And being deep underground keeps other experts from sensing me."
Ye Chen nodded and checked on Qinglin.
"Are you okay with the cold?"
"I'm fine, Young Master," she said with a small smile.
They sat in the center while Hai Bodong settled on an ice platform.
"You two wait. If this pill works, it won't take long."
He swallowed the Breaking Calamity Pill.
Silence filled the chamber.
Half an hour later....the tranquility shattered.
A violent surge of energy erupted from Hai Bodong's body.
Tables and ice pillars around him exploded
Ye Chen reacted instantly, forming a silver energy shield around himself and Qinglin.
Hai Bodong's face twisted in pain as a strange blue-green energy mark formed on his forehead...a snake-shaped seal.
A faint purple aura rose from his neck, clashing fiercely with the snake seal.
The two energies collided again and again.
The blue snake-seal began weakening.
Bit by bit, the purple energy pushed it back.
Finally, with a burst of power, the purple energy forced the snake-mark out of Hai Bodong's head entirely.
The seal trembled, then dissolved into blue smoke.
Hai Bodong's eyes snapped open.....sharp, brilliant, and filled with revived strength.
A powerful aura erupted from him like a roaring awakened beast.
Even the thick frost covering the chamber cracked.
"Hahahaha! This damned seal is finally gone! I'm a Dou Huang again!"
He shot into the air, laughing wildly.
The soundwaves shattered chunks of ice around him.
Ye Chen stood and cupped his hands.
"Congratulations, Senior Hai, on breaking your seal!"
Hai Bodong landed, face full of gratitude.
"It's all thanks to you! If not for you, I'd still be rotting away here."
Ye Chen smiled.
"Now that you've recovered, I'd like to bring you back to the family. The old master will be overjoyed to see you."
Hai Bodong looked around the ice chamber, eyes soft with memories.
"Yes… after today, there's no reason for me to stay here. In a few days, we return."
Ye Chen nodded.
"Then I won't disturb Senior's time here. I'll return the day after tomorrow at noon—we'll head back together."
He left with Qinglin.
Just as they exited the underground chamber.....
a crisp chime echoed in Ye Chen's mind.
Ding! Qinglin is confirmed pregnant.
Reward: One Big Gift Pack!
Ding! Would the host like to open the gift pack?
Qinglin is pregnant… excellent."
Hearing the system notification, Ye Chen paused for a moment, a faint smile appearing on his lips.
But this wasn't the time to check rewards.
He continued walking, exiting the underground corridor of Hai Bodong's territory and returning into Mo City.
Not long after, he found an inn and booked a room for himself and Qinglin.
Once they entered the room, Ye Chen could no longer hold back his curiosity.
"I wonder what kind of treasure I'll get this time…"
"System, open the gift pack!"
Ding! Congratulations, Host, you have obtained a Three-Star Dou Ancestor Experience Card!
Ding! Obtained: Spirit-Sealing Curse!
Ding! Obtained: Small Soul-Origin Cluster!
Ding! Obtained: 300 x Dou King Advancement Pills!
All rewards have been placed in the system space.
Hearing this, Ye Chen quickly focused his mind and checked everything.
The first reward.....Three-Star Dou Ancestor Experience Card—was a familiar sight.
This was already the fourth time the system had given him a cultivation experience card.
It wasn't as powerful as the first Nine-Star Dou Ancestor card, but each card had been stronger than the last.
With this one, Ye Chen could temporarily unleash power comparable to a high-tier Dou Ancestor.
In the northwest region of the continent, that level was enough to crush countless experts.
His eyes shifted toward the second item.
A golden talisman floated quietly in the system space.
Spirit-Sealing Curse:
A powerful ancient sealing technique that could be used offensively.
Once activated successfully, the caster could freely adjust how much power the target was allowed to use.
Ye Chen's eyes brightened.
"So I can seal or unseal a person's strength whenever I want…"
He instantly thought of its first target....Queen Medusa.
Earlier, he had been worried that giving her the Transformation Pill would help her break through Yao Chen's seal.
But now, with the Spirit-Sealing Curse, that concern was gone.
Next, Ye Chen looked at the third reward.