Ice Emperor Hai Bodong's Shock

Xiao Han naturally knew nothing about Xiao Zhan and Yi Huang's worries. Even if he had, there would have been nothing he could do.

The benefits and consequences brought by a rapid surge in strength naturally had to be accepted in full.

So, to keep the Xiao Clan from getting carried away, he could only resort to this measure and arrange for those clan members whose strength had soared to go train at Langya Pavilion.

Yi Huang did not know the details, while Xiao Zhan did not understand the strength of Langya Pavilion's disciples.

When those clan members, traveling incognito, discovered that the strength enough to dominate the Jia Ma Empire was nothing more than ordinary in the outside world, they would naturally correct their attitudes.

The current Xiao Han had already shaken off the harassment of the elders.

He was now carrying out his arrangements within the Jia Ma Empire. At the thought of this, Xiao Han felt a wave of helplessness.

Back when he had been holding down Langya Pavilion, its powerful intelligence network had sealed off the Northwest Continent completely, and at that time, Soul Hall had paid no attention to this remote place at all. Thus, the news of the Xiao Clan in the Jia Ma Empire had been successfully preserved.

Even the Gu Clan had not discovered the Xiao Clan's existence. However, the change in the situation had happened during the hundred years when he had gone missing.

And at precisely this critical moment, Soul Hall had increased its infiltration of the Northwest Continent, while the Gu Clan had also found its way here. At this rate, discovering the Xiao Clan was only a matter of time.

Although they might not necessarily notice the now rather low-profile Xiao Clan, Xiao Han still did not want to gamble. The later that time came, the better.

In that case, he could only take one more step back and seal off information about the Jia Ma Empire. And this step was not realistic if it relied solely on Langya Pavilion's strength; it also required the help of local powers.

Immediately, three figures from the original work appeared in Xiao Han's mind.

Desert City was a border city near the Tagor Desert. However, due to the existence of certain special reasons, this ordinary border city was not ordinary at all.

"Ice Emperor?" Xiao Han looked at the ancient, heavy city wall ahead, closed his eyes, and let his Soul Strength sweep out.

Before long, his eyes opened, and the corner of his mouth curved. "Found you."

At that moment, inside a shop whose signboard bore the words "Ancient Map," an ordinary-looking middle-aged man seemed to sense something and glanced toward the door.

Because the Ice Emperor Hai Bodong had only been sealed a few years ago, although he now looked ordinary, his aura was still sharp and fierce.

Just as Hai Bodong thought his senses had been mistaken, a white-robed figure that suddenly entered his field of vision made his pupils shrink.

"Ice Emperor?" Though the tone was questioning, it carried more certainty than doubt.

Hai Bodong's entire body turned cold at that moment. This person's method of appearing silently before him was something even he, a former Dou Huang Expert, had never possessed—he had never even seen it before.

As for the Dou Zong experts who had already vanished from the Jia Ma Empire, based on his experience, they absolutely could not appear before him without leaving a trace.

After all, he had once been a Dou Huang. Although his cultivation had been sealed, his perception still existed.

Then, as for the identity of the person before him, he no longer dared to keep thinking about it. If his guess was true, this realm was a level of cultivation that only Yun Potian, the founding ancestor of the Yun Lan Sect, had possessed!

"May I ask what guidance Senior has for me, honoring me with your presence?" His tone was respectful.

Could he have come for that mysterious Incomplete Map? Thinking of this, Hai Bodong could not help feeling a trace of regret. If he had known that thing's background was so great and that such an expert would covet it, he would not have dared keep it even if he had ten times the courage.

"Senior, have you perhaps come for that Incomplete Map?" Seeing that the other party had not spoken for a long time, and thinking he was waiting for him to speak first, Hai Bodong immediately exposed it himself.

"Incomplete Map?" This time, it was Xiao Han's turn to be surprised.

Although he knew that in the original work, Xiao Yan had obtained the Purification Lotus Demon Fire's Incomplete Map from Hai Bodong, he had not expected Hai Bodong to have gotten this thing so early.

At the same time, Xiao Han inwardly admired Xiao Yan's luck. Was this not something Heaven had practically delivered to him?

Since Xiao Han had run into it himself, he naturally would not let it go. As for whether Hai Bodong would agree?

Xiao Han guaranteed that he would.

When Hai Bodong heard the doubt in Xiao Han's tone, his heart suddenly jolted.

Damn it. The man had not actually come for this, yet he had sold it out with a single sentence!

Sure enough, in the next moment, the person opposite him said, "Can you let me take a look at that Incomplete Map?"

Would you agree if I said I didn't want to? Hai Bodong grumbled inwardly.

"Since Senior has asked, naturally there is no reason I cannot." Although his inner thoughts were plentiful, Hai Bodong's movements were not slow.

Seeing that ancient Incomplete Map exuding a mysterious aura, Xiao Han felt joy in his heart. That's right. This is it.

"Ahem."

Xiao Han coughed a few times and did not beat around the bush at all.

"Originally, I came this time to ask you for a favor. Of course, I will also pay you the corresponding reward."

?

A favor?

Hai Bodong was very puzzled. If the other party could not accomplish it, how could he possibly do so?

"May I ask what Senior wishes me to do?"

"To be precise, I hope to borrow the strength of your Mittel Family," Xiao Han said.

The Mittel Family was deeply rooted in the Jia Ma Empire. On the surface, it was only a commercial family. It possessed empty wealth, while its strength was not considered too powerful.

But in reality, it had long since infiltrated every aspect of the empire. If not for the Yun Lan Sect standing in front and drawing the danger, the imperial family would have moved against them long ago.

Hai Bodong was also extremely clear about this, and at first, he even thought this senior wanted to control the Mittel Family.

Instinctively, he wanted to refuse. After all, although he had already "gone missing," he was still the clan leader of the Mittel Family. How could he betray the family's interests?

But then, on second thought, with this powerhouse's strength, how could he possibly take an interest in the Mittel Family?

Although they had some influence in the Jia Ma Empire, beyond that, they simply were not worth much.

Money? On the Dou Qi Continent, strength was the foundation. Otherwise, no matter how vast one's wealth was, one was nothing but a fat sheep in the eyes of others.

Just like the Xiao Clan a few days ago. Although Hai Bo Dong had shut himself away from worldly affairs, he could still receive news from the outside world here.

Their Dou Wang clan leader was gone, and as a result, when the wall fell, everyone gave it a shove. Most of their businesses were lost, and they left the imperial capital with their tails between their legs.

Before Hai Bo Dong could continue his mental storm, Xiao Han went on to explain:

"I hope your Mittel Family will help me keep news about the Jia Ma Empire's Xiao Clan sealed within the border, and prevent it from spreading out."

???!!!

"Senior and the Xiao Clan are..." Although he knew that casually prying into a powerhouse's affairs was an extremely rude thing to do, and could easily offend the other party, the doubts filling his heart made him ask the question without thinking.

A top-tier powerhouse had made a special trip to this desert city to find him, all to help that Xiao Clan—rumored to have left the imperial capital with their tails between their legs—seal off information?

Moreover, he did not think there was anything about the Xiao Clan worth sealing off. This clan's strength was average; at most, it had a little influence in the Jia Ma Empire—and in the future, it would not even have that.

Could there be something he did not know?

"Do you know who I am?" Xiao Han asked with a smiling expression.

"Who?" Hai Bo Dong, whose brain was currently stalled, followed along and asked instinctively, though he regretted it immediately afterward.

"My name is Xiao Han."

That calm, ordinary tone caused an enormous psychological shock in Hai Bo Dong.

Hai Bo Dong: ...