The crimson mist gradually dissipated, revealing a hazy, enchanting figure before Xiao Bai's eyes.
Clad in a form-fitting red dress, her curves were breathtaking—full breasts, a slender waist, and a flowing skirt that teased glimpses of long, shapely legs. Her posture was languid, her cloud-like hair cascading, her skin snowy white, and her lips a vivid red. Her narrow, phoenix-like eyes flickered with a captivating charm that slowly unfurled, exuding an overwhelming allure.
As Xiao Bai gazed at the figure, the potent wave of enchantment washed over him. His face flushed, his breathing quickened, and his mind grew hazy.
This is bad! Alarmed, he quickly shut his eyes, took a deep breath, and silently recited: "A heart as clear as ice, unshaken by a collapsing sky. Amidst myriad changes, remain steadfast. Let the spirit be calm, unstained by dust, untouched by worldly illusions."
After a moment, he suppressed the stirring in his heart. Xiao Bai hadn't expected Medusa's mental charm to be so potent now. With his soul force currently depleted, he'd nearly succumbed. Fortunately, his willpower held firm, sparing him from embarrassment.
Only when the restless feeling in his body subsided did he open his eyes, their starry clarity restored.
"Was that intentional?" he asked coldly, noticing the slight curve of the woman's lips across from him.
He knew Queen Medusa possessed an innate charm, a force that acted like the most potent aphrodisiac for men. With her strength, she could control this allure at will—there was no way it had surfaced by accident!
"This king has no idea what you're talking about," Medusa replied, glancing at him lightly, refusing to admit anything.
"Hmph. Perhaps it's just Xiao mou being nosy, exhausting my soul force and nearly making a fool of myself. Your Majesty must be delighted, no?" Xiao Bai sneered, ignoring her further. He walked toward the golden egg nestled beside Xiao Yi, the cyan thunder orb.
Medusa's eyes flickered with a trace of regret as she watched Xiao Bai, his face still pale. She'd only meant to tease him a little in retaliation—she hadn't thought it through.
___
Xiao Bai picked up the golden egg, noting it didn't resist as long as Xiao Yi was nearby. He now had a guess about its origin. Since Medusa had appeared, his earlier assumptions could be discarded. This egg was likely tied to the golden lightning from before, though how it had become an egg remained a mystery.
"What is that?" Medusa asked, approaching from behind, curiosity in her voice as she eyed the object in his hands.
"Don't know," Xiao Bai replied flatly, not turning, though he caught a whiff of her faint fragrance.
After a pause, he glanced at her, a touch exasperated. "I really don't know. I dug it up from where you appeared."
Despite his depleted soul force, his spiritual senses remained sharp. Medusa's lingering gaze made him uneasy, and he couldn't shake the feeling there was a hint of resentment in her eyes—though perhaps he was imagining it.
"I suspect it's related to the golden lightning from the tribulation. Not sure if it's because of you or Xiao Yi," he added.
"Xiao Yi? That?" Medusa pointed at the cyan thunder orb hovering before Xiao Bai, puzzled.
"Exactly. It's the Yi Wood True Thunder. I call it Xiao Yi," Xiao Bai said, his gaze softening as he looked at the orb.
Medusa studied his expression, feeling a strange pang. The way he looked at the thunder orb was oddly tender, almost like a father gazing at his daughter.
"May I see it?" she asked softly. This cyan thunder had saved her life. It had healed her injuries during the strange fire's burning, strengthened her seven-colored bloodline, and shielded her body from part of the tribulation's lightning. Without it, her evolution might have failed.
Xiao Bai handed Xiao Yi to her. Perhaps sensing the lingering Yi Wood energy in Medusa's bloodline, the orb didn't react violently. It rested calmly in her palm, hovering silently.
As Medusa looked at the cyan thunder, she felt a kinship from her bloodline. A smile bloomed in her eyes. Unable to resist, she touched the orb's surface with a jade-like finger, feeling a tingling, cool sensation that was oddly comforting.
"Xiao Yi, huh?" Her eyes brimmed with affection, barely contained.
"Alright, that's enough." Xiao Bai waved, recalling the orb. He'd noticed the golden egg starting to stir restlessly.
"You!" Medusa glared at him, displeased as Xiao Yi vanished from her hand.
Xiao Bai ignored her, his mind on a new theory. The golden egg seemed overly dependent on Xiao Yi, as if it had some ulterior motive. Guiding a trace of pure Yi Wood energy into the egg, he confirmed its potent thunder attribute essence. It wasn't after Xiao Yi's thunder properties—it wanted the Yi Wood energy.
As expected, when he offered a strand of Yi Wood energy, a golden arc flashed across the egg, swiftly absorbing it.
"Huh?" Xiao Bai's face showed surprise. After taking in the energy, the egg no longer felt lifeless; a faint pulse of vitality emanated from it.
Unsatisfied, the egg floated closer, nudging his fingertip as if urging him for more.
"Heh." Xiao Bai chuckled, producing another strand. He was curious to see what would happen once the egg was sated.
Another golden flash, another nudge.
More Yi Wood energy.
Another flash, another nudge.
After absorbing over a dozen strands, the egg still wasn't satisfied, nudging him again.
Xiao Bai's patience wore thin. This thing was a bottomless pit! No visible changes, and who knew how much it needed? Damn it, I thought it'd take just a few strands. This is ridiculous!
Looking at the egg still prodding his finger, he snapped, "That's it! Go find someone else!"
What do you think I am, Wu Song? Three bowls were the deal, not eighteen—and even then, you keep demanding more!
Glancing at the slightly dim Xiao Yi, he felt a pang of guilt. "Good girl, I'll find some wood-attribute treasures to restore you later."
"What kind of father are you?" Medusa shot him a look, taking Xiao Yi gently. With a flip of her hand, she produced a small, pale green crystal and held it before the orb.
The crystal, no larger than a thumb, radiated dense wood-attribute vitality, reminding Xiao Bai of the island they'd been on earlier.
"What's that?" he asked, curiosity piqued.
"Don't know," Medusa replied coolly, her gaze fixed on Xiao Yi, now shimmering with thunder as it eagerly absorbed the crystal's energy.
Xiao Bai was speechless. This woman's a queen, yet so petty? Holding a grudge over one comment? Can't she be as magnanimous as Xiao mou?
"It's a Wood Spirit Crystal," Medusa finally said, glancing at his frustrated expression. "Found by my clan when we migrated here, on that island. The name was given by that generation's Medusa Queen. Its true name is unknown."
She didn't mention that the crystal could extend lifespan by a century or heal any injury, internal or external, as long as one wasn't dead.
"Got any more? I'll trade for them!" Xiao Bai asked eagerly. Xiao Yi hadn't even fully consumed such a small piece—its potency was astonishing.
"None left," Medusa shook her head. The island's supply was scarce, and after years of use, this was her last piece. She'd planned to use it during her evolution, but Xiao Yi's presence had made it unnecessary.
Xiao Bai felt a twinge of regret. This was a rare treasure for thunder seeds, second only to strange fires.
"Take it, take it!" he grumbled, pushing away the golden egg that kept bumping him. Its persistence was maddening, its spatial abilities like a glitch—appearing and vanishing without a trace.
He'd hoped the egg would go for the Wood Spirit Crystal, but it ignored it, fixated solely on his Yi Wood energy. It no longer clung to Xiao Yi as before, suggesting it needed only thunder-infused Yi Wood energy, not pure wood essence.
With the crystal sustaining Xiao Yi, Xiao Bai didn't worry about harming its core. He fed strand after strand to the egg, its vital fluctuations growing stronger. He knew something was about to change, though the egg's shell blocked his soul force, leaving its contents a mystery.
As the crystal dwindled and the egg kept absorbing, showing no change despite its strengthening vitality, Xiao Bai's frustration peaked. If this crystal runs out and this damn egg still does nothing, I'll smash it!
As if sensing his resentment, the egg trembled, its vitality peaking before calming. It stopped absorbing.
Xiao Bai exhaled, eyes locked on the egg. It was about to change.
Medusa watched warily. In the Dou Qi Continent, only Dou Zong could wield spatial power. Yet this unremarkable egg, lacking any Dou Zong aura, moved through space effortlessly—a bizarre anomaly. If Xiao Bai weren't so intrigued, she'd have stopped him from feeding it Xiao Yi's essence.
Crack!
A fine crack appeared on the egg. Xiao Bai held his breath. Despite his knowledge of the Dou Qi Continent and countless theories, he couldn't be certain until he saw it.
Still, as a thunder expert, he wasn't overly concerned. The egg needed Yi Wood energy but only borrowed from Xiao Yi without forcing absorption. Whether it was caution or inability, it suggested the egg was either wary or weak, so he'd felt safe feeding it.
As more cracks spread, the egg's golden glow dimmed, but the inner gold intensified.
Just as Xiao Bai and Medusa stared into the blinding gold, eager to see what emerged—
The sky darkened abruptly, far more than during the previous thundercloud.
Boom!
Xiao Bai's ears rang, nearly deafened. A muted thunderclap, unlike the earlier brazen roars, carried unmatched power. The sky was merely dark—no lightning appeared. Why the thunder?
Before he could ponder, an immense weight pressed down, as if he bore a mountain. His legs trembled.
"I… won't… kneel!" Gritting his teeth, sweat poured down his face.
Medusa's face paled. Even as a newly advanced Dou Zong, she felt like an ant beneath the oppressive black sky.
In the Snake-People's holy city, all trembled under the pressure, prostrating themselves. The force spread outward, making every creature in the Tagore Desert cower.
___
In a side hall of the Snake-People's temple, a black ring quivered. A faint figure emerged, nearly forced back by the aura.
"This presence!" Yao Lao gasped, his voice tinged with shock. The fleeting aura sparked a memory, his face paling.
"Not good!" Sensing Xiao Bai's location, he sped toward him, the ring streaking through the air.
Along the way, no one stood upright—all were prostrate, including Hai Bo Dong and the Heavenly Snake Mansion's pair.
Halfway there, the sky's darkness receded. Relieved, Yao Lao muttered, "Damn it, I can't keep up with this kid. Nearly scared me to death. How did he summon that?"
Wiping cold sweat, he felt like he'd escaped death. Even at his peak, he wouldn't dare provoke such a thing. A single bolt could have obliterated the Snake-People's city—perhaps their entire tribe.