Battle Through the Heaven: Purple Heaven

Xiao Bai caught the wary glint in the old man's eyes, sensing his misconception about Xiao Bai's origins. Today's goal didn't require posturing as some scion of a grand faction. With his current strength against the old man's suppressed Dou Ling cultivation, honesty sufficed.

"No need to worry, old sir. I'm just a local from the Jia Ma Empire," Xiao Bai said.

The old man, Hai Bodong, believed him. Those from superpowers carried a dismissive air toward the empire, never claiming it as home—that would be an insult to their pride. But anger flickered. Xiao Bai's mild words brimmed with confidence, as if Hai Bodong's current strength wasn't worth faking a grander identity.

"Fine, fine, fine!" Hai Bodong's voice rose. "I've hidden away for over twenty years, and the Jia Ma Empire births a freak like you? If I fall to you today, what face will I have left here?"

His fears eased, his spirit reignited. A withered hand reached out, icy mist coalescing into a blue ice spear. Thick, shimmering ice armor formed over him, glinting coldly.

Xiao Bai watched, impressed. Damn, that's cool! The spear and armor, conjured from Dou Qi, marked a feat only Dou Lings could barely achieve. At Da Dou Shi, one could coat weapons with Dou Qi for extra power, but shaping solid constructs like these required greater mastery.

Hai Bodong gripped the spear, his hand tightening. With a surge, he thrust it at Xiao Bai, the icy edge carrying a bone-chilling force. Xiao Bai's soul force sharpened his perception, slowing the spear's motion in his vision. As it neared his head, he tilted slightly, dodging, then raised two fingers in a sword gesture, tapping the spear's tip.

A crimson spark flared at his fingertips, racing along the spear toward Hai Bodong's hand. The ice shattered inch by inch, vaporizing. Hai Bodong released the spear, retreating, but too late—a spark hit his palm. His withered hand glowed red with crackling lightning. He frantically channeled ice Dou Qi to counter the spreading energy.

After a struggle, he purged the spark, exhaling heavily, staring at the charred marks on his hand. "What ferocious thunder-fire!"

Noticing Xiao Bai hadn't attacked during his struggle, Hai Bodong felt a flicker of respect. "Kid, take my final move. If you withstand it, the map's yours."

Without waiting, he formed hand seals, icy Dou Qi surging around him, shaping a dragon's silhouette. Xiao Bai, unimpressed, unleashed a soul shock. Wait for your big move? Nah.

"Xuan Ice Dra—" Hai Bodong's chant cut off, his head spinning, seals disrupted. The dragon form dissipated. Xiao Bai flashed forward with Thunder Light Step, forming a soul sealing array with rapid seals, pressing it to Hai Bodong's forehead.

When Hai Bodong snapped back, his eyes were dazed, then clear. His sharp senses dulled, as if blocked. "This… this…" His lips trembled. He knew this feeling—his Dou Qi had been sealed similarly for over twenty years. "A seal… a soul seal!" Panic surged. First my Dou Qi, now my soul? What is this?

Was he, Ice Emperor Hai Bodong, doomed to a life of seals?

"Argh! Kid, I'll kill you!" he roared, teetering on collapse.

"Careful, Xiao Bai! He's about to self-destruct!" Yao Lao warned via soul transmission.

"No worries, Senior. He can't," Xiao Bai replied, triggering the seal array in Hai Bodong's mind with a gentle pulse, knocking him out.

Lifting Hai Bodong, Xiao Bai carried him to the shop's back room, laying him on a bed. Sitting at a nearby table, he pulled a teapot from his ring, filled it with water, and heated it with a crimson glow. Adding tea, the room filled with a soothing aroma. Sipping, he waited for Hai Bodong to wake.

By dusk, Hai Bodong stirred but lay still, lifeless as a corpse. Exhausted, he'd spent over twenty years chasing freedom from Medusa's seal, needing only one herb and a sixth-tier alchemist with a Heavenly Flame to craft a Breaking Calamity Pill. He'd opened this map shop in Mo City to track desert rumors of Heavenly Flames, aiding his search.

Today, disaster struck. This freak of a youth demanded his unsellable map. Hai Bodong, a man of pride, refused—nobody took what he wouldn't give. The fight ended in tragedy: a soul seal, something he'd never heard of in the Jia Ma Empire. No one here can break this. Regret gnawed, but pride held. Death before begging.

"Old sir, you're awake," Xiao Bai said, voice warm and polite.

Hai Bodong didn't respond, his face etched with despair. Do what you want—kill me if you dare.

Xiao Bai, unfazed, continued, "No need to fret over the soul seal. I didn't target you maliciously. Your temper was a bit hot, so I took this step to cool you down. Once you're calm, I'll undo it."

Hai Bodong's eyes flickered, but he stayed silent. No such thing as a free lunch. Let's hear his terms.