Battle Through the Heavens: The Rise Begins at Canaan Academy

He couldn't have come here specifically to humiliate him, could he?

"As expected of the Ice Emperor. You really are clever."

Qin Chen chuckled softly and continued, "I know this fragmentary map is only half of it. Take out the other half as well. Also, as an alchemist, I'm very interested in the Heavenly Flame within the Tagore Desert. You've lived in seclusion here for many years, so you must know where it is."

Hai Bodong's expression changed dramatically at his words, but when he heard Qin Chen say that he was an alchemist, a trace of delight flashed through his eyes.

"May I ask what rank your alchemy has reached, young friend?"

Suppressing his excitement, Hai Bodong asked cautiously. He had to first confirm the strength of the person before him; otherwise, he would not dare invest rashly.

"I can refine any sixth-tier medicinal pill."

The moment Qin Chen finished speaking, surging soul power burst forth from between his brows.

Feeling that soul pressure, powerful enough to rival a Dou Huang, Hai Bodong's expression changed abruptly, and the shock in his eyes could no longer be concealed.

A sixth-tier alchemist! In the entire Jia Ma Empire, there was only Gu He. Yet this youth before him looked no older than fifteen or sixteen. To achieve such accomplishments at that age, his talent was simply terrifying.

At this moment, Hai Bodong no longer doubted Qin Chen's alchemy skills. However, when he thought of how this medicinal pill required a Heavenly Flame to refine, he hesitated again.

"Damn it, I'm betting on it!"

After the light in his eyes flickered for a moment, Hai Bodong said in a deep voice, "I can give you the map, and I can provide you with information about the Heavenly Flame. In exchange, I have something I'd like you to help me with."

He took the bait!

Qin Chen understood at once, then smiled. "It seems you want to make a deal with me. Go ahead. I, Qin Chen, am not someone who enjoys fighting and brawling."

The world was not about killing and fighting, but about connections and social dealings.

"Since you know who I am, young friend, then you must also know why my strength is only at the Dou Ling level, right?" Hai Bodong did not state his purpose directly, instead asking a question in return. His strength had been sealed.

"Mm."

Qin Chen nodded. "You were once a Dou Huang renowned throughout the empire, but for some reason, you came to the Tagore Desert and had the misfortune of encountering the Medusa Queen. Although you escaped by luck, your strength was sealed down to the Dou Ling level."

"If I'm not mistaken, you want me to help lift the seal, right?"

"That is indeed correct." Hai Bodong gave a bitter smile. He had not expected the youth before him to know even this, and he continued, "To break the seal, I have searched for every possible method over the past several decades. In the end, I found a pill formula. As long as I refine the medicinal pill described on it, my strength will be restored."

"What rank is the medicinal pill?" Qin Chen asked.

"Sixth-tier." Hai Bodong licked his lips and smiled.

"Since it's only a sixth-tier medicinal pill, why don't you ask the Pill King Gu He for help?" Qin Chen knowingly asked.

"He can't do it."

Hai Bodong shook his head and explained, "The first requirement for refining this medicinal pill is that the alchemist must possess a Heavenly Flame. As far as I know, he doesn't have one."

"But I don't have a Heavenly Flame either. Why do you think I can help you?" Qin Chen spread his hands.

A sharp glint flashed through Hai Bodong's eyes as he said with certainty, "Though I don't know where you come from, I know you are definitely no ordinary person. Even without my help, I believe you can find the Heavenly Flame hidden in the Tagore Desert."

At this point, the old man looked helpless. "Besides, even if you hadn't come today, I think I would have left this place in a few years to seek out Gu He and ask him to help me lift the seal."

Looking at Hai Bodong's expectant face, Qin Chen nodded and smiled. "All right, I agree."

Hearing this, Hai Bodong heaved a sigh of relief, and a faint smile appeared on his aged face.

Just then, Qin Chen spoke. "I assume you know an alchemist's rules. Have you prepared all the ingredients?"

"This..." Hai Bodong smiled sheepishly, his expression awkward.

"What? Don't tell me you haven't prepared the ingredients yet?" Qin Chen asked with a raised brow.

"That is indeed the case." Grasping a few strands of his graying beard with his dry hand, Hai Bodong smiled bitterly. "I have already gathered most of the ingredients. I'm only missing the final one, called Sand Mandala."

"The growing conditions for Sand Mandala are extremely harsh. It can only be found in places with high temperatures, namely the depths of the Tagore Desert. But that is Snake-People Tribe territory. Because I cultivate an ice-attribute technique, and because I bear the seal placed by the Medusa Queen, she will sense me the moment I enter the depths of the desert, so..."

"So you want me to help you find this ingredient?" Qin Chen rubbed his chin and asked calmly.

"Yes." Hai Bodong was helpless as well. The Medusa Queen had left too great a shadow over him. For more than a decade, he had not dared set foot in the desert.

Qin Chen fell silent at first. After a long while, he nodded at Hai Bodong. "All right. For the sake of the Heavenly Flame, I'll agree."

Qing Lin

"Thank you." A smile appeared on Hai Bodong's face. He then took out a piece of parchment from his robes and handed it to Qin Chen. "This is a map I drew after years of investigation. It marks the three places most likely to contain a Heavenly Flame."

Qin Chen took the parchment and immediately spotted the three flame symbols on it. They were located in the eastern, western, and northern regions of the Tagore Desert.

Qin Chen nodded slightly and smiled. "In that case, we'll set out once we finish packing."

"Huh?"

Hai Bodong froze at his words. Once he recovered, he hurriedly said, "I have the Medusa Queen's seal on me. I can't enter the desert!"

"You think too highly of yourself. Medusa is busy right now. Where would she find the time to trouble you?"

Qin Chen rolled his eyes and continued, "Old sir, if I go alone into the depths of the desert to find medicinal ingredients for you, my life will be in danger. Now I'm asking you to come with me to search for the Heavenly Flame, and you're unwilling to put in even a little effort?"

"Besides, I'm not asking you to enter the depths of the Tagore Desert. If we can't find the Heavenly Flame in the northeast, then I'll go look in the west myself."

Although Hai Bodong had been sealed by Medusa, he still possessed the strength of a peak Dou Ling. Bringing him along would make things much easier. In the original story, Xiao Yan had not brought this powerful helper because he did not want to expose Yao Lao's existence.

But Qin Chen was different. He liked to make full use of everything available. As a frail and sickly little alchemist, how could he go without a guard to bolster his presence?

Besides, this was hardly some secret Hai Bodong could not know.

"All right." After hesitating for a long while, Hai Bodong nodded helplessly and turned to pack his belongings.

A moment later, two figures left the shop one after the other and headed east toward Stone Desert City.

The desert sun blazed overhead during the day. The yellow sand had been baked scorching hot, and even the air was warped by the heat. Walking through it for even a short while left one parched and dry-mouthed. The occasional breeze brought not the slightest coolness, only scorching grains of sand that lashed painfully against the face.

Stone Desert City, a human city located within the Tagore Desert.

It was an important military stronghold. Since it directly faced the Snake-People Tribe, a large number of elite soldiers were stationed in the city year-round. Its walls were tall and thick, covered in defensive fortifications, while the guards at the gates watched with sharp eyes.

The residents here had long grown accustomed to this atmosphere. Their gazes carried a trace of vigilance, yet also a measure of resilience, as they remained ready at any moment to face raids by the Snake-People Tribe from the depths of the desert.

After entering through the city gates, Qin Chen handed several bottles of medicinal pills to Hai Bodong. "Elder Hai, go gather some people to search for the Heavenly Flame first."

"And what about you?" Hai Bodong looked at Qin Chen in confusion.

"Hehe!"

Qin Chen smiled and teased, "I've been stuck with a filthy old man like you for so long that I'm bored to death. I'm going to find a pretty little maid to feast my eyes on first."

Hai Bodong: "..."

He was one of the ten strongest experts in the Jia Ma Empire, after all. Whenever ordinary people saw him, which one of them was not respectful and deferential? Yet now, he was serving as someone else's guard and still being looked down upon.

Though Hai Bodong grumbled inwardly, there was nothing he could do. After storing the bottles of medicinal pills in his storage ring, he turned and left.

Watching Hai Bodong's departing figure, Qin Chen grinned and walked into the city. He first went to the Iron Desert Mercenary Group's base in the southern part of the city, but unfortunately, he did not find any trace of Qing Lin there.

"Could Qing Lin not have been taken in by the two Xiao brothers yet?"

Qin Chen thought for a moment, then headed toward the city center. Before long, a slave trader caught his attention.

The man was speaking with flying spittle, constantly boasting to passersby about his "merchandise." Beside him stood a large prison cart containing several ragged little girls. They were huddled in the cramped space. Though they had been cleaned up decently, every one of them wore a numb expression and had dull, lifeless eyes, clearly the result of long-term abuse and fright.

Qin Chen stopped before the prison cart, his gaze falling on a somewhat petite girl in the corner.

The little girl's clothing was clearly thicker than that of the other girls. Her slender arms in particular were wrapped up tightly, as though something was deliberately being concealed. She had a pair of limpid emerald-green eyes, and when Qin Chen looked into them, he actually felt a trace of discomfort.

The slave trader also noticed Qin Chen's gaze. When he saw the alchemist badge on Qin Chen's chest, he immediately beamed and hurried over, plastering a lecherous smile across his face. "My lord, you have excellent taste! All my goods are top quality, every one of them fresh and lovely. Buy one to be a maid, or... hehe, it'll definitely be worth it!"

It could only be said that alchemists truly were the most prized group on the Dou Qi Continent. No matter where they went, they were treated as honored guests.

Qin Chen glanced at him indifferently and pointed at the girl in the corner. "How much for her?"

Seeing the direction Qin Chen pointed, the man was visibly stunned. He had caught this little girl by chance, but because she was a human-Snake-People hybrid, no one had been willing to buy her. She had been sitting unsold for several days already.

Naturally, he would not say that. The slave trader's eyes rolled as an even broader smile spread over his face. "My lord truly has a discerning eye. You spotted the finest one at a glance. As for her price... hehe, seeing as you are a distinguished alchemist, I'll give you a discount. One thousand gold coins will do."

Qin Chen did not haggle. He directly took out a heavy bag of gold coins from his storage ring and tossed it over.

The slave trader caught the bag and weighed it in his hand, his wrinkles blooming with delight. He hurriedly took out a key and unlocked the prison cart, carefully pulling the girl out before pushing her in front of Qin Chen. "My lord, take her. This girl belongs to you from now on."

"My lord, would you like more slaves? I have many connections."

The man rubbed his hands together and looked at Qin Chen with a fawning expression.

"No need." Qin Chen ignored him. After tossing him a bag of gold coins, he took Qing Lin's little hand and left.

Human traffickers deserved to die, but so what? What could Qin Chen do? Kill him?

Heh. Even if Qin Chen killed him today, another person would appear tomorrow to take his place. To solve this problem at its root, there was only one way: become the strongest on the Dou Qi Continent—a Dou Di.

"A Dou Di..." Qin Chen looked up at the azure sky and shook his head helplessly.

The more one knew, the more powerless one often felt. Real cultivation was nothing like what books described. Not every realm existed on the same plane.

Thinking this, Qin Chen turned to look at Qing Lin, who was trembling beside him, and smiled. "Little girl, what's your name?"

"R-Replying to my lord... I-I'm Qing Lin." Qing Lin's voice was as soft as a mosquito's buzz. Her little hands clutched tightly at the hem of her clothes, and lingering fear remained on her face.

Seeing this, Qin Chen revealed a gentle smile, like a spring breeze. "Don't be afraid. Follow me from now on, and no one will dare bully you again."

Qing Lin raised her head slightly and looked at the unfamiliar youth before her, who carried a hint of warmth. Her pale little face could not help turning red as she softly replied, "Mm..."

"Hahaha, let's go. I'll take you to buy something to eat first. And from now on, you don't have to call me my lord."

"How can that be? You saved my life..."

Qing Lin's Cultivation

Meanwhile, at the Sand Mercenary Group's base.

Hai Bodong kicked open the gates to the Sand Mercenary Group's courtyard. Biting cold air spread from his body, instantly freezing the previously noisy atmosphere in the yard.

Several mercenaries who had been wiping down their weapons stood up at once, vigilance on their faces. A burly man who seemed to be the leader shouted coldly, "Old man, how dare you trespass into our Sand Mercenary Group! You must be tired of living! Take him down!"

As soon as he spoke, several mercenaries beside the burly man grabbed their weapons with savage grins and lunged at Hai Bodong.

"You overestimate yourselves!" Hai Bodong snorted coldly and stomped heavily on the ground. In an instant, a powerful ripple of energy swept outward, sending every one of the approaching men flying and reducing the entire courtyard to chaos.