"Everything's in hand. Let's go home."
Xiao Ting tossed the Storage Ring in his hand, then casually put it away without rushing to inspect its contents. Xun Er and the Little Fairy Doctor weren't particularly curious either. They obediently nodded.
The three exited the cave mansion and climbed back onto Xiao Lan's back.
"Can we fly straight back to Wu Tan City?" Xiao Ting asked the Little Fairy Doctor with a gentle smile. "I'll organize all our gains."
"No problem. Xiao Lan will be living in Wu Tan City with me from now on," the Little Fairy Doctor nodded slightly.
Xiao Ting sat cross-legged, took out all the Storage Rings, and transferred their contents into his own. The Little Fairy Doctor and Xun Er showed no curiosity, since Xiao Ting had already recorded the best items in his Journal.
…
[A horse doesn't get fat without night grass; a person doesn't get rich without sudden wealth. There's truth to that saying.]
[This trip's total gold, silver, and jewels are worth over a million gold coins.]
[Exotic flowers, rare herbs, and heavenly materials—enough to ask Elder Yao Lao to refine Tier 3, Tier 4, and even Tier 5 pills.]
[One dual cultivation secret technique. King Class techniques and Dou Skills are negligible. A total of twelve low-level Xuan Class techniques, seven mid-level Xuan Class, and three high-level Xuan Class.]
[Twenty low-level Xuan Class Dou Techniques, eleven mid-level Xuan Class Dou Techniques, six high-level Xuan Class Dou Techniques, and one high-level Xuan Class flying Dou Technique.]
[I already have the Earth Class Dou Technique and Qi Method gifted by Xun Er, so these gains aren't much in comparison. Still, they can greatly enrich the Xiao Family's Dou Technique and Qi Method collection.]
…
Yun Yun: !!!
There were so many Xuan Class techniques and Dou Skills—nearly matching what the Misty Cloud Sect could publicly offer.
"What? Jealous?"
A teasing, arrogant voice came from beside her. Yun Yun slightly turned her head. Her gaze landed on the figure descending from the sky.
The woman had an incomparably beautiful face, seductive enough to stir even a woman's heartstrings. Her narrow, light-purple eyes flowed with an innate, accumulated charm. She wore a long red brocade robe that wrapped around her voluptuous, perfect figure, which resembled a ripe peach. Her waterfall-like azure hair fell naturally to her slender willow waist. Most eye-catching was the purple snake tail exposed on her lower body, swaying gently and exuding wild allure.
"So it really was you who lured me here, Queen Medusa," Yun Yun said with certainty, as if she had expected everything. She casually sheathed her longsword.
Queen Medusa narrowed her eyes and seriously examined Yun Yun for the first time. "You knew this Queen would come?"
"I only guessed you might come looking for me," Yun Yun smiled elegantly on her fair and refined face. "Because even if you didn't come to me, I would have come to you. As for the reason, since you've appeared here, I assume I don't need to explain further."
"So that's how it is. You really do have one too," Queen Medusa slightly raised her chin, her expression unreadable. "You said you would come find this Queen to confirm the truth?"
"No, confirmation doesn't require finding this Queen. If this Queen were different from you, you would have to pay a price. You want to find this Queen—it must be related to the plane's blessing."
"You can't hide it from the Queen's eyes," Yun Yun thought, surprised by how sharp Medusa was. She had assumed the queen preferred to speak with force. "My sect has an inheritance that can be opened using the lives of Hall of Souls members. I want to kill three Hall of Souls Envoys. Hall of Souls Envoys are Dou Emperor powerhouses. Their outpost near the Jia Ma Empire is located within the Chu Yun Empire's territory. Going alone to the Chu Yun Empire to hunt Hall of Souls Envoys isn't realistic."
Queen Medusa suddenly understood and let out a laugh of unclear meaning. "Yun Yun, what makes you think this Queen will help you?"
"Because we are the same kind—natural allies," Yun Yun had anticipated this question and answered calmly. "Both of us have viewing rights. We can confirm that Gu Xun Er and the Little Fairy Doctor also have them and have already begun cooperating. If we go join them now, we'll always be a step behind. It would be better for the two of us to cooperate."
"Heh." Queen Medusa gently shook her head. "Yun Yun, this Queen is different from you. Putting everything else aside, just take the Purple Flame that Xiao Ting mentioned. This Queen, the Little Fairy Doctor, Xun Er, and Qing Lin all have deep connections with Purple Flame. Xiao Ting naturally feels goodwill toward us. But you are different. The Misty Cloud Sect was destroyed by Xiao Yan. You and the Xiao Family are enemies. Xiao Ting should naturally feel hostility toward you."
Yun Yun's smile froze. What Queen Medusa said was true.
"You're wrong," Yun Yun said firmly, sharing her judgment. "The Misty Cloud Sect only had some conflicts with Xiao Yan due to the three-year agreement. It hadn't escalated to a life-or-death situation. Something must have happened later to intensify the conflict between Xiao Yan and the Misty Cloud Sect, leading to that outcome. Now that I know everything in advance, I will find a way to resolve it. Queen Medusa, this does not affect our cooperation."
At this point, Yun Yun changed her tone, her voice turning seductive. "If you want to make early contact with Xiao Ting without arousing his suspicion, it's better to have someone to cooperate with than to act alone. Rather than lowering your head to join Gu Xun Er and the Little Fairy Doctor, why not cooperate with me now, with you taking the leading role?"
"You mean—you'll listen to me?" Queen Medusa's narrow, beautiful eyes brightened. If that was the case, she was no longer sleepy.
"We'll discuss things, but your opinion and decisions will take priority," Yun Yun stated clearly while leaving some room.
Queen Medusa crossed her arms and leaned in to examine her. Only after making Yun Yun feel uneasy did she speak. "Your opinion as the main one, but first you want this Queen to accompany you to the Chu Yun Empire to kill people, right?"
Yun Yun: "..."
Why did it sound like she was trying to seduce her with empty promises?
"Mutual benefit," Yun Yun said seriously. "When the Queen breaks through to Dou Ancestor, I can protect your Dao. I can also ask Pill King Gu He to refine some pills for you to recover during your tribulation."
"Now that's somewhat sincere," Queen Medusa smiled charmingly. "This Queen can engage in mutual benefit with you, but when you use Hall of Souls Protectors to obtain the inheritance, this Queen wants to observe."
Normally, Yun Yun would never agree. The Life-and-Death Gate was a forbidden ground controlled by the sect leader's lineage. But thinking of the Journal Copy and the survival of the Misty Cloud Sect, she nodded. "Alright!"
"Then let's set off now," Queen Medusa stretched lazily.
Yun Yun nodded slightly. She raised her hand to form a message imprint and sent it to the Dou King-level imperial general stationed at the northern fortress (a former Misty Cloud Sect member), informing him that she had urgent matters and would be away for some time. She would contact him if anything unexpected occurred.
After receiving a reply, Yun Yun put on a black robe and sneaked into the Chu Yun Empire together with Queen Medusa.
"Yun Yun." Medusa suddenly turned her head. "Aren't you afraid that this Queen will join forces with outsiders inside the Chu Yun Empire and kill you?"
Yun Yun's expression stiffened: !
"If you die in the Chu Yun Empire, it will have nothing to do with this Queen. Even if Xiao Ting feels something is off, he won't suspect this Queen or the existence of the Journal Copy. He will only think that this world truly is… that author that don't understand the Dou Continent and the vast sky."
Yun Yun's expression changed drastically.
Queen Medusa revealed an appreciative look.
…