Farewell, Ice Emperor

A streak of azure light flashed swiftly across the sky, carving a long trail behind it. It was Liu Xi, fleeing from Queen Medusa.

The moment Queen Medusa appeared, Liu Xi had felt immense pressure. It was not merely the overwhelming killing intent; after her arrival, the energy between heaven and earth had vaguely begun to circle around her, leaping with excitement. Once she struck, it would surely be earth-shattering.

Liu Xi asked himself honestly and knew he might not be able to withstand even a casual blow from her. Since he could not block it, he might as well flee early. When he picked up Qing Lin, he had already left behind an illusionary clone, while his true body concealed itself and withdrew.

Yet when Liu Xi recalled Queen Medusa's bewitchingly beautiful face and her proud, icy temperament when they first met, he marveled inwardly, Xiao Yan really has good taste in women. No wonder he was willing to risk his life to play the hero. Medusa is far too fierce—ordinary men couldn't handle her!

Thinking of Xiao Yan, Liu Xi frowned. Xiao Yan, although you and I hold no grudge in this life, you want Heavenly Flames, and so do I. You want to become a Dou Di, and so do I! To obstruct someone's path is like killing their parents. It isn't that I want to suppress you—I have no choice but to suppress you.

Doing it openly probably won't work. If I openly suppress Xiao Yan, Xiao Xun'er might secretly send someone to kill me. The Ancient Clan is too powerful. I can't become a stepping stone on Xiao Yan's path to becoming a Dou Di!

As for doing it in secret, I've already obtained the Green Lotus Core Flame and ruined part of Xiao Yan's original path to rise. If he ends up dying directly at the Misty Cloud Sect, that would save me a lot of trouble.

"Young Master, do you like that woman from earlier?" Qing Lin suddenly asked as Liu Xi pondered. He then thought, That woman... Queen Medusa? It probably isn't love yet. It's possessiveness!

Liu Xi lowered his head to look at Qing Lin and said gently, "That woman is indeed quite beautiful, but she's far too fierce. If she were as gentle as Qing Lin, she'd be perfect!"

The two chatted and laughed along the way, soon returning to Desert City. This trip to the Tagor Desert had not only secured the Green Lotus Core Flame; as long as he successfully obtained the Demon Fire Fragment Map, it would be perfect.

After entering the city, Liu Xi led Qing Lin straight to Hai Bodong's "Ancient Map" shop. A smile appeared on his handsome face as he walked inside.

Still beneath the faint glow of the "Moonlight Stone," Hai Bodong, that wretched old man, sat behind the counter intently making a map. The shop remained deserted, but the old man did not rely on it to make money anyway.

"There are maps over there. Pick one yourself. Don't bother me if there's nothing else!" Seemingly sensing someone approach, Hai Bodong continued making his map without raising his head, his voice cold.

Hearing this, Liu Xi raised his brows slightly. He walked to the counter and placed his slender hand over the map Hai Bodong was working on. "Old man, why don't you first see who's come in before saying that? If I really leave, don't regret it."

Upon hearing this unforgettable voice, Hai Bodong abruptly raised his head to look at the visitor. Before him stood a young man in a blue robe, a smile on his handsome face. His aura was stronger than when they had first met, and it seemed to carry an abnormally scorching sensation that even made Hai Bodong somewhat fearful.

Recovering from his shock, Hai Bodong wore a complicated expression as he said, "I didn't expect you to return so soon—and become even stronger than before. If my senses are correct, you really obtained a Heavenly Flame!"

Liu Xi smiled and nodded. "That's right. The map you gave me was indeed somewhat useful. Although it wasn't very precise, it helped me narrow down the general area."

Hearing that Liu Xi had truly obtained a Heavenly Flame, Hai Bodong's heart grew even more fervent. After waiting so many years, he had finally seen hope of breaking the seal within him. He rubbed his hands excitedly and asked in a trembling voice, "Then... did you find the Sand Mandara you promised me?"

Liu Xi was not surprised by Hai Bodong's excitement. After all, Ice Emperor Hai Bodong had once been one of the Ten Great Experts of the Jia Ma Empire. If his Dou Emperor cultivation had not been sealed away, how could he possibly have lowered himself to become a mapmaker in such a small place?

Liu Xi brushed his Storage Ring, and a rather exquisitely crafted Wooden Box appeared in his hand. He flipped it open and handed it to Hai Bodong, saying, "This is the Sand Mandara you need. It wasn't easy to find. To obtain it, I even came face-to-face with Queen Medusa."

Remembering the overwhelming killing intent and the tremendous power that had stirred the winds and clouds after Queen Medusa appeared, Liu Xi could not help saying ruefully, "That woman is fierce beyond belief. A casual attack from her can draw upon the energy of heaven and earth. No wonder she was able to forcibly seal a fellow Dou Emperor like you down to the Dou Ling realm!"

It was not as if Liu Xi had never seen Dou Emperor experts before. He had even seen two Dou Zong experts at the Library Pavilion of Jia Nan Academy. Yet before those people, Liu Xi had only felt his own insignificance; he had never directly faced such terrifying killing intent.

When Hai Bodong heard Liu Xi mention Queen Medusa, even his outstretched hand trembled slightly. Clearly, Medusa had left him with many unpleasant memories back then.

A stunned expression appeared on his aged face as he asked in shock, "You encountered Queen Medusa as well?!"

Liu Xi nodded naturally. "We met once. Good thing I had a few tricks up my sleeve!" A Dou Wang escaping from a Dou Emperor was a skill in itself. Not everyone was Xiao Yan.

Hai Bodong could not help but give a bitter laugh. Looking at Liu Xi with a trace of loneliness, he said, "I'm becoming more and more curious about what sort of force could nurture a monster like you. At your age, you have not only entered the Dou Wang realm, but can even escape from Queen Medusa's hands. If the Ten Great Experts of the Jia Ma Empire were ranked again now, you would certainly be on the list."

Liu Xi merely smiled without speaking. He did possess talent far beyond ordinary people, but after breaking through to the Dou Wang realm, he had already exhausted the advantages brought by his talent, Cultivation Method, and resources. Looking across the Dou Qi Continent, young people with talent and strength like his might not be everywhere, but there would not be few of them either—not to mention those from the Ancient Eight Clans, who advanced rapidly thanks to their Dou Di Bloodline. If Liu Xi wanted to continue improving quickly, he had to plunder the opportunities along Xiao Yan's path of growth.

Hai Bodong lowered his head to look at the Sand Mandara before him. A trace of relief appeared in his somewhat clouded eyes. He extended his withered hand and carefully traced every pattern on it, then raised his head and asked cautiously, "Then when can you help me refine the Po E Pill?"

Liu Xi pondered briefly before saying slowly, "With the power of a Heavenly Flame, I am indeed confident in refining a Sixth-grade pill now. As for the exact success rate, I need to first examine the quality of the pill formula."

Liu Xi glanced at Hai Bodong again and said in what seemed like a warning, "I know you won't hand over the fragment map before seeing the Po E Pill. But once you recover your Dou Emperor strength, don't think of reneging on the deal. Offending a Sixth-grade Alchemist isn't worth it."

Hai Bodong smiled somewhat awkwardly. "Rest assured, little friend. As long as you can refine the Po E Pill and restore my Dou Emperor strength, this old man will not only hand the fragment map over to you, but also owe you a great favor!"

Hai Bodong then took a yellowed parchment scroll from his Storage Ring and handed it to Liu Xi with an expression of pain. "Back then, I went through countless hardships to obtain this pill formula, all for the day I could return to the Dou Emperor realm. How pathetic. The Ice Emperor of old was knocked down in cultivation. To avoid my former enemies, I couldn't return home and could only hide in this tiny Desert City, dragging this decaying body along as I barely clung to life. Hehe..."

Perhaps because the chance to recover his Dou Emperor cultivation was now right before his eyes, or perhaps because too much pent-up frustration weighed on his heart, Hai Bodong began recounting some of his past with self-mocking laughter.

As Liu Xi accepted and opened the Po E Pill formula, he listened to Hai Bodong endlessly recount his miserable past. He could not help thinking, That's right, you were set up perfectly. Even without me, in roughly two years, Xiao Yan would probably bring Yao Chen to beat you up, then help you refine the Po E Pill and restore your Dou Emperor strength. After that, you'd work for him for the rest of your life. A true "tool" through and through!

"Po E Pill"

Three faint black characters were somewhat blurred upon the ancient parchment, vaguely carrying an ancient aura.

"Pill Rank Six. It possesses the miraculous effect of breaking most seals. After consumption, it can also form a resistance within the body against this type of seal. Should one encounter such a seal again in the future, there is a certain chance of becoming immune to it."

Liu Xi released his soul power into the pill formula, examining the specific refining techniques for this Sixth-grade pill: the necessary quantities of each medicinal ingredient, the heat required to refine them, and so on.

These were the keys to refining pills. Every medicinal ingredient had different properties, and how to combine and fuse those properties to turn them into a pill with a special effect was what an Alchemist needed to learn. The higher the grade of the pill, the more complicated it became.

After Liu Xi understood all the information regarding the Po E Pill from the formula, he could not help but sigh in relief. Perhaps because it was relatively obscure, its medicinal effect was unusual, but in terms of refining technique, it ranked in the middle to lower range among Sixth-grade pills.

Under Hai Bodong's expectant gaze, Liu Xi slowly said, "I won't hide it from you. Even with a Heavenly Flame's aid, the success rate of refining this Po E Pill is only sixty percent, seventy percent at most. Still, that isn't low."

Hai Bodong exhaled a breath of turbid air, regaining his calm state of mind. He smiled and said, "That isn't low at all. I've heard that even High-level Alchemists cannot guarantee a one hundred percent success rate every time. Then when will you begin refining it, little friend?"

Seeing Hai Bodong's calm mentality return, Liu Xi silently praised him. As expected of a former Dou Emperor—his state of mind was truly impressive!

He then said, "In a few days. Once I adjust myself to my best condition, I can also familiarize myself with the pill formula more thoroughly."