"Could this woman have fallen for me?" Zhou Changqing stared at Medusa's face with a strange expression, a vain thought crossing his mind.
After all, his talent was "decent" and his looks were "not bad." He certainly had the grounds to be a little conceited.
Of course, it was just a fleeting thought. It was one of life's three great delusions: She likes me, my phone is vibrating, I can win this fight.
How could Medusa possibly fall for him? In Zhou Changqing's view, she definitely had some other motive, one that was even more important to her than using a Heavenly Flame to evolve.
At this stage, what could possibly be more important to Medusa than successfully evolving and advancing to the Dou Zong realm?
No matter how he thought about it, Zhou Changqing couldn't come up with anything.
Suddenly, a flash of inspiration struck him. He thought of the special aura within his Thunder Qi.
"Could it be..." His eyes widened at the possibility.
Facing the young man's peculiar gaze, Medusa remained calm. It was only when she saw the look of shock and sudden understanding dawn on his face that a flicker of knowing appeared in her eyes.
It seems he's figured out the general idea. Since the boy knew she needed a Heavenly Flame to evolve, her current nonchalance toward it would naturally make him suspicious.
"Your Majesty, is it because my Thunder Qi can help your Serpentine Spirit Bloodline evolve that you agreed to give me the Heavenly Flame so easily?" Zhou Changqing didn't beat around the bush, his eyes fixed on Medusa as he asked what was on his mind. He was almost certain this was the case; nothing else could explain her behavior.
To his surprise, Medusa gave a slight nod, admitting it directly.
"Just as you thought, yes."
"The profound aura within your Thunder Qi can indeed help me enhance my bloodline's source, thereby achieving the effect of evolution."
"Moreover, compared to using a Heavenly Flame, using your Thunder Qi carries no risk at all."
"I knew it!" Although Zhou Changqing had his suspicions, hearing Medusa's confirmation still sent a jolt of shock through him.
Crackle!
With a raise of his hand, a bolt of white lightning shot forth, dancing and flickering in his palm. Feeling the profound aura within the lightning, Zhou Changqing was amazed that it possessed such an effect.
He wondered if this effect was unique to Medusa, or if it worked on all the serpent-folk. Or perhaps it could work on humans, Magical Beasts, and all other living creatures.
Zhou Changqing secretly leaned toward the idea that it worked on all living beings. After all, if it only worked on the serpent-folk, that would make them a bit too special. He would have to explore this further himself.
A new question immediately arose in his mind. He looked at Medusa and continued, "Your Majesty, if that's the case, why didn't you agree when Gu He offered to trade for the Heavenly Flame?"
The Form Transformation Pill! That was a pill that was also effective on the serpent-folk. While it couldn't help Medusa break through to the Dou Zong realm, it could allow her to take human form ahead of time. The serpent-folk were neither human nor Magical Beast, but a demi-human race. Demi-humans had better talent than Magical Beasts and longer lifespans than humans. Even if their cultivation speed was slightly slower than a human of equal talent, and their lifespan wasn't as long as a Magical Beast of the same rank, they still had their own advantages.
After transforming, her talent would see a certain degree of improvement, even if her lifespan wouldn't increase to the level of a Magical Beast of the same rank.
Medusa saw the confusion in Zhou Changqing's eyes. Since she had already revealed so much, there was no point in hiding anything now. She spoke calmly, "Your Thunder Qi does indeed have the potential to help me evolve. However, there is no precedent for this method. Though the probability is high, it is not a one-hundred-percent guarantee."
"The Heavenly Flame can serve as a final safeguard."
"That Dou Ling Pill is decent, but useless to me. And while the Form Transformation Pill has some use, I am stuck at the peak of the Dou Huang realm. Transforming won't break my bottleneck, making the pill tasteless and uninteresting. Why would I trade with him?"
Hearing this, Zhou Changqing nodded. Indeed, Medusa was at the peak of the Dou Huang realm. Even if she took the Form Transformation Pill and assumed human form, she still couldn't break through her shackles. In that situation, what good was an improvement in talent? It was truly a useless prize.
"Wait!" Zhou Changqing shook his head. "If the Heavenly Flame is your safeguard for evolution, Your Majesty, why are you entrusting it to me so easily?"
"When I evolve, I only need to borrow the power of the Heavenly Flame; I don't need to consume it. Even if you refine it, I can still borrow its power from you if your Thunder Qi fails." Medusa glanced at the young man, unsure if he was smart or dense. He came all this way to ask for the Heavenly Flame after her evolution, yet he hadn't even considered this simple point?
Zhou Changqing froze. Feeling Medusa's gaze, which seemed to be looking at an idiot, he felt a hot flush of embarrassment. He had thought she might have some feelings for him, but it seemed he was just being conceited.
Medusa withdrew her gaze and took a sip of tea before asking softly, "So, do you want it or not?"
"I want it," Zhou Changqing said with a nod after a moment of thought.
It would be foolish not to take it. As for giving it to Xiao Yan, if his Thunder Qi failed to help Medusa evolve, he could just ask Xiao Yan for it back. A refined Heavenly Flame could still be used, after all. Xiao Yan wouldn't refuse to help with something so simple, would he?
Besides, his Thunder Source was so special; it was practically his transmigrator cheat. As a golden finger, Zhou Changqing felt his Thunder Qi wouldn't fail him. That would be far too lame.
As for taking the Heavenly Flame to give to Xiao Yan, he felt no guilt toward Medusa. In terms of their relationship, Medusa definitely couldn't compare to Xiao Yan. (Not in a gay way! Speaking objectively, Zhou Changqing's current relationship with Medusa was nowhere near as good as his friendship with Xiao Yan.) He would just consider this as extra compensation for the serpent-folk capturing him, using his Thunder Qi, and restricting his freedom.
Medusa stood up and nodded. "Follow me."
With that, she turned, her perfect, snake-like waist swaying as her tail propelled her from the room. Zhou Changqing quickly followed.
That night, in his room, Zhou Changqing stared at a lotus made of a strange crystal sitting on his table.
The lotus was entirely crystalline, exuding a faint chill and a cool, refreshing aura. In its center, a cluster of green flames was slowly rising!
The green flame seemed to possess a spirit of its own. As it swirled, it would sometimes condense into the shape of a lotus, and at other times, it would form a tiny, green, fiery serpent, coiling in the air within the lotus. Its docile appearance was almost cute.
However, Zhou Changqing didn't dare underestimate this adorable flame. It looked cute now, but if it were to leave the crystal lotus, it would likely transform into a merciless killer, incinerating everything in its path.
"The Green Lotus Core Flame..." Zhou Changqing's eyes scanned the flame, his heart filled with curiosity. It was his first time seeing a Heavenly Flame, and he naturally found it fascinating.
Of course, he was just as interested in the crystal lotus. Anything that could contain a Heavenly Flame was no ordinary object. This crystal lotus had a beautiful name—the Ice Spirit Cold Crystal.
The Ice Spirit Cold Crystal could only form in a place where a treasure known as the Ice Spirit Cold Spring was sufficiently dense, and even then, it required many years of accumulation for even a sliver of a chance to be born. It was one of the world's rarest treasures, a supremely cold object capable of effectively resisting the high temperatures of a Heavenly Flame.
"If I added a piece of this to an enchanted weapon during forging, wouldn't it gain the ability to suppress Heavenly Flames?" As he thought this, a strange smile crept onto his face.
Heh heh heh! The anti-Xiao Yan armament begins