Accepting Disciples, Ten-Thousandfold Returns: Starting from Battle Through the Heavens

Moreover, after cultivating this technique, there would be no need to use any so-called Poison Pill method to control the Calamity Poison within her body.

After cultivating this technique, the Dou Qi within her body would automatically condense into a Poison Pill, making it safer and more profound than the Poison Pill method from the original story.

"Not bad, not bad..."

Upon seeing this, Qin Hao's face revealed an incomparably satisfied expression. With this technique, Xiao Yixian's future achievements would definitely surpass those in the original story.

Once she broke through to the Dou Practitioner realm, he would pass this technique on to Xiao Yixian.

Unlike Qinglin back then, the Xiao Yixian before him already had some cultivation, possessing six stages of Dou Qi.

This also matched Xiao Yixian's cultivation level when she appeared in the original story. In the original story, Xiao Yixian appeared roughly three years later, by which time she had the cultivation of a Dou Practitioner.

[This isn't something I made up; the original text explicitly mentioned it... it just didn't specify how many stars.]

"Get up!"

Qin Hao casually swept his hand, and Xiao Yixian immediately rose to her feet.

"Xiao Yixian, this is Qinglin, another disciple I've just accepted."

Qin Hao then introduced Qinglin to Xiao Yixian.

"Greetings, Senior Sister Qinglin!"

Xiao Yixian hurriedly said, showing no hesitation whatsoever despite being older than Qinglin.

"Junior Sister!"

Qinglin replied.

"This is Marrow-Washing Spirit Liquid I prepared to assist cultivation, along with a mid-grade storage ring. Take them for now."

Qin Hao then took out a mid-grade storage ring and ten bottles of Marrow-Washing Spirit Liquid, handing them to Xiao Yixian. At the same time, he explained how to use the Marrow-Washing Spirit Liquid.

"A mid-grade storage ring! Thank you, Master!"

Compared to Qinglin, Xiao Yixian was clearly far more knowledgeable. Naturally, she understood how precious storage rings were, much less a mid-grade one.

"Ding! The host has bestowed upon disciple Xiao Yixian ten bottles of Marrow-Washing Spirit Liquid, a cultivation-assisting treasure. Return conditions met! Thousandfold return triggered! Obtained 1,000 bottles of Tendon-Cleansing Marrow-Washing Spirit Liquid!"

"Ding! The host has bestowed upon disciple Xiao Yixian one mid-grade storage ring. Return conditions met! Thousandfold return triggered! Obtained 10 high-grade storage rings!"

After Xiao Yixian accepted the items, the system's return notifications rang out once more.

Seeing the results, Qin Hao smiled again. From the system's returns, he had also discovered that even for identical items, the return multiplier was random each time.

Although the storage ring return had not triggered a ten-thousandfold return this time, receiving ten high-grade storage rings in exchange for one mid-grade storage ring still left Qin Hao extremely satisfied.

Later, he could find an opportunity to replace the mid-grade storage ring in Xiao Yixian's possession with a high-grade one.

"Alright, now that that's settled, let's leave this place first!"

Qin Hao said directly. He had originally planned to visit Qingshan Town, but now that he had accepted Xiao Yixian as his disciple ahead of time, there was naturally no need to go there. Next, he intended to head straight to Wutan City, wait there in advance for Instructor Ruolin's group, and investigate the Xiao Clan beforehand.

"Wait, Master!"

At that moment, Xiao Yixian suddenly spoke.

"What is it? Is there something else?"

Qin Hao asked doubtfully.

"Master, when I was gathering herbs in the valley earlier, I discovered a mysterious cave on a cliff deep within the valley. I suspect it may be a cave abode left behind by a predecessor. I originally intended to investigate it, but then I encountered the snow wolf pack!"

Xiao Yixian explained.

"Oh? Is that so? Then lead the way!"

Hearing this, Qin Hao's heart stirred slightly, and he clearly guessed something. He immediately spoke. This cave was very likely the place where Xiao Yixian and Xiao Yan had discovered treasure in the original story.

As for why Xiao Yixian had discovered it so early yet never explored it, that was impossible to know. Perhaps her strength had been insufficient, or perhaps she had not found the right opportunity.

Led by Xiao Yixian, Qin Hao's group headed straight into the deepest part of the valley. As for the snow wolf pack that had originally been pursuing Xiao Yixian, Qin Hao annihilated them with a single Heavenfire Incineration, reducing them to ashes.

Finally, following Xiao Yixian's gaze, Qin Hao saw a hidden cave covered in vines on the cliff deep within the valley.

"Hidden enough indeed! Let's go up and take a look!"

Qin Hao said. The Twin-Winged Scarlet Qilin King beneath him flapped its wings and quickly arrived outside the cave. Before it stood a stone platform overgrown with vines.

The three of them jumped directly from the Twin-Winged Scarlet Qilin King's back onto the stone platform.

With the Twin-Winged Scarlet Qilin King present, the rock serpents from the original story naturally had no chance of appearing.

After sensing that nothing unusual lay within the cave, Qin Hao entered first, followed closely by Qinglin and Xiao Yixian.

After walking for a while, a stone door blocked their path.

Qin Hao did not waste words. After finding no trace of any mechanism, he struck out with his palm, instantly smashing the stone door into pieces.

After entering through the stone door, the first thing they saw was a pile of glittering gold coins, roughly estimated at no less than two hundred thousand.

Yet Qin Hao did not even glance at them. Two hundred thousand gold coins were not even pocket change compared to his wealth.

His gaze fell upon a skeleton in the center of the cave, which was clearly its former owner. Then his gaze shifted toward a corner of the cave, where a small medicinal field had been cultivated. Several medicinal herbs emitting a rich fragrance grew within it, clearly of no low grade.

[Don't ask why someone would cultivate a medicinal field inside a cave. I don't know either. Maybe great authors all like writing this way, like how Tang Dazui planted the Blue Silver Emperor inside a cave...]

Chapter Fifty-Seven: Nine-Colored Poison Manual! Hidden Secrets!

With Qin Hao's knowledge, he recognized them at a glance. They were Violet-Blue Leaf, White Spirit Ginseng Fruit, Snow Lotus Seed... Among them, the most precious was the Ice Spirit Flame Grass at the center.

Upon seeing the items here, Qin Hao thoroughly confirmed that this was the cave discovered by Xiao Yan and Xiao Yixian in the original story.

Qin Hao directly transplanted all the herbs from the medicinal field into his World Ring.

Just as in the original story, after a round of looting, all several items from the original story fell into Qin Hao's hands.

A Pure Lotus Demon Flame Remnant Map, a copy of the Seven-Colored Poison Manual, a high-grade Xuan-rank flying Dou Technique, Wings of the Eagle, and a high-grade Xuan-rank soundwave Dou Technique, Roaring Lion Chant.

"Xiao Yixian, this Seven-Colored Poison Manual suits you quite well, so you can have it!"

Qin Hao handed the Seven-Colored Poison Manual to Xiao Yixian.

He had examined its contents just now. He had originally assumed it was a cultivation method for the Calamity Poison Body, but after reading it, he discovered that the Seven-Colored Poison Manual was not a cultivation method at all. Rather, it recorded some of the world's strange poisons, as well as methods for preparing and using poisons.

"Thank you, Master!"

Xiao Yixian hurriedly accepted it.

"Ding! The host has bestowed upon disciple Xiao Yixian one volume of the Seven-Colored Poison Manual. Return conditions met! Hundredfold return triggered! Obtained one volume of the Nine-Colored Poison Manual!"

The system notification sounded in Qin Hao's mind at just the right moment.

After examining it, Qin Hao discovered that the Nine-Colored Poison Manual was clearly an optimized, upgraded-plus version of the Seven-Colored Poison Manual. He planned to give it to Xiao Yixian when he found an opportunity.

As for the remaining items, they were not suitable for Xiao Yixian and Qinglin for the time being. Even if he forcibly bestowed them upon the two, they would not trigger any returns. At the very least, he had to wait until they broke through to the Dou Practitioner realm.

After putting away everything valuable, Qin Hao did not hurry to leave. Instead, he continued investigating.

When he had read the original story, this part of the plot had felt extremely strange to him.

Although he did not know the identity or strength of the cave's owner, anyone who possessed so many rare items—the Seven-Colored Poison Manual, Wings of the Eagle, Roaring Lion Chant, and the Pure Lotus Demon Flame Remnant Map—was clearly no ordinary person.

The reason Qin Hao found it strange was that the cave contained only that conspicuous pile of gold coins.

Several hundred thousand gold coins were certainly no small sum for ordinary people, but to true experts, they amounted to nothing.

Moreover, when large sums of gold coins were involved, people generally used gold cards. Very few would keep so many physical coins.

Of course, it might have been the owner's personal preference, but what puzzled Qin Hao most was that, both in the cave abode and on the owner's corpse, he found one crucial item missing: a storage ring.

Could someone who possessed so many treasures possibly not have a storage ring? Without one, could they have carried this enormous pile of gold coins in bit by bit? In short, there were too many unreasonable things about all this.

Although his soul perception had not detected anything unusual, he did not give up.

With a thought, divine light immediately blossomed within Qin Hao's eyes. A power of perception even sharper than that of a Spiritual Realm soul erupted forth. He had clearly activated the power of his Double Pupils, carefully inspecting every inch of the cave.

"Hm? No, wait!"

At that moment, Qin Hao's gaze sharpened and fell upon a corner of the cave—the very spot where the medicinal field containing the Ice Spirit Flame Grass and other herbs had been located.

Without wasting words, he struck the original medicinal field with his palm. A thunderous boom rang out, and the field was smashed to pieces, leaving only a large pit in its place.

"Just as I thought!"

The instant his gaze landed inside the pit, an excited expression appeared on Qin Hao's face.

He discovered that the ground beneath the medicinal field was completely out of place with the cave's surrounding rock.

The rock around the cave was all naturally connected, while the ground below consisted of piled-up rubble. It had clearly been filled in later.

In other words, there were obvious signs that the area beneath had been artificially excavated.

At that moment, he finally understood why this cave had felt so strange. Cultivating a medicinal field inside a cave—everything was now clear. It had been done to conceal the truth.

"Hm, the ground here is a little different from the surroundings. Master, could there be something else hidden beneath it?"

Xiao Yixian beside him had clearly noticed the anomaly as well and spoke with a surprised expression.

"We'll know once we take a look!"

Qin Hao said, immediately beginning to excavate.

This time, he did not bombard the place with brute force as he had outside Stone Desert City. For one thing, this was a cave. If he repeatedly attacked with brute force, the cave might collapse and bury them alive.

For another, he could not be sure what exactly lay beneath. It would be troublesome if something unexpected happened.

With the World Ring, all the excavated rubble was swept into it at once. Combined with Qin Hao's cultivation as a Dou Emperor, the excavation speed was astonishing.

In the end, Qin Hao dug forward several hundred meters. By then, they had clearly reached the heart of the mountain.

Crack...

At that moment, a crisp sound rang out. The stone wall ahead suddenly cracked, then collapsed in an instant. Immediately afterward, a deep, dark passage appeared before Qin Hao and the others.

"Found it!"

Upon seeing this, Qin Hao's eyes immediately lit up. The appearance of this passage completely confirmed his suspicions.

Qin Hao immediately stepped into the passage. After advancing several hundred more meters along the dark corridor, a large bronze gate blocked his path.

Unlike the stone door outside the cave, Qin Hao found that this bronze gate was covered in dense inscriptions, clearly bearing a powerful restriction.

"What a powerful, profound restriction!"