Gazing at the Medusa Queen who had appeared in the sky and the stern Lion Yan whose voice was like thunder, Gu He and the others could not help but inch a little closer to the silent black-robed figure beside them. Here, only she might be capable of contending with the notoriously fearsome Medusa Queen.
“Are you looking for me?” The Medusa Queen in the sky slightly lowered her head, looking at Gu He. Her red lips curled into a delicate arc, and in an instant, her exquisite face exuded an alluring charm. A smile or a frown from her left several Dou Ling experts by Gu He’s side momentarily lost in a daze!
Under the Medusa Queen’s smile, Gu He took a deep breath, suppressing some of his emotions, and raised his head, smiling, “Your Majesty, Queen Medusa, it is a great honor to meet you. I am Gu He from the Jia Ma Empire.”
“Alchemist King Gu He, right? I’ve heard of you. A sixth-grade Alchemist is indeed extraordinary, and even able to summon a Battle Emperor expert,” the Medusa Queen said with a smile, her gaze sweeping over the mysterious black-robed figure.
“Speak, what do you want from me? Although your forced entry into my clan’s territory was extremely rude, my snake people are not unreasonable,” the Medusa Queen said, her eyes gleaming with a trace of cunning as she watched Gu He, who seemed to have let out a subtle sigh of relief. She continued softly, “Moreover, Alchemist King Gu He’s name resounds throughout the Jia Ma Empire. You can easily compensate for this small loss with a minor collateral. Am I right, Master Gu He?”
“Uh…” A slight awkwardness appeared on his face, but Gu He, being a well-traveled and experienced person, responded with a magnanimous gesture, waving his hand generously, and said, “Forcing our way into your noble clan was indeed our fault. Gu He will naturally take responsibility for the losses incurred.”
“Ah, Master Gu He is indeed generous.” The Medusa Queen laughed, her jade-like hand covering her red lips. Her long lashes blinked, and she said with a light laugh, “Master Gu He, why don’t you tell us the real reason you brought so many friends and went through such great trouble to come to our snake people’s territory?”
As the conversation gradually turned to the main topic, Gu He’s face became serious. After a moment of silence, he carefully chose his words. Though the Medusa Queen before him looked gentle and harmless, he knew very well that when the snake people clashed with the Jia Ma Empire, this beautiful woman with an enchanting appearance had ruthlessly turned three Dou Ling experts into minced meat. Her methods were so cruel that even those who regularly faced danger would feel their hearts chill. Moreover, Gu He was aware that the Medusa Queen’s strength ranked among the top in the Battle Emperor level. If not for the Jia Ma Empire having three Battle Emperors, no one would have been able to defeat her alone. Even the mysterious black-robed figure by his side, whom he had specially invited, was not there to fight the Medusa Queen but to protect them if the Medusa Queen showed any intent to kill.
Gu He slowly exhaled, then raised his head and looked at the Medusa Queen in the sky, saying in a low voice, “My purpose here is for the Different Flame that Your Majesty has obtained!”
Gu He’s voice echoed in the sky, causing the already quiet surroundings to become even more silent.
“Whew… This guy is indeed here for the ‘Azure Lotus Heart Flame,'” Xiao Yan, hidden among the rocks below, let out a soft sigh and smiled bitterly.
“Different Flame? When did Your Majesty obtain such a thing?” Hearing Gu He’s words, Mo Bas and Yue Mei, hovering above the city walls, were both dumbfounded. Clearly, they were unaware that the Medusa Queen had obtained the Azure Lotus Heart Flame from outside Shi Mo City half a year ago.
“What does Your Majesty need the Different Flame for?” Yue Mei blinked in confusion. After a moment, her face suddenly changed, and she turned to Mo Bas, her eyes wide with shock, whispering, “Could it be…”
“It must be. Otherwise, Your Majesty wouldn’t go through such great lengths to find the Different Flame. Besides, there’s no other reason for her to do this except for that matter.” Mo Bas sighed lightly.
“But… Oh, heavens! The failure rate of that process is extremely high! If something were to happen to Your Majesty, what would happen to our snake people…?” Yue Mei waved her hands around in dismay, laughing bitterly.
“Ah… Your Majesty has been stuck at the Battle Emperor level for many years. Perhaps she’s grown impatient. Although she doesn’t seem to care much about these things, I know that she wishes to become stronger. Once she reaches the Battle Sect level, our snake people’s power will expand rapidly, and we won’t be confined to this vast desert anymore. Although we’ve adapted over the years, our bloodline is suited for cold places.”
Yue Mei also sighed, then lifted her head and gazed at the Medusa Queen in the sky, whose face had gradually turned from a smile to a calm expression.
“Different Flame? How did you learn that I obtained the Different Flame?” The Medusa Queen gently brushed her forehead with her slender fingers, her slightly purple eyes flashing with a hint of coldness.
“Half a year ago, I was also searching for medicinal herbs in the desert and happened to sense the presence of the Different Flame. I followed the trail, and although I didn’t see Your Majesty, I found a few pieces of bloodstained, colorful snake scales on the way… Such scales only appear on Your Majesty’s body when she is in full combat. We also detected the smell of the Different Flame on the scales, so it seems Your Majesty was injured when obtaining the flame, right?” Gu He said softly.
The Medusa Queen licked her red lips, her peculiar pupils staring intently at Gu He, a faint chill swirling in them.
Sensing the ill will in the Medusa Queen’s eyes, Gu He cautiously retreated behind the black-robed figure, laughing bitterly, “Your Majesty, I mean no offense. The importance of the Different Flame to an Alchemist is self-evident. I’ve searched through many strange places in the Jia Ma Empire to find it… Our snake people’s bloodline is cold, and the Different Flame has little use for you. Therefore, I hope Your Majesty will allow me to exchange the Different Flame for other items!”
“Exchange?” Hearing this, a faint mockery flashed in the Medusa Queen’s eyes, and she said coolly, “As an Alchemist, you should know the power of the Different Flame better than I. What do you think you can offer to match its value?”
Furrowing his brows, Gu He pondered for a while, a rare pained expression appearing on his face. Lifting his head, he said solemnly, “I am willing to exchange two Sixth-Grade Dou Spirit Pills and one Seventh-Grade Transformation Pill for the Different Flame! What does Your Majesty think?”
As soon as Gu He’s words left his mouth, Yan Sheng and the others widened their eyes, staring at Gu He in shock. Even the black-robed figure turned her head slightly, casting a surprised glance from beneath her hood. It was clear that she hadn’t expected Gu He to be so generous for the Different Flame.
A Sixth-Grade Dou Spirit Pill was a pill that could make a Dou Wang-level expert envious. Its effect was simple yet coveted—it could raise the star level of a Dou Wang-level expert by one. This meant that if a two-star Dou Wang took the Dou Spirit Pill, they could become a three-star Dou Wang in just a few days. At the Dou Wang level, the difference between each star was enormous, and many experts, after years of hard cultivation, still remained stuck at a certain star. This made the Dou Spirit Pill extremely valuable. Of course, though the Dou Spirit Pill was highly coveted, it had a high resistance. Once someone took one, the second pill would have no effect. Thus, a Dou Wang could only take one Dou Spirit Pill in their lifetime.
But even so, the Dou Spirit Pill was one of the most coveted pills in the higher ranks. Many were willing to pay a great price for it.
Compared to the Sixth-Grade Dou Spirit Pill, the Seventh-Grade Transformation Pill was even more astounding. This pill could drive countless Battle Emperor-level magical beasts mad, for it allowed them to completely shed their beast form and gain the longevity and cultivation talent of a human. With these two special effects, it could create a legendary powerhouse who could become a Battle Sect or even a Dou Sheng!
What Gu He offered was almost enough to make some people go mad, and it was no wonder that Yan Sheng and the others nearby were astounded.
“Incredible… This guy is really going all out!” Amid the rubble, Xiao Yan stared at Gu He in the sky, stunned. After a while, he regained his composure and muttered, “No wonder he’s the top Alchemist in the Jia Ma Empire. He even has the extremely rare Transformation Pill. It seems he’s determined to get that Different Flame.”
“Indeed, it’s a grand gesture, but with his current alchemy skills, he might have a slight chance of successfully refining a Dou Spirit Pill, but as for the Transformation Pill, it’s impossible for him to refine it,” the Medicine Elder said, first with a sigh, then with a slight disdain. He had once personally refined the Transformation Pill and knew how incredibly difficult and complicated it was. If not for the help of a Different Flame, he might not have succeeded.
Xiao Yan nodded slightly, then looked up at Yue Mei and Mo Bas on the city wall. It was clear that they were also shocked by Gu He’s offer, and their expressions of astonishment were quite amusing.
His gaze shifted to the Medusa Queen in the sky, and Xiao Yan clenched his fists, whispering, “I wonder if she will agree?”
All those present, including Gu He, held their breath, anxiously watching the silent Medusa Queen, waiting for her response.
Under the scrutiny of countless eyes, the Medusa Queen in the sky remained silent for a long time, then sighed softly, her seductive red lips pursing. Her eyes, filled with a hint of regret, looked at Gu He, and she said with a helpless tone, “I must admit, your offer is very tempting, but…”
“I’m sorry, I still won’t exchange it with you!”
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