"Yue Mei, why do you think Xu Ran wants to help me?" After the Elders left, Queen Medusa looked at Xu Ran with puzzled eyes.
"In my opinion, Lord Xu Ran must be coveting the Queen's beauty. The Queen is the number one beauty of the Snake-People Tribe and is also highly regarded on the Continent. It is said that Lord Xu Ran was infinitely charming in the Jia Ma Empire, so..." Yue Mei wisely stopped talking at this point.
She felt a twinge of sadness.
She herself wished she could garner the favor of Lord Xu Ran, and then...
Being his woman, it probably wouldn't be too difficult to become a Dou Zong Expert afterward.
"This scoundrel!" Queen Medusa's porcelain face flushed with a mix of anger and embarrassment. She had never before been so brazenly discussed in her presence.
But Xu Ran's strength also left her feeling somewhat helpless.
And the requirements he proposed were something she couldn't refuse.
Even if not for the sake of the Snake-People Tribe, she wouldn't dare to risk consuming Strange Fire unless it was absolutely necessary.
Should there be any other opportunities for transformation, she wouldn't take such a risk.
...
"Lord Xu Ran, on behalf of the Snake-People Tribe, I welcome your arrival."
Dressed in a red armor that hugged her enticing curves, Queen Medusa possessed a tall and voluptuous figure, oozing charm. Her face was bewitchingly beautiful, with eyes that seductively shifted, exuding allure. Her sultry voice, tinged with a delicate huskiness, made her truly a rare jewel. The twin snake tails, far from detracting, seemed to complete her, bringing a sense of wild beauty to perfection.
Just standing there, she seemed capable of captivating the soul with her charm.
Queen Medusa looked at Xu Ran, appearing somewhat surprised at how young he was.
She had expected such a powerful Alchemist to be an old man, but was taken aback to see that Xu Ran was so young and handsome.
"Queen Medusa truly lives up to her reputation, truly a beauty capable of toppling states and cities," Xu Ran exclaimed with admiration.
Indeed, just beholding such beautiful things could bring a person great comfort and satisfaction.
And she smelled so fragrant too.
Queen Medusa carried a unique fragrance, which grew more intense as she approached.
Xu Ran couldn't help but take a deep breath.
"Lord Xu Ran, have you come for the Strange Fire? If you could help me successfully transform and break through to the level of a Dou Zong Expert, then perhaps the Green Lotus Core Flame could be gifted to you," Queen Medusa said with a coy look in her eyes, full of seductive charm.
If it meant achieving her goal, she didn't mind sacrificing a bit of her charm.
If she could break through and become a Seven-Colored Sky-Swallowing Python, then her future would not be limited to merely being a Dou Zong. She might even have the opportunity to reach the realm of a Dou Zun.
Descendants of the primordial beast "Seven-Colored Sky-Swallowing Python," past Queens of Medusa had grown increasingly diluted with time, much like the Xiao Family, who lost their Dou Di Bloodline and became a "third-rated" family. The same was true for Medusa, with her bloodline so thin as to be nearly non-existent, even easily overshadowed by the royal households of minor kingdoms.
To activate her ancient bloodline, Queen Medusa had no choice but to seek such measures. She chose to use treasures like the Strange Fire to stimulate and fuse, in hopes of reactivating the faint ancient bloodline within her, and evolve into the primordial beast, the Seven-Colored Sky-Swallowing Python.
In fact, the ancient bloodline within Queen Medusa was already becoming thinner and thinner.
If it is not stimulated again to revert back to the Seven-Colored Sky-Swallowing Python,
the bloodline of the Seven-Colored Sky-Swallowing Python would become weaker and weaker, to the point where, after a few hundred years, the unique and powerful Seven-Colored Sky-Swallowing Python bloodline in Queen Medusa's body would completely disappear.
This was also why Queen Medusa would risk taking the chance.
"Oh? The Green Lotus Core Flame is indeed very precious, and it has some use to me. However, to me, the most precious thing in the Snake-People Tribe is not this strange fire, but a person..." Xu Ran said leisurely.
"Lord Xu Ran, please show some self-respect. You are a man of status..." Queen Medusa, flushed with anger and almost wishing to turn around and leave, found Xu Ran's naked gaze particularly uncomfortable.
"Oh. I think Her Majesty might be thinking too much. What I am referring to is Yue Mei," Xu Ran said with a smile, intentionally so.
"You!"
Queen Medusa's face turned even redder, her beautiful eyes glaring wide at Xu Ran.
Could it be that she really thought too much, and Xu Ran fancied Yue Mei? Otherwise, why would Xu Ran have given a elixir to Yue Mei?
However, this only made her angrier.
The fact that Xu Ran wasn't lusting after her body was even more distressing to her than if he were a scoundrel. Especially knowing that she might be seen as less than her subordinate, Yue Mei, in Xu Ran's eyes, a sense of disappointment sprouted within her, suddenly making her feel uncomfortable.
Because of her bloodline, she had always been the most noble within the Snake-People Tribe ever since she was young, never paying attention to anyone else, even fearless in the presence of the powerful humans of the Jia Ma Empire.
But now...
"Hmph. Since Lord Xu Ran fancies Yue Mei, then let her keep you company," Queen Medusa glared fiercely at Xu Ran. She had heard that Xu Ran was amorous and flirtatious—could it be that she held no attraction for him?
Or was it because she was of the Snake-People, because of the snake tail, that Xu Ran didn't like it?
Medusa frowned, quietly pondering in her heart.
"Are you jealous?" Xu Ran asked with a slight smile. Queen Medusa was quite cute.
"Not at all."
Queen Medusa was furious.
What did she have to be jealous of? If not for needing something from Xu Ran, she would have probably turned and left immediately.
She really couldn't understand how such a wooden Xu Ran, who only knew how to annoy women, managed to win the favor of Heaven's Proud Daughters. Could it all be because of his status and elixirs?
"Then give me the strange fire. I will stay in the Snake-People tribe for a few days and will definitely ensure your smooth breakthrough to Dou Zong," Xu Ran said.
"Really? But that's not enough, unless you agree to refine some elixirs for my tribe in return, just a few Sixth or Seventh-Grade Elixirs will do. The strange fire is so precious, yet elixirs are merely a small effort for you, you wouldn't refuse, right?" Medusa blinked her beautiful eyes, a bit excitedly saying. However, after those words were spoken, she felt somewhat embarrassed.
But as long as she could secure more benefits for her tribe, she could put forward even the most shameless conditions.
"Your Majesty is being too demanding. I didn't expect that you could be so shameless. Although this strange fire is invaluable, elixirs above Sixth Grade are also worth their weight in gold. And in this territory, besides me, only Dan King Gu He would have a use for the strange fire. Gu He couldn't offer such a high price," Xu Ran remarked.
Queen Medusa was made somewhat embarrassed by Xu Ran's words, completely unaware of Xu Ran slowly closing the distance between them.