33: Seven-Colored Illusionary Saliva

The tranquility of the outpost, like the calm before a storm, lasted for only three days.

On the morning of the fourth day, when the first ray of sunlight had not yet fully dispelled the chill of the desert, a suppressed and murderous Aura, like an invisible tide, swept over the crude stone walls.

In the quiet room, Li Ao suddenly opened his eyes, a silver-gray sharp light flashing in his pupils and then disappearing. He sensed at least four powerful Auras of the Dou Wang level rapidly approaching the outpost from different directions. One of them carried undisguised coldness and hostility, heading straight for the stone house where he and Medusa were located.

Almost simultaneously, Medusa's cold voice came from the adjacent quiet room, clearly reaching Li Ao's ears through the stone wall: "They've come."

Her tone was calm, yet it carried the chill of an impending storm.

Li Ao rose and pushed open the door of the quiet room. Medusa also happened to step out of her quiet room. She was still wearing her damaged purple brocade robe, with Li Ao's blue cloth outer shirt draped over it. Her face was still pale, but her pair of colorful eyes had regained their usual depth and majesty. However, beneath that majesty, a trace of almost imperceptible solemnity lay hidden.

The two exchanged a look. Without needing to say more, they walked side by side out of the stone house.

In the open space in front of the stone house, Elder Yin Shi's face was ashen. He led the warriors loyal to the Queen at the outpost, confronting a group of aggressive Snake-People on the opposite side. The leader was a tall, thin Snake-Person Elder with a long, narrow face and a pair of triangular eyes. He held a twisted snake-head wooden staff, exuding a cold Aura. He was, surprisingly, a Five-Star Dou Wang! Behind him followed three other Snake-People leaders who had also reached the Dou Wang level, along with dozens of fierce-looking personal guards.

"Elder Viper! You have trespassed into Her Majesty the Queen's cultivation grounds without permission. Are you trying to rebel?!" Elder Yin Shi shouted sternly, his voice trembling slightly with anger.

The triangular-eyed Snake-Person, known as Elder Viper, cast a greedy and sinister gaze over Medusa, who had emerged from the stone house. His eyes lingered for a moment, especially on the faint flame mark on her forehead and her pale face, a sneer curling at the corner of his mouth: "Yin Shi, stop trying to pin charges on this old man. I heard that Her Majesty the Queen has returned safely, so I specially led the tribal leaders to pay their respects and inquire about Her Majesty's well-being. How can you speak of rebellion?"

His gaze then fell upon Li Ao, who stood beside Medusa. Intense killing intent and jealousy erupted in his triangular eyes: "It's this Human brat! He has repeatedly desecrated our Queen and is even suspected to be involved in the disappearance of Leader Mo Ba Si! Today, this old man shall, on behalf of Her Majesty the Queen, cleanse our clan and execute this villain!"

Before his words finished, he slammed his snake-head wooden staff onto the ground! A bone-chilling cold Dou Qi, like a poisonous python emerging from its lair, carrying a putrid smell, directly bypassed Elder Yin Shi and surged towards Li Ao! Its speed was astonishing, clearly a premeditated attack!

This strike, containing the full power of a Five-Star Dou Wang, was enough to instantly freeze an ordinary Great Dou Master to death!

"Presumptuous!"

A cold light burst forth from Medusa's colorful eyes. She raised her jade hand, ready to intercept. But her injuries had not yet healed, and her Qi mobilization was half a beat too slow!

Just as that bone-chilling Dou Qi was about to touch Li Ao—

Li Ao moved.

He did not retreat, nor did he draw his blade. He simply took a step forward, clenched his right fist, and with a dark iron-colored glow flowing beneath his skin, he threw a punch without any fancy moves!

"Black Iron Hegemon Body" — Mountain Collapse!

The fist wind howled, not with the dazzling light of Dou Qi, but with the air explosion caused by pure, ultimate Physical Body strength! A wild, domineering, and destructive sense of power, like a sleeping Vicious Beast suddenly awakening!

"Bang!!!"

The fist force collided head-on with that bone-chilling Dou Qi!

There was no stalemate, no back and forth!

Under Elder Viper's disbelieving gaze, his bone-chilling Dou Qi, which was capable of freezing steel, was actually shattered by that seemingly ordinary fist in the most brutal way! It turned into a sky full of ice crystals, scattering in all directions!

And Li Ao, his figure as steady as a rock, did not even sway a corner of his clothes!

The entire scene was silent!

Everyone stared dumbfounded at the young man in the green shirt. A Five-Star Dou Wang's enraged strike was just... punched apart by him?!

The sneer on Elder Viper's face instantly froze, replaced by extreme shock and ferocity: "You... what kind of evil Dao is this?!"

Li Ao shook his fist, looking at him calmly, as if looking at a noisy ant: "You talk too much."

A casual remark, yet it infuriated Elder Viper more than any insult!

"Little bastard! I will kill you today!" He roared, his Five-Star Dou Wang Aura erupting without reservation. He brandished his snake-head wooden staff, and a sky full of cold, snake-shaped Dou Qi materialized, like ten thousand snakes devouring the heavens, enveloping Li Ao! This time, he held nothing back, vowing to tear this strange Human to pieces!

"Protect Young Master Li Ao!" Elder Yin Shi exclaimed in alarm, about to lead his men forward.

"No need."

A cold voice rang out, carrying unquestionable majesty.

Medusa took a step forward, standing side by side with Li Ao. She looked at the cold snake shadows that were devouring the sky, her colorful eyes showing no ripples. She simply slowly raised her right hand.

There was no dazzling colorful light, no earth-shattering energy fluctuations. She simply extended her slender jade finger and lightly pointed at the sky full of snake shadows.

"Freeze."

A single word, as if containing the power of rules that made words become law.

Those violent and ferocious myriad snake shadows, when still several feet away from the two, seemed to be frozen by an invisible space, suddenly stopping in mid-air! They could no longer advance an inch!

Space Confinement!

Even with her Origin damaged and her strength less than one-tenth of its peak, she was still Queen Medusa, who had touched the Dou Zong Realm and initially mastered the power of space!

The ferocity on Elder Viper's face instantly turned to fear! He felt the space around him become incredibly viscous, making movement difficult, and the circulation of Dou Qi within his body also became sluggish!

"Your... Your Majesty..." His voice was dry, and he tried to explain.

Medusa, however, did not look at him. Her gaze swept over the three Dou Wang leaders behind Elder Viper, who were also subtly suppressed by the power of space, and the Snake-People warriors behind them, whose faces showed panic. Her voice was cold, echoing throughout the entire outpost:

"Viper, you colluded with outsiders, coveted the throne, and even tried to harm this Queen's honored guest. Your crime deserves death."

Her voice was not loud, but it carried the majesty of a Queen's judgment. Every word was like a heavy hammer, striking the hearts of all the Snake-People present.

"As for you," her gaze fell on the three Dou Wang leaders, "whether you were deceived by him or colluded with him, this Queen gives you a chance to choose."

The three Dou Wang leaders' faces changed constantly. Feeling the omnipresent spatial oppressive force and seeing Elder Viper easily subdued, two of them finally gritted their teeth and bowed, saying: "This subordinate was deceived by a treacherous person and is willing to accept Your Majesty's judgment!"

The other's eyes flickered, seemingly still hesitating.

Medusa's colorful eyes turned cold, and she said no more. She joined her fingers like a blade and, aiming at Elder Viper, who was confined by space, she slashed through the air!

"Ch—!"

A subtle yet extremely condensed colorful ray of light, like cutting tofu, silently swept across Elder Viper's neck.

The fear on Elder Viper's face instantly froze, his pupils dilated. The next moment, his head separated from his body, and blood gushed out like a fountain, staining a large area of the desert.

Clean, swift, without any hesitation.

A Five-Star Dou Wang, in front of Queen Medusa, who was still recovering from severe injuries, had no chance to resist and was killed on the spot!

Silence!

Deathly silence!

Everyone was awestruck by Medusa's thunderous methods. The two Dou Wang leaders who chose to surrender were drenched in cold sweat, filled with lingering fear.

Medusa did not even look at Elder Viper's corpse. Her gaze swept across the entire scene again, her voice still cold, but carrying an unquestionable decisiveness:

"Effective immediately, the Snake-People Clan will enter wartime alert. Elder Yin Shi will temporarily oversee all tribal affairs and fully gather resources to restore the Origin. If there is anyone who feigns compliance, or harbors ill intentions—"

Her gaze, like a cold blade, swept across every Snake-Person's face, "—they will be like this villain!"

"We respectfully obey Your Majesty's command!" Elder Yin Shi was the first to prostrate himself on the ground, his voice excited and devout.

"We respectfully obey Your Majesty's command!" The rest of the Snake-People, including the two Dou Wang leaders and all the warriors, knelt down in unison. A thunderous roar, like mountains and seas, echoed throughout the entire outpost.

Medusa nodded slightly, said no more, and turned to walk towards the stone house. Her back was still straight, but it carried a trace of undeniable fatigue. Forcibly using the power of space just now had been a significant burden on her.

Li Ao followed behind her. As he passed Elder Viper's headless corpse, his steps did not falter in the slightest, as if it were just a pile of insignificant garbage.

Back in the quiet room of the stone house.

As soon as the door closed, Medusa couldn't help but let out a muffled groan, leaning against the wall. A trickle of blood spilled from the corner of her mouth, and her face instantly turned a few shades paler.

Li Ao immediately stepped forward, supporting her, and a gentle energy, imbued with the vitality of the "Black Iron Hegemon Body," flowed into her body.

Medusa leaned on him, panting slightly for a moment, before slowly straightening up. She wiped away the blood from her mouth, and her colorful eyes looked at Li Ao with a hint of complexity: "You helped this Queen again."

If Li Ao hadn't shattered Elder Viper's attack with a single punch earlier, intimidating everyone, she wouldn't have been able to use the power of space to establish her authority so easily.

"Just a transaction." Li Ao withdrew his hand, his tone calm, "You being alive is more valuable to me."

Medusa looked at his stern profile, knowing that this was not the whole truth. If it were only for a transaction, he wouldn't have had to protect her with his life in the alternate space, nor would he have had to expend his vital essence to save her.

But she didn't expose him, simply letting out a soft "Mm."

"Your injuries must be resolved as soon as possible." Li Ao walked to the window, watching the Snake-People warriors outside beginning to busy themselves, his eyes deep, "Resources are limited here. What Elder Yin Shi can gather is probably not enough to restore your Origin."

Medusa walked to his side, standing shoulder to shoulder with him, gazing at the boundless sand sea outside the window. A hint of helplessness flashed in her colorful eyes: "This Queen knows. But within the Snake-People Clan... after this incident, it will take time to reorganize. Moreover, rare treasures that can restore a Dou Zong's Origin are hard to come by."

"We can't wait that long." Li Ao turned his head and looked at her, "What do you need? Tell me."

Medusa paused slightly, meeting his calm eyes that seemed capable of devouring everything. After a moment of silence, she slowly said: "Seven-Colored Illusory Spirit Saliva, or earth core soul marrow. The former might be found in the Poisonous Miasma Mountain Range at the border of the Izumo Empire and the Jia Ma Empire. The latter... is even more elusive."

Li Ao noted these names down and nodded: "I understand."

He didn't say how he would acquire them, nor how long it would take. But the certainty contained in his calm tone inexplicably brought Medusa a sense of peace.

"What are your plans next?" she asked.

Li Ao's gaze looked towards the direction of the Jia Ma Empire, a cold glint flashing in his eyes: "First, restore my strength. Then... go reclaim some things that rightfully belong to me."

His voice was very soft, but it carried a chilling determination.

Medusa looked at his profile, sensing the ambition and power, like a volcano about to erupt, suppressed beneath his calm demeanor. She knew that this Human would never be content with obscurity. This continent, she feared, would soon be stirred by a new storm because of him.

And what roles would she and he play in this storm?

She took a soft breath, suppressing her chaotic thoughts.

The most urgent task was to restore her strength. No matter what the future held, power was the only foundation.

The two stopped conversing and each returned to their quiet rooms, continuing their Cultivation, a race against time.

Only this time, on either side of the cold stone wall, a bond transcending transaction and cooperation had quietly formed, unbreakable.