After Ling Feng and Xiao Yi Xian searched for the mechanism controlling the entrance, the stone door soon opened.
Rumble...
As the stone door sank inward, a faint glow spilled out from within, sweeping away all the darkness around them.
"Let's go in."
Looking into the brightly illuminated doorway, Ling Feng put away the Moonlight Stone and smiled at Xiao Yi Xian behind him. Then he took the lead and stepped into the stone chamber.
Seeing Ling Feng enter, Xiao Yi Xian cautiously followed close behind. As they passed through the doorway, their surroundings abruptly brightened, and their field of view widened considerably.
Beyond the stone door lay an enormous stone chamber.
At first glance, the chamber seemed rather plain and empty. Looking around, they could see a Moonlight Stone embedded in the walls every meter or two, providing illumination.
At the center of the chamber stood a flight of stone steps, with a stone chair at the top.
A skeleton sat on the chair, its sunken skull having fallen onto its ghastly white thighbones. In the silence, the sight looked distinctly eerie.
To the left of the stone chair stood a fairly long, broad bluestone platform. Three locked stone boxes sat neatly arranged upon it.
To the right of the stone chair lay a glittering heap of gold coins and other precious valuables. Most eye-catching of all, however, was the flower bed beside them.
Xiao Yi Xian noticed the flower bed first and immediately hurried over. Seeing the rare, high-grade medicinal herbs growing within it, she was both astonished and delighted.
"Ice Spirit Flame Grass!"
"Purple-Blue Leaf... White Spirit Ginseng Fruit."
"Snow Lotus Seed."
As she gazed at the precious plants, Xiao Yi Xian's lovely face flushed with excitement. She took a small shovel from the basket on her back and began carefully digging up the precious medicinal herbs in the flower bed.
Watching Xiao Yi Xian immerse herself in the joy of harvesting herbs, Ling Feng gave a knowing smile. Still, he also spent some time studying the appearance of those high-grade medicinal herbs.
With these high-grade medicinal herbs as models, once I copy and create them, I'll have enough to break through to the Da Dou Shi realm.
After murmuring inwardly to himself and studying them for a while longer, Ling Feng finally withdrew his gaze. As for the treasure and gold coins nearby, he had no interest in them whatsoever.
Turning away from Xiao Yi Xian, Ling Feng shifted his gaze to the skeleton on the stone chair in the center. He blinked, then slowly approached the skeletal remains.
"Are these the three keys that open the stone boxes?"
Ling Feng's gaze traveled over the skeleton. Suddenly, his eyes focused on its hand, where three black keys hung from the finger bones.
Bending slightly, Ling Feng removed the keys, still remembering that the Purifying Demonic Lotus Flame Fragment Map was also hidden in the skeleton's arm bone.
Without giving it much thought, Ling Feng began searching with his hands. Before long, he obtained a worn piece of parchment.
"So this is the Purifying Demonic Lotus Flame Fragment Map?"
Looking at the parchment in his hand, which carried an air of antiquity, Ling Feng murmured inwardly, Later, I could try devouring Heavenly Flames and see what surprises they bring me.
Ling Feng was eager to find out whether his ability to devour all things could devour Heavenly Flames, and what changes those Heavenly Flames might bring him.
After putting away the Demonic Flame Remnant Map, Ling Feng opened the three stone boxes. Soon, he obtained a scroll containing the High Profound Tier Flying Dou Technique, Eagle Wings, a copy of the Seven-Colored Poison Scripture, and a Profound Tier cultivation method, Wave Overlap.
By then, Xiao Yi Xian had finished gathering the herbs. Carrying more than a dozen small bottles in her arms, she approached Ling Feng and gave him a beautiful smile.
"Ling Feng, let's split these herbs evenly..."
Looking at the graceful figure smiling at him, Ling Feng smiled back. Suddenly, he stepped forward and, under Xiao Yi Xian's shy gaze, slowly reached out his right hand to wipe away a little soil she had accidentally gotten on herself while gathering herbs.
Then Ling Feng stepped back of his own accord and smiled at Xiao Yi Xian. "Xiao Yi Xian, I don't lack any of these things."
"No. We agreed to split everything evenly." Xiao Yi Xian shook her head, her attitude firm.
"Silly girl, I told you, since you discovered this cave, everything inside naturally belongs to you."
Seeing that Xiao Yi Xian was about to argue again, Ling Feng cut her off. "There's no need to say anything else. I won't take your things. And as for this Seven-Colored Poison Scripture, if you want to study it, go ahead. I have a way to resolve the problem with your poison physique anyway. And this Flying Dou Technique..."
Ling Feng gave Xiao Yi Xian all the scrolls from the stone boxes. Apart from the Demonic Flame Remnant Map, he held nothing back from her.
In fact, if he had not needed it to deal with Xiao Yan, he would not even have kept the Purifying Demonic Lotus Flame Fragment Map.
"Brother Ling Feng, you..."
"Don't refuse."
Without giving Xiao Yi Xian any chance to object, Ling Feng stuffed all the scrolls into her arms and walked straight away.
Looking at the scrolls and medicine bottles in her arms, then at Ling Feng walking away, Xiao Yi Xian felt her eyes redden slightly. Yet her delicate, elegant face blossomed into a radiant smile, like a lotus opening from its bud.
"Thank you, Brother Ling Feng..."
Once their treasure hunt in the cave was over, Ling Feng brought Xiao Yi Xian back up to the cliff.
Because of matters concerning the Myriad Medicine Pavilion, Xiao Yi Xian still needed to spend a few days in Qingshan Town. After explaining this to Ling Feng, she prepared to head there.
"Brother Ling Feng, I'll go back to Qingshan Town first. Once I've handled the Myriad Medicine Pavilion's affairs, I'll come find you in Wutan City in a few days."
"Wait. I'll send someone to protect you."
Seeing that Xiao Yi Xian was about to leave, Ling Feng felt uneasy about letting her go alone and immediately called her back.
"There's no need, Brother Ling Feng. I'll be fine on my own."
Ling Feng paid no heed to her refusal. He simply patted her shoulder and instructed her, "Wait here for me."
With that, Ling Feng headed into a small patch of woods nearby. He intended to create a character to serve as Xiao Yi Xian's personal protector.
However, Ling Feng did not want Xiao Yi Xian to know about the Creation God Pen. It was not that he distrusted her; he simply did not want anyone to know he possessed this ability.
"Which character should I create to protect Xiao Yi Xian?"
Leaning against a large tree, Ling Feng pondered. "A man definitely won't do. I'd risk being made to wear a green hat. It has to be a woman... But who should I create...?"
"Ah! I've got it!"
After racking his brains, Ling Feng suddenly had a flash of inspiration. He slapped his thigh, a smile appearing on his face.
The next moment, Ling Feng whipped out his pen and got to work. With free, fluid strokes, he soon brought a lifelike figure into being within the canvas of heaven and earth.
Ling Feng swept the Creation God Pen through the air. In an instant, shadows of ink drifted about and converged into a human form.
A young woman who appeared eighteen or nineteen entered Ling Feng's view. A string of prayer beads hung across her chest, and she wore modern clothing: a blue cap, a white undershirt, a brown jacket, and brown trousers. Her outfit was exceedingly casual.
Looking at the young woman before him, with her hair hanging loose, her vacant eyes, and barely a trace of feminine charm, Ling Feng curled his lips slightly. His face filled with a smile. "My Sister Bao'er rules the streets-ruthless, and a woman of few words..."