Gazing at the Medusa Queen who had instantly withdrawn her killing intent, Xiao Yan could only give a wry smile. This woman could make all the powerful people in the Jia Ma Empire fear her, and it was indeed not due to an empty reputation. “Where do you plan to go next?” The Medusa Queen tossed the prescription for the Soul Fusion Pill back to Xiao Yan and asked casually. Taking the prescription carefully, Xiao Yan pondered for a moment before saying, “I want to return to Wu Tan City first, and then, I might have to leave the Jia Ma Empire for a while.” “Leaving the Jia Ma Empire, huh…” Hearing this, the Medusa Queen’s delicate eyebrows furrowed slightly. She then nodded slightly and lazily said, “Suit yourself. Anyway, in the Snake People Clan, a few of their leaders can temporarily take my place. Before you refine the Soul Fusion Pill, I will follow you.” Seeing that she did not object, Xiao Yan let out a small sigh of relief. He patted the large black ruler on his back and smiled, “Since that’s the case, let’s go.” “The matter with the Yun Lian Sect is over. Now, your time should not be too urgent, right? On the way to Wu Tan City, stop at a few major cities and search for the ingredients needed to refine the Soul Fusion Pill,” the Medusa Queen said calmly, although her tone seemed to be negotiating, there was no room for Xiao Yan to refuse. To this, Xiao Yan could only nod helplessly. Glancing at the Medusa Queen’s seductive and enchanting face, he shrugged and said, “I suggest you cover your face when entering the city; otherwise, some unnecessary trouble can be quite a headache.” Nodding lightly, the Medusa Queen turned and slowly walked towards the path outside the dense forest. Watching her graceful and alluring figure, Xiao Yan shrugged and turned his head. His gaze fell on the faintly visible stone steps at the edge of his vision. Slowly, his gaze shifted upwards, finally stopping at the peak enveloped in mist. After a moment of silence, he sighed lightly. The three-year agreement that had bound him was finally completely lifted.
After shedding the goal that had driven him for three years, a sudden sense of confusion arose in his heart. However, the confusion did not last long. The sudden appearance of the girl’s clear and elegant smile in his mind brought a warm curve to his face. “Xun-er, are you okay there? Wait for me…” Muttering softly, thinking of the girl he had not seen for nearly two years, a fiery emotion rose in Xiao Yan’s heart. Turning around, Xiao Yan glanced at the enchanting figure walking out of the dense forest, smiled, and hurriedly caught up.
…
After leaving the Yun Lian Mountain, Xiao Yan did not return to the capital but instead flew directly toward Wu Tan City with the Medusa Queen. The distance between the capital and Wu Tan City spanned nearly half the empire. Even with their flying speed, it would take at least two or three days to arrive. Furthermore, due to the Medusa Queen’s request, Xiao Yan had to stop at every major city they passed through to wait for the auctions and trading fairs. As a result, the travel time was significantly extended. Fortunately, the three-year agreement was now complete, and Xiao Yan was no longer constrained by the strict time constraints. The journey was now free and relaxed, something he had not truly experienced since the start of the agreement.
During the first three days of the journey home, although they stayed in some major cities for a while, disappointingly, they did not find any of the rare herbs needed to refine the Soul Fusion Pill. She could do nothing about it; after all, if it were easy to find the ingredients for a sixth-grade elixir, its value would not be so high. The two traveled, stopping and going, like sightseeing. What surprised Xiao Yan was that although the three-day trading period the Medusa Queen mentioned had passed, she still did not revert to her form as the Heavenly Swallowing Serpent. Her explanation was that she had privately discussed it with the Heavenly Swallowing Serpent’s soul, thus delaying the transformation.
For this explanation, Xiao Yan was somewhat taken aback but could do nothing. Could he force her to change back? If he tried, a slap from her would be a minor injury… As time quietly passed, Xiao Yan and the Medusa Queen were getting closer to Wu Tan City. Due to the delays in searching for herbs, a trip that should have taken only two or three days ended up taking nearly five days.
…
Black Flame City, a large city in the northern province of the empire. It was not far from Wu Tan City, and with their speed, they could reach it in less than half a day. However, because this city was known for its herbs, the Medusa Queen quickly landed without asking Xiao Yan’s opinion. She covered her face with a thin green veil and strolled into Black Flame City. Xiao Yan had no choice but to hold back his eagerness to return home and follow her.
The two walked leisurely into the city without any obstruction. Although the guards’ eyes lingered on the Medusa Queen’s mature and voluptuous figure, perhaps due to her imposing aura, they did not dare to question her. After entering the city, Xiao Yan led the way along the streets and then entered a bustling tavern. Such taverns, which were common in the northern provinces, were rarely seen in the capital.
This tavern was a gathering place for all sorts of people, and many pieces of information circulated here. Therefore, it could help Xiao Yan quickly learn where the best and most abundant herbs could be found in the city. The two sat by a window, and the Medusa Queen, resting her chin on her hand, stared out the window with a look of indifference. For the past few days, Xiao Yan had been the one to gather information. Seeing her like this, Xiao Yan could only shake his head helplessly and call over a waitress to order some mild drinks. He then stood up and made his way to the crowded area.
After a tiring effort, he returned to the table, drenched in sweat. Looking at the Medusa Queen sipping her drink, he sighed in frustration. This woman’s pride was a bit too much. “How was it? Did you find out anything?” The Medusa Queen glanced at Xiao Yan and asked softly. “It is said that there is a famous herb collection hall in this city. Many rare herbs are in stock there, but the prices are extremely high.” Xiao Yan took a sip of his drink and said in a muffled voice. “Rest a bit. We’ll go check out that herb collection hall later…” The Medusa Queen nodded with a satisfied smile.
Rolling his eyes, Xiao Yan patted the black ruler on his back and remained silent. “Hey, have you heard about the Yun Lian Sect?” Just as Xiao Yan and the Medusa Queen were resting, a mysterious voice from a nearby table caught Xiao Yan’s attention. “Pfft, you mean the young man Xiao Yan who caused a ruckus at the Yun Lian Sect?” A man scoffed at his still-mysterious companion. “Uh… You know about it already?” The first speaker was taken aback and said awkwardly. “Such a big event was already spread two days ago. Xiao Yan defeated the Yun Lian Sect’s young master, Nalan Yanran, in an official competition. It seems it was because of the broken engagement. Now, it seems that the rumor that Nalan Yanran was forcibly dismissed by Xiao Yan is quite reliable. Given Xiao Yan’s current strength and talent, he is more than a match for Nalan Yanran…”
“Uh… And then what happened?” “It is said that the Yun Lian Sect tried to detain Xiao Yan, but despite his youth, the powerful figures behind him were terrifying. It’s said that during the conflict, two Battle Emperor experts and even the Medusa Queen of the Snake People appeared… Despite the Yun Lian Sect’s full efforts, Xiao Yan still managed to escape unscathed.”
“Medusa Queen?” The name caused a stir among the people. “Hehe, according to reliable sources, Xiao Yan is also the champion of this year’s Alchemist Competition.” The surprised gazes from the people boosted the man’s vanity, and he grinned, revealing more details. “The champion of the Alchemist Competition… wasn’t his name Rock Pheasant?” A low voice interjected. “Rock Pheasant, Xiao Yan, say it backward, and it’s the same, hahaha…” The man laughed smugly. “Uh…” The crowd was stunned, then suddenly understood. Although it was a simple trick, who would think of reversing a name?
“Ah, this guy is something. At such a young age, he’s done something so earth-shattering. What will he become in the future?” The man took a large swig of his strong ale and sighed enviously. Every man has the dream of doing something great, but many are limited by their abilities and can only dream. Listening to the conversation, Xiao Yan could only shake his head wryly. He didn’t expect that the news of the Yun Lian Sect incident had spread to the other side of the empire in just a few days. “You’re quite famous now, aren’t you?” The Medusa Queen swirled her wine glass and teased. Shaking his head, Xiao Yan said, “I’m not interested in that. Let’s go, see if the herb collection hall has the herbs we need.” “Okay.” Just as Xiao Yan and the Medusa Queen were about to leave, another conversation from the nearby table caught Xiao Yan’s attention, causing his expression to change slightly. “That Xiao Yan, isn’t he from the Xiao Family in Wu Tan City?” “Yes, the Xiao Family really gained some face this time. With such a terrifying family member, who in the northern province would dare to disrespect them?”
“Hehe, not necessarily. I just came from Wu Tan City, and I heard that the Xiao Family has encountered some trouble recently.” “Uh? There are still people daring to cause trouble for the Xiao Family at this time?” “I’m not sure. The Xiao Family is very secretive, and I don’t have exact information…” The man shook his head, took a sip of his ale, and looked up, startled to see a black-robed youth standing before him. The formidable aura emanating from the youth made him swallow hard. “Sir, what can I do for you?” “What happened to the Xiao Family?” Xiao Yan asked sternly. “Uh… I’m not sure, but I heard that there was a fierce battle at the Xiao Family a few days ago. Since then, they’ve refused any visitors. And, the clan leader, Xiao Zhan, who used to be a regular presence, hasn’t shown up much. I guess he’s handling some family matters?” The man replied nervously. Xiao Yan’s expression grew grim, and a sense of unease crept into his heart. After thanking the man, he hurriedly left the tavern with the Medusa Queen. “That person’s weapon looks strange…” Someone whispered, watching Xiao Yan disappear down the stairs. “Weapon? Ruler?” The man froze, and suddenly, his face showed a hint of shock. “He’s Xiao Yan?! So young?!”
Xiao Yan, of course, did not pay attention to the commotion in the tavern. After leaving, he stood on the street, frowning, and said to the Medusa Queen, “I can’t stay. I need to return to Wu Tan City now.” Hearing this, the Medusa Queen’s delicate eyebrows furrowed slightly. “Let’s check the herb shops here first. Maybe we’ll find what I need…” “I said, I need to return to Wu Tan City now!” Xiao Yan’s gaze was sharp as he spoke firmly, word by word. Xiao Yan’s sudden change in attitude startled the Medusa Queen. In the past few days, Xiao Yan had never disobeyed her. She was slightly annoyed, as the Medusa Queen, a noble queen, was being directly challenged. “I need to find the herbs,” she said coldly, her alluring eyes staring at Xiao Yan. Xiao Yan’s eyes locked onto those enchanting eyes. He suddenly reached out, grabbing her delicate hand tightly. Just as she was about to explode, he said coldly, “If you want the Soul Fusion Pill, then stop acting like a queen. I respect you because you helped me, but if you continue to be unreasonable, don’t blame me for losing my patience.”
“Let’s go.” With that, Xiao Yan pulled her and quickly ran out of the city. The Medusa Queen, seemingly stunned by his sudden coldness, did not resist. She stared at him in surprise. She never thought that someone would dare to challenge her so rudely. For a moment, a mix of emotions welled up in the Medusa Queen’s heart. How long had it been since anyone treated her like this? And this person was merely a young Great Alchemist she could easily smack away. Pulling the Medusa Queen, Xiao Yan summoned his Purple Cloud Wings and swiftly flew toward Wu Tan City. In this intense rush, it took only two hours for the faint outline of the city to appear in Xiao Yan’s view.
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