14: Backlash of Different Flames

"Human?"

Two words, laced with ice shards, were exhaled from those enchantingly beautiful lips. Queen Medusa's pale purple eyes landed on Li Ao, devoid of surprise, only an aloof displeasure and scrutiny at having her peace disturbed. A boundless pressure, like an invisible tide, instantly filled the entire scorching cave, solidifying the air. Even the leaping flames of the Green Lotus Core Flame seemed to pause for a moment.

The terrifying aura of a Peak Dou Huang, like a tangible mountain, crashed down on Li Ao!

If it were an ordinary Great Dou Master, or even a low-tier Dou Ling, under such pressure, they would likely have their bones cracking and be prostrate on the ground.

Li Ao, however, merely paused slightly. The Black Iron Hegemon Body within him autonomously circulated, and a dark iron glow flowed beneath his skin, effortlessly dissolving the pressure that was capable of crushing refined steel. His spine remained ramrod straight, like a long blade deeply embedded in the earth, unmoving amidst any storm or wave.

He looked up, meeting those ice-crystal-like purple eyes, his gaze calm, even carrying a hint of scrutiny, as if appraising merchandise.

"Queen Medusa?" Li Ao spoke, his tone flat, without the slightest hint of reverence one would expect when facing a peak powerhouse. "You're after this Heavenly Flame."

It wasn't a question, but a statement.

Queen Medusa's pupils imperceptibly constricted. This human youth, could he so easily withstand her pressure? And, he saw through her intentions with a single glance?

"So what if I am?" Her voice grew colder. Her snake tail swayed gently, creating a faint rustling sound, and the purple energy around her began to circulate faster, colliding more intensely with the Green Lotus Core Flame's repulsive force, emitting a sizzling, abnormal sound. "This place was reached by this Queen first. The ownership of the Heavenly Flame is not for a sneakily hiding human boy to comment on. Leave now, and this Queen can spare your life."

Her words carried the Queen's unquestionable authority, but Li Ao detected a subtle hint of... urgency within them.

Was she stalling for time? Or rather, had her confrontation with the Heavenly Flame reached a critical juncture, preventing her from easily diverting her attention?

A very faint, cold curve appeared at the corner of Li Ao's mouth.

"Spare my life?" He repeated these four words, as if he had heard some amusing joke. "Based on your current state... with most of your mind preoccupied by the Heavenly Flame?"

Before his words even finished, he moved!

He did not charge towards Medusa, nor did he charge towards the Green Lotus Core Flame. Instead, the Thunder Sound Steps exploded beneath his feet, and his figure, like a distorted lightning bolt, instantly shifted dozens of feet horizontally, aiming directly at a seemingly normal, hot moss-covered rock wall on one side of the cave!

The moment he moved, from behind that rock wall, an extremely condensed, silent, dark-purple energy spike, like a lurking venomous snake, suddenly shot out! It pierced directly into the empty space three feet behind where he had originally stood! The timing and angle were utterly vicious and precise!

This was Medusa's hidden move! She appeared to be confronting the Heavenly Flame, but in reality, she had already split off a wisp of her mind to set up a killing blow!

However, Li Ao seemed to have foreknowledge, avoiding this fatal strike a step ahead!

"Oh?"

From behind the rock wall, a faint, surprised cold snort was heard. A blurry purple silhouette flashed and disappeared, its aura originating from the same source as Queen Medusa's main body in mid-air, but slightly weaker, roughly at the Dou King level. This was an energy clone!

"As expected, you had a backup plan." Li Ao steadied himself, his gaze sweeping over the dissipating afterimage of the clone, then looking at the slightly darkened face of Medusa's main body. "The Queen of the Snake-People Clan truly lives up to her reputation."

A fierce cold light erupted in Queen Medusa's purple eyes. She hadn't expected this human youth to not only possess strange strength but also such meticulous thought, seeing through her hidden arrangements with a single glance.

"Since you insist on seeking death, this Queen will grant your wish!"

She said no more, knowing words couldn't scare off the opponent. With her jade hands, she formed a strange seal, and a purple rhomboid crystal (Snake Curse Seal?) hovering above her head suddenly burst into brilliant light!

"Myriad Snakes Bind!"

The cave floor and walls instantly began to writhe! Countless venomous snakes, condensed from pure purple energy, hissed as they burst forth from the earth and through the stone! Thousands upon thousands, densely packed, like a purple tide, they swarmed and bit at Li Ao from all directions! Each energy snake contained potent venom and powerful corrosive force, enough to easily pierce through Dou Qi armor!

Facing this sky-obscuring tide of snakes, Li Ao's eyes sharpened.

Furious Wind Quick Blade! Thousand Blade Slash!

The refined steel long saber suddenly unsheathed, transforming into an impenetrable, deadly wheel of blades! Countless sharp, pale-white saber qi erupted and swept outwards from him in all directions!

"Chh chh chh chh — — !"

The saber qi and energy snakes collided violently! There was no earth-shattering explosion, only countless subtle yet dense sounds of annihilation! The surging purple tide of snakes, the moment it entered the range of the blade wheel, was sliced and shredded by countless dense, sharp saber qi, turning into the most primitive energy light points, dissipating into the air!

Where the blade wheel passed, myriad snakes retreated!

Li Ao's figure did not stop. Enduring the continuously regenerating and surging snake tide, he stepped with the Thunder Sound Steps, like a lone boat going against the current, forcefully approaching Queen Medusa's main body! Saber light flickered, protecting him hermetically, all approaching energy snakes instantly reduced to dust!

Queen Medusa's expression changed slightly. This human's saber technique was incredibly sharp and swift! She could feel that these energy snakes she had conjured simply couldn't stop his advance!

A hint of resolve flashed in her purple eyes. She couldn't drag this out any longer! The Heavenly Flame's resistance was growing stronger, and this variable had to be resolved quickly!

She suddenly opened her mouth and let out a sharp, prolonged hiss! This hiss was not aimed at Li Ao, but rather awakened some ancient presence within the cave!

"Hiss — — !"

On the dark red rocks of the four walls of the cave, countless twisted, living-like purple Texture suddenly lit up! An aura far more ancient, colder, and more violent than before, violently awakened!

The temperature of the entire cave suddenly dropped, but it wasn't the coldness of low temperature, but a chill that penetrated the soul!

The ground trembled, and the rock walls peeled away! Three colossal python phantoms, entirely composed of dense purple energy, each with a single horn on its head, struggled out from the rock walls! Their auras had all reached the Dou Huang level! Although they were only energy bodies, not as powerful as Medusa's main body, their combined might was earth-shattering!

These were the ancient snake spirits guarding the forbidden land of the Snake-People Clan!

The three ancient snake spirits opened their blood-red giant eyes, locked onto Li Ao, and let out silent roars, rushing towards him with the will to crush everything! Where they passed, the space rippled subtly!

Facing these three Dou Huang-level ancient snake spirits, Li Ao's charging footsteps finally halted. His expression grew a little more serious, but he showed no fear.

He took a deep breath, activating the Black Iron Hegemon Body to its utmost. Beneath his dark iron-colored skin, it seemed as if magma was flowing. He gripped his saber with both hands, holding the refined steel long saber vertically in front of him.

A "momentum" capable of severing all, destroying all methods, began to gather and rise from him! The saber blade trembled slightly, emitting a clear hum, equally matching the chilling pressure brought by the three snake spirits!

Should he clash head-on with the Black Iron Hegemon Body, or engage in guerrilla warfare with the Furious Wind Quick Blade, or... attempt that which he hadn't fully mastered yet... Just as the tension was high, on the verge of erupting—

The Green Lotus Core Flame, suspended in mid-air, which Medusa had been carefully resisting and guiding with her own energy, seemed to be stimulated by the intense energy collisions below and the violent aura of the three ancient snake spirits, and suddenly trembled violently!

"Om — — !"

The green fire lotus suddenly erupted with an unprecedentedly scorching light! A destructive heatwave, ten times more violent than before, burst forth like a breaking dam!

The first to bear the brunt was Queen Medusa, who was closest, with most of her mind focused on controlling the ancient snake spirits and maintaining her own energy balance!

"Pfft!"

Her delicate body shook violently, as if struck by a heavy blow. A mouthful of fresh blood suddenly spewed out, staining the purple brocade robe on her chest. The purple energy around her instantly became chaotic and dim, and the balance of her resistance against the Heavenly Flame was completely broken! The three ancient snake spirit phantoms that were pouncing on Li Ao also let out a wail, becoming blurry and unstable!

She looked at the out-of-control green fire lotus, and for the first time, her purple eyes showed shock and a hint of... despair!

Heavenly Flame backlash!

Opportunity!

Li Ao's eyes blazed with sharp light!

He did not hesitate, abandoning the idea of clashing head-on with the snake spirits. He activated the Thunder Sound Steps to its maximum, his figure transforming into a stream of light that tore through space, not retreating, but charging directly towards the out-of-control Green Lotus Core Flame, and the severely injured, tottering Queen Medusa, who had been struck by the backlash!

Was he going to seize the Heavenly Flame? Or...