The Ice Emperor Hai Bo Dong

On the back of a massive Thick-Winged Bird, Xiao Yan and Xiao Yi Xian gazed at the clouds drifting past. In the distance, the sun shone upon all things, appearing close enough to touch; such a wondrous sight could not help but soothe the spirit.

"Brother Xiao Yan, where are we going?" Xiao Yi Xian suddenly asked.

"We are heading to Mo City, on the eastern border of the Jia Ma Empire. It is the place closest to the Tager Desert," Xiao Yan said, patting Xiao Yi Xian's head.

Three days later.

"Hmm, the customs here are truly worlds apart from the interior of the empire." Xiao Yan held Xiao Yi Xian's hand as they walked through the streets of a city made of yellow earth, feeling the dry, scorching heat.

"So the best map shop in the city is actually called 'Ancient Map'." After asking a passerby and confirming this, Xiao Yan smiled with profound meaning.

Calculating the time, Ice Emperor Hai Bo Dong should have been sealed by Queen Medusa not long ago.

"Heh, come on, Xiao Yi Xian. Brother Xiao Yan is going to take you to see a lonely old man." With that, Xiao Yan led Xiao Yi Xian by her small hand toward the "Ancient Map" shop.

"Hmm, this is the place." Xiao Yan looked at the shop in front of him and walked inside, spotting an old man with white hair and white robes slumped over the counter.

"What do you want?" The old man raised his head lazily. His face bore a long, narrow scar stretching from his left cheek to the corner of his eye, and his calm expression held a hint of unyielding arrogance.

Xiao Yan chuckled to himself: It makes sense. Hai Bo Dong has only just been sealed by Queen Medusa; he hasn't yet endured the eleven years of silence and tempering, so his arrogant temperament is to be expected.

"Xiao Yi Xian, go wait outside for Brother Xiao Yan for a moment, alright?" Xiao Yan said, turning to Xiao Yi Xian without answering the old man.

"Okay, Brother Xiao Yan." Xiao Yi Xian nodded obediently, turned around, and stood at the entrance, watching the two inside.

Seeing this, the old man's previously lazy expression began to sharpen.

"Hmm?" The old man asked seriously.

"What do I want? I want you, Ice Emperor Hai Bo Dong." Xiao Yan's calm face spat out a shocking name.

"Who are you?" The old man's eyes suddenly turned sharp. An astonishing aura surged from his body, slowly locking onto Xiao Yan. The calligraphy and paintings hanging in the shop began to flutter without wind, and the temperature inside plummeted.

"Who I am is not important. What matters is that I have what you want," Xiao Yan said, ignoring the sharp aura locking onto him.

"Hmph, you're courting death!" Seeing that Xiao Yan did not answer but continued to act mysterious, Hai Bo Dong snapped.

"I'll take you down first!" Hai Bo Dong flew out from behind the counter and launched a fierce attack at Xiao Yan.

"Mystic Ice Whirlwind Kill!" Following Hai Bo Dong's angry shout, the temperature in the shop dropped sharply. Over a dozen high-speed rotating ice cones appeared around him and slammed toward Xiao Yan.

"Prajna Palm!" A massive golden palm, roughly three meters in size, suddenly appeared before him, meeting the incoming ice cones head-on.

"Bang!" With a loud crash, the palm intercepted most of the ice cones. Although the remaining ones continued toward Xiao Yan, he had already dodged to another position, his body covered in a purple Dou Qi veil.

"Little Yan, it's my turn. Although this sealed Dou Emperor currently only has the strength of a Dou Ling, it is still beyond your current capabilities," Yao Lao, who had been silently watching from within the Storage Ring, suddenly said.

"Then I leave it to you, Teacher." Xiao Yan replied. Immediately, an ancient and profound aura began to rapidly envelop his entire body.

"Xiao Yan" then glanced coldly at Hai Bo Dong, who was on guard nearby, and spoke: "Who gave you the courage to strike at me first?"

Hai Bo Dong was about to mock this arrogant brat whose aura had suddenly turned strange, but he realized the boy had vanished from his field of vision. Terrified, Hai Bo Dong's expression changed wildly as he retreated, but it was too late.

"Urgh, urgh..." A fair-skinned hand appeared before Hai Bo Dong, gripping his throat so tightly he could not speak.

Hai Bo Dong looked at the "Xiao Yan" who had suddenly appeared before him—an "Xiao Yan" whose aura was stronger than his own even at his peak—and his long-calm face slowly filled with fear.

A wisp of pale, illusory flame surged from the palm of "Xiao Yan," and before Hai Bo Dong's horrified eyes, it transformed into fine threads that burrowed into every part of his body.

"Bang!" Xiao Yan tossed Hai Bo Dong aside like trash.

"Heh! The Ice Emperor? Nothing more than this." "Xiao Yan" gave a disdainful smile, then closed his eyes, and his aura slowly returned to normal.

"Alright, Xiao Yi Xian, you can come in now." Xiao Yan turned and beckoned to Xiao Yi Xian, who had been calmly watching from the door.

Xiao Yi Xian stepped over the chaotic mess on the floor, glanced at the old man who had gone from a "fierce tiger" to a "sick cat," and walked up to Xiao Yan. "Brother Xiao Yan, you're so amazing."

Xiao Yan smiled silently, walked over to Hai Bo Dong, and crouched down. "Now, can we have a proper talk?"

"Where were we? Oh, right, I have what you want. I assume you know that to break Queen Medusa's seal, you need the Tier 6 medicinal pill, the Break-Ero Pill." Xiao Yan spoke to himself, ignoring Hai Bo Dong, whose face had suddenly turned fearful.

"I have already collected most of the materials for the Break-Ero Pill. As for the Heavenly Flame required to refine it? You have already felt the power of the flame that just entered your body—that is the Bone Chilling Flame, ranked eleventh on the Heavenly Flame Ranking." Xiao Yan said with a smile.

Hai Bo Dong's expression suddenly became agitated.

"Speak. Don't play dead. I only sealed your movement, not your mouth." Xiao Yan pulled Hai Bo Dong up.

"Can you really refine the Break-Ero Pill for me? That is a Tier 6 pill." Hai Bo Dong asked urgently.

"Hmph, do I have any reason to lie to you?" Xiao Yan snorted coldly.

"Then what exactly do you want?" Hai Bo Dong asked bitterly.

"I want that remnant map you obtained in the desert years ago. Furthermore, after I help you break the seal, you will serve me for twenty years," Xiao Yan said suddenly.

"How could you possibly...?" Hai Bo Dong's pupils involuntarily contracted.

"You should think carefully. I am currently the only alchemist in the Jia Ma Empire—or rather, the entire Northwest Continent—who possesses a Heavenly Flame. This Break-Ero Pill is not something just anyone can refine," Xiao Yan continued, ignoring Hai Bo Dong's question.

"But you are merely a lowly Dou Shi. You want me, a dignified Dou Emperor, to serve you?" Hai Bo Dong finally stopped questioning and became dejected.