Queen Medusa had always prided herself on her extraordinary rationality. No matter how thorny the problem, she was usually able to face it with calm composure.
Yet at this moment, upon hearing the seemingly simple but actually complicated question."Mother? Or sister?" she felt an unprecedented sense of panic. An impulse to flee rose uncontrollably within her heart.
The Xiao Cai before her was connected to her by countless subtle ties. Those eyes, so strikingly similar to her own, were now gazing at her with eager anticipation. Queen Medusa did not know how to answer. In truth, even she herself did not know what kind of relationship she had with Xiao Cai.
This feeling was only amplified when she noticed Lin Yuan's half-smiling, half-teasing expression. That made it even worse.
Xiao Cai's innocent calling of Lin Yuan as "father" already left Queen Medusa deeply conflicted.
If she said she was "mother," it felt as though she had suddenly acquired a daughter—despite having absolutely no psychological preparation to be a mother at all. Worse still, there was a strange feeling of somehow being taken advantage of.
But if she said she was "sister," then she would be inexplicably lowered by an entire generation.
Either choice felt wrong.
"Haha!"
Just as Queen Medusa was caught in this dilemma, Lin Yuan's laughter rang out beside her.
"Your Majesty, what's the matter? Have you really been stumped by such a small question from Xiao Cai?"
With a teasing tone, Lin Yuan looked at Queen Medusa's conflicted expression, secretly finding it quite amusing. After all, she usually presented herself as aloof and cold. Seeing her tangled in hesitation and confusion made her feel far more real.
Xiao Cai blinked her clear, bright eyes as she looked at Queen Medusa, clearly waiting for her answer as well.
Queen Medusa shot Lin Yuan a glare, then took a deep breath, forcing herself to calm down and make her voice sound as steady as possible.
"Xiao Cai, this question… to be honest, even I don't know how to answer it for now," Queen Medusa said softly. "The relationship between you and me is far too special. What it truly is, I can't clearly define myself. You may call me Queen, or sister, or moth—… you can decide for yourself."
There was a hint of confusion in her words. Despite her age and experience, this was a situation she had never encountered, nor even imagined.
Hearing this, Lin Yuan felt quite satisfied with Queen Medusa's response. He knew that beneath her cold and glamorous exterior, she possessed a soft side. These complicated emotions toward someone like Xiao Cai, whose existence was so closely tied to her own were an indispensable part of her humanity, and precisely a part he appreciated.
After listening to Queen Medusa, Xiao Cai seemed somewhat disappointed. She thought for a moment, then turned her gaze toward Lin Yuan, a trace of expectation flashing through her eyes.
"Father, what do you think?" Xiao Cai asked.
Lin Yuan smiled, gently patting Xiao Cai's head.
"Xiao Cai, what do you think in your heart? Call her whatever you want. You don't need to care about anyone else's opinion."
Xiao Cai nodded as if she half understood. Then she raised her head to look at Queen Medusa, her eyes shining with anticipation.
"Big sister… can I call you Mother?"
Queen Medusa looked into Xiao Cai's pure, innocent eyes, and the tangled knot in her heart seemed to unravel at that very moment. She gently nodded and smiled faintly.
"Yes. Xiao Cai, you may call me Mother."
"Mother!" Xiao Cai called out sweetly, her voice filled with joy and closeness.
For reasons she could not explain, when Queen Medusa heard the word "Mother," a strange feeling surged within her heart. She knew that from this moment on, she might have one more little being to protect. Though it all came suddenly, that feeling… was not unpleasant.
Suddenly, her gaze shifted to Lin Yuan as she said in a deep voice, "Remove your disguise. Though I was preoccupied with my evolution earlier, I saw your clone. That one, that is your true appearance, isn't it? This disguise has already lost its meaning. Since Xiao Cai calls you father, are you really going to keep hiding your real face?"
After evolving into a Seven-Colored Heaven Swallowing Python, Queen Medusa's confidence had grown greatly. She was no longer as wary of the undercurrents surrounding Lin Yuan as she had been before.
"So that's how it is. Very well, this disguise truly has no meaning anymore."
Lin Yuan chuckled softly. His hands formed a mysterious seal, and a strange fluctuation spread from his body. His original adult appearance gradually became younger, the steady aura around him gaining a hint of youthful freshness. In the end, a face that looked no more than seventeen or eighteen years old appeared before Queen Medusa and Xiao Cai.
Though Queen Medusa had been mentally prepared, she could not help but feel a slight shock upon seeing Lin Yuan's true appearance. Such a young boy and yet he had already achieved such astonishing accomplishments in both cultivation and alchemy. Still, having weathered countless storms, she quickly regained her composure and teased him in the tone of an elder sister.
"Who would have thought? That domineering, world-weary Alchemist Elder turned out to be such a little fellow."
Lin Yuan smiled with narrowed eyes and replied, "Age isn't important. Strength is what matters, isn't it, Your Majesty? Let's go. It's time to meet up with Qing'er."
Then he looked at Xiao Cai.
"Xiao Cai, I'll introduce you to a friend later."
"A friend?"
"Yes. Perhaps not just a friend," Lin Yuan said meaningfully. "In the future, the two of you might even become the closest of partners."
"You intend to…?" Queen Medusa frowned slightly upon hearing this.
"Rest assured," Lin Yuan replied, giving her a reassuring look and chuckling softly. "Since this child calls me Father, I won't do anything that could harm her."
As they spoke, the three of them left the area. Queen Medusa walked side by side with Lin Yuan, while Xiao Cai curiously looked around, filled with wonder toward this brand-new world she had just entered.
Before long, they found Qing Lin, who was cultivating. When Qing Lin saw Lin Yuan and Queen Medusa return, a trace of joy flashed through her eyes. However, when she noticed Xiao Cai beside Lin Yuan, confusion appeared on her face.
"Young Master, this child is…?" Qing Lin asked hesitantly as she looked at Xiao Cai. She was a little bewildered—when they had left earlier, there were only two people, yet now there was an extra little girl who looked remarkably similar to Queen Medusa.
"Qing'er, you've worked hard guarding the surroundings," Lin Yuan said with a smile. Then he pointed at Xiao Cai and introduced her. "This is Xiao Cai. She can be considered my… hmm, daughter."
"Ah!" Qing Lin's mouth fell open in shock, her eyes filled with disbelief. She stared at Xiao Cai, then at Lin Yuan, and then at Queen Medusa.
What on earth had happened in such a short time?
Xiao Cai, meanwhile, curiously examined Qing Lin. She sensed an aura about Qing Lin that she liked very much. Taking the initiative, she walked up and grabbed Qing Lin's hand, her eyes shining with excitement.
"Big sister, you smell really nice. I like it a lot."
Though she felt a bit confused, since this child was acknowledged by her Young Master as his "daughter," Qing Lin's attitude remained extremely gentle. She looked at Xiao Cai tenderly, softly stroking her head as she said warmly.
"I like your scent too."
Watching this scene from the side, Queen Medusa felt a sense of relief in her heart. She knew very well Qing Lin's potential, the possessor of the Triple Jade-Green Snake Flower Pupils was destined to become a powerful expert in the future. Moreover, Qing Lin's temperament was exceptionally gentle. If Xiao Cai could have such a companion, it would undoubtedly be extremely beneficial.
With that thought, Queen Medusa took a deep look at Qing Lin, a decision forming in her heart.
'The current generation's Triple Jade-Green Snake Flower Pupils may not belong to my Snake-People Tribe, but this is still a matter of fate. Perhaps the Triple Jade-Green Snake Flower Pupils inheritance that has been vacant within the tribe for so many years should finally have an owner.'
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