. Queen Medusa quickly selected for him a volume of the intermediate Earth-level technique, "Divine Flame Art," and several volumes of Xuan-level fighting techniques suitable for him.
The cultivation requirements for "Divine Flame Art" were quite demanding, requiring a powerful beast fire or otherworldly fire as a catalyst.
Successful cultivation imbued one's Dou Qi with the burning effects of beast fire or otherworldly fire, allowing the flames to transform into a myriad of forms, making it a valuable fire control technique.
"Mountain-Smashing Finger," a Xuan-level intermediate fighting technique, could, upon mastery, shatter mountains with a single finger!
"Ethereal Step," a Xuan-level intermediate body movement, could, upon mastery, render one's form ethereal and traceless!
"Lance of Flame," a Xuan-level advanced fighting technique, could condense into a fire spear, adaptable to large or small sizes, suitable for close combat or transformed into a towering lance to pierce foes...
Liu Yu gladly accepted the techniques and fighting techniques Queen Medusa had selected for him.
From then on, his life became busy.
Practice, practice fighting skills, refine elixirs, and then…
the fragrance of elixir wafted from the ancient medicine cauldron before Liu Yu, bringing him back to his senses and allowing him to retract his Azure Lotus Earth Core Fire.
As the elixir flew out of the cauldron, Liu Yu channeled his Dou Qi to catch it.
What caught his eye was a emerald green elixir, the size of a longan. A closer look revealed a hint of blue within the emerald green.
This was the fourth-grade Qi Gathering Powder, a supremely fine one at that!
Liu Yu then casually placed it into a nearby jade bottle and began refining the elixir once more.
For Liu Yu, now a fifth-grade alchemist, refining a fourth-grade elixir was a piece of cake.
He mechanically refined and collected the elixirs with astonishing efficiency.
Soon, the elixirs on the ground were filled with a variety of elixirs.
Objectively speaking, Liu Yu possessed considerable experience in alchemy, a fact he attributed to his support of the Serpent People.
Although trapped in the vast desert for years, the Serpent People possess a rich heritage and many rare resources gathered during their time there.
This allows Liu Yu to continuously refine elixirs and hone his skills – the advantage of having a powerful faction behind him.
Of course, all the elixirs he creates are "confiscated" – a truly tragic fate!
That woman even demands he produce a certain amount of elixirs daily before leaving the alchemy room – a tactic tantamount to child labor!
Ever since he became an alchemist, he's had no idea how many elixirs he's actually produced.
The elixirs are collected by Sister Hua She'er and distributed throughout the Central Holy City and the eight Serpent People tribes.
Originally, his existence was known only to the Serpent People's high-ranking officials, but thanks to Queen Medusa's deliberate promotion, he's become a virtual celebrity among the Serpent People, even earning the prestigious title of "Chief Alchemist of the Serpent People"!
While the Serpent People and humans are sworn enemies and deeply dislike them, Liu Yu is different.
He's Queen Medusa's "bedmate"! At first, some questioned his human identity, threatening to execute him, but those voices soon faded.
Then, under the "bombardment" of his elixirs, the atmosphere among the Serpent People immediately changed, showering him with praise. Thus, he earned the title of "Chief Alchemist."
Indeed, after he became an alchemist, the Serpent People's demand for elixirs gradually filled.
Over the past four years, the Serpent People's mid- and low-level combat power has significantly increased. Queen Medusa even secretly sent people to trade with humans, exchanging medicinal herbs for elixirs the Serpent People rarely needed. Having
completed his mission for the day, Liu Yu rose from his futon, brushed off the nonexistent dust from his brocade robe, stretched, and leisurely walked out of the alchemy room.
"Xiaoyin, are you done refining the elixir?" The well-proportioned, cool-looking Flower Snake at the doorway looked at Liu Yu with a smile, her delicate, boneless hands gently pinching Liu Yu's delicate cheek.
As one of the people who had grown up with Liu Yu, she treated him like a younger brother.
Liu Yu didn't resist, but instead pouted helplessly, "Calling me Xiaoyin again? Humph!"
Seeing Liu Yu like this, Hua She'er couldn't help but let out a silvery laugh. Then, she stopped teasing and told Liu Yu that Her Majesty the Queen had sent for him.
Hearing that Queen Medusa was looking for him, Liu Yu bid Hua She'er farewell and headed for Queen Medusa's chambers.
Within the spacious and luxurious hall, a graceful figure dozed lazily against the edge of the bed. As if sensing someone entering, she frowned and looked towards the hall door.
Under Queen Medusa's gaze, a silver-haired youth with sharp eyebrows, bright eyes, rosy lips, and white teeth approached her.
"You're here!"
Queen Medusa, lying on her side in bed, parted her rosy lips, her delicate red lips curling in a captivating arc. Her purple snake tail tucked Liu Yu into her arms, gently placing him beside her.
Leaning against the snake's tail, Liu Yu gazed at the beauty, who seemed to have just woken from sleep. Her graceful purple robe couldn't conceal her alluring features. Her incredibly voluptuous figure, brimming with charm, sent a flutter through Liu Yu's heart.
Even after sharing a bed together for so many years, he was still captivated every time he saw Queen Medusa.
But when he thought of his current situation, his restless heart cooled a bit. She was too young! He'd have to wait a few more years!
Liu Yu wasn't idle either. His hands, imbued with a subtle fighting spirit, skillfully kneaded the shimmering purple snake's tail.
Queen Medusa closed her eyes, enjoying the sensation quietly, a faint blush rising to her delicate features.
For the Serpent People, the Serpent's tail was their most sensitive spot, and it couldn't be touched lightly, especially for the female Serpent People.
Just as Liu Yu was intently massaging it, the Serpent's tail suddenly wrapped around him, carrying him into Queen Medusa's arms. Queen Medusa rolled over, pinning Liu Yu beneath her.
A soft, jade-like hand gently caressed Liu Yu's cheek, her eyes seductive and her breath fragrant.
"You want to leave the Serpent People!"
Liu Yu couldn't help but feel a dryness in his mouth as he looked at the red lips and the charming face so close before him.
But Queen Medusa continued to stare at Liu Yu, waiting for her answer.
Liu Yu had to painstakingly explain to Queen Medusa that he wanted to leave the Serpent People for Her Majesty!
He had reached a plateau in both his cultivation and his alchemy skills. Only by going out and seeking a breakthrough could he help Her Majesty. The former
Queen Medusa had confided in him, saying that every generation of Serpent People Medusa Queens, hoping to reach Dou Zong status, must undergo a process of forging their bodies with strange fire, merging perfectly with their companion serpent souls to activate the bloodline of the ancient Sky-Swallowing Python. Only then could they ascend to Dou Zong status!
He had also witnessed Queen Medusa's tender side. Even though she was a fearsome queen known to the surrounding empires, she was still a woman, and sometimes she wanted someone to support her.
But this was only a fleeting thought. She was the queen of the Serpent People, and their patron saint!
The harsh reality of life forbade her even the slightest sentimentality; she must always consider her people.
So Liu Yu decided to seek breakthroughs in both her cultivation and her alchemy skills, so that he could help Queen Medusa in the future.
There was, in fact, another crucial reason: he remembered that a certain "madman" in Zhongzhou would one day "destroy the world"!
Although the "Yan Emperor" had stopped this in the original novel, now with him as a wild card in the Dou Qi Continent, he had no idea what the future would hold!
He didn't want to rely on others for the fate of himself, Queen Medusa, and the Serpent People, so he needed to quickly become stronger, to acquire the strength to protect those around him!
While he enjoyed his current life among the Serpent People, he could still distinguish between temporary happiness and lasting happiness!
Queen Medusa probably misunderstood him, thinking he wanted to leave the Serpent People, but that was not his intention. After years of living together, he had long since considered the Serpent People his second home.
As for the incompatibility between the Serpent People and humans, what did that have to do with him?
The Serpent People killed humans, and humans also hunted Serpent People, especially female Serpent People.
Moreover, as a Blue Star, he had nothing to do with the conflict between the Serpent People and humans in the Dou Qi Continent.
Seeing Liu Yu's heartfelt explanation, Queen Medusa couldn't help but smile, captivatingly, leaving Liu Yu momentarily stunned.
The fleeting kiss that followed left Liu Yu frozen in his bed.
"Is this a crime? But I still want it..."
Liu Yu smiled infatuatedly. Queen Medusa's proactive kiss felt nothing like the secret kisses he'd received as a child! Seriously... hot!
Ignoring Liu Yu's smirk, Queen Medusa lowered her head and whispered softly in his ear.
This startled Liu Yu, and he instinctively cried out, "No!"
While Liu Yu's reaction warmed her heart, no one could question her decision, let alone Liu Yu!
Her expression froze, and she stared at Liu Yu beneath her.
But Liu Yu refused to compromise this time, staring down Queen Medusa with equal determination.
This was the body forging of strange fire! In the original novel, Queen Medusa nearly perished, only to survive, only to be picked off by Xiao Yan!
He had originally hoped to use the achievement system to find a better way to help Queen Medusa reach the Dou Zong realm, but who would have thought she'd already thought of this?
He disagreed!
While the current conditions were better than in the original novel, as he had refined several Blood Lotus Pills, a fifth-grade elixir with a very useful effect for Queen Medusa—resisting the extremely intense heat of the strange fire!
But this didn't guarantee a 100% success rate! There was still a risk to her life, and he didn't want her to risk even the slightest bit!
The two of them remained in a stalemate. Despite the erotic scene, Liu Yu had long since given up on the idea!
"Does it have to be this way? Perhaps there's another way..." Liu Yu finally gave in.
He knew Queen Medusa's temper well; she could really keep him company all day!
"So, what other options do you have?" Queen Medusa breathed a gentle fragrance at Liu Yu, her eyes a playful look.
Liu Yu remained silent. He truly had no other options right now...
Eh! It's a shame my system isn't intelligent, otherwise I could ask it. Liu Yu couldn't help but complain about his bizarre system.
(Achievement System: ...)
Seeing Liu Yu silent, Queen Medusa gently tapped his heart with her slender finger...
Liu Yu bit his lip tightly, trying not to make a sound.
"Do you look down on me?" Queen Medusa's narrow, long, phoenix-like eyes curved at a dangerous angle, and her charming voice was drawn out, tingling.
Liu Yu stiffened, and suddenly pushed Queen Medusa away, leaping off the bed and fleeing out of the palace in a panic.
"You've grown up..." Queen Medusa muttered, her smile fading.
A hint of melancholy crept across her brow. Honestly, she wasn't sure she could withstand the tempering of the strange fire, but it was something she would have to face sooner or later...
After running out of the bedroom, Liu Yu finally calmed her turbulent heart.
If I weren't still young, if I weren't so weak against you, I would definitely..." Liu Yu thought viciously,
then checked the system panel.
[Name: Liu Yu (Xiao Yin)]
[Race: Human]
[Age: Ten years old (23 years old)]
[Cultivation: Nine-star Dou Ling]
[Soul: Late Mortal Realm]
[Skills: Myriad Aspects Divine Art, (Earth Rank Intermediate) Divine Flame Art]
[Fighting Skills: Thousand Illusionary Body (Minor Success), (Xuan Rank Intermediate) Shattering Mountain Finger (Minor Success), (Xuan Rank Intermediate) Misty Step (Minor Success), (Xuan Rank Advanced) Flame Spear (Minor Success), Xuantian Soul Art]
[Treasure: Azure Lotus Earth Core Fire]
[Achievements: Little but smart, little hands with nowhere to put, dandy boy, rookie, alchemy master]
[System Space: None]
(End of this chapter)