Everyone stood in anticipation, waiting for Dugu Bo to respond to Dugu Xin's question.
Dugu Bo gave his son a stern look and scolded him lightly, "This is a secret of the Dugu family. Xin'er, haven't you gone through the family records? Why ask me again?"
Dugu Xin, a little embarrassed, replied, "Well, there are so many books in the family, and I haven't had the chance to read them all. Plus, with my previous health issues, I didn't have the energy to go through them."
Sighing, Dugu Bo responded, "Forget it, you're fine now, but you should start reading more of the family records in the future."
"I understand, Dad," Dugu Xin nodded, aware of his earlier neglect.
Dugu Bo then turned to the group, explaining, "The terrain here matches a description from our family's records, which is why I think there's a soul beast here that might have the soul ring I need."
Yuan Changqing, recalling the lore from the original records, guessed, "Could it be Medusa?"
"Indeed," Dugu Bo confirmed. "This area resembles where Medusa was recorded to appear in our family's history."
Yuan Changqing, not one for mystery, added, "No more riddles, old poisoner. Tell us everything clearly so we're prepared."
Dugu Bo agreed and elaborated, "If it is Medusa, everyone must be on alert. Her gaze petrifies anyone it hits."
"Understood," came the unanimous response, as the group began to carefully move deeper into the area, scanning for any signs of Medusa.
Upon reaching the center, they spotted a hill with a cave at its base, which seemed to be the source of the dangerous presence.
Yuan Changqing, eager for action, turned to Dugu Bo. "What's the plan now?"
With his years of experience, Dugu Bo quickly issued instructions. "Ye Xiaofan, send out a burst of soul power into the cave, then rise into the air and look for an opportunity to strike. Yuan Linglong, stay close to him for support. The rest of us will cover different angles."
The group took their positions, preparing for the confrontation.
After a brief silence, Ye Xiaofan launched his soul skill, sending fiery feathers into the cave. A chilling hiss echoed from within as a grotesque creature slithered out—Medusa, a snake-bodied, human-headed monster surrounded by writhing snakes.
Dugu Bo, recognizing the creature, shouted, "Everyone, this is Medusa! Be cautious of her gaze."
As the group braced themselves, they deployed their defensive soul skills. Medusa's silver-eyed gaze shot toward them, but the combined shields held strong, allowing them to withstand her onslaught.
"Freeze time!" Dugu Bo commanded, using his strongest soul skill to immobilize Medusa, giving the team an opening to strike.
They quickly unleashed a barrage of attacks—sword slashes, fire blasts, and other elemental skills—hitting Medusa with all their might. Despite her formidable age and power, the creature was overwhelmed, bleeding profusely as she struggled to break free.
Enraged, Medusa lashed out with her tail, forcing the group to dodge. Her snakes also lunged toward them, but the team held firm, using their defensive skills and retaliating with coordinated attacks.
Finally, as Medusa unleashed a devastating death blow with her gaze aimed at Yuan Changqing, Catherine swooped in from above, grabbing him just in time to save him from the fatal strike.
Dugu Bo, seeing the threat, immediately retaliated with his soul skill, delivering the final blow to Medusa and ending the battle.
Once the dust had settled, Dugu Bo turned to Yuan Changqing with a relieved expression. "I didn't expect Medusa to have such a powerful final attack. Are you alright?"
Yuan Changqing, catching his breath, reassured him, "I'm fine. Thanks to Catherine, I barely avoided that last strike. It was a close call."
Seeing their loved ones approach with concerned looks, Yuan Changqing quickly added, "Everyone, I'm fine. But we've used up a lot of soul power. Let's recover quickly and prepare for the next steps."
He then turned to Dugu Bo. "Old Poison, it's time to absorb the soul ring. We can't linger here for too long after such a commotion."
"Right," Dugu Bo agreed, nodding. The group began to recover their energy while others kept watch, ensuring their safety as Dugu Bo prepared to absorb the soul ring.