32: The Queen Returns

The outline of the Snake-People Clan outpost was slightly distorted in the scorching heatwave, like a mirage.

When Li Ao and Medusa appeared in the sentries' field of vision, after a brief silence, a commotion erupted, mixed with shock, ecstasy, and disbelief!

"It's Your Majesty the Queen!"

"Your Majesty the Queen has returned!"

"Quick! Go inform Elder Yin Shi!"

The Snake-People warriors guarding the outpost put down their weapons one after another, prostrating themselves on the ground in the most devout posture. Their long snake tails pressed tightly against the hot sand, and their heads were deeply buried, not daring to look directly. But the corner of their eyes involuntarily glanced at the silent Human Race youth behind the Queen, and the ineffable, subtle Aura between the two, as if they had experienced some profound catastrophe.

Medusa's steps were calm and composed, her snake tail drawing elegant and steady tracks on the sand. Although her face was pale and her brocade robe was torn, the majesty of a Dou Zong and the nobility of a Queen were innate, not to be desecrated. She walked straight towards the largest stone house in the center of the outpost, not looking sideways.

Li Ao followed half a step behind her, his gaze calmly sweeping over the prostrate Snake-People warriors and the simple yet strict layout of the outpost. He could feel the gazes cast upon him, full of vigilance, hostility, and a hint of unconcealed fear—that stemmed from the deterrence he brought from crushing He Meng earlier and traveling with the Queen.

In front of the stone house, Elder Yin Shi, who had received the news, had already rushed out with several Snake-People leaders whose Auras were not weak. When she saw Medusa return safely, an irrepressible joy burst forth in Elder Yin Shi's cloudy old eyes. But upon noticing Medusa's abnormally weak Aura and the unusual state of the mark on her forehead, joy was instantly replaced by deep worry.

"Your Majesty! You..." Elder Yin Shi took a step forward, her voice trembling.

"It's nothing." Medusa raised her hand to stop her words, her voice cold, yet with a hint of imperceptible fatigue. "Prepare a quiet room. No one is to disturb me without my command." Her gaze swept over the few leaders behind Elder Yin Shi, especially when she saw a Snake-Person whose eyes flickered and whose Aura was somewhat similar to Mo Ba Si's, a cold glint flashed in her colorful eyes.

"Yes, Your Majesty!" Elder Yin Shi dared not ask further, immediately bowed in response, and personally led the way.

Medusa tilted her head slightly, signaling Li Ao with her eyes to follow.

Li Ao was expressionless. Under the gaze of countless complex eyes, he calmly followed Medusa and Elder Yin Shi into the stone house.

The quiet room was quickly prepared, located in the innermost part of the stone house, isolating it from the outside noise.

As soon as the door closed, Medusa's forced Aura instantly relaxed. Her delicate body swayed slightly, and she steadied herself by grabbing the stone table, her breathing becoming rapid.

Li Ao immediately stepped forward and supported her arm. "Sit down."

Medusa did not try to be strong and sat on the stone stool as instructed, closing her eyes and panting slightly. Forcing herself to maintain her majestic demeanor while walking was a considerable burden in her current state.

Elder Yin Shi looked at the Queen in this state, then at Li Ao, who stood silently beside her, his Aura also somewhat ethereal yet with a rock-solid steadiness. Her old face was filled with worry and questions. "Your Majesty, your injuries... and this Human Race..."

Medusa slowly opened her eyes. Although her colorful gaze was dim, it carried an unquestionable majesty: "Elder Yin Shi, I need you to do a few things immediately."

"Your Majesty, please command!"

"First, seal off the news of my return. Strictly forbid its spread, especially to Holy City."

"Second, gather all medicinal materials and intelligence related to restoring the Origin and nourishing the Soul, regardless of the cost."

"Third," Medusa's gaze turned to Li Ao, "prepare an adjacent quiet room for him. All necessary supplies are to be provided as if I were personally present."

Elder Yin Shi's body trembled. She looked at Li Ao in disbelief. As if the Queen were personally present?! What virtue or ability did this Human Race possess? But she dared not question the Queen's command, so she could only suppress the turbulent waves in her heart and bowed, saying, "This old servant obeys!"

"Go." Medusa waved her hand.

Elder Yin Shi gave Li Ao a deep look, then exited the quiet room.

Only the two of them remained in the room.

Medusa leaned against the stone table, looking at Li Ao, her voice low: "This place is temporarily safe. You can heal your injuries here. What you need, Yin Shi will send."

Li Ao nodded, walked to the other side of the quiet room, sat cross-legged, and without saying more, directly closed his eyes and entered a state of Cultivation. The Black Iron Hegemon Body circulated, actively guiding and capturing the thin "annihilation" rule power in the air. Time was pressing; he had to recover as quickly as possible, and even become stronger.

Medusa watched him quickly enter samadhi, feeling the faint Aura emanating from his body, carrying a hint of icy stillness yet constantly strengthening his Physical Body. A strange look flashed in her colorful eyes. This Human Race had more secrets than she had imagined.

She also composed herself and began to try to guide the wisp of vitality transferred by Li Ao in a gentler way, carefully touching the abnormal fire mark on her forehead, which was confined by the spatial rift. Each subtle touch was accompanied by a Soul-tearing pain, but she gritted her teeth and silently endured it.

In the following days, the outpost fell into a strange calm, outwardly relaxed but inwardly tense.

Elder Yin Shi faithfully carried out Medusa's orders. Various precious healing medicinal materials and energy-containing demonic cores were continuously sent into their quiet rooms. News was strictly sealed off, the outpost's guards were doubled, and the atmosphere was solemn.

Li Ao was immersed in Cultivation. With a relatively stable environment and sufficient resources (although most had limited effect on him, it was better than nothing), coupled with the continuous refining of the "annihilation" rule power, his injury recovery speed significantly accelerated. The Black Iron Hegemon Body steadily advanced towards the Middle Stage of the first level, his Physical Body strength increased daily, and the wound on his left arm had healed, leaving only a faint scar. The System also accelerated its self-repair with the help of the relatively stable environment here, further strengthening its scanning and analysis functions.

He occasionally opened his eyes and looked at Medusa opposite him.

She was still struggling against the spatial rift and Origin damage, making slow progress. Her face was still pale, but her Aura was no longer as weak as it was initially. Sometimes, she could successfully activate a faint wisp of green flame, but it quickly dissipated due to the obstruction of the spatial rift, and fine cold sweat seeped from her temples.

Li Ao did not speak, nor did he intervene. This was her Dao, which she needed to walk herself. He only quietly released a wisp of gentle energy, imbued with the vitality of the Black Iron Hegemon Body, into her body whenever her Aura became chaotic due to failure, helping her to calm her surging Qi and blood.

Medusa could clearly feel this silent support. She did not express her gratitude, but her gaze would become firmer in her next attempt.

On this day, Li Ao was guiding a wisp of relatively pure "annihilation" rule power to temper his spine Dragon, which was one of the keys to Cultivating the first level of the Black Iron Hegemon Body. Suddenly, his mind stirred, and he detected an abnormally intense energy fluctuation coming from Medusa's quiet room next door!

He abruptly opened his eyes, and with a flash of his figure, he had already appeared at the door of Medusa's quiet room.

Inside the quiet room, Medusa sat cross-legged on the ground. Her body was surging with colorful energy and green flames, but they were firmly locked by the spatial rift on her forehead, unable to vent! The two forces clashed violently within her body, causing her to tremble intensely. Blood continuously overflowed from the corners of her mouth, and her face showed an abnormal alternation of green and red!

She was trying to forcefully break through to resolve the confinement of the spatial rift!

"Nonsense!" Li Ao's eyes turned cold. He instantly saw that she was taking a risk! In her current state, forcefully assaulting the rift containing spatial rules was tantamount to self-destruction!

Without hesitation, he stepped into the quiet room, his right hand as fast as lightning, directly pressing towards Medusa's forehead! In his palm, not only was there the mighty Qi and blood of the Black Iron Hegemon Body, but also a wisp of "annihilation" rule power he had just refined, carrying the Concept of suppression!

"Buzz!"

His hand pressed on the flaming lotus mark on Medusa's forehead!

The violently conflicting energy seemed to find an outlet, surging madly towards his palm! Intense pain instantly struck. Li Ao felt as if his palm was about to be torn apart by the two forces! But his eyes were cold, and he remained motionless, guiding that wisp of "annihilation" rule power like the most precise surgical knife, cutting into the tangled node of the spatial rift and the Origin of the abnormal fire!

It was not a forceful breakthrough, but rather... guidance and appeasement!

Using the rule of "annihilation" to temporarily "freeze" the restless spatial power, and then using his own Qi and blood as a bridge to guide the confined abnormal fire energy, slowly bringing it back to calm!

This was an extremely subtle and dangerous process, requiring the practitioner to have extraordinary control over energy, and even more, to have a thorough understanding of the recipient's internal condition!

The moment his palm pressed down, Medusa's body trembled violently. But then she felt that familiar, domineering yet gentle power surge in, forcefully smoothing out the turbulent energy within her. The conflict that had caused her immense pain and almost made her body explode, slowly subsided under the guidance of that power.

She opened her eyes, her colorful gaze filled with the lingering fear of surviving a catastrophe and a hint of bewilderment. She looked at Li Ao, who was so close, at his slightly pale face from enduring the energy impact, and at the hand that rested steadily on her forehead, unmoving.

Seeing her Aura calm down, Li Ao slowly withdrew his hand. His palm was charred black, and even tiny spatial rifts flashed and disappeared, but they quickly healed under the power of the Black Iron Hegemon Body.

"Haste makes waste." He looked at her, his voice flat, yet with a hint of imperceptible admonishment. "That rift involves spatial rules. A brute force collision will only worsen the injury."

Medusa looked at the instantly healed char on his palm, and felt the lingering aftertaste of his cold and suppressing power on her forehead. Her heart was a mix of emotions. She opened her mouth, but in the end, she only whispered: "...I understand."

This time, she did not refer to herself as "I."

Li Ao glanced at her, said nothing more, and turned to leave the quiet room.

Medusa watched his retreating back, reaching out to gently touch the fire mark on her forehead, which seemed to have become somewhat peaceful. The light in her colorful eyes was complex and difficult to decipher.

After this incident, the invisible barrier between them seemed to have thinned a little more.

Outside the outpost, however, rumors about the Queen's return, her severe injuries, and her close relationship with a mysterious Human Race, driven by certain interested parties, quietly spread like an undercurrent in the desert.