Deep within the dense forest, Chen Mo and Queen Medusa walked side by side.
Every so often, Chen Mo would bend down to pick herbs growing along the way. They had already ventured into the depths of this vast forest.
The deeper regions were home to high-ranking Magic Beasts, making it a place few dared to enter. As a result, rare medicinal herbs grew abundantly, left untouched.
Of course, Magic Beasts also fed on these herbs.
However, since most of them were merely Tier Two or Tier Three herbs, while the beasts here ranged from Rank Three to Rank Five, with even Rank Six existences present, these plants were of little significance to them.
Thus, they were left to flourish unchecked.
And now, all of them had fallen into Chen Mo's hands.
"Your Majesty, since you're just idling, why not help me pick some?" Chen Mo pointed at a fiery red herb growing near Queen Medusa.
Chen Mo was momentarily stunned. Just as he was wondering why Queen Medusa had suddenly become so agreeable, she continued:
"Then the Rank Six Darkgold Magic Tiger will be yours to deal with."
Chen Mo froze for a moment before quickly forcing a smile. "No need, no need! I wouldn't dare trouble Your Majesty. I'll pick them myself, I'll pick them myself..."
"Your Majesty, are your shoulders sore? Would you like me to massage them first?"
Queen Medusa's red lips curled into a playful smirk. "Sure."
I was just being polite.
Even so, he still reached out and began massaging her shoulders.
Queen Medusa's body was as soft as silk, making even the simple act of touching her an enjoyable experience.
But business came first.
Once Queen Medusa had her fill of relaxation, she kicked Chen Mo away, as if afraid he might try to push his luck.
Chen Mo: Really treating me like a tool, huh? Just use and discard.
He followed after her.
The Darkgold Magic Tiger was one of the dominant rulers of this forest, a Metal-element Magic Beast said to possess a trace of the White Tiger's divine bloodline.
Of course, that was just a rumor—its truth remained unknown.
As Chen Mo and Queen Medusa walked through the forest, she grew impatient with his slow pace. If it were her, she would have already dealt with the Darkgold Magic Tiger.
Chen Mo, on the other hand, insisted that leaving so many rare herbs untouched would be an absolute waste.
"Look, this is called Spirit Serpent Grass. It can be used to refine a Tier Three pill known as the Spirit Serpent Pill, which greatly benefits Snake-People in their cultivation." Chen Mo plucked a snake-shaped herb and showed it to Queen Medusa.
Her body stiffened slightly, and beneath her mask, her expression subtly changed.
Since entering the deeper part of the forest, she had realized that most of the herbs Chen Mo had been gathering were ones beneficial to Snake-People, yet she had been rushing him impatiently.
[Ding! Favorability +1. Gained 2 Favorability Coins. Critical Hit Triggered: Acquired Azure Dragon Yin-Yang Art.]
"Troublesome." Queen Medusa muttered coldly but still bent down to help Chen Mo pick herbs.
Meanwhile, upon hearing the name Azure Dragon Yin-Yang Art, Chen Mo immediately summoned it, and his expression became rather... complicated.
The name alone sounded incredibly powerful, but after understanding its contents—
It really was powerful.
It was an auxiliary dual cultivation technique. After mastering it, one could indulge in the pleasures of the night without losing vitality, absorb Yin without harming the Yang...
Damn it! Wasn't this basically a method to refine that kind of energy?
Just as Chen Mo committed the technique to memory—
His gaze sharpened as he suddenly sensed something.
From the nearby underbrush, a massive gray-brown beast shot out like an arrow.
"The Darkgold Magic Tiger."
It was a gigantic Magic Beast, its entire body covered in grayish-brown fur streaked with dark-gold patterns. Its enormous frame exuded a fearsome aura, and as it bared its fangs, sharp and bloodstained, a menacing gleam shone from them.
"A Rank Three Darkgold Magic Tiger... Not the Tiger King. Looks like we've stepped into its territory."
Queen Medusa casually tossed the Spirit Serpent Grass she had gathered to Chen Mo and spoke in an indifferent tone, showing no intention of taking action.
"Understood, I'll handle this!"
Chen Mo summoned Tian Yuan.
The Darkgold Magic Tiger was a particularly fierce and resilient Magic Beast. Its fur was as tough as iron, making it incredibly difficult to harm.
"One Sword to Divide the World!"
With a single slash, the Rank Three Darkgold Magic Tiger was cleaved in two from head to tail. It didn't even have time to let out a dying wail—its death was swift and silent.
Chen Mo knew Queen Medusa would berate him for being too slow, so he had simply used a finishing move from the start.
Walking over, he dug out the beast core with his sword.
"Such fine tiger hide, wasted just like that," Queen Medusa remarked coldly as she passed by.
He let out a dry chuckle, then stood up. The Darkgold Magic Tiger's body was full of valuable materials, so he prepared to store it in his Na Ring.
A violent surge of energy erupted in the sky, followed by a deafening tiger's roar that shook the air like rolling thunder.
Moments later, a sharp eagle's screech echoed in response.
Chen Mo's expression shifted as he fixed his gaze on the distant horizon, where a massive energy clash was taking place.
Queen Medusa, observing through her perceptive eyes, spoke lightly, "You have quite the luck—two Rank Six Magic Beasts for free."
The twilight sky was tinged with a mysterious dark purple hue, blending into the golden-red hues of the sunset.
The silhouette of a dark mountain ridge resembled the maw of a giant whale, swallowing the sun whole.
Under this setting sun, two colossal Magic Beasts hovered in midair, locked in a standoff.
To the right was an enormous Darkgold Magic Tiger, measuring nearly seven or eight meters in length. Its metallic fur gleamed under the light, its size dwarfing the one Chen Mo had just slain.
The four razor-sharp fangs protruding from its mouth were particularly eye-catching. On its massive frame, a pair of Dou Qi-formed dark-gold wings spread wide, radiating a powerful aura with each beat.
"So this is the Darkgold Magic Tiger King?" Chen Mo murmured.
Facing it was an equally enormous eagle, its entire body crimson red, surrounded by arcs of lightning. Its powerful presence was no weaker than that of the Tiger King.
"The Cang Thunder Blood Eagle!"
Chen Mo gasped. No wonder Queen Medusa had called it a free gift—these two beasts were evenly matched. If they fought, he could reap the rewards.
"The beast flame inside you... That should be the Cang Thunder Blood Eagle's Beast Flame, right?" Queen Medusa asked.
"You damn old cat! I already told you this was a misunderstanding, yet you keep provoking me. Do you really think I'm afraid of you?"
In the sky, the Darkgold Magic Tiger King suddenly roared, its voice carrying a hint of human speech.
"Hah! You devoured my child, and you think a mere 'misunderstanding' will settle this? Either you die today, or I do!"
The Cang Thunder Blood Eagle screeched, spitting a jet of crimson flames toward the Tiger King.
"Hmph! You damn old bird! I've had enough of you. Since you want to die, I'll skin you alive today!"
The Darkgold Magic Tiger King roared, its voice echoing across the mountains.
A battle was about to break out.
"...So the Cang Thunder Blood Eagle is female?" Chen Mo muttered.
Queen Medusa remained silent, waiting for them to wear each other down.
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