Eight-winged Black Snake Emperor

At this moment, Hai Bodong also jumped down from the ice platform and landed lightly on the ground. Looking at Liu Xi, who had already put away the two map fragments, reluctance still showed on his face. Rubbing his withered hands together, he said with a complicated expression, "Little friend, I have now given you all the map fragments I obtained. Could you tell me what secret this fragment map is hiding?"

Liu Xi was in a good mood. Seeing Hai Bodong ask, he gave a simple explanation. "This map does indeed hide something valuable, but it is not something a mere Dou Emperor like you can covet. Perhaps when I break through to Dou Venerate in the future, I can try my luck! At your age, you should just stay in the Jia Ma Empire and retire peacefully. Don't end up dying out there with no one even left to collect your body."

In any case, once the map fragments were in his hands, they were his. He was not afraid that Hai Bodong would dare try to snatch them away. Besides, this thing merely increased one's chances of subduing a demonic flame. Without sufficient strength, one would not even get to see a demonic flame. Thus, Liu Xi's words stabbed straight into Hai Bodong's old heart like knives, without caring whether that old heart could take it. Wasn't he saving the old man's life?

Hai Bodong was naturally left dumbfounded. He opened his mouth, but could not say a thing. It felt as though ten thousand wild horses had trampled across his heart. Hai Bodong seriously suspected that Liu Xi was simply trying to scare him, but he had no proof. A Dou Venerate could only try their luck, while a Dou Emperor like him could only retire in the Jia Ma Empire.

Hai Bodong shook his head helplessly and said, "I overstepped. Since I gave you the map fragments, I should not have kept digging into the matter. You need not try to frighten me either."

Seeing that Hai Bodong did not believe him, Liu Xi offered no further explanation and directly changed the subject. "Now that you have regained the strength of a Dou Emperor, Senior, what are your plans? I intend to head to the Imperial Capital to visit my teacher. Why not come along?"

Hai Bodong was startled upon hearing this. "You are the disciple of one of those old fellows in the Imperial Capital? That can't be right. Although I have not returned for many years, I still know what those people are capable of. Who among them could teach a monstrous disciple like you?"

Liu Xi shrugged and said, "A genius like me has become rather famous in the Jia Ma Empire. I suppose only an old senior like you, who has lived in seclusion all these years, would not know about it!"

With that, Liu Xi took Qing Lin's little hand and headed outside first.

Watching Liu Xi's departing back, Hai Bodong's feelings were equally complicated. He thought, I really have lived in seclusion for too long. I wonder whether the Mite'er Family still acknowledges me as their Grand Elder. Jia Ma Empire, I, Ice Emperor Hai Bodong, have returned!

Liu Xi's trip to the Tagor Desert had been quite rewarding. After returning from Hai Bodong's place, he first rested for a day, sweeping away the exhaustion of refining a Sixth-grade pill. On the second day, he prepared to set off for the Imperial Capital with Qing Lin.

Now that Hai Bodong had regained his Dou Emperor cultivation, it was naturally impossible for him to continue as a map-selling merchant. The next day, he also left with Liu Xi, intending to return to the Jia Ma Empire for a look.

Yet Hai Bodong did not take a single item from the little shop where he had spent several decades. In his words, he had stayed there too long and grown attached to it. Perhaps one day in the future, if he grew tired of strife, he would return here and peacefully spend the rest of his days.

Hai Bodong stood atop a towering sand dune. Under the morning sun, he looked at the enormous city standing where the desert met the land, his face filled with reluctance. After taking a deep breath, he asked Liu Xi beside him, "What are the arrangements from here?"

Liu Xi replied, "First, we leave the desert. Once we reach the border of the Jia Ma Empire, we can rent a Thick-winged Bird. Senior has stayed here for many years, so you should know which border city in the Jia Ma Empire is closest to this place, right?"

Hai Bodong nodded lightly. Frosty mist spread from his body and directly condensed into a pair of ice wings behind his back.

Seeing this, green flames rose from Liu Xi's body and finally condensed into a pair of Green Flame wings behind him. He then bent down and gathered Qing Lin into his arms. "Let's go!"

With that, the green wings behind him flapped. A tremendous buoyant force carried Liu Xi into the sky. Hai Bodong flapped his ice wings as well and easily caught up. The two became streaks of light as they flew toward the Jia Ma Empire.

"Roar!"

Just as the two reached the true edge of the desert, a massive serpent-like Magical Beast, like some colossal beast, blocked their path and let out an angry roar.

Blocked by the giant snake's enormous body, the two had no choice but to stop and hover in midair. Liu Xi looked at the giant snake ahead, but instead of being alarmed, he was delighted. This was perfect—he could have Qing Lin control this winged Serpentine Magical Beast and use it as a mount. It was far more imposing than a Thick-winged Bird.

Hai Bodong beside him suddenly cried out, "This is... the Eight-winged Black Snake Emperor! Why has it appeared at the empire's border?"

"The Eight-winged Black Snake Emperor, a beast of extraordinary talent, was the evolved form of the third-tier Magical Beast, the Two-winged Black Snake. Beginning at the third tier, it grew an additional pair of wings with every advancement. Once it reached eight wings, it became the infamous Eight-winged Black Snake Emperor of the Dou Qi Continent!" Hearing Hai Bodong's voice, Liu Xi recalled the Original Work's introduction of this Magical Beast.

His brows immediately furrowed as Liu Xi recalled the only Eight-winged Black Snake Emperor that had appeared in the Original Work. He guessed, "Could this be Heavenly Snake Manor's Eight-winged Black Snake Emperor? It sensed Qing Lin's Jade-Colored Three-Flower Pupils aura and came searching for her. Then there should be another Dou Emperor traveling with it."

Sure enough, another Green-robed Woman flew out from beside the Eight-winged Black Snake Emperor. Her face was covered by a veil, concealing her expression. Only a clear voice tinged with intense surprise rang out.

"Bai Ya, are you certain you did not sense wrongly? One of these two is a Dou Emperor and the other is a Dou Wang. They do not look like people who would possess freshly awakened Triple Jade-Green Snake Flower Pupils."

The Eight-winged Black Snake Emperor opened its enormous jaws, its voice booming like thunder. "It should be right. I followed the aura of the Triple Jade-Green Snake Flower Pupils all the way here!"

"So they really are from Heavenly Snake Manor. Qing Lin's Triple Jade-Green Snake Flower Pupils can indeed receive the best training only at Heavenly Snake Manor. But whether I should let Heavenly Snake Manor train her this time, I will have to personally assess them first," Liu Xi thought as he looked at the person and snake before him.

Hai Bodong beside him also stared at the person and snake before him, nearly beginning to doubt his life. What was wrong with this world? Were Dou Emperor experts really so easy to encounter now?

Not to mention that he had been sealed for many years. Although he had recovered to the level of a Two-Star Dou Emperor with the help of the Po E Pill, he was still far from his peak as a Five-Star Dou Emperor. His heart grew increasingly heavy.

For a moment, the scene fell silent.

Don't worry, Liu Xi is already this strong. Wouldn't it be far too embarrassing to let Qing Lin get captured again? I can have Qing Lin go acknowledge a master later, but she will not be taken away. As for whether it will be physical persuasion or reasoned persuasion, let me think about it some more.