Ye Chen feigned a look of surprise, furrowing his brows slightly.
"Don't look so doubtful."
The old man reached into his robe and retrieved a pitch-black badge, placing it gently on the counter.
Ye Chen instantly recognized it. That emblem was reserved only for the Mittel Clan's patriarch and a handful of its most venerable elders.
"A Grand Elder, once of Emperor rank… wait.....Senior, could you be the Ice Emperor himself?" Ye Chen asked, eyes widening in apparent astonishment.
"Hahaha! So the old name hasn't been forgotten after all."
Seeing Ye Chen's expression, the old man.....Hai Bodong...chuckled with a hint of pride.
"Ye Chen pays his respects to the Grand Elder."
After confirming each other's identities, Ye Chen bowed deeply.
Regardless of his current strength, Hai Bodong was still a figure even Ye Chen's grandfather would have treated with utmost respect.
"There's no need for so much formality."
Hai Bodong waved a hand with a chuckle, his gaze softening as he studied the youth before him.
To think that the Mittel Clan would produce such a peerless genius… at your age, already a high-level Spirit. Truly remarkable."
"Grand Elder, back in your day you were among the ten great experts of the empire," Ye Chen said, tone curious.
"Why would someone of your stature be reduced to such a state today?"
At that, Hai Bodong sighed, bitterness flickering in his eyes. "Many years ago, after the grand tournament between the empires, I ventured into the Tagor Desert.
There, by chance, I discovered a fragment of an ancient map.
But that discovery brought me disaster...it drew the attention of the Serpent Queen herself, Medusa.
You should know, that woman's strength stands at the very peak of the Emperor class.
Were it not for the fact that the Serpent Tribe has only one such powerhouse, they would have long since invaded the human kingdoms."
"In that battle, I was utterly defeated. Though I managed to escape with my life, she laid a serpent's curse upon me.
My body aged rapidly, and my power was sealed at the level of a Spirit."
His voice grew heavy. "For years, I've hidden here, studying that fragment, hoping to find a way to undo the seal.
But alas, it is only one piece of a larger map. No matter how hard I've tried, I cannot unlock its secrets."
"So it was the Serpent Queen's curse that sealed your power… And this mysterious fragment—what kind of treasure could it be to drive you to study it for decades?" Ye Chen asked, feigning curiosity.
Of course, he already knew the answer.
That fragment was part of the Purifying Lotus Flame treasure map....a true relic of legend.
But for now, he had no reason to pursue it.
After all, even if one gathered the first two fragments, the final piece remained missing.
Without all three, the map was useless.
And besides, by the time the Purifying Flame reappeared, Ye Chen's own strength might already surpass the need for any such inheritance.
Without hesitation, Hai Bodong walked to the corner of the shop, rummaged through a pile of old maps, and carefully drew out a small, weathered piece of parchment no larger than a palm.
"This," he said solemnly, "is the fragment I found."
He placed it in his hand, offering it for Ye Chen to see.
Having confirmed Ye Chen's identity, the old man no longer hid anything, even revealing his greatest secret.
Ye Chen glanced at the fragment briefly, then looked away, his expression calm. "It doesn't seem all that special."
"Master, this fragment's material is extraordinary. The patterns are ancient—it might be—"
"Quiet," Ye Chen interrupted sharply within his mind, silencing Yao Chen's spirit before he could finish.
"Perhaps," Ye Chen said aloud with a mild smile, "it's nothing more than an old scrap of parchment after all."
Hai Bodong sighed softly and tucked the map away again.
Years of fruitless study had left him disheartened; even hope now felt hollow.
"Grand Elder," Ye Chen said, his tone turning thoughtful, "with your accomplishments, hiding here seems unworthy of you.
As for that seal… is there truly no way to lift it?"
"It's not impossible." Hai Bodong's eyes glimmered faintly. "In my research, I did discover a formula—a pill that could break the seal.
But it requires a rare ingredient, the Desert Mandala, and a six-tier alchemist capable of refining such a pill.
Only then can I restore my strength."
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