The room was spacious, but there was only one bed.
Chen Mo, though tempted, lacked the courage to act on his desires. If he had been bolder, Yun Yun might have already been on a long "vacation" by now.
"You take the bed; I'll sleep on the floor," Chen Mo said, suppressing the fire within him.
Nalan Yanran nodded softly, her voice barely above a whisper.
Ever since Chen Mo booked the room and she had followed him without protest, she had anticipated that something might happen tonight.
"How about a drink before bed?" Chen Mo suggested, having already laid out his bedding on the floor. He pulled out a jug of wine he had purchased in Black Rock City.
"Sure..." Nalan Yanran's heart fluttered. Is it about to happen?
The room was equipped with drinking vessels, and Chen Mo poured Nalan Yanran a cup. She didn't refuse, and after a few sips, her cheeks flushed—she wasn't very good with alcohol.
As Nalan Yanran gently sipped from her cup, the way she held the drink, her soft features bathed in the warm light, made her look incredibly alluring. Seeing her so close, Chen Mo felt the flames he had suppressed earlier start to rise again.
Nalan Yanran quickly noticed the look in Chen Mo's eyes, a raw, unfiltered gaze that made her heart race with fear. Though she had prepared herself mentally for what might happen, now that the moment was upon her, she found herself uncertain.
A cool breeze slipped through the window, causing the candle flames to flicker. The wine in the jug quickly ran dry.
They say alcohol gives men courage.
As he gazed at Nalan Yanran's delicate, inviting lips, Chen Mo's head moved towards hers, almost as if it had a will of its own.
Soon, the room echoed with Nalan Yanran's soft cries, which were quickly muffled, as if something had covered her mouth...
The next morning, as the first light of dawn spilled across the land, Chen Mo and Nalan Yanran left the inn early, with Nalan Yanran leaning on him due to a twisted ankle.
Chen Mo couldn't believe it. How did a simple kiss end with her twisting her ankle? It had derailed everything that might have happened afterward.
What a shame.
The innkeeper who had given them the room last night saw them and sighed, "Kids these days really know how to have fun."
Because of her injury, Nalan Yanran had to ride the same flying magic beast as Chen Mo, while the other one followed closely behind.
The poor beast bore the weight it wasn't meant to carry at such a young age.
To ensure Nalan Yanran's safety and prevent her from falling from the sky, Chen Mo held her slender waist—not to take advantage of her, of course.
Nalan Yanran wriggled a bit but, seeing she couldn't free herself, shot Chen Mo a glare, as if to say, "Keep your hands to yourself."
But she didn't struggle anymore, allowing Chen Mo to hold her. As they flew, her mind wandered back to the events of the previous night, causing her cheeks to flush again.
…
The speed of the flying magic beasts was impressive. After about two and a half days, they arrived at a city near the Tagore Desert.
Desert City.
Due to its proximity to the desert, the weather here was dry and scorching. The whole city felt like it was inside a furnace, making it extremely uncomfortable for the two newcomers.
At the city gates, whether because they weren't wearing their Yunlan Sect robes or because of the city's strict security, they were subjected to a thorough inspection.
After paying a hefty entrance tax, the guards finally let them in.
Meanwhile.
In the Serpent Tribe.
The eight leaders of the Serpent Tribe gathered in a luxurious hall.
"Yue Mei, what happened? Why did you issue three emergency orders? Were those humans really that strong?" Mo Ba Si asked.
"One Dou Emperor, three Dou Kings, and four Dou Spirits. I ran into them last night, and they were powerful," Yue Mei sighed, straightening her posture. "I had no choice but to flee."
"Why are humans gathering so many strong warriors? Are they preparing for war with our Serpent Tribe?" Mo Ba Si's expression turned grim.
"From what I gathered, they seemed to be looking for Her Majesty the Queen."
"So what now?"
"I've already informed Her Majesty and been instructed to notify you all."
"What do we do next?"
"We prepare our defenses."
…
"This should be the place, right?" Chen Mo said uncertainly as they stood at the entrance of the largest map shop in the city after searching for a long time.
With a mix of uncertainty, the two of them slowly entered the shop, which was rather empty and quiet.
Chen Mo immediately scanned the room for the shopkeeper, the once mighty Ice Emperor, Hai Bodong.
It wasn't difficult to find him. Chen Mo's eyes soon landed on an old man behind the counter, dressed in a sea-blue robe, carefully arranging scrolls.
According to the novel, Hai Bodong had been cursed by Queen Medusa's Snake Seal, causing his body to age rapidly and his strength to be sealed at the Dou Spirit level.
Chen Mo observed him closely, while Nalan Yanran, who had been curiously inspecting the shop, also turned her attention to the old man.
"What's so interesting about an old man?" she muttered.
"Can I help you with something?" Hai Bodong, sensing the persistent gaze on him, spoke without turning around. It was clear to him that they weren't here to buy maps.
"I'm just confirming if you're who I think you are," Chen Mo replied, tapping his fingers on the counter.
Hai Bodong paused in his work, turning around to glance at Chen Mo with his cloudy eyes. After confirming that they hadn't met before, he replied, "I think you've got the wrong person."
He was about to turn back to his maps when Nalan Yanran approached.
"The aura around this young lady feels somewhat familiar," Hai Bodong said.
"Old sir, do you know me?" Nalan Yanran asked, surprised.
"It feels familiar, but it's possible my old eyes are playing tricks on me," Hai Bodong said, feeling the fire poison within him start to act up. Growing impatient, he added, "There's no one here that you're looking for. If you're not buying a map, please leave."
"Junior Brother, who are you looking for?" Nalan Yanran whispered, nudging Chen Mo with her finger.
"You'll find out soon," Chen Mo replied with a smile. He then addressed Hai Bodong, "Are you sure? The former top ten strongman, the Ice Emperor Hai Bodong, really isn't here?"
Boom!
As soon as the words left his mouth, a chilling aura filled the shop, with a light mist obscuring Chen Mo's vision.
Chen Mo frowned slightly and summoned his lightning flames, burning away the mist in front of him. He spoke calmly, "It seems I wasn't mistaken. You are indeed the Ice Emperor, Hai Bodong."
Nalan Yanran's body tensed at the realization, and she quickly drew her sword from her storage ring, ready for battle.
This was the man who had once frozen an entire city.
"Who are you really?" Hai Bodong asked, ice crystals forming around him, ready to shoot out and pierce Chen Mo at a moment's notice.
"Chen Mo," he replied calmly.
"Chen Mo?" Hai Bodong's frown deepened as he watched the mist in the shop burn away under the strange flames in the young man's hand. "I don't care who you are. Leave now, or face the consequences."