"You've obtained the map you wanted. So, what do you plan to do with me, your defeated subordinate?" After finishing his thoughts, Hai Bodong understood that his life was now completely in someone else's hands and asked Lin Yuan heavily.
"Defeated subordinate, huh? Looks like the Ice Emperor isn't satisfied with losing to me that way!" Lin Yuan's tone carried a teasing note.
Hai Bodong snorted but said nothing. Though he blamed himself for being careless, he could not deny the frustration of being taken down by a seemingly casual, unexpected strike before he even had a chance to act.
"Fine, it's about time my future ally witnesses my strength. Let's go—outside the city, we'll have a proper duel. I will temporarily lift the seal I placed on you and suppress my Dou Qi to match your level. If you can defeat me, out of respect for a strong opponent, I will return the remaining map fragment and remove the seal. But if you lose…" Lin Yuan's gaze swept Hai Bodong.
"If I lose, Hai Bodong will submit wholeheartedly and follow your instructions in the future." Confident in a straight fight, Hai Bodong did not believe he could be defeated by someone younger and readily accepted the challenge, prepared to stake everything on this duel.
"Then it's settled. Let this be our vow." Lin Yuan raised his right hand.
"It's a deal." Hai Bodong slapped his palm against Lin Yuan's.
Looking at the confident Hai Bodong, a slight smile appeared in Lin Yuan's eyes.
'He's right where I want him.'
'The more confident the wager, the more one risks losing!'
Outside the city, in a section of the desert, Hai Bodong, exuding peak Dou Spirit energy, faced Lin Yuan.
"Kid, let me show you—the difference between a straight fight and a sneak attack." Feeling his strength restored, Hai Bodong's body radiated a frigid Dou Qi as he glared coldly at Lin Yuan.
Lin Yuan said nothing and simply beckoned to Hai Bodong.
In an instant, both vanished from sight, dashing at each other like lightning. In the blink of an eye, they collided at the center, and the fierce energies of ice and fire erupted from their clash, stirring up clouds of sand around them.
The energy exploded outward, sending both of them flying backward.
Hai Bodong, regaining control, began to move rapidly across the battlefield they had defined. Chilling Dou Qi spread from his body, forming an icy mist that slowly obscured Lin Yuan's vision.
"Interesting… this fog can slow movement. But such a trick won't work on me."
Concentrating his power within, Lin Yuan stomped his right foot onto the ground. A powerful surge of fiery energy erupted outward from his body, instantly dispersing the ice fog. Hai Bodong, moving within the mist, was hit by the shockwave and staggered backward.
"Ice Emperor, no need for games. Let me see the true combat level of a strong opponent." Lin Yuan said calmly, his gaze fixed on Hai Bodong.
Hai Bodong stopped, saying nothing, and charged at Lin Yuan with his body wrapped in icy Dou Qi, engaging him in close-quarters combat.
As they clashed, their Dou Qi collided. Hai Bodong increasingly felt alarmed—the boy's hand-to-hand combat was exceptionally fierce. His speed was rapid, his strength formidable, his techniques practiced, his Dou Qi control extraordinary, and he seemed able to anticipate attacks, effortlessly countering every strike.
"This won't do." Hai Bodong thought sharply. He stomped the ground to create distance and clasped his hands together.
"Ice Spikes!"
Over a dozen long ice spikes condensed and shot toward Lin Yuan. Lin Yuan moved skillfully, catching the first spike and deflecting its force, covering it with Dou Qi as if wielding a long sword, and flicking away the remaining spikes.
Hai Bodong's expression darkened. He waved his hands, and dozens of spiral-shaped ice spikes rapidly formed before him. With a hand movement, countless thin ice threads coiled and shot toward Lin Yuan.
Lin Yuan concentrated, generating fire with his Dou Qi. Grren Spirit Flames instantly enveloped his body, forming a rapidly spinning fire shield. The ice spikes and threads that touched the shield were incinerated into nothingness.
After neutralizing the attack, Lin Yuan countered. The fire shield spun and compressed under his control, ultimately condensing into a high-speed rotating fire cone at his fingertips. At the same time, several flame whips formed under his control, launching an assault on Hai Bodong.
"This kid… such strong control. He can condense so much power into a small fire cone and manipulate so many flame whips to restrict and block my movements. This is troublesome," Hai Bodong thought as the fight continued.
Once the fire cone fully condensed, several flame whips joined the assault, effectively restricting Hai Bodong's movements. Lin Yuan then shot the fire cone forward.
"Pill-Flame Technique—Flying Star."
Seeing the fire cone launched, Hai Bodong knew he could not dodge. His dry hands quickly formed a hand seal as he called out, "Condensing Ice Mirror!"
With the completion of the seal, a transparent ice mirror about half a meter wide suddenly materialized before him.
The moment the high-speed fire cone collided with the ice mirror, the compressed energy of the cone exploded at a single point, seemingly about to pierce the mirror. Hai Bodong immediately reinforced the ice mirror with Dou Qi. The heat and force from the fire cone blew his hair wildly, and the energy impact pushed him backward, leaving two deep furrows in the sand beneath his feet.
"I've withstood it." Before Hai Bodong could even catch his breath, the sound of rushing wind came from behind him. He quickly turned, crossing his arms to block a kicking whip, yet even so, the sheer force sent him flying backward.
With his abundant combat experience, Hai Bodong rolled in midair several times to absorb the impact and landed steadily on the ground. He looked ahead to see Lin Yuan, who had moved behind him immediately after launching the fire cone, waiting. Rubbing his slightly numb arms, Hai Bodong looked at Lin Yuan with caution. "This guy… such a formidable physique and strength."
Smiling lightly at Hai Bodong, Lin Yuan asked, "Ice Emperor, do you intend to continue?"
Seeing the young man before him, his breathing calm and aura as steady as before the fight, Hai Bodong realized that he was facing an absolute peer-level powerhouse, a fully capable opponent. His chances of victory were slim. In a blink, he made his decision and said decisively, "If you can defend this move—I, Hai Bodong will concede defeat."
"I will respond to this move. Come then." Lin Yuan flipped his hand, flames filling the sky. He accepted Hai Bodong's challenge, determined to face him head-on, intending to completely defeat him this time.
"Mysterious Ice Whirling Kill!"
Hai Bodong's hands moved rapidly, forming hand seals. Crescent-shaped ice blades appeared around him, rotating and growing until they nearly obscured his entire body. The blades interconnected, forming a compact spiral storm made entirely of ice.
"Go!" A low shout rang out from within the storm as the ice blade spiral suddenly surged toward Lin Yuan.
Lin Yuan's eyes sharpened. He shifted his hand seals, drawing a streak of purplish-red blood energy from his blood pill. Blood energy, green flame, and Dou Qi converged before him, forming a magical seal where the blood energy was the foundation, green flames became mountains, and Dou Qi flowed like rivers. Mysterious runes shimmered on the seal, and the energy of heaven and earth subtly gathered within, radiating destructive power.
"Fire Tribulation—Mountains and Rivers Seal."
"Go!" Under Lin Yuan's control, the green-and-red magical seal shot toward the ice blade spiral.
The Mountains and Rivers Seal collided with the ice blade spiral. The energies erupted violently. After a brief stalemate, the ice blade spiral was completely shattered, and Hai Bodong at the center was sent flying backward as if struck by a heavy blow, crashing to the ground. His aura weakened considerably. Looking at the swirling energy and mist ahead, Hai Bodong's expression turned bitter. He had lost—completely and utterly.
Not far away, Lin Yuan raised his right hand, slashing downward with the edge of his hand. A gust of wind spread out from his body, dispersing the surrounding mist and energy. He then walked toward Hai Bodong, smiling lightly. "Ice Emperor, how do you find this battle?"
Looking at the young man approaching as if strolling through a courtyard, Hai Bodong's eyes were deep and calm. His voice carried a mix of desolation and admiration: "This battle… I have lost, utterly and sincerely. Hahaha, I never expected that after more than twenty years of seclusion, I would be completely defeated in a battle of equals by a younger generation. Truly, the young are to be feared."
"I will henceforth obey your commands," Hai Bodong said gravely, having accepted the agreement founded upon victory and defeat.
"Then I look forward to our future cooperation, Ice Emperor Hai Bodong."
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