Chapter 99: Clear Mind, Fresh Qi: Hai Bo Dong

Xiao family

"Hai Lao, hope you have been well."

Xiao Yan gave the elderly man a faint smile; after being apart for a year, Hai Bo Dong still kept his promise and guarded the Xiao family for a year, which filled him with deep gratitude.

Silently, he removed the lingering bone‑spirit cold fire left by Yao Lao from the Restoring Spirit Purple Pill, and Xiao Yan presented it with both hands.

"This is the pill I promised you earlier, the Restoring Spirit Purple Pill."

Hai Lao's eyes flickered, his palm trembling as he took the pill, "Three years haven't passed yet; aren't you afraid I'll leave after regaining my strength?"

Xiao Yan smiled lightly, "The original agreement no longer matters; you rightfully deserve this pill. Thank you for the past year and more, Hai Lao."

"Very well, I know your second brother is now powerful, but rest assured, I, Hai Bo Dong, will not break a promise I must keep."

Hai Bo Dong inhaled the pill's fresh fragrance and said after a deep breath,

"Then thank you, Hai Lao."

... One day later

On the Xiao family's rear mountain, a cold aura strong enough to shake the entire Wutan City emanated, but the next moment it all converged back to a single point.

Those with weak strength might only feel a chill wind, but the members of the Lei Sect within the Xiao family sensed it clearly.

Su Mei and Old Yin Gu exchanged glances, "The Xiao family truly isn't as simple as it appears; this aura might even rival the second elder of the Demon Flame Valley."

Old Yin Gu shook his head, his expression still solemn, "Somewhat weaker, yet still the strength of a mid‑high‑tier Fighting Emperor. The Xiao family is indeed a hidden dragon; I told you, how could a small clan produce a sect leader of such true dragon caliber?"

... Above the Beast Mountain Range, Hai Bo Dong and Xiao Li faced each other.

"Hai Lao, congratulations on regaining your strength," Xiao Li said with a bow and a smile.

Hai Bo Dong chuckled, "Alright, you called me here to test my skills, so let's begin."

Xiao Li was speechless, "I wouldn't dare test your skills, Hai Lao; I only wanted to see how my own strength fares."

Hai Bo Dong waved his hand, "It's all the same; I'm also curious about your current strength."

Feeling the Five‑Star Fighting King aura that Xiao Li had just broken through, Hai Bo Dong's expression grew serious; even the top ten strongmen of the Jama Empire were no more impressive.

Yet Xiao Li was still very young, not yet twenty—precisely eighteen and a half—and had already become a Five‑Star Fighting King.

Hai Bo Dong recalled old acquaintances; now the only ones in the Jama Empire who could reliably surpass Xiao Li were probably that old royal oddity, Fa Ma, the new sect master of the Cloud Mist Sect, hmm… that old fellow Yun Shan as well, though he wasn't sure if he was still alive.

Yet pondering this, Hai Bo Dong better appreciated Xiao Li's prodigy; what kinds of people had he just considered? The royal Supreme Emperor, the head of the Alchemist Guild, the new and former masters of the Cloud Mist Sect, and, of course, the actual leader of his own Miter family.

"Hai Lao, the youngster has offended you!"

A bright voice snapped Hai Bo Dong back to his thoughts, and laughing said, "Come on, let this old man see the Jama Empire's most prodigious talent!"

Xiao Li gave a slight smile, took four consecutive steps, reaching Four‑Star Fighting Emperor. He now felt the diminishing boost of the Nine‑Step Ascension; when he was an Eight‑Star Fighting Spirit, the first step raised two tiers, but as a Five‑Star Fighting King, the first step only raised one tier. Once he reaches the Fighting Sect realm, the first three steps' boosts may become negligible.

Seeing Xiao Li's power surge while his demeanor remained unchanged, Hai Bo Dong realized he had miscalculated; perhaps Fa Ma wasn't even a match for Xiao Li.

Feeling Xiao Li's aura still climbing, Hai Bo Dong knew he couldn't let it continue; he instantly froze the frost in his hand and launched a Long Ice strike into the air toward Xiao Li.

Xiao Li's rising aura stalled, and the Thunder Scale Spear silently appeared, "Hai Lao, please test the combat technique I just learned."

"Mysterious‑Tier Advanced Combat Technique, Thunderstorm Arc Star."

The spear's phantom pull caused blood‑colored clouds to condense in the sky, spanning nearly a hundred li across the horizon, terrifying the beasts of the Beast Mountain Range into trembling.

Specks of blood‑red lightning clusters rained down from the heavens, moving from afar to near; Hai Bo Dong realized each cluster was about adult size, and there were nearly a hundred of them.

Hai Bo Dong's expression remained unchanged; with a sweep of both hands, the frost in the sky formed a shield that enveloped the heavens.

The thunderstorm collided with the ice shield, icy shards fluttering down like a torrent of hail, while blood‑red lightning flickered among the ice fragments.

Hai Bo Dong formed seals with both hands, a massive ice mountain spanned across, sweeping the blood clouds at the sky's edge away.

"Well done, youngster, a single move already throws me off balance; truly a prodigy."

Hai Bo Dong steadied the slightly agitated combat‑Qi within him, but noticed that behind Xiao Li had suddenly sprouted a pair of massive, heavy dragon wings; the wind they generated could push back the frost.

The next moment, a blood‑red lightning afterimage appeared, while Xiao Li's true form vanished without a trace.

Hai Bo Dong's heart leapt; a primal bodily memory instinctively manifested, a chilling spear thrust toward his side.

Xiao Li crushed the ice spear with his right hand, chuckling, "Hai Lao, your reaction is indeed swift; now I'll get serious."

Hai Bo Dong's pupils narrowed; just as he was about to speak, Xiao Li's figure vanished again, his lightning‑fast phantom speed leaving Hai Bo Dong unable to form even a few thoughts.

Lightning converged in his palm and slammed onto Hai Bo Dong's back.

Hai Bo Dong's figure fell like a meteor; at the moment of impact, his ice‑blue wings burst forth, suspending him three feet above the ground.

"Well done, youngster, you truly have some skill."

Hai Bo Dong gasped with uncertainty yet stubbornly said,

"Watch this next move carefully; even Medusa, under this technique, could only avoid its edge!"

Taking advantage of Xiao Li's ignorance of the truth, Hai Bo Dong pretended to earnestly alter the fact that he had been beaten badly before.

Xiao Li lowered his spear and stood, his aura also gathering, "Hai Lao, please teach me!"

"Very well!"

Hai Bo Dong let out a booming shout; five ice dragons coalesced behind him, their lifelike forms displaying Hai Bo Dong's bone‑deep mastery and genuine Fighting Emperor power.

"Mysterious Ice Dragon Soar!"

Xiao Li watched the ice dragons speed by, carving trails in the sky without hesitation, while his Thunder Scale Spear flashed with blood‑red light.

"Mysterious Thunder Startling Flash!"

A blood‑red giant dragon leapt from the Thunder Scale Spear; empowered by Fighting Emperor strength, the spear seemed reborn, its hidden terrifying might gradually revealing itself.

The blood‑red giant dragon collided with the five ice dragons; two ice dragons were instantly crushed, and as the giant dragon surged, its hard body could grind mountains to dust.

Lightning shot straight into the sky; amid the dragon's unwilling roars, six ferocious long dragons transformed into a dazzling flash across heaven and earth.

(End of Chapter)