The One Who Doesn't Know His Place Is You!

Mo City lay along the eastern border of the Jia Ma Empire.

After several days of travel, Xiao Wujiu and Xiao Yi Xian arrived at this city nearest to the edge of the Tagor Great Desert.

Its location was unique. Though it was smaller than Black Rock City, its defenses were even stricter because it bordered the Snake-People Race.

Merchant caravans from all over the empire, and even from other empires, gathered here as well, making the city quite prosperous.

Come to think of it, the Mo Clan was also in the eastern part of the empire, though its headquarters was in Yan City.

Forget it. I'll find time to deal with them later. They're only a small clan, after all.

Xiao Wujiu looked at Mo City before him and thought this. With his current strength, a clan whose strongest member was merely a Dou Ling truly could be called a small clan.

Ever since descending into Mo City, he could clearly feel his Battle Qi growing far more lively. Even its circulation had become more active.

"This environment really is suitable for fire- and earth-attributed cultivators. Eighty percent of the free energy in the air belongs to those two attributes."

"How long are we staying here?"

Xiao Yi Xian tilted her head as she asked. Her lovely brows furrowed slightly, as if she was not quite accustomed to the environment here.

"We'll leave once we obtain the Heavenly Flame."

After thinking for a moment, he took out a piece of flawless white jade. Under Xiao Yi Xian's curious gaze, a vermilion flame rose in his hand.

The jade was swiftly melted, eventually taking the form of a hollow butterfly.

With a wave of his hand, a jade bottle emitting a chill appeared in Xiao Wujiu's hand again. He slowly poured the Cold Spring inside into the butterfly, then sealed its opening once it was full.

He then threaded it with a green cord, and a necklace was completed just like that.

"Wujiu, what is this?"

"An accessory that can help you cool off." A gentle smile rested on his face as he moved behind Xiao Yi Xian and put the necklace around her neck.

At once, a cool sensation enveloped her, perfectly blocking out the scorching heat outside!

"That's amazing! Wujiu, you're incredible!" Xiao Yi Xian looked at the white jade butterfly, blue liquid flowing within it. It looked exquisitely beautiful, and her eyes shone brightly.

If outsiders learned that Xiao Wujiu had used a treasure comparable to the Ice Spirit Cold Spring as a cooling jade accessory, they would probably curse him to death in outrage.

But there was nothing to be done about it. This was precisely what he lacked the least.

"As long as you like it. Let's go."

Seeing how much she liked it, Xiao Wujiu took Xiao Yi Xian's hand again and led her toward the place where he could obtain the second fragment.

That place was the "Ancient Map" shop where Hai Bodong resided, and it seemed to be rather famous in Mo City.

In a sense, this place was similar to Dugu Bo's. The latter required a code phrase for Immortal Herbs, while the former required pills in exchange. The principle was the same.

Before long, guided by passersby, they arrived at the finest map shop in Mo City.

The ancient map shop was sparsely populated and quiet. Two moonlight stones illuminated the interior brightly, while an old man beside the counter organized completed maps. That man was Hai Bodong.

Xiao Wujiu was in no hurry. He began searching for the maps he needed with Xiao Yi Xian, while Hai Bodong, who had been sorting maps, merely glanced at him without saying anything.

He simply walked to the other side, placed the maps in his hands onto a shelf, then returned to the counter and continued drawing a new map.

Though his hair was completely white, the large hand holding the black drawing pen remained steady and powerful.

After searching for a while, Xiao Wujiu finally found the fragment he needed. After examining it, he confirmed that it was indeed the fragment of the Purifying Demonic Lotus Flame map he sought, and it was truly only one-eighth of the whole.

"Guest, you seem to recognize this map fragment?"

At that moment, Hai Bodong, who had been secretly watching Xiao Wujiu all along, finally could not remain seated after seeing him pick up the fragment. He spoke up.

"Of course. Ice Emperor, name your price."

Xiao Wujiu raised the fragment map, along with a general map of the area surrounding Mo City. "I'll pay for them together."

"Though I do not know how you learned of it, you cannot afford the price of this fragment. I'll pretend I never saw you. Put it down and leave on your own."

When Hai Bodong saw that the man before him had recognized his identity, his formerly somewhat cloudy eyes immediately turned fierce, and a faint threat entered his voice.

Thin ice mist had even begun to slowly emerge around him, clearly showing that he was preparing to make a move.

"What if... I refuse?"

Xiao Wujiu continued smiling, as though he had not heard Hai Bodong's threat at all. He paid no heed to the ice mist either.

He knew all too well how to deal with the current Hai Bodong. Unless he beat the man into submission, there would be no proper conversation.

He had not deliberately concealed his aura earlier, and he had not removed the badge of a third-tier alchemist from his body. He had revealed more than enough information already, so asking him to name a price had been giving him a chance.

Yet Hai Bodong had ignored all of it, believing Xiao Wujiu could not afford it. That left only one path ahead.

"Then stay here together..."

Hai Bodong's voice was grim, and a flash of murderous intent crossed his face. Before he could finish speaking, his aged figure vanished from the spot. Dense cold air instantly filled the entire room, turning the whole building into his domain.

Fortunately, while he had been confronting Hai Bodong just now, all the customers in the map shop had already left, so there was no risk of accidentally harming anyone.

"You ignorant brat!"

Within the cold mist, Hai Bodong's figure shifted constantly. When he found an opening, he decisively lunged first at Xiao Yi Xian behind Xiao Wujiu!

This brat was an alchemist, and his strength was at least at the Dou Ling realm. To be safe, Hai Bodong would first target the weaker one and force him to hold back.

That was Hai Bodong's plan, and it seemed like a sound solution. Though it was not particularly honorable, he had been hiding here for more than twenty years. As long as it worked, that was enough!

It would have been one thing if he had attacked Xiao Wujiu, but he had chosen Xiao Yi Xian instead.

"The one who doesn't know his place is you!"

Xiao Wujiu's eyes instantly turned razor-sharp. With Cloud Crane Nine Turns beneath his feet, his body flickered as he appeared behind Xiao Yi Xian. He extended one hand toward the charging Hai Bodong.

"Flame Shield!"

A weapon from the Mystic Fire Weapon Casting Record materialized once more. His Battle Qi transformed into a dark crimson shield filled with flames.

Hai Bodong's frost-covered fist slammed viciously into the shield, only to discover that a scorching force instantly suppressed him!

The result filled his face with astonishment.

"How is that possible!"