The cold gaze of the suddenly appearing Pharmacist Elder met the Queen Medusa’s enchantingly beautiful face, which showed no hint of surprise. She sneered, “I had sensed a strong presence hiding near this guy for a long time; it turns out to be a soul entity.” However, as she spoke, the Queen Medusa slowly withdrew her forward step. The phantom-like old man before her gave her a pressure that was not less than that of Yun Shan from back then. If she were in her peak state, she would have no fear. But with her current body, she had to constantly suppress the Devouring Heavenly Serpent’s soul. As a result, under this divided focus, her strength was somewhat reduced.
The Pharmacist Elder smiled faintly and waved his hand, causing Xiao Yan to retreat a bit. He then said with a smile, “I am aware of your current situation, so you needn’t show such a murderous aura in front of me. Although I’m only in a soul state now and have lost much of my power, if we were to fight, I doubt you’d come out on top.”
“Is that so?” The Queen Medusa scoffed, but made no other move. Clearly, the appearance of the Pharmacist Elder had quite a shock effect on her.
“I don’t want to conflict with you. My disciple is not someone you can just kill at will. If you find it uncomfortable staying here, you’re free to leave; no one will stop you.” The Pharmacist Elder smiled, his words calm yet sharp. Back in his prime, he could have even made a Dou Zun feel threatened, and this Queen Medusa, while perhaps intimidating to others, held no sway over him.
Upon hearing this, the Queen Medusa’s brows furrowed. The Devouring Heavenly Serpent almost recognized Xiao Yan as its master, and she hadn’t fully gained control of the body. Whether to stay or leave wasn’t something she could decide on her own. Moreover, the formula for the Spirit Fusion Pill was still in Xiao Yan’s possession, and she needed his help to refine it. So why would she leave?
“I made a deal with him. If I protected him from Yun Shan, he would refine the Spirit Fusion Pill for me. But now, nearly a year has passed, and he seems to have forgotten all about it. What use is there in keeping such an untrustworthy person?” The Queen Medusa cast a cold glance at Xiao Yan.
With the Pharmacist Elder present, Xiao Yan felt a lot less tense. Seeing the Queen Medusa’s icy gaze, he shrugged helplessly. “Do you really think I’m that stupid? The sooner I refine the Spirit Fusion Pill, the faster I’ll die, right?”
“Haha, if it weren’t for your murderous intent, my disciple would be more than willing to gather the necessary herbs for you. The delay isn’t entirely his fault,” the Pharmacist Elder chuckled, knowing the full story.
The Queen Medusa huffed coldly, not arguing. She indeed intended to kill Xiao Yan the moment he refined the Spirit Fusion Pill.
“Haha, Queen Medusa, let’s not waste words. Do you really want the Spirit Fusion Pill?” Seeing the Queen Medusa’s wavering eyes, the Pharmacist Elder thought for a moment and then said.
“You are asking a pointless question.”
“In that case, we can both get what we want, but we need to put aside our ill intentions. The Devouring Heavenly Serpent staying with Xiao Yan isn’t anyone’s fault. Even if it recognizes Xiao Yan as its master, it doesn’t concern you. Others can’t change that,” the Pharmacist Elder smiled. “If you can let go of your murderous thoughts, I promise to give you the completed Spirit Fusion Pill within a year. In return, you must protect my disciple from any life-threatening dangers for a year. How about that?”
“My agreement with him was already set. I protected him from Yun Shan. With his strength, he wouldn’t stand a chance against Yun Shan otherwise. Since I’ve fulfilled my part, he should refine the Spirit Fusion Pill. Why should I make another deal with you now?” The Queen Medusa’s voice carried a hint of anger.
“That agreement was broken by both sides, so it doesn’t count,” the Pharmacist Elder said calmly.
“Protect him for a year? Forget it!” The Queen Medusa coldly refused without hesitation.
“If that’s the case, then find someone else to refine the Spirit Fusion Pill for you,” the Pharmacist Elder rolled his eyes.
“Give me the formula for the Spirit Fusion Pill!” The Queen Medusa clenched her teeth and growled coldly.
“Haha, that’s not possible. Xiao Yan went through great lengths to win the Alchemist Grand Meeting and obtain this formula. How could I give it to you?” The Pharmacist Elder smiled and shook his head.
Behind him, Xiao Yan watched the Pharmacist Elder in surprise. His demeanor was rather unscrupulous.
Taking a deep breath, the Queen Medusa’s expression grew increasingly dark. She was not one for idle talk. If it weren’t for her wariness of the Pharmacist Elder’s strength, she would have attacked outright. But the Pharmacist Elder’s stubbornness was rekindling her murderous intent.
As the Queen Medusa’s face darkened, a powerful and overwhelming aura began to emanate from her, causing the air around to seemingly cease flowing. The oppressive and dominant presence of a Battle Sect was truly terrifying.
Despite this, the Pharmacist Elder stood his ground, his aged face gradually becoming colder. His soul energy extended, enveloping half the sky. Though he couldn’t use Dou Qi in his soul state, his soul was exceptionally strong due to his status as an alchemist. With the assistance of the Bone Spirit Cold Flame, he could even fight solely with his soul power. Though he couldn’t reach his peak level, it was enough to deal with the off-peak Queen Medusa.
Two equally powerful auras clashed on the mountain, causing the ground to tremble. After a while, the earth began to crack under Xiao Yan’s shocked gaze.
As time passed, the auras grew stronger. Just as the Queen Medusa was about to attack, her expression suddenly changed. Her oppressive aura crumbled, and she clutched her forehead, her expression shifting rapidly. Colorful light surged from her body.
“Damn it!” Gritting her teeth, the Queen Medusa cursed fiercely. The Devouring Heavenly Serpent was fighting for control of her body at the worst possible time, and its resistance was intense. She had to rush to suppress it, leaving her unable to fight the Pharmacist Elder.
Seeing the Queen Medusa’s condition, Xiao Yan understood. He sighed in relief. This woman was too terrifying. Even if the Pharmacist Elder won, he might end up in a deep sleep due to exhaustion. Though Xiao Yan no longer relied on the Pharmacist Elder as much, his experience was invaluable.
The colorful light intensified, and the Queen Medusa’s eyes became somewhat confused. Taking a deep breath, she suppressed the Devouring Heavenly Serpent’s rebellion and glared at the Pharmacist Elder. “Fine, I agree. If you can give me the Spirit Fusion Pill within a year, I will protect him for a year. But if you betray me again, I will make you pay, even if it means suffering the Devouring Heavenly Serpent’s backlash!”
“Haha, that’s the best. Within a year, the Spirit Fusion Pill will be yours. But I hope you won’t harbor murderous thoughts again. Otherwise, even if it means falling into a deep sleep, I will burn your hard-won body to ashes!” The Pharmacist Elder laughed, his threat clear. As he spoke, a pale white flame surged from his body, enveloping him.
The pale white flame rose, exuding a strange, icy sensation despite its intensity.
“An exotic flame?” The Queen Medusa’s expression changed, her eyes narrowing. She had tasted the power of the Green Lotus Core Flame before and knew how fearsome such flames could be. Though the pale white flame wasn’t as hot, its eerie presence made her wary.
“As long as you keep your word, I will do the same. I hope to see the true Spirit Fusion Pill when I wake next,” she said, and the colorful light burst from her body, which started to shift.
Moments later, the stunning and seductive beauty transformed back into the seven-colored snake. The snake swayed its tail and appeared beside Xiao Yan, hissing and gazing at him with a concerned look in its eyes.
“Haha, I’m fine,” Xiao Yan stroked the snake, smiling wryly. “Little guy, thanks to you, we avoided a fierce battle.”
“At least we’ve talked things out, and we won’t have to worry about her sudden attacks. The Queen Medusa is proud and won’t go back on her word,” the Pharmacist Elder said, smiling at Xiao Yan.
“I hope so,” Xiao Yan nodded, taking out the real Earthcore Essence Milk. “This will determine whether I can break through to Dou Ling…”
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