Chapter 37: Hai Bodong Unsealed, Settlement

Stepping into the inn, Chen Xiao immediately saw Qing Lin sprawled across a small table filled with food, listlessly toying with her bowl and chopsticks.

The young girl seemed somewhat distracted, only noticing Chen Xiao when he walked right up to her.

She jumped up with a start. "Young Master, you're back!"

Chen Xiao smiled and nodded, glancing at the food on the table, which had already gone half cold. He was not surprised. For those who have suffered from a young age, one only needs to treat them with sincerity to receive ten or a hundred times that in return.

"Sit down, let's eat together."

He did not offer any pedantic reprimands for her failure to eat on time. These seemingly insignificant details warmed the heart of Chen Xiao, who had always been a solitary figure.

"Mm-hmm, I'll serve you, Young Master!"

Qing Lin chirped sweetly, filling a bowl to the brim for Chen Xiao before scooping a small portion for herself. She then sat to the side, blissfully enjoying this rare moment of leisure.

…

Over the next few days, Mo City was exceptionally quiet.

Chen Xiao returned to his former routine: waking from his cultivation, heading outside the city to spar with Hai Bodong for an hour, and then proceeding to the edge of the desert to hone his skills.

It was a cycle, day after day.

Until the morning of the seventh day, while Chen Xiao was locked in combat with Hai Bodong, a familiar, enchanting figure appeared like a ghost on the clearing behind Chen Xiao.

Seeing the sudden arrival of the beautiful woman, Hai Bodong, who had been holding his own, trembled involuntarily. Even the ice spear in his hand wavered.

In that moment of vulnerability, he was struck squarely by the back of Chen Xiao's blade.

Noticing Hai Bodong's unusual behavior, Chen Xiao stopped and looked back, finally understanding the reason.

Today, Queen Medusa was dressed in a luxurious purple silk robe. She walked with a graceful, swaying gait, her presence as oppressive as ever.

However, if one looked closely, they would be surprised to find that her complexion was slightly paler than when he had last seen her, and the expression on her naturally captivating face was not as composed as it had been before.

"It seems Your Majesty has achieved your goal."

Queen Medusa nodded slightly at Chen Xiao but remained silent.

The next moment, her autumn-water-like eyes flickered toward the Ice Emperor behind Chen Xiao, who was looking flustered and avoiding her gaze.

Seeing Hai Bodong’s current state, Queen Medusa’s gaze narrowed slightly.

"Past grievances are now wiped clean."

With that, Queen Medusa formed a seal with one hand, a purple snake-shaped Dou Qi swirling around her palm. With a flick of her hand, she shot it toward Hai Bodong.

Hai Bodong instinctively wanted to dodge, but only after lifting his foot did he realize that Queen Medusa had not come to beat him up today. He calmly put his foot back down, allowing the snake-shaped Dou Qi to strike him and rapidly burrow into his body.

Taking a final glance at Chen Xiao, Queen Medusa turned and left without a word, vanishing from sight in the blink of an eye.

She had not forgotten the map that had fallen into Hai Bodong’s hands years ago, but after all this time, the value of that map could no longer be judged by her past standards.

If the opportunity on that map were truly useful, Hai Bodong would not still be in his current state.

Therefore, that map was either as useless as a chicken rib, or it was something beyond the reach of people at their level.

Furthermore, she had now obtained the Fallen Heart Flame and had to prepare for her evolution. There was no need to cause extra trouble during this time.

"She is injured!"

Sensing the abnormality in Queen Medusa, Chen Xiao felt even more certain.

However, this was within his expectations. After all, in the original timeline, Queen Medusa was also severely wounded when she took the Fallen Heart Flame.

The nineteenth-ranked Fallen Heart Flame was not something easily subdued.

What made Chen Xiao want to laugh even more was that the Ice Emperor, who was several tiers below Queen Medusa, was already studying the remnant map of the Purifying Demonic Lotus Flame…

[Advance progress completed.]

[Remaining advance opportunities: One!]

Immersing his consciousness into his mind and seeing that the progress information had changed, Chen Xiao was all smiles.

This subsequent stage had taken quite a long time to complete.

However, cultivation techniques were essential for training, so it was unavoidable.

He did not rush to start the next advance, planning to study it after returning. Over the past few years, he had gained many inspirations that needed to be tested one by one, allowing him to understand this "advance" function more thoroughly.

Pushing aside these stray thoughts, Chen Xiao turned to look at Hai Bodong.

After the snake-shaped Dou Qi had entered his body, the old man had closed his eyes, unsure whether he was posturing or simply not daring to face Queen Medusa.

"Ice Emperor, are you alright?"

Hai Bodong had been waiting for this question for a long time. Upon hearing it, his tightly closed eyes snapped open, a brilliant light flashing within them. His aura was vast and deep, like an abyss; he was a completely different person from who he had been minutes ago.

Even his slightly messy white hair seemed to stir without wind, and a chill lingered around him that would not dissipate. His aged face even seemed to have shed ten years of wear.

"Good! Very good!"

"I have never felt so refreshed!"

"I feel as if I have been reborn, for from this day forward, I, the Ice Emperor Hai Bodong, shall no longer be bound!"

A pair of exquisitely brilliant ice-blue wings slowly unfurled from behind Hai Bodong, lifting him into the air.

Hai Bodong spread his arms, his Dou Qi surging wildly, and his fingers swiftly wove a seal.

The next moment, four ice dragons, each dozens of feet long, manifested behind him. With a wave of his finger, they let out a series of roars and charged fiercely toward a distant hilltop.

BOOM! BOOM!

Smoke and dust filled the sky, and the earth trembled.

When the smoke cleared, the hilltop had been completely leveled.

"I, Hai Bodong, am no man who forgets a kindness. The 'Mystic Ice Dragon Soar' was my signature technique in the past. Chen Xiao, you helped me break the seal, so today I shall grant you an opportunity!"

As his voice fell, streams of light shot out from his fingertips.

Chen Xiao channeled his Dou Qi to catch them, the web of his hand stinging from the impact.

Looking closely at his hands, he saw several scrolls primarily in shades of ice blue.

"Ice Emperor Canon!"

"Mystic Ice Dragon Soar!"

"Swirling Ice Strangulation!"

"Condensing Ice Mirror"…

There were cultivation techniques and battle skills; there were offensive types and defensive ones as well.

Calling this a complete inheritance was no exaggeration!

From this point on, at least until he reached the Dou Zong realm, Chen Xiao would no longer need to worry about having a limited arsenal.

What he held in his hands was more than enough!

"Old Hai is the Supreme Elder of my Mittel family. Chen Xiao, your help in breaking Old Hai’s seal is also a kindness to our Mittel family. These are the two Purple Heart Barrier-Breaking Pills promised to you, along with our highest-level VIP card. Holding this card, no matter where you go, as long as there is a Mittel Auction House, you will be one of the most honored guests of our Mittel family!"

The commotion Hai Bodong had caused was quite significant, and Teng Shan, who had been in the city, had also noticed it and arrived at the scene immediately.

Seeing that Hai Bodong had already gifted many items, he immediately took out two jade bottles and an exquisite, luxurious crystal card.

Double down!

Keep doubling down!