"You... You're Queen Medusa!"
The Lion King's heavy eyelids twitched violently as he cried out in a choked gasp, staring at the woman before him in utter disbelief.
He was no stranger to the queen of the Snake-People Tribe; her name was one that thundered in his ears. But his attention had been focused primarily on Zhou Changqing. Medusa was not in her snake form, and her aura was so perfectly restrained that he hadn't recognized her. Now, however, the unmistakable and intensely dangerous aura unique to the Medusa clan of the Snake-People tribe radiated from her. How could he not know who she was?
Why is this scourge here? No, wait! Why has Medusa taken human form? Could it be...
Recalling the legends surrounding the Snake-People Tribe, a horrifying possibility sent a tremor through the Lion King's massive body. His eyes widened with terror.
In the next instant, the Lion King lowered his front claws and bowed his enormous head, his voice trembling. "Greetings, Your Majesty, Queen Medusa. This humble beast was unaware of Your Majesty's presence. Please forgive my earlier offense."
Seeing the Lion King's sensible behavior, Medusa shot him a cold glance before retracting her aura and falling silent.
Zhou Changqing, however, was delighted. Good heavens, Queen Medusa's name was a powerful tool indeed. Even the Amethyst Winged Lion King had to bow his head before her.
In truth, while the old Medusa would have made the Lion King wary, he never would have adopted such a subservient posture. They were both Dou Huangs. Even if she was a peak Dou Huang, a true battle would have left her badly wounded as well.
But things were different now.
The faint, yet immeasurably deep and terrifying aura emanating from Medusa, coupled with her serpentine tail being replaced by a pair of human legs, told the Amethyst Winged Lion King one thing: Medusa had broken through the shackles and ascended to that realm.
A Dou Zong!
He had personally witnessed the terror of such a being. How could he not bow and scrape? Given Medusa's legendary temperament, he was certain that if he had hesitated for even a moment longer, the grass on his grave would be half a meter tall by next year.
"Um, I wonder if Your Majesty has graced me with your presence for a particular reason? Is there anything this humble beast can do for you?" the Lion King asked cautiously, relieved that Medusa hadn't attacked and had even withdrawn her aura.
Escape was impossible. The probability of him, at his level, escaping from a Dou Zong was practically zero. Besides, his own child was nearby. If he fled, what would happen to his cub? The Lion King could only pray that she wasn't here for his life; otherwise, this would be his final day.
Hearing his question, Medusa glanced at Zhou Changqing, giving him a look that said, "I've handled it."
Zhou Changqing nodded back, an "okay" in his eyes, and turned to the Lion King with a smile.
The Lion King now understood. It wasn't Medusa who wanted something from him; it was this human. A wave of misery washed over him. Was he just cursed when it came to humans? One after another, they came looking for trouble, and he was powerless against them.
"Um... my young human friend, may I ask what business you have with this lion?" The Lion King's massive face contorted into an extremely human-like, forced smile.
Although this human felt strong to his senses, he hadn't reached the Dou Huang level. But he had a titan standing beside him, and from the looks of it, their relationship was anything but simple. His only choice now was to cooperate, satisfy the human's demands, and hope to save his own skin. Afterward, he would definitely find a new place to live.
Unaware that the Lion King was already planning to move, Zhou Changqing smiled and cupped his hands. "My apologies for the intrusion, Lion King. I have not come to make an enemy of you, but merely to trade for something. There is no need to be so tense."
Not tense? It's easy for you to say! Try switching places and see how tense you get!
Cursing internally, the Lion King maintained his pleasant facade. "I wonder what it is my young friend desires? So long as this lion possesses it, I will not be stingy."
"Rest assured, Lion King, you most certainly have it."
"It isn't Purple Spirit Crystals, is it?" the Lion King guessed. After some thought, the only things he possessed that humans would covet were his Purple Spirit Crystals and the Associated Amethyst Source.
Zhou Changqing shook his head with a smile.
The Lion King's expression changed, and anger flared within him again. He forced it down and asked in a civil tone, "Then is it the Associated Amethyst Source?"
These detestable humans! Not a single one of them had good intentions. They were all after his clan's ultimate treasures. Of course, if the human truly demanded it, he would have no choice but to agree, though he couldn't produce it right now anyway.
Once again, Zhou Changqing shook his head. Neither of those items was particularly useful to him, and besides, someone else had already gotten to them first. Even if he wanted them, the Lion King didn't have them.
A knot of dread tightened in the Lion King's heart. If not those two things, could he be after his head?
Seeing the Lion King's increasingly grim expression, Zhou Changqing realized the beast had misunderstood. He stopped beating around the bush and said with a laugh, "Do not worry, Lion King. I only wish to ask for some of the amethyst crystals from your body."
"That's all?" the Lion King asked, stunned. He couldn't believe the request was so simple.
Even Medusa was a little surprised. She had thought the same as the Lion King, assuming Zhou Changqing was after the Purple Spirit Crystals or the Associated Amethyst Source. She never imagined the young man only wanted the crystals from the beast's body. But after a moment's thought, she understood his reasoning.
Zhou Changqing nodded. "That's all. I am willing to trade a fourth-tier medicinal pill for them. What does the Lion King think?"
"No, no, no! It's just a few amethyst crystals. Allow me to offer them to you as a small token of my respect for Her Majesty, the Queen," the Lion King said, a wave of surprise and relief washing over him.
With a great shudder of its massive body, large swathes of purple crystals, flecked with a bit of beast blood, detached from its hide. The Lion King caught them with his Dou Qi and sent them floating toward Zhou Changqing.
As if afraid Zhou Changqing would change his mind, the Lion King quickly asked, "Is there anything else my young friend requires?"
Zhou Changqing caught the floating crystals with his own Dou Qi, surprised at how easily he had obtained them. He subconsciously shook his head and said, "Nothing else."
"Then this lion will not disturb you two any longer. Your Majesty, this humble beast takes his leave!"
"Swoosh!"
Overjoyed, the Lion King called out his farewells. With a powerful flap of his amethyst wings, his body transformed into a streak of purple light and vanished into the distance, fleeing as if for his life.
The sight left Zhou Changqing's hand, which had been reaching for his storage ring to retrieve the pill, frozen in mid-air. He didn't know whether to laugh or cry.
"Your Majesty, I have to say, you are truly terrifying. The mighty overlord of the Magical Beast Mountain Range, the sixth-tier Amethyst Winged Lion King, acts like a mouse before a cat in your presence. Anyone who didn't know better would think you were some she-tiger magical beast in human form."
Thump!
"Ow!"
...
After obtaining what he came for, Zhou Changqing flew out of the Magical Beast Mountain Range with Medusa, heading directly northwest.
That was the direction of Wu Tan City.
As they flew, a glint of coldness flashed in Zhou Changqing's eyes. He stared at the mountains and scenery growing larger in the distance.
It was time to settle some old debts. He had not forgotten the factions that had ambushed him back in Wu Tan City.
Not long after, a massive city situated near the Magical Beast Mountain Range appeared in their sights.
Upon seeing the city, Zhou Changqing immediately accelerated toward it.
A few moments later, the two of them were hovering high in the sky above the city. To avoid causing a commotion, Medusa had manifested a pair of Dou Qi wings, just as she had before her evolution. She was not yet ready to reveal her breakthrough, hoping to avoid unnecessary trouble.
"What's that?"
"What?"
"Those two black dots in the sky."
"Hm?"
"Are... are those people?"
"I... I think so?"
"People with wings?"
"Idiot! Those are Dou Qi Wings!"
"Hiss! Dou Qi Wings? Does that mean they're Dou Wang experts!?"