"Ten years. I can do many things for you, not just act as a guard."
Thinking Xiao Ting was refusing and under the pressure of Queen Medusa, Hai Bodong impatiently raised his offer.
Xiao Ting: "..."
He only wanted to say he didn't need protection and have Hai Bodong lead the Miteer family into cooperating with the Xiao family while providing protection. He never expected Hai Bodong to think he was refusing.
"Elder Hai, you misunderstood." Xiao Ting had no intention of taking advantage of the misunderstanding. What he valued was long-term development.
Hai Bodong bringing the Miteer family to cooperate with the Xiao family would initially benefit the Xiao family, but the situation would reverse before long.
"What I mean is, you don't need to always act as my guard." Facing Hai Bodong's confused gaze, Xiao Ting explained, "Before I go to Jia Nan Academy, having Elder Hai guard me for a period of time is enough. Afterward, I ask Elder Hai to bring the Miteer family to look after and protect the Xiao family, engaging in all kinds of cooperation."
"After three to five years, if both sides cooperate happily, we can continue. If not, we can stop at the right moment."
"So that's how it is." Hai Bodong breathed a sigh of relief and immediately agreed. "No problem. I can promise this as the Supreme Elder of the Miteer family."
At this point, Hai Bodong seemed to think of something and asked, "The Xiao family the little friend mentioned—is it the Xiao family where Xiao Lin once belonged?"
"That's right. Xiao Lin is my biological maternal grandfather." Xiao Ting gave an affirmative answer.
Xiao Lin had fallen thirteen years ago. At that time, the Xiao family was also developing in the Jia Ma Sacred City, so they definitely knew Primer Tengshan and Hai Bodong.
"So you're the descendant of an old acquaintance." Hai Bodong sighed with emotion, then said resolutely, "I can accept the little friend's conditions. At the very least, within ten years, I will protect the Xiao family and have the Miteer family cooperate with the Xiao family."
Hearing this, the girls secretly thought that Hai Bodong was indeed a straightforward person.
In the future, he would definitely be glad he made this promise today.
In short, he had walked a broad path.
"Then we have a deal." Xiao Ting raised his palm.
The two clapped hands to seal the alliance. Hai Bodong hurriedly handed over the recipe for the Breaking Adversity Pill and the medicinal ingredients he had already gathered. "The Mandala Flower is still missing. If the little friend has time, you can take my token to the imperial capital to find Primer Tengshan."
"There's no need to go to so much trouble."
Xiao Ting accepted the recipe to expand his collection of pill types.
He did not take the medicinal ingredients. Instead, he turned to Medusa. "Queen, may I trouble you to remove the seal on Elder Hai?"
Why use the Breaking Adversity Pill?
The creator of this seal was right here.
It had already been worn down by Hai Bodong for more than ten years. It could be removed with a casual move.
A look of hope immediately appeared in Hai Bodong's eyes. Of course he knew Medusa could help remove the seal, and he could also see that Xiao Ting and Medusa had an unusual relationship. However, he didn't dare to presume and suggest it himself.
Once bitten by a snake, one fears a well rope for ten years. Having been sealed by the Snake-People Queen for more than ten years, he would never let his guard down in this lifetime.
"Are you ordering this Queen?" Medusa disliked Xiao Ting's direct way of making her do things.
"It's not an order." Xiao Ting's tone was gentle. "I'm asking you for help, Queen."
Asking for help?
These words instantly dispelled the slight displeasure in Medusa's heart. The tip of her snake tail subtly lifted.
With a slight curve at the corner of her lips, she deliberately played hard to get. "You ask this Queen for help, and this Queen has to agree?"
"Forget it!" Xiao Ting had no intention of indulging Medusa's spoiled attitude. This wasn't private flirting anyway. He directly turned to Xun Er. "Xun Er, ask Senior Ling Yue to take action."
It was just a seal, not poison. As long as one was strong enough, it could be forcefully broken.
For Hai Bodong, however, finding a Dou Ancestor to help him was even more difficult than finding a sixth-grade alchemist to refine the Breaking Adversity Pill, so he had never considered it.
"This Queen didn't say I wouldn't agree." Medusa suddenly felt anxious and quickly said, "This kind of matter is most suitable for this Queen to handle. There's no need to trouble Senior Ling Yue."
"Aren't you the one who said even when I ask you, you won't help?" Xiao Ting spread his hands.
"That's not what this Queen meant." Medusa snorted lightly. "What this Queen means is, when you ask this Queen for help, you expect me to do it just with empty words?"
"Otherwise?" Xiao Ting nodded as if it were only natural, his words leaving no room for rebuttal. "If benefits are needed, wouldn't it be better to give them to Senior Ling? With Xun Er here, I only need to ask once. It's not troublesome at all."
"Fine." Not getting the answer she wanted, Medusa felt a bit unhappy again. Still, she said with a cold face, "This Queen will take action. But remember, this is this Queen giving face to Senior Ling Yue. I don't want to trouble her with solving the mess this Queen left behind. Don't think this Queen is easy to talk to."
As she spoke, Medusa formed seals with both hands. Battle Qi surged out and transformed into a small purple energy snake.
The little snake swiftly swam through the air and shot into the center of Hai Bodong's brows, turning into a special pattern.
The next moment, another blood-colored mark appeared. It merged with the purple mark and soon dissipated into nothingness.
In an instant, Hai Bodong felt as if all his chronic ailments had vanished. His body suddenly felt much lighter. The gnawing sensation like maggots in his bones and the cold power in his bloodline disappeared completely. He could freely mobilize all the Battle Qi in his body.
"Boom!"
A powerful Battle Qi fluctuation surged out from Hai Bodong's body. This power caused his body to begin transforming—from a white-haired old man covered in wrinkles into a robust, middle-aged handsome man with a mature aura.
"I, Hai Bodong, am back!" Hai Bodong was overjoyed inwardly.
"Retract your Battle Qi." Medusa's displeased voice rang out. "Unless you want to be sealed again."
Whoosh!
The Dou Emperor aura and majesty that Hai Bodong had not fully released instantly receded like a tide, as if it had never appeared.
Xun Er and the other girls: !
…
[As expected, Ice Emperor Hai Bodong has contracted a disease called fear of Medusa.]
…
The girls: Correct.
…
"Queen, Elder Hai's cultivation has recovered. This is also a good thing for you. Why the long face?" After achieving his goal, Xiao Ting began speaking softly. "In the future, if I have matters or encounter trouble, I can have Elder Hai handle them. Queen can rest."
This was indeed the truth. It smoothed over the displeasure in Queen Medusa's heart. She kept a straight face and said, "This Queen knows. Otherwise, do you think this Queen would have taken action?"
…
[Xun Er]: This mouth.
[Qing Lin]: So hard.
[Little Fairy Doctor]: Sister Medusa is being stubborn with her mouth again?
[Yun Yun]: As expected of the woman Xiao Ting described as the one who, after being burned by Heavenly Flame all over her body, would only leave behind a piece of paper.
[Medusa]: That's enough from all of you. This Queen has a temper too.
[Qing Lin]: I'm Sister Xun Er's maid.
[Little Fairy Doctor]: I'm Xun Er's best friend.
[Yun Yun]: I… anything goes. It depends on what Xun Er says.
[Xun Er]: We're all sisters here. Stop arguing.
[Medusa]: Hmph. This Queen is giving Xun Er face and won't bother with you all.
…
"Heh!"
Qing Lin, Yun Yun, and the Little Fairy Doctor all had the same expression.
How could one person's mouth be this hard? Would it still be this hard when kissing?
"Queen is intelligent and wise. I spoke too much." Xiao Ting did not expose Medusa.
Asking softly before Medusa took action and speaking softly after were completely different.
The former was licking, and it might not even work. The more you licked, the lower your status became.
The latter was coaxing—or flirting and ambiguous teasing. The relationship would only get better and better.
…
…
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