Recognition

"Condensing Ice Mirror! How do you know the Ice Emperor's Condensing Ice Mirror?" Seeing the Ice Emperor unleash his signature defensive Dou Technique, Condensing Ice Mirror, Lin Ming felt the time was right, so he asked with a surprised and eager expression.

While fending off Lin Ming's flames, upon hearing Lin Ming's question, the Ice Emperor laughed twice and then said, "Haha! I didn't expect that after all these years, someone would still remember my Condensing Ice Mirror!"

"You... you're really the Ice Emperor?" Lin Ming asked, his face showing disbelief, after the Ice Emperor admitted that he was indeed the Ice Emperor Hai Bodong.

"I think that within the Jia Ma Empire, besides me, Hai Bodong, who dares to call myself the Ice Emperor, no one else dares to use this title!" When the Ice Emperor said this, his domineering aura was perfectly displayed.

After stating his name, the Ice Emperor recalled how Lin Ming had been momentarily stunned upon first seeing him, then again upon seeing his Ice Attribute Dou Qi, and now he had directly called out the Ice Emperor's name and recognized his Dou Technique, Condensing Ice Mirror. This series of events made the Ice Emperor suspicious of any connection between Lin Ming and him. Therefore, the Ice Emperor looked at Lin Ming and asked, "Little fellow, I noticed you were frequently distracted earlier, and now you've even called out my name and recognized my Dou Technique. Could it be that you and I have some kind of relationship?"

"Lin Ming, a descendant of the Mittel Family, pays his respects to Elder Hai!" After hearing the Ice Emperor's words, Lin Ming seemed to have just come to his senses, and then bowed to the Ice Emperor with joy and respect on his face.

"Young... young brother, you, no, Lin Ming, you said you're from the Mittel Family?" Upon hearing Lin Ming say that he was from the Mittel Family, the Ice Emperor showed an expression of disbelief, to the point that he stammered as he asked.

"Elder Hai, my father is Lin Long, and Xiao Ming's grandfather was Lin Hao, who once fought alongside you! It was Elder Hai who avenged Xiao Ming's grandfather back then, so Elder Hai, we Lin Ming have always remembered your kindness and dare not forget it." Lin Ming said with an eager and sincere expression.

"You are Lin Hao's grandson and Lin Long's son? Haha! Yes, looking at your appearance, you do indeed resemble Lin Hao and Lin Long very much. When you were born, Lin Ming, it was I who named you Lin Ming, hoping that Lin Ming would be the rising star of the family. Hahaha, I never expected that you, Lin Ming, would have the cultivation of Peak Dou Spirit at such a young age. I was indeed prescient. Hahahaha!" After carefully examining Lin Ming, Elder Hai couldn't help but laugh as he spoke.

"That kid Lin Long used to seem so-so! How did he manage to raise such an outstanding son like Lin Ming? Hahaha!" Elder Hai laughed, then, as if thinking about something, jokingly said.

"Elder Hai, my parents were killed by bandits during a mission two years after you disappeared. I was raised by my family since I was a Xiao Ming." Lin Ming said sadly when Elder Hai mentioned his father.

"You bastard! You dare to touch someone from my Mittel Family? You're courting death!" Upon hearing Lin Ming's words, Elder Hai uncontrollably unleashed his aura, his tone filled with extreme anger.

"Elder Hai, don't be angry. The Clan Leader and the others have already brought the thieves to justice. I'm sure your parents can rest in peace now!" Lin Ming sighed, then said comfortingly.

"Alas! It is our family that has let down the Lin Family!" At this moment, Elder Hai revealed the weakness of an old man as he spoke.

"Elder Hai, Lin Ming 'm already very happy to see you. You don't know, ever since you disappeared, the Clan Leader and Grandpa Liu have been searching everywhere for you. Now that I've told them about you, I'm sure they'll be overjoyed." Lin Ming said to Elder Hai with a smile, seeing his expression.

"Lin Ming, you've seen my condition now. I can only exert the strength of Dou Ling. If I don't show myself, those who have grudges against the family will still be wary of my Dou Emperor cultivation and dare not make trouble for the family. But if I show myself, those people will probably join forces to wipe out the family as soon as they know that my strength has been greatly reduced. Therefore, you should keep my presence here to yourself. Do not tell anyone in the family." After listening to Lin Ming's words, Elder Hai sighed and said to Lin Ming again.

"Elder Hai, Xiao Ming also want to ask you something. What exactly did you go through back then that caused your strength to drop from Dou Emperor to your current Dou Ling cultivation level, and even made you disappear without a trace for nearly twenty years?" Although Lin Ming knew the reason for Elder Hai's decline in cultivation from the original story, Lin Ming couldn't show that he knew it now. So Lin Ming asked with a puzzled look on his face.

"Alas! The reason all this happened is because of the fragment of the map you just took!" After sighing, Elder Hai told Lin Ming about what had happened back then.

Of course, Elder Hai's account perfectly matched Lin Ming's memory. However, upon hearing the name Queen Medusa, Lin Ming still feigned shock and exclaimed, "Queen Medusa!"

"Yes! If it weren't for this fragment of the map, I wouldn't have fallen victim to Queen Medusa's Snake Seal Curse, causing me to age rapidly and even my strength to be sealed at the Dou Ling level!" Elder Hai exclaimed in shock upon hearing Lin Ming call out "Queen Medusa."

"By the way, Lin Ming, you just said you knew the use of this incomplete map?" After sighing, Elder Hai suddenly remembered that Lin Ming had said he knew the function of this incomplete map. This was the culprit that had caused him to be sealed for so long, and Elder Hai naturally wanted to find out, so he asked.

"Elder Hai, Xiao Ming found a record of this fragment in the Library Pavilion of the Jia Nan Academy. There are four fragments in total. Once you collect them all, you can piece together a complete map. And the secret hidden in this map is the Heavenly Flames that all Alchemist and Fire Attribute people dream of!" Seeing Elder Hai's eager expression for his answer, Lin Ming didn't hesitate to say what he had already prepared.

Upon hearing Lin Ming say that once the incomplete map was collected, they could find the Heavenly Flames, Elder Hai felt relieved, but a bitter expression also appeared on his face. He then said with a wry smile, "For an incomplete map of Heavenly Flames that I can't use, I was sealed away for nearly twenty years, and I didn't even know that my own nephews had been murdered! Hahaha! Hahaha! Ah!"

"Sigh!" Looking at Elder Hai's bitter smile and venting, Lin Ming sighed, but did not stop Elder Hai.

Lin Ming could understand Elder Hai's actions at this moment. After all, it was because of this incomplete map that Elder Hai's cultivation was sealed and his appearance became so aged.

Previously, Elder Hai still fantasized that this fragment of the map contained some kind of treasure, and he still held onto hope. But now, Lin Ming has revealed the mystery to him. Although the Heavenly Flames hidden inside is an extremely valuable thing, he has no use for it.

For something so useless, to have become like this, anyone would want to vent their resentment and anger. Therefore, Lin Ming simply watched quietly as Elder Hai vented his frustration.