Xiao Bai was slightly stunned. He gazed at her for a moment before a meaningful smile curled at his lips.
Seeing her calmly conversing with Qing Lin, he quietly walked to the side and sat down on a sand dune, watching the sunset without urging her.
The way people interacted was truly fascinating.
Xiao Bai admitted that his initial interest in her was partly due to his need for her assistance against the Yun Lan Sect and partly due to a fleeting attraction upon meeting her.
But now… he found himself genuinely admiring her.
Medusa's brow moved slightly as she caught a glimpse of Xiao Bai's actions from the corner of her eye. Her emotions were a little complicated.
If it had been anyone else who had gained control over her, they would have sought to maintain that control indefinitely, possibly even making all kinds of disgusting demands.
Yet this man seemed to treat it as a trivial matter. The whole "pet and maid" talk from before now seemed more like a joke than anything serious.
Hearing him bring it up just now, she still felt a bit annoyed, but nowhere near as furious as she had been underground.
As for those so-called three conditions, while she had been waiting outside the city earlier, she had carefully reconsidered them. If she didn't count the seal, she hadn't actually suffered any losses.
If someone had offered to help her evolve using Heavenly Flames in exchange for agreeing to three conditions, it wasn't an entirely unacceptable deal.
Medusa felt she couldn't quite see through this black-robed human. He was unlike anyone she had ever met before.
While quietly admiring the vast desert under the sunset, Xiao Bai's expression suddenly shifted. He turned his gaze sharply in one direction.
"Two Dou Huangs? Are they from the Jia Ma Empire? Are they here for her?" He glanced at Medusa, who seemed completely unaware, and speculated in his heart.
He could sense the energy fluctuations in that direction. Two Dou Huangs were rapidly approaching, their powerful auras becoming more distinct.
Moments later, Hai Bodong also sensed the two approaching presences. Just as he was about to inform Xiao Bai, he noticed that he was already looking in that direction, realizing he had already detected them.
Medusa, who was still talking with Qing Lin, also seemed to sense something. She lifted her gaze, her brows arched, and her beautiful eyes gradually turned icy.
That damn snake! Did he really think she wouldn't dare to kill him? How bold of him to chase after her!
If it weren't for her concerns about the Sky Serpent Mansion, she would have torn him to pieces for the things he had said to her instead of merely giving him a beating!
In their field of vision, two streaks of light swiftly approached and landed nearby.
One was a woman in a green robe, her delicate figure partially veiled.
The other was a massive snake-shaped beast.
Its entire body was pitch-black, covered in strange markings. Eight dark purple wings extended from its sides, and a single spiraled horn gleamed ominously on its head, clearly a venomous creature. The faint patterns on its forehead formed the shape of a crown, and its triangular pupils flickered with cunning and intelligence.
Xiao Bai took one look at the pair and immediately recognized them. That serpent-like beast was undoubtedly the Eight-Winged Black Serpent Emperor.
"Lu Man of the Sky Serpent Mansion greets Queen Medusa. Greetings to the two of you as well."
The woman in green swept her gaze over the three of them before fixing her eyes firmly on Qing Lin.
"It really is the Triple Jade-Green Snake Flower Pupils"
Using a special sensing technique, Lu Man confirmed her discovery. Her eyes lit up, and she seemed a bit excited.
Qing Lin felt uneasy under the woman's strange gaze. She hesitated for a moment before hiding behind Medusa.
Medusa gently patted the little girl's head, remaining silent as she cast an indifferent gaze at the unexpected visitors.
"What are you here for?"
Back when the Snake-People Race still resided in Central Plains, they had some connections with the Sky Serpent Mansion. Over the years, she had turned a blind eye to their presence within her territory, as long as they didn't harm her people.
Xiao Bai didn't speak either. He simply crossed his arms and stroked his chin while observing the newcomers.
He had assumed the timeline had been altered—that these two would have missed Qing Lin entirely, giving him time to observe her growth before seeking them out if necessary.
But the Sky Serpent Mansion had arrived so quickly! It seemed they had a special means of sensing the Triple Jade-Green Snake Flower Pupils. The moment it awakened, they could track it down.
As for Hai Bodong, there was nothing more to say. Xiao Bai had already fulfilled his promise to him. Now, his role was simply that of a bodyguard, so he remained by Xiao Bai's side in silence.
"Queen Medusa, that little girl is very important to our Sky Serpent Mansion. I wonder if you could—"
"You cannot!" Before she could even finish speaking, Xiao Bai interrupted her directly.
"This young man, I was speaking with Her Majesty. Isn't it a bit rude of you to interrupt?"
Lu Man's tone was soft, but her gaze toward Xiao Bai was icy.
She didn't know why Medusa was with two humans, but that didn't concern her. A mere young man and a two-star Dou Huang weren't worth her attention.
From the way the little girl acted, it was clear she was very close to Medusa. As long as Medusa agreed, everything would be fine.
"His words are my words," Medusa said indifferently.
She didn't know why the Sky Serpent Mansion wanted this little girl, but Xiao Bai was crucial to her evolution. She didn't want any unexpected variables interfering.
"To think that the infamous Queen Medusa would actually obey a man. Could it be that… hehe!"
Lu Man didn't finish her sentence, but her eyes sparkled with amusement as she glanced back and forth between Medusa and Xiao Bai.
"You're courting death!" Medusa's voice turned cold, and her peak Dou Huang aura erupted like a shockwave, sweeping outward.
Lu Man's expression grew serious as she released her green Dou Qi to resist the pressure. She had been searching for the Three Pupils of the Green Serpent for decades—there was no way she would give up so easily.
She lifted her foot and kicked the Eight-Winged Black Serpent Emperor, who had been staring dazedly at Medusa since landing.
"Stop drooling and get moving!" The green-robed woman sounded exasperated. This fool always lost his mind whenever he saw that woman.
The Eight-Winged Black Serpent Emperor chuckled, then let out a loud roar. "Medusa, let's have some fun!"
Although he was only a six-star Dou Huang, his speed was unmatched among Dou Huangs.
So even though Medusa was at the peak of Dou Huang, he wasn't afraid. At worst, he'd get injured—but with a magical beast's body, he'd recover quickly.
His eight wings flapped, and his massive body flashed forward in an instant. His snake tail lashed out, its terrifying power causing the very space around it to distort.
Xiao Bai had intended to grab Qing Lin, but seeing Medusa already carrying her into the air, he abandoned the thought. Lightning flickered beneath his feet as he rapidly retreated, narrowly avoiding the strike.
Wings appeared on his back, and with a push off the ground, he soared to Medusa's side.
"Give Qing Lin to me," Xiao Bai said, extending his hands.
Medusa glanced at him but said nothing, handing over the little girl.
Xiao Bai held Qing Lin with one arm and extended his other hand toward Medusa.
"What are you doing?" Medusa's eyes glinted with killing intent.
Xiao Bai rolled his eyes. "I'm adjusting your seal. Otherwise, how do you expect to fight properly?"
Earlier, Medusa had been the last to sense the two arrivals—even slower than Hai Bodong. It was clear the seal was dulling her perception.
"Don't move recklessly." Xiao Bai pressed a finger to her forehead and adjusted the seal. "There. Now, as long as you don't disturb the mark in your sea of consciousness, your perception will be the same as before the seal."
He condensed the seal enveloping her sea of consciousness into a mark at its center. This way, it wouldn't affect her strength, and the seal would remain intact.
Medusa tested it and found that it was indeed as he said. Her beautiful eyes lingered on him for a moment before she turned away.
"You, black-robed brat! Get away from her!"
The Eight-Winged Black Serpent Emperor's eyes blazed with jealousy as he shot into the sky.
Xiao Bai's gaze turned cold. He gave Medusa a quick warning to be careful before carrying Qing Lin to the side. Now was not the time for him to act.
He wanted to capture these two and extract information about the Sky Serpent Mansion.
In the sky, as the four confronted each other, the auras of four Dou Huangs spread out, causing the surrounding space to tremble slightly. The lazy white clouds in the blue sky were torn apart by the clashing pressures.
In Stone Desert City, everyone trembled under the oppressive force of these colliding auras. The sheer pressure weighed on them like a thousand-pound boulder, making even breathing difficult.
"White Fang, keep those two occupied for a while. I'll grab the Triple Jade-Green Snake Flower Pupils, and then we'll retreat!"
Lu Man knew that with Medusa present today, fighting head-on wouldn't end well for them.
"Lu Man, you'd better be quick! Otherwise, don't blame me for ditching you and leaving first!"
A cunning glint flashed in the Eight-Winged Black Serpent Emperor's eyes. Though he talked big about not fearing Medusa, deep down, he still felt a bit uneasy facing that woman.
If they failed to seize the Triple Jade-Green Snake Flower Pupils this time, the worst that would happen was some punishment for his incompetence. But if he reported its location, he might even earn some credit. So, he had no intention of risking his life here.
"Don't worry! That black-robed youth doesn't seem strong. As long as you hold those two off, I'll be done in no time!" Lu Man said confidently.
"Let's do it!"
The Eight-Winged Black Serpent Emperor flicked his tail and vanished in a blur, positioning himself between Xiao Bai and Medusa. Black flames erupted from his body, continuously surging until they formed a massive, eight-winged black serpent above him.
With a shrill hiss, the enormous serpent, made entirely of eerie black flames, shot toward Medusa, carrying an overwhelming force.
Medusa remained calm as the energy serpent rushed toward her. With a casual wave of her hand, a massive energy ring appeared behind her, from which a giant crimson python emerged and charged straight at the eight-winged black serpent.
The moment the two energy creatures collided, tiny black fissures appeared in the surrounding space.
Boom!
Black and red energies clashed, momentarily locked in a stalemate before violently exploding in the sky. The shockwave of interwoven black and red rippled outward in expanding waves.
The deafening explosion caused several buildings in Stone Desert City to tremble, sending dust and roof tiles crashing down. Frightened townspeople rushed out of their homes, fearing a collapse.
Meanwhile, Lu Man was engaging Hai Bodong, though it was more like she was toying with him, gradually luring him farther away from Xiao Bai.
At first, Xiao Bai didn't notice, but as the fight moved farther and farther away, he grew suspicious.
He knew that Lu Man was far stronger than Hai Bodong, yet their battle seemed evenly matched. And with the increasing distance, it wasn't hard to guess her intentions.
"Coming for me, huh?"
Xiao Bai's lips curled into a faint smirk.
After his experience with the Ghost Soul Stone, he had learned not to overestimate soul power. So, he remained cautious, standing guard over Qing Lin with Yao Lao's protection to prevent any unexpected mishaps.
As for the battle itself, he wasn't concerned at all. With Medusa here, nothing unexpected would happen!
He quietly observed their act, waiting to see who would try to snatch Qing Lin from him.
Lu Man, seeing that Hai Bodong had fallen for her trick and was now far enough away, struck him back with a blow before flashing toward Xiao Bai.
Hai Bodong instantly realized her plan, but he remained completely unfazed.
He knew Xiao Bai's soul power was immense and that he had a powerful soul protecting him. This woman had no chance of taking anyone from him!
Lu Man stopped before Xiao Bai, not attacking immediately.
She wasn't sure about Medusa's relationship with this man. If she harmed him and triggered Medusa's wrath, she and White Fang would be in serious trouble.
"Young man, would you kindly hand over the girl?" Lu Man asked with a gentle smile.
Her green eyes shimmered with a faint, eerie glow.
This was a secret technique of the Sky Serpent Mansion, created by an ancestor who had drawn inspiration from the Triple Jade-Green Snake Flower Pupils. It was called Phantom Ghost Eyes.
Phantom Ghost Eyes could induce illusions, momentarily making the target lose awareness. However, it required direct eye contact, and its effectiveness depended on the difference in soul power between the user and the target. Though not a true soul-based Dou Technique, it carried a soul attack element, making it extremely difficult to master.
Xiao Bai sensed her movements with his soul power and was about to release his soul energy when her eyes suddenly glowed. For a split second, he felt a momentary daze—but then he snapped back to his senses.
"How bold!"
Xiao Bai let out a cold shout. He hadn't expected this woman to possess an eye technique. Without hesitation, he unleashed a soul impact directly at her soul sea.
"Ahh!"
Lu Man clutched her forehead as an intense pain struck her mind, leaving her dazed and unfocused.
Xiao Bai formed a hand seal and pressed a soul seal onto her forehead. He let out a slight sigh of relief—he hadn't expected her to possess such a rare Dou Technique. This was the first time he had encountered a technique that contained a soul attack.
"W-What did you do to me?" Lu Man had regained clarity, but something felt off. Her soul sea felt distorted.
With her cultivation level, she should have been able to sense her surroundings clearly, but now it was as if a fog had settled over her perception, making everything blurry!
The black-robed youth gazed at her indifferently without responding.
Grinding her teeth, she suddenly reached out to grab Xiao Bai. She didn't believe that once she had him in her hands, he wouldn't talk!
"Ahh!"
The moment the black-robed youth shot her another glance, piercing pain exploded in her mind again. She instantly retracted her hand and clutched her head.
"Stay clear-headed! Right now, you're nothing more than a prisoner. Don't waste your energy on meaningless resistance."
Xiao Bai spoke leisurely, his voice calm yet commanding.