Upon hearing the blood-curdling scream of Queen Medusa from within the Heavenly Fire, Xiao Yan shivered violently. His gaze pierced through the concealing bamboo leaves, focusing on the azure flame hovering in the air. Within the flames, a massive purple serpent thrashed wildly, its body contorting fiercely. In the distance, Xiao Yan could clearly see that the scales on the serpent’s body began to twist and distort shortly after entering the flames, eventually charring black and dropping off, falling from the snake’s body. After the scales fell, crimson blood gushed out, only to be incinerated into nothingness by the fearsome temperature of the Heavenly Fire. This left behind a series of ghastly red marks on the serpent’s body.
“Squeak… squeak…”
Even from the small island, Xiao Yan could hear the screeches emanating from the Heavenly Fire. As the blood flowed rapidly, the colossal body of the purple serpent visibly shrunk at a noticeable rate. It was unimaginable, the pain that the once-proud and powerful Queen Medusa must be enduring, as the flames burned not only her flesh but also tormented her very soul. The agony was truly horrifying.
Standing on a distant rock, Xiao Yan’s face turned pale as he watched the flames. The heart-wrenching screams of Queen Medusa were deeply shocking. There was no denying that this woman was both stubborn and mad.
Due to the commotion caused by Queen Medusa, her wails echoed throughout half the city. Countless Serpent Clan warriors rushed to the rooftops, staring in horror at the spot radiating with intense purple light. Some tried to rush over, only to be repelled by the fierce purple glow. They could only stand at a distance, anxiously watching the enormous purple serpent thrash violently within the azure flames.
In the sky, a figure dashed towards the purple glow. Soon, it halted outside the glow, revealing the grave-faced Gu He.
“Has Queen Medusa begun her evolution?” Gu He said softly, his eyes fixed on the azure flames in the distant temple. His fists clenched involuntarily. “Now, can we do nothing but wait for the outcome?”
“Teacher, what should we do now?” Xiao Yan asked, glancing around at the startled figures gathering nearby.
Looking at the azure flames, which twisted the very air, Xiao Yan asked in his mind, “Sigh… We can only wait. The Green Lotus Core Flame has been driven to a frenzy by Queen Medusa. Anything within a certain range will be reduced to nothingness.”
Gu He spoke with a helpless sigh. Hearing this, Xiao Yan scanned the area below the azure flames, noticing that the small pool of Ice Spirit Cold Spring had turned into a dark, empty pit. A rough estimate put the depth at least ten meters. The bamboo forest around the Heavenly Fire had also instantly turned to ashes. A gentle breeze swept over, leveling the bamboo grove.
“Such terrifying destructive power…” Wiping the sweat from his brow, Xiao Yan felt the air growing increasingly hot. His body trembled slightly as he summoned the Purple Fire Silk Robe and retreated several steps, feeling a little better.
Within the azure flames, Queen Medusa’s agonizing scream reached a high pitch before gradually weakening. Perhaps due to exhaustion, the purple serpent’s huge body had almost stopped thrashing. Its once-beautiful, purple-scaled body was now charred black. The serpent, originally several dozen yards long, had been burned down to just two or three yards. It was unfathomable how many bones and how much blood had been incinerated by the Heavenly Fire.
Outside the purple glow, more and more Serpent Clan warriors stood on the rooftops, staring at the constantly writhing purple fire. At one moment, a desolate, mournful cry resounded across the entire city. Instantly, a somber atmosphere enveloped the most sacred city of the Serpent Clan.
Within the azure flames, Queen Medusa lay motionless, allowing the Green Lotus Core Flame to burn her continuously. A faint, acrid smell slowly wafted out.
“Failed…?” The black-robed figure suddenly appeared beside Gu He, gazing at the motionless Queen Medusa in the Heavenly Fire. Sighing, she paused, then bowed slightly towards her. Though she herself was proud and aloof, she felt that the Queen, who had the courage to endure the flames for her evolution, deserved respect.
“Alas…” Gazing at the azure flames, Gu He sighed. This once-troublesome Queen Medusa of the Jia Ma Empire had fallen? It was quite dramatic.
As Queen Medusa’s screams faded, the city fell into a deathly silence. Moments later, pairs of hateful eyes turned towards Gu He and the black-robed figure.
Ignoring the hateful glares, the black-robed figure stared at the azure flames. After a while, her eyebrows furrowed under the hood, and she looked up at the suddenly darkened sky. “Something is wrong,” she said, her voice cold and serious.
“What’s wrong?” Gu He’s expression tightened, and he hurriedly asked.
“The energy of heaven and earth is suddenly surging,” the black-robed figure said, looking at the sky.
Following her gaze, Gu He saw that the clear sky had darkened, covered by a thick mass of clouds. The sudden change left everyone stunned and confused.
A thunderous roar echoed from the clouds, and silver lightning darted wildly, like silver serpents.
“What’s going on?” Sensing the turbulent energy in the clouds, Gu He swallowed hard and asked.
The black-robed figure, eyes fixed on the clouds, said, “I once read an ancient text. It mentioned that, during the birth or evolution of some legendary beasts, their vast internal energy might cause celestial phenomena. But these legendary beasts are extremely powerful. Some can even rival Human Elites at the Battle Sect and Dou Sheng levels. On the current Dou Qi continent, such beasts are rare. Given the situation, it seems likely that it is Queen Medusa causing this.”
“You mean… she succeeded in her evolution?” Gu He’s eyes narrowed, his tone slightly shocked.
“Not certain.” The black-robed figure shook her head.
“Do we need to retreat?” Gu He, frowning, hesitated.
“Wait a bit. Even if she succeeded, she has lost considerable energy. The wisest course now would be to find a place to recuperate quietly,” the black-robed figure said, shaking her head thoughtfully.
“That… makes sense. Let’s watch a bit more,” Gu He agreed, nodding.
Before they could say more, a loud boom came from the clouds. Suddenly, a massive silver lightning bolt shot down, piercing through the purple glow and striking the azure flames.
The thunder came and went quickly. As the rumbling in their ears faded, the clouds began to disperse rapidly. Soon, the scorching sun once again illuminated the city.
As the noise subsided, countless eyes turned to the purple glow. However, after the lightning strike, a faint, green mist seeped out from the island, obscuring their view.
“The green mist is the result of the collision between the lightning and the Heavenly Fire. It blocks our Soul Perception. The situation inside is completely cut off,” Gu He said, frowning, after scanning the glow with his perception.
“Wait for it to dissipate,” the black-robed figure said calmly.
Gu He nodded, but his Dou Qi began to surge, ready for a quick retreat.
When the lightning struck, Xiao Yan had already hidden behind a large rock. Despite this, the lightning’s immense force shattered the rock. If not for the Pharmacist Elder’s timely intervention, Xiao Yan might have been killed by the shockwave.
“Such a terrifying lightning strike…” Rising from the ground, Xiao Yan gazed at the now-bare island, inhaling sharply.
“How is it inside?” Brushing off the dust, Xiao Yan frowned at the dense green mist and cautiously approached.
As he neared the center of the island, the azure flame reappeared in the air. Now, it had returned to its original fist-sized form, hovering quietly and shifting its shape.
Shifting his gaze, he saw the charred, lifeless body of the giant serpent lying motionless on the ground. “Did she fail?” Seeing the severely shrunk, frighteningly burned serpent, Xiao Yan sighed. Was this how a once-mighty Battle Emperor disappeared?
“Alas, let’s focus on collecting the Heavenly Fire.” Shaking his head, Xiao Yan circled the serpent’s corpse and approached the flame. Just as he was about to ask the Pharmacist Elder how to proceed, a soft crackling sound came from behind.
Hearing the sudden noise, Xiao Yan’s body tensed, and he slowly turned his head toward the source. Instantly, his pupils constricted to pinpoints.
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