21: Advance to Dou Zong

In the secret chamber of the temple, isolated from the outside world's turmoil and the roaring magma, only the slightly hurried breathing of two people echoed in the vast space.

The purple gauze dress, formed by condensed energy, outlined Medusa's breathtaking curves, yet it couldn't hide the immense aura of a newly advanced Dou Zong, not yet fully stable, nor the weakness she was forcefully suppressing. Seven-colored streams of light flickered in the depths of her eyes, like a sea not yet calmed after a storm.

Li Ao leaned against the cold black iron stone wall, his fine steel long saber resting across his knees. Cracks covered the blade, as if it could shatter at any moment. His face was as pale as paper, and the new flesh on his back glowed with an unhealthy pink. Every subtle breath tugged at the unhealed internal injuries. But his eyes had regained their abyssal calm, fixed on Medusa, with scrutiny and a hint of imperceptible complexity.

Just now in the secret realm, her resolute act of disregarding her own evolution to forcefully transfer source energy to save his life, and the cold, trembling yet firm hand pressed against his back, had all cast stones into his hardened heart.

"Your condition is very unstable," Li Ao spoke, his voice low and hoarse from his injuries, breaking the silence.

Medusa sat cross-legged a few feet opposite him. Hearing his words, her seven-colored eyes flickered slightly, and she didn't deny it: "Forcefully devouring the exotic flame, my realm is unstable, and the energy conflict is more intense than expected." She paused, then looked at the broken saber on Li Ao's knees, "Your injuries..."

"It's nothing," Li Ao interrupted her, his tone still calm, "The most urgent task is for you to stabilize your realm and completely control the power of the exotic flame." His gaze swept over the empty secret chamber, which contained nothing but them, "The energy here is abundant, but it's not enough."

Medusa naturally understood. Although the temple was a sacred place, its energy properties were yin and cold, clashing with the violent exotic flame energy currently within her. She needed an environment that could harmonize and help her completely tame the Green Lotus Core Flame, or... an external force.

Her gaze involuntarily fell on Li Ao again. This human always seemed to possess incredible qualities. He could see through restrictions, withstand exotic flame backlash, and his power system was completely different from Fighting Qi... Perhaps?

As soon as the thought arose, even she found it absurd. To let a human intervene in her most crucial evolutionary process?

However, recalling his words "I'll protect you" in the secret realm, and the breathing room he had almost exchanged with his life, that deep-rooted wariness actually loosened a little.

Li Ao seemed to see through her hesitation and slowly said, "You and I are now in the same boat. If you lose control, my previous investment will be a total loss." It was a very realistic, very cold reason, yet it cleverly dissolved the awkwardness of charity and seeking help.

Medusa's purple eyes (with seven-colored streams of light flickering) gazed at him. After a long time, as if having made a decision, her voice carried a hint of tension she herself didn't notice: "This King needs an absolutely quiet place with extremely pure fire-attribute energy, to use the exotic flame's origin to sort out the conflicts within my body and stabilize my realm. But leaving the Holy City now is too risky."

Li Ao was silent for a moment, then suddenly raised his uninjured right hand, his fingertips tracing in the air. There was no Fighting Qi light, only a condensed energy, imbued with a sharp intent, flowing at his fingertips, outlining a few simple yet profound trajectories.

"I can set up a simple spirit-gathering array to temporarily gather fire-attribute energy within the Holy City and purify it," he looked at Medusa, "But it requires your cooperation, and... trust."

Set up an array? Medusa's pupils constricted slightly. The way of arrays was not mainstream on the Fighting Qi Continent, and it was profound and mysterious. He was actually skilled in this art?

Looking at his calm, unruffled eyes, and thinking of the various mysteries he had displayed before, Medusa suppressed the shock and doubt in her heart, biting her silver teeth: "How to cooperate?"

"Sit in front of me," Li Ao gestured to the spot in front of him, "Withdraw all Fighting Qi defenses, and guide a trace of the exotic flame energy from your body into the core of the array."

Sit opposite him? Withdraw defenses? Guide the exotic flame? Every demand touched her bottom line of safety as a queen and a strong person. Especially given her extremely unstable condition, even a slight external interference could trigger an energy rampage.

The secret chamber fell silent again. Only their gazes met in the air, silently clashing.

Li Ao didn't rush her, just watched her quietly.

Medusa's chest rose and fell slightly, and the seven-colored streams of light flickered intensely in her eyes, clearly indicating a fierce struggle within her. Ultimately, the warmth she felt at the brink of death in the secret realm, and the life force that had been transferred without hesitation, overcame all doubts and arrogance.

She took a deep breath, as if using all her strength, slowly stood up, walked to Li Ao, and sat cross-legged as instructed. They were extremely close, their knees almost touching. She could even feel the scorching aura emanating from him, mixed with blood and medicine.

She closed her eyes, her long eyelashes trembling slightly, forcefully suppressing the turbulent energy within her. She gradually withdrew the seven-colored light protecting her body, revealing her most vulnerable state to this human, whom she had only recently met and whose relationship with her was complex. Then, cautiously, from the cyan flame lotus imprint on her forehead, she guided out a wisp of cyan flame, as thin as a wisp of silk, yet containing terrifying high temperatures.

Li Ao looked at the exquisitely beautiful face so close to him, at her slightly pursed red lips due to tension, and smelled the unique scent emanating from her, a mixture of the exotic flame's intensity and a woman's subtle fragrance. His eyes remained calm, but the fingers resting on the saber hilt tightened imperceptibly for an instant.

He raised his right hand, and the condensed sharp energy at his fingertips softened, gently touching that wisp of cyan flame. The moment his fingertip touched the flame, both their bodies trembled slightly!

Medusa felt a peculiar power surge into her body along that wisp of flame. It wasn't destructive, nor was it devouring, but a guiding and sorting force with an icy sharpness, forcefully smoothing out some of the restless and conflicting energy nodes in her meridians! This feeling was extremely strange, like being precisely cut by an invisible scalpel through the chaos within her body, bringing a stinging pain, yet also an unprecedented sense of unobstructed flow!

She couldn't help but let out a very soft nasal sound, tinged with pain and surprise.

Li Ao's fingertips didn't stop. Using that wisp of cyan flame, he quickly traced in the air! Runes composed of pure fire energy and his special power appeared out of thin air, connecting end to end, forming a simple array that enveloped both of them.

The moment the array formed, the air in the secret chamber suddenly grew hot! Visible, crimson fire-attribute energy was forcefully drawn from the void in all directions, surging into the array. After being purified by that wisp of cyan flame, it transformed into even purer and gentler energy, like warm spring water, slowly nourishing the two people within the array.

It mainly surged towards Medusa, helping her sort out the violent exotic flame energy within her and stabilize her seven-colored realm. But a small portion also diffused onto Li Ao, accelerating the healing of his injuries.

For a time, energy mist filled the secret chamber, and light flowed. The two sat opposite each other, their figures somewhat blurred in the energy halo.

Medusa fully guided this external force to sort herself out. She could clearly feel that with the aid of that peculiar power, the previously unruly and constantly conflicting exotic flame energy within her was being tamed and fused at an unprecedented speed. The cyan flame lotus imprint on her forehead became increasingly solid, and the seven-colored streams of light in her eyes gradually stabilized.

As for Li Ao, while maintaining the operation of the array, he was also using this purified fire-attribute energy to heal himself. The Black Iron Hegemon Body greedily absorbed this power, and the hideous wound on his back healed at a visible speed, while his internal injuries were also smoothed out one by one.

Who knows how long passed, perhaps an hour, perhaps longer.

The array's light gradually dimmed, and the gathered energy also became gentle.

Medusa slowly opened her eyes. The seven-colored streams of light in her eyes had completely stabilized, deep as the starry sky, flowing with a heart-pounding majesty. She felt the vast, ocean-like new power within her, yet it was as easily commanded as her own arm, and an unprecedented sense of strength filled her heart.

Dou Zong! She had truly stabilized in this longed-for realm!

Her gaze, complex, turned to Li Ao opposite her.

He was still closing his eyes, his complexion had regained a hint of redness, and his breathing was long and steady. Beneath his damaged cyan cloth clothes, his injuries seemed to have healed by seventy to eighty percent. Only between his brows was there a trace of undeniable fatigue. Maintaining this array had clearly taken a significant toll on him.

Just then, Li Ao also opened his eyes.

Their eyes met again.

The distance was still extremely close, their breathing audible.

After the almost soul-level energy interaction and sorting they had just experienced, the invisible barrier between them seemed to have been quietly broken. An indescribable ambiguity and tension filled the air.

Medusa looked at his face so close, at the trace of fatigue in his eyes, and thought of everything he had done for her. Her heart, which had been cold for hundreds of years, felt as if it had been gently struck by something, sending ripples through it. She opened her mouth, wanting to say something, but was momentarily at a loss for words.

Li Ao looked at her stable, seven-colored eyes, which reflected his own image, and suddenly spoke: "Don't forget, the exotic flame is ultimately mine."

His tone remained calm, even carrying a hint of self-evident dominance, instantly shattering the subtle atmosphere from moments before.

Medusa paused slightly, then her lips curved into a breathtaking arc, carrying a hint of charm and provocation: "That depends on whether you have the ability to take it."

Seven-colored light flowed in her eyes, falling on Li Ao, carrying the confidence of a newly advanced Dou Zong, and also a hint of something she herself hadn't noticed, different from any previous emotion... a vividness.

Li Ao met her gaze, and the corners of his mouth also seemed to move very slightly.

The cooperation remained, the goal unchanged.

But some things were already different.