After Xiao Yan's shock wore off, Zhou Changqing gave him a rough account of his experiences over the past year, though he altered a few details.
For instance, he claimed he wasn't captured by the Snake-People Race. Instead, his fame for crafting enchanted weapons had grown so great that they had sought him out.
Only after three invitations and three refusals, and after the Snake-People Race had paid an enormous price and offered him terms he couldn't refuse, did he finally agree to come.
He told the story so convincingly it sounded like the absolute truth. He especially embellished the part about his treatment, mentioning how all their Qi Methods and Dou Skills were open to him, and that he had an endless supply of cultivation resources.
It was enough to make Xiao Yan burn with envy.
"Damn it, you lucky bastard!" Xiao Yan gritted his teeth in jealousy.
Compared to Zhou Changqing's cushy life, what kind of miserable existence had he been living through his year of bitter training? Although he didn't lack Qi Methods or Dou Skills, he had to gather all his cultivation resources himself; his teacher was only responsible for refining them into pills. He had thought his own situation was good enough, but it paled in comparison to Zhou Changqing's.
How could the resources he collected alone ever compare to the treasury of a massive clan like the Snake-People?
"Heh, jealous? Too bad. That's what you get for having a friend as outstanding as me." Zhou Changqing took a sip of tea with a smile, his expression as smug as it could be.
After the joke, Zhou Changqing's face turned serious. "Old Xiao, that Heavenly Flame is important to you, right? Otherwise, you wouldn't have taken such a huge risk coming deep into this desert."
"You know now that I'm doing well here, so don't worry about me. Just do what you need to do. If you need any help, I can even work with you from the inside. We can pull off a big one!"
Zhou Changqing had been genuinely moved when he learned that Xiao Yan was willing to give up the Heavenly Flame for his sake. This was a true brother, one you could trust with your life. So, he decided to help his friend out, especially since he was partly responsible for the situation.
Hearing this, Xiao Yan's jealous expression froze. He was silent for a moment before speaking slowly, "Old Zhou, you really are something else..."
"But what about you? Queen Medusa is not someone to be trifled with. If her anger falls on you... With my current strength, even if I manage to get the Heavenly Flame, I don't think I could get you out of here. Besides, you're living so comfortably..."
Xiao Yan had already learned from Yao Lao why Medusa needed the Heavenly Flame. He could only imagine the Queen's fury if the flame were to be stolen. If Old Zhou was implicated, she wouldn't care how valuable his crafting skills were. She would tear him to pieces!
And "tear him to pieces" was not a metaphor. It was a literal description of what she would do.
But Zhou Changqing just waved his hand dismissively. "It's fine, it won't come to that. Queen Medusa and I aren't exactly close, but we can talk. I'll go and sound her out first, see what the situation is."
Fearing that Zhou Changqing might provoke Queen Medusa, Xiao Yan quickly explained the purpose the Heavenly Flame served for her.
Zhou Changqing listened, feigning ignorance, and then acted surprised. "Is that so?" After pretending to ponder for a moment, he suddenly asked, "Old Xiao, do you know if the Heavenly Flame will disappear after Queen Medusa uses it to evolve?"
"Uh..." Xiao Yan was stunned. He hadn't considered that question. He quickly communicated with his teacher to ask.
After getting an answer, Xiao Yan shook his head. "No, it won't. Queen Medusa only borrows the Heavenly Flame's power to evolve; she doesn't consume it."
"Well, there you have it, then!" Zhou Changqing clapped his hands together. "Since it won't disappear, and I have some standing within the Snake-People Race, things just got a lot simpler."
"We can wait until after Queen Medusa completes her evolution, and then we can ask for the Heavenly Flame. By then, it will be useless to her. I'm sure she'll be willing to trade it to you, for my sake."
"Holy hell, Old Zhou, how does your brain even work? How did you come up with such a brilliant idea?" Xiao Yan was floored. It had never occurred to him that there was such an unconventional approach.
The more he thought about it, the more feasible it seemed. While he would certainly have to offer up some valuable items in exchange for the Heavenly Flame, with Zhou Changqing mediating, he definitely wouldn't be turned away empty-handed like Gu He and his group.
With his teacher's help, he could refine any pill below the seventh-tier as long as he had the ingredients, and even seventh-tier pills weren't entirely out of the question! Furthermore, his teacher's collection was filled with countless pill formulas, Qi Methods, and Dou Skills. Any of those could be used for a trade.
This was infinitely better than antagonizing the entire Snake-People Race and facing Queen Medusa's wrath, only to be hunted down. His teacher's spiritual strength was limited and couldn't be used excessively without causing him great harm.
Growing more excited by the second, Xiao Yan asked eagerly, "So, Old Zhou, when do we make our move?"
Compared to Xiao Yan's excitement, Zhou Changqing was much calmer. He held up a hand, gesturing for him to relax. "No rush. Tomorrow, I'll go talk to Queen Medusa and test the waters. If possible, I'll try to convince her to proceed with the evolution sooner."
"Then, regardless of whether she succeeds or fails, the Heavenly Flame will be yours for the taking, and I can extract myself from the situation cleanly. For the next few days, just find a place to lay low and wait for my news."
"Got it."
The two then discussed the details and settled on a rough plan before Xiao Yan left the room. Zhou Changqing, meanwhile, returned to his cultivation.
The next day, Queen Medusa arrived as usual to draw his Dou Qi. Just as she was about to leave, Zhou Changqing called out to her.
"Your Majesty, there's something I'd like to ask you."
Medusa's serpentine tail paused, and she turned to face Zhou Changqing, her voice cool. "Speak."
"Heh, let's sit down and talk." Zhou Changqing pulled out a stool and made a gesture of invitation.
Medusa did not refuse. She sat down and watched him, waiting for him to begin.
After pouring her a cup of tea, Zhou Changqing finally sat down himself. "Your Majesty, when Pill King Gu He came yesterday to ask for the Heavenly Flame, you refused him. At the time, I was wondering why you would turn down such generous terms. It didn't make sense."
"Then it occurred to me. I once read in an ancient text from the clan's archives about a secret technique of the Snake-People. It said that if a Snake-People Queen is fortunate enough to obtain a wondrous object like a Heavenly Flame, she can use this technique to undergo a spiritual evolution and revert to her ancestral form."
"I assume the reason you didn't trade the Heavenly Flame is because you have such plans, Your Majesty?"
Hearing this, Medusa's stunningly beautiful face remained impassive. She glanced at Zhou Changqing and said, "What, are you interested in the Heavenly Flame as well?"
Back when she was trying to dissuade the little fellow from leaving the Snake-People Race, she had promised him access to all their Qi Methods and Dou Skills, which included various secret archives. Therefore, she wasn't surprised that he knew about this.
Zhou Changqing nodded without any attempt to hide his intentions. "I am, a little. Though I don't have a fire affinity, a wonder of heaven and earth like a Heavenly Flame might be beneficial to my crafting arts."
"Of course, I have no intention of obstructing your path to evolution, Your Majesty. I only hope that after you have evolved, when the Heavenly Flame is no longer of use to you, you might consider trading it to me."
"Rest assured, Your Majesty, I can absolutely offer you something to your satisfaction. You won't be at a disadvantage. Besides, if my crafting arts improve, it will benefit the clan as well, wouldn't you agree? It's a win-win situation. What do you think, Your Majesty?"
After five months of constant interaction, Zhou Changqing was no longer as intimidated by Medusa as he had been at their first meeting. He spoke with a relaxed and casual air, completely unafraid that she might suddenly turn hostile.
Medusa's eyes showed a flicker of contemplation. After a moment, her full, fiery-red lips parted slightly, and she spoke words that left Zhou Changqing utterly stunned.
"You don't have to go through all that trouble. If you want it, I can give it to you now."
"Huh?"
Wait!
What does that mean?
Have you already evolved?
No, you haven't.
Staring at the magnificent woman's long, serpentine tail, Zhou Changqing's mind was filled with question marks.
I know I'm useful to you, but not this useful, right?
You spoil me this much?