The Fragment Map Secured

Seeing the jade bottle that had appeared in Xiao Kun's hand, Hai Bodong asked in disbelief, "Could this contain the sixth-grade Calamity Breaking Pill?"

He had just been teased by Xiao Kun, only to suddenly receive such surprising news. Hai Bodong found it difficult to accept, hence his disbelief.

"That's right!" With a casual flick of his hand, Xiao Kun tossed the jade bottle to Hai Bodong.

Watching the jade bottle fly toward him, Hai Bodong nearly scrambled to catch it, looking thoroughly disheveled.

As though he were catching his own son, he carefully cradled it in his palm. Looking at the purple pill within the jade bottle, wild joy and shock appeared on his aged face.

The joy naturally came from finally obtaining the Calamity Breaking Pill he had long wished for.

The shock came from the fact that he had never expected the young man before him to carry such a rare high-grade pill. For a moment, Hai Bodong's estimation of Xiao Kun's background rose considerably.

Watching Hai Bodong clutch the jade bottle with an ecstatic expression, Xiao Kun chuckled softly and smiled. "I've given you the pill. Where's the fragment map?"

Hearing Xiao Kun's words while immersed in his joy, Hai Bodong's expression immediately stiffened.

In truth, Hai Bodong had wanted to test the pill's effects before handing over the fragment map.

However, he had seen the Pill Recipe before and knew that the pill was indeed purple. Besides, Xiao Kun was so powerful that there was likely no need for him to carry a fake pill just to deceive him.

In the end, he decided it was not worth offending the mysterious and unfathomable Xiao Kun over this matter, so he reluctantly took out the fragment map.

Xiao Kun accepted the fragment map and, after confirming it, nodded in satisfaction.

Seeing Hai Bodong's slight reluctance, Xiao Kun continued with a smile, "I know you may still be worried about whether the pill is genuine. I might as well see this through to the end. Go take the pill now. I'll stand guard for you."

Although Hai Bodong had handed over the fragment map first because of Xiao Kun's strength, he was still somewhat uneasy. Upon hearing this, he was immediately delighted.

"Thank you, Young Master Xiao. Then let's go to the basement. If the seal is truly broken later, the basement will prevent the aura from leaking out and avoid some unnecessary trouble."

Xiao Kun nodded and raised a hand, signaling for Hai Bodong to lead the way.

Although the corridor ran straight, Xiao Kun could sense that they were descending.

After walking in silence for twenty minutes, Hai Bodong suddenly stopped and turned around. "We're here!"

Hai Bodong then opened the basement's heavy, solid iron door.

Upon entering the basement, the surrounding temperature suddenly dropped significantly, and a faint chill wrapped around them.

Xiao Kun discovered that the basement was actually a massive ice cellar. Thick layers of ice covered all four walls. He had no idea how much time and effort Hai Bodong had spent building such a cultivation site in the desert.

"My Dou Qi cultivation method leans toward the cold and yin, so cultivating in a place like this is more effective." As if sensing Xiao Kun's doubts, Hai Bodong explained from ahead.

"Mm." Xiao Kun nodded slightly, found a chair at random, and sat down. He urged, "Hurry up. I don't like this environment much."

Hearing this, Hai Bodong said nothing more. He walked to the center of the chamber and sat down. After taking out the Calamity Breaking Pill and examining it carefully for a while without finding anything wrong, he swallowed it in one gulp.

In the icy basement, as Hai Bodong entered his cultivation state, the atmosphere gradually grew still.

Half an hour later, the quiet atmosphere was shattered by a violent wave of energy ripples.

On the platform, Hai Bodong, who had remained motionless, suddenly began to tremble. Ring after ring of energy ripples rapidly spread from his body, smashing the ice, tables, and chairs throughout the basement.

Seeing this, Xiao Kun immediately formed a golden Heavenly Flame barrier before himself. The rapidly approaching energy ripples were all burned into nothingness.

Looking up, Xiao Kun saw purple energy and a dark green snake pattern on Hai Bodong's forehead, locked in an unceasing stalemate.

The clash between these two forces plunged Hai Bodong into immense pain, twisting his features.

Combined with the glow emitted by the two energies, Hai Bodong's face was cast in a particularly eerie light.

After half an hour of stalemate, the purple energy of the Calamity Breaking Pill gradually gained the upper hand, while the dark green snake pattern dimmed.

Finally, the purple energy surged forth, and a fierce burst of force squeezed the dark green snake pattern out through the top of Hai Bodong's head.

The moment the dark green snake pattern left his body, it turned into a wisp of smoke and slowly dispersed.

The instant the snake pattern left his body, Hai Bodong's tightly shut eyes suddenly flew open.

A ferocious aura burst from within the body that had been suppressed for nearly decades, like a lion awakening from its slumber.

"Haha, this damned seal is finally gone! This old man is a Dou Emperor again!" Hai Bodong's body rose into the air like lightning. His face was filled with wild joy as he threw back his head and laughed loudly.

It took quite a while before Hai Bodong finally calmed down. Seeing Xiao Kun looking at him with a faint smile, he paused before saying awkwardly, "I couldn't control my emotions for a moment. I've made a fool of myself before Young Master Xiao."

With his strength restored, Hai Bodong's confidence had swelled somewhat. For a brief moment, he had even entertained the thought of taking back the fragment map.

However, recalling the vast Soul Power from before, something he had never encountered in his life, he suppressed those little thoughts.

"It's fine. It's only human nature. I should also congratulate Elder Hai on finally getting what you wished for," Xiao Kun said with a smile.

"That's good. Still, it was all thanks to Young Master Xiao's Calamity Breaking Pill." Hearing Xiao Kun's response, Hai Bodong also breathed a sigh of relief and replied politely.

"Mm."

After that, the atmosphere between them grew increasingly harmonious as they chatted for quite some time.

"Elder Hai, now that your strength has recovered, you probably won't continue being the owner of this shop, will you?" Xiao Kun suddenly asked Hai Bodong with a smile.

"I remained here mainly to study the fragment map and search for a way to break the seal. Now that the seal has been lifted, there is naturally no reason for me to remain here." Hai Bodong nodded, then glanced at the smiling Xiao Kun. "Do you need something?"

"Heh, there are indeed some matters in which I'd like Elder Hai's help. But first, I need to confirm something. You should be returning to the Imperial Capital right away, correct?" Xiao Kun lightly laughed as he turned the Storage Ring on his finger.

"That should be the case. What do you need me to do?" Hai Bodong asked curiously, wondering what someone as powerful as Xiao Kun could possibly need his help with.

"It's simple. Elder Hai, you have close ties with the Mite'er Family, don't you?" Xiao Kun asked with a faint smile.

"Mm! You know that too? That is indeed the case!" Hai Bodong was somewhat surprised that Xiao Kun knew his affairs so well.

"The matters I need your help with are all related to the Mite'er Family.

First, I have a close relationship with Ya Fei of the Mite'er Family. I hope you can look after her when the time comes.

Second, you know that I am an alchemist.

So, after returning to the Imperial Capital, I hope you can use the Mite'er Family's connections to help me gather medicinal ingredients for refining fifth- to sixth-grade medicinal pills with all your strength. I'll pay ten percent above market price."

Xiao Kun slowly laid out his requests.