Gu He and the others' eyelids twitched at her words.
They knew Queen Medusa wasn't joking. If they couldn't persuade her, leaving today would be nearly impossible.
In truth, with Medusa's usual temperament, she would have never wasted time with words. She would have simply attacked and killed them the moment they arrived.
Unfortunately, she was at a critical juncture. The concentration of her bloodline essence had risen to its absolute limit. In less than half a year, she could safely begin her evolution. Medusa didn't want any complications at a time like this.
Gu He and his companions held high status in the Jia Ma Empire. Gu He himself was a tier-six alchemist and an elder of the Misty Cloud Sect. Medusa had also guessed the identity of the black-robed woman beside him. If she truly killed them here, forget the Jia Ma Empire or the Alchemist Association; the Misty Cloud Sect alone would surely mobilize its full strength for war. If that delayed her evolution, the cost would far outweigh the benefit.
But even if she couldn't kill them, she had to teach them a lesson. Otherwise, what would become of her authority? Of the Snake-People Race's honor?
"Your Majesty, Queen Medusa, I have come only to ask for a single item," Gu He said respectfully, taking a light breath to calm his turbulent thoughts.
"And what might that be?"
Medusa's eyes fixed on him. She had a good idea of what he sought.
"A Heavenly Flame!" Gu He declared, his eyes burning with fervor as he looked up at her.
As if fearing she would deny it, Gu He continued, "Half a year ago, I was searching for a medicinal ingredient in the desert when I happened to sense the aura of a Heavenly Flame. I followed the trail, but I couldn't find any sign of the flame itself. Just as I was about to give up, I found several scales along the way. These were the seven-colored scales that only appear when Your Majesty is fighting at full strength! I sensed the aura of the Heavenly Flame on the scales, along with traces of blood. I concluded that Your Majesty must have found the Heavenly Flame and was injured while acquiring it, thus leaving the scales behind. You know how important a Heavenly Flame is to an alchemist, Your Majesty. In my desperation, I trespassed into your territory, hoping to negotiate with you for it. The bloodline of the Snake-People is of the yin and cold attribute, so a Heavenly Flame is of no use to you. Therefore, I hope to trade other items for it."
After Gu He finished, Medusa understood completely.
The only thing she possessed that a tier-six alchemist would covet was the Heavenly Flame.
However, even if she couldn't use it right now, she had no intention of handing it over for free. "As an alchemist, you should know how precious a Heavenly Flame is," she said coldly. "Do you truly believe I would give it away so easily?"
"I am well aware of how rare a Heavenly Flame is, which is why I have come with a sincere offer," Gu He said, seeing a glimmer of hope. He gritted his teeth. "I am willing to trade two tier-six Dou Ling Pills... and one tier-seven Shapeshifting Pill for the Heavenly Flame. What does Your Majesty think?"
A pained expression flashed across Gu He's face as he spoke.
Everyone present, aside from Zhou Changqing, gasped in shock upon hearing his offer.
Yan Shi and Feng Li, standing beside Gu He, stared at him with wide eyes. Even the black-robed woman's eyes, completely hidden beneath her hood, flickered with astonishment. They never imagined Gu He would be so extravagant for a Heavenly Flame.
On the Snake-People's side, the eight great chieftains were equally dumbfounded. But beyond their shock, a sense of dread washed over them.
They hadn't known their queen had obtained a Heavenly Flame!
Now that Gu He had revealed it, they immediately thought of the secret technique that had been sealed away in their clan's archives.
"Could the Queen be planning to...?"
"It must be. The Queen has been stuck at the peak of the Dou Huang realm for years. She must have grown impatient. That secret technique is dangerous, but it's the only way for Her Majesty to break through her bottleneck. For the sake of leading the Snake-People out of the desert, how could she not use the Heavenly Flame now that she has it?" Mo Basi transmitted his bitter thoughts.
The other chieftains' faces filled with worry.
"Damn, what a haul! Two Dou Ling Pills and a Shapeshifting Pill? Gu He is really willing to part with that much!"
Beneath the yellow blanket, Xiao Yan was stunned by the generous offer. "But isn't he a tier-six alchemist? How does he have a tier-seven Shapeshifting Pill?" he muttered.
"Heh, it is indeed a grand offer," Yao Lao's voice echoed in his mind. "However, with Gu He's alchemical skills, refining a Shapeshifting Pill is impossible. He must have acquired it by chance. I wonder if Queen Medusa will accept... In my opinion, it's highly likely she will."
"I hope so."
Hearing the offer, Medusa pursed her sensual red lips, clearly tempted. A hint of conflict appeared in her eyes.
Before meeting Zhou Changqing, she might not have agreed.
But now, the Heavenly Flame was merely a backup plan—one that was tasteless to keep but a pity to discard.
Her only hesitation was that her bloodline had not yet evolved.
Until that evolution was complete, the Heavenly Flame remained a safety net.
After a moment of internal struggle, Medusa sighed with a hint of regret and looked at Gu He. "I must admit, your offer is very tempting... Unfortunately, I refuse."
At these words, Gu He's face filled with disbelief, as if he couldn't believe what he had just heard.
The others reacted similarly.
"Has this woman lost her mind?" Yan Shi grumbled to the others through a sound transmission. "Giving up such a great deal for a Heavenly Flame that's useless to her?"
Feng Li was just as baffled.
Only the black-robed woman seemed lost in thought.
As for Yin Shi and the other chieftains, the last of their hopes died.
The Queen had rejected even an offer like that. They were now one hundred percent certain she was going to use the secret technique.
Far away, under the giant rock, Xiao Yan had been muttering "take it, take it" under the blanket.
When he heard Medusa's refusal, he was first stunned, then utterly frustrated.
Compared to seizing the Heavenly Flame from the infamous Queen of the Snake-People, he would much rather snatch it from Gu He's group. Three high-level Dou Wangs and one low-level Dou Huang were a far more manageable challenge than the Snake-People's eight high-level Dou Wangs and a peak Dou Huang.
"That shouldn't be," Yao Lao's puzzled voice sounded in Xiao Yan's ear. After a moment of contemplation, he seemed to realize something. "Could it be?" he exclaimed in surprise.
"Could what be, Teacher?"
"I'll explain later..."
"Always so mysterious."
Watching everything unfold from a distance, Zhou Changqing was perfectly calm.
Although Gu He's offer was indeed shocking and Medusa's rejection was unexpected, it was no surprise to the man who had already seen the script.
"I just don't know if my influence will prevent old Xiao from getting the Heavenly Flame," he thought, frowning slightly. "I hope Yao Lao is up to the task. A full-power Queen Medusa is no easy opponent."
Because of his butterfly effect, Medusa had not yet used the Heavenly Flame to attempt her evolution.
With a full-strength Queen Medusa guarding it, Yao Lao, in his current soul state, would likely have a much harder time obtaining the Heavenly Flame.
Of course, Yao Lao had been a peak Dou Zun expert in his lifetime. Even as a mere soul, his methods were far beyond what a little Dou Ling like himself could possibly fathom.