NOVEL FROG Medusa’s Decision
Snake-People Tribe's Great Hall.
After being summoned by Elder Yin Shi, all the eight leaders of the Snake-People Tribe gathered in this place. All their attention focused on the two humans and magical beasts before them, staring at them full of wariness.
These eight included Yue Mei, Mo Ba Si, Yin Shi, Yan Ci, Mei Xing, Nan She, Hua She Wang, and Hei Du. Each of them were Dou Kings; their strength was second only to Queen Medusa herself. They were the main pillars of the Snake-People Tribe and proof of their tribe's formidable power.
On her throne, Queen Medusa sat leisurely with her body bending slightly forward, revealing her impressive cleavage. Her chin was resting on her hand while a faint smile played on her lips as she gazed at the green flame in Li Xiao's palm.
The intense energy from the Heavenly Flame filled the hall. Any insects that approached were drawn to it like moths to a flame, only to be instantly consumed by the heat.
The eight leaders exchanged uneasy glances, wary of being caught in the inferno.
Li Xiao shrugged and said softly, "Queen Medusa, can we discuss our deal now?"
"Go ahead," Queen Medusa replied nonchalantly, "Tell me, what do you want in exchange for the Heavenly Flame?"
"Money."
Li Xiao didn't mince words, stating his demand plainly. His primary reason for coming to the Snake-People Tribe was indeed this transaction. To him, money was more important than anything else. As the saying goes, money can't buy everything, but without money, you can't do anything. Only by amassing enough gold coins could he unlock the Holy Grand Prize.
A question mark appeared on Queen Medusa's expression, puzzled by Li Xiao's fixation on wealth. For someone as powerful as he was, mere money shouldn't be of great value. High-level techniques or elixirs might be more useful for someone at his level.
Hearing this, Elder Yin Shi breathed a sigh of relief. He had feared that this person might make exorbitant demands for the tribe's precious items. It turned out that he just needed something as trivial as money.
"Tell me, how much do you need?"
Li Xiao's eyes gleamed. In this world, Heavenly Flames were priceless treasures. If not for the existence of Heaven Ascending Pavilion, purchasing them with money was something unimaginable. How much it cost should depend on their own judgment. Moreover, he wanted them to feel like they were getting a bargain, thereby fostering a sense of goodwill and indebtedness towards him.
"Queen Medusa, you should think about the price for yourself. What do you think a Green Lotus Core Flame should be paid for?"
Taking the lead, Queen Medusa pursed her alluring red lips and said, "Heh, since you have put it that way, I won't delay any further."
"Elder, issue the order to bring out all the gold coins from the treasury."
Elder Yin Shi turned around and asked, "Your Majesty, do you really mean all of them?"
"Yes, all of them."
Queen Medusa had little regard for mundane things like gold coins. Besides, these coins were all acquired from hunting humans. The Snake-People Tribe's wealth accumulated over a thousand years was no small amount.
Li Xiao casually sat on a chair, crossing his legs, sipping cold tea while admiring Queen Medusa's stunning beauty. Despite her lower half being that of a snake, her human part possessed an unmatched beauty that was rarely seen in this world.
Sneakily, Xue Ren poked Li Xiao with her finger, blushing as she whispered, "Master, you don't have a thing for snakes, do you? There's nowhere to..."
Pfft!
Li Xiao spat out a mouthful of tea. What a wild and unexpected remark, coming from Xue'er of all people.
Queen Medusa turned her face slightly and said, "Does the tea of the Snake-People Tribe's Sacred Hall not suit your taste?"
"No, no," Li Xiao waved his hand and forced a smile, "I just thought of something amusing, which made me choke."
Yan Ci, the closest to him, angrily brushed the tea leaves off his face, glaring fiercely at the human before him. He restrained himself from acting rashly. If it weren't for the fact that the flame this person held was desired by the queen, he would have torn him limb from limb.
The male snake people, inherently lustful, couldn't help but steal glances at Lian Xue's stunning beauty. Her delicate cherry lips, white teeth, high nose, and flawless features made her the epitome of a goddess in their eyes.
Lian Xue glared back, her icy gaze almost freezing their blood.
Queen Medusa licked her alluring lips and said, "Li Xiao, I'm quite curious about your identity. You managed to promote Amethyst Winged Lion King to the peak Dou Emperor, and it seems he's close to becoming a Dou Ancestor. What exactly did you do?"
"It's just a small thing. Not something that great," Li Xiao put down his teacup and cupped his hands. "I merely helped the Amethyst Winged Lion King cleanse his meridians. He is lucky to have a decent talent. Within a year, he will successfully break through to Dou Ancestor."
Upon hearing this, a complex expression flickered across Queen Medusa's face. For a human to ascend to Dou Ancestor was a distant dream, and even more so for a magical beast. Amethyst Winged Lion King was just a mere rank five magical beast when they last met, but now he had quickly advanced to near Dou Ancestor level. It was hard for anyone to believe.
Queen Medusa scrutinized Li Xiao, her mind whirling. Who was this person? Not only could he aid the Amethyst Winged Lion King's cultivation, but he also possessed the Green Lotus Core Flame, a priceless treasure. Could he be from the Central Plains?
At that moment, Elder Yin Shi hurried into the hall and handed over a storage ring. "Your Majesty, after an inventory check, we currently have one hundred million gold coins. The rest are stored in the treasuries of the other major clans."
With a slight movement of her finger, the storage ring with the money inside floated slowly to Queen Medusa's hand.
"Hundred million gold coins. Are you satisfied with this amount?"
"Enough."
Li Xiao's heart leaped with joy as he eyed the storage ring in Queen Medusa's hand. When he first arrived in the Dou Qi Continent, the Green Lotus Core Flame given by the system only earned a few million gold coins. Now that he thought about it, he had indeed sold it too cheaply.
Queen Medusa did not immediately hand over the gold coins. "I already showed you the money. Shouldn't you hand over the flame as well?"
Li Xiao rubbed his nose and said, "Oh Queen, this is your territory. Do you really think I would run off with the money?"
"I do not rule out that possibility," Queen Medusa, inherently distrustful of humans, would not hand over the money until she had the Heavenly Flame in her possession. Otherwise, there was no way she would let Li Xiao leave with even a single coin.
Li Xiao took the Green Lotus Core Flame from the system and threw it. The flame arced through the air and landed perfectly in Queen Medusa's hand.