Hai Bodong

In the southeast of Desert City, there was a street lined entirely with map shops. Crowds came and went, bustling and noisy.

At the end of the left side of the street stood a map shop named "Ancient Map." It was quiet here, but not deserted. Only two or three people came and went.

These people seemed to share an unspoken understanding. They did not speak to one another. They picked out their maps, left their gold coins, and walked out of the shop without saying a word throughout the entire process.

When Lu Bu arrived, there happened to be no one in the shop. Only a white-haired old man was inside, drawing a map. He was fully absorbed and paid no attention to Lu Bu's arrival.

Lu Bu carefully examined the white-haired old man drawing the map.

One of the Jia Ma Empire's ten greatest experts, the Ice Emperor Hai Bodong. His hair was white, his face aged, and a scar ran straight down his old face from his forehead to his chin. It looked horrifying and gave off a fierce air.

Logically speaking, anyone could tell at a glance that such a person was no good. The experts in the city should have kept a close eye on him. What if this old fellow had been a murderer years ago?

Yet with Lu Bu's senses, he could not detect a single person watching him. Perhaps the law enforcers and experts of Desert City were all blind.

Come to think of it... Lu Bu's heart stirred. Some of the medicinal ingredients he had robbed from Gute could make up half a set of ingredients for a Revival Purple Pill—and they were among the rarest ingredients required for it.

With a little more gathering, it did not seem difficult to assemble a full set of ingredients for a Revival Purple Pill.

Lu Bu looked around, then walked straight to an ancient wooden rack. A large pile of yellowed maps was stacked on it.

"Are you buying a map?" Hai Bodong raised his head and asked Lu Bu blandly with his cloudy old eyes. Yet a flicker of surprise flashed through his gaze. This kid's looks were no worse than his own in his youth!

"Those are all discarded maps. Look elsewhere."

Lu Bu's face twitched. I remember that in the original story, he could barely be bothered with Xiao Yan. Why is he so attentive toward me?

Lu Bu moved his hand, grabbed a yellowed, tattered map from the wooden rack, and chuckled. "No, I've already found what I want."

Hai Bodong's pupils suddenly contracted. A chill slowly rose from the feather pen in his hand. "You... you recognize this map?"

Hai Bodong's voice trembled slightly. His Adam's apple bobbed as he widened his eyes at Lu Bu.

"I know a little about it," Lu Bu said with a smile.

"Could you tell this old man about it?" Hai Bodong slowly set down his quill and asked blandly.

"Everything in this world is an equal exchange." Lu Bu smiled, waved the fragment in his hand, and stored it in his Ring. "What does sir intend to use in exchange for that information?"

Lu Bu's actions made Hai Bodong's face turn completely gloomy. This brat simply had no regard for him!

"You're right..." Hai Bodong let his hands hang at his sides, malice flashing in his eyes as white Dou Qi began to rise from his hands. A cold and ferocious aura suddenly erupted from his body.

"Everything is an equal exchange. That information... will be exchanged for your life!"

Bang!

The moment Hai Bodong finished speaking, the front door slammed shut, instantly sealing the entire shop.

Lu Bu: "..."

See that? He started it. Beating up an old man can't be blamed on me.

A violent gust suddenly swept past, and in an instant, Hai Bodong vanished from where he stood.

Before the wind had even died down, a withered palm wreathed in bone-white chill appeared like lightning before Lu Bu, reaching for his throat.

Before it even touched him, the biting cold raised a layer of goosebumps on Lu Bu's skin. Hai Bodong's expression remained indifferent. Even if he was sealed, dealing with a First Grade Alchemist should still be effortless... right...?

A trace of confusion appeared on Hai Bodong's impassive face. His fingers had grabbed Lu Bu's body, but... it felt as though he had grabbed empty air.

An afterimage!!

Hai Bodong reacted instantly, his face filling with shock!

How was that possible? His speed was actually that fast?

At that moment, a fierce wind exploded beside his ear. The corner of his eye caught a streak of purple light, and scorching heat rushed at his face.

"How...?!" Hai Bodong's pupils shrank to pinpoints. The next second...

Boom!

An utterly ordinary fist shot out like a cannonball and smashed hard into Hai Bodong's face.

White smoke instantly burst outward. Hai Bodong spun through the air before slamming into the base of the wall with a wet smack. His aged face was red and swollen, a fist mark clearly imprinted upon it.

Lu Bu shook his hand, looking somewhat surprised. This old man's face was really hard.

With a swish, Hai Bodong sprang to his feet like lightning. His expressionless face was solemn, his bearing imposing, like a reclusive master... if one ignored the bright-red fist mark on his face.

"Kid, what tremendous physical strength!" Hai Bodong wiped the corner of his mouth and said in a deep voice. Caught off guard by that punch, he had been completely unable to defend himself.

Even though he was sealed, he still possessed the strength of a Peak Dou Ling. This kid... had something strange about him!

"You flatter me..." Lu Bu said with a beaming smile.

"I admit you're quite impressive, but... you're still far from enough!" Hai Bodong said blandly.

As he spoke, Hai Bodong's white hair began to stir without wind. Bone-white mist slowly spread from his hands, and an ice-blue spear formed from crystalline ice gradually appeared. A frigid aura instantly filled the room.

This opponent was troublesome. He had to go all out!

Lu Bu smiled. It seemed that unless he beat this old fellow into submission, they would not be able to have a proper conversation!

With a thought, Purple Fire slowly rose from both his hands. The demonic purple flames flickered and swayed, their scorching heat instantly dispelling the chill in the room. The sinister coldness caused by Hai Bodong's Dou Qi vanished at once.

Seeing the Purple Fire in Lu Bu's hands, Hai Bodong's gaze shifted slightly. Just who was this kid? How did he possess so many unusual abilities?

But... so what?

He regarded that map as a treasure. He would never allow anyone to take it from him!

"Kid, no matter who you are, before me, you're nothing more than a Dou Shi!"

Hai Bodong shouted coldly, stomping off the ground and taking a step forward. Cracks twisted across the bluestone floor like a spiderweb, spreading in all directions.

Hai Bodong's figure vanished in an instant, leaving behind only a faint rush of wind.

In the next breath, Hai Bodong appeared behind Lu Bu like a phantom. The sharp spearhead darted toward Lu Bu's back like a venomous snake.

Hai Bodong did not intend to kill him. He avoided Lu Bu's heart. This strike sought only to wound him severely, not take his life.

However...

Swish!

The sharp spear light pierced through Lu Bu's chest, yet Hai Bodong did not feel the resistance of piercing flesh. Instead, he felt the empty sensation of stabbing air.

That familiar feeling...

Hai Bodong's old face twitched. If he was not mistaken, that kid should appear on his right.

Bang!

A demonic flaming fist wrapped in Purple Fire smashed hard into his face, the terrifying force of the punch pouring entirely into Hai Bodong's cheek.

Lu Bu shouted as his bent arm suddenly snapped straight, the force in his arm erupting with another thirty percent of power.

Boom!

A ring of white smoke burst outward. Hai Bodong spun three full circles before crashing back into the same spot at the base of the wall, kicking up a cloud of dust.

Swish!

Hai Bodong sprang to his feet like lightning once more. The dignity of a reclusive master could not be lost—but the next second...

His eye twitched as he touched his left cheek. That side had swollen into a large lump, blood mixed with tissue fluid slowly seeping out. He looked utterly miserable.

"Kid, I admit I underestimated you..." Hai Bodong opened his mouth slightly and forced out the words, trying not to pull at the flesh on either side of his cheeks.

Lu Bu smiled brightly. It looked like they could finally talk properly.

"This old man admits he can't beat you." Hai Bodong took a deep breath and said blandly, "Take the map. This time, I concede defeat."

"Heh heh..." Lu Bu chuckled twice. With a pinch of two fingers, the Demon Saint Map appeared at his fingertips. "Senior, this map is only half of it, isn't it?"

Hai Bodong's expression changed drastically. The strange movement of his face tugged at his swollen muscles, sending waves of pain through him and making him wince.

"Hand it over, and I'll spare your life!" Lu Bu flicked his right hand. The Purple Fire disappeared, replaced by the invisible, intangible Spirit Fire.

Though the rising heatwaves could not be seen, the terrifying power contained within them could be clearly felt.

Yet as the Spirit Fire appeared, the look of readiness to fight to the death on Hai Bodong's face suddenly changed.

His swollen face revealed nothing of his intentions, but the joy in him could be clearly sensed.

Lu Bu curled his lips. Good, he had taken the bait!

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