Encountering Two Unknown Dou Emperors?

Hai Bodong, one of the Gamma Empire's Ten Great Experts, had fought alone against a Dou Emperor and a Dou Wang from the Chuyun Empire in a contest over twenty years ago, emerging undefeated and becoming renowned across both nations.

But at the height of his glory, this Dou Emperor had abruptly vanished from public view, never to be seen again. By now, his fame had long been replaced by newcomers, leaving him as nothing more than a memory spoken of by the older generation.

Very few people knew what had happened—but I did. I gazed deeply at this former expert.

He had once stumbled upon a fragment of a map to the Purifying Lotus Demon Fire and searched for it in the Tagor Desert, only to draw the attention of the Snake-People Tribe Queen—Medusa.

After a great battle, Hai Bodong escaped, but he was struck by Medusa's Serpent Sealing Art. From then on, his body began to weaken rapidly, and his strength was sealed at the Dou Ling level.

And to break the Serpent Sealing Art, one had to use an Exotic Flame to refine a Sixth-Rank Pill!

Hai Bodong already possessed the formula for this Sixth-Rank Pill, but he had never managed to find an Exotic Flame, one of those legendary things.

Hearing my words, his pupils contracted sharply, and even his breathing became faintly hurried. He stared fixedly at me and said in a somewhat hoarse voice:

"Little boy, you know the exact location of the Azure Lotus Core Flame? No, the Exotic Flame in the Tagor Desert—is it the Azure Lotus Core Flame?!"

I nodded and said with a smile, "Senior, it isn't that I have it. The Nalan Family does. Our old master has already personally arrived at Stone Desert City. Would Senior be willing to come to Stone Desert City and help the Nalan Family seize the Azure Lotus Core Flame?"

Hai Bodong turned his head to glance at Yun Yun. After pondering for a moment, he asked in a deep voice, "If we obtain the Azure Lotus Core Flame, how will it be divided?"

I spread my hands and said seemingly casually, "Senior, an Exotic Flame can't be divided. It can only go to the Nalan Family. Of course, as compensation—once our Alchemy Elder obtains the Exotic Flame, there's a strong chance he will advance to become a Sixth-Rank Alchemist. He can refine one Sixth-Rank Pill for the Mitre Family free of charge."

Hai Bodong was the former head of the Mitre Family. Refining a pill for the Mitre Family was the same as refining one for Hai Bodong, wasn't it?

Some things did not need to be stated plainly. Saying them outright would only make people suspicious. Sure enough, after a moment of silence, Hai Bodong nodded in agreement.

I burst out laughing, completely unsurprised. Hai Bodong needed a Sixth-Rank Alchemist with an Exotic Flame to refine a pill for him, and the Nalan Family would soon likely have a Sixth-Rank Alchemist with an Exotic Flame—so what reason did Hai Bodong have to refuse?

At once, the few of us left the shop. Hai Bodong showed no attachment whatsoever to the shop where he had spent over twenty years. He simply followed me aboard the Flying Magical Beast and flew straight toward Stone Desert City.

From Mo City to Stone Desert City, a Flying Magical Beast only needed two days of travel.

With such a short journey and two Dou Emperors accompanying us, I had thought we could reach Stone Desert City peacefully. Yet unexpectedly, we still encountered trouble.

Yun Yun stood atop the Flying Magical Beast, chatting idly with Hai Bodong. Suddenly, she turned to look into the distance, her delicate brows furrowing slightly as she said hesitantly, "In that direction, I seem to have sensed... the auras of two unfamiliar Dou Emperors."

Hai Bodong raised his brows. His strength was currently sealed, and aside from his knowledge and experience, he could not compare to Yun Yun in anything. He truly had not sensed them.

I, on the other hand, was startled. This was a crucial moment in my plan, yet unfamiliar Dou Emperors had appeared near Stone Desert City—and there were two of them at once?!

I said in a deep voice, "Seniors, shall we go over and take a look...?"

Hai Bodong was indifferent either way, while Yun Yun hesitated before saying, "I only sensed those two auras briefly, and then they vanished. Perhaps... I sensed them wrongly? How could two foreign Dou Emperors suddenly appear in the Gamma Empire?"

I hoped so as well, but my plan was too important. It concerned whether I could advance to Dou Zong. Two variables this significant had suddenly appeared—I simply could not ignore them!

"Let's go take a look. Turn around and head over!"

I gave the order in a deep voice. Yun Yun and Hai Bodong said nothing more, and the people controlling the Flying Magical Beast immediately changed direction and flew toward them.

Standing on the beast's back, I was buffeted by a howling wind carrying scorching heat, forcing me to narrow my eyes. Looking out, all I could see was a golden desert, without a single person in sight.

Perhaps, maybe, Yun Yun had really just sensed wrongly...

I sighed and could not help pleading so in my heart.

The Flying Magical Beast flew at full speed, yet the scenery below remained unchanged: nothing but golden sand and endless dunes. There were only the occasional cacti and mercenaries, none of whom were what I sought.

Suddenly, Yun Yun stared at the distant edge of the desert and said hesitantly, "It should be there. The auras I sensed—they were emanating from there."

I nodded heavily and widened my eyes, but I still could not see anything clearly. The gap between Yun Yun's strength and mine was too great, as was the difference in our eyesight. Frustration rose in my heart, and I turned back and shouted:

"Increase the speed! The fastest speed possible!"

The person controlling the Flying Magical Beast acknowledged, but Hai Bodong suddenly reached out and placed a hand on my shoulder. Shaking his head, he said, "Little boy, those are Dou Emperors. Why are you in such a hurry to rush over?"

He turned back and said, "Slow down. Approach at a normal speed. Don't make them misunderstand anything."

I froze, then realized that rushing over so hastily could indeed easily make the other side misunderstand. I nodded and gave a bitter smile. "This junior was reckless just now. Thank you for your guidance, Elder."

Hai Bodong waved his hand and said no more. He merely gazed into the distance, likely curious about those two unfamiliar Dou Emperors as well.

I gripped the wooden railing on the Flying Magical Beast's back with both hands, squeezing tighter and tighter until my palms turned slightly pale from poor circulation.

Yet I paid it no mind, my gaze still fixed tightly ahead. As the distance closed, I could vaguely make out more. There seemed to be a group of people on the ground in the distance, split into two camps and confronting one another?

Just as I was about to move closer for a clearer look, the Flying Magical Beast stopped. I could not help frowning as I looked at Hai Bodong and asked, "Elder, what is it now?"

"We can't go any farther."

Hai Bodong shook his head. "This distance is already the limit between unfamiliar Dou Emperors. Going any closer will make them think we're provoking them, which could easily lead to conflict."

I was stunned for a moment before understanding. This distance was very far to me, but to a Dou Emperor—it should be very close, right?

I turned to Yun Yun and asked in a deep voice, "Senior, have you sensed them again?"

Yun Yun shook her head, her face full of confusion. Frowning, she said, "There are two mercenary groups confronting each other down there. The highest cultivation is only Da Dou Shi—logically speaking, there shouldn't be any Dou Emperors, but what I sensed..."

I looked helplessly at Yun Yun, truly not knowing what to say about this Yun Lan Sect Master.

After a moment of silence, I said, "How about this? You two seniors remain here, while Mo Wang and I go over to take a look. That way, we can figure out what's happening without causing any conflict."

Yun Yun glanced at me and said hesitantly, "If there really is a Dou Emperor down there..."

"If it really is a Dou Emperor, they would be even less likely to make a move against a mere Dou Shi like me."

Before Yun Yun could finish, I smiled and continued for her. Yun Yun was left speechless, her expression stiffening as she turned away and said nothing more.

I laughed heartily, but I was not nearly as cheerful inside. As the Flying Magical Beast descended, I took a set of leather armor from my Ring of Holding and put it on.

Seeing Mo Wang begin to don his armor as well, I thought for a moment and took out a set of heavy armor that I did not like wearing, along with a heavy sword and Heavy Shield. "Mo Wang, put away that junk of yours and wear this set of mine."

Mo Wang froze. After a moment of silence, he answered and silently began putting on my fine heavy armor. Before long, a heavy infantryman clad in armor and wielding sword and shield stood before me.

I laughed and led Mo Wang off the Flying Magical Beast, walking toward the mercenaries in the distance. Perhaps because of the unexpected appearance of the Flying Magical Beast, they were still facing off and had not begun fighting.

When they saw Mo Wang and me approaching, unable to tell friend from foe, they slowly retreated to either side and widened the gap between them.

As I drew nearer and examined them carefully, I discovered that they really were two groups of mercenaries. Judging by their equipment, they were poorly funded little mercenary groups—but how had Yun Yun sensed the aura of Dou Emperors among them?

Could it really be that Yun Yun was simply unreliable?

Suddenly, my gaze froze, locking onto the outnumbered mercenaries on the left.

Among them was a young girl in a fitted red outfit, her face both innocent and charming. Although I had not seen her in over a year, she had grown a little taller than I remembered. But if I had not mistaken her, she was my fiancée—Xiao Meier?

My heart skipped a beat. Narrowing my eyes and looking more closely, I found two familiar figures standing beside Xiao Meier. One was the lazy youth named Xiao Yan, and the other was the breathtakingly beautiful girl named Xiao Xun'er...

I drew a deep breath, scarcely able to believe it. I directly tossed the sword in my hand onto the ground, rubbed my face hard with both hands, then opened my eyes again. Xiao Yan and Xiao Xun'er were still there.

I wasn't seeing things?!

"Hahahaha..."

I threw my head back in laughter, unable to hide the excitement on my face. With a strange cry, I spread my arms and ran toward the mercenaries on the left.

If I remembered correctly, this mercenary group should have been founded by Xiao Yan Gege and Second Brother. Hmm, it should be called... the Stone Desert Mercenary Group?

Waves of wind carrying yellow sand and scorching heat blew into my face, but I paid them no heed. Laughing heartily, I ran to the front of the Stone Desert Mercenary Group and shouted at the girl:

"Meier, after all these years apart, have you missed me?!"

The girl in the formation looked at me in surprise, a flash of excitement passing through her eyes. Then her little face reddened. She gave a cold snort, turned her face away, and refused to look at me again.

Xiao Yan and Xun Er were also somewhat surprised to see me. He carried a huge black iron slab on his back and wore a black robe, exposing only a face that had matured considerably. After staring blankly for a moment, he muttered, "Nalan Ye?"

After a pause, he said to the two young men beside him, "Big Brother, Second Brother, this guy, um, is Meier's fiancée. His name is... Nalan Ye."

PS: I will try to set fixed update times in the future: 13:00 at noon and 17:00 in the evening. If there is still no update after those times, then there probably won't be one.