At that thought, Hai Bodong quickly calmed down. A smile appeared on his aged face as he said, "My apologies. I've only just recovered my strength, so I can't quite control my aura yet. Sorry for startling you youngsters."
"Oh? Is that so?" Looking at the smile on Hai Bodong's face, Xiao Yan's own expression grew teasing. "With that display just now, I thought you were about to turn on us, Elder Hai. So it was only a misunderstanding. I knew it-whatever else, you're still a Dou Huang expert. Surely you wouldn't do something so ungrateful that it would put even beasts to shame?"
"Hahaha..." Hai Bodong laughed awkwardly at Xiao Yan's words. He had, after all, nearly done precisely the sort of ungrateful deed that would put beasts to shame... This brat was clearly pointing at the mulberry tree to curse the locust.
"What a shame. I was hoping to see just how strong you really were, Elder Hai." Xiao Yan shook his head with apparent regret. "After all, chances to fight someone at the Dou Emperor level don't come along often."
Seeing that Xiao Yan did not seem to be joking, Hai Bodong felt somewhat relieved. The fellow did not appear particularly wary of him. Thinking it over, though, while the boy was young, his temperament resembled that of some old monsters. Given his character, if he dared hand over the Pill of Breaking Affliction, he clearly wasn't afraid of Hai Bodong turning on him...
"All right, Elder Hai. You've recovered your strength, so isn't it time you handed over the other half of the map fragment?" Xiao Yan rose from his chair and held out his hand to Hai Bodong.
Hai Bodong hesitated, then took the other half of the map fragment from his Storage Ring. Though