As he gazed upon the old man encased in a layer of ice emitting an eerie, ghostly white glow, Xiao Yan heaved a small sigh of relief. He gave the old man a slightly apologetic shrug before turning to leave. “Young man, I truly underestimated you,” just as Xiao Yan was about to turn away, a slightly weary voice emerged from within the ice.
Xiao Yan paused momentarily, turning his head to look at the old man slowly opening his eyes through the ice, but his heart didn’t waver, for he knew that with the old man’s current strength, it would be impossible to break through the barrier set by the Pharmacist Elder. Sighing, Xiao Yan gave a wry smile: “Sir, I told you before that I have no intention of being your enemy, but this thing is very important to me, so…”
“Haha, I never expected that after over twenty years in seclusion, I would be made so utterly ridiculous by a mere youngster today. It is quite sad indeed,” the old man’s voice carried a touch of melancholy. But then, in a sudden shift, he stared out through the ice, locking eyes with Xiao Yan, and asked coolly, “Is this fragment really that important to you, young man?”
Xiao Yan fell silent for a moment before nodding slightly.
“Heh heh,” the old man chuckled, a strange glint in his eyes.
Frowning, Xiao Yan ignored him and turned to walk towards the door.
“Back then, when I obtained this map fragment in the desert, I used my experience in mapmaking to split it perfectly into two pieces. One of them, you took earlier, and the other one… heh heh,” the old man sneered.
Xiao Yan paused again, his back to the old man. He flicked his finger over his Nalan Ring, and the map fragment quickly appeared in his hand. Upon closer inspection, he confirmed that the area covered by this fragment was nearly half of what he had previously found in the mountain cave.
Gripping the fragment, Xiao Yan’s face darkened. The realization that he had expended so much effort for only half a map fragment was deeply frustrating.
Taking a deep breath, Xiao Yan carefully stowed the fragment back into his ring, slowly turning around to look coldly at the old man. “You didn’t need to reveal this secret, and you know I wouldn’t take your life. But now that you’ve spoken, are you trying to force my hand?”
“Heh heh, young man, don’t threaten me with death. I’ve lived more than half my life and faced all kinds of storms. When I was wreaking havoc in the Jia Ma Empire, you weren’t even born! Do you think I would be scared of your little threats? Besides, if I die, you’ll never get the other fragment. Without it, you won’t find the treasure, even if you manage to piece together the map.”
Xiao Yan’s eyes narrowed, a faint chill flashing through them. Taking a deep breath, he clenched his fist slightly. “Alright, what do you want? You revealed this secret, so it can’t be just to provoke me, right?”
“Young man, your mental fortitude is indeed impressive. I wonder who nurtured such a prodigy. Even if I can’t say much now, I can assure you that in ten years, you might stand at the pinnacle of the Jia Ma Empire,” the old man mused, looking at Xiao Yan’s calm demeanor.
Ignoring the high praise, Xiao Yan raised an eyebrow, “What do you want to exchange the other fragment for?”
“Can you release me from the ice? Of course, if you’re not afraid of a counterattack,” the old man laughed.
Xiao Yan fixed his gaze on the old man, then slowly closed his eyes before reopening them. Stepping forward, he placed his hand gently on the ice, his palm trembling as a sliver of bone-white flame penetrated and began to rapidly dissolve the ice.
“I can bind you once, and I can do it again. So, no tricks, or next time, it will be your blood that turns to ice,” Xiao Yan said as he shattered the ice with a wave of his hand. His dark eyes grew deep and ancient.
With the ice gone, Xiao Yan tilted his head back, the depth and age in his eyes fading as he looked down at the shivering old man. “Talk.”
“Such a terrifying cold flame. If I’m not mistaken, that must be a magical Heavenly Fire, right?” the old man asked, his face pale and quivering.
Xiao Yan lifted his eyes, neither confirming nor denying. Seeing this, a hint of joy flashed across the old man’s eyes, but it quickly faded. “You know, I am a Battle Emperor, right?”
“Mm.” Xiao Yan nodded.
“Do you know who I am?” the old man asked again.
“No.” Xiao Yan shook his head.
The old man sighed, a mix of frustration and pride on his face. “My name is Hai Bo Dong. Perhaps you haven’t heard of it, but another title of mine, you should know: Ice Emperor!”
Hearing the words “Ice Emperor,” Xiao Yan was taken aback, his expression changing as he scrutinized the old man. Though he had been holed up in Wu Tan City, he was familiar with the legendary figure of the Ice Emperor.
Once one of the ten strongest in the Jia Ma Empire, Hai Bo Dong was known for his icy arrogance and exceptional skill with ice-based Qi. He once froze an entire city in anger. Among the ten, he was one of the few Battle Emperors. He fought the previous Cloud Mist Sect Leader atop Yun Lai Mountain, narrowly losing. At a major battle between the Jia Ma and Yuun Empires, he single-handedly fought a Battle Emperor and a Dou Wang to a standstill, stunning all present. Afterward, he vanished from public sight until now, becoming a legend to the older generation.
Xiao Yan was shocked that this unremarkable old man was the infamous Ice Emperor. “Heh, I’m glad my name still carries weight. You’ve heard of me…”
Taking a deep breath, Xiao Yan sighed, “It is indeed surprising. The legendary Battle Emperor is now a map seller in the desert.”
“How did you end up like this? Your strength seemed to be only that of a Dou Ling,” Xiao Yan asked curiously.
Hai Bo Dong nodded, a bitter smile on his face. “After that major battle, I went to the Tager Desert and found the map fragment. But it attracted the attention of the Medusa Queen, one of the top Battle Emperors. I lost, and though I escaped, she placed a snake seal on me, aging me and capping my strength at Dou Ling.”
“For years, I’ve studied the map fragment here, hoping to find something to break the seal, but with only a small part of the map, it’s impossible.”
“Do you want me to break the seal for you?” Xiao Yan asked, narrowing his eyes.
“Yes.”
“Uh… you overestimate me. I can’t do that,” Xiao Yan laughed, shaking his head.
“In the last few decades, I found a formula to break the seal. With the right medicinal pill, I can regain my strength,” Hai Bo Dong said gravely.
“…I think you should seek Dan Wang Gu He. He’s unmatched in alchemy here. I’m just a second-grade alchemist,” Xiao Yan shrugged, helpless.
“He can’t do it,” Hai Bo Dong sighed. “To make this pill, the alchemist must have Heavenly Fire… which Gu He lacks.”
“Oh?” Xiao Yan was intrigued. What kind of pill required such strict conditions?
“Originally, I wouldn’t tell you about the other fragment, but your bone-white flame changed my mind. If you can make the pill, I’ll give you the fragment and owe you a favor—a favor from a Battle Emperor,” Hai Bo Dong said firmly.
Xiao Yan hesitated. “What grade is the pill?”
“Sixth-grade,” Hai Bo Dong grinned.
Xiao Yan rolled his eyes. “Even with Heavenly Fire, I’m only a second-grade alchemist. How can I make a sixth-grade pill?”
“I believe your strength isn’t what it seems,” Hai Bo Dong replied slyly.
Sighing, Xiao Yan mentally consulted the Pharmacist Elder: “Teacher, what do you think?”
“We must get the map fragment related to the Purifying Lotus Demonic Flame. It’s crucial for your future,” the elder responded.
“So, you think I should agree?”
“Yes, agree. A Battle Emperor’s favor is worth it.”
“But I worry he might try to take back the fragment once he recovers…”
“Don’t worry, with me, he won’t get it back. Plus, we can always take precautions during the pill-making process,” the elder reassured him.
Relieved, Xiao Yan looked at the hopeful Hai Bo Dong and smiled, “Okay, I’ll help you!”
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