Surprise, Harvest

"Purple Orchid Leaf, White Spirit Ginseng Fruit, Snow Lotus Seed, Blood Lotus Essence..."

Standing before the flower bed, Wei Yang looked over these precious Spiritual Herbs, carefully identifying those he recognized. There were many more he did not.

These seemingly casually planted flowers and grasses were, in terms of value, likely far more precious than those three piles of Gold Coins.

Wei Yang's eyes were frighteningly bright as names representing rare and hard-to-find high-grade medicinal ingredients spilled from his mouth one after another.

At last, his gaze settled on the center of the flower bed, where there was a plant with alternating white and red leaves.

"Ice Spirit Flame Grass!"

This plant came in white and red. Its white stem was covered in tiny particles resembling ice crystals, while its fiery red crown looked like a burning flame.

Two utterly opposing colors and attributes had somehow grown together on a single plant. It was truly miraculous.

A faint mist curled around the plant, making it seem as though it stood amid clouds.

"Just these several dozen medicinal plants, if traded to Elder Yao, should be enough to guarantee at least an Earth Tier Cultivation Technique, right?" Wei Yang could not help smiling happily.

These were all treasures that would make anyone jealous.

Breathing in the strange fragrance of the herbs, he was in high spirits.

Only after a long while did Wei Yang let out a deep breath and calm himself down.

Finally, he turned his attention to the three locked stone boxes on the bluestone table.

Walking over to the stone table, Wei Yang bent down and touched the metal clasps on the boxes. They felt slightly warm beneath his fingers.

After who knew how many years, they could still retain their warmth. They clearly were not made of ordinary metal.

Wei Yang looked at the pale, dried skeleton seated in the chair behind the stone table. Lowering his gaze, he saw three black keys hanging from the skeleton's hand bones.

"Senior, forgive my offense." Wei Yang bowed respectfully.

Then he stepped forward, carefully removed the keys first, and placed them on the stone table.

Next, he lifted the skeleton's arm and gave it a gentle squeeze.

Crack~

With a crisp sound, the bones in the skeleton's arm split apart.

Through the break in the bone, he could vaguely see a small scroll hidden within the gaps of the skeleton.

"One of the four Purifying Demonic Lotus Flame Remnant Maps!"

Wei Yang carefully drew the scroll out from the gaps in the arm bone.

"Three boxes, precious herbs, treasures, and other items were left out in the open to draw attention, while this scroll was secretly hidden inside his own arm bone. It seems this senior did not want later visitors to know of this scroll's existence," Wei Yang thought.

Generally speaking, when later visitors entered a cave dwelling left behind by a predecessor and obtained their opportunity, most would not touch a skeleton.

After all, entering someone's resting place was already a disturbance, and after taking the benefits they had left behind, even if one did not feel deeply grateful, one would not be bored enough to damage their remains.

That would be extremely disrespectful, and few would do such a thing.

In the original story, if Xiao Yan had not used too much force while taking the keys and accidentally torn off the skeleton's arm, then tried to restore it, he would never have discovered this scroll either.

Wei Yang gently put the hand bone back in place, apologized once more, then turned and returned to the stone table. He lowered his head and examined the small scroll in his hand.

It was an ancient-looking scroll, old enough that its color had yellowed somewhat.

He untied the scroll and slowly spread it open.

What came into view was a piece of parchment made from some unknown material. Upon the slightly yellowed parchment were patterns that appeared to have no order whatsoever.

This was the greatest opportunity here.

One of the four remnant maps of the Purifying Demonic Lotus Flame.

The Purifying Demonic Lotus Flame ranked third on the Heavenly Flame Ranking. It was unique between heaven and earth; there was only one such flame.

Within this remnant map was even a trace of lingering will left behind by the Half-Emperor expert, the Purifying Demonic Lotus Saint.

Of course, all four remnant maps had to be gathered and combined before it would reveal itself. It could be used to suppress the Purifying Demonic Lotus Flame and increase the odds of subduing it.

"The Purifying Demonic Lotus Flame..."

Wei Yang smacked his lips, his eyes filled with longing.

Then he laughed and shook his head. "I'm thinking too far ahead. That thing belonged to a high-level Dou Saint!"

"Still, even if I do not set my sights on the Purifying Demonic Lotus Flame in the future, this remnant map can be traded for enormous benefits. Asking for a Heaven Tier Cultivation Technique or Dou Technique in exchange would not be too much, would it?" Wei Yang thought.

"And that famous angel investor, the Ice Emperor Hai Bodong, also has one. Should I find a way to get it?"

Wei Yang rolled up the remnant map and tucked it close against his body.

When the space sealing the Purifying Demonic Lotus Flame opened, holding two remnant maps in hand would make them worth at least two Heaven Tier Dou Techniques.

"Forget it. There probably isn't much chance. There are only a little under five years left, and I can't refine medicine."

In the end, Wei Yang shook his head.

A person could not be too greedy.

He had to stay steady.

Suppressing his thoughts, Wei Yang picked up the three black keys and began opening the stone boxes.

For the first box, he grabbed the warm metal lock, casually selected one of the three keys, inserted it gently into the keyhole, and twisted it.

"Not this one."

The key had only gone in a little before it could not move any farther.

Wei Yang did not mind and switched to another key.

Click~

A faint crisp sound rang through the silent stone chamber, and the metal lock opened.

When he lifted the lid, he found a colorful scroll inside.

"Seven-Colored Poison Classic."

Wei Yang picked up the colorful scroll, casually flipped through it, then put it back.

He continued with the second box.

Inside the second box was a black scroll.

He picked it up and opened it. On the side of the scroll was a line of small writing: Profound Tier High-Grade Flight Dou Technique: Wings of the Eagle!

A rare flight Dou Technique, and a Profound Tier High-Grade one at that.

Wei Yang happily examined the black scroll, thoroughly satisfied.

On the Dou Qi Continent, only experts at the Dou Wang level and above could fly off the ground, through Dou Qi Wings.

Dou Ling experts could at most manage short-distance flight.

As for anyone below the Dou Ling level?

They could run on their two legs.

But flight Dou Techniques were different. They allowed those below the Dou Wang level to grow wings, break through the air, and soar freely through the blue sky.

Flight was a temptation that many people simply could not refuse.

Naturally, a flight Dou Technique that provided such a shortcut was extremely valuable.

This Profound Tier High-Grade Flight Dou Technique was worth enough to rival an Earth Tier Low-Grade Dou Technique.

This was absolutely the favorite of those annoying kiting types.

Wei Yang placed the scroll aside and opened the final box.

There were still scrolls inside, but this time there were two.

He picked up the first and opened it: Profound Tier High-Grade Dou Technique, Mad Lion's Roar.

It was a Dou Technique combining Dou Qi with sound waves, delivering both physical and sonic attacks.

"A Profound Tier High-Grade Dou Technique. Not bad."

Wei Yang raised his brows. He had already expected it, so he set it down and picked up the second scroll.

Profound Tier High-Grade Cultivation Technique, Mad Lion Blazing Flame Art.

"A Profound Tier High-Grade Cultivation Technique, fire-elemental!" Wei Yang held the scroll and grinned silently.

What a surprise!

How exciting!

This Cultivation Technique was a completely unexpected gain!

According to the original story, this third box had been taken by the Wolf Head Mercenary Group of Green Mountain Town.

Later, Mu She, the leader of the Wolf Head Mercenary Group, had used the Profound Tier High-Grade Dou Technique: Mad Lion's Roar.

Though the original story never mentioned the existence of a Cultivation Technique, the owner of this place had clearly intended to leave behind an opportunity and inheritance for later generations. It was unlikely that he would leave only a Dou Technique without the far more essential Cultivation Technique.

After all, many Cultivation Techniques and Dou Techniques came in matching sets and could unleash their greatest power together.

Thus, matching Cultivation Techniques and Dou Techniques were generally placed together. Now, it seemed that assumption had indeed been correct.

Within the third box, there was not only the Profound Tier High-Grade Dou Technique Mad Lion's Roar, but also its matching Cultivation Technique, the Mad Lion Blazing Flame Art.

Most importantly, it was a fire-elemental Cultivation Technique!

What did Wei Yang lack most right now?

Without question, a Cultivation Technique!

Wei Yang flipped through the scroll, feeling both surprised and not particularly surprised.

Since this senior had been able to create a flight Dou Technique, that proved he was also fire-elemental. It was therefore not strange that the Cultivation Technique he left behind was fire-elemental as well.