The morning light filtered through the patterned windows, casting斑斑点点 patterns upon the floor, like a blooming flower—warm and vibrant. Inside the room, Xiao Yan, seated upon the Qinglian, slowly opened his eyes. A faint green glow flickered across his dark pupils before swiftly fading away. He slightly twisted his body, inhaled the cool morning air, and felt a sense of ease gradually spreading from his lungs to every part of his body. After a night of rest, the fatigue that had lingered on his face had completely vanished. With a light, fluid movement, he stepped off the Qinglian seat, raised his hand, and the seat transformed into a streak of green light, re-entering his Naji. Adjusting his garments, Xiao Yan opened the door and stepped into the living room. As he glanced around, he noticed Hai Bo Dong had already awakened, standing by the window, arms folded behind his back, quietly gazing at the bustling streets outside. It seemed as though Sea Po Dong had sensed Xiao Yan's arrival, and he slowly turned to face him, offering a smile. "From your demeanor, it appears you've adjusted well," he said. Nodding in agreement, Xiao Yan brushed his broad black sleeve, and smiled. "Let's go. Today, while the Mo family is busy, we'll first locate Qing Lin, and then treat Mo Cheng—the old man—like a proper celebration." "The look of fierce determination on your face suggests this joyous occasion might be turning into a funeral," Sea Po Dong remarked, his eyebrows lifting as he observed the cold intensity briefly flashing across Xiao Yan's face. "After all, if he can command the annihilation of the Mo Tie Mercenary Regiment down to the last man, he must surely expect some return. Though I haven't yet been able to carry out a complete extermination of a family, I have no hesitation at all about eliminating that old man." Xiao Yan folded his hands in his sleeves and smiled, saying, "Moreover, without Mu Cheng's support, the Mu family's status is likely to decline rapidly. At that point, the other three prominent families in the eastern provinces won't hesitate to seize the opportunity to gradually encroach upon Mu's territories." "Are you not afraid that Yunlan Sect will help them avenge the injury?" "Doesn't Master Hai think that Yunlan Sect would send a pursuit force to kill two Dao Huang-level masters merely for a junior gatekeeper?" Xiao Yan smiled. "Two Dao Huang-level masters?" Hai Bo Dong blinked, then shook his head with a look of exasperation after a moment, "I told you not to drag me into this—I'm just not involved. This is entirely your affair." "Master Hai, are you afraid of Yunlan Sect?" Xiao Yan asked with a gentle smile. "Hmph. Don't go all out with such elementary tactics. I do respect Yunlan Sect, but I still don't consider myself truly afraid. I just don't want to be used as a pawn by you without any reason. Once I've settled my personal obligations with you, then I'll be free to roam as I please." Holding the delicate wooden cup on the table, Xiao Yan pondered for a moment, then glanced at Hai Bo Dong with a warm smile, saying, "Master Hai, what star level are you now at as a Sovereign?" "Two stars—why do you ask this?" Hai Bo Dong's face stiffened slightly when questioned, and he replied with some reluctance. "Hmm, then, before you were sealed, what star level were you at?" Xiao Yan's smile was quite cunning, as if a fox deeply eager to catch a rabbit. "Five stars," Hai Bo Dong glanced sideways at Xiao Yan, and scoffed. "Five stars as a Sovereign, then... It seems that although your seal has been broken, you still haven't regained your previous peak condition." Xiao Yan expressed a touch of regret. "Drawing a deep breath, Hai Bo Dong waved his sleeve and said, "I've been sealed for nearly fifty years—my strength certainly can't return to full peak overnight. All I need is a few years—four or five—then it will naturally reach its peak." "Heh, I doubt even Sea Master himself would fully believe this. As everyone knows, sometimes when one's strength declines, the time it takes to restore it back to its former level may actually be longer than the time it took to ascend before." Xiao Yan shook his head with a smile. "Xiao Yan, what exactly do you want to say?" Sea Po Dong frowned slightly, his brows creased as he studied Xiao Yan's peculiar smile. "All I'm proposing is that I might be able to fully restore Sea Master's strength—damaged by the seal—within one year, with minimal long-term complications." Xiao Yan gently tapped his finger on the wooden cup, smiling softly. Upon hearing this, Sea Po Dong's weathered face subtly changed, a spark of surprise flickering in his eyes. But within a moment, his expression settled back to normal as he watched Xiao Yan with cautious attention, hesitating before asking, "What method?" "Have you ever heard of the 'Fuling Purple Pill'?" Xiao Yan’s slender fingers gently tapped, observing Hai Bo Dong’s slightly puzzled expression, and smiled. "This is a fifth-rank pill. Though not particularly high in rank, the materials required are quite hard to find. Its function is to fully restore strength that has declined due to sealing or internal injuries. It seems perfectly suited for your situation, Master Hai." "Fu Ling Zi Dan?" With a still bright expression, Hai Bo Dong murmured the name several times, then fixed his gaze intently on Xiao Yan, licking his lips. "Go on, what do you need in return?" Hai Bo Dong certainly didn’t believe that Xiao Yan, who never acted without benefit, would offer such generous assistance without any ulterior motive. "Hehe…" Hearing this, Xiao Yan smiled, his smile so cunning it seemed a fox playing tricks. "The herbs for the Fuling Purple Pill are quite hard to gather, requiring a great deal of time and effort. I'll take care of sourcing those herbs for you. However, until I finish refining the Fuling Purple Pill for you, Master Hai might have to stay with me at all times..." "...So you're looking for a long-term assistant, then?" Hai Bo Dong's eyes twitched as he immediately saw through Xiao Yan's intentions. Xiao Yan maintained his cheerful smile, though he didn't deny it. Watching Xiao Yan's pleasant expression, Hai Bo Dong furrowed his brows, his face growing increasingly displeased. After all, he was a Duke-level combatant himself, and to be merely serving as a personal assistant to Xiao Yan—he simply wouldn't find it very honorable. "Master Hai, you should be aware that, unless you have some particularly fortunate encounters, relying solely on your own strength, it would likely take you ten years just to recover to your peak. But as long as you serve as my bodyguard for a period of time, you can save me ten years—this deal seems quite advantageous. Think about it: in those ten years, what could you possibly accomplish?" The light, unhurried tone of Xiao Yan continuously struck at the fragile defenses within Master Hai's heart. With a composed face, Master Hai struggled internally, while Xiao Yan remained silent, calmly seated in his chair, waiting for his response. In the spacious living room, the atmosphere was slightly dull and quiet. After a while, Hai Bo Dong finally sighed in resignation, lifting his gaze firmly at Xiao Yan and speaking in a serious tone, "I don't care how rare or precious the herbs are. I'll give you one year. During that time, I'll serve as your bodyguard and ensure your safety. But you must gather all the herbs you mentioned within this period and help me refine the Fuzi Ling Dan. Otherwise, if you collect these herbs over several years, I'll have to accompany you for years as well!" "Of course!" Hearing this, Xiao Yan paused briefly before smiling and nodding. A combatant of Duke-level rank was truly rare. In the future, he might have to deal with the formidable Yunlan Sect. Having such an experienced and powerful assistant by his side would surely save him countless efforts. Though Xiao Yan and Yao Lao had secretly set a trap for Haibo Dong within his body, Xiao Yan dared not bring this matter to the surface. After all, Haibo Dong was a powerful Du Phuong cultivator, and a cultivator's dignity allowed him to negotiate terms—but it could never tolerate such a threat. If Xiao Yan truly insisted on using this as leverage to compel Haibo Dong to serve as his bodyguard, the once-renowned Ice Emperor of Jima Empire would immediately launch a furious assault, regardless of his life, right at the very beginning. A Du Phuong cultivator in a rage—despite having Yao Lao's protection—would surely find himself in serious trouble. Therefore, resolving the matter through mutually satisfactory terms was undoubtedly the best outcome. Gazing at Haibo Dong's slightly resigned expression, Xiao Yan gently stroked the massive black ruler concealed beneath his black robe, a proud smile spreading across his face. After a brief sigh of sympathy for her own hardships over the past year, Hai Bode withdrew a sheet of parchment from his naga robe and laid it on the table, speaking with a touch of resignation, "This is the result of my evening stroll outside while you were meditating. It's a general map of the Mo Family. With this, the search for the young girl named Qing Lin should go much more smoothly." Hearing this, Xiao Yan's face lit up with surprise. He picked up the map and examined it carefully, then shook his head in admiration, "It seems that hiring Master Hai as our bodyguard was truly a most wise decision." Unimpressed by Xiao Yan's praise, Hai Bode merely gave a slight dismissive gesture and paid it no further attention. After studying the map and carefully folding it away, Xiao Yan stood up, then lifted the large black cloak from his head, instantly enveloping himself in shadow. "Then let's go to the Mo Family." Wrapping himself tightly, Xiao Yan smiled at Hai Bo Dong and then turned to walk toward the room's door. Following suit, Hai Bo Dong reluctantly unrolled his black robe and stepped out after Xiao Yan. Once outside, Xiao Yan casually closed the door and then walked down the corridor toward the stairs. At the main entrance of the inn, a graceful woman dressed in a fitted, floor-length robe of moonlight hue stood quietly, her slender and alluring figure exuding a distinct charm under the flowing robe. She was smiling softly as she spoke with Ling Lin beside her, while a series of subtle, warm glances—laced with a touch of reverence—gently lingered upon her elegant form in the hall. As Xiao Yan slowly descended the final staircase, he suddenly slightly raised his head and casually glanced toward the main entrance. Upon spotting the woman in a moon-colored robe, exuding an air of lofty dignity, his steps came to an abrupt halt—his body stiffened as if struck by lightning, remaining rigid in place!