Chapter 63: Ice Emperor

Xiao Bai sensed the old man's emotions through his soul perception and felt a bit speechless. Without another word, he stood up, pretending to leave.

"Since Senior is unwilling, I won't impose. Take care."

Seeing Xiao Bai about to leave, Hai Bodong panicked a little. If this guy left, where else could he find someone to break his Soul Seal?

"Wait… Uh… Young friend!" Hai Bodong suddenly sat up from the bed and hurriedly called out.

When Xiao Bai turned to look at him, Hai Bodong let out a light cough, feeling a little embarrassed. "Ahem, this old man was a bit out of sorts earlier. I was rude."

Of course, he knew he was making excuses—with the soul power of this black-clothed youth, how could anything he did escape his perception? But at least he needed to find a way to save face.

Xiao Bai understood his thoughts but didn't expose him. Instead, he simply smiled, sat back down, picked up his teacup, took a sip, and said, "Senior, would you care to join me for a chat?"

Hai Bodong, setting aside his embarrassment, walked over, took a seat across from Xiao Bai, and asked with a hint of anticipation,

"Young friend, are you truly willing to help me remove my Soul Seal?"

Xiao Bai didn't answer immediately. Instead, he poured Hai Bodong a cup of tea and said with a light smile, "May I ask for Senior's esteemed name?"

Hai Bodong accepted the tea with courtesy, let out a sigh, and said, "A defeated man has no prestige to speak of. My name is Hai Bodong."

Hearing this, Xiao Bai shook his head and said, "There's no need for such words, Ice Emperor. Today, I merely took advantage of your circumstances. If you were at full strength, the outcome would have been uncertain."

"Oh? You know of this old man?" Hai Bodong asked, a little surprised.

He had been in seclusion for over twenty years. While the tales of the Ice Emperor were still told from time to time, the name Hai Bodong was something only those of his generation would still recognize.

This young man, however, knew it?

Could he be a disciple of some old acquaintance?

Xiao Bai, unhurried, began to speak:

"Ice Emperor Hai Bodong, one of the top ten powerhouses of the previous generation in the Jia Ma Empire. Known for his aloof nature and mastery over ice-based Dou Qi. Among the top ten, he was one of the rare few who had reached the Dou Huang level.

Later, he dueled Yun Shan, the former Sect Master of the Yun Lan Sect, at the peak of Yun Lan Mountain and suffered defeat. However, Yun Shan's victory was far from easy.

Afterward, at the Strongest Tournament held in the Chu Yun Empire, you single-handedly fought against both a Dou Huang and a Dou Wang without losing, astonishing everyone present."

"Hahaha! I never thought someone still remembers this old man's history!" Hai Bodong laughed heartily upon hearing Xiao Bai recite his past so effortlessly.

But as he laughed, he thought about his current situation, and a wave of bitterness surged within him. Shaking his head, he bitterly smiled and said,

"There is no more Ice Emperor—only an old man selling maps."

"No need to think that way, Ice Emperor." Xiao Bai said with a smile. "I am simply curious—how exactly were you sealed?"

Although it was a bit like rubbing salt on the wound, Xiao Bai genuinely wanted to know which version of Hai Bodong's story had played out—the anime or the novel?

Surprisingly, Hai Bodong didn't feel offended at all.

For years, he had kept this matter to himself. Not because he didn't want to talk about it—just that no one was worthy of hearing it.

But now, since Xiao Bai had asked, he didn't mind sharing. After all, this youth was even stronger than him.

And in the Dou Qi Continent, strength determined everything.

Without status, power, or deep ties, why would anyone waste time forming connections with you?

As Hai Bodong recounted his tale, Xiao Bai realized that his story followed the novel's version:

After participating in the Strongest Tournament, Hai Bodong traveled to the Tagor Desert and accidentally discovered a fragment of an ancient map. This, however, drew the attention of Queen Medusa, who pursued him.

During their fight, he managed to escape, but not without consequences—he was struck by the Snake Seal Technique, causing his body to rapidly age and his strength to be sealed down to the Dou Ling level.

"Looks like this world doesn't have the butterfly effect," Xiao Bai murmured to himself.

"Young friend? Young friend?"

The voice calling out to him pulled Xiao Bai from his thoughts. He looked up at Hai Bodong, who seemed hesitant, as if about to speak but holding back.

Xiao Bai understood what he was about to ask.

With a gentle smile, he swept his soul power over Hai Bodong, instantly removing the seal.

For this old man, Xiao Bai had no intention of using his seal as leverage—it would be pointless.

After all, Hai Bodong was not the type to fear death.

Hai Bodong felt an invisible force sweep over him, and in an instant, his sharp perception returned. He let out a deep sigh of relief, and despite everything, he couldn't help but feel a trace of goodwill toward the black-clothed youth.

Even though it was this very guy who had sealed him in the first place!

Yet, he had removed the seal without asking for anything in return. Unlike that woman deep in the desert—who had sealed him for over twenty years. Just thinking about it made him furious, but… he really couldn't beat her.

After so many years, every time he thought of that woman, he felt both anger and fear, which made him frustrated with himself.

Damn it! What are you afraid of?!

After mentally berating himself, Hai Bodong clasped his hands together and solemnly said,

"Many thanks, young friend. If you ever need my help in the future, just call on me—I will do my best!"

Xiao Bai's expression turned a bit strange.

So, he sealed Hai Bodong… then unsealed him… and that earned him goodwill?

Wasn't that a bit shameless?

But seeing the serious look on Hai Bodong's face, Xiao Bai could only smile and nod.

"You are too kind, Ice Emperor."

"Oh, right! That fragment of the map you took earlier—I actually split it into two parts long ago. The other half is here. Take it."

As if suddenly remembering something, Hai Bodong retrieved a tattered map fragment from his storage ring and handed it to Xiao Bai.

Xiao Bai took the map, but as he looked at it, he didn't know whether to laugh or cry.

It wasn't because of Hai Bodong—it was because of Pure Lotus Demon Saint.

That guy was at least a Nine-Star Dou Saint peak, possibly even a Half Step Dou Di—and yet, the map he personally made got split in half by a Dou Ling-level Hai Bodong?

How was that even possible?

And to make things worse, the map was supposed to contain a method to deal with the Purifying Demonic Lotus Flame.

That thing was a Five-Star Dou Saint peak-level existence.

Just thinking about it felt ridiculous.

"Didn't you say this map was for researching how to break your seal?" Xiao Bai glanced at Hai Bodong with amusement. "Yet you're just giving it to me?"

Hai Bodong sighed. "I've spent years studying this map, but in the end, it's just a piece of a larger whole. No matter how much experience I have, I can't decipher it on my own. Might as well gift it to someone with fate."

When he said "someone with fate," he arched his white eyebrows playfully at Xiao Bai.

Seeing the usually stern old man act a little mischievous, Xiao Bai shook his head, amused.

"After all these years, you should have some understanding of the seal that was placed on you, right? Have you found a way to remove it?" Xiao Bai asked, fishing for information.

"I have. I obtained a recipe for a pill that can break the seal. If successfully refined, it will completely undo the effects." Hai Bodong said seriously.

"Then why haven't you made it? Are you missing something?" Xiao Bai prompted.

"I'm only missing one ingredient… and an Alchemist. The ingredient isn't too hard to find—it's a Sand Mandala. But finding a suitable Alchemist… that's the real problem."

Thinking about the requirements, Hai Bodong looked a bit hopeless.

"Gu He can't do it?" Xiao Bai asked.

"No. The Alchemist must be at least sixth-tier—but more importantly, they must possess a Heavenly Flame!"

At this point, Hai Bodong suddenly looked at Xiao Bai with expectation and cautiously asked:

"That crimson lightning-fire of yours… is it a Heavenly Flame?"