Subduing Hai Bo Dong, Reward: Bone Spirit Cold Fire

Stone Desert City, evening.

Outside an old-fashioned map shop, a white-haired figure was closing up for the day.

Suddenly, ripples spread through the space before the pale figure, and a young man stepped out from within, his expression indifferent.

The pale figure jerked in shock, his mouth falling so wide open that it could have fit an entire duck egg.

"D-Dou Zun!" After freezing for a moment, he finally cried out in alarm.

Lin Yang smiled faintly and spoke slowly. "Ice Emperor Hai Bo Dong, one of the Jia Ma Empire's ten greatest experts. More than twenty years ago, Medusa sealed you away, and you've been lingering on in Stone Desert City ever since. Am I right, old Hai?"

Hai Bo Dong's heart jolted. He had never revealed his whereabouts, so how did this man know so much?

However, he quickly recovered. This Dou Zun had come looking for him, likely having learned of the Heavenly Flame map from somewhere. He could use this chance to have him lift Medusa's damned seal. If he could also latch onto him, his future would be secure.

So he hurriedly put on a smile and spoke respectfully. "My lord, have you come to see me because of the Heavenly Flame map?" Hai Bo Dong stated it outright to show that he understood.

The corners of Lin Yang's lips lifted slightly. "That's right. I know you have two Heavenly Flame maps. Give them both to me, and I can lift your seal. Also, you can work under me from now on. One more thing: I'm a Dou Saint, not a Dou Zun."

Delight had just appeared on Hai Bo Dong's face, but upon hearing the latter half, he froze where he stood.

"D-Dou Saint! He's actually a Dou Saint!" A moment later, wild joy surged through his heart.

Hai Bo Dong hurriedly dropped to one knee. "My lord, Hai Bo Dong is willing to brave fire and water for you." His voice was steady and earnest.

Lin Yang chuckled softly and nodded faintly. "Good. Work for me from now on."

At that moment, the system issued a prompt. He had subdued Hai Bo Dong; the mission was complete, and Bone Spirit Cold Fire had been delivered to his inventory.

However, unlike before, no new mission was generated immediately afterward.

Lin Yang was slightly puzzled, but he did not ask about it for the moment. The system would probably issue another mission soon enough.

He then said, "Alright, I'll lift your seal now. After that, come back to Wutan City with me. You'll stay at the Xiao Family as a guest elder from now on."

He planned to return to Wutan City first and settle Hai Bo Dong in. Then he would refine the Heavenly Flames. Settling Hai Bo Dong would only take a few minutes, and besides, he had grown used to cultivating in that valley.

"Mm." Hai Bo Dong nodded heavily.

Lin Yang immediately raised a hand and pressed it against Hai Bo Dong's shoulder. A stream of Heavenly Flame power seeped directly into Hai Bo Dong's body.

Medusa's seal melted away instantly, like snow meeting boiling water.

In just a single breath, the seal vanished completely.

Hai Bo Dong let out a long breath, and his aura swiftly climbed to the level of a three-star Dou Emperor.

"Thank you, my lord." Hai Bo Dong's face was full of joy as he hurriedly expressed his gratitude.

Lin Yang waved a hand slightly. "Alright, give me the Heavenly Flame maps. We're leaving."

"Mm." Hai Bo Dong nodded slightly and hurriedly took out the maps.

Lin Yang accepted them, gave them a look, and put them away. He then returned to Wutan City with Hai Bo Dong.

Wutan City, Xiao Family.

Lin Yang and Hai Bo Dong landed on the back mountain.

Within the woods, Xiao Yan was practicing the high-level Xuan-class Dou Technique, Eight Extremes Collapse.

Yao Chen was patiently guiding him from the side.

Sensing Lin Yang's return, master and disciple both stopped and looked over.

"Uncle, you're back. Who is this?" Xiao Yan studied Hai Bo Dong and asked in confusion.

Lin Yang explained calmly, "He is the Ice Emperor, Hai Bo Dong. From now on, he is a guest elder of the Xiao Family. When I'm not around and Yao Chen cannot conveniently act, he will handle any trouble the Xiao Family encounters."

Xiao Yan was slightly shocked. This was actually the Ice Emperor Hai Bo Dong, one of the Jia Ma Empire's ten greatest experts.

But compared with Lin Yang's cultivation as a Dou Saint, he quickly accepted it.

"Alright, Uncle. Oh, Elder Yao said that for Aunt Little Fairy Doctor to refine pills, she needs to use a secret method to refine a poison-attributed beast flame. When should we go find one?" Xiao Yan asked.

Hearing this, Lin Yang looked at Hai Bo Dong. "Hai Bo Dong, you go. Make a trip to the Beast Mountain Range and find a fourth- or fifth-tier poison-attributed beast flame."

"Yes, my lord. I'll leave at once," Hai Bo Dong said.

"Mm. Go."

Hai Bo Dong nodded slightly, spread his Dou Qi wings, and flew away.

Lin Yang did not linger either. After exchanging a few brief words with Xiao Yan, he flew off toward the valley from before, preparing to devour the Bone Spirit Cold Fire.

Within the valley.

More than half a day passed slowly. Lin Yang had already devoured the Bone Spirit Cold Fire, and his cultivation had advanced somewhat.

The three Heavenly Flames had fused together, and their power was now comparable to the seventh-ranked Heavenly Flame.

If Lin Yang encountered the Soul Hall's two-star Dou Saint again, a single Buddha's Fury Fire Lotus would be enough to kill him instantly.

Lin Yang opened the system panel, but the system had not issued another mission yet.

So he asked inwardly, "System? Why is there still no new mission?"

"Ding. Continuous generation of system missions has triggered the cooldown mechanism. Please wait patiently for another half day, Host."

"Ah, alright then."

Lin Yang sighed and took out the high-level Heaven-class Dou Technique, Sacred Sun Fire Emperor Finger, then began to cultivate it.

At that moment, at the Soul Hall headquarters.

Soul Mie Sheng angrily smashed the Soul-Nurturing Pearl in his hand.

The elder responsible for inspecting the life-soul jade plaques every day had just reported that the second-in-command was dead, his body and soul both utterly destroyed.

"Damn it! A two-star Dou Saint, the second-in-command was killed just like that. I can't swallow this insult. I must personally cut that bastard down and avenge him!"

"Someone, pass down my orders. I'm going to the Soul Clan headquarters. The Soul Hall's affairs, great and small, will temporarily be decided by the third-in-command."

"Yes."

After giving his orders, Soul Mie Sheng decisively tore open space and headed for the Soul Clan.

Soul Clan.

Inside a great hall at the center of the Soul Realm.

Soul Mie Sheng knelt within the hall and reported the situation in the Jia Ma Empire, as well as the death of the second-in-command, to the Soul Clan's patriarch, Soul Tian Di, who sat upon the throne.

After hearing him out, Soul Tian Di's expression immediately turned cold.

"How reckless. A mere six-star Dou Saint dares to act so arrogantly."

"Someone, notify Hun Yan. Tell him to come at once. I have orders for him."

Hun Yan was one of the Soul Clan's Four Demon Saints, a seven-star Dou Saint who wielded the Soul Clan secret arts to cultivate the Devouring Life Flame and Netherworld Black Flame.

Over the past thousand years, dozens of Dou Saints had died by his hand. He was the sharpest black blade in Soul Tian Di's grasp, steady and reliable in his work, never once failing.

With him handling this matter, even if Lin Yang had helpers, Hun Yan's caution meant that he would never act rashly and make a mistake. Soul Tian Di was very confident in that.

Half an hour later, Hun Yan arrived at the great hall. He glanced at Soul Mie Sheng and asked, "Patriarch, what is it?"

Soul Tian Di briefly explained the situation before giving his orders. "Hun Yan, go to the Jia Ma Empire with Soul Mie Sheng. Join forces and make certain that six-star Dou Saint is killed. Find out exactly what secret the Jia Ma Empire holds. If the situation is unfavorable, act according to circumstances. First ascertain the enemy's strength, then return to see me."

"Yes."

"Alright. Go."

"Mm."

Within the valley.

Half a day had passed, and Lin Yang had successfully mastered the Sacred Sun Fire Emperor Finger.

His rapid progress was mainly due to the insights he had gained from cultivating the Holy Sun Fire-Swallowing Art.

The cultivation methods and Dou Techniques provided by the system were all compatible with one another, and their essential principles were interconnected.

Just then, the system issued another prompt. A new system mission had arrived.

"Finally."

Lin Yang hurriedly opened the system panel. Upon reading it, his heart leaped with joy.

The mission was simple: hunt down Han Feng. The reward was actually a high-level Heaven-class secret art, the Saint Sun Heavenly Flame Transformation.

The system noted that this technique was similar to the Heavenly Flame Three Mysterious Transformation, but it had only one transformation.

However, this transformation directly unleashed every Heavenly Flame within the body to increase one's cultivation.

The more Heavenly Flames one possessed, the greater the increase in cultivation after the transformation.

It was far more advanced than the Heavenly Flame Three Mysterious Transformation.

With this secret art, his odds against high-level Dou Saints of the Soul Hall would increase greatly.

The smile faded from Lin Yang's lips. He did not linger any longer and headed for the Black-Corner Region, preparing to hunt down Han Feng.

By his calculations, the Soul Hall experts should already have set out. He had to hurry.