Chapter 201: Burning and Growing Stronger!
"Medusa's strength has advanced remarkably fast!" In the distance, amidst the crowd of Qing Lin, Yao Ming, and the others who were earnestly watching the battle, a warm, genial voice suddenly rang out beside their ears.
In the next instant, everyone's vision blurred. Jiang Yun's figure silently, quietly appeared beside Qing Lin. Gazing at the distant battlefield, he offered his commentary and assessment.
"Jiang Yun gege—you came out!" Hearing Jiang Yun's voice, in that very instant, the distant battle and war situation no longer drew or attracted Qing Lin's gaze in the slightest. In any case—no matter how Huang Tian struggled and thrashed—Medusa was definitely, absolutely going to win.
"This is the very last time!" Jiang Yun did not greet Qing Lin with a smiling, cheerful face as he usually did. Instead, he spoke with a face full of solemn, grave warning and admonishment.
"I understand!" Hearing Jiang Yun's words, Qing Lin, her face full of smiles, agreed and assented without the slightest hesitation or reservation, feeling only a sweet, warm, honeyed sensation in her heart.
Witnessing this, Jiang Yun shook his head helplessly. Verbally agreeing and promising was one thing. As for what they would actually do when the time came—Jiang Yun was ten thousand percent, absolutely, utterly certain that they would still, once again, make the exact same choice.
"But... Jiang Yun gege—why did you go in for so long? Sister Medusa doesn't look like she just emerged from seclusion. And also..." Just then, a trace and glimmer of laughter and amusement suddenly flickered and flashed deep within the depths of Qing Lin's eyes. With a puzzled, questioning voice, she spoke. At the same time, she drew close and leaned in before Jiang Yun, lowered her head, and sniffed lightly. Gazing at Jiang Yun with a face full of smiles, she continued.
"And also—Jiang Yun gege's body has a very, very heavy scent of Sister Medusa on it. At the same time—Sister Medusa's body also has a very, very heavy scent of Jiang Yun gege on it. Jiang Yun gege... did Sister Medusa come out of seclusion a long time ago?" As she spoke, Qing Lin's sly, cunning, mischievous gaze sized up and scrutinized the look in Jiang Yun's eyes.
Hearing this, Jiang Yun was subconsciously, momentarily stunned and taken aback. Then, smiling, he shook his head. Extending the wrist hidden and concealed within his sleeve, he laughed and said, "I was waiting for this little one!"
"Sss, sss, sss—"
Qing Lin lowered her head and looked. There, on Jiang Yun's wrist—a tiny, slender, delicate little nine-colored serpent, only a little over twenty centimeters long, raised and lifted its body upright from Jiang Yun's wrist. Facing Qing Lin, it hissed and cried in a low, soft voice, as if greeting and saying hello.
"Ah—it's Little Nine!" Seeing Little Nine, Qing Lin instantly gazed with excitement and delight at the Little Nine on Jiang Yun's wrist. Reaching out, she teased and played with it. As for the question and matter from just moments ago—it was already no longer important.
"At the bottom of the Nine Serene Yellow Spring, there is a lair and nest of the Seven-Colored Heaven-Devouring Pythons. Within it are the soul forms of the fallen, deceased Seven-Colored Heaven-Devouring Python seniors and predecessors. They not only helped and aided Medusa, allowing her strength to greatly, immensely surge and skyrocket—they even helped Little Nine thoroughly, completely condense and solidify a physical body. Medusa already emerged from seclusion half a month ago. This period of time—we were simply waiting for Little Nine to complete and finish its work!"
Jiang Yun smiled as he watched the Little Nine-Colored Heaven-Devouring Python interact and play with Qing Lin, while speaking softly and gently.
"Mm." Qing Lin responded and replied while simultaneously reaching out and lifting the Little Nine-Colored Heaven-Devouring Python off of Jiang Yun's wrist, cradling and holding it in her own embrace.
"Master!" Just then, Yao Ming stepped forward and bowed and paid respects before Jiang Yun.
"You've done very, very well. Take this and go distribute and hand them out to everyone!" Jiang Yun nodded and praised and commended Yao Ming. Producing two jade bottles, he handed them to the other. One of the bottles contained a single ninth-tier Treasure Pill—more than sufficient to allow Yao Ming to break through to three-star Dou Sheng. The other bottle contained several eighth-tier healing and recovery pills. To the crowd—they were also treasures and rarities that could be sought but not easily found, encountered but not easily obtained.
"Many thanks to Master! All of this was merely within the scope and bounds of your subordinate's duties..." Yao Ming accepted the pills with fervent, surging excitement and agitation. Feeling the energy fluctuations transmitting and emanating from within the jade bottles, his body trembled and quaked even more violently, fiercely. In a loud, booming voice, he spoke toward Jiang Yun.
"Rewards and punishments, clearly and distinctly distributed and meted out—I have my own judgment and discretion. You need not thank me. All of this—you earned and fought for yourself!" Jiang Yun waved his hand dismissively. Gazing indifferently, calmly at Yao Ming, he spoke.
"Yes!" Noticing that calm, indifferent, placid look in Jiang Yun's eyes, Yao Ming's heart instantly cooled and sobered. With the utmost deference and respect, he acknowledged and responded.
"Boom—!"
A terrifying, dreadful, explosive blast of air descended and crashed down from the heavens, smashing and blasting open an enormous, colossal, giant crater—nearly a thousand zhang wide—even upon the ground ten thousand zhang below.
The immense, colossal, giant commotion and disturbance instantly drew and attracted the attention and gazes of the crowd. They watched as the Demon Phoenix Sacred Image that the members of the Heavenly Demon Phoenix Clan had condensed and coalesced above their heads shattered and burst apart with a thunderous, explosive crash. Every single person, on the spot, violently coughed and sprayed out mouthfuls of fresh blood.
Medusa's terrifying, dreadful, horrifying power and force ruthlessly, ferociously lashed and smashed against the bodies of the crowd, shaking and jolting every single internal organ and viscera within their bodies completely and utterly out of place and displaced. And their bodies—like cannonballs and artillery shells—shot and hurtled downward.
They ruthlessly, ferociously smashed and pulverized mountain peak after mountain peak into fine, flying powder and dust. And only after continuing to scrape and gouge out a deep, long trench and furrow—nearly a thousand zhang long—across the surface of the ground did they finally, gradually, slowly come to a halt.
Of course—even more members of the Heavenly Demon Phoenix Clan simply, utterly could not withstand or endure the terrifying, dreadful, horrifying power and force of the Nine-Colored Heaven-Devouring Python. They were blasted and exploded on the spot, scattering and dispersing into clouds and mists of blood and gore.
"Gulp—"
Seeing the wretched, miserable, pitiful state and plight of the Heavenly Demon Phoenix Clan, the members of the Nine Serene Deep Earth Python Clan, at this very moment, also subconsciously, involuntarily felt a chill and cold run through their entire bodies. Their faces blank and numb with dazed, stupefied shock, they stared at that beautiful, alluring, captivating silhouette—possessing enchantingly seductive, bewitching curves—in the sky above.
"Cough—"
Huang Tian, collapsed and unable to rise from the ground, also coughed and hacked violently, fiercely. Wiping away the traces and stains of blood at the corner of his mouth, his gaze was filled and brimming with terror, fright, and dread as he stared at Medusa, who was descending and landing toward them from the sky above.
"Had I known there was actually a Nine-Colored Heaven-Devouring Python here in secluded, closed-door cultivation—why would this King have ever come here to court and invite such misery and suffering upon himself?!" Huang Tian's gaze flickered and wavered. His heart was filled and brimming with endless, boundless remorse, regret, and self-reproach—hating himself for being far too impulsive and reckless, for understanding and knowing far, far too little about the transformations and changes in the outside world. The Beast Domain was no longer a place where the Heavenly Demon Phoenix Clan could rule as kings and dominate as hegemons.
"How shall we deal with them?" Medusa coldly, icily, frostily stared at the Heavenly Demon Phoenix Clan members strewn and scattered across the ground. Tilting her head, she looked toward Jiang Yun in the distance and asked softly and gently.
Seeing this, the gazes of the Heavenly Demon Phoenix Clan members instantly, immediately turned and shifted toward Jiang Yun in the distance. Their hearts filled and brimming with hope—and envy and jealousy.
Jiang Yun was merely a three-star Dou Sheng. Yet he could actually make Medusa—this sole, only, unique Nine-Colored Heaven-Devouring Python on the entire Dou Qi Continent, and one that had even grown and matured to the level of a six-star Dou Sheng at that—fall and devote her heart to him. How could it not drive and madden people to the point of clawing and tearing at their own hearts in frenzy and frustration?!
"What do you think?" Jiang Yun, his face full of smiles and laughter, looked at Medusa. Bringing Qing Lin along with him, he slowly, gradually descended and landed beside Medusa. With a voice full of curiosity and interest, he asked.
"Kill them!" Hearing this, Medusa turned her head and cast a single glance at Jiang Yun. Recalling and remembering that it was precisely, exactly because of Huang Tian that their good, pleasurable, delightful affair and business had been disturbed and interrupted—at this moment, killing intent openly, blatantly revealed and displayed itself in her eyes.
Behind her, Yao Ming subconsciously, instinctively raised his head, wanting to object. Yet in the end, he held his tongue and withdrew his voice.
The Heavenly Demon Phoenix Clan was one of the three great clans of the Beast Domain. If Huang Tian and the others were to die here—the Nine Serene Deep Earth Python Clan, as well as Jiang Yun and the others, would inevitably, unavoidably face and suffer the mad, frenzied, insane retaliation and vengeance of the Heavenly Demon Phoenix Clan.
When that time came—even they would find it exceptionally, exceedingly headache-inducing and troublesome.
But then, thinking and recalling that Jiang Yun and the others had the Taixu Ancient Dragon Clan backing and supporting them—his heart instantly, immediately settled and steadied. If the Taixu Ancient Dragon Clan were to make a move and take action—whether the Heavenly Demon Phoenix Clan could even continue to exist or not would itself become the question and issue.
"This time—this King admits and concedes defeat. But if you think you can keep and hold this King here—I'm afraid it won't be so easy and simple! I imagine the harassing, raiding, marauding assaults of a single five-star Dou Sheng—even you cannot simply ignore and disregard, can you?!" Feeling and sensing Medusa pressing and closing in tighter and tighter with every step, Huang Tian's expression also turned somewhat unsightly, ugly, and grim. Like a broken pot deliberately smashed and shattered—he threatened coldly and icily, brazenly and recklessly.
Having spoken, he swiftly, rapidly rose to his feet. Behind him, his twin wings shuddered and beat. The sounds of wind and thunder once again rang out and arose. It had to be said—the life force and vitality of magical beasts was indeed, truly, tenaciously, stubbornly resilient. Bearing and carrying such heavy, severe, grave wounds and injuries just moments ago—Huang Tian, at this very moment, was actually already able to move and act once again.
"You think you can escape?" Hearing that Huang Tian actually, still dared to threaten and menace her and the others—the killing intent in Medusa's eyes instantly, immediately surged and intensified to its absolute, utmost, extreme limit. Stomping and stepping forward with a single stride—within her palm, a nine-colored luster and sheen once again surged forth.
Seeing Medusa's attitude and stance, Huang Tian's expression was somewhat dark, grim, and overcast. In his heart, a drumming, pounding, beating began to sound and pound. Those of one's own family and household knew their own affairs and matters best. Just now—he had merely forcibly, violently roused and summoned his Dou Qi, putting on a false, empty, brazen front and bluster.
Although his life force and vitality were terrifying, dreadful, and horrifying, and his speed and rate of recovery was not slow or lacking—Medusa's strength and power was even greater and more formidable than his own. The damage and harm she had inflicted and dealt upon him was exceedingly, exceptionally heavy and severe. Right now—he could already feel and sense the Dou Qi within his body gradually, increasingly collapsing, dispersing, and disintegrating.
Thinking to this point and this far, the bitterness and misery in Huang Tian's heart grew ever more intense and acute. In his current state and condition—even if he were to fight and battle against Jiang Yun, that 'mere, insignificant, trifling three-star Dou Sheng'—it was still, most likely, ten parts out of seven or eight, a perilous, disastrous, ill-fated, doomed outcome with far more misfortune than fortune, far more danger than safety.
"Since a threat and menace exists and is present—then we must extinguish and snuff it out as quickly and swiftly as possible!" Jiang Yun also gazed at Huang Tian with a face full of smiles and laughter.
Even though, at this very moment, Jiang Yun's face clearly bore and carried a smile and laughter—Huang Tian felt and experienced an even more heart-chilling, bone-freezing, terrifying sensation than when he had faced and confronted Medusa just moments ago.
"Swoosh—!" His gaze flickering and wavering wildly and erratically, the twin wings behind Huang Tian's back shuddered and beat violently. He actually abandoned and deserted the members of the Heavenly Demon Phoenix Clan, fleeing and escaping alone and solitary toward the distance in a flickering, flashing blur.
"Can you escape?!"
Seeing this, Jiang Yun sneered coldly. Pulling and holding back Medusa, who was about to move and give chase, his hand seals flickered and shifted with lightning speed. A streak and beam of purple light streaked and flashed across the center of his brow. In the very next instant—a terrifying, dreadful, horrifying soul power abruptly, violently surged and erupted forth!
"Yellow Spring Heaven's Wrath!"
With a single, low, fierce shout and cry from Jiang Yun—instantly, a terrifying, dreadful, horrifying, strange, eerie, bizarre, uncanny fluctuation erupted and burst forth from within his body like a raging, howling, furious storm!
"Moo!"
Accompanied and followed by a strange, eerie, peculiar, wondrous syllable ringing and sounding out between heaven and earth—this entire stretch and expanse of heaven and earth seemed, in that single, fleeting, split instant, to fall utterly, completely, deathly silent and still. A mere, scant, fleeting split second later—it caught up to and overtook that Huang Tian. A terrifying, dreadful, horrifying soul impact and assault swept and surged toward him overwhelmingly, blanketingly, engulfing and enveloping him from all directions.
"A soul attack!"
Only just now sensing and detecting the strangeness, abnormality, and disturbance behind him—Huang Tian was caught and struck completely, utterly off guard and unprepared. Magical beasts, in the aspect and area of the soul, were, after all, a weakness and shortcoming. Adding to that the severance and loss of inheritances and legacies in the present day and age—there were scarce, few, rare experts and powerhouses on the Dou Qi Continent who were versed, proficient, and skilled in soul attacks and assaults.
Thus—Huang Tian was completely, utterly without any defense, guard, or precaution whatsoever. He had only just begun to think of rousing and raising his Dou Qi to defend and protect himself when that terrifying, dreadful, horrifying sound wave impact and assault had already reached and arrived upon his body!
"Bang!"
In that very instant—the terrifying, dreadful, horrifying sound wave pierced and penetrated straight through Huang Tian's body, transmitting and producing a single low, deep, heavy, muffled, dull crash and thud.
"Pfft!"
Huang Tian's stiffened, rigid, frozen body froze and solidified for a short, brief, fleeting moment. His complexion and expression instantly, immediately turned deathly, ghostly pale and white. A single mouthful of fresh blood violently sprayed and jetted forth. From within his mind, a pain and agony—like that of saws and blades sawing and cutting—continuously, unceasingly transmitted and emanated forth, giving and causing him an impulse and urge to tear and rip his own head apart and asunder.
"Ah—!"
A single wretched, miserable, piercing, agonized scream and howl erupted and burst forth from Huang Tian's mouth.
Yet before he could even come back and return to his senses—Jiang Yun's figure and silhouette appeared and materialized directly, straight before him like a phantom, ghost, or specter. A single finger—wreathed, coiled, and entwined with black flames—shot and thrust toward the center of his brow with lightning speed, swiftness, and quickness. At the very same time—it was accompanied and followed by Jiang Yun's calm, even, placid, composed voice.
"Threaten and menace me? I just so happen to be in need of a mount and steed. Your appearance and presentation are not bad—barely, marginally, passably qualified and acceptable. You'll do for temporary, provisional use for a period of time!"
"Weng—!"
A single finger landed and pressed upon the center of Huang Tian's brow. The terrifying, dreadful, horrifying Saint Demon Flame instantly, immediately branded, seared, and etched itself deeply, profoundly into the very origin and source of the other's soul. Every obstacle, hindrance, and obstruction along the way and path—before the Saint Demon Flame—was, in the mere blink of an eye, devoured, consumed, and swallowed completely, utterly, cleanly, and thoroughly.
"Scree—!"
Enormous, colossal, massive black flames shot and surged upward into the sky. Huang Tian once again reverted and transformed back into his true, original Heavenly Demon Phoenix form. Spreading and unfurling his cloud-draped wings, black flames coiled and wreathed around him as he soared and glided through the sky above.
A loud, resounding, piercing, clear phoenix cry and call, at this very moment, shook the heavens and the earth.
The crowd gazed upward with stunned, shocked awe and astonishment. They could only feel and sense that under the burning, searing, scorching, blazing of the flames—the aura and presence of that wing-beating, soaring, gliding Huang Tian grew and became increasingly, ever more terrifying, dreadful, and horrifying. And the wounds and injuries upon his body also swiftly, rapidly recovered and healed.
"He's also a fellow who loves to show off and steal the limelight!" Medusa's gaze and eyes rippled and flowed, fixing and resting upon Jiang Yun in the distance. Toward Jiang Yun's decision and resolution to spare and let Huang Tian off for the time being, and instead refine and transform him into a flame slave—she did not feel or find it unhappy, displeased, or dissatisfactory in the slightest. Instead, she laughed and spoke in a low, soft voice, her eyes filled and brimming with gentle, tender, warm, soft intent and affection.
At this very moment, the aura and presence of Huang Tian in the sky above reached and arrived at a critical, pivotal threshold and juncture. In the very next instant—the bottleneck shattered and burst apart. A terrifying, dreadful, horrifying presence and aura spread forth overwhelmingly, blanketingly, shrouding and enveloping this entire stretch and expanse of heaven and earth.
"Broke through... he broke through!" Having witnessed and seen this scene with their very own eyes—Yao Ming and the others stared at Jiang Yun's back and silhouette with faces full of utter, complete, sheer disbelief and incredulity.
They had just now, with their very own eyes, seen and witnessed—just by being burned and scorched by Jiang Yun like this—Huang Tian had gone from a late-stage five-star Dou Sheng to breaking through to the present, current six-star Dou Sheng. This was nothing short of utterly, completely overturning their understanding, knowledge, and cognition!
Quite a few people all gazed at Jiang Yun with fervent, burning, fiery, intense eyes. At this very moment—how dearly, desperately they wished and hoped that it was themselves who were being burned and scorched!
"You mustn't take it for granted or jump to assumptions and conclusions! This method and approach comes with a price and cost. This is nothing more than overdrafting and overdrawing the potential and latent capacity of one's bloodline—elevating and raising all of one's strength and power in a single, comprehensive boost and enhancement. In the future—there will absolutely, utterly not be the slightest, smallest possibility or chance of advancing or progressing even half a single step further!" Sensing and detecting the strangeness and abnormality of the crowd, Qing Lin spoke softly and gently in explanation and clarification.
Although Yao Ming and the others had been controlled and dominated by Qing Lin—she had not erased, obliterated, or ground away their sense of self and individuality. They were still the same as they had always been—and naturally, they also possessed and harbored a thirst, yearning, and desire for strength and power.
As expected—upon hearing Qing Lin's explanation and clarification, the fervent, burning, fiery heat and intensity in the crowd's eyes instantly, immediately diminished and lessened considerably. Yet there were still those who gazed at Jiang Yun. They were all old fellows and codgers who had lived and survived for several hundred years. Their own, personal cultivation and training could no longer yield or obtain even the slightest, smallest bit of progress or advancement. They could only rely and depend on other means and methods.
At this very moment, the Heavenly Demon Phoenix—blazing and burning with black flames—in the sky above also descended and landed. Finally, amidst a single flash and beam of black light, it transformed and became the figure and silhouette of Huang Tian.
"Pays respects to Master!" Arriving and coming before Jiang Yun, Huang Tian bowed and prostrated himself upon the ground in deferential, respectful worship and reverence. His eyes were filled and brimming with fanatical zeal, fervor, and devotion.
Seeing this scene—the members of the Heavenly Demon Phoenix Clan stared at Huang Tian and Jiang Yun with faces full of sheer, utter shock and awe. Even though they had only just now mentally prepared and steeled themselves—truly, genuinely seeing and witnessing it with their own eyes was yet another, entirely different, separate, distinct visual impact.
"You—go back and unify and consolidate the Heavenly Demon Phoenix Clan. Form an alliance and coalition with the Nine Serene Deep Earth Python Clan. Unify and consolidate every last force and power within the Beast Domain—and await my orders and commands!"
Jiang Yun paid no heed or attention to the gazes and stares of the crowd. Looking toward Huang Tian and Yao Ming, he spoke in an indifferent, calm, detached tone.
"As commanded!" Hearing Jiang Yun's orders and instructions, Yao Ming and Huang Tian instantly, immediately spoke in loud, booming, deferential, respectful voices.
Nodding, Jiang Yun gazed at Qing Lin and Medusa, who were not far away. Smiling and laughing, he said, "Zi Yan is about to emerge from seclusion. As it happens—you're all here. She will certainly, definitely be happy and delighted!"
Hearing this, Qing Lin gave a radiant, captivating, enchanting smile. Her voice tinged and colored with a trace and hint of excitement and thrill, she spoke: "Sister Zi Yan is also about to emerge from seclusion? It's been so many, many years since we last met. Finally—we're about to meet again!"
Medusa similarly wore and carried a smile and laughter upon her face. Only—her smile and laughter was filled and brimming with gloating schadenfreude and malicious, mischievous delight. "I also miss and long for Zi Yan very, very much. I just so happen to have a great, great many things I want to tell and talk to her about!"
Hearing Medusa's words, Jiang Yun detected and perceived the mischievous, sly, cunning, wicked laughter and amusement in the other's eyes. For the very first time—he actually felt and experienced an emotion and sensation of guilty unease.
"Let's go!"
Shaking his head, casting aside the thoughts and notions in his mind, Jiang Yun spoke softly and gently toward the two of them.
Having spoken, Jiang Yun raised his hand and tore and ripped. A pitch-black, jet-dark spatial passageway instantly, immediately took form and shape. His figure moved—taking the lead and initiative, he walked and strode inside. Behind him—Medusa and Qing Lin also swiftly, rapidly followed and kept pace.
After Jiang Yun and the other two had departed and left—Huang Tian and Yao Ming instantly, immediately swapped and exchanged their expressions and faces, coldly, icily, frostily glaring and staring at one another.
The two clans—if not quite mortal, life-and-death, sworn enemies—were still utterly estranged and mutually ignoring, never interacting or associating even until old age and death. If not for Jiang Yun's orders and instructions—Huang Tian and Yao Ming would not, could not, easily, lightly, calmly and composedly sit down and discuss and negotiate the matter and affair of alliance and coalition.
"Clan Leader Yao Ming..."
"Clan Leader Huang Tian..."