Just as the scroll was about to hit Hai Bo Dong’s body, it was frozen solid by a sudden surge of cold air. Immediately, it fell weakly to the old man’s side.

Eyeing the scroll that was suddenly frozen, the pretty eyes of the lady in the red dress glowed. This was another time that she had seen the old man’s lofty strength.

“This guy is really reckless. He actually dares to be so rude to Grandmaster Bing. He really is someone who has the short sight of a rat.” The gaze of the lady was somewhat mocking as she stared at Xiao Yan. Clearly, the red dressed woman did not think that the old man would easily let off this foolhardy guy who had offended him.

TL: Short sight of a rat = No foresight/planning

Naturally, all of these thoughts were the wishful thinking of the lady. The old man did indeed shift his focus up from the map as she had expected but when the ice like dry face swept across the black-dressed young man in front of him, his face revealed an extremely rare smile. This smile was something the red dressed lady, who had respectfully been a servant here for a long time, had never seen before.

“Ke ke, little brother, you are finally back. You really made me wait.” Hai Bo Dong placed the ink pen in his hand down. His gaze swept around Xiao Yan’s body and a bizarre glint flashed swiftly within his eyes. After having not met for a few months, the young man in front of him had actually become much stronger. Moreover, on the young man’s body, Hai Bo Dong could faintly sense something that he feared.

“Don’t tell me it is a ‘Heavenly Flame’? God. Has he really found the ‘Heavenly Flame’?” This thought that swiftly flashed across his heart caused astonishment to surface on Hai Bo Dong’s face. The gaze that he used to look at Xiao Yan again had an emotion that was difficult to describe.

“I have no choice. Old Sir has something that I need still in your possession. Naturally, I had to hurry back. And if I did not have the help from Old Sir’s map during this journey, I might have had difficulty achieving my aim even if I roamed around the desert for a year.” Xiao Yan laughed.

“Ke ke. It’s just that we take what we require.” Hai Bo Dong’s nose twitched slightly as he smiled and waved his hand. The dry facial expression changed slightly as he stared at Xiao Yan in a somewhat startled manner. With a shocked voice, he said, “You... you made contact with Queen Medusa?”

Within the shop, the face of the lady in the red dress was immediately dumfounded when she saw that Hai Bo Dong not only did not attack Xiao Yan but instead began happily conversing with him. A moment later, her eyebrows were knit slightly together. The corner of her eyes secretly glanced at the black-dressed young man whom appeared to be slightly younger than her. Her heart could not resist feeling somewhat jealous. She had been helping Hai Bo Dong here for a long time but he had never treated her with such gentleness...

“This guy...” The lady in the red dress thought indignantly in her heart. When she was planning to send someone to investigate Xiao Yan’s background, the words that Hai Bo Dong had suddenly spilled from his mouth caused her to instantly still as though she had been struck by lightning.

Of course, it was not only her. The three young people and those few strong large men in the shop also stilled their bodies abruptly when Hai Bo Dong mentioned Queen Medusa from his mouth. In the vicinity of the desert, the fierce name of Queen Medusa was sufficient to cause any human to feel fear. During the big war back then, this Queen Medusa had once turned a few cities into bloodbaths by herself. Her fierce name almost reached the point where it could cause a baby to cease crying.

“This... this guy. He actually came into contact with Queen Medusa? And he is not dead?” Within the shop, numerous gazes that were filled with shock and disbelief stared at the young man carrying a huge black ruler. Their minds had difficulty recovering. There may be a few people in the cities located within the vicinity of the desert who had survived after being in contact with Queen Medusa but those people were all strong people who were well known. However, this young man in front of them who was not even twenty... how could it be possible?

“Ke ke. I was really unlucky to make slight contact with her. But fortunately, I was lucky in keeping my life. Otherwise, Old Sir would not be able to see me.” Xiao Yan shrugged his shoulders and joked.

“Tsk tsk. Outstanding. To actually escape alive from that woman’s hand and yet not to suffer any injuries. More heroes really appear in the younger generations. I think that little brother is definitely the pinnacle person among the younger generation in the Jia Ma Empire.” Hearing this, Hai Bo Dong immediately pursed up his lips and said with great astonishment.

Xiao Yan smiled faintly. Regarding the thing about the pinnacle person, he neither agreed nor disagreed.

“Oh. Ke ke. oh yes... little brother, I wonder, about the the thing I entrusted you with?” Rubbing his dry hands together, Hai Bo Dong suddenly asked with a smile.

“Yes. This is the Sand’s Datura that you need. It was not easy to find. Luckily, I came across it in the sacred city of the Snake-People race.” Xiao Yan’s finger gently tapped on his storage ring and a pale-yellow vegetation appeared in his palm. This plant’s outer appearance was extremely strange. It wrapped and wrapped around like a yellow-colored long snake. At its top was a snake head that was raised highly. There was a fist size tumor that protruded on the top of the snake head. This was where the essence of this unique vegetation was richest.

“Ke ke. I have really troubled little brother.” Hai Bo Dong received the vegetation in surprise as he opened his mouth to thank him with a smile.

“It is just that we have what the other needs.” Xiao Yan waved his hand and learned from Hai Bo Dong’s speaking manner as he replied with a smile.

Within the shop, the spoiled lovely face of the red dress lady gradually began to withdraw as she watched Xiao Yan and Hai Bo Dong chatting by the side as though no one was around. Although she was pampered and spoiled, she was no fool. By looking at the attitude of the mysterious old man towards Xiao Yan and the contents of their conversation, she clearly knew in her heart that this young man who appeared even younger than her definitely possessed a terrifying strength that did not match his age...

“God. Where has this abnormal being come from? Why have I not heard of such a young strong person appearing in the Jia Ma Empire?” The lady in the red dress mused in her heart as a bitter smile surfaced on her face.

“Grandmaster Bing...” The lady in the red dress who was left alone by the side hesitated for a moment before speaking timidly.

Having his conversation interrupted, Hai Bo Dong pressed his eyebrows together slightly. He glanced at the red dress lady and said blandly, “You can go back. In the future, there is no need for you to return. Tell your father that his ploy is a little lousy.”

Hearing Hai Bo Dong’s rude words of banishment, the lady in the red dress was at a slight loss. Her eyes suddenly reddened and her teeth bit her lips. Her original intention was to have Hai Bo Dong take her as a disciple. However, when these words of Hai Bo Dong were said, it clearly severed her hope. Immediately, her heart felt much grief. Treads of mist caused her long eyelashes to become wet. The current her obviously did not possess the arrogance that she had treated Xiao Yan with just a few moments before.

Seeing Hai Bo Dong’s indifferent attitude, Xiao Yan could not help but shake his head. This old man’s heart was really too harsh. Although the arrogant attitude of this lady a moment ago resulted in Xiao Yan having a poor impression of her, she was after all working for Hai Bo Dong. It was just that despite trying very hard to get Hai Bo Dong to like her, this stubborn and indifferent old man still did not have any feelings for her. It appeared that the feelings of this old man were a little thin. In the future he needed to be a little careful when working with him...

“Old Sir, with your status, treating a lady like this would somewhat cheapen it...” Not used to seeing a lady cry in a beautiful manner, Xiao Yan shook his head slightly. He played with a piece of map on the counter as he jokingly mentioned with a smile.

Hearing this, Hai Bo Dong was momentarily distracted. He eyed Xiao Yan’s smiling face and a moment later, also smiled and nodded his head. His finger rubbed a yellow-colored storage ring on his finger and a scroll appeared in a flash. His finger tapped on the scroll and shot it towards the lady in the red dress. He said in a somewhat helpless manner, “This is a Low Xuan Dou Technique. Seeing that you have helped me for so long, I will give it to you. I know that you hope for me to take you as a disciple, but I really don’t have that kind of intention. Therefore, take this as my compensation to you.”

The lady in the red dress was at a loss as she received the scroll. A moment later, she gratefully bowed to Xiao Yan and with a gloomy face, softly left the shop.

After the red dress lady left, the other people in the shop closely followed. In a moment, the shop once again became empty.

“Ke ke, by nature, I prefer to be free and don’t really like teaching students. If she followed me, she wouldn’t have much of a future.” Hai Bo Dong patted Xiao Yan’s shoulders and explained.

Xiao Yan smiled and extended his hand towards Hai Bo Dong as he replied with a smile. “Old Sir, I have already brought the thing back for you. Should you not hand me that piece of map fragment?”

“Uh...” Hearing this, Hai Bo Dong laughed dryly. He rubbed his palms together and laughed awkwardly. “Little Brother, back then we had agreed. As long as you help me refine the medicinal pill for undoing the seal, I will hand over the last map fragment to you. Additionally, I will owe you one favor in the future.”

“Alright...” Xiao Yan’s eyes stared at Hai Bo Dong for a moment until he was a little uneasy before he nodded his head in a nonchalant manner. He withdrew his hand and smiled faintly, “I hope that Old Sir will not use any other excuses after obtaining the medicinal pill. As a person, I... may have a good temper, but I am also unable to withstand being fooled like a monkey.”

“Ke ke, Little Brother, what are you saying. Is there a false promise between strong people?” Hai Bo Dong smiled awkwardly as he shook his head. He patted his chest and said with certainty: “As long as Little Brother is able to refine the medicinal pill that I need, old me will not break my word.”

“Haha, that is the best.” Xiao Yan smiled and nodded his head. He then scratched his chin as he faced Hai Bo Dong and asked with a smile,“Since it’s like this, shall we start working?”

“Now?” Hai Bo Dong was at a loss. He then hurriedly nodded his head. “Yes, yes, please!” As he said, he quickly pushed open the counter and lead Xiao Yan into the back of the building.

After entering the room, Xiao Yan randomly sat on a chair. His eyes glanced at Hai Bo Dong while the corner of his mouth was lifted into a smile. He said softly, “Medicinal Formula, medicinal ingredients...”

“Sometimes, I realize that you alchemists really cause people to be envious... Ah, this medicinal formula to break the seal is something that I went through great pains to obtain. Now that you are going to take a look, its surname would change...” Hai Bo Dong helplessly dug out many medicinal ingredients from his storage ring. He then held a piece of ancient goatskin parchment. The pain on his face was not an act. In order to obtain this medicinal formula, he had put in a lot of effort.

TL: Surname would change: Meaning changing ownership

While maintaining a warm smile on his face, Xiao Yan rejoiced in his heart. Yao Lao had told him before that some medicinal formulas that can break seals have a value that was difficult to appraise. Although the map fragment was the thing he wanted the most, being able to scoop up a medicinal formula for a tier six medicinal pill along the way was naturally even more perfect...

Xiao Yan smiled as he received the old-looking medicinal formula that Hai Bo Dong had, with an extreme unwillingness, passed to him. His gaze swept over it and the smile on his face immediately became more brilliant.