Seeking Death, Breaking the Seal for a Transaction!

"Woo!"

The scar-faced burly man let out a sharp whistle, pointing toward the surroundings for the other mercenaries:

"Tsk, in this godforsaken place, there's still a gem like this?"

"That little lady's waist is damn thin."

"If I could spend a night with her, tsk tsk tsk..."

"Hey, you little girl over there."

"How about coming over for a quick—"

Before the mercenary could finish his words, Xiao Yan's face instantly darkened!

A chill flickered in his eyes. This man had two unbreakable lines.

One was his family and friends, the other was his lover!

Xiao Yan's possessiveness was fierce—if someone so much as teased his people with words, or even cast a wrong glance, they had to die!

The mercenaries hadn't even finished speaking:

"Boom!"

An extreme blast of air exploded outward!

Xiao Yan's toes lightly tapped the ground, and the oppressive might of a Dou Ling crashed down like Mount Tai.

The twelve mercenaries felt their legs go weak and slammed to their knees!

Blood burst from their knees instantly. Shattered bones pierced through their pant legs, driving deep into the scorching sand:

"Aaaah!"

Savage screams tore from their throats.

The mercenaries lifted their heads, eyes filled with shock and terror:

What the hell was going on?

They were the largest mercenary group around Desert City.

They'd done every beastly deed—bullying men, abusing women—and this was just harassing a woman.

Usually, when they pulled this, people just walked away.

At most, they'd curse under their breath. But now, what was this?

A youth this young was actually a Dou Ling?

They'd kicked an iron plate. The lead burly man quickly lowered his head:

"M-my lord!"

"We were wrong! We were blind! Spare us!"

But Xiao Yan paid no heed, reaching behind him to draw the Heavy Black Ruler.

Seeing this, the men's faces twisted in panic:

"No, you can't kill us!"

"This is a stronghold—killing is forbidden inside!"

"And we're the Sand Scorpion Merc—"

Before the words ended, Xiao Yan swung his hand:

A blazing streak shot forth:

"Sizzle sizzle sizzle!"

Blood sprayed as the twelve men were cleaved in two.

Xiao Yan flicked a spark from his finger. It arced through the air, instantly striking the mercenary group's flag a hundred meters away.

With a "boom," the flag turned to ash, scattering in the wind.

At that, the surrounding crowd fled in panic.

Xiao Yi Xian gently tugged at Xiao Yan's sleeve, her fingertip lightly scratching his palm:

"Don't be like this. Killing in a stronghold will bring trouble."

Her eyes shimmered as she gazed into Xiao Yan's pupils, sweetness blooming in her heart.

Xiao Yan chuckled softly, offering no reply.

He crouched, lifted Xiao Yi Xian into his arms, spread his Four Wings, and shot toward Desert City like a streak of light.

From within the ring, Old Yao let out a helpless smile.

He certainly didn't think his disciple was bloodthirsty.

Under his observation, Xiao Yan was always deeply loyal to those close to him.

Did it really matter if outsiders lived or died?

Xiao Yan flew at tremendous speed; in less than the time it took an incense stick to burn, the two had entered the city:

"Let's buy a map first."

Entering Desert City, Xiao Yan took Xiao Yi Xian on a full tour of the place.

Then, they headed straight to the "Ancient Map Workshop."

This was a shop selling maps.

And, of course, there was also a wild angel investor.

The signboard of the "Ancient Map Workshop" hung askew, looking utterly unremarkable.

Xiao Yan led Xiao Yi Xian inside, sweeping his gaze across the shop.

It finally landed on a fragment of a map in the northwest corner.

The moment his eyes touched the fragment, his heart stirred:

Damn, Hai Bodong sure is bold.

Leaving the Purifying Demonic Lotus Flame fragment so out in the open!

Xiao Yan walked to the counter without changing expression, lifting his eyes.

Behind the counter, Hai Bodong was dozing off, his frost-white hair draped over the yellowed maps.

When Xiao Yan picked up the roll of parchment labeled "Tagor Desert Core Zone,"

Hai Bodong's eyelid twitched violently.

"This one, and that one."

Xiao Yan slapped two third-tier magic cores onto the counter, his fingertips brushing the map fragment as if by accident:

"And this fragment too."

"Not for sale."

Xiao Yan raised an eyebrow, a hint of amusement in his tone:

"Not for sale? But I quite like this map."

Hai Bodong slowly lifted his head, a shard of icy light flashing in his murky pupils:

He spoke coldly:

"Young man, there are things you can't touch."

With that, he sat up straight, pressing his palm onto the counter.

Spiderweb-like frost instantly spread across the entire shop, the temperature plummeting!

Sensing the threat, Xiao Yi Xian's expression tightened as dense purple mist surged from her hands, Corroding the frost in midair.

Xiao Yan's Four Wings unfurled in an instant, the Heavy Black Ruler raised high.

The erupting dark-golden flames surged like a mad dragon, melting the ice crystals into steam in a flash.

Xiao Yan's gaze sharpened as he stared straight at Hai Bodong:

"Dou Ling peak?"

"Too bad your cultivation's sealed."

Hai Bodong shot to his feet, and with a crack, the counter split in two.

He fixed his eyes on the youth:

"How do you know!?"

"Just who—"

Hai Bodong's voice rasped like sandpaper, nine Ice Prisms slowly condensing in his palm:

"—are you?"

The clash of overwhelming auras made the shop's beams groan under the strain.

Xiao Yan chuckled lightly, tossing the map fragment in his palm:

"Senior, how about a deal?"

Hai Bodong's voice was icy:

"A deal? With a brat like you?"

"I'll find out who you are once I've captured you!"

As Hai Bodong's frost-white hair stirred without wind and the Ice Prisms in his palm shot forth, The entire shop instantly turned into an ice cavern.

Xiao Yan lightly stamped his foot, and the heat wave from his Fire Wings turned the ice beads into steam.

Both of them shot out of the shop at the same time.

"Swoosh!"

The Heavy Black Ruler swept across, carrying a Dragon Roar-like sound of air being torn apart.

"Ice Spirit Armor!"

Hai Bodong roared, and ice condensed on his body into a fierce battle armor.

The moment the ice armor clashed with the heavy ruler, nine Ice Rings exploded from his boots!

Freezing the ground within ten zhang into a mirror-like surface.

Xiao Yi Xian flipped onto the roof, watching the two fight.

Xiao Yan chuckled. The Kirin Heaven Devouring Art within him suddenly accelerated!

The Crimson Flame on the ruler's edge abruptly turned blue-white:

The Fire Cloud Water Flame transformed into blue-white, drilling into the meridians along the cracks in the ice armor.

Hai Bodong's pupils shrank sharply as he realized his Ice Fighting Qi was suddenly ignited within him:

"This is... Strange Fire?!"

"Break!"

Xiao Yan bellowed, and his Four Wings abruptly folded inward.

A towering pillar of fire blasted Hai Bodong out of the shop, his ice armor shattering into countless crystalline shards midair.

The old man crashed heavily into the stone wall across the street, spiderweb cracks spreading as traces of blood seeped from the corners of his mouth.

As the smoke and dust cleared, Hai Bodong stood up shakily.

The half-length Ice Spear in his hand dripped with blood.

He stared fixedly at the Rank 5 Alchemist badge Xiao Yan had just taken out and was toying with:

"Strange Fire... Rank 5 Alchemist...?"

"At this age, how is that possible!"

Xiao Yan flicked his finger, revealing the gilded badge, and replied softly:

"All you need to know is that I can help you break the seal."

Hai Bodong suddenly coughed up black blood mixed with ice shards, a sharp light flashing in his murky pupils:

"If you really can restore my cultivation, forget a mere fragment of a map."

"Even if it means walking through fire and treading on blades, I'd still do it!"

"But the Tribulation Breaking Pill! Can you refine it?"

He tore open his shirt, revealing the vicious Serpent Brand on his chest:

"That's a Sixth-grade Pill!"

Xiao Yan looked at Hai Bodong, his tone brimming with confidence:

"I can!"