Chapter 25: Unmasking the Identity

A Great Dou Shi! And such a young one at that!

What struck Hai Bodong with even greater surprise and suspicion was that, although he was certain he had never met this youth before, there was an inexplicable sense of familiarity, as if the aura he exuded shared a common origin with his own.

Yet, he was certain he had never imparted his cultivation technique to anyone. Years ago, even when various juniors from the Nalan clan had fawned over him with endless flattery, he had never once yielded. The Ice Emperor’s Canon was never taught to the mediocre.

"The maps are on the counter. Pick one yourself; if you can't find what you need, ask me," Hai Bodong said, suppressing his doubts. He had no intention of rising to assist; his tone was indifferent. He decided to observe the youth further.

Chen Xiao nodded slightly, in no rush to force the issue. This matter had already been delayed for quite some time, so a few more moments were of no consequence. As it happened, the recruitment team from the Canaan Academy would not arrive for nearly half a year; Chen Xiao had plenty of time to spare. Furthermore, to see this objective through to the end, Chen Xiao had already prepared seven distinct plans, from A to G. Today, his visit was merely to show his face.

Without pestering Hai Bodong, Chen Xiao began browsing the shop like an ordinary customer. The Tagor Desert was a suitable place for honing one's skills, and having a detailed map in advance was essential to avoid losing his way in the sands.

After examining various maps for a while, Chen Xiao selected the most exquisite and detailed one. He did not rush to pay, choosing instead to continue wandering through the shop. Soon, his attention was drawn to some yellowed maps piled haphazardly beside an old, rustic wooden shelf in the corner. These maps bore signs of damage, seemingly rejects from the map-making process.

Chen Xiao flipped through them casually until a tattered scrap of map, no larger than a palm, appeared before his eyes. At a single glance, he was certain it was of the same origin as the one he had obtained in the hidden stone chamber within the Magical Beast Mountain Range; it was exactly half the size.

Knowing that Hai Bodong had intentionally placed it there as bait, and that the other half was likely hidden away, Chen Xiao smiled and placed it back exactly as he had found it.

There was no hurry. If he were to take it, he would have to take the half Hai Bodong was hiding as well; otherwise, it would be meaningless.

Behind the counter, Hai Bodong appeared busy drafting a map, but his focus remained entirely on Chen Xiao, oblivious to the fact that his pen had gone completely crooked. Seeing Chen Xiao discover the bait he had laid out, his eyes narrowed slightly. But when he saw the youth show no interest in the scrap, he shook his head inwardly.

*I must be overthinking it,* he mused. He had left that scrap in the shop for years, and while many had stumbled upon it, they had all treated it like trash. No one knew that he had walked the edge of life and death to obtain it, and his current decrepit state was the result of that very struggle. It was a pity that although he had gained the fragment, years of research had yielded nothing. Otherwise, he wouldn't have brought it out as bait.

"Old gentleman, how many gold coins?" Chen Xiao asked, walking over with his chosen map.

Hai Bodong glanced at it dismissively and replied, "Five hundred will do, two hundred will do, even a hundred you can take it for."

*What?* Chen Xiao was stunned. *Is this how he does business?* But on second thought, he realized Hai Bodong didn't open this shop for profit. With his connections to the Mittel clan, gold meant nothing to him.

Realizing this, Chen Xiao no longer felt surprised. He took a hundred gold coins from his storage ring to settle the bill. However, Hai Bodong didn't even glance at the coins piled on the counter, choosing instead to stare directly into Chen Xiao's eyes.

"Young man, are you not curious? Or perhaps, do you know me quite well?" Unable to find any clues from his earlier observations, Hai Bodong finally couldn't help but probe.

Chen Xiao realized at once that he had reacted too quickly, leaving a flaw that allowed the other party to seize an opening for interrogation. These old foxes were all ancient spirits. A single word, a glance, or a minor gesture could carry hidden meaning. Compared to them, he still had much to practice.

His thoughts racing, Chen Xiao quickly abandoned his 'Plan A' of a slow, gradual approach. Plan B, activate!

He immediately produced a crystal VIP card issued by the Mittel Auction House from his storage ring. Over the past few years, he had conducted many transactions with the Mittel Auction House in Wutan City and had long since earned VIP status. He also knew that the cards issued by the Mittel clan came in five grades, and the one in his hand was the third-tier—neither too high nor too low.

"I wouldn't say I know you, but I often deal with the Mittel Auction House. I once happened to see a portrait, and according to them, the person in the picture was the Ice Emperor, one of the ten great masters of the previous generation in the Jia Ma Empire. That man bears a six-tenths resemblance to you, old gentleman."

When out in the world, one cannot be too honest; one must learn to speak off the cuff. As long as it cannot be verified, no one can be certain you are lying.

Hai Bodong pondered this. He had hidden in Desert City for years without contacting the Mittel clan; many likely thought him dead. But knowing Teng Shan's stubborn nature, he knew the man wouldn't give up searching for him unless he saw his corpse, which would lead to portraits being distributed to every Mittel auction house in the cities. That explanation was barely plausible. Furthermore, Chen Xiao's attire and his fair complexion were proof enough that he had indeed come from the other side of the Magical Beast Mountain Range. Thus, the story held three or four parts of credibility.

"You have mistaken me for someone else. I am no Ice Emperor," Hai Bodong said, dismissing the claim without a second thought. He had no intention of returning to the Mittel clan yet. If the mercenaries in the shop heard this and leaked the news, he was certain Teng Shan would be on his doorstep within three days.

That was a fine plan, but Chen Xiao didn't care. Since he wanted to lay his cards on the table, there was no point in hiding behind veils.

"Initially, I wasn't sure if you were the Ice Emperor, as my perception only sensed a Dou Ling. But your probing just now has confirmed my suspicions by another three parts. I only fail to understand why the once-dazzling Ice Emperor has become so feeble, to the point where he doesn't even dare to reveal his identity openly?"

*Why, indeed?* It was nothing more than being sealed. Chen Xiao's words instantly brought back memories of that unbearable past and the woman in the desert who had terrified him so deeply he dared not step foot into the sands again. As the scar was torn open, the pain—it was agonizing!

While Chen Xiao spoke these dangerous words, his Dou Qi was already circulating quietly within him. In the shop, the few mercenaries who had been pretending to browse while actually eavesdropping were startled by the conviction in Chen Xiao's tone and looked up in alarm.

Hai Bodong shot them a chilling glance. With a flick of his sleeve, the shop doors swung wide open. His sharp gaze locked onto the mercenaries, the implication clear. Seeing this, the mercenaries dared not linger. They dropped their maps and scrambled out of the shop, one after another. Both the aura emanating from Chen Xiao and the presence of this suspected Ice Emperor exerted immense pressure on them. If they didn't flee now, they would surely be caught in the crossfire.

Soon, only Chen Xiao and Hai Bodong remained in the cramped shop.

"Young man, you intentionally pierced through my disguise. What is your intention? State your purpose!"

No longer bothering to pretend, Hai Bodong’s temperament shifted instantly. His gaze sharpened, and the aura of a Dou Ling flickered in and out.

Chen Xiao, seemingly unfazed by the pressure, smiled slightly and stated his purpose: "I wish to make a deal with the Ice Emperor."