Defeat

The Thunder Peng Wings on Xiao Tian's back appeared on their own, continuously lifting him upward. His hair whipped through the air, a golden thunder mark appeared between his brows, red and green patterns lined his face, and golden thunder flashed all over his body.

Xiao Tian's aura instantly surged from Nine-Star Dou Grandmaster Peak to Three-Star Dou Spirit Peak.

Looking at Xiao Tian's appearance and the explosive rise in his aura, even Hai Bo Dong, who had seen plenty of grand scenes, could not help swallowing. "Damn it, this kid is way too strange. Why does it feel like his trump cards are endless?"

Hai Bo Dong even wanted to report someone for cheating.

"May Xiao's current strength now be worthy of the Ice Emperor's notice?" Xiao Tian said, staring sharply at Hai Bo Dong.

"Kid, I acknowledge you. Hahaha, I've never felt this refreshed before. It's like I can see myself being reborn. Come, let me see your strength," Hai Bo Dong laughed heartily.

"Haha, gladly." Xiao Tian was infected by Hai Bo Dong's boldness and could not help laughing as well. "Then let's decide victory with one move. I've never used this technique since learning it. Ice Emperor, please judge it."

"By all means. Mystic Ice Dragon Flight."

Ice Attribute Dou Qi gathered around Hai Bo Dong, forming an ice dragon that coiled around him.

"Thunder God's Wrath."

The Thunder Attribute Dou Qi on Xiao Tian's body condensed into a phantom with only an upper body. As Dou Qi continuously poured in, it gradually solidified into a purple Energy Body with furious, wide-open eyes. Xiao Tian also empowered the Thunder God's Wrath dharma idol with Qilin Burning Sky Flame, making it look as if it were draped in red gauze.

The ice dragon and the dharma idol faced each other. The Thunder God's Wrath dharma idol extended its palm and slammed it straight down toward Hai Bo Dong, while Hai Bo Dong controlled the ice dragon to charge forward.

Bang.

The purple palm and the ice dragon collided. At the instant of impact, because of the opposing attributes, and because the palm was formed from thunder and Heavenly Flame, part of the ice dragon was directly shattered.

Seeing this, Hai Bo Dong continuously poured in Dou Qi, desperately maintaining the supply, but beneath the giant palm, it did not last long before being destroyed bit by bit.

As the Giant Dragon was destroyed, part of Xiao Tian's dharma idol's giant palm was also damaged, but it still carried the power to annihilate everything as it rushed toward Hai Bo Dong on the ground.

Hai Bo Dong used his remaining Dou Qi to condense a Mystic Ice Shield in front of himself. With his current Dou Qi, he could only use this; it was no longer enough for Multiple Ice Shields.

The giant palm slammed directly into the ice shield, constantly giving off sizzling mist, followed by a thunderous boom.

When the mist dispersed, Hai Bo Dong lay in a pit, gasping for breath in great gulps, while Xiao Tian had dispelled the Thunder God Body and stood with both hands braced on his knees.

"Kid, you win. Kill me or cut me up, it's up to you," Hai Bo Dong said in a deathly voice.

"I never planned on taking your life. I said before, I only wanted to discuss a deal with you. You were the one who insisted on fighting." Xiao Tian straightened up, swallowed a few Qi Recovery Pills, and stood at the edge of the pit, looking down at Hai Bo Dong.

"..." Hai Bo Dong was speechless for a moment. It did seem that he had been the one who relied on being older and having higher cultivation to make the first move, and then, after failing to win, ended up like this.

"Can we continue discussing our deal now?" Xiao Tian did not continue making things difficult for him. He tossed a Jade Bottle to Hai Bo Dong's side. Hai Bo Dong was still a pretty decent person; as for fighting him, it had been for the sake of making cooperation easier and testing his own strength.

"What is this?" Hai Bo Dong glanced at the Jade Bottle in confusion, but did not reach out to take it.

"Fourth Grade Pill: Hundred Flower Lingzhi Pill. It can treat your injuries. If you don't believe me, you don't have to take it." Xiao Tian shrugged as he spoke.

Hai Bo Dong forced himself to sit up, reached out to pick up the Jade Bottle, opened the stopper, gave it a brief sniff, and then directly poured the pill into his mouth.

The wounds on his body continuously healed. After sensing that his body had recovered by about eighty percent, Hai Bo Dong stood up, leaped out of the pit, and came before Xiao Tian.

"I never thought that after living in seclusion for more than twenty years, I would actually be beaten into such a sorry state by a junior today. Truly, the waves behind push forward the waves before them," Hai Bo Dong said with a desolate sigh, then asked, "What deal do you want to discuss with me?"

"You also know I'm an Alchemist, so of course what I want to discuss is the matter of the seal on your body." Xiao Tian pointed at his Alchemist robe.

"Difficult. You're only Third Rank right now. At the very least, you still have no way to solve the problem on my body for now," Hai Bo Dong said, shaking his head.

"What if I can help you undo your Serpent Sealing Curse?" Xiao Tian asked.

Hai Bo Dong was struck by Xiao Tian's question and lowered his head in thought. Seeing this, Xiao Tian did not urge him.

After about five breaths, Hai Bo Dong raised his head and looked straight at Xiao Tian. "Is that red flame on your body a Heavenly Flame?"

Xiao Tian knew why Hai Bo Dong was asking this. It was because the Curse Breaking Pill that could help him break the seal had to be refined using a Heavenly Flame.

Xiao Tian nodded faintly.

Seeing that it truly was a Heavenly Flame, Hai Bo Dong's face revealed a trace of emotion. "If you can help me undo this damned seal, I can give you the remaining half of the map. I can even tell you information about another Heavenly Flame."

"I'll definitely take the Fragmented Map. The information about the Heavenly Flame is useless to me. Besides, I already know that the Heavenly Flame in the Tagor Desert is the Green Lotus Core Flame, and it has already been taken by someone. That information has no value to me. Change it," Xiao Tian said indifferently.

Seeing that his most important piece of information had no value in the other party's hands, and that the other party even knew more details than he did, Hai Bo Dong sank into thought and calculated for a moment.

"Just say what conditions you want."

"I want you..." Xiao Tian paused. "To join my faction."

"Little friend, stopping halfway through your sentence nearly scared this old man to death. I thought you had an interest in men." Hai Bo Dong had been startled by Xiao Tian at first, but after hearing the latter half, he caught his breath and said, "May I ask what your faction is?"

"Free and Unfettered Hall," Xiao Tian said.

"Free and Unfettered Hall? Never heard of it." Hai Bo Dong frowned, searched through the memories in his mind to no avail, and shook his head.

"I just thought of it."

"..." Hai Bo Dong was instantly speechless, then asked, "So if I join your faction, it'll just be the two of us?"

Xiao Tian thought for a moment. Xiao Yi Xian would definitely join, and counting Jin Mo and the Dou Zong he had yet to summon, he said, "At present, including me, there are four people. If you join, that'll make five."

"May I ask what strength the others have?" Hai Bo Dong asked curiously.

"You'll know after you join," Xiao Tian said without answering directly.

Hearing this, Hai Bo Dong closed his eyes and pondered for a moment before saying helplessly, "If you can help me undo the seal, I can agree to your condition. It's not purely because I've had enough of this damned seal, but also because I'm investing in your talent."

Xiao Tian sighed inwardly that age and experience were still formidable. As expected of the angel investor of the Battle Through the Heavens World. He clapped his hands and praised, "As expected of the former Grand Elder of Mittel Auction House. You really do have vision and courage. I definitely won't disappoint you in the future."