What Must Come Will Come

The Lancang Desert.

Under the blazing sun, even the air above the desert seemed slightly distorted by the heat. Yet on such a scorching day, Ye Xiaoxi felt a chill run through her body, leaving her trembling from head to toe.

Because standing before her was none other than—

Queen Medusa, the youngest queen in the history of the Snake-People, the wife of the greatest prodigy the world had ever seen, and Ye Xiaoxi’s own birth mother.

She wore a red robe, and her face was as cold as frost.

Queen Medusa’s gaze swept across the wasteland. Everything that had happened inside the cave had also fallen within the scope of her spiritual sense.

Even someone as experienced as her couldn’t help narrowing her pupils slightly at the sight of the person’s miserable condition inside the cave. Then her gaze returned to Ye Xiaoxi’s anxious little face.

Only then did Queen Medusa speak in an indifferent tone, impossible to tell whether she was pleased or angry.

“Not long since we last saw each other, and you’ve already grown so capable? You even know how to borrow someone else’s hand to kill now.”

“Th-That’s because you taught me so well, Mother…”

Ye Xiaoxi nervously clasped her little hands together. Then she looked up at Queen Medusa with a bright, ingratiating smile, hoping to get away with acting cute.

“I taught you?”

Queen Medusa let out a cold laugh. She slowly bent down and leaned toward Ye Xiaoxi.

“When did I ever teach you any of this? Ye Xiaoxi, I’m beginning to realize that you’re becoming more and more impressive. You’re skilled at everything from escaping prison to lying.”

At this, Ye Xiaoxi shrank her neck and whispered, “You can’t blame me for that…”

“Who told you to keep me locked up at home every day? The whole clan is surrounded by nothing but yellow sand. What’s so interesting about that? If I keep looking at it, I’ll turn into sand myself.”

Queen Medusa narrowed her eyes slightly.

“So that’s your excuse for sneaking out all by yourself?”

“Do you think you’ve grown strong enough to spread your wings?”

“That’s just the truth…”

Ye Xiaoxi instinctively argued back. “I’m already at the Void Refinement Realm. Even Grandpa Bing isn’t my match anymore. What do I have to be afraid of? I’m very strong!”

“Look!”

She pointed at Mo Yong’s corpse beneath her feet, her face full of pride.

“When bad people came looking for trouble, I dealt with them all by myself!”

“Doesn’t that prove how capable I am?”

She puffed out her chest. Instead of feeling ashamed, she looked like a victorious general.

That was right!

She was the great hero here. What did she have to fear?

“…”

Seeing that she had no intention of repenting, Queen Medusa’s expression darkened. She gritted her teeth.

“Ye! Xia!oxi!”

“Are you very pleased with yourself? You look exactly like that damned father of yours. You both think you’re invincible and act as though nothing matters. But when you finally run into someone truly powerful, you end up like a stray dog, kicked to death by someone!”

“Do you want to become someone like that?”

“I do!”

Her rebellious nature flared up at once. Ye Xiaoxi stuck out her chin and shouted, “Of course I do! Even if I’m kicked to death, that’s still better than hiding from everyone and living a dull, colorless life every day!”

“You’re always saying Father was kicked to death by someone.”

“Then tell me!”

“Who kicked Father to death? I’ll go avenge him!”

She glared at Queen Medusa with her watery eyes, which now shimmered with tears.

“All the other children in the clan have fathers. I’m the only one who doesn’t. And you talk badly about Father every day. Was he really that useless? Did you really dislike him that much? If so, why did you marry him? Why did you give birth to Xiaoxi?”

“You’re a big liar, Mother!”

Unable to control her emotions any longer, she shouted the words out. Her little face flushed red, her chest rose and fell rapidly, and she stubbornly stared straight at Queen Medusa.

Queen Medusa clearly hadn’t expected Ye Xiaoxi to explode like this.

But she quickly regained her composure. With a forceful sweep of her sleeve, she said coldly, “What does a little brat like you know? Do you understand what kind of enemy we’re facing?”

“You can’t possibly win!”

“Come back with me. As punishment, you’ll copy the clan rules three thousand times. You’re not allowed to leave until you finish.”

With that, she waved her sleeve.

Her red sleeve swept through the air, wrapping around Ye Xiaoxi and lifting her into the sky before carrying her toward the Snake-People’s territory.

“Let go of me! Let go!”

Ye Xiaoxi struggled continuously in midair, shouting, “You stinky mother! You awful mother! I will never surrender! Birds aren’t meant to be imprisoned forever, because every feather on their bodies shines with the light of freedom!”

“Xiaoxi, give it a rest.”

Danxia, who was inside the ring, couldn’t help speaking up to persuade her.

“Your mother is doing this for your own good. Once you grow older, you’ll understand her difficulties.”

“Hmph!”

Ye Xiaoxi curled her lips disdainfully.

“When she reaches my age, she’ll understand my difficulties.”

Danxia: “…”

Seeing her own child behaving like this, it was impossible for her not to feel heartache.

But she also knew very well that Queen Medusa was right. The Mo Clan was not someone they could afford to provoke at present.

Xiaoxi was still young and knew nothing of the world’s dangers.

She didn’t understand what an immortal bloodline was, nor what it meant to possess the bearing of a great clan.

Their enemies were not merely one family.

There were six of them!

While the two of them were talking, they had already arrived at the Snake-People’s territory.

In the middle of the golden desert stood a modest city. Queen Medusa slowly descended and tossed Ye Xiaoxi toward Bai Ling, who had come to greet her.

With a cold expression, she ordered, “Lock her up and keep a close eye on her. Don’t give her any food. Let her out only after she admits her mistake!”

“Uh…”

Bai Ling looked at Queen Medusa awkwardly. She wanted to say something, but seeing that the queen was clearly furious, she decided not to provoke her.

“Yes, Your Majesty!”

“Hmph! I don’t care if I don’t get to eat!”

Bound tightly, Ye Xiaoxi stuck her tongue out at Queen Medusa.

“This was your fault in the first place!”

Queen Medusa had already turned her back to Ye Xiaoxi.

She didn’t respond, even after Xiaoxi had completely disappeared from sight.

“Why are you so angry, Your Majesty?”

Just then, an old man wearing an ice-blue robe slowly approached with a kindly smile.

“Did Xiaoxi make you angry again?”

“That isn’t important.”

Queen Medusa turned around and looked at Bingxuanzi.

“They’ve arrived.”

“Who?”

“The Mo Clan.”

Bingxuanzi’s expression changed slightly upon hearing this.

Queen Medusa said nothing more. She turned around and calmly ordered, “Spread the word. The entire clan is to leave immediately. Take nothing with you. This place is no longer safe.”

“As for Ye Xiaoxi…”

“Arrange a separate camel cart for her. Provide only three meals a day, and don’t allow anyone to speak with her.”

After hearing this, Bingxuanzi understood the urgency of the situation. He immediately turned and began making arrangements for the clan’s migration.

Before long, the Snake-People had gathered their belongings.

Ye Xiaoxi was placed alone in a camel cart. Just as Queen Medusa had ordered, it was meant to teach her a lesson.

…

The group quickly set off toward the edge of the Lancang Desert.

However, just as they reached the desert’s border, the space in the distance suddenly rippled.

Two young men dressed in dark robes appeared in midair, blocking the Snake-People’s path. With faint smiles on their faces, they said,

“Everyone, where do you think you’re going?”