"The Heavenly Flame is on the island in the middle of the lake. Do as you wish."
After a moment of silence, Queen Medusa spoke slowly, suppressing the fury within her and choosing to yield.
Hearing this, Gu He glanced at her with amusement before vanishing from the hall in an instant, using the So Far Away movement dou technique.
"Your Majesty, are we just going to let him take the Heavenly Flame?"
After Gu He left, the First Elder emerged, her voice laced with indignation.
"That man's strength is unfathomable. As I am now, I am no match for him."
Recalling the method Gu He had used to depart, Queen Medusa felt a chill in her heart.
Gu He's techniques were bizarre, and she had no confidence in facing him. More importantly, she dared not gamble—if she lost, the entire Snake People race might perish with her.
The First Elder fell silent, remembering how she had forcibly raised her strength to that of a Four-Star Ancestor using the Snake Spirit Orb, only to be effortlessly swatted away by Gu He's palm.
A moment later, Gu He reappeared in the hall, having successfully captured the Green Lotus Core Flame.
"First Elder, your injuries healed quite quickly. How commendable." Gu He smirked, his tone mocking.
"You—!"
The First Elder's rage flared, but remembering his opponent's overwhelming power, she could only suppress it with a cold snort.
"My business here is done. I shall take my leave now."
Gu He turned to Queen Medusa with a faint smile.
"Queen Medusa, that was a wise decision. Also, do not forget the sixty sixth-tier herbs you owe me. In three months, I will return to collect."
Queen Medusa's eyes turned icy. "Rest assured, I do not break my promises."
"Excellent. Farewell, then." With a cheerful laugh, Gu He vanished once more.
"One day, I will repay every ounce of humiliation you've dealt me."
Only after sensing Gu He's aura completely fade did Queen Medusa release the frigid energy swirling around her, her voice dripping with quiet fury.
…
On the vast Loess Avenue, a group of about a hundred riders galloped toward a distant fortress, their raucous shouts filling the air.
Judging by their matching attire, they belonged to the same mercenary group—a mid-sized force by the Jia Ma Empire's standards.
Due to its proximity to the border, the suppressed Ghost Pass thrived on chaos, attracting mercenaries who preferred the dangers of war over safer beast-hunting contracts.
These war mercenaries fought for the highest bidder, reaping immense rewards—but at the cost of staggering risks. On the battlefield, even a hundred-strong group could be wiped out in an instant.
A few hundred miles east of the fortress, past scattered small nations and tribes, lay a region infamous across the continent—the Black Corner Region.
The Black Corner Region's unique geography made it the most chaotic land on the continent.
Fugitive powerhouses from countless nations gathered here, establishing brutal, survival-of-the-fittest rules. It was a melting pot of races, a microcosm of the continent itself.
Here, there were no laws—only the law of the jungle. The strong devoured the weak, and the weak had no rights.
It was a place of absolute freedom—where one could rape a woman in broad daylight without consequence. Of course, the caveat was choosing the wrong target could mean a gruesome end.
In the Black Corner Region, women who survived were often more terrifying than men.
The region also served as the continent's largest intelligence hub. Countless secrets flowed in and out daily.
For those seeking fame, the Black Corner Region offered the fastest path—provided they had the strength to survive.
Death and opportunity walked hand in hand here. High-level dou techniques, dou qi methods, rare armor, pill cauldrons, medicinal herbs, and even top-tier pills—all could be found in abundance.
Rumor had it that two Earth-Level techniques had once surfaced here.
But everything came at a price—whether in gold, treasures, or blood.
Humans, by nature, were drawn to darkness and chaos.
Despite the dangers, countless still flooded into the Black Corner Region—some seeking shortcuts to fame, others chasing power, wealth, or rare treasures.
Their ceaseless influx kept the region alive with a twisted vitality.
Yet, in a twist of irony, at the heart of this lawless land stood Jia Nan Academy, one of the most prestigious institutions on the Dou Qi Continent.
The area surrounding the academy was an oasis of peace. Anyone who dared disturb its tranquility would soon find themselves hanging from the Dead Soul Tree at the border—a grim warning that had held true for decades.
It was said the tree had once borne the corpses of two Dou Kings and even a Dou Emperor.
On the vast plains, a colossal beast advanced without restraint.
"Finally, we've arrived."
Perched atop the Hei Lin, Gu He extended his soul force, surveying the scene ahead. A faint smile curled his lips.
…
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