Another Fortuitous Opportunity Lay Hidden in These Mountains!

Early the next morning.

When Xiao Yan arrived at the Town Entrance, Xiao Yi Xian was already waiting there.

The girl carried a herb basket on her back, with a small leather pouch now hanging at her waist. Seeing him approach, she raised a hand in greeting.

"Let's go. We can cover more ground before it gets hot."

The two followed a narrow path into the mountain forest, soon leaving the town's bustle behind.

Xiao Yi Xian knew the surrounding area well. Where herbs grew, which stretches of trail were prone to encounters with Magical Beasts—she explained it all with confidence. Xiao Yan walked beside her, pushing obstructing branches aside for her. Whenever they came across something on the herb list, they stopped to gather a few plants.

After walking for about two hours, he studied the mountains ahead and suddenly asked:

"That cliff you mentioned—are there any caves below it?"

Xiao Yi Xian faltered slightly.

"Caves?"

"I have a clue about an old cultivation abode. It seems to be somewhere around here, but we'll have to search for its exact location."

At the mention of an old cultivation abode, Xiao Yi Xian immediately grew interested.

"You're planning to hunt for treasure too?"

Xiao Yan smiled. "We've come all this way. Surely we can't just dig up a few herbs and head back?"

"And if we find it, how do we split things?"

"If we find it together, we share it, of course. If there's something one of us needs, we can discuss it then."

Xiao Yi Xian nodded in satisfaction.

"That's more like it. Tell me, what's your clue?"

Xiao Yan briefly described the cliff, the vines, and the entrance hidden in the cliff face as he remembered them.

Xiao Yi Xian thought for a moment, then pointed to the right.

"There are two or three places nearby that fit. Let's gather the Purple-Leaf Orchid first. That spot is the closest."

Near noon, the two finally reached the edge of the cliff.

A mountain breeze blew against their faces. Clouds and mist drifted below, and several thick vines trailed down the rock face. From a distance, they looked like a green curtain hanging over the cliff.

Xiao Yi Xian crouched and picked a Purple-Leaf Orchid from a crevice, carefully shaking off the excess soil.

"Don't damage this one's roots. Put it in the Wooden Box, and it'll keep a little longer."

Xiao Yan took the herb and put it away, but his gaze remained fixed below.

The vines were too dense to see anything behind them.

He was about to move to another vantage point when Bodhi's voice suddenly sounded beside his ear.

"Why not try the method I taught you last night?"

Something stirred in Xiao Yan's mind.

See Through Walls!

Last night, he had asked the Grandmaster for a way to find things, and the Grandmaster had passed down the introductory incantation for this Divine Ability. He had intended to practice it slowly once he entered the mountains, never expecting to need it so soon.

He focused his mind and circulated the power within his body according to the incantation. A wisp of clear light slowly rose over his eyes.

"Concentrate. There's no need to stare at every leaf."

With the Grandmaster's guidance, the densely packed vine leaves before him gradually blurred.

The rock face hidden behind them, however, emerged little by little.

Xiao Yan slowly shifted his gaze and suddenly spotted a distinctly recessed patch of darkness more than a hundred feet below.

It was no crevice, but a cave entrance large enough for a person to enter!

He was just about to peer deeper when his eyes began to ache. He hastily released the technique.

"What did you see?"

Noticing his movements, Xiao Yi Xian moved closer.

Xiao Yan pointed.

"There. There's a cave behind the vines."

Xiao Yi Xian looked carefully for a while, but saw only layer upon layer of green leaves. She turned a doubtful gaze toward him.

"You can see clearly from this far away?"

"My teacher taught me a little trick for finding things."

Xiao Yan took out a rope and gave it a shake with a smile.

"Want to go down and have a look?"

Xiao Yi Xian glanced down, then tightened the herb basket on her back.

"We've come this far. Of course we're going to look."

Xiao Yan secured the rope firmly to a large tree at the cliff's edge. After testing its tension and checking the nearby rocks once more, he swung himself over first.

He circulated the Eight-Nine Arcane Arts and hooked his fingers over a jutting ridge of stone, holding himself steady against the cliff face.

The mountain wind whipped the hem of his clothes, but he did not so much as sway.

Using several footholds, Xiao Yan soon reached the cave entrance. He drew his sword to lift the vines aside, then guided the hanging rope toward the Stone Ledge in front of the cave.

"Come down along the rope. I'll catch you here."

Xiao Yi Xian answered, gripped the rope tightly, and slowly descended with her feet braced against the rock face.

On the last stretch, loose stones suddenly shifted beneath her feet. The moment she swayed, a hand firmly supported her wrist.

"You're here."

With a little effort, Xiao Yan pulled her onto the Stone Ledge.

Once Xiao Yi Xian steadied herself, she let out a soft breath. She was just about to thank him when a rustling suddenly came from inside the cave.

The next instant, a grayish-brown Rock Snake shot out, its jaws opening as it lunged at them!

"Watch out!"

Xiao Yi Xian had barely reached for the leather pouch at her waist when a brilliant flash of sword light swept past her.

Slice!

The Taiji Liangyi Sword slashed diagonally, the power along its edge drawn into a single line that instantly sliced through the Rock Snake's hardened scales.

The snake struck the rock face and tumbled down the cliff, falling silent in the blink of an eye.

Xiao Yan twirled his sword and finished the movement without even shifting his feet.

"That's taken care of."

Xiao Yi Xian looked at the entrance, then at him. Her hand slowly loosened around the medicinal pouch.

"When you said yesterday that you'd hold off any Magical Beasts we encountered, you really weren't boasting."

"Of course not."

Xiao Yan smiled and put his sword away.

The Origin-Returning Sword could slay even a Da Dou Shi. A Rock Snake like this hardly required any effort.

The two entered the cave and followed the passage. Before long, a heavy stone door barred their way.

Xiao Yan tapped the stone surface and was about to search for a gap when Xiao Yi Xian crouched first.

"Wait. This door should have a mechanism."

"You know about these things?"

"I've read a few books on the subject. I might as well try."

The girl took a small knife from her leather pouch, scraped away the moss along the edge of the stone door, and carefully examined the exposed markings.

Xiao Yan stepped back half a pace and held up a Moonlight Stone to light her work.

Forcing the door open would not be difficult, but if there were herbs or books inside, it would be a shame to damage them with falling rubble.

Xiao Yi Xian felt along the cracks for a while, then suddenly discovered an inconspicuous protrusion beside the door.

Rather than pressing it immediately, she cleared away the surrounding grime. Only after confirming it was not connected to another mechanism did she reach out and push hard.

Click!

A faint sound rang out. The stone door shuddered slightly, then slowly rose.

Accumulated dust pattered down. Xiao Yi Xian hurried aside and raised her sleeve to cover her nose and mouth.

Xiao Yan gave her a thumbs-up.

"Looks like asking you to guide me really was the right choice."

"You only realized that now?"

A smile glimmered in Xiao Yi Xian's eyes. Once the dust had settled a little, she looked inside with him.

The next instant, both fell silent.

Beyond the stone door lay a spacious Stone Chamber.

Moonlight Stones were embedded in the walls, their gentle glow illuminating the Gold Coins and valuables piled in a corner. On the other side, a small Herb Garden flourished, its rich medicinal fragrance all but rushing into their faces.

"White Orchid Fruit, Snow Lotus Seed..."

Xiao Yi Xian's gaze swept over the Herb Garden, and delighted surprise crept into her voice.

Normally, finding even one of these herbs counted as good luck, yet so many were growing here!

Xiao Yan's gaze, meanwhile, settled on a red-and-white plant in the center of the Herb Garden.

One side of its leaves was coated in frost, while the other looked as though tiny flames had condensed within it.

Ice Spirit Flame Grass!

At the sight of it, the last trace of doubt in Xiao Yan's heart vanished completely.

This was the right place!

He raised his head and looked toward the center of the Stone Chamber.

A skeleton sat on the Stone Chair. On the Bluestone Platform before it, three locked Stone Boxes stood in a neat row.

Between the skeleton's dangling fingers, several Keys gleamed dully.

Xiao Yan's gaze moved from the Keys to the skeletal arm, and the corners of his mouth slowly lifted.

He really would return from this trip into the mountains laden with spoils.