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Wei Yang gazed at Medusa with a light smile. "Queen Medusa, why don't you come down for a cup of tea? We can discuss things slowly."
"You seem to have come specifically to find me?" High in the sky, Queen Medusa lowered her head slightly, looking down at Wei Yang and Xiao Yan. Her crimson lips curved ever so subtly, and in that instant, her exquisite beauty radiated an alluring charm. Every expression, every smile, seemed enough to make one's mind momentarily dazed.
"You've got some guts." Her gaze swept over Yue Mei, who was unconscious and lying in the sand, her eyes narrowing as she let out a soft hum.
Wei Yang lifted a hand and pulled back his cloak, revealing his face. He smiled casually. "Queen Medusa, it's an honor to meet you. Allow me to introduce myself—my name is Wei Yang."
"Wei Yang?" Medusa frowned slightly. She hadn't heard of such a powerhouse appearing in any of the nearby empires.
"Speak then. What have you come for? Though your intrusion into my territory is extremely rude, the Snake-People Clan is not a group that acts without reason."
Medusa's long, narrow eyes glanced once more at Yue Mei, and her voice softened a bit. "As long as you haven't slaughtered any of my clansmen… and you're willing to let her go, then whatever business you have—we can discuss it."
"A transaction," Wei Yang replied. "We're here to make a deal, that's all. As for your clan member, don't worry—I didn't kill anyone. I originally intended to pass through the fortress quietly during the night, but since we were discovered, I had no choice but to force my way through."
"A transaction?" Medusa raised an elegant brow, but in her heart, she quietly let out a small breath of relief.
At least they weren't here to cause trouble on purpose.
The Snake-People Clan lived in the cracks between several human empires, exiled, rejected, and suppressed by humans. They had been forced to shrink back into this vast and harsh desert, struggling just to survive. Their situation was far from ideal.
If she could avoid it, Medusa didn't want to become enemies with this mysterious human powerhouse either.
Her fearsome reputation—it had been carved out of necessity, for survival.
If she weren't fierce, how could she protect her people?
As for the two young humans standing before her…
A Seven-Star Dou Wang, and a Two-Star Dou Shi?
Medusa understood clearly: if they dared come here, they must have something to rely on—possibly even the confidence to retreat unscathed.
Not to mention… earlier, she had faintly sensed a trace of Heavenly Flame—something that made her extremely wary.
A Seven-Star Dou Wang with a Heavenly Flame was not easy to deal with.
And then—
"Young Master Wei, is this your idea of negotiation?" Medusa's gaze once again swept over the unconscious Yue Mei.
"Uh…" A flash of awkwardness passed over Wei Yang's face, but he quickly hid it and smiled. "It's a misunderstanding. I merely wanted to prevent her from causing disruption, so I could meet with you as quickly and smoothly as possible. Once the deal is done, you're free to take her with you."
"Are you threatening me?" A trace of coldness flickered in Medusa's eyes.
"No. I only wanted to ensure you'd be in the right mindset to speak calmly with me," Wei Yang replied. "After all, this is your clan's territory—I don't want any unnecessary complications."
He picked up the teapot and poured a steaming cup of tea, placing it on the opposite side of the table. With a wave of his hand, a stone chair appeared and settled neatly into place.
"Queen Medusa—please."
Faint threads of danger radiated from Medusa's body. She stared coldly at Wei Yang, her chest rising and falling sharply for a few moments before finally calming down.
Whoosh!
With a silent flash, her figure disappeared and reappeared across from him, as if she had simply teleported.
Immediately, a faint and pleasant fragrance wafted through the air.
Facing Queen Medusa at such close range made Xiao Yan—standing nearby—instantly tense up. His whole body stiffened involuntarily.
"It seems Her Majesty has already begun to faintly touch upon the laws of space. Dou Zong isn't far off," Wei Yang raised an eyebrow and said calmly.
"Fufufu, I'll accept that as a blessing, Young Master Wei."
Medusa walked gracefully to the chair and turned to sit down, her jade hand lightly covering her red lips as she chuckled softly.
But then, her voice turned cold. "Since you know I may break through to Dou Zong soon, yet still dare to threaten me… aren't you afraid of my revenge?"
"I'm not," Wei Yang shook his head and said seriously. "Because that'll take at least a few years. And by then, I'll likely be at the peak of Dou Huang."
"Oh? A few years, and already at the peak of Dou Huang? That's quite the boast," Medusa sneered.
"I'm only stating a fact. At the very least, Dou Huang has no bottleneck for me," Wei Yang replied calmly, as if he were merely stating the obvious.
As he spoke, a wisp of black flame quietly emerged from his palm, flickering joyfully in his hand.
That tiny wisp of flame instantly drove away the cold of the desert night, blanketing the area in a comforting warmth.
He smiled, looking completely nonchalant. "By then, who between us is stronger—well, that might really be hard to say. Besides, I have no attachments. A few years from now, your first problem will be finding me."
Medusa's expression grew noticeably heavier. Her beautiful eyes locked onto the strand of black flame in Wei Yang's palm, which radiated searing heat. A flicker of desire flashed quietly deep within her gaze.
"So what you're saying is… you're confident you can leave safely tonight?"
"Naturally," Wei Yang nodded. "If I wasn't sure of that, why would I have come to find you in the first place?"
"Your Majesty, I advise you not to act rashly. Unlike you, I have no people to protect. But you—you carry your entire clan on your shoulders. If you provoke me, the future of your people might not be so fortunate."
Wei Yang's tone remained calm, unaffected by the coldness slowly creeping onto Medusa's face. He continued as if he didn't notice it at all. "I'm not fond of trouble, but I'm not afraid of it either.
Oh, I almost forgot to mention—I'm also a Tier 6 alchemist. If I were to seriously decide to go head-to-head with your Snake-People Clan… well, let's just say, the outcome might be something you wouldn't want to see."
What?! Tier 6 alchemist?!
Medusa's pupils contracted sharply, and she couldn't help but draw in a cold breath.
That identity… was far more terrifying than someone merely at the peak of Dou Huang.
Even if her clan was marginalized by humans, some things were still common knowledge.
A Tier 6 alchemist's influence was no joke.
Offend one, and you might find yourself surrounded and swarmed by enemies at any moment.
If he truly decided to wage war against the Snake-People Clan, it would be catastrophic for them.
So—either don't make a move, and keep things peaceful.
Or, if you do make a move, then the enemy must be completely eliminated—no loose ends left behind!
In the end…
After weighing the pros and cons, Medusa let out a soft, resigned sigh in her heart.
This man… cannot be provoked.
She couldn't take that risk.
The safety of her clan had always been her bottom line.
One wrong step, and her people would face total annihilation.
She blinked her long lashes and gave a faint smile. "So then, Mister Wei, after going through all this trouble to come to my Snake-People Clan… what is it exactly that you want to trade with me?"
Seeing her attitude shift, Wei Yang nodded in satisfaction. Good—she knows how to read the room.
Now they could finally sit down and talk like civilized people.
What he feared most was this woman acting on impulse and forcing a fight.
"The negotiations from here on will be handled by him." Wei Yang pointed to Xiao Yan, who had been standing silently at his side. Then, without another word, he stepped aside and walked to the edge of the tent.
"Him?" Medusa's brows furrowed, her expression turning sour.
You want a Two-Star Dou Shi to negotiate with me?
Are you insulting me?
"Me?" Xiao Yan blinked, clearly startled. He turned to look at Wei Yang.
"Of course you. Don't forget why I came here with you," Wei Yang said with his hands behind his back, calmly reminding him.
"Uh…" Xiao Yan finally understood.
Wei Yang's role in this trip had always been to act as backup—essentially a bodyguard.
The main character… was himself.
"Xiao Yan, don't panic. Stay calm." Yao Lao's voice echoed in his mind at that moment. "That Brat Wei already paved the way for you. Now it's just a normal negotiation. Don't embarrass yourself."
"Got it." Xiao Yan answered seriously in his heart.
Then, he reached up and slowly removed his cloak, revealing his face. He stepped forward and sat upright in the seat Wei Yang had just vacated.
"Queen Medusa, allow me to introduce myself. I'm Xiao Yan," he said with a smile.
And right at that moment—
It felt amazing.
To sit face-to-face and talk business with Queen Medusa, a name feared across all the nearby empires?
Damn… it felt good.
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