Xiao Yao unfolded the remnant map and examined it carefully. At last, he found a pitch-black lotus in one corner.
Faint black flames even seemed to coil around the lotus, giving it an eerie appearance.
After confirming that it was the Demonic Flame Remnant Map, Xiao Yao put it away with satisfaction.
For a group like the Wolf Head Mercenary Group, which struggled along at the bottom, finding a set of ruins was so difficult that they would probably scrape a layer of plaster off the walls.
All the more so for the bones left there: they must have been destroyed before the group could obtain the remnant map.
With the limited knowledge of Mu She and his men, however, they certainly wouldn't have recognized a marvel of heaven and earth like the Purifying Lotus Demon Flame.
But the master of the ruins had treasured this item enough to hide it away. Mu She could have guessed its value with his toes.
Thus, he hadn't sold it off lightly, instead keeping it in his possession.
Now, all of it had become a wedding dress sewn for Xiao Yao.
Xiao Yao then checked the Soul Imprints on the other two High-grade Profound Tier Dou Techniques.
The Soul Imprint on Mad Lion's Roar was very faint. It could probably only be used once or twice more.
After that, anyone wishing to learn Mad Lion's Roar would have to follow the method recorded on the scroll and cultivate it properly from scratch, unable to benefit from the cultivation experience contained within its Soul Imprint.
It seemed Mu She had already used the Mad Lion's Roar scroll.
Unfortunately, Xiao Yao had found him too noisy and killed him outright with a single shot, leaving him no chance to use it.
Xiao Yao then turned his attention to the Purple Cloud Wings scroll. As soon as he opened it, he sensed a vicious presence lingering over it, as though the savage spirit of a fierce beast had yet to dissipate and still haunted the scroll.
Feeling that vicious presence, Xiao Yao thought that if he hadn't known the truth about Purple Cloud Wings, that alone would have made him too afraid to cultivate it.
One look was enough to tell that it was dangerous.
What was more, the scroll clearly stated that Purple Cloud Wings had been refined from the wings of a fifth-tier magical beast, the Black Flame Purple Cloud Eagle.
Thus, anyone cultivating it would be attacked by the Purple Cloud Eagle's soul. Only by withstanding its soul attack could one cultivate the technique.
Presumably, Mu She had also feared that his soul power wasn't sufficient to cultivate Purple Cloud Wings. He had worried that he might fail and end up badly injured, or even suffer damage to his soul and die on the spot.
After all, the contents of the scroll were far too frightening. The soul of a fifth-tier magical beast was no laughing matter.
Not everyone had Yao Lao's knowledge and could tell at a glance that the Purple Cloud Eagle's soul was strong on the outside but weak within. Even its intelligence had been worn away, leaving only its beastly instincts.
While Xiao Yao examined his gains, Xiao Yi Xian hesitated for a long time before finally speaking.
"Senior, I'm a physician. I know how to treat injuries, identify herbs, and make simple medicinal pills. I wonder if there is any way I could be of use to you?"
The meaning behind Xiao Yi Xian's words was obvious: she was asking him to take her in!
Her experiences during this period had made Xiao Yi Xian realize that she probably couldn't stay in Qingshan Town any longer.
Not long ago, she had fallen out with the owner of the Myriad Medicine Pavilion, losing the place she had depended on for her livelihood.
And when the Wolf Head Mercenary Group had been harassing Xiao Yi Xian, not a single mercenary in Qingshan Town had stepped forward to help.
Both Xiao Yi Xian and the mercenaries of Qingshan Town harbored some resentment in their hearts.
That was what had given Xiao Yi Xian the idea of leaving Qingshan Town.
But Xiao Yi Xian was weak, and unlike in the original story, she hadn't obtained the Seven-Colored Poison Scripture. Nor did she know that she possessed a Woeful Poison Body.
She worried that she would encounter more danger after leaving Qingshan Town.
Thus, she wanted to seek protection, and Xiao Yao, standing before her, was undoubtedly the best choice.
Xiao Yao had not only saved her but had also shown her ample goodwill and trust afterward.
After killing Mu Li, Xiao Yao had immediately stormed the Wolf Head Mercenary Group and wiped it out completely.
Although Xiao Yao had his own reasons, he had also freed Xiao Yi Xian from the lingering threat of the Wolf Head Mercenary Group.
As for his trust, it was naturally shown by his willingness to let her, someone he had only just met, collect the spoils without the slightest concern that she might secretly pocket some.
After considering all this, Xiao Yi Xian had finally gathered the courage to offer her services to Xiao Yao.
Xiao Yao looked away from the scroll and turned to Xiao Yi Xian.
Feeling Xiao Yao's scrutinizing gaze, Xiao Yi Xian couldn't help growing nervous and uneasy.
After all, as Xiao Yi Xian saw it, how could a young master like Xiao Yao, who was clearly from a great family, possibly need a minor physician like her?
Perhaps his family even had a genuine alchemist in its service.
A physician merely knew how to combine simple herbs, while an alchemist could refine genuine medicinal pills. There was an enormous gap between the two.
"Very well. If you're willing, you can stay by my side as a maid."
Xiao Yi Xian froze for a moment. Then her pretty face reddened slightly, and she hesitated.
Although she had only ever lived in Qingshan Town, she knew that maids in great families were not merely maids.
"Haha, don't worry. I don't mean that special kind of maid. You'll only have to attend to my daily needs. What I value is your talent."
Xiao Yi Xian immediately breathed a sigh of relief. Xiao Yao's conduct until now had earned her trust.
After all, if Xiao Yao truly had ulterior designs on her, there would have been no need for him to take such a roundabout approach.
With her strength, she could never resist Xiao Yao.
"Thank you for taking me in, Senior. I'm willing to become your maid and attend to you."
After speaking, Xiao Yi Xian was still somewhat puzzled.
She knew herself best. Her talent was mediocre, so surely it wasn't worth such high regard from Senior?
Seeing the confusion in Xiao Yi Xian's eyes, Xiao Yao smiled faintly. In no hurry to explain, he looked back down at what he held.
Xiao Yao unrolled the Seven-Colored Poison Scripture and skimmed through it. Finally, his gaze fell on the final section of the scroll, and he showed it to Xiao Yi Xian.
"There's no need to belittle yourself. Your talent is extraordinary. Even across the entire Dou Qi Continent, it can be counted among the very best."
Xiao Yi Xian blinked her beautiful eyes, unable to keep her gaze from falling on the scroll.
She was also curious about what sort of talent she possessed that could make Senior think so highly of her.
The final section of the Seven-Colored Poison Scripture recorded some of what its owner had seen and heard while traveling the continent.
Xiao Yi Xian was a little puzzled, but she suppressed her impatience and read on.
"The Woeful Poison Body is a highly unusual poison body."
"Unlike ordinary cultivators, those who possess a Woeful Poison Body do not need to cultivate Dou Qi for years on end. They need only ingest poison, and the Woeful Poison Body will convert it into a special Poison Dou Qi, allowing their strength to increase rapidly."
"The distinguishing feature of a Woeful Poison Body is a Seven-Colored Hidden Line on the lower abdomen..."
Upon reading this, Xiao Yi Xian suddenly understood.
She naturally knew her own body. Whenever she bathed, she often saw a faint, seven-colored line on her lower abdomen.
Somewhat surprised, Xiao Yi Xian raised her head and looked at Xiao Yao.
"Senior, do I possess a Woeful Poison Body?!"