"You're interested in healing people and saving lives too?"
Xiao Yi Xian couldn't help asking about the condition Xiao Yan had proposed.
"Don't get me wrong. I'm just interested in becoming an alchemist, but without someone to teach me, I can't even get a foot in the door. So I figured I'd learn some pharmacology and medicine first, and lay a foundation."
Xiao Yan explained. After all, alchemists held the most prestigious profession in this world, and he had fire attribute Dou Qi. There was no reason not to give it a try.
"Really... maybe you actually could do it."
Xiao Yi Xian fell silent for a moment. She, too, longed to become an alchemist, but unfortunately, her Dou Qi attribute made refining medicine impossible.
"All right, I agree. But I'll only teach you after we leave this place."
"Of course. Gather these herbs first. I'll take a look at those boxes."
Tossing the ice spirit flame grass to Xiao Yi Xian, Xiao Yan walked over to the stone table and examined the three iron boxes.
"I'm warning you, don't try sneaking away with anything from those boxes while I'm gathering the herbs!"
Xiao Yi Xian still couldn't fully trust Xiao Yan, so it was only natural for her to keep her guard up.
"Got it. I'll wait until you're done before opening them. Happy now?"
Xiao Yan stopped paying attention to her. Each box on the table had an old-fashioned keyhole, apparently requiring a key to open.
Xiao Yan had considered forcing them open, but he was worried he might accidentally damage their contents.
There wasn't much in this stone chamber, though. Aside from a skeleton and three iron boxes, there were only the potted herbs and gold coins piled across the floor.
There appeared to be several hundred thousand gold coins, but Xiao Yan really didn't think much of that amount.
Xiao Yan shifted his attention away from the iron boxes and toward the skeleton.
He walked over and bowed to the skeleton with its head hanging low, offering his thanks to this senior.
As he lowered his head, he happened to notice a key ring clutched in the skeleton's right hand, with exactly three Black Iron Keys hanging from it.
"Good thing I don't have to solve a puzzle."
Xiao Yan reached for the key ring, but the skeleton's grip was too tight, and its bones had grown incredibly brittle with age. He ended up pulling the entire arm bone off.
Xiao Yan gave an embarrassed smile and tried to reattach the arm, only to discover that its weight felt a little off.
He picked up the arm bone and examined it from every angle, discovering that it was hollow inside, with a small Beast-Skin Scroll stuffed into it!
Xiao Yi Xian was still gathering herbs. Moving swiftly, Xiao Yan pulled out the scroll and slipped it into his Storage Ring, then reattached the arm bone as though nothing had happened.
Meanwhile, Xiao Yi Xian had nearly finished gathering the herbs.
"You haven't secretly stashed anything away behind my back, have you?" Xiao Yi Xian slowly walked over, studying Xiao Yan with suspicion.
"Of course not. I've already found the keys. I was just waiting for you." As he spoke, Xiao Yan shook the key ring in his hand.
"Hmph, that's more like it. Hurry up and open the boxes so we can see what's inside."
Xiao Yi Xian looked expectantly at the three iron boxes on the table.
Xiao Yan nodded and took out the first key to open the first iron box, but it didn't fit at all. He tried the second key, which didn't fit either.
"Oh, you're such an idiot! There are only three keys, and you managed to get it wrong twice!"
Watching Xiao Yan fumble, Xiao Yi Xian couldn't hold back her complaint.
Xiao Yan looked just as helpless. Who could have known his luck would be this rotten? "Surely the last one will open it."
The third key slid into the lock. With a click from the latch, the iron box finally opened.
"Hurry, see what's inside!"
Xiao Yi Xian was excited, delight showing on her face.
Instead, Xiao Yan stepped back twice. Dou Qi gathered in his hand, and he thrust his palm forward, blasting the lid clean off the iron box.
"Can't hurt to be careful, right?"
Watching him, Xiao Yi Xian was somewhat speechless. This fellow was far too cautious.
Xiao Yi Xian stepped forward and retrieved the item inside the box. It was a scroll.
"A Poison Scripture! It's actually a Poison Scripture!"
There was excitement in Xiao Yi Xian's voice. Xiao Yan took the scroll from her, and there, written plainly across it, was the title: Seven-Colored Poison Scripture.
"The Seven-Colored Poison Scripture. So it records how to concoct poisons."
"You can't fight me for this. My attribute means I can't become an alchemist. I'm just a weak woman, so I can only rely on things like this."
At this point, a trace of dejection appeared on Xiao Yi Xian's face.
"Take it. I'm not interested in this stuff." With that, Xiao Yan handed the Seven-Colored Poison Scripture back to Xiao Yi Xian.
"Thank you."
Xiao Yi Xian was all smiles, unable to put down the Seven-Colored Poison Scripture.
"Say, if I hadn't given it to you, would you have used poison powder on me again? Last time it was white, and this time it's green. You secretly mixed up something stronger when you came out tonight to deal with me, didn't you?"
With Xiao Yan having seen through her, Xiao Yi Xian awkwardly held out her hand. A sheet of oiled paper held some green powder.
"You can't blame me for this. You're so much stronger than me. If I didn't take precautions, you'd have gobbled me up and wiped your mouth clean long ago!"
Xiao Yan didn't blame her, though. What she said was indeed true. "Don't worry. I'm no great saint, but I'm not so far gone that I'd casually turn on a companion. I said we'd split it evenly, and that's what we'll do."
"Thank you."
Feeling somewhat ashamed, Xiao Yi Xian wrapped up the Green Powder and put it away.
"All right, let's open the second one."
The second box opened. This time, Xiao Yan wasn't quite so guarded and simply took out what was inside.
"Another scroll?"
After unrolling it, Xiao Yan discovered a pair of wings drawn on it through some special method.
"High Xuan Tier Dou Technique: Eagle Wings!"
It was actually a Flying Dou Technique, the rarest kind of all!
Xiao Yan was immediately captivated by the black scroll. After all, only upon reaching the Dou Wang level could one form wings from Dou Qi and soar through the sky.
A Flying Dou Technique, however, allowed younger cultivators who had yet to reach Dou Wang to take flight ahead of time.
In terms of value, a Flying Dou Technique far surpassed any other type of Dou Technique at the same tier!
"You got the Seven-Colored Poison Scripture, so this Flying Dou Technique should be mine, right?"
Compared to the Poison Scripture, this was what Xiao Yan truly desired. If he could fly with his Da Dou Shi strength, crossing the Magical Beast Mountain Range would be much faster.
"I know, I know. Half each. Hurry up and open the third box."
Xiao Yi Xian rolled her eyes at Xiao Yan, knowing she couldn't win against him anyway.
Xiao Yan then inserted the key into the third box.
Just then, a series of footsteps suddenly sounded outside the stone chamber.
Xiao Yan immediately grew alert. "Someone's coming. At least several dozen people!"
"Impossible! Only the two of us know about this place!"
Xiao Yan turned to look at Xiao Yi Xian. His gaze made her frown. "You suspect me? If I were going to do that, wouldn't it have been better to reveal the location from the start?"
"They're already here."
As torches flared outside the entrance, a familiar figure slowly emerged.
"Hahaha, Xiao Yi Xian, it looks like the information I received was true. We really have you to thank today. Otherwise, we'd never have found such a wonderful place."
Xiao Yi Xian clenched her pearly teeth, recognizing the man. "Mu Li!"
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