svetikya Page 46
Page 46
This scene was not only witnessed by Ye Chen, but also by Xiao Yi Xian and Hu Tian beside him.
The latter is understandable, since it was already known that the girl was a hybrid of human and snake-person, so it's not surprising that she would have such a thing on her.
Little Fairy Doctor was somewhat surprised; she hadn't expected this little girl to be different from the other girls. No wonder her mother wrapped her up so tightly; it must be to protect her…
Thinking of this, she thought of herself back then, and suddenly felt a sense of empathy and pity for the little girl.
When Ye Chen saw the blue snake scales on the little girl's wrist, a hint of joy clearly appeared deep in his eyes.
Although many people with snake-human blood will more or less exhibit snake-human characteristics in their bodies, at this moment in Stone Desert City, there is a little girl of such a young age with snake-human blood, and she also has obvious characteristics of Qing Lin as described in the original work. Therefore, Ye Chen is 90% sure that this little girl is Qing Lin, who has the Azure Serpent Three-Flower Pupil!
Under the tense gazes of the mother and daughter before him, Ye Chen first gently stroked the little girl's head with his palm, then, seeing her fearful expression, he grasped her arm, carefully lifted her sleeve, looked at the blue snake scales, and said softly with a smile, "Hehe, very beautiful scales, aren't they?"
Bathed in sunlight, the blue scales shimmered and sparkled, like jewels set in the little girl's arm—truly beautiful.
Upon hearing this, the little girl froze in fear. This was the first time since she was born that someone had said her scales were beautiful.
In her memory, weren't people who saw her scales supposed to beat and scold her? Whenever that happened, she would be terrified, too afraid to fight back, and could only let others kick and beat her.
This stirred a strange feeling within her fragile heart, which was almost entirely scarred...
However, completely different from what the little girl was thinking, Alita was looking at Ye Chen as if he were a pervert!
You know, there are quite a few people in this world with strange fetishes, like the snake-woman slaves who are very popular in Stone Desert City. They are playthings that the upper-class nobles of the Gama Empire are very fond of...
Could it be that this man saved his wife and daughter because of this particular fetish?
If that's the case, then Alita decided that even if it meant risking her life, she would not let her daughter become someone else's plaything!
Chapter 101 The Ice Emperor
Ye Chen felt that Alita's wariness was normal.
However, he didn't explain anything. Judging from the woman's expression, explaining wouldn't necessarily make a difference. All he needed to do next was take the two of them with him on his journey to Zhongzhou; everything else would become clear in time.
"Alita, right? There's a map shop called 'Ancient Map' in this Stone Desert City, isn't there?"
Ye Chen remembered that Hai Bodong seemed to have been living in seclusion in this Stone Desert City. Moreover, the other party not only possessed information about the Azure Lotus Earth Core Flame, but also the second fragment of the Pure Lotus Demon Flame map…
These things that are so close at hand cannot be overlooked.
“A map shop?” Alita frowned and thought for a moment, then suddenly realized, “There is indeed a map shop called ‘Ancient Map.’ However, the owner seems to be a very mysterious old man. It is said that the disappearance of the Black Flag Group, the former number one mercenary group in Stone Desert City, was closely related to that shop owner, so now almost no one in Stone Desert City dares to cause trouble there…”
"Let's go, I'll take you there. That shop is quite far from the city center."
Alita said crisply.
Ye Chen smiled slightly at her words.
Those were once among the top ten strongest warriors of the Gama Empire. Even though they were sealed away, they were not someone that a small mercenary group from a remote area could afford to provoke.
The three followed Alita and her daughter at a leisurely pace. At this moment, Xiao Qinglin was perched on her mother's shoulder, occasionally stealing glances at Ye Chen. Clearly, the little girl had a good impression of this older brother who was different from the others.
Although Ye Chen could see the little guy's every move clearly, he pretended not to notice so as not to scare him.
This is someone he needs to cultivate next, so Ye Chen hopes that her feelings for him will be as strong as possible...
As they continued forward, Ye Chen and his companions noticed that the number of people around them was decreasing, and the surrounding environment was beginning to turn yellow sand, clearly indicating that the level of prosperity here was far inferior to that in the city center.
However, it would be a good place to live in seclusion...
Looking at the shop in front of him, which had an old-fashioned design and even exuded a slightly worn atmosphere, Ye Chen smiled and said to Alita, who had indicated that they had arrived at their destination, "Wait a moment, I need to change my clothes first..."
Then, to Alita and Little Fairy Doctor's puzzled looks, Ye Chen took out his alchemist's robe and quickly put it on.
While Ye Chen and his group are currently strong enough to forcibly take Hai Bodong's possession without resistance, someone like the Ice Emperor might not be so easily subdued by threats of death. If the old man refuses to yield, the fragmented Demon Flame Diagram he split in two will be in real trouble…
Therefore, it is more convenient for him to do this as an alchemist.
"You're actually an alchemist?!" Alita's eyes widened in surprise when she saw Ye Chen's current attire.
She had met an alchemist before; she had once been on a mission with a mercenary group to protect the alchemist as they went into the desert to gather herbs…
Although the alchemist at the time was only a second-grade alchemist, it still caused quite a stir in the mercenary world of Stone Desert City, and many powerful mercenary groups wanted to take on that mission!
It was from that time on that Alita, a native mercenary from the Stone Desert City, truly understood the nobility and power of alchemists.
Seeing her shocked expression, Ye Chen chuckled and shook his head, saying, "Alright, shut your mouth, or your jaw will drop. Let's go in..."
Go...
As Ye Chen slowly walked into the shop, his gaze swept across the interior, noticing that it wasn't very spacious. The faint glow of the two moonstones illuminated the shop quite brightly.
At this time, there were hardly any customers in the shop, and it was quiet and deserted, which suited the shop's atmosphere quite well.
Perhaps because there were so many of them, the old man who had been carefully making a map behind the counter stopped what he was doing and looked up when they entered…
The old man had a full head of snow-white hair, and even his beard was snow-white, making him look like he was on his deathbed. However, when he raised his head, Ye Chen and the others saw the true face of this man.
A horrifying scar ran from his left cheek to the corner of his eye. Although the old man's eyes were quite peaceful, the scar still added a hint of menacing ferocity to his appearance.
Ye Chen raised an eyebrow, surprised that this Ice Emperor, sealed away for who knows how many years, still possessed such a murderous aura...
The two little ones, Little Fairy Doctor and Qinglin, were clearly startled by the other party, while Ailiya, having heard many rumors about this mysterious old man, also felt a sudden jolt in her heart.
"Young master, be careful! This person is not simple. He contains a powerful icy force within him!" Hu Tian's voice, amplified by his battle qi, reached Ye Chen's ears.
Ye Chen simply nodded in response; he knew all too well who the other party was.
As for Hai Bodong at this moment, all his attention was drawn to Ye Chen's alchemist robe, or more precisely, all his eyes were focused on the alchemist badge Ye Chen was wearing on his chest...
"An alchemist?! And a suspected fifth-grade alchemist at that..." Hai Bodong was shocked and couldn't help but think to himself.
Although the alchemist badges of the Dan Tower differ from those of the Alchemist Guild of the Gama Empire, the difference lies only in their form; the number of symbols representing rank is the same.
Taking a deep breath, Hai Bodong's emotions did not show much fluctuation. Instead, he said in a slightly hoarse but calm voice, "Does the guest want to buy a map of the Tagor Desert?"
Ye Chen replied calmly, "That's right, give me the most detailed desert map..."
As he spoke, Ye Chen's attention slowly drifted to a rustic wooden shelf in the corner of the shop.
The wooden frame was noticeably more dilapidated, covered in cobwebs and holes. On top of it, some yellowed maps were haphazardly piled, their surfaces showing numerous signs of wear and tear, suggesting they were failed attempts at mapmaking.
If I remember correctly, in the original novel, Xiao Yan discovered the fragments of the Demon Flame Map from a pile of tattered maps...
Ye Chen casually flipped through the yellowed maps, a faint musty smell wafting out. He didn't seem to care, instead picking up a stack of failed works, his hand trembling slightly.
His appearance made it seem as if he was deliberately searching for something, which caused a flicker of emotion to flash in Hai Bodong's eyes, before his expression turned even colder.
"The items are all on this counter. Please come and choose from them..." Hai Bodong said in a detached voice, his expression unchanged.
Unfortunately, Ye Chen ignored him. Instead, after looking at a stack of old pictures, he picked up another stack next to him and shook it.
Suddenly, a tattered picture, no bigger than a palm, fell out from the stack of failed works, which made Ye Chen's eyes light up.
Chapter 102 Heading to the Snake-People Tribe
Looking at the half-finished map in Ye Chen's hand, Hai Bodong, who had been able to remain calm, trembled almost imperceptibly, and a hint of killing intent appeared in his emotionless eyes.
However, the moment his hostility appeared, an incredibly terrifying aura descended upon him, rendering his entire body completely immobile...
This caused Hai Bodong's face to show even more shock!
Such a terrifying aura is probably something even Queen Medusa, at the peak of the Dou Huang level, doesn't possess.
At this moment, Hai Bodong finally realized that the person who came this time probably knew him very well, and that the other party's goal was the fragment of the map that he had obtained by chance!
Thinking of this, Hai Bodong gave a bitter smile.
I have to say, that incomplete map was truly my nemesis...
When he was lucky enough to obtain this thing, he was first chased by that terrifying woman Medusa, and then he barely escaped with his life on the line. However, his strength was sealed down to the level of fighting spirit.
And now, because of this incomplete map, he has attracted a mysterious being even more terrifying than Queen Medusa, which is going to kill him!
Ye Chen looked at the Ice Emperor, whose forehead was already covered in cold sweat, smiled slightly, and waved to Hu Tian.
The next moment, Hai Bodong felt the space that had been confining him vanish instantly, and his creaking body lost its support, almost causing him to fall to the ground.
Barely managing to steady himself against the counter, Hai Bodong managed to squeeze out two words: "Dou Zong?!"
Only a Dou Zong could so skillfully use spatial power to imprison himself...
"Who are you?"
This is a Dou Zong! The Jia Ma Empire has never produced a powerhouse of this level in more than a hundred years since its founding!
Ye Chen didn't answer him. Instead, he picked up the half-fragment of the map in his hand and asked calmly, "I want to know where the other half of this map is?"
"You absolutely mustn't say it's not in your hands, otherwise you'll be useless to me..."
Hai Bodong's face turned extremely pale. His already pale complexion became even paler, and he was completely devoid of color.
Looking at the calm expression on the young man's face and the expressionless Dou Zong expert beside him, Hai Bodong felt somewhat hesitant.
He believed that if he didn't speak up, the other party would definitely not hold back. But now, the opportunity to free himself was right in front of him, and he was extremely unwilling to give it up so easily…
"That's enough! Rather than living such a muddled life, I might as well give it a shot!"
In the end, Hai Bodong made his final choice...
Taking a deep breath, Hai Bodong straightened his posture, looked resolutely at Ye Chen, and said in a deep voice, "You want the other half of the fragment? Fine! But I need you to help me refine a kind of pill..."
Ye Chen raised an eyebrow and glanced at Hai Bodong in front of him, thinking to himself: As expected of the former Ice Emperor, even when faced with the threat of death, he did not choose to surrender directly.
Ye Chen nodded and said, "Very well, I'm not an unreasonable person. I'll help you refine the pills, and you'll give me the incomplete diagram. It's fair."
"However, you know the rules for alchemists, right? I can help you, but you'll have to provide the formula and ingredients yourself."
Hearing Ye Chen's first words, Hai Bodong breathed a long sigh of relief. But upon hearing the last sentence, he couldn't help but smile wryly.
"Well... I understand the rules, of course. I've gathered most of the herbs needed for the prescription, but I'm still missing one."
Ye Chen deliberately frowned, somewhat displeased, and said, "You haven't even prepared the medicinal herbs, so why did you find an alchemist to refine the medicine!"
Knowing he was in the wrong, Hai Bodong could only smile wryly and explain, "The medicinal herb I'm missing is called Sand Mandrake. It can only be found in the Tagor Desert, and the higher the temperature, the easier it is to find..."
But as you can see, Master, I cultivate ice-attribute techniques, which are not easy to use in the desert.
"And to be honest, I was originally a Dou Huang level cultivator, but back then, because of this incomplete map, I offended Medusa, the queen of the Desert Snake People. That woman placed a seal on my body, not only greatly reducing my strength, but also making me detectable as soon as I step into the depths of the Tagor Desert, so..."
Seeing Ye Chen's still expressionless face, Hai Bodong hesitated for a moment before saying, "How about this, Master? As far as I know, there is a strange fire deep in the Tagor Desert. Although it has not yet appeared, I have information on several possible locations where it may exist. I am willing to offer this information about the strange fire as payment for your help in finding medicinal herbs. What do you say?"
Although Ye Chen didn't show it on his face after hearing Hai Bodong's words, he was secretly overjoyed.
You old geezer, in the end you'll just have to offer yourself up, won't you?
"Oh? You actually know the exact location of the strange fire in this desert? That's quite a coincidence. We came here specifically to find this strange fire. If your information is really useful, then I don't mind helping you find medicinal herbs..." Ye Chen said, feigning interest.
These words once again filled Hai Bodong with joy.
Although information about the strange fire was undoubtedly more valuable than the sand mandala, Hai Bodong felt like he had gotten the better deal after Ye Chen made his statement.
Ultimately, it comes down to the imbalance of power between the two sides. When someone else can easily control your life, you unconsciously place yourself in a more humble position.
"Next, it's time to head to the Snake People..." Ye Chen thought with a smile.
Although with Hai Bodong's map and his own memories of the original plot, he could find and subdue the Azure Lotus Earth Core Flame on his own.
But Ye Chen knew very well that Queen Medusa was also one of his targets on this trip to the Tagor Desert, and this was a good opportunity to make contact with her...
Then Ye Chen will ask the other party to help him find a different kind of fire. Given Medusa Queen's desire for evolution, she will definitely try to use the different kind of fire to evolve. In this way, the relationship will naturally develop.
Ye Chen's plan was meticulously executed; once he had achieved all his goals, he could return directly to Zhongzhou...
You should know that, given the distance between Dan Domain and the Jia Ma Empire, the time he would need to travel back and forth would be even longer than when he first traveled. After returning this time and arranging everything, he should enter the Dan Tower.
Whether it's improving his own strength or the Ye family's status in the Pill Domain, he needs to enter the Pill Tower.
Only by becoming a direct disciple of one of the three giants of the Pill Tower could he truly mobilize the resources of the Pill Tower for his own use. Therefore, Ye Chen did not intend to spend too much of his time in the Northwest Continent.
Chapter 103 The Serpent Tribe
Above the clear sky, a huge scorching sun hangs high in the sky, like a big fireball that is constantly releasing flames. The blazing sunshine is swayed in the golden desert, turning the tiny sand grains. Smoked and roasted like small red-hot iron particles.
In the desert, due to the blazing temperature, wisps of hot air seeped out from the yellow sand, eventually evaporating the space into something distorted and illusory.
A dark shadow appeared on the horizon, then grew larger and larger...
This was a gigantic flying magical beast, the Giant Winged Eagle. Its outstretched wings cast a large shadow on the ground, like a dark cloud.
Above the yellow sand, a team of fully armed snake-men guards looked at the shadows on the ground and couldn't help but look up at the sky.