The streets of Stone Desert City bustled with life as Liu Xi walked leisurely among the crowd. Yet everywhere he passed, he could feel fiery gazes sweeping across him. The desert women were bold and unrestrained, their eyes brazen with desire as they raked over his figure. From nearby men, however, came waves of cold snorts and disgruntled glares.
Liu Xi could only sigh inwardly. These desert women were indeed passionate and wild. But then again, who could blame them? At this moment, he was the picture of elegance—tall and slender, draped in a refined moon-white robe, his fair and handsome features carrying a natural severity in the absence of a smile.
In this rugged desert frontier, filled with rough mercenaries and coarse traders, he was like a flawless gem gleaming among ordinary stones—impossible to ignore.
After walking for some time, he noticed a voluptuous beauty staring at him so intently that she had nearly forgotten to blink. A trace of amusement flickered in Liu Xi's eyes. With a small, beckoning gesture of his finger, he called her over.
The woman froze for an instant, before her face blossomed into a radiant smile. With a sultry sway of her hips, she walked toward him, every step deliberate and enticing. Standing before Liu Xi, her burning gaze never left his face. Her lips curved as she spoke in a honeyed tone, "Young master, you summoned me—what is it you desire?"
Liu Xi's smile remained faint and reserved. "This young lady, could you take me to the largest map shop in Stone Desert City?"
The woman blinked, her expression flickering with a flash of disappointment. Still, she forced a smile and replied sweetly, "Of course. Please, follow me."
---
After half a circuit through the bustling streets, they stopped before a modest building bearing the sign "Ancient Maps." Unlike other shops, which were decorated extravagantly to flaunt their wealth, this store exuded an understated, almost ancient aura.
Liu Xi's eyes gleamed slightly. 'As expected of the hidden refuge of a Dou Huang. Subtle, but extraordinary.'
He thanked the woman politely before stepping inside. She, however, stomped a foot in annoyance at being dismissed so blandly, then huffed and turned away with a pout. 'This pretty boy really doesn't know how to appreciate a woman's hints!'
---
The interior was narrow and plain. Two moonlight stones glowed faintly from the ceiling, casting a soft brilliance over the sparse shelves. Few customers browsed, leaving the shop quiet and desolate.
At the counter sat an elderly man, hunched over as he carefully etched lines onto a scroll with a steady hand. His hair was white, his face aged, yet his grip on the brush was unwavering—evidence of an unyielding strength.
Liu Xi released his Spiritual Power, blanketing the shop in silence. What he sensed made his eyes flash. The old man's presence was like a frozen mountain, immeasurably vast, yet sealed beneath layers of impenetrable ice.
'So it really is him… the Ice Emperor, Hai Bodong. Once one of the Ten Strongest of Jia Ma Empire. No wonder even sealed, his presence rivals Vice Dean Hu Gan.'
Before Liu Xi could speak, a faint flicker of heat brushed against his perception. His heart skipped a beat. 'That aura… could it be? Don't tell me I've stumbled onto a fragment of the Purifying Demonic Lotus Flame's map already?'
Suppressing his excitement, he strolled casually toward the source, glancing over a few ordinary maps as though merely browsing. Eventually, he arrived at a dusty wooden rack in the corner, piled haphazardly with faded and torn scraps—maps abandoned as failures.
Sifting idly, Liu Xi's hand brushed against a brittle, yellowed remnant. A pulse of heat surged from it.
His eyes lit up. 'Found it!'
---
Pinching the palm-sized fragment, he brushed off the dust, revealing its cracked markings. Though it didn't depict the Tager Desert, the aura was unmistakable.
'So it's true. Not only the Green Lotus Core Flame, but Hai Bodong also carries a piece of the Purifying Demonic Lotus Flame's map… the 3rd ranked Heavenly Flame on the list. Heh. Fate really favors me.'
He walked back to the counter, holding up the fragment with a pleasant smile. "Senior, how much for this one?"
The old man's hand trembled ever so slightly. The line of ink on his scroll faltered, deviating for the first time. Slowly, Hai Bodong raised his head. His weathered face bore a savage scar stretching from his cheek to his temple, lending his gaze a lingering ferocity despite his otherwise calm demeanor.
His cloudy eyes flickered with a strange light as they settled on the map fragment. His voice, however, remained cool and detached. "That piece is not for sale. Choose another."
Liu Xi chuckled softly, as though unbothered. "But I only want this one, Senior. Surely everything has a price?"
Hai Bodong's eyes narrowed faintly. "Little one, have you… seen fragments like this before?"
Liu Xi shook his head. "No. But I know I need it. And you, Senior… have no use for it."
Hai Bodong waved dismissively. "Enough. I have no interest in money. Leave. And if you intend to take it by force, don't blame me for bullying the younger generation."
Liu Xi's grin widened. "Once, you were Ice Emperor Hai Bodong, among the empire's greatest. But now… are you still certain who would be bullying whom? Besides, I never said I wanted to trade money for it."
Hai Bodong's gaze sharpened, frost gathering in the air. His finger tapped the counter, and with a loud boom, the shop door slammed shut. A suffocating chill spread outward, locking the air in ice.
"Who are you really?"
Unfazed, Liu Xi simply said, "My name is Liu Xi. Perhaps you've never heard it. But I assure you—I am a genuine 5th Tier Alchemist."
Hai Bodong blinked, then barked a cold laugh. "Nonsense! In the entire Jia Ma Empire, there are barely a handful of 5th Tier Alchemists, all old monsters with centuries of experience. You, barely twenty, dare spout such arrogance?"
Liu Xi sighed. "Why does no one ever believe the truth?" He shook his head and released his aura. Dou Wang's might swept forth like a storm.
Hai Bodong's pupils shrank. His heart lurched. A Dou Wang… at his age? Impossible!
"You… are you the heir of Yunlan Sect's master? A scion of the great clans? The royal family's hidden prodigy? No, none of them could raise such a monster!"
Liu Xi folded his arms, smiling. "So, Senior, shall we sit down and talk like civilized people? It would save you the embarrassment of being beaten down."
Hai Bodong's pride flared. His killing intent erupted. "Dream on!"
With a stomp, his body shot forward, icy Dou Qi bursting outward. White mist swallowed the shop as crescent blades of ice spun wildly around him, forming a lethal cyclone.
"Mystic Ice Spiral Kill!"
The whirling storm of blades shrieked as it rushed at Liu Xi.
"Flame Blade."
Liu Xi's fingers pressed together, palm becoming a blade. Crimson flames surged, extending into a three-meter fiery sword. With one clean slash, fire and frost collided in a thunderous detonation. The cyclone shattered, dissolving into drifting mist.
Not pausing, Liu Xi's palm condensed more flames.
"Blazing Palm!"
The crimson glow ignited brighter, flames roaring between his fingers as he lunged forward.
"Condensed Ice Mirrors!"
Hai Bodong hastily conjured layer after layer of gleaming shields before him. Liu Xi struck—one, two, three, until all eight shattered beneath his palm. The last burst of flame crashed into Hai Bodong's chest, blasting him across the room. He spat blood, slammed against the wall, and slid down, gasping.
Before he could recover, fiery threads wove from Liu Xi's fingers, forming a burning seal.
"Flame-Sealing Mark!"
The seal burrowed into Hai Bodong's dantian, extinguishing his Dou Qi. His aura collapsed instantly.
Liu Xi crouched before the fallen Dou Huang, smiling as though they were old friends. "Now then, Senior, perhaps we can talk? I've come with sincerity, after all. And one more thing—yes, I really am a 5th Tier Alchemist."
(End of Chapter)
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