With a trembling hand, Xiao Yan held the seemingly fragile and crumbling piece of paper. His eyes were filled with uncontainable joy. He had not expected to stumble upon such a mysterious and fragmented map in this incredibly random situation… Looking at the mysterious lines on the yellowed map, although Xiao Yan still could not understand their intricacies, the lines felt vaguely familiar. He had once seen a similar map in the mountain cave during his treasure hunt with Little Healer Immortal in the Magic Beast Mountains… That was the mysterious map that indicated the location of the “Evil Lotus Demon Fire,” which ranked third on the “List of Heavenly Flames.” Even Pharmacist Elder had given it a high evaluation. When he mentioned the Evil Lotus Demon Fire, Xiao Yan could sense the astonishment in his words. The fact that the great Pharmacist Elder, who once stood at the pinnacle of the Dou Qi continent, could speak so highly of the “Evil Lotus Demon Fire” was a testament to its overwhelming power. To describe it as capable of burning everything did not seem like an exaggeration.
“Click, click, what a lucky fellow. To find a map fragment with no clue here, it seems you and the Evil Lotus Demon Fire are indeed fated to meet.”
In Xiao Yan’s mind, Pharmacist Elder’s voice, tinged with disbelief, echoed. Clearly, he never expected Xiao Yan to acquire two fragments of the mysterious map within a single year.
Xiao Yan smiled, his smile tinged with excitement. Holding the mysterious map fragment carefully, he suppressed the urge to compare it with the other piece stored in Nalan Yanran’s ring. He took a deep breath, trying to calm the waves of emotion caused by this unexpected gain.
At this moment, the old man in the shop finally finished his work. However, he did not look up; his aged voice echoed indifferently in the room. “Are you here to buy a map of the Tagor Great Desert?”
Hearing the old man’s question, Xiao Yan turned around and walked slowly to the counter. With a smile, he nodded politely, “Sir, could you give me the most accurate and detailed map of the desert, please?”
“The maps are on the counter. Choose one yourself,” the old man said indifferently, without any intention of standing up. This attitude was extremely uncharacteristic of a businessman.
Seeing the old man’s peculiar demeanor, Xiao Yan was somewhat taken aback. However, since he needed help, he could only nod reluctantly. He casually picked a map that looked quite detailed and carefully unfolded the ancient map fragment in his hand. “Sir, do you have any more of these map fragments?”
At Xiao Yan’s question, the old man, who was focused on drawing the map, involuntarily trembled. The meticulously drawn lines slightly shifted. Frowning, the old man slowly raised his head, his gaze sweeping over the map fragment in Xiao Yan’s hand. A strange light flickered in his cloudy eyes.
Looking at the old face, Xiao Yan was slightly stunned. There was a terrifying scar stretching from the left cheek to the corner of the eye. Although the old man’s eyes were calm, the scar gave him a hint of concealed ferocity.
“You… have you seen this type of map fragment before?” The old man’s gaze swept over Xiao Yan’s robe, which marked him as an alchemist, and his voice carried a slight tinge of surprise.
Xiao Yan’s eyes narrowed, and he shook his head with a smile, “I once saw a map fragment like this at an auction. I bid for it, but the price went too high, so I gave up. Today, when I saw this fragment in your possession, it seemed familiar, so I wanted to ask.”
The “Evil Lotus Demon Fire” was no ordinary item. Any hermit who sought peace would be tempted by the third-ranked demonic flame on the list. Therefore, Xiao Yan was not foolish enough to reveal that he already possessed a fragment of the map.
“Oh.” The old man’s gaze swept over Xiao Yan’s face, seemingly believing his words. “No, I found this fragment by chance. Based on my years of experience in cartography, it seems to be just a part of a larger map.”
“Then, could you tell me where you found it?” Xiao Yan asked, frowning slightly.
“In the desert,” the old man replied indifferently, his tone flat and without any trace of emotion.
Xiao Yan sighed, holding the fragment, “Sir, can I buy this map fragment? I’m willing to pay a high price.”
“No,” the old man lowered his head again, immersing himself in the unfinished map. His tone was flat, but there was an unmistakable firmness in his voice.
Stunned by the refusal, Xiao Yan’s eyes narrowed. Regardless of the circumstances, he was determined to get this map fragment. Even if the old man appeared weak, or if he were a true strongman, he would use every means necessary. After all, the “Evil Lotus Demon Fire” was too tempting. Perhaps, in the future, it would play a crucial role in the evolution of his “Flame Decimation” into a Heavenly-level technique!
As thoughts swirled in Xiao Yan’s mind, he suddenly heard Pharmacist Elder’s voice: “Be careful, this old man is not ordinary.”
Startled, Xiao Yan responded, “Teacher, this old man is strange?”
“Yes, under my detection, his real strength should be at the Battle Emperor level. However, he seems to be suppressed by some kind of strange force, making his current strength equivalent to a Dou Ling. Even so, killing you would be a simple matter.”
“Battle Emperor?” Xiao Yan was shocked. “How is that possible? Among the ten strongest in the Jia Ma Empire, only three are Battle Emperors. Where did this Battle Emperor come from?”
“How should I know… But the strongmen you mentioned are just the ones known to the public. The Jia Ma Empire is a large empire, and there are many hidden strongmen who prefer not to show themselves. Some even have eccentric personalities, and selling maps at the edge of the desert is not unusual.”
Xiao Yan was speechless. After a moment, he sighed, “But why did I have to meet him?”
“Maybe it’s your good luck,” Pharmacist Elder said with a teasing smile.
“Little one, stop coveting my map. I don’t need money. Take your things and leave. And don’t think about forcing me. It won’t do you any good.”
The old man waved his hand, speaking indifferently. He didn’t seem worried about Xiao Yan running off with the fragment.
Exhaling slowly, Xiao Yan shook his head, “Indeed, I can’t force a possibly former Battle Emperor.”
“Snap!”
The ink brush in the old man’s hand suddenly broke with a crisp sound. Staring intently at the large ink stain on the map, he eventually raised his head, fixing his gaze on Xiao Yan. A faint chill began to swirl in his cloudy eyes.
“Who are you really?”
The old man lightly tapped the table, and the open door slammed shut. His sharp gaze fixed on Xiao Yan, and a powerful, cold aura radiated from him.
As the icy aura pressed down on Xiao Yan, Pharmacist Elder’s soul power enveloped him, shielding him from the oppressive force.
“Sir, don’t misunderstand. I don’t know you. I just have a unique perception of energy. I sensed your immense energy, so…”
Seeing the old man’s intense reaction, Xiao Yan shrugged, stepping back, “Sir, I have no ill intentions. I just really want this map fragment. It’s very important to me. Please make an exception. Of course, you can name your price. If I can provide it, I will not refuse.”
“Kid, I didn’t expect you to have some foundation.”
The old man, seeing Xiao Yan unaffected by his aura, was surprised.
Laughing, Xiao Yan did not reveal Pharmacist Elder. He nodded and raised the map fragment, “Sir, what do you say?”
“I’ve said, I won’t sell it to anyone. If you try to take it by force, don’t blame me for using my greater strength.”
The old man’s white hair fluttered, and icy Dou Qi surrounded him.
Xiao Yan frowned, not expecting the old man to be so stubborn. Despite not knowing the importance of the map, he still refused to sell it, which frustrated Xiao Yan.
“Sir, I must have this today. Even if you don’t agree, I’ll have to take it by force!”
His smile fading, Xiao Yan stated resolutely.
“Relying on you? I may have been in seclusion for decades, but it’s not your place to speak to me like this as a second-grade alchemist!” The old man sneered, his face twisting with mockery.
Xiao Yan stopped wasting words and dashed towards the door.
“Seeking death!”
Seeing Xiao Yan’s actions, a murderous look flashed across the old man’s face. The scar made him look even more ferocious. Stepping hard on the ground, he shot towards Xiao Yan like a bolt of lightning.
As the old man moved, icy mist spread throughout the shop, obscuring Xiao Yan’s vision.
Seeing his vision blocked, Xiao Yan’s face changed slightly. He knew he was in real trouble now.
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