The sky was a roiling mass of dark clouds, an oppressive sea of thunderclouds that loomed like a city under siege. Thunder rumbled, silver lightning writhed like serpents, and amidst it all, a faint golden streak flickered in and out of view.
This golden lightning coiled at the heart of the central thundercloud, surrounded by countless silver bolts that seemed to bow to it, as if it were the emperor of all lightning.
Xiao Bai's gaze occasionally caught the golden lightning bobbing within the clouds. Each glimpse sent a chill through his spiritual senses, his hair standing on end. He could feel it—the essence of this golden lightning was extraordinarily potent.
What is that? Xiao Bai racked his brain. In the Dou Qi Continent, golden lightning brought to mind the Nine Mysterious Golden Thunder, but what else could it be? Yet, the Nine Mysterious Golden Thunder was a phenomenon tied to ninth-grade golden pills. How could Medusa, evolving into a Dou Zong, possibly summon such a thing?
No time to dwell. The thundercloud above was poised to strike.
Whatever it was, his spiritual senses weren't wrong—this lightning was formidable!
___
On the small island, amid a sea of fire, within the charred remains of a purple serpent, a seven-colored glow pulsed.
Medusa, sensing her transformation and thrilled by the changes in her bloodline, was suddenly confronted by another soul emerging from the void of her new body.
The moment this soul appeared, it sensed Medusa's consciousness and immediately vied for control of the body. The two souls clashed fiercely, each striving to overpower the other.
Medusa could tell this was the soul of a nascent entity—weak, yet its essence surpassed her own. Her soul, already frail and in the midst of transformation, was no match. As she faltered, the opposing soul abruptly paused.
Puzzled, Medusa considered counterattacking when a jolt shook her mind.
An overwhelming sense of danger descended, as if her new body had been targeted by something. She understood why the other soul had stopped. Both had partial control over the body, and this sensation instilled a primal fear in her soul.
Medusa realized what it was.
According to the Snake-People's records of their queens, this was a heavenly phenomenon triggered only when a queen, by rare fortune, successfully evolved, giving rise to a legendary-grade magical beast. Such a tribulation was meant to test the newborn entity.
The records claimed this tribulation wasn't overly dangerous. As long as the evolution succeeded, survival was nearly guaranteed, with the worst outcome being a temporary slumber of the soul—no threat to life.
But now, her instincts screamed otherwise. If that lightning struck, she would die! Not just her, but the other soul in this body would be obliterated as well.
The nascent soul seemed to sense it too, its vague consciousness radiating intermittent panic.
Medusa wanted to fight, but she was at her weakest—her soul in flux, her body unresponsive. Despite her regal resolve, despair crept into her heart.
"Surrender control of the body to the other consciousness and retreat your soul into the seal. I'll lend you my strength!"
A man's voice echoed in her soul. Medusa froze, then nodded instinctively before realizing she was just a consciousness—he couldn't see her.
"Good!" she sent back through a soul fluctuation. With no other choice, Xiao Bai's plan was her only hope for survival.
As Medusa's soul withdrew fully into the seal, Xiao Bai approached the purple serpent's body. With a wave, he recalled the strange fire into its lotus platform, stowing it in his storage ring.
Then, he poured every ounce of his soul force into reinforcing the seal. He wasn't sure if it would work, but it was all he could do. His face grew paler as his soul force surged into the seal, the energy above growing increasingly volatile.
He knew he couldn't continue, or the lightning would engulf him too.
"You haven't fulfilled our deal yet! If you dare die, I'll destroy everything you swore to protect!" Xiao Bai growled menacingly before retreating swiftly to the lake's shore.
Medusa sensed the pale, stumbling figure retreating. A flicker of something unreadable passed through her eyes, but she dismissed his words. If she died, she wouldn't care what happened next. Besides, his tone lacked true malice—it felt more like a petulant bluff.
Boom!
A colossal silver lightning pillar, roughly ten meters wide, descended with a faint golden streak within, as if to pierce the heavens and earth, carrying a force that extinguished life itself.
Roar!
Suddenly, an enormous seven-colored serpent phantom surged upward, defiantly roaring at the lightning. Its massive maw opened, forming a vortex as if to swallow the sky itself.
Boom!
The lightning struck like divine punishment, the serpent phantom rising as if to defy the heavens. The collision unleashed a terrifying shockwave, invisible air currents sweeping outward.
At the impact's core, blinding light forced Xiao Bai to squint. The seven-colored serpent held for a moment before the lightning pierced it, a despairing wail echoing as it dissipated.
The lightning slammed into the island, molten thunder spilling out, flooding the lake. The water evaporated instantly, shrouding the area in white mist laced with crackling arcs.
Xiao Bai frowned, desperate to know the outcome, but the mist obscured his view. He considered probing with his soul force, only to wince as a sharp pain reminded him his soul force was nearly depleted.
With no choice, despite his anxiety, he sat cross-legged by the shore, recovering his soul force while waiting. Without it, venturing in would be pointless—he'd see nothing.
Still, he wondered why the Snake-People's holy city, despite such chaos, showed no reaction from their grand elders. What was going on?
___
Half an hour later, the mist cleared, revealing a vast, scorched crater where the lake had been. Jagged arcs of lightning danced within, the air thick with blistering heat.
At the crater's center, a single cyan glow hovered—Xiao Yi. Nothing else remained.
Xiao Bai approached Xiao Yi, staring at it in a daze. A wave of sorrow surged within him.
Dead?
How could she just die?
Xiao Yi seemed to sense his mood. Its cyan lightning flared, one bolt striking a small protrusion on the ground below. A charred fragment cracked, revealing a glint of gold.
A rush of exhilaration hit Xiao Bai. He crouched, hands scraping away the blackened surface, the golden glow intensifying.
When he finally extracted the object and held it up, he gaped, dumbfounded.
What is this thing?