After a moment of shock, Gu He took a deep breath and looked at Medusa with a wry smile. "Your Majesty, would it be possible to know the reason for your refusal?"
"These are already my most precious treasures. However, if Your Majesty has other conditions, please state them. I will do everything in my power to meet them."
He could always borrow from the sect, he thought.
But Medusa remained unmoved, her voice cold. "There is no reason."
Seeing this, Gu He and the others understood. She was dead set against making the trade.
"Old He, what's the call? We just leave?" Yan Shi asked, frowning at Gu He.
Gu He gave another bitter smile. "What else can we do? Do you really think we can snatch the Heavenly Flame from Queen Medusa by force?"
It wasn't that he was willing to give up. But against a peak Dou Huang like Medusa, even the entire Misty Cloud Sect mobilizing would likely gain no advantage.
The black-robed woman remained silent. Though she had guessed what Medusa planned to do with the Heavenly Flame, she didn't say a word. Medusa had not yet begun that undertaking and was still at her absolute peak. If the Queen knew that she was aware of the matter, she probably wouldn't let any of them leave here alive.
"Don't worry, there will be other chances."
Hearing the black-robed woman's sound transmission, Gu He simply took it as a word of comfort.
However, just as they were about to depart, Medusa suddenly spoke, her voice laced with an undisguisable chill.
"Did I say you could leave?"
The four of them froze.
Gu He's mind raced, and he immediately turned back, cupping his fists toward Medusa. "My apologies, Your Majesty. I was so distracted by the failed transaction that I nearly forgot to offer compensation."
"This is a token of my apology. Five fifth-tier Recovery Pills. They can heal grievous injuries and ensure no lasting damage remains after recovery."
With that, Gu He produced a vial from his Storage Ring and sent it floating toward Medusa on a current of Dou Qi. Five fifth-tier pills, and healing ones at that. As expected of the Pill King, his compensation was truly magnanimous.
Medusa caught the vial. Without so much as a glance, she tossed it down toward Zhou Changqing's position and uttered a few cold words.
"Not enough."
At this, the expressions of Gu He's group soured. Yan Shi's face was a mask of fury; if not for his fear of Medusa, he would have started cursing long ago.
"Your Majesty, I believe my sincerity is more than sufficient," Gu He said through gritted teeth, his expression ugly. He might be refined and easygoing, but as the Pill King, he had his pride.
He could accept failing to obtain the Heavenly Flame. But Queen Medusa was being far too greedy! Those were five fifth-tier medicinal pills! As compensation for the Snake-People Tribe's losses, their value was more than ten times what was required!
"I said, it's not enough!"
Medusa's cold gaze swept over the four of them. "You trespassed upon my tribe's territory and think you can leave so easily with just a few worthless pills? Do you take me for a fool? If I let you walk away today, how could my Snake-People Tribe maintain its standing on this continent?"
As she finished speaking, the Dou Qi wings on Medusa's back flared, and her figure vanished!
"Look out! Flee!" the black-robed woman cried out. With a wave of her hand, she unleashed a surge of Dou Qi that shoved Gu He and the other two into the distance.
Then, the black-robed woman swiftly brought her longsword before her chest. Dou Qi erupted from her body without hesitation, coalescing into a thick, cyan barrier in front of her!
Crack!
Bang!
The next instant, Medusa appeared, a crimson, thorn-like sword condensed from fiery energy in her hand. She brought it down with vicious force against the barrier!
The thick cyan shield held for less than half a breath before the crimson sword shattered it instantly. Cyan fragments scattered in all directions, quickly dissolving into motes of light. The terrifying force sent the black-robed woman hurtling backward, and only after a hundred meters did she manage to dissipate the momentum.
The sudden attack left Gu He and the others utterly horrified. They never expected Queen Medusa to strike so abruptly, giving them no time to react. It was a good thing the black-robed woman had pushed them away; if any of them had taken that blow, the outcome would have been grim.
Without a moment's hesitation, Gu He and the others flared their Dou Qi wings and shot toward the horizon. Even the black-robed woman had no desire to fight, using the backward momentum to make her own escape.
"Trying to escape? You don't have the strength!"
Medusa sneered at their attempt. She raised a delicate hand, gathering red light, and then clenched her fist in their direction. Instantly, countless crimson energy spheres materialized out of thin air along their flight path.
The next second, the spheres all detonated at once! The immense power of the explosions forced the four of them to halt and dodge, using their Dou Qi to withstand the shockwaves.
And in that brief moment, Medusa had already caught up. Condensing crimson swords in both hands, she launched herself at them!
The speed of a peak Dou Huang was simply too fast! Gu He and his companions could only desperately defend against Medusa's onslaught. Even when they tried to split up and flee, they were met with the long-range attacks of energy pythons and more exploding spheres.
For a time, the clash of weapons, the slice of blades into flesh, and the detonation of energy shook the very air. The four intruders were in a miserable state. The worst off were the three Dou Wangs—Gu He, Yan Shi, and Feng Li. They had no room to retaliate, either being blasted by energy spheres, having their bones broken by constricting energy pythons, or being slashed by the crimson swords.
In just over ten seconds, all three were covered in wounds, their clothes in tatters. And this was with Medusa focusing the majority of her attacks on the black-robed woman.
Under Medusa's frequent and ferocious strikes, the black-robed woman was in no better shape. Her robes were slashed in numerous places, revealing the pale skin and bleeding wounds beneath. Half of her hood had been sliced away, exposing a stunningly beautiful face, one that carried an air of elegance and gentle grace. If she hadn't dodged in time, her head might have been cleaved in two.
"Yun Zhi?! How could it be her?!"
Hidden behind a large rock, Xiao Yan, who had been feeling a surge of excitement as the two sides began to fight, was so startled upon seeing that face that he almost gave away his position.
"So it was her. No wonder you said her voice sounded familiar, little Yanzi," Yao Lao's voice echoed in his mind. "Don't be rash. She won't be in mortal danger for a while yet. Just watch for now. If you truly wish to save her, I won't stop you."
"...Alright!"
Hearing this, Xiao Yan suppressed the urge to rush out and remained hidden.
Meanwhile, among Yin Shi's group.
"The Queen has made her move. Should we go and assist?"
"No need. You know Her Majesty's strength. These four are not enough to pose a threat to her. We just need to ensure they don't escape."
"True. Given the Queen's temperament, she would never allow us to interfere in her battle. It would be an insult to Her Majesty."
After a brief exchange via sound transmission, the eight of them dispersed, flying in eight different directions to seal off the battlefield.
Catching this out of the corner of their eyes, the four embattled intruders felt a chill creep into their hearts. Their chances of escaping together were already slim. Now, with eight Dou Wangs locking down the area, any hope of getting away had been completely extinguished.
"Tsk, tsk. So this is Medusa's true power? It seems I underestimated the strength of a peak Dou Huang when we were testing our abilities before."
Having already placed the medicine vial into his Storage Ring, Zhou Changqing sat leisurely on the sand. He watched the battle with great interest, clicking his tongue in appreciation at the sight of the cold, bewitching, and heroic Queen Medusa thrashing Gu He's group.
This scene happened to be noticed by both Feng Li and the hidden Xiao Yan.
"That kid returned with Queen Medusa, and she even tossed him the pills Gu He offered. All signs point to him holding a special place in her heart! I don't know why she would value a human so highly, but we're in grave danger. If we can capture him and use him as a threat, we might be able to make her hesitate!" thought Feng Li.
"Teacher! Queen Medusa and the eight chieftains are all focused on Gu He and the others! This is our chance! Let's rescue Old Zhou first, get him to a safe place, and then come back for Yun Zhi!" Xiao Yan proposed.
"You decide," Yao Lao replied.
Though their thoughts differed, their objective was the same. However, Feng Li was a step faster.
He sent a sound transmission to Yun Zhi, Gu He, and Yan Shi, explaining his idea and asking them to take the pressure off him for a split second.
Seizing the brief opening, Feng Li pushed his speed to its absolute limit. He became a blur of motion, transforming into a cyan streak of light as he shot toward Zhou Changqing!
"Not good!"
Xiao Yan, who was just about to have Yao Lao possess his body, saw Feng Li's charge and his expression instantly changed.