Chapter 377: Hai Bodong’s Probe!
Chapter 377: Hai Bodong’s Probe!
Chapter 377: Hai Bodong’s Probe!
“When she arrived, she didn’t even reveal her name. She only took a number plate and registered her age as seventeen…”
After reviewing the information, Fa Ma sighed softly, “Seventeen years old, with such strength... Who could she be? How did someone with such an unclear identity get into the Alchemist Convention?”
Hearing Fa Ma’s remark, the vice-president who handed over the information looked ashamed and hurriedly explained, “Master Fa Ma, it was due to our negligence in supervision. We’ll improve the rules in the future... I’ll go and expel her right away.”
“Enough. She’s already passed the first round, and driving her out now would only invite criticism about the fairness of our Alchemist Association. Since our convention is open to all alchemists under the heavens, it doesn’t matter if they are from the Jia Ma Empire or not,” Fa Ma raised his hand, signaling Chelsea to stop.
“Yes, Master Fa Ma!”
Hearing Fa Ma’s decision, Chelsea took back the document and stood respectfully to the side.
On the VIP seats, Jia Xingtian and Hai Bodong overheard the conversation and walked over.
“Old man, aren’t you curious about the identity of that hooded person?” Hai Bodong said with a grin.
“Hmm, but her face is hidden under a cloak. We can’t just force her to remove it, that would make the Alchemist Association of the Jia Ma Empire seem too overbearing and rude!” Fa Ma sighed, glancing at the mysterious figure in the corner, feeling somewhat helpless.
“If she won’t uncover it herself, why don’t we give her a little help?” Hai Bodong said, laughing quietly.
“You… you won’t be found out, right?”
Fa Ma hesitated, concern flickering in his expression.
“Heh, this is a simple matter. I can manipulate a cold current to silently freeze the fragile cloak into powder. It’s well within my ability!” Hai Bodong chuckled. He was well aware that if a mysterious alchemist from another empire won the convention here in the Jia Ma Empire, it would cause Fa Ma and the others to lose face.
“This task does indeed suit your icy Dou Qi. My Dou Qi is too aggressive, suited for splitting mountains, but not for this,” Jia Xingtian shook his head, agreeing.
“Very well... I’ll leave it to you,” Fa Ma murmured, nodding after some thought.
With a smile, Hai Bodong’s eyes narrowed as he extended his withered hand from his sleeve, gently flicking his fingers. Along with the movement, a faint, subtle wave quietly spread out.
As Hai Bodong covertly worked his technique, Jia Xingtian and Fa Ma stepped closer to him, appearing to be discussing something. Their proximity conveniently blocked the surrounding gazes.
“It seems like there’s some trouble brewing at the convention,” Nalan Jie, his clouded eyes filled with meaning, remarked as he watched Hai Bodong and the other two from not far away.
With his sharp instincts honed over many years, Nalan Jie had noticed that ever since the earlier flash of green light near the hooded figure, Fa Ma’s expression had turned slightly sour. And Chelsea handing over the documents afterward only confirmed some suspicions.
“Hmm, that mysterious hooded person... their origins are unclear, and the pills they refined are of higher quality than those made by even Yan Xiao and the princess! Who would’ve thought such a dark horse would appear at this convention?” Mu Chen, sitting beside Nalan Jie, nodded lightly.
As Nalan Jie and Mu Chen chatted, a faint cold current silently wove through the air, eventually winding its way over the mysterious hooded figure. Like invisible serpents of ice, the currents gently coiled above the figure’s head.
“Hmm?”
At that moment, Xiao Yi Xian, who was quietly tidying up the items on the stone platform, suddenly froze. Her hand stopped mid-motion, and under her black hood, her violet eyes flashed with anger.
The next moment, Xiao Yi Xian raised her hand slightly, and a purple streak of light flashed through the air. In an instant, it vaporized the cold currents. The purple light appeared and vanished so quickly that most people didn’t notice what had occurred. They only sensed a sudden rise in temperature around the hooded figure, followed by a rapid drop.
“Huh?”
Realizing that the cold current he had released was instantly dispelled, Hai Bodong's eyes filled with surprise.
At the same moment, Xiao Yi Xian’s gaze shot swiftly towards the VIP seats where Hai Bodong and the others were seated.
Though separated by a veil of black silk, the look from Xiao Yi Xian seemed to carry an icy chill that Hai Bodong and his companions could clearly feel.
“This person is no ordinary individual, able to easily destroy my cold current and even pinpoint my location because of it!” Hai Bodong remarked cautiously, squinting at the hooded figure. Rubbing his chin with a hint of wariness, he added, "If this girl is really just seventeen as the information suggests, then I, Hai Bodong, might as well retire and live out the rest of my life in seclusion!"
Fa Ma and Jia Xingtian both narrowed their eyes thoughtfully and nodded slowly, their expressions growing more serious as they gazed at the mysterious figure.
“I’ll make sure these old fogeys get what’s coming to them once this convention is over!” Xiao Yi Xian thought to herself under the cover of her black hood. With that, she dismissed the matter and focused elsewhere.
“Is that the aura of a Heavenly Flame?”
“Xiao Yan, that hooded figure isn’t simple at all. They possess a Heavenly Flame!”
Just moments after Xiao Yi Xian had destroyed Hai Bodong’s cold current, both Liu Ling and Yao Lao, hidden within Xiao Yan’s ring, sensed the presence of a Heavenly Flame.
The next moment, both Liu Ling and Xiao Yan turned their gazes towards the corner where Xiao Yi Xian stood.
However, after watching for a while, they found nothing further. The fleeting aura of the Heavenly Flame had completely vanished.
Meanwhile, on the VIP platform, Fa Ma, having sensed the earlier chill, let out a slow breath. His cloudy eyes, now tinged with coldness, locked onto the hooded figure in the square below.
After a while, his calm voice echoed once more throughout the square.
“Alright, since everyone has completed the test, let’s begin the second round of assessments… Please move your fingers and press the small red button on the lower left side of the stone platform.”
Hearing Fa Ma’s voice, both Liu Ling and Xiao Yan temporarily set aside their thoughts about the hooded figure and felt around for the small red button, pressing it down.
As the button was pressed, the massive stone platform trembled slightly. The machine that had emerged earlier retracted once more, and a neat array of herbs and a scroll of a prescription slowly rose to the surface.
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