Battle Through the Heaven: Purple Heaven

"Queen… Queen Medusa… she's here!" Hai Bodong stammered, sensing a stir from the seal within him. Heart lurching, he darted back into the cyan space, his voice trembling as he addressed Xiao Bai.

"So she's here," Xiao Bai replied, leisurely inspecting the forming jade knife in his hand.

He'd long braced for Queen Medusa's arrival. In this subterranean cyan space, his soul force couldn't reach far, so he wasn't surprised Hai Bodong's seal sensed her first. Odd, though. It's like the Green Lotus Core Flame's an alarm for her. She shouldn't even know it's here.

"You don't know how ruthless that woman is!" Hai Bodong, alarmed by Xiao Bai's calm, paced anxiously, babbling, "Let me put it this way—in the Tagore Desert, when a kid won't stop crying, just say 'Queen Medusa's coming,' and they hush instantly!"

Xiao Bai eyed the jittery Hai Bodong, stifling a sigh. He knew Queen Medusa, but Hai Bodong's words painted her as some ultimate demoness. "She's that scary? I doubt she'd eat me. Besides, we're underground—where do we even run?" Xiao Bai said, exasperated, at the tense old man.

This guy's usually all cool detachment, but mention that woman, and he's a wreck. How bad did she thrash him back then?

"Scared? If my cultivation weren't sealed, you think I'd fear her?" Hai Bodong bristled, like a cat with its tail stepped on.

"Then why are your legs shaking?" Xiao Bai glanced at his trembling knees.

"I-I'm… it's hot! This space is too damn hot!" Hai Bodong blustered, neck stiff.

Xiao Bai shook his head, sparing the Ice Emperor, whose body quaked but stayed defiant. "Senior, someone's here to snatch your flame," Xiao Bai said to Yao Lao in the ring, sensing Queen Medusa's proximity.

"Not mine—yours," Yao Lao shot back, unfazed, refusing the bait.

Xiao Bai blinked. What is this, a gum commercial? You old coot, playing ad lines with me? These old men were growing less reliable—one quivering, the other bantering. Can't they act like proper, dependable seniors?

"Senior's not worried the flame'll be taken?" Xiao Bai pressed. Yao Lao had panicked when the thunder seeds sipped the flame's essence, yet now he seemed detached.

"If it's taken, so be it. I've waited years—what's a few more? Shame I can't pass you that eighth-tier alchemist inheritance yet. My fault," Yao Lao said, feigning guilt, while inwardly grumbling, This brat wants me to face Queen Medusa. In my state, clashing with a peak Dou Huang risks another slumber!

Xiao Bai's calm demeanor suggested no need for worry. This kid's always secretive—probably got some trick up his sleeve. Yao Lao, a soul conserving precious energy, decided to let the youth shine. Gotta stay healthy, give the young ones a chance.

"Heh," Xiao Bai scoffed. No wonder the old fox is so chill—he's setting me up. Ignoring the old men's antics, he examined the completed jade knife, nodding in satisfaction. Not bad craftsmanship. Suddenly, his expression shifted. After a moment's thought, he stored the knife in his storage ring.

"Heavenly Flame!" A sultry yet commanding voice reverberated through the space. Ripples stirred, and a red-robed figure materialized in the cyan glow.

Xiao Bai's brow twitched at the spatial ripples. Damn, she's stronger than I expected—barely a step from Dou Zong. Looking up, he saw a luxurious red robe adorned with intricate gold-threaded patterns, exuding opulence. The woman stood, hands clasped behind her, her voluptuous figure barely concealed by the loose gown, her devilish curves breathtaking.

The flame's cyan light illuminated her enchanting face, her delicate brows carrying the regal authority of a long-reigning sovereign. Her blend of allure and majesty pushed her charisma to its peak. "A peach in bloom, radiant in splendor," Xiao Bai mused, quoting poetry in admiration.

Queen Medusa, hearing this, shifted her gaze from the Green Lotus Core Flame to Xiao Bai, her brow furrowing, puzzled by his words. "Human, this Heavenly Flame is mine," she declared, her tone calm but carrying the weight of an emperor commanding subjects.

"Heh, be my guest," Xiao Bai said, stepping aside, unruffled by her demeanor. In the novel, her yin-cold Snake-People physique clashed with the flame, and her brute-force attempt left her injured. Let's see how she handles it now. If it's like the novel, don't blame me for skipping beef—flame and woman, I'll take both!

"Then leave," Queen Medusa said, unable to gauge Xiao Bai's cultivation, a flicker of wariness in her. His compliance eased her tension. As for the sealed man nearby—Ice Emperor, was it?—a mere defeated foe. Finding the flame put her in a good mood; she'd spare him. He's with this black-robed human. If they leave, less trouble for me.

"Leave? No, no. You want the flame, I want the lotus platform—no conflict. Get to it," Xiao Bai urged, shaking his head.

"Lotus platform?" Queen Medusa glanced at the lotus, sensing its value as a flame-born treasure, possibly aiding her evolution. Her eyes cooled. Flame, mine. Platform, mine too.

"This platform is mine as well," she stated.

Reading her expression, Xiao Bai knew no compromise was possible. Fine, let's settle it by strength. "Yao Lao, get ready," he said, voice steady.

"Alright, but she's formidable. Those spatial ripples show she's a hair from Dou Zong. Be cautious," Yao Lao warned, dropping his jests. The flame was key to his revival—anyone targeting it was his enemy.