The three of them retreated to the depths of the corridor. Looking at the sky full of crimson light that flared up from time to time in front of them, Qing Lin's eyes were filled with horror.
She could feel the hostility Queen Medusa held toward her, so she had kept her little head lowered the entire way, not daring to speak.
"If not for Young Master, I would probably have been killed by her."
Thinking this, a chill could not help but rise in the bottom of Qing Lin's heart.
"Qing Lin?"
Xiao Feng frowned. This girl had been in a strange state; he had called her several times, but she had not heard him at all.
Xiao Xun Er stepped forward and took Qing Lin's hand. "Sister Qing Lin, what are you thinking about?"
"Ah? What?" Qing Lin was a bit bewildered.
"Brother Xiao Feng has called you several times already. It's the first time I've seen you so distracted."
"Ah... no, I..."
Qing Lin stammered, not knowing how to explain, and finally lowered her head again.
Xiao Feng lightly tapped Qing Lin's forehead and asked softly, "What is actually the matter?"
Qing Lin shook her head, refusing to speak. She knew that Xiao Feng had a deal with Queen Medusa and was worried that she might affect it, so she simply kept her mouth shut. Anyway, as long as she was by Young Master Xiao Feng's side, Queen Medusa would not make a move.
Seeing Qing Lin's expression, Xiao Feng did not press further. He simply pointed at the restrained Two-Headed Fire Spirit Snake in front and said, "Qing Lin, I once said that I would check your Cultivate progress. It is your test."
Looking at the struggling Two-Headed Fire Spirit Snake not far away, Qing Lin's face turned slightly pale. She was not sure if Xiao Feng was joking with her again, and her voice was faint. "Young Master..."
The Two-Headed Fire Spirit Snake twisted its body incessantly, its tail lashing about like a long whip. Every time it struck the corridor, it would emit a dull sound, sending gravel flying and kicking up a large cloud of dust.
Xiao Xun Er looked at Xiao Feng. "Brother Xiao Feng, even I wouldn't dare to get close to that two-headed snake. It's too dangerous for you to let Qing Lin go over."
Xiao Feng nodded, his eyes falling on Qing Lin's cheeks. "Correct, it is indeed very dangerous, but do you remember what I once said? I believe that with your talent, you can defeat it. Of course, you can also refuse. I will not blame you; I respect your choice."
Qing Lin's face turned even paler, as if all the color had drained from it.
If it were only fear and uneasiness in her heart, she could get closer to Xiao Feng. For her, Xiao Feng's aura was enough to suppress those uneasy thoughts in her mind.
But this time it was different; she clearly felt Young Master Xiao Feng pushing her away. Although his voice remained gentle, she had never forgotten what Young Master Xiao Feng had said three years ago. She remembered every word he said; he had once said he liked butterflies, and also that he was not lacking a servant girl who could only warm the bed and fold the quilts.
"Young Master Xiao Feng, I will not let you down."
Even though her voice and body were trembling, Qing Lin's gaze was incomparably firm as she stepped toward the Two-Headed Fire Spirit Snake, step by step.
Xiao Xun Er wanted to stop her, but was blocked by Xiao Feng.
Xiao Feng whispered in her ear, "With me here, that girl will be fine. Trust me, and trust her."
Xiao Xun Er looked at Qing Lin's thin yet stubborn figure and nodded slightly.
Behind them, the Magma Pool became even more turbulent, rising and falling like ocean waves. The scorching heat continuously assaulted the corridor, and the Two-Headed Fire Spirit Snake, restrained on the ground, became increasingly irritable.
At this moment, it saw a young girl walking toward it.
It was slightly stunned. Does she want to die?
One pair of eyes remained fixed on the girl, while the other head lifted slightly to look at Xiao Feng standing behind her. This detestable guy had a half-smile on his face; is he betting that I dare not kill her?
"Go to hell!"
Feeling the Qi that had bound it suddenly vanish, the Two-Headed Fire Spirit Snake, stunned for a moment, charged toward the girl at an even faster speed. Its two bloody mouths were wide open, rows of sharp fangs appearing menacing, and its blood-red snake tongue flickered like a spear as it lunged at Qing Lin, clearly intending to tear the girl to pieces in the next moment!
Fear instantly crawled across Qing Lin's face. The young girl instinctively took two steps back, but then gritted her teeth and, with a resolute attitude, faced the Two-Headed Fire Spirit Snake head-on!
The smell of blood rushed toward her. The wind stirred by the Two-Headed Fire Spirit Snake's lunge scattered Qing Lin's hair. In this instant, the girl thought of the days she had spent enduring hunger and starvation; back then, she had also shivered under the shadow of death every day. Fortunately, Young Master's appearance had taken her far away from that abyss.
This time, perhaps Young Master would still save her, but Qing Lin was no longer willing. She did not want to become a burden to Young Master. She wanted to actively catch up; she wanted to transform from a cocoon into a butterfly to stay by Young Master's side, rather than drifting further and further away from him.
Once this thought emerged, even death was not so scary anymore, and the young girl's gaze became even brighter.
"Is it still not enough..."
Watching the Two-Headed Fire Spirit Snake less than a meter away from Qing Lin, its protruding, bright red tongue about to touch the girl's face, Xiao Feng sighed. He raised his right hand, and a massive amount of Qi surged forth, rolling toward the great snake.
"Brother Xiao Feng, look quickly!" Xiao Xun Er seemed to have sensed something and pointed at Qing Lin's figure.
Qing Lin had her back to the two of them, so they couldn't see her face at all. They could only vaguely see light flickering on both sides of her eyes, and a terrifying aura circulating there.
Xiao Feng noticed it almost at the same time. Looking at Qing Lin's back, he murmured, "Triple Jade-Green Snake Flower Pupils..."
Where the two could not see, the three small green dots in Qing Lin's pupils suddenly flared with a deep, ghostly light. In an instant, like seeds sprouting, the three small dots bloomed into three extremely tiny green flowers...
With the emergence of these eerie green flowers, a beam of intense, ghostly light suddenly shot out from them, enveloping the Fire Spirit Snake in front.
After being shrouded by the ghostly light, the Fire Spirit Snake's berserk body suddenly stiffened. Its two pairs of giant eyes stared at the girl in front, filled with a hint of terror.
It wanted to retreat, but it couldn't move. It could only watch helplessly as the eerie, ghostly light slowly moved across its body, finally stopping in the center of the foreheads of its two snake heads, and then began to slowly shrink.
As the range of the ghostly light became smaller and smaller, the brightness contained within it became stronger and stronger, until finally, it was only the size of a palm. At this moment, the ghostly light flared violently, and a green flower appeared on each of the Fire Spirit Snake's two heads.
When the flowers appeared, the ghostly light began to gradually disappear. A moment later, the tiny flowers in Qing Lin's pupils quickly faded away, and in an instant, they returned to their usual jade-green color.
After everything returned to calm, Qing Lin seemed to have had all her strength drained away. Her body swayed from side to side, and she panted heavily, looking as if she could collapse at any moment.
Xiao Feng quickly stepped forward and supported the young girl. When he looked down, her pretty face was already completely pale, and her forehead was covered with fine beads of sweat.
But the girl's face was full of smiles, like flowers blooming in early spring, full of vitality and joy. Her voice was weak, yet filled with happiness. "Young Master, you said you liked butterflies, and Qing Lin has done it..."
As soon as she finished speaking, Qing Lin went limp and fell into Xiao Feng's arms, falling completely into a faint.
"Was it, after all, a bit too early?" Xiao Feng heartachingly wiped the sweat from the girl's forehead and gently picked her up in his arms.
Even in her deep sleep, the corners of Qing Lin's mouth still carried a sweet smile.
"Silly girl." Xiao Feng shook his head and shifted his gaze to the Two-Headed Fire Spirit Snake. The once very irritable great snake was now lying there like a noodle. It lifted its head slightly, looking at the person in Xiao Feng's arms with an obedient expression, and its tail began to wag gently.
Xiao Xun Er rarely felt any jealousy. She ignored the great snake's warning, ferocious gaze and walked to Xiao Feng's side, whispering, "Seeing the Triple Jade-Green Snake Flower Pupils for the first time, it really is quite overbearing."
Even she had felt a threat just now. She was well aware of Qing Lin's cultivation; to have such a display before even reaching the Dou Practitioner Realm—if one day the two were at the same Realm, she really didn't know what kind of power these eyes would erupt with.
Qing Lin only fainted for a short while; she soon woke up, like a kitten that had just woken from a nap, gently opening her eyes. When she realized she was in Xiao Feng's arms, the young girl's slightly pale face instantly flushed red. The white and red mixed together, creating a sickly, desolate beauty.
"Young Master, please put Qing Lin down..."
The young girl struggled a little, but could not break free.
"Don't force yourself; you should rest well first. Queen Medusa should be coming out soon." Xiao Feng's gaze crossed over the Fire Spirit Snake and landed on the Magma Pool outside.
It was no longer churning with monstrous waves and was gradually becoming calm, but the temperature was gradually rising, and the heat flow was becoming increasingly intense.
"How is it? Can you endure it?" Xiao Feng glanced at Qing Lin, then turned his gaze to Xiao Xun Er.
Xiao Xun Er did not have much of a reaction and shook her head slightly to indicate she was fine, but Qing Lin's breathing had already become rapid.
However, the girl was still stubborn. "Young Master, Qing Lin is fine."
Xiao Feng pursed his lips. Just as he was sizing up the top, preparing to take the two of them up, he heard a muffled boom from outside. The surrounding heat retracted, and there was actually a trend of it becoming cold.
The magma exploded, and Queen Medusa hovered in mid-air. There was blood at the corner of her mouth, her aura was somewhat chaotic, and even her purple robe was torn in several places, vaguely revealing her fair, delicate skin.
But everyone's gaze was focused on her right hand. There was a crystal lotus pedestal there, and a Cyan Flame was burning quietly on it, as if it had been carved. Even if a wind blew past, it remained motionless.
"Green Lotus Core Flame." Golden light flashed in Xiao Xun Er's eyes, and the Cyan Flame on the lotus pedestal also swayed slightly, almost imperceptibly.
Queen Medusa looked at Xiao Feng. No joy or anger could be seen on her face, and she said indifferently, "This Queen will keep her promise."
Afterward, she took a deep look at Qing Lin and rushed upward.
The rock layer began to crumble, and giant boulders fell into the Magma Pool, kicking up layers of spray.
"Let's go, we'll follow!"
Xiao Feng held Qing Lin in his arms and pulled Xiao Xun Er with his other hand. With a tap of his feet, the three of them followed closely behind Queen Medusa.
Two-Headed Fire Spirit Snake:???!!!
At this moment, the Two-Headed Fire Spirit Snake coiled itself up at high speed, then suddenly sprang up, bouncing like a spring, and chased after the three of them.
In mid-air, the two-headed snake's body continuously shrank. When it became the size of a hemp rope, it finally caught up to the three, swooshed into Qing Lin's sleeve, and tightly coiled around its master's arm.