Battle Through the Heavens: Oh no, I've become the succubus Xiao Yan!

Stone Desert City, the largest city on the edge of the Tagor Desert.

Yellow sand filled the sky, and the sun blazed down. Most people on the streets were wrapped in thick sand-proof robes, with only their eyes showing. The air was so dry it felt like it had been baked by fire; with every breath, you could feel your lungs protesting.

Xiao Yan and Little Fairy Doctor jumped off the back of the Purple Crystal Winged Lion King, leaving the lion king to wait in the desert outside the city. The two entered the city and headed straight for their destination.

"What brings you to Stone Desert City?" Little Fairy Doctor asked.

"Find someone."

"Who is it?"

"An old fellow whose cultivation has been sealed."

Little Fairy Doctor was even more confused, but Xiao Yan didn't explain further. He walked through several streets and alleys and stopped in front of an inconspicuous map shop.

The shop was small and dilapidated, looking no different from other herbal medicine shops in the city. But Xiao Yan's soul perception told him that there was a Dou Ling level Dou Qi fluctuation inside the shop—weak, but not concealable.

He pushed open the door and went inside.

Behind the counter sat an elderly man with white hair, dozing off. His face was aged, his skin dry; he looked like an ordinary shopkeeper. But Xiao Yan knew that this old man's true identity was—

Ice Emperor, Hai Bodong.

He was once a powerful figure in the Gama Empire, a peak cultivator of ice-type battle qi. Now, his cultivation has been sealed by Queen Medusa, and he has fallen from Dou Huang to Dou Ling, barely surviving in this small town on the edge of the desert.

"Want to buy a map?" Hai Bodong raised his eyelids and glanced at Xiao Yan.

"I'm not buying a map," Xiao Yan said, sitting down opposite him. "I'm here to find someone."

"Who should I look for?"

"Ice Emperor, Hai Bodong."

Hai Bodong's eyes widened suddenly.

His hands unconsciously gripped the edge of the counter, his fighting spirit surging within him—although he was only at the Dou Ling level, his fighting instincts remained.

"Who are you? How do you know this name?"

"Not many people know your name," Xiao Yan said, "but I know more than just your name. I also know that your cultivation was sealed by Medusa, causing you to fall from Dou Huang to Dou Ling. I also know that you possess a fragment of the Pure Lotus Demon Flame Diagram."

Hai Bodong's expression changed repeatedly.

  

His identity was an absolute secret. No one in this city knew he was the former Ice Emperor. And the fragment of the Pure Lotus Demon Flame Diagram was his most prized possession, known only to himself.

Who exactly is this boy?

"What exactly do you want?" Hai Bodong's voice turned deep.

"It's simple," Xiao Yan leaned back in his chair, "Give me the incomplete map of the Pure Lotus Demon Flame. In exchange, I'll help you restore your cultivation."

"Help me restore my cultivation?" Hai Bodong sneered. "Do you even know that it was Queen Medusa who sealed my cultivation? A peak Dou Huang expert! You, a mere—"

He paused.

Because Xiao Yan released his fighting spirit.

The oppressive aura of a late-stage Dou Wang was like an invisible mountain, instantly enveloping the entire shop. Hai Bodong's breath hitched, and his body involuntarily tensed. He had once been a Dou Huang, and his perception of power far surpassed that of ordinary people—this young man's Dou Qi quality was even stronger than his own at his peak!

"You...a Battle King?!" Hai Bodong's voice was filled with shock. "You look no more than fifteen or sixteen years old!"

"Age is not important," Xiao Yan withdrew his Dou Qi. "What is important is that I have the ability to help you restore your cultivation. The Restoration Purple Pill can unseal your Dou Qi, and the Calamity-Breaking Pill can repair your damaged meridians."

Hai Bodong fell silent.

He certainly knew about the Spirit Restoration Purple Pill and the Calamity Breaking Pill. These were fifth-grade pills, remarkably effective at restoring cultivation. However, refining these two pills required extremely high alchemy skills; the entire Jia Ma Empire could produce no more than five such alchemists.

"Are you an alchemist?"

"A peak fifth-grade alchemist," Xiao Yan said, "Give me a little more time, and a sixth-grade alchemist won't be a problem."

Hai Bodong's brows furrowed even more. Peak of the fifth rank? Fifteen years old? This isn't just a genius, this is a prodigy.

"However," Xiao Yan changed the subject, "we're still missing some materials to refine these two pills. The Breaking Calamity Pill requires Sand Mandala, and we also need to find the materials for the Restoring Spirit Purple Pill. These can't be gathered in a short time."

"Then why have you come to see me now?"

"Let's agree on the terms first. I'll be responsible for refining the pills and finding the ingredients. But in exchange—"

Xiao Yan held up three fingers.

"First, protect my Xiao family for five years. Second, support Ya Fei within the Mittel family. Third, the fragments of the Pure Lotus Demon Flame Map belong to me."

Hai Bodong narrowed his eyes.

"The Mittel family? You have connections to the Mittel family?"

"Of course. I am a partner of the Mittel family."

Hai Bodong remained silent for a long time. He was weighing his options—the fragment of the Pure Lotus Demon Flame map was precious, but it was useless to him now. His cultivation was sealed, making even self-preservation a problem, let alone searching for the Pure Lotus Demon Flame. Restoring his cultivation… that was something he dreamed of constantly.

"Okay," he finally nodded, "I promise you."

He took out a yellowed, tattered map from his pocket and pushed it in front of Xiao Yan.

The fragment of the map was covered with obscure patterns and characters, and looked very old. Xiao Yan picked up the fragment and scanned it with his soul power—confirming that it was genuine.

"It's a pleasure working with you."

Hai Bodong looked at the boy with mixed feelings. In all his years of life, this was the first time he had been completely outmaneuvered by a fifteen-year-old.

-

As they left the herbal medicine shop, Little Fairy Doctor approached them.

"Are you done talking?"

"We've finished talking."

"Who is that Ya Fei?"

Little Fairy Doctor spoke casually, but her eyes were secretly observing Xiao Yan's expression.

"A friend," Xiao Yan said, "an auctioneer for the Mittel family, who helps me with some business matters."

"oh."

"We're just friends."

"I didn't say anything."

"Your tone when you said 'oh' was a bit off."

"...You misheard me."

Xiao Yan looked at her slightly puffed-out cheeks and couldn't help but laugh.

Are you jealous?

"No!"

"Um."

"...just a little bit."

"Ya Fei is indeed very beautiful."

Little Fairy Doctor stopped in her tracks.

"But she's not as pretty as you."

The tips of Little Fairy Doctor's ears turned red, and she walked quickly forward without looking back.

"Hurry up and catch up," her voice muffled. "Aren't you looking for some kind of strange fire?"

Xiao Yan smiled and followed.