"Hai Bodong, let's go!"
Xiao Li emerged from the forbidden area, signaling to Hai Bodong to retreat.
Many strong individuals of the Snake-People Tribe discovered them and chased after them to intercept.
"Hmph, besides Medusa, how dare you few minor Snake-People chase this old man?"
Hai Bodong snorted coldly, his palm swirling downwards.
"Profound Ice Dragon Soar!"
A giant ice dragon materialized in the air, roaring and sending all the pursuers flying.
He might not be able to defeat Queen Medusa, but could he not defeat these minor Great Dou Shi and Battle Masters?
It was simply too easy!
However, the Snake-People Tribe's pursuers were endless.
Yun Yun and the others had all retreated, leaving only the two of them.
Adding to that the commotion from Medusa's evolution just now, which in the eyes of the Snake-People Tribe seemed like a failed evolution.
Coincidentally, Xiao Li and his group had emerged from the forbidden area where Medusa was, so they naturally assumed Xiao Li had sabotaged Medusa's evolution.
They had nowhere to vent their anger, so how could they easily let them go?!
"Xiao Li, you go first, I'll help you hold them off and also see how strong the current Snake-People Tribe powerhouses are," Hai Bodong said heroically.
Now that Medusa's evolution had failed, he naturally had the confidence to show off here.
Xiao Li shrugged: "Suit yourself."
With that, he left first, leaving Hai Bodong alone to intercept the Snake-People Tribe's powerhouses.
With Medusa absent, indeed no one could threaten Hai Bodong... Xiao Li flew away from the Snake-People Tribe.
He hadn't flown far when a black-robed figure suddenly appeared in front of him.
It was Yun Yun, who had been with Gu He!
However, only Yun Yun was present; Gu He and the others were nowhere to be seen.
It seemed Yun Yun was waiting for him.
"Did you get the Heavenly Flame?" Yun Yun stood in mid-air, her tone carrying a hint of questioning and deliberate concealment.
"Yes, your goal was also the Heavenly Flame, right? So, do you want to snatch it?" Xiao Li teased.
He didn't believe Yun Yun would actually make a move.
"I just wanted to confirm if someone could truly obtain the Heavenly Flame from Queen Medusa. As for other matters, I don't care."
In truth, Yun Yun just wanted to confirm Xiao Li's safety.
When she discovered Xiao Li in front of the Snake-People Tribe's royal city, she was very surprised, not expecting to encounter him here.
But due to the current situation and their identities, she couldn't reveal her true identity.
She was simply too worried about Xiao Li's safety, which was why she waited here.
Since he was fine, there was no need for her to stay.
"Since you're safe, I'll take my leave."
Yun Yun turned to leave.
A large hand, however, wrapped around her waist. With just a slight pull, she fell into Xiao Li's embrace.
"What, after such a rare meeting, you don't even want me to see your true face?" Xiao Li looked at her face, hidden by a veil.
Those autumn-water eyes now flickered like a startled kitten.
"You..."
"What about me?"
Looking at his handsome face, a hint of helplessness flashed in Yun Yun's eyes.
She raised her hand and untied her veil, revealing a flawless face.
However, her expression carried a touch of helplessness: "How did you know it was me?"
"If I can't even recognize my own woman, I might as well die."
"Who's your woman... Don't talk nonsense."
Yun Yun chided softly, trying to push Xiao Li away, but instead, she was hugged even tighter.
Xiao Li held her slender waist tightly, their bodies pressed together, feeling each other's breath.
"Yun'er, it's been so long since we last met, did you miss me?"
"N-no, I didn't miss you at all." Yun Yun slightly turned her face away, trying to maintain the noble demeanor of the Sect Master of Yunlan Sect.
"Really? I don't believe it. I need to verify it myself."
Xiao Li smiled charmingly, lowering his head and pressing his lips against the woman's soft ones.
Her soft lips, like summer lychees, were sweet to the core, making one's heart feel cloying.
"Mmm..."
Yun Yun only struggled symbolically for a moment, her body gradually softening.
Feeling her change, Xiao Li revealed a triumphant smile: "See, I knew you missed me too."
With her thoughts exposed, Yun Yun became angry and embarrassed, quickly pushing Xiao Li away with force, then turning her back to him, softly huffing, "Hmph, don't be so smug."
She, of course, couldn't admit that she missed Xiao Li.
When they parted ways in the Magical Beast Mountain Range, she herself had said there would be no more contact.
If she were to admit missing Xiao Li now, wouldn't that make her lose face?
"Weren't you in the Magical Beast Mountain Range back then? How did you suddenly appear here?"
The Magical Beast Mountain Range and the Tagor Desert are practically at opposite ends of the Jia Ma Empire. How could an ordinary person travel such a vast distance to get here?
"I'm here for training, to get stronger sooner, and then go to Yunlan Sect to find you. I didn't expect to meet you here."
"It seems my decision to come to the Tagor Desert this time was a wise one," Xiao Li said with a smile.
"What's so wise about it!" Yun Yun turned back, fuming, to scold him.
"You, a mere Battle Master, dared to trespass into the Snake-People Tribe to snatch a Heavenly Flame? If you encountered danger, even if you possess a secret technique to temporarily boost your power, you wouldn't be a match for all the Snake-People Tribe's powerhouses!"
She didn't know how this guy could be so bold.
Thankfully, nothing happened. If something had happened... she didn't know what she would do.
"I'm fine now, aren't I? Don't you know my strength? Even if I confronted Queen Medusa directly, I wouldn't panic at all."
His Dou Zong experience card hadn't even been used up yet.
"You're just showing off." Yun Yun's expression was a little angry.
Why didn't this guy understand that she was worried about him?
"Alright, alright, next time I won't show off." Xiao Li quickly gave in.
"Yun'er, we haven't seen each other for a long time. Why don't you not rush back to Yunlan Sect?"
He grabbed Yun Yun's hand, trying to keep her.
Yun Yun hesitated.
Just then, Hai Bodong had retreated unscathed from the Snake-People Tribe's side and was flying rapidly towards them.
Yun Yun quickly shook off Xiao Li's hand, then put on her veil, not forgetting to glare at Xiao Li, and whispered, "Don't expose my identity!"
If others knew that she, the esteemed Sect Master of Yunlan Sect, was entangled with a man here, what kind of decorum would that be?
"Then..."
"Xiao Li, I'll wait for you at Yunlan Sect."
She looked at Xiao Li, her gaze as gentle as water, filled with deep affection.
Xiao Li swallowed the words that were on the tip of his tongue and instead nodded: "Okay."
Then, Yun Yun turned and flew away.
Hai Bodong just caught up, looking at her departing back, somewhat curious: "That person is the Dou Huang who was with Gu He, right? Did you two fight?"
"No, we know each other, just chatted for a bit."
"You know each other?" Hai Bodong was a little surprised.
That was a Dou Huang, and Xiao Li actually knew a Dou Huang?
However, judging by his ability to produce sixth-grade pills, it didn't seem so surprising for a Sixth-Grade Alchemist to know a Dou Huang.
"Let's go, back to Stone Desert City."
...