Standing on the busy street, Qinglin looked curiously at the old-styled shop in front of them.
"Master Ye Chen… is this the place where that elder from your family is hiding?" she asked softly.
On the way to Mo City, Ye Chen had briefly told her about Hai Bodong.
Ye Chen nodded.
"Mm. The senior living here is one of the empire's top ten powerhouses.....the Ice Emperor, Hai Bodong.
When we go inside, remember to show proper respect."
"I understand, Young Master," Qinglin replied seriously.
The two stepped into the shop.
Many pedestrians on the street were still shocked from earlier when Ye Chen descended from the sky using his Lightning Wings.
For a remote place like Mo City, seeing a young powerhouse like him was unbelievable.
Among the crowd, a young woman who had been closest to Ye Chen and Qinglin when they landed looked especially excited.
She wore a tight red dress that outlined her graceful figure, and her appearance was delicate and pretty.
"So it's true… Father's guess was correct! The legendary Ice Emperor is really a hidden Dou Huang living here!"
She had heard every word Ye Chen said outside.
Unable to contain her curiosity, she quietly followed them into the shop.
Inside "Old Map Pavilion," there were only two customers browsing.
Hai Bodong sat at the counter, calmly drawing a desert map.
The moment Ye Chen approached, Hai Bodong sensed the powerful aura and sharply lifted his head.
"Oh, it's you, boy!"
Seeing it was Ye Chen, relief washed over his face, followed by a warm smile.
But then he froze.
"You… you're a Dou Wang now?"
Ye Chen nodded.
"I was lucky, Senior. I found some opportunities in the desert and managed to advance."
"Good! Very good! Cultivation needs talent, but fortune is even more important. You've done well!"
The two customers nearby overheard their conversation and were stunned.
A fourteen- or fifteen-year-old Dou Wang? Completely unbelievable.
The red-dressed girl also trembled in excitement.
"If a young Dou Wang respects him this much… Master Hai must really be a Dou Huang…"
Finding other people distracting, Hai Bodong waved his hand impatiently.
"All of you, out. I'm not open for business today."
The two customers left unwillingly, but the red-dressed girl stayed.
"Ice Master…" she whispered nervously.
Hai Bodong glanced at her.
"You should go too. And don't bother helping here anymore."
The girl froze, eyes turning red.
She had hoped to become his student. Instead, he cut the hope off instantly, and tears filled her lashes.
Qinglin tugged Ye Chen's sleeve.
"Young Master… she looks so pitiful…"
Hai Bodong heard this and raised an eyebrow.
"And who is this little girl?"
Qinglin immediately lowered her head.
"Senior, I… I am Qinglin, Young Master's maid."
"Oh? So she's your maid."
Hai Bodong paused, then recalled her earlier words.
A yellow storage ring flashed at his fingertips, and a scroll appeared.
He flicked it toward the girl.
"This is a low-grade Xuan-rank battle technique. You've helped me for a long time, so take it.
I know you want me to teach you, but I truly have no intention of taking any disciples. This is my compensation."
The red-dressed girl held the scroll tightly, bowed gratefully to Qinglin, then left the shop with dim eyes.
Once she was gone, Hai Bodong pressed a hidden button behind the counter.
The shop doors shut completely.
Smiling, he stepped out from behind the counter and placed a hand on Ye Chen's shoulder.
"So, boy—how did things go in the desert?"
Ye Chen took out a jade bottle.
"Senior, I found the Sand Mandala and had an alchemist refine the Breaking Calamity Pill you needed."
"You already refined it?! You brat, your efficiency is terrifying!"
He opened the bottle quickly.
A wave of rich medicinal fragrance spread out, and when Hai Bodong saw the purple pill inside, excitement and disbelief filled his old face.
Ye Chen said calmly:
"Try the pill. Let's see if the description was exaggerated."
Hai Bodong nodded solemnly.
"Let's find out if this can finally break the seal."
He led them through a side door.
They walked down a dim hallway for nearly twenty minutes.
The deeper they went, the colder it became.
Finally, Hai Bodong stopped.
"We're here."
At the end of the corridor stood a massive iron door.
He twisted a black lion-headed handle, and with a metallic groan, the door opened, releasing bright light and freezing air.
Ye Chen and Qinglin followed inside.
It was a huge underground ice chamber.....walls, ceiling, and even the stalactites were made of solid frost.
Hai Bodong smiled.
"My fighting technique leans toward cold-type qi. Cultivating here is much more effective.