She had a pair of narrow, light-purple eyes that gleamed with an enchanting allure, capable of ensnaring the gaze of any man who dared to look directly at her. Draped in an elegant purple robe, her voluptuous and curvaceous figure exuded a mature charm, akin to a ripe peach emitting an irresistible allure. Her cascading black hair flowed loosely over her fragrant shoulders, reaching her slender waist. From beneath her robe, a segment of her purple snake tail swayed lazily, exuding a primal, untamed allure that made one's blood race uncontrollably.
Muchen couldn't deny that Medusa's beauty was the epitome of enchanting.
"Kneel before the Queen!" Hua She'er barked.
"She is your queen, not mine. Why should I kneel?" Muchen retorted.
"How audacious! Don't think that possessing a bit of skill allows you to act recklessly here. This is the Serpent People's territory!" Hua She'er snapped.
"A mere Serpent Tribe. Let alone you, even the surrounding empires are beneath my notice," Muchen said dismissively.
"Arrogant!" Hua She'er's eyes sharpened as she stepped forward, pressing her hand down on Muchen's shoulder to force him to kneel. Yet, no matter how much strength she exerted, she found that her Dou King-level power couldn't move him an inch.
With a slight shrug, Muchen released a subtle counterforce, sending Hua She'er stumbling backward several steps before she barely managed to steady herself.
Shocked, Hua She'er stared at him, unable to comprehend how this seemingly casual human could repel her so effortlessly.
"What… what is your cultivation level?" Hua She'er asked, her voice tinged with disbelief.
"Warm my bed, and I'll tell you," Muchen teased, a playful smirk on his lips.
"You… shameless!" Hua She'er's cheeks flushed with anger. As the captain of the Serpent Guard, she had never been so humiliated.
"Enough!"
Just as Hua She'er was about to retaliate, Medusa's voice cut through the tension.
Hua She'er immediately stepped back respectfully, her eyes filled with frustration but also caution.
Medusa closed the book in her hands and examined Muchen. Despite sensing that he was only at the Four-Star Dou Grandmaster level, she noticed his overwhelming soul power—a force strong enough to ignore a Dou King entirely. This made her take him far more seriously than she initially had.
"Human!"
"My name is Muchen."
"Very well, Muchen. Why have you come here?" Medusa asked, her voice steady yet laced with authority.
"Take me to your bedchamber, and I'll tell you," Muchen replied bluntly.
Medusa's narrowed eyes gleamed with sharpness, a cold aura radiating from her.
"Impudent!" Hua She'er growled.
"I didn't come here to die. Believe me when I say that if I wished, I could reduce this entire Serpent Sacred City to ashes single-handedly."
As Muchen spoke, an overwhelming energy erupted from his body, distorting the very space around him. The air rippled with oppressive force as if the fabric of reality itself was on the verge of collapse.
A single thought from him could obliterate everything.
Both Medusa and Hua She'er stiffened under the suffocating pressure. This display of power was far beyond their comprehension.
Medusa's stern expression softened, replaced by a flicker of apprehension. Despite her renowned strength and reputation, in the face of this unfathomable force, she felt utterly powerless.
"Take me to your bedchamber, and I will help you fulfill your deepest wish," Muchen offered, his voice calm yet commanding.
"My… deepest wish?" Medusa asked, her suspicion evident.
"You know exactly what it is. Do you think I'm unaware?" Muchen countered.
"Do you know where it is?" Medusa's voice wavered slightly.
"First, show me your bedchamber," Muchen said again.
Medusa hesitated. Like human women, Serpent Women held their personal sanctuaries—especially their chambers—in high regard. Allowing a stranger into such an intimate space was an affront to her dignity as both a woman and a queen.
But Muchen's unshakable gaze and overwhelming presence left her no room to refuse. After weighing her options, Medusa, driven by the prospect of fulfilling her wish and by Muchen's undeniable power, finally relented.
She led Muchen to her private quarters.
Medusa's bedchamber was opulent yet refined, adorned primarily with jade rather than gold. The room exuded an air of sophistication and elegance, reflecting her noble status and impeccable taste.
"Ding!"
"Congratulations! You have signed in at Queen Medusa's bedchamber. Reward: Battle Technique—Eight Gates of Purgatory!"
"Ding!"
"A new sign-in task has been issued: Sign in at the White Snake Origins realm."
"White Snake Origins?" Muchen muttered to himself. It was clear that his time in this world was coming to an end. By now, he had spent over three months in the Battle Through the Heavens realm, enough to activate the system's dimensional travel feature.
"Now, can you tell me how you'll fulfill my wish?" Medusa asked, her gaze fixed on him.
"Don't be so impatient." Muchen smirked and casually sat on the edge of her bed.
"You…"
Both Medusa and Hua She'er froze in shock. The audacity!
"Angry?" Muchen asked, feigning innocence.
"Get off her majesty's bed!" Hua She'er shouted, raising her spear threateningly.
"Really angry?" Muchen ignored Hua She'er entirely, running his hand over the luxurious bed. "Honestly, this bed is far too large for just one person. You really should find someone to share it with."
"Do not disrespect the queen!" Hua She'er roared, her spear aimed directly at Muchen.
"You're no match for me," Muchen said dismissively. "I'm speaking to your queen."
Turning back to Medusa, he added with a mischievous grin, "I've decided. I'll sleep here tonight."
"You…"
"You…"
Both Medusa and Hua She'er were rendered speechless by his brazenness. Medusa even took an involuntary step forward, her usually composed demeanor faltering.
With a flick of his wrist, Muchen tossed an object to Medusa.
"This is the general location of the Heavenly Flame you seek. Have your people investigate tonight."
Medusa unfolded the crude map, her expression shifting. The map highlighted a wide area near Stone Desert City, encompassing a radius of thirty miles. Despite its lack of precision, the fact that Muchen knew of her desire for the Heavenly Flame left her stunned.
"Could he truly know my innermost thoughts?" she wondered, her gaze lingering on the enigmatic man before her.