"The Sky Serpent Mansion has been searching for the Three Flower Jade Pupil for so many years—they won't mistreat her."
Seeing Xiao Bai staring blankly in the direction where Qing Lin and the others had disappeared, Medusa stepped forward. Her tone was indifferent, her expression cool and languid, as if she were merely making an offhand remark.
Hearing this, Xiao Bai turned around, his eyes brimming with amusement. "Sha Sha, are you... concerned about me?"
Medusa's face remained expressionless. She tilted her head slightly, her phoenix-like eyes glancing sideways at Xiao Bai before she turned away, clasping her hands behind her back without saying a word.
At this point, she couldn't be bothered to correct his shameless way of addressing her. And that damned dragon—both master and pet were equally insufferable!
Xiao Bai didn't mind her reaction. He gazed at her profile for a moment, his eyes suddenly filling with reluctance as he sighed softly.
"Sha Sha, I'm leaving."
Medusa's previously calm heart rippled slightly. Her fingers, hidden behind her back, clenched imperceptibly, and a complex mix of emotions flickered in her eyes.
Was it reluctance? Maybe... just a tiny bit.
Though her emotions were in turmoil, her expression remained as composed as ever. After a long pause, she let out a faint, indifferent hum. "Hmm."
The corners of Xiao Bai's lips curled up as he looked at this proud woman before him, his bright eyes full of laughter. He stepped directly in front of her, standing face to face.
Medusa watched him calmly, her delicate brows furrowing slightly, unsure what this guy was up to now.
Xiao Bai's gaze was gentle as he met her eyes. Those long, enchanting, and authoritative phoenix eyes were like a clear desert spring, reflecting his faint silhouette within them.
For a long moment, they simply stared at each other. She didn't blink, her gaze steady and unyielding, as if refusing to back down even slightly.
"So proud," Xiao Bai muttered inwardly.
His eyes drifted to her smooth forehead. Ever since he had taken her crown, Medusa hadn't worn any head ornaments, her long hair cascading over her shoulders, making her seem slightly less regal.
Xiao Bai retrieved her golden crown from his spatial ring. Medusa glanced at it out of the corner of her eye but didn't speak, though she already knew what he intended to do.
Holding the crown carefully in both hands, Xiao Bai gently placed it on her head. Medusa's beautiful eyes remained fixed on him, but she didn't stop him.
"Once you wear this crown, you shall no longer be mortal. You must never again indulge in earthly love..."
At that moment, a half-dead voice suddenly interrupted.
Medusa froze, then her eyes instantly turned icy, sharp as daggers as she glared at Xiao Bai.
Xiao Bai's murderous intent flared. The atmosphere had been perfect—until this damned dragon ruined it.
He turned his killing gaze toward the little golden dragon perched on his shoulder, its claws crossed as it muttered mournfully to itself. Snatching it up, Xiao Bai crumpled it into a ball and kicked it away.
*Damn it! Is this your revenge just because I didn't let you play with Xiao Yi?!*
"Sha Sha, you have to believe me—you know what that dragon's personality is like. There's no way I meant it like that!" Xiao Bai said hurriedly, his expression serious as he faced Medusa's cold stare.
"This queen has no idea what you're talking about. And you're no good either!" Medusa's expression softened slightly as she snorted at him.
Her eyes kept flickering toward Xiao Bai, though, and she frowned inwardly, annoyed at herself. Her reaction just now had been too strong. For some reason, the moment she heard those words, fury had surged in her heart.
Xiao Bai watched this stubborn woman, her little movements not escaping his perception. But at this moment, the queen was... surprisingly cute.
"Haha... Yes, yes, I, Xiao Bai is indeed not a good person, alright?" Xiao Bai chuckled, not bothering to argue with her. Then, he asked seriously,
"By the way, I haven't had the chance to ask you—since the Seven-Colored Heaven Swallowing Python's soul was disrupted during your evolution, did the inheritance you obtain end up incomplete?"
The Seven-Colored Heaven Swallowing Python's soul should have been scattered by the lightning tribulation. He wasn't sure if it had affected Medusa's acquisition of its legacy. That day, he had been distracted by the little golden dragon and forgot to ask her.
"I've absorbed all of its soul fragments. After sorting through them these past two days, I found nothing missing." Medusa shook her head lightly.
At first, she had been a little worried, but after organizing the memories she had obtained in her consciousness, she discovered no gaps. This had greatly relieved her.
If the inherited memories had been incomplete, she could still have cultivated, but it wouldn't have been as thorough or efficient as a complete legacy. Her future progress would inevitably have been affected.
"That's good!"
Xiao Bai also felt relieved. This time, Medusa's evolution had happened a year earlier than in the original timeline, and she hadn't suffered the suppression of the little Seven-Colored Heaven Swallowing Python's soul. Presumably, by the time of the three-year deadline, she would be even stronger than before!
At that time, she definitely wouldn't be a match for the Soul Hall's Protector Wu—that guy was an Earth-ranked protector, a four-star Dou Zong. But dealing with Yun Shan wouldn't be a problem. By then, Yun Shan might not even have broken through yet!
"Train well! In just over a year, I'll need your help." Xiao Bai's expression was earnest. Then he smiled and added, "If you need anything else—like pills—I can't promise anything at the seventh tier, but for anything below seventh tier, just say the word, and I'll find someone to refine them for you."
Hearing Xiao Bai's words, a faint smile appeared on Medusa's cold and peerlessly beautiful face. She nodded first, then shook her head.
Xiao Bai was puzzled. What did this nodding and shaking mean?
Seeming to sense his confusion, Medusa pursed her red lips slightly and spoke softly, "When you need help, just call for me. As for other things..."
"I don't want to owe you any more."
Xiao Bai frowned. *She doesn't want to owe me anymore? What does that mean?*
Seeing his bewildered expression, Medusa didn't explain further. There was no need.
She had already received too much kindness from him and didn't want to accumulate more debts. This was a decision she had made after much introspection during her rare moments of leisure over the past two days.
She admitted that she felt something different toward him—even if that feeling was still faint, its existence couldn't be denied. She wasn't the type to shy away from facing her emotions.
But right now, she was still somewhat confused. She didn't know whether this feeling stemmed from gratitude or genuine affection.
What she wanted was simple—if she were to have any entanglement with this human in the future, it could only be born from pure emotion, not obligation. That was the pride of Medusa.
So, before everything became clear, she refused to accept any more unconditional help from him. That would make her lose herself.
If she lost her true self, would Medusa still be Medusa? Would she still be the proud Queen Medusa?
Xiao Bai looked at the sudden hint of pride in her expression and, after a moment of contemplation, seemed to understand.
*What a stubborn woman!* He laughed inwardly, but it was precisely because of this that he found himself liking her even more!
"Alright, alright. Her Majesty the Queen is like a winter plum atop a snowy peak—aloof and resilient, blooming alone even in the harshest conditions, unwilling to compromise for anyone. I'm the same, right?" Xiao Bai said helplessly.
Medusa's beautiful eyes sparkled faintly at his words, and the corners of her lips curled slightly.
At this moment, the queen made his mind go blank for an instant. She wasn't even exuding her innate charm, yet Xiao Bai felt she was more beautiful, more enchanting than ever!
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