Raiding His Stash

What?

I have Medusa's mark on me?

"Impossible, absolutely impossible! I've never even met Her Majesty, that wise and mighty queen, and I admire her immensely. She has no reason to do anything to me."

Chen Cang shook his head fiercely, unwilling to believe it.

He truly had never met Medusa. He had only passed through the Tagor Desert once, and that was his only visit.

Could it be...

"Haha, looks like you've remembered something. Relax. As long as you don't run into her, there's really nothing to fear. Besides, I guarantee she's nowhere within five li of here right now. No matter how hard you flatter her, she can't hear you."

Hai Bodong laughed at his misfortune, delivering the most cowardly words in the most nonchalant tone.

Years of torment had honed quite a few skills in him. The current Ice Emperor was probably more sensitive to Medusa's presence than a dog's nose.

"Is there any way to remove this mark?"

"I don't know. Your situation is rather unusual. This mark is different from seals and similar methods. It won't affect you. It seems more like a unique mark she left to pinpoint your location, which also makes it extremely well hidden. Unless she removes it herself, or an Alchemist like Pill King Gu He examines your body carefully, you might never find a trace of it."

High-ranking Alchemists possessed powerful Soul Perception. That was what gave them the confidence to "diagnose" others.

Once he learned that this method could work, Chen Cang felt a little more at ease.

Although he didn't know exactly how powerful his Soul Perception was, after more than a decade of honing it, he was confident that it could rival a fifth-tier Alchemist's.

In other words, when it came to Soul Perception alone, he might not be much worse than Pill King Gu He.

He still had a chance to handle this himself.

I'll examine myself thoroughly, inside and out, in a little while!

It had to be done.

Being singled out by Queen Medusa was no good thing, even if she had shown no malice so far. It seemed more like a casual gesture after spotting something that interested her.

Recalling his hurried passage through Tagor two years earlier, if Medusa had noticed him then, she must also have discovered just how much potential the Void Pegasus Beast possessed.

Seen that way, it was hardly surprising that Medusa had taken an interest.

In fact, even if Medusa had attacked him outright to seize it, that would have made sense.

Having grasped the crux of the matter, Chen Cang became even more eager to erase the mark.

He had come to Tagor with a purpose this time. If Medusa could track his every move, that would be nothing good. Unexpected complications could easily arise.

"Enough about that woman. Tell me, what did you come to see me for?"

"To buy a map, of course. Who knew you'd react so strongly? I never imagined an old mapmaker would have hidden himself so deeply."

With his goal still unfulfilled, Chen Cang had no intention of exposing the other man's identity yet. Visiting a map shop to buy a map was perfectly reasonable.

Sure enough, Hai Bodong suspected nothing.

After a slight nod, he waved his hand, and dozens of finely crafted maps immediately landed on the ground.

"Hurry up and choose whatever map you need. Once you're done, leave. Ideally, leave Desert City altogether and never come back."

Afraid that Medusa might suddenly descend upon them, Hai Bodong didn't want to spend another moment with Chen Cang.

If Chen Cang weren't at least as strong as he was now, Hai Bodong wouldn't have bothered with him at all. Putting distance between them immediately would have been the proper course.

Ignoring the washed-up Ice Emperor, who was like a bird startled by a bowstring, Chen Cang crouched down and carefully searched for what he wanted.

"These maps are finely made, but the areas they cover are all too small. You still have some you haven't brought out, don't you?"

After looking through them, Chen Cang raised his head toward the other man. His eyes shone brightly, as though some mysterious power were brewing within them.

A while later, he had gained a rough understanding of Hai Bodong's condition, and his confidence grew.

The Ice Emperor really was in terrible shape!

Even if he possessed a thousand methods, the seal prevented him from using them. He was utterly like a clever cook with no rice to cook.

If this turns into a fight to the death, the advantage is mine!

"These are all the commonly used maps. The rest took painstaking effort to draw, and they don't come cheap."

After a moment's consideration, Hai Bodong took out another twenty-odd maps and dropped them before Chen Cang.

Whether by design or coincidence, one map had a Fragmented Map tucked inside it, with one corner showing, and landed right at the front.

Chen Cang picked it up and examined it, confirming that it came from the same source as a map in his collection. The piece he already possessed was simply larger than the one Hai Bodong had brought out.

"I'll take this one."

Tossing out a hundred gold coins, Chen Cang put the map, along with the Fragmented Map, straight into his Storage Ring.

"That Fragmented Map isn't for sale."

"If it isn't for sale, why did you bring it out?"

Chen Cang couldn't care less. There was no reason to spit out something that was already in his mouth.

Every angler knew that scattering bait didn't guarantee a catch. Coming home empty-handed was nothing unusual.

Since Hai Bodong wanted to test him, he would accept this gift with a clear conscience.

Mm, thank you for your generosity, Ice Emperor!

"You know about that Fragmented Map?"

Though he had failed to steal a chicken and lost a handful of rice instead, Hai Bodong remained unhurried.

He had already divided the Fragmented Map into two pieces. As long as the other piece remained in his hands, his position would always be unassailable.

"That's none of your business."

"I forgot to tell you something. This Fragmented Map was originally larger. I cut it into two pieces. Tell me what you know, and I might share the remaining piece with you. Don't even think about taking it by force. Even if your magical beast is astonishingly fast, even if you have countless trump cards that leave me unable to win or escape, destroying the Fragmented Map would still be child's play."

With his trump card in hand, Hai Bodong wasn't worried in the slightest.

The idea was good. Unfortunately, he knew nothing about Chen Cang.

Hearing the threat, Chen Cang's expression remained utterly calm. He even felt the urge to laugh.

"Then destroy it. I don't care. Farewell!"

At a beckoning gesture, the Void Pegasus Beast immediately came over. Man and beast sped away without the slightest reluctance.

And they headed straight back in the direction they had come from.

Hai Bodong stood where he was, looking somewhat bewildered.

Could he really have no interest in the remaining piece of the Fragmented Map?

That shouldn't be possible. Anyone with a discerning eye could tell that this Fragmented Map must conceal a secret. Back then, even my trouble with Medusa was all because of it.

He couldn't understand it. He simply couldn't understand it.

Surely this brat doesn't know I'm not carrying the remaining piece?

Filled with doubts and confusion, Hai Bodong gathered up the maps scattered across the ground, then headed back to Desert City.

He was shrewd, after all. Once he confirmed that the Fragmented Map concealed a secret, he had divided it into two pieces.

One piece served as bait, while the other was hidden somewhere no one knew about. He even changed its hiding place every few days to ensure nothing unexpected happened. Even if he encountered a supreme expert he had no way to resist, someone who could kill or capture him in an instant, they still wouldn't be able to obtain the remaining piece.

By any ordinary reckoning, this method had no flaws!

Yet he had never imagined that Chen Cang was precisely the unpredictable factor that defied ordinary reckoning.

When Hai Bodong returned to Desert City, cleared away the shop's rubble, entered the underground chamber, and pried up a floor tile, he froze on the spot.

The Redwood Box was still there, but someone had already opened it.

The Fragmented Map originally hidden inside had vanished without a trace. In its place was a note left by a crafty scoundrel.

"Sorry, I'm not planning to take on a disciple just yet."