Ya Fei: Sister Queen, I've Learned My Lesson
Out of the corner of her eye, Xiao Yi Xian watched Xiao Yan finish picking up a hidden treasure. She smiled gently at the mercenary before her, whose arm had been scratched by a magical beast. "The wound isn't deep. Come back in three days to have the dressing changed. It'll be healed after three changes."
"A-all right, thank you, Xiao Yi Xian." The mercenary froze for a moment, then walked away in a daze, his head burning.
Xiao Yi Xian glanced outside, stood up, and addressed the mercenaries waiting in line before her. "I'm going into the mountains to gather herbs tomorrow, and it's getting late. I need to make some preparations first, so please see another physician."
Everyone knew Xiao Yi Xian's rules. Though disappointed, they dispersed.
Meanwhile, Xiao Yan found an inn nearby and settled in, chatting with Yao Lao. "Teacher, was that Xiao Yi Xian looking at me just now?"
"Yes and no." Yao Lao's illusory figure appeared, stroking his beard. "He was looking at the heavy ruler on your back."
"The heavy ruler?" Xiao Yan chuckled.
It was true that plenty of people had looked him over on his journey because of the heavy ruler he carried on his back.
It was only natural for Xiao Yi Xian to find it strange and take a few extra looks at him.
"Stop admiring yourself, brat, and focus on cultivating." Yao Lao smiled. "Once you become a powerhouse, beauties of unparalleled charm will come to you of their own accord."
"Teacher, I wasn't admiring myself." Xiao Yan rubbed his nose.
He had no interest in such distractions right now. All he wanted was to increase his strength as quickly as possible and win back his lost face at the Three-Year Agreement.
Some distance from the inn where Xiao Yan was staying, two women occupied the most luxurious guest room at the Mittel caravan's waystation.
"Sister Medusa, did Xiao Yan find the hidden treasure?" Ya Fei took a wine set out of her Storage Ring, poured Queen Medusa a cup, and handed it to her.
"He did. There really was Blood Lotus Essence." Medusa rested her cheek lazily on one hand and accepted the cup with the other.
"The information about the future in the diary is true too!" Ya Fei's beautiful eyes lit up, and she smiled charmingly. "Then shouldn't we find the right opportunity to invest in this future Flame Emperor? Perhaps we could join the Endless Fire Domain like Yao Lao and go to the Great Thousand World too?"
"Why must someone else take us there?" Medusa's purple eyes sharpened. "I would rather ascend to the Great Thousand World through my own efforts and build an Endless Serpent Domain."
"Naturally, I believe in your talent, Sister." Ya Fei sat down gracefully beside Medusa. "But Sister, the diary's owner wrote that the Dou Qi Continent has entered the age of the end of the Dharma. It now lacks the Emperor's Origin needed to become a Dou Di. Only Xiao Yan is different; he has a chance to break through."
"And only a Dou Di can reopen the planar passage from the Lower Plane to the Great Thousand World."
"Investing in Xiao Yan isn't because you aren't capable yourself. It's because of the limitations of the environment."
At that, Medusa glanced at Ya Fei, though she wasn't surprised by her thinking.
Perhaps that was how a normal person would think. Besides, Ya Fei's cultivation talent was ordinary, so she could only attach herself to powerhouses by investing in them.
Before, Medusa would have thought the same. Confidence was fine, but she couldn't be conceited.
The reason she now felt it was unnecessary was that she had received a reward from her copy of the diary.
Could the Emperor's Origin compare with a copy of the diary?
"I never said I wouldn't invest." Medusa parted her red lips. "Didn't the diary's owner also say that wealth, companions, methods, and land are all important?"
"The fact that I don't want to rely on others doesn't mean I won't invest in powerhouses and befriend them to help myself grow stronger."
"I'm only reminding you that becoming stronger yourself is what matters most. Investing in others can only help you along the way."
"You're right to correct me, Sister." Ya Fei looked suitably chastened. "I'll certainly work hard."
How could she not understand the principles Medusa had mentioned?
It was just that her own cultivation talent had been limited before, so she could only focus on investing in others.
But now that she had a copy of the diary, she might be able to rely on herself.
"Sister, if you take me along to spy on him like this, won't the one in Xiao Yan's ring discover us?" Ya Fei changed the subject. She didn't want their clever plan to backfire.
"As long as I bear Xiao Yan no ill will and keep my distance, he won't," Medusa said proudly.
If Yao Lao were at his peak, killing her might be no different from crushing an ant, but now he was only a remnant soul.
Before breaking through to Dou Zong, she might not have escaped Yao Lao's notice, but now it was easy.
"Go cultivate. There may be a good show to watch tomorrow."
Time flew by.
Ye Qingzhou cultivated once again until after midnight.
The diary's daily rewards arrived on schedule.
Dou Qi cultivation, Dou Technique experience, combat experience, and mastery of the Crimson Firmament Startling Thunder Halberd-all of them came around again.
"Nice."
Ye Qingzhou stretched his limbs and swept his brush across the page.
[I just thought of what Xiao Yan will experience in the future...]
["What?" Xiao Yi Xian was startled by Xiao Yan's words. She had discovered this cave quite some time ago and explored it in stages to make sure it was safe. It was one thing for Xiao Yan to stumble upon it this time, but how did anyone else know about it too?]
["I couldn't have misheard. There are quite a few people coming." Xiao Yan looked at Xiao Yi Xian, a cold glint flashing in his eyes.]
[Xiao Yi Xian noticed Xiao Yan's expression and became angry. "You think I called them here? If I wanted to harm you, I could have poisoned you to death several times over."]
[...It turned out they were from the Wolf Head Mercenary Group...]
[...Mu Li had bribed Li Fei, the maid at Xiao Yi Xian's side, and had known all along...]
[...Xiao Yi Xian wasn't stupid. She often left camp late at night to explore the treasure cave and needed someone to cover for her, so she could only...]
[...One of the three wooden boxes was taken by Mu Li...]
[...After a fight, Xiao Yi Xian and Xiao Yan escaped from the cave. Xiao Yi Xian summoned her pet, a Blue Eagle...]
[The two parted ways at a certain place, and Xiao Yi Xian chose to return to Qingshan Town.]
"Done."
Ye Qingzhou stopped writing there and chose to upload the entry. The diary judged it successful.
Unlike the ten chapters he had written each day before, he wrote only one chapter today.
Before, he had written more because he was writing about Xiao Yan's past, so he could do as he pleased.
But now he was writing about Xiao Yan's future. Writing too much could easily make things spiral out of control.
Only by writing about Xiao Yan's future slowly and keeping the scope of his account within certain limits could he fish successfully.
If someone who could see the diary's contents existed, they would have nowhere to hide before him.
If he wrote too much at once, all of Xiao Yan's future opportunities would be exposed, and things might descend into chaos.
"I'm so clever!"
Ye Qingzhou formed hand seals and returned to cultivating.
Meanwhile, in Qingshan Town.
"So it was Mu Li. He noticed my suspicious behavior long ago and found out I'd discovered a treasure cave by bribing Li Fei."
"He just didn't know its exact location, so he held back all this time, waiting like the oriole behind the mantis stalking the cicada."
A flicker of understanding appeared in Xiao Yi Xian's eyes.
Li Fei would be coming along on this trip into the mountains too.
If Xiao Yi Xian really went exploring, she would be discovered immediately.
It seemed she needed to make some preparations in advance.
"I'll have all three wooden boxes and invest in Xiao Yan while I'm at it."
"Most importantly, I can't let anyone find out that I can see the diary!"