In the desert city of Stone Desert City, a frail, elderly figure suddenly appeared on the rooftops of the Desert Iron Mercenary Group, his gaze fixed on a certain courtyard below, eyes flickering with a mix of emotions.
"The Triple Jade-Green Snake Flower Pupils... I never imagined I would encounter such a legendary cultivation physique!"
"If I can transplant this girl's Triple Jade-Green Snake Flower Pupils into myself, I'll ascend to unimaginable heights!"
"But this girl has a Dou Spirit-level Two-Headed Flame Spirit Snake by her side, and her brother is a strong fighter, possibly even beyond Dou Spirit. They also have connections with the Shi family of this city... I can't act rashly. I'll have to knock her out and take her quietly."
"As long as I leave no trace, no one will know it was me. Once I succeed with the transplant, neither the Jia Ma Empire nor the entire Northwest Continent will be able to stop me!"
The old man murmured to himself, his expression turning vicious as he vanished into the night.
Shortly after, a strange fragrance began to permeate throughout the Desert Iron Mercenary Group. In moments, the entire group, over a hundred members, fell unconscious, one after the other.
The old man had already arrived outside the room where Qing Lin and the Two-Headed Flame Spirit Snake were resting.
"Brother has been gone for over a month now, why hasn't he returned yet?"
Qing Lin lay on her bed, unable to sleep, counting the days since she had last seen her brother, Gu Changqing.
"Hissss—"
At that moment, the Two-Headed Flame Spirit Snake, curled up by the bedside to guard her, suddenly opened its four eyes, its slit-like pupils locking onto the door with a sharp gaze.
"Xiao Huo, what's wrong? Hmm, such a pleasant scent..."
Just as Qing Lin was about to ask her snake what had happened, she inhaled the strange fragrance. Her eyes fluttered as she collapsed unconscious.
"Hissss!"
Sensing its master had been knocked out, the Two-Headed Flame Spirit Snake flew into a rage. It rose up, prepared to face the enemy outside the room.
"A mere beast, yet you dare to stand in my way!"
"Mountain-Crushing Arm!"
Suddenly, the door shattered, and an old man's figure burst in, swinging a massive fiery-red arm. A violent and destructive force surged towards the snake.
"Hissss!"
The Two-Headed Flame Spirit Snake retaliated, spitting out two fiery beams of light towards the old man.
Crash!
But the old man's strength was overwhelming. With two swift punches, he shattered the fiery beams. In the blink of an eye, he closed the distance, and his red, muscular arm, brimming with power, smashed down on one of the snake's heads.
The snake's first head was struck senseless, and before it could react, the old man's arm landed on its second head with a deafening crack.
In less than three exchanges, the snake was dizzy and disoriented.
The old man followed up with a flurry of frenzied punches, pummeling the creature until it lay on the ground, bleeding profusely, and completely unconscious.
"The Two-Headed Flame Spirit Snake… an excellent beast. It feeds on magma and grows stronger rapidly. I'll take it as well for further study."
After a brief hesitation, the old man made his decision. He hoisted the unconscious snake with one hand and scooped up the unconscious Qing Lin, still dressed in her sleepwear, with the other. He prepared to flee.
However, just as the old man turned to leave, his body froze in place, his eyes widening in sheer terror.
"Y-you… Queen Medusa?!"
The old man stared in horror at the two figures standing silently at the door. His heart sank, and cold sweat drenched his entire body.
Not only was it a mystery how these two had appeared without making a sound, but the mature, voluptuous woman standing in front—none other than the legendary Queen Medusa herself—filled him with dread.
At that moment, the old man wished for nothing more than to drop dead.
"Oh, Your Majesty, it seems someone is trying to steal the Green Snake Three-Floral Eyes from your tribe. What should we do?"
Gu Changqing stood at the door, shrugging with mock helplessness as he taunted the old man.
He and Queen Medusa had only just arrived, catching this scene as it unfolded. However, even if they hadn't arrived in time, the old man would still have failed. A part of Gu Changqing's will was planted within Qing Lin, a safeguard that could be activated if she were ever in danger, allowing him to sense her location and rush to her aid.
"N-no… it's a misunderstanding… I…"
The old man stuttered, trying to explain himself. Yet, before he could finish his sentence, Queen Medusa's eyes grew icy, and with a wave of her hand, she instantly poisoned him to death.
Gu Changqing quickly moved to pick up the unconscious Qing Lin, cradling her in his arms. As for the unconscious snake, he left it to Queen Medusa.
"Your Majesty, I'll leave the Two-Headed Flame Spirit Snake to you. Take it with you as well."
With that settled, Gu Changqing also retrieved Liu Mei, who had been knocked out in the adjacent room, along with Xue Lan. Awakening the little Amethyst Winged Lion King, they all made their way toward the sacred city of the Snake-People.
In the desert, several commanders of the Snake-People had already been waiting. They had sensed the wrath of their queen and rushed over from miles away to assist. However, by the time they arrived, the threat had already been neutralized. Now, Queen Medusa was casually walking alongside Gu Changqing.
Despite their dissatisfaction with Gu Changqing, the Snake-People commanders could only bow respectfully as they allowed him to enter their territory under the protection of their queen.
With Queen Medusa leading the way, Gu Changqing, along with Qing Lin, Liu Mei, Xue Lan, and the Two-Headed Flame Spirit Snake, soon arrived at the sacred city of the Snake-People.
As they entered the city, Qing Lin, who possessed a unique constitution, was the first to wake. Realizing she was being carried, she blinked in surprise, then saw the familiar face of her brother.
"Brother, you're back?!"
Her eyes sparkled with joy as she threw her arms around Gu Changqing's neck in delight.
"Yes, did you miss me?"
Gu Changqing asked with a soft smile, his tone indulgent.
"Mhm, I did."
Qing Lin answered softly, her small head nestled into his embrace, her cheeks flushing slightly.
"Such a good girl," Gu Changqing whispered, gently stroking her hair.
"Brother, where are we now? Why are there so many Snake-People here?!"
Qing Lin suddenly looked up in alarm, her gaze darting around as she noticed the large number of Snake-People surrounding them. If her brother wasn't by her side, she would have likely fainted from fright.
"Don't worry, we're in the sacred city of the Snake-People," Gu Changqing reassured her calmly.
"W-what?!"
Upon hearing they were in the Snake-People's sacred city, Qing Lin's face turned pale, and she fainted again from the shock.