Battle Through the Heaven: Purple Heaven

"Found it!"

In a dusty corner rack, among a pile of botched map scraps, Xiao Bai plucked a palm-sized, tattered fragment. Its material matched the Pure Lotus Demon Fire map piece from the cave.

"Looking to buy a Tagore Desert map?" an aged voice echoed through the shop.

Turning, Xiao Bai saw the old man had paused his pen, still focused on the map before him, head unraised.

Xiao Bai strolled to the counter, waving the map fragment with a smile. "Old sir, got any more of these?"

The old man's withered hand twitched. Slowly lifting his head, his gaze flicked to the fragment, eyes narrowing with a cryptic glint. "You've seen this kind before?"

Xiao Bai now saw his face—aged, with calm eyes, marred by a fearsome scar from cheek to eye, adding a hint of ferocity. Shaking his head, Xiao Bai said, "Never. Just feels… fated."

"Fated? That's a new one," the old man said, glancing at him. "But this map's not for sale. Fated or not, you're out of luck."

"Pick a map from the counter if you're buying. If not, put that down and leave." He lowered his head, resuming his mapmaking.

"Oh? What if I say I must have it?" Xiao Bai said, grinning.

He cared little for the Pure Lotus Demon Fire, but this old man intrigued him—potentially key to his future plans. Reliable, trustworthy, and when it counts, he steps up. Solid character.

"Don't get ideas, kid. I don't need money, and don't think about stealing—it won't end well for you," the old man said, casting a flat look.

"Not bad. A former Dou Huang uninterested in coin makes sense. But saying robbery's no good? That's not certain," Xiao Bai replied, chuckling softly.

Crack. The old man's pen snapped. Shock rippled through him as he raised his head, staring at Xiao Bai, a faint chill emanating from him. "Who are you?"

He'd pegged the gray-haired youth as ordinary, with no Dou Qi aura, just an odd presence. Now, he realized he'd misjudged. Knowing my strength and staying this calm? No ordinary person.

Boom! The old man tapped the desk, and the open door slammed shut. His piercing gaze locked on Xiao Bai, a cold, formidable aura pressing down.

Yet, to his shock, the black-robed youth remained unfazed, as if the pressure were a breeze.

"Not bad, kid. You've got some weight," the old man said.

"You flatter me, old sir," Xiao Bai replied, smirking.

"But that's not enough to take the map," the old man said coolly.

His white hair stirred without wind, icy Dou Qi swirling around him. A menacing aura flashed, his scar twisting, amplifying his ferocity. With a stomp, he charged Xiao Bai.

As he moved, a chilling mist spread, enveloping the shop. Xiao Bai felt his body stiffen, cold seeping in. Sensing his state, Little Bing stirred, faint crimson light spilling from his body. The surrounding temperature spiked, vaporizing the icy fog instantly.

Little Bing had grown lively since arriving in Mo City, unlike its lethargy in the Magical Beast Mountain Range.

"Huh?" A surprised grunt came from the mist. The old man, spotting the crimson glow, felt an instinctive unease, though he couldn't place it.

Xiao Bai sighed inwardly. They call him Ice Emperor, not Fire Emperor. Why so hot-headed? About to speak, his soul force detected ice spikes hurtling from his right-front. Flicking his fingers, crimson sparks shot out, shattering and evaporating the spikes.

The old man now recognized the glow—a unique crimson thunder-fire, blending lightning's ferocity with fire's heat. Remarkable.

Xiao Bai, tired of defending, went on the offensive. Not my style to just take hits. Eager to test his enhanced physique, he sensed the old man's position, flashed forward with a burst of lightning, and threw a serious punch.

The old man, stunned that his ice Dou Qi didn't slow Xiao Bai, was further shocked by the youth's sudden appearance. Seeing no Dou Qi on the fist, he bristled. Underestimating me? "Ice Spirit Palm!" he roared, his frost-coated hand slamming into Xiao Bai's fist.

Bang!

The old man staggered back two steps, while Xiao Bai skidded several meters, plowing the floor. His right arm frosted over, a chilling energy creeping inward. With a thought, crimson light flared at his shoulder, racing down to purge the ice energy.

Flexing his arm, unharmed, Xiao Bai relaxed. Guess raw physique can't beat a Dou Ling. The clash clarified his limits. Little Bing's fire countered ice, easing the purge. Other attributes wouldn't be so simple.

While Xiao Bai reflected, the old man was floored. He took my full palm with just his body—no Dou Qi—and he's fine? What kind of freak is this? The crimson thunder-fire, monstrous physique, and unknown cultivation made him wary. Does the Jia Ma Empire have such people?

Unsure of Xiao Bai's realm, he knew it wasn't Dou Ling—otherwise, those skills would've floored him. Having traveled in his youth, he'd seen superpowers and titans for whom the Jia Ma Empire, where a Dou Huang reigned supreme, was a joke. Is this kid from one of those forces? Dread crept in, shattering his composure.

"Who are you? Neither the Yun Lan Sect nor the royal family could produce someone like you," he demanded.