"My bloodline... it's grown stronger by a sliver?"
Medusa couldn't help but be shocked. The change within her was simply too staggering! Feeling that faint, yet distinct, strengthening in the very source of her bloodline, she fell into a heavy silence. She was utterly at a loss for words, unable to articulate the astonishment that gripped her heart.
After a long moment, Medusa finally recovered, her beautiful eyes shimmering with a sharp light.
"This lightning-attribute Dou Qi... it can actually strengthen the source of my bloodline!"
At that moment, a seed of doubt was planted in her heart, accompanied by a wave of intense, overwhelming joy. The Serpent Spirit Secret Art was the foundational technique of the Snake-Person race. When she was born, it had been used on her, fusing the soul of a Purple Netherflame Serpent—a creature whose bloodline capped out at the peak of a Rank 6 Magical Beast—into her body. As her cultivation had progressed, she and the Purple Netherflame Serpent had become one and the same. It was the presence of this Serpent Spirit that made her nearly invincible among those at the same rank. When she assumed her true serpent form, her power would surge to a level that surpassed even that of an ordinary peak Dou Huang. But it was also the Serpent Spirit that shackled her potential, locking her away from ever crossing that heavenly chasm to the next realm.
For years, she had scoured the various empires, searching for an opportunity to shatter the chains on her bloodline. Her efforts had not been in vain. A few months ago, she had finally detected the presence of a Heavenly Flame on the outskirts of the desert. The ancient records of the Snake-Person race described a secret art, one that existed for the sole purpose of breaking the bloodline shackles of the Serpent Spirit. The most crucial component of this art was none other than a Heavenly Flame.
And so, at the cost of sustaining heavy injuries, she had forcefully brought back the Heavenly Flame, a power fundamentally at odds with her own yin-cold bloodline. The reason Hua She'er had been so wary when Yue Mei came to see her earlier was precisely because of these severe wounds. Her original plan had been to recover fully and then, in her most perfect state, perform the secret art to forcibly evolve her Serpent Spirit bloodline. The ritual was fraught with immense risk; the slightest misstep would lead to her complete annihilation. But for the sake of breaking through to the Dou Zong realm, for the future of the Snake-Person race, she, as their Queen, felt no fear. Medusa had even prepared herself for the possibility of being incinerated into nothingness by the Heavenly Flame during the evolution.
But she had never expected such a wonderful surprise to appear today. This unique lightning-attribute Dou Qi, with its ability to enhance her bloodline, had undoubtedly given her a second option for her evolution. Even though the source of her bloodline had only strengthened by a tiny fraction, Medusa knew that if she could continue to absorb this lightning Dou Qi, her bloodline would gradually grow stronger and more powerful. Perhaps, one day, it would trigger a qualitative transformation, allowing her Serpent Spirit bloodline to evolve completely.
This was the source of her elation. She found it almost impossible to believe that the lightning-attribute Dou Qi of a mere human could have an effect so remarkably similar to the secret art involving the Heavenly Flame.
Of course, if that were all, Medusa would not have wavered in her decision to use the Heavenly Flame. Compared to the secret art, absorbing this lightning Dou Qi was a much safer and more stable path, but it was also incredibly slow, and the final outcome was not guaranteed. In that sense, the two methods weren't drastically different. In fact, given her desire for speed and the existence of precedent, there was no reason for Medusa not to choose the Heavenly Flame. She, Queen Medusa, had never lacked the courage to burn her bridges.
What truly made Medusa consider abandoning the Heavenly Flame was that this lightning Dou Qi could enhance more than just her Serpent Spirit bloodline. Although the Serpent Spirit was now inseparable from her, as Queen Medusa, she still possessed her own innate Snake-Person bloodline.
The two bloodlines were not the same. The Purple Netherflame Serpent was a fire-attribute Magical Beast. Though a serpent, its bloodline was naturally scorching hot. The desert was never short of fire-attribute Magical Beasts, and fire-attribute serpents were common among them. In contrast, the bloodline of the Snake-People, like that of ordinary snakes, tended toward the yin and cold. It was rare for a Snake-Person to be born with a fire-attribute constitution. The vast majority of those who possessed it now did so because their fused Serpent Spirit was of the fire attribute. The Serpent Spirit's bloodline was, to a certain degree, stronger than the Snake-Person's own, so during the fusion process, a Snake-Person's original attribute was almost always replaced by that of their Serpent Spirit.
The same was true for Medusa. This was why, despite being the Queen of the Snake-People, her Dou Qi was of the fire attribute. Yet even so, her innate yin-cold bloodline still made it impossible for her to absorb the Heavenly Flame. It was this very conflict that made the secret art so dangerous for her people. Therefore, the Heavenly Flame method could only evolve her Serpent Spirit bloodline, not her own.
The ability to strengthen both of her bloodlines spoke volumes about the special nature of this lightning Dou Qi. Even without any precedent, the temptation it offered was far greater than that of the perilous Heavenly Flame method, which could only evolve the Serpent Spirit bloodline alone. How could she not be moved?
The history of the Snake-Person race was long, but many of its records had been lost, making it impossible to trace the true origins of their people. If her own Snake-Person bloodline could evolve, she might just be able to glimpse the mysteries of their ancestors.
The thought made it difficult for Medusa to suppress the restlessness stirring within her. She felt an impulse to march over right now, seize Zhou Changqing, and refine him on the spot. Fortunately, her queenly reason and foresight prevailed, and she dismissed the idea. This lightning Dou Qi originated from Zhou Changqing. As long as she kept him firmly under her control, she would have an endless supply of nourishment for her bloodline. But if she tried to refine him and ended up with nothing, wouldn't it all be for naught?
Medusa had a gut feeling that this young man was shrouded in a terrifying and unknown mystery. At the very least, his lightning Dou Qi was comparable to a rare treasure like a Heavenly Flame, and perhaps even surpassed it. Seizing such an opportunity from him would likely not be so easy. One should take risks when necessary, but when it was time to be cautious, Medusa didn't mind playing it safe.
"Exceptional talent, breathtaking skill in artifact refinement, and this mysterious lightning attribute... what a terrifying young man," she mused. "Though he is still weak now, with his cultivation speed, it probably won't be long before he breaks through to the Dou Wang realm. In ten years, he might even cross the chasm to Dou Huang and Dou Zong, becoming a true powerhouse who dominates the northwestern region."
"Right now, I need him. And according to Yue Mei, he is strong-willed beneath the surface. Although he has outwardly compromised, if I make any strange moves, he will surely fight my clan to the death. A direct, forceful approach won't work. I can only befriend him... As for how to do that, I will have to consider it carefully."
Medusa's mind raced, contemplating how to handle Zhou Changqing. How could she make him willingly stay by her side until she had used his lightning Qi to complete her evolution? But the most pressing matter now was to get some more of that lightning Qi from the boy and see how efficient it was at enhancing her bloodline. The few wisps of electricity from before were far too little.
After the artifact refinement was over, and with no further orders from Queen Medusa, Yue Mei had no choice but to arrange a room for Zhou Changqing to stay in within the grand temple. What would happen to him next was no longer something she could interfere with.
Night fell.
Instead of cultivating, Zhou Changqing sat quietly by the window, gazing up at the countless stars scattered across the dark canopy of the sky. His thoughts dwelled on Queen Medusa's unusual behavior earlier that day. A sense of unease settled over him whenever he thought of that terrifying woman. He hadn't dwelled on it at the time, but upon deeper reflection, a certain guess had taken root in his mind. After all, she had taken several wisps of his Dou Qi before she left.
He knew his lightning-attribute Dou Qi was somewhat special. It was possible that Queen Medusa had noticed this peculiarity, which would explain her strange reaction. Other than that, he couldn't think of any other reason. With his secret potentially exposed, Zhou Changqing could do nothing but pray he was overthinking things. He hoped she wouldn't harbor any malicious intentions toward him because of his Dou Qi.
Unfortunately, what one fears most often comes to pass.
Suddenly, Zhou Changqing sensed that another person had appeared in the room.
"Who's there?!"
He was instantly on high alert. His entire body tensed as he spun around, assuming a defensive stance and casting a vigilant gaze forward. To be able to slip into his room so silently, completely evading his senses, spoke to the immense power of the visitor. There weren't many experts of that caliber in the entire Holy City. His mind had already prepared for the worst.
When he saw the visitor's face clearly, the last of his hope died.
"I wonder what business brings Your Majesty here so late at night?"