your secret method?" Han Feng said with amusement.
Hearing this, Medusa finally took out the secret method.
Han Feng took it.
"I'm helping you here. If you're not willing, I can leave right now."
Detestable human!
Medusa clenched her fists. The situation forced her to temporarily submit.
Han Feng shook his head and opened the scroll to browse the secret method.
"Temper the bloodline and physical body with a Heavenly Flame..."
Han Feng took in a sharp breath.
This secret method was a bit too brutal.
A Heavenly Flame was like a time bomb. Once you were tainted by it, you either had to isolate it as soon as possible or ruthlessly refine it. If you neither isolated nor refined it, and just let the Heavenly Flame burn your body and temper your muscles and bones, even an Ancient Void Dragon couldn't withstand such torment.
Han Feng glanced at Medusa's enchanting figure—her proud chest, slender waist, and bonelessly soft upper body. Only her tail looked relatively sturdy.
He was certain that if he were to burn this body with the Green Lotus Sea Heart Flame, it wouldn't even take ten minutes to burn it to ashes.
Sensing Han Feng's strange gaze, Medusa warily took half a step back.
"How did you survive it?" Han Feng murmured with emotion. It was truly not easy for the Medusa of his previous life to successfully evolve.
"What did you say?"
Medusa didn't hear Han Feng's words clearly, but she was now on high alert for his every move.
"It's nothing."
Han Feng closed the secret method and returned it to Medusa.
"My personal advice is, don't try it."
Medusa frowned.
"The success rate of the secret method is too low. There's absolutely no need for you to take this risk," Han Feng said.
"I know the success rate is not high, but I have a reason why I must do this!" Medusa's voice was firm.
"I'm not interested in hearing your reasons. I'm just telling you the truth," Han Feng's expression was serious.
"I will not give you the Heavenly Flame. So if you must perform the secret method, the only way is for me to control the Heavenly Flame to burn you. And in this process, I can guarantee you that I have absolutely no confidence in making you succeed."
Han Feng stated the fact of his inability with extremely confident words.
Medusa's expression was strange after hearing this. She glanced at Han Feng.
"I indeed don't trust you. If you were to control the Heavenly Flame, I'd probably be dead for sure."
Han Feng was speechless.
"Then that settles it."
Although he felt some regret in his heart that the figure of the Northwest Empress might never appear in this world, there was nothing he could do.
Han Feng really had no confidence in helping Medusa evolve. Moreover, if it failed, he would have brought trouble upon himself for no reason.
He had refined a sixth-grade pill for the Snake-People Tribe and only took a fifth-tier medicinal ingredient as payment, which was already a concession to them.
After speaking, Han Feng prepared to turn and leave.
"Wait!"
Medusa called out to Han Feng.
"If you won't give it to me, then don't blame me for taking it by force."
Cold words came from behind him. Han Feng suddenly chuckled. He turned his head slightly and opened his smiling eyes.
"If you want to fight, then come on."
Medusa's eyes instantly shot out a cold light. Just as Han Feng thought she was about to attack, she said, "No hurry."
Medusa turned and left, her figure enchanting from behind.
"I'll give you a quarter of an hour to escape. After a quarter of an hour, I will not hold back."
Watching Medusa's figure disappear, Han Feng raised his eyebrows.
"How arrogant."
Han Feng paid no more attention to Medusa and left the Snake-Person Royal Tower directly.
If Medusa really did chase after him, Han Feng wouldn't mind teaching her a lesson.
At the same time as Han Feng left the Royal Tower, Medusa, without a moment's delay, arrived at the secret space below the tower.
She looked at the sparkling Ice Spirit Cold Spring before her, her expression solemn.
"Hah, for the Snake-People Tribe, and for myself."
Medusa's eyes became incomparably firm.
"I must do this!"
———
Above the yellow sand, Han Feng was flying with his Dou Qi wings when he suddenly sensed a strong Dou Qi fluctuation coming from behind him and slowly stopped.
"Asking for trouble."
Han Feng shook his head and turned to look at the red Dou Qi light in the distance.
In a few moments, Medusa arrived in front of Han Feng at full speed.
She looked around at the yellow sand and said, "This place is not bad. It's suitable as a burial ground."
Medusa raised the long sword in her hand and pointed it at Han Feng.
"Come and fight. Let me see if the expert from the Black-Corner Region is worthy of the name."
Han Feng said calmly, "Why must you do this? Isn't it good to just be your Snake-Person Queen?"
"Behave myself? Hmph, since I have stepped onto this path of cultivation, those four words are not in my dictionary."
"That's true."
Han Feng nodded and looked at Medusa.
"Make your move."
Just as Han Feng's voice fell, Medusa's Dou Qi erupted. A red sword light appeared on her long sword, and she instantly appeared by Han Feng's side, swinging her sword.
The long sword drew a semicircular arc of sword qi afterimage. Han Feng stepped with his Flame Steps, turned around, and kicked Medusa hard in the chest, sending her and her sword flying dozens of meters away.
Medusa barely managed to stop herself. Just as she was about to lock onto Han Feng's position again, she heard a cold voice in her ear.
"Too slow."
Boom, another blast of hot Dou Qi struck. Medusa hastily defended herself but her armor was directly broken.
The flame Dou Qi hit Medusa's body heavily, leaving a scorch mark on the surface of her scales.
"Is this all you have?"
Han Feng showed no mercy. After Medusa took a hit, he appeared again in a position where she could not perfectly defend.
"You think you can contend with a Heavenly Flame with just this?"
A fire fist infused with the Green Lotus Sea Heart Flame submerged Medusa's entire body. A mournful scream came from within.
A giant purple-gold python swung its tail, hitting Han Feng.
Han Feng retreated dozens of meters. The green lotus defense around him dissipated, and he was unharmed.
Looking at Medusa, who had already transformed into her magical beast state, Han Feng frowned.
If this continued, she would surely die.
Han Feng stopped in place and did not continue to attack. If Medusa retreated at this moment, he could also pretend that nothing had happened.
However, the purple-gold giant python's eyes sharpened, and it charged towards Han Feng again.
"Alas, so stubborn."
A green fire lotus quietly appeared in Han Feng's palm.
This was a flame Dou Skill that he had initially figured out after refining the Green Lotus Core Flame.
Thanks to the stable nature of the Green Lotus Core Flame, Han Feng could compress high-purity Heavenly Flame energy into the shape of a lotus flower, which could be large or small, and its energy form was very stable.
And once the trigger of this stable, massive energy was pulled, it would cause a violent energy explosion, with power that could undoubtedly surpass stars, and even surpass ranks.
"I hope this move can teach you a profound lesson."
Han Feng murmured, slowly raising his hand and letting the green fire lotus fly out.
The lotus petals burned one by one. The green fire lotus's flight speed became faster and faster, and its size also began to expand.
The purple-gold giant python's gaze suddenly changed. It shifted its sight from Han Feng, gathered all its strength, opened its mouth, and fiercely swallowed the fire lotus.
Han Feng was stunned, then he realized.
"So that was your plan."
He looked around, his tone a little lonely.
"The burial ground you chose for yourself is actually not very good."
The desert would rise with the wind. The bones burned to ashes by the flames would be scattered to all parts of the Tagor Desert.
Han Feng clenched his fist. He could feel that the yellow sand stirred up by the battle had already begun to have no fixed place.
After swallowing the attack from the Green Lotus Core Flame, the purple-gold giant python flew towards the sky.
Han Feng vaguely sensed the aura of the Ice Spirit Cold Spring, but it soon disappeared.
The desert, which had been clear and sunny just now, was suddenly covered with dark clouds.
The chaotic energy of heaven and earth cut off Han Feng's keen spiritual sense.
"It has begun."
Han Feng looked up at the sky, where thunder was surging.
Medusa had made a desperate gamble. Using Han Feng's move, which contained the powerful energy of a Heavenly Flame, she had swallowed the fire into her body and tempered herself with it, staking her last chance.
"Is it necessary to do this?"
Han Feng was very puzzled. Although he had had a similar, desperate experience, he couldn't empathize with Medusa.
Because in his opinion, even if she didn't advance through the secret method, Medusa's chances of advancing to Dou Ancestor in the future were very high.
Perhaps he didn't understand Medusa's heart or know what she was thinking.
"If my opponent were Hun Tiandi, and a desperate gamble could make him die, perhaps I would do the same?" Han Feng thought to himself.
No, it wasn't perhaps. He had already done it in his previous life.
So, if a desperate gamble was the only way to make Hun Tiandi die, then it would be too much of a waste of the opportunity of rebirth.
Han Feng watched quietly. Medusa's tribulation in the sky had begun.
The power of thunder and fire was shocking, and all was quiet within a radius of 50 kilometers.
All the colors between heaven and earth seemed to be swallowed by the green fire and silver thunder. Only a faint purple-gold red light flickered in the thunderclouds.
Knowing full well the pain of being burned by a Heavenly Flame, Han Feng secretly broke out in a cold sweat for Medusa.
Time passed bit by bit, but it actually wasn't long. A quarter of an hour later, with a mournful hiss, the purple-gold giant python turned into a jet-black snake husk and fell from the sky.
The powerful energy of heaven and earth also slowly dissipated at this time.
The process of the secret method was over.
Han Feng's divine sense recovered, and he probed towards the jet-black snake husk.
Unfortunately, no miracle happened. In such a dangerous situation, Medusa's desperate act was simply courting death.
Heaven and earth returned to clarity. Han Feng felt a strange chill.
An old acquaintance had passed away. The traces of that world seemed to be peeling away bit by bit.
In this world, there would be no more Northwest Empress.
Recognizing this, Han Feng's figure looked a bit desolate from behind.
He slowly came to the side of the jet-black snake husk, sighing softly.
"You were a figure in our last life, after all. Since we've met, I'll collect your corpse for you."
Han Feng released the Green Lotus Core Flame and enveloped the remains.
The green flame burned the charcoal-black snake husk, refining it into a dry powder.
However, just as the burning was halfway through, a palm-sized, jade-white light source suddenly shot out from the snake husk and fled into the distance without looking back.
Han Feng quickly flashed forward and grabbed it.
"What is this?"
Han Feng took a closer look. It was a small snake, as white as jade.
"A Seven-Colored Heaven Swallowing Python!"
"No, that's not right."
Han Feng scanned it with his soul power and discovered a clue.
The little white snake in his hand was currently on the boundary between real and illusory, half real, half illusory.
No wonder he hadn't detected it just now. This was not a complete life form at all.
"The soul condensing a body. This is great fortune," Han Feng couldn't help but exclaim.
The physical body had clearly been destroyed, but he didn't expect the soul to be able to re-condense a body.
Although it was only halfway successful now...
He figured it was due to insufficient energy obtained from the Heavenly Flame.
"In that case, I will lend you a hand."
Han Feng took out the Green Lotus Core platform, peeled off an Earth Fire Lotus Seed from it, and sent it to the little white snake's mouth.
The energy required for the soul to condense a body was enormous.
Coincidentally, Han Feng now had this kind of heavenly treasure that contained a large amount of energy.
The little white snake swallowed the lotus seed in one gulp. Its small snake mouth actually bit and broke Han Feng's finger, and a drop of blood was swallowed by it.
"You little Seven-Colored Heaven Swallowing Python."
Han Feng cursed, but he did not use his Dou Qi to send the little white snake flying.
This little fellow was very weak right now. He had to be careful not to accidentally kill it.
After swallowing the Earth Fire Lotus Seed, the little white snake's body condensation process continued. The illusory part gradually solidified, and finally, two small, seven-colored horns condensed on its head.
"Medusa, Medusa?"
Han Feng called several times, but the little white snake did not respond.
Fortunately, he could feel that its life source was abundant with his soul power. It should just be too weak and had fallen into a deep sleep.
Holding the little white snake in his hand, Han Feng looked at the charcoal-black snake husk on the ground and put it away in his storage ring with a wave of his hand.
"You really have a lot of lives," Han Feng said with deep emotion, then spread his Dou Qi wings and flew into the sky.
The energy of heaven and earth here was in turmoil. The Snake-People Tribe would probably send people soon. It was better to return to Desert City as soon as possible.
As for the Seven-Colored Heaven Swallowing Python, its specific situation was still unclear. He would have to study it when he got back to understand.
Not long after Han Feng left, Hua She'er arrived to investigate the situation. When she saw the intense battle scars here, her heart immediately sank.
"Your Majesty..."
Hua She'er anxiously searched for clues everywhere and found a few charred black snake scales.
"It can't be, it can't be!"
A tyrannical Dou Qi erupted from Hua She'er's palm, drawing the surrounding residual energy of heaven and earth to protect this area.
This strange scene had to be sealed off. No one could know about it for the time being, and no one could destroy it.
The Queen was not in trouble; she had just gone out for a while.
Hua She'er repeatedly emphasized this answer in her heart, returning to the Holy City with a heavy heart.
She came to Medusa's palace, hoping to find a clue there.
The Queen would not leave for no reason. If there was anything to instruct her, she would usually leave a message in the secret palace.
Sure enough, Hua She'er saw a letter and a treasure box on the table.
The content of the letter was:
"My journey this time is extremely dangerous. If I do not return, give the pill in the box to the Great Elder."
"Your Majesty!"
Hua She'er's heart was instantly filled with panic.
Could it be that the Queen had anticipated this long ago? Then the charred black snake scales she had just found...
The more Hua She'er thought about it, the more panicked she became. She quickly stopped her thoughts, not letting herself imagine the worst-case scenario.
She did not dare to delay for a moment. She immediately turned and left the Royal Tower, spread her Dou Qi wings, and flew at full speed towards the ancestral land of the Snake-People Tribe.
To find the Great Elder. She must know something.