Old Brother

"Brother Xiao!"

"Old Hai!"

"Brother Xiao!"

"Old Hai!"

"Brother Xiao!"

"Old Hai, could you at least tell me why Medusa was looking for me?" Xiao Fan felt helpless at Hai Bodong's somewhat crazed state.

It felt like a lonely old man seeing his own family.

"Uh... Brother Xiao, you don't know this, but that woman Medusa only ever gives me assignments. She never tells me the reason..."

"..." Xiao Fan could tell that Hai Bodong now seemed like Medusa's lackey.

"Hey, hey, hey, Brother Xiao, don't leave. Your soul power is so strong, so I assume you're an Alchemist. You should be interested in this."

Hai Bodong did not want to miss this chance to break free from Medusa. He immediately took a map from his Storage Ring—the fragmentary map of the Purifying Demonic Lotus Flame.

Xiao Fan raised his eyes slightly, and Hai Bodong naturally noticed the tiny reaction. There's a chance!

"Old Hai, to be honest, I really am interested in this fragmentary map."

"Hey, Brother Xiao, no need to be so polite."

Hai Bodong directly handed the fragmentary map to Xiao Fan. The corners of Xiao Fan's mouth twitched unconsciously. Just how afraid of Medusa is he...?

This could be said to be Hai Bodong's final bargaining chip, yet he still handed it over to Xiao Fan without hesitation.

The Ice Emperor who had once slaughtered an entire city alone no longer existed.

Now, there was only Hai Bobo, who feared his sister-in-law~

"Old Hai, I knew it. The moment we met, I felt like we hit it off right away." Xiao Fan accepted the fragmentary map and put it into his Storage Ring.

"This Snake Curse Seal is actually easy to solve. It only needs to be continuously scorched by two Heavenly Flames to remove it."

The hope in Hai Bodong's eyes instantly dimmed. "Two Heavenly Flames?"

"Mm. The Snake Curse Seal is essentially a Sealing Technique. Using the high temperature of Heavenly Flames to break the seal is one viable method, though the process will be rather painful."

Xiao Fan actually wanted to complain a little. If one encountered an unsolvable problem on the Dou Qi Continent, one only needed to burn it with Heavenly Flames. Once it was burned, everything would suddenly become clear.

Hai Bodong was not troubled by the pain of the process. "Brother Xiao, finding even one Heavenly Flame is already exceedingly difficult. Trying to subdue two different Heavenly Flames is simply impossible."

"Who said so?"

Under Hai Bodong's shocked gaze, Xiao Fan summoned the Golden Emperor Burning Heaven Flame.

"Th-this... this!"

"Mm, Old Hai, this is a Heavenly Flame."

"A golden flame?" Hai Bodong had already begun guessing the origin of this Heavenly Flame.

"The Golden Emperor Burning Heaven Flame? Impossible. It should be the Xuanhuang Flame."

In truth, Hai Bodong was more inclined to believe it was the Golden Emperor Burning Heaven Flame, but that was the fourth-ranked Heavenly Flame. How could it possibly appear in some backwater like the Northwest Continent?

Yet regardless of which Heavenly Flame it was, the fact that this young fellow possessed one at such a young age was enough to show that he was anything but ordinary.

What was even more terrifying was that his mercenary instincts, honed over many years, told him that if he attacked the youth before him, the exquisitely featured little fellow beside him would beat him up badly.

Besides, Hai Bodong had always been a good judge of people. Whether it was investments or missions, he had relied on this instinct to become the Ice Emperor, Hai Bodong.

The young man before him gave him the feeling that he was worth investing in. Besides, he still needed Xiao Fan to remove his Snake Curse Seal.

"No wonder Medusa is interested in you," Hai Bodong could not help saying.

"To be honest, I happen to know where another Heavenly Flame is." Hai Bodong deliberately left him hanging, convinced that Xiao Fan would be interested in what he had to say.

However, Xiao Fan shook his head. "Old Hai, I came to the Tagor Desert for a Heavenly Flame, and I already know where it is."

"What!"

Hai Bodong abruptly stood up. He had searched for this Heavenly Flame for a long time before gaining even a general direction, yet this young man claimed to know where it was. Hai Bodong grew even more wary of Xiao Fan.

"Old Hai, just give me a map of the Tagor Desert. Don't worry. Once I find the Heavenly Flame, I'll naturally come back and help you remove the Snake Curse Seal."

Hai Bodong immediately beamed. "Then you've come to the right person! I dare say that in the entire Jia Ma Empire, no one draws better maps than I do!"

Hai Bodong searched around the counter for a while before taking out a slightly yellowed map drawn on parchment.

"Mm." Xiao Fan gave the map a cursory look. Just as Hai Bodong had said, the distribution of factions and the divisions of regions were all marked with great precision.

"But, Old Hai, what about Medusa..."

Hai Bodong understood what Xiao Fan meant. "Don't worry. Medusa gave me plenty of time for this mission. As long as you return in time, it'll be fine."

Xiao Fan was slightly stunned as he thought, That woman Medusa actually lets the cow graze?

He, Xiao Fan, had been squeezed dry by her before finally getting a chance to catch his breath...

Even after they left the Ancient Map Shop, Hai Bodong still followed beside Xiao Fan. "Brother Xiao, it's not that I won't accompany you, it's just..."

"Old Hai, don't worry. I'm determined to obtain this Heavenly Flame."

"Brother Xiao, then I'll wait for you here in Desert City. Rest assured, anything this old man promises, I will definitely do."

"I still trust Old Hai's character."

"..."

"Brother Xiao, you must come back."

"Oh, right, Brother Xiao. If you need help, you can take this token to the Mite'er Family." Hai Bodong took a token from his Storage Ring and handed it to Xiao Fan.

Xiao Fan felt a little awkward as he likewise took out an identical token from his Storage Ring.

"Hm? Brother Xiao, where did you get that token?"

"Big Sister Ya Fei gave it to me."

"Ya Fei... That girl actually gave you this token."

Hai Bodong immediately threw an arm around Xiao Fan's shoulders enthusiastically. "Brother Xiao, in that case, we're practically half in-laws. I, Hai Bodong, never let my own people suffer losses. These are some high-grade medicinal ingredients that I've treasured."

Zi Yan's eyes lit up at the fifth- and sixth-tier medicinal ingredients. She held Xiao Fan's hand and kept shaking it, afraid that he would refuse.

"Then thank you for your kindness, Old Hai."

Hai Bodong raised a brow. That kid didn't seem to deny the in-law thing just now...

But soon, Hai Bodong's smile became even more brilliant, though it looked rather strange to Xiao Fan...

"Oh, right, Brother Xiao, how old are you this year?"

"Five, though I'll be six soon." Of course, Xiao Fan silently added in his heart, I've lived for nearly a hundred years, probably. (For survival.)

"What! Cough, cough, cough." Hai Bodong had still underestimated Ya Fei's abilities. Not only was she skilled at handling family affairs, but her taste in men was exceptional too...

"Cough, cough. Brother Xiao, in that case, this old man will wait for your good news."

Hai Bodong did not stop walking until he had seen Xiao Fan out of Desert City, watching him depart.

"Looks like I need to give that girl Ya Fei a little more authority..."

Hai Bodong had already made his plans...