Xiao Yi Xian: Bet You Didn't Expect Me to Have the Script

"Teacher, is there a treasure cave beneath this cliff?"

Xiao Yan did his utmost to control his expression. After a brief moment of surprise, he asked Yao Lao.

"There is indeed something odd." Yao Lao's voice rang out. "There are traces of human activity on the cliff face. There may really be a treasure cave farther down. This girl must have misunderstood."

She misunderstood?

Good.

This is my chance.

"From what you're saying, Miss Xiao Yi Xian, you've known about the treasure cave down there for a while?" Xiao Yan asked after feigning hesitation.

"Of course." Xiao Yi Xian nodded slightly. "I not only knew about it, but I also explored it and know what's inside. Unfortunately, I didn't have enough time to take anything with me. Later, a Rock Snake showed up at the cave entrance. I couldn't deal with it on my own, so I never went back for the treasures."

"I came into the mountains prepared this time. I didn't expect a variable like you to appear."

Hearing this, Xiao Yan secretly circulated his Dou Qi and said with a smile, "Since you discovered and explored it first, Miss Xiao Yi Xian, I naturally won't fight you for it. I'll take my leave."

"Take your leave?" Xiao Yi Xian's delicate brows knitted slightly, and she looked at him suspiciously. "You're not interested?"

"Even if I'm interested in the opportunity you found, Miss Xiao Yi Xian, I won't lay a finger on it." Xiao Yan even moved a little to the side.

"Do you think I'd believe you?" Xiao Yi Xian flipped her wrist and produced a packet of poison. "Or do you think I'd dare believe you?"

"If you spread word of the treasure cave after leaving, I'd be guilty of possessing a treasure."

Xiao Yan was delighted inwardly, but he also grew more vigilant. "Then what do you propose?"

"You're an alchemist, aren't you?" Xiao Yi Xian asked instead of answering.

"How did you know?" Xiao Yan didn't deny it. Curiosity flashed in his eyes.

"Blood Lotus Essence." Xiao Yi Xian softly uttered the three words and smiled. "I saw you pick up that bargain at the Myriad Medicine Pavilion yesterday."

"You knew?" Xiao Yan was deeply puzzled. "Then you should know how valuable Blood Lotus Essence is. Why didn't you expose me?"

"Why would I?" Xiao Yi Xian shook her head gently. "Mr. Yao of the Myriad Medicine Pavilion once helped me, so I stayed there as a resident physician to repay him. But after all these years, I've long since repaid that debt. I can leave whenever I wish."

"But Mr. Yao doesn't want me to leave. He secretly works with the Wolf Head Mercenary Group to put pressure on me, leaving me no choice but to stay at the Myriad Medicine Pavilion and seek his protection."

"If I'd found the Blood Lotus Essence, it would only have ended up in his hands. You had the skill to pick up that bargain, so I had no reason to expose you."

Having given the answer she had prepared long ago, half true and half false, Xiao Yi Xian paused, then said, "I've been watching you in secret, and I'd like to work with you."

"Work together?" Xiao Yan asked Yao Lao inwardly, "Teacher, do you think she's serious?"

"In my view, what this girl says is highly credible. You can give it a try," Yao Lao said.

"How would we work together?" Xiao Yan asked after a little consideration.

"You help me deal with the tier-one Rock Snake guarding the cave below, and I'll give you a share of the spoils. How about it?" Xiao Yi Xian replied.

"Why choose me?" Xiao Yan voiced the question on his mind.

With Xiao Yi Xian's reputation in Qingshan Town, she could easily find someone to work with.

But the next moment, he felt his question was rather stupid.

Sure enough, Xiao Yi Xian looked at him as though he were a fool. "Now I'm wondering whether choosing to work with you was the right decision."

"I just told you I was afraid of being guilty of possessing a treasure."

"If word of the treasure cave gets out, I won't get a chance to explore it."

"If I find someone to work with, it would be generous of them to give me a share. More likely, they'd keep everything for themselves."

"But you're different. You're not from Qingshan Town. Once you've gotten your share, even if it's only to avoid bringing trouble on yourself, you won't betray me."

Xiao Yi Xian paused, then continued, "You're on your own, so I'm not afraid of you harming me, either."

"Before we go down to search for treasure, I'll write a few letters to people I trust. If you harm me, word that you obtained a senior's inheritance and killed me will spread the next day. None of the mercenaries in Qingshan Town will let you off."

"You're a distinguished alchemist and a Dou Zhe at such a young age. You're talented and have a bright future ahead of you. I don't think you'd be foolish enough to take that risk."

Xiao Yan had to admit that every word Xiao Yi Xian said made sense.

As long as the treasure in the cave beneath the cliff wasn't valuable enough for him to risk everything to claim it for himself, working with Xiao Yi Xian while keeping each other in check was the best option.

"All right, I agree." Xiao Yan was decisive as well.

"A wise decision." Xiao Yi Xian smiled. "Let's leave first. The Wolf Head Mercenary Group already knows I found this treasure cave, but they don't know its exact location, so they've been holding back. We can't give it away."

"This evening, I'll buy you time to secretly deal with the Rock Snake below. We'll return to explore when it's late and quiet."

Xiao Yan readily agreed, saying he would follow Xiao Yi Xian's arrangements.

The two tacitly departed in different directions, then returned to the main group.

"Hahaha."

In the clouds not far away, Ya Fei, who was holding Medusa's arm, burst into laughter, her whole body shaking.

"Sister Medusa, Xiao Yi Xian has Xiao Yan completely in the palm of her hand."

"It looks like Xiao Yi Xian is just like us."

"Mm." Medusa folded her arms, her bare feet resting on empty air. A smile showed in her long, narrow purple eyes. "Xiao Yi Xian is clever. She doesn't want to monopolize the benefits. Instead, she wants to take the initiative and give Xiao Yan some of the benefits she doesn't need as an investment."

"If we hadn't seen what she did with our own eyes, we never could have guessed from Xiao Yan that she had a diary too."

"But there's one thing I don't understand."

"You're wondering why Xiao Yi Xian can tell Xiao Yan what's in the diary, aren't you, Sister?" Leaning against Medusa, Ya Fei let her smile fade, her eyes shrewd.

"It seems you already have an answer." Medusa suddenly felt it was quite nice having Ya Fei with her.

With this woman around, she could save herself the effort of thinking.

"That's what makes Xiao Yi Xian clever." The corners of Ya Fei's lips rose slightly. "Much of the information she gave him came from the diary, and she confirmed it herself beforehand, like her assistant Li Fei and the Rock Snake beneath the cliff."

"So when she tells Xiao Yan, she's telling him a fact she knows herself, even though she was only able to discover it because of the diary."

"I understand." Medusa nodded slightly, appreciation appearing in her eyes. "In that case, if we want to tell outsiders what's in the diary in the future, we only need to do the same."

"Exactly." Ya Fei broke into a smile. "Now I'm looking forward to what happens next."

Under the two women's expectant gazes, evening arrived in the blink of an eye.

Using the search for firewood as an excuse to move about freely, Xiao Yan came to the cliff and climbed down with the rope Xiao Yi Xian had prepared in advance. He dealt with the Rock Snake after a close call.

Of course, he didn't obediently return at once. Instead, he went straight into the depths of the cave, only to be stopped by a great mechanism-operated door.

"Teacher, can we force it open?"