In the adult world, anger isn't always genuine; a smile can conceal a sword...
Facing Mo Tang's piercing gaze, Hai Bodong gave a few awkward, dry laughs.
"Don't be angry, little brother Mo. I know this was a bit excessive, but rest assured, I wouldn't do anything ungrateful..."
"Well, consider it a favor to you. As long as this broken Evil Pill has even the slightest effect, I'll immediately give you the incomplete map as promised. I won't break my promise!"
Mo Tang's expression softened slightly at Hai Bodong's words.
"Alright, but Mr. Hai, this is my last concession. I hope you won't make any further 'requests'!"
"No, no..."
"Then please, little brother Mo, protect me outside."
Leaving the room, Mo Tang sat in the pavilion in the courtyard, looking at the closed door, a smile playing on his face.
He and Hai Bodong didn't have any special relationship, and he wouldn't treat him the way he treated Xiao Yan in the original novel.
Ultimately, what Hai Bodong valued most about Xiao Yan was his alchemist credentials. A promising alchemist capable of personally refining a sixth-grade elixir in his teens was a talent Hai Bodong and the Mitel Clan were willing to forge an antagonist against the Yunlan Sect.
Although Mo Tang had demonstrated incredible talent, without Dou Huang status, he could never truly rival the Ice Emperor.
Previously, Hai Bodong had naturally held no ill intentions, as he needed a favor. But now that the elixir was in his possession and the seal was about to be broken, it was hard to predict what the old man would do.
The quiet atmosphere lasted for nearly half an hour before being shattered by a ferocious ripple of energy.
Within the room, Hai Bodong, who had been utterly silent, suddenly began to tremble violently. Ripples of ferocious energy rapidly emanated from his body, instantly freezing the surrounding tables and chairs into ice sculptures before crackling and shattering into dust.
Such a violent energy fluctuation naturally attracted considerable attention.
Han Feng, who had been sitting in the bamboo forest studying alchemy, paused briefly, his gaze directed in the direction of the fluctuation.
"Dou Huang-level icy Dou Qi! It seems that the Ice Dou Huang from the Jia Ma Empire has successfully broken the seal... The Bane Pill, this pill is quite effective."
Although the recipe for the Bane Pill was returned to Hai Bodong along with the pill after it was refined, Han Feng's alchemy talent, powerful soul power, and memory made it possible for him to replicate the recipe himself.
"Haha, this damn seal is finally gone! I'm a Dou Huang again!"
Hai Bodong's body flashed through the rooftop, hovering in mid-air. His face was filled with ecstasy, and he threw his head back and laughed wildly.
The violent sound waves, carried by the Dou Qi, echoed throughout the city, startling many people.
A layer of cyan fighting spirit rose from Mo Tang's body, neutralizing the surging air waves. He narrowed his eyes slightly and looked towards the figure in the air.
Coincidentally, as if by telepathy, Hai Bodong's cloudy old eyes in the sky simultaneously glanced downward.
For a moment, their eyes met...
no sparks flew; they simply nodded slightly before each averting their gazes.
Though it was only a moment, Mo Tang was certain he had sensed the chill in the old man's gaze.
It wasn't hard to understand.
At the very least, Mo Tang believed that the mere possession of the fragmented map, cherished by the old man for decades, was a fatal temptation for the Ice Emperor.
Furthermore, this little creature had violated his taboo upon their first meeting, daring to take it from him...even though he ultimately gained the upper hand, the mere thought of it made the overbearing Ice Emperor uneasy.
But, just a moment ago, just as he'd had a fleeting thought about this guy, a sudden, uneasy feeling washed over him...
as if he were being watched by some supremely ferocious beast, a feeling that filled Hai Bodong with fear.
He wondered if this guy had some other scheme he didn't know about, plotting against him...
For this reason, the two men exchanged a fleeting, "gay" stare before calling it quits.
Mo Tang, sitting motionless below, averted his gaze and breathed a sigh of relief.
For a moment, he'd been watching Hai Bodong's mark on his minimap...
As the green marker representing Hai Bodong steadily faded yellow, then threatened to turn red, he'd secretly prepared to strip and release the snake.
However, the final outcome was quite good. The Ice Emperor still had some sense, finally putting aside his malicious thoughts and returning to his friendly green state.
It seemed the Ice Emperor had made his choice!
Standing up, looking at Hai Bodong who had landed in front of him, Mo Tang smiled slightly, extended his right hand, and said, "Mr. Hai, now that the seal is broken, you can rest assured, right? Then, that incomplete map... shouldn't I take it out?"
Hai Bodong's dry face twitched slightly at the word "incomplete map", but he didn't make any other excuses at this moment. He
touched his storage ring reluctantly, smiled bitterly and sighed, and then took out a small piece of extremely ancient, yellowed parchment.
Mo Tang carefully examined the fragmented image, sensing its identical texture to his other fragments, and he breathed a sigh of relief.
Although the original novel stated that the remnant of the Pure Lotus Demon Fire fragment contained the remnant soul of the Pure Lotus Demon Saint, Mo Tang's current spiritual power couldn't detect any anomalies.
As for his own system, it showed no reaction to the soul power, apparently due to its inability to absorb and transform this unique energy. However
, this didn't matter; his growth didn't require it anyway. As long as he had the means to suppress the Pure Lotus Demon Fire when it emerged, he could simply find an opportunity to absorb and transform it.
If Mo Tang's initial desire for the strange fires hadn't been intense, the realization that transforming them could gain source energy completely changed things.
"Mo boy, what are your plans next? Are you returning to the Jia Ma Empire with me?" Hai Bodong asked, looking at Mo Tang.
Mo Tang shook his head slightly. "Didn't they say that Black Seal City was going to hold an auction? I want to go and see it."
Hai Bodong raised an eyebrow, looking surprised, and said, "Oh? Attending an auction? Han Feng said before that if he could find Xiao Yan, he would be willing to give him a Douling Pill as a gift. Aren't you tempted?"