Holding the key, Xiao Yan approached the stone table once more, feeling the warm metal lock. He turned his head and looked at the Little Healer Immortal, who had completely dug up the medicinal herbs. With a smile, he said, “Come over quickly, so I don’t open it alone and get accused of wanting to take everything for myself.”
“Good, you still have some conscience.” Pouting her cute nose, the Little Healer Immortal, with over ten small bottles in her arms, placed them on the stone table. She then reluctantly picked out six jade bottles and handed them to Xiao Yan, saying, “Here, these are yours.”
Smiling, Xiao Yan took the jade bottles and glanced at them before putting them into Nalan Jie. Since the Ice Spirit Flame Grass was already in hand, the other medicinal herbs, although rare, were not very useful to him at the moment.
Waving the three black keys at the Little Healer Immortal, Xiao Yan smiled, “Shall I open it now?”
“Go ahead!” Shooting Xiao Yan a look, the Little Healer Immortal quickly tucked the jade bottles into her arms, making her slender waist appear fuller.
Looking at the stone box, Xiao Yan licked his lips and casually chose one of the three keys, inserting it into the keyhole and carefully pushing it in.
“Not this one…” The key was only half inserted before it stopped. Xiao Yan shrugged and pulled it out, trying another key.
“Wrong again.” Shaking his head, Xiao Yan gripped the last key and inserted it into the keyhole, moving it cautiously.
As the key went deeper, both Xiao Yan and the Little Healer Immortal held their breath. In the empty stone room, only the faint sound of the key moving in the metal lock could be heard.
“Click…”
A sudden, slight crackling sound in the stone room made Xiao Yan’s hand freeze.
“It’s open,” he said, relieved, as he watched the metal clasp spring back.
“Open it quickly,” the Little Healer Immortal urged, her face full of joy.
Xiao Yan shot an impatient look at the Little Healer Immortal but pulled her back a few steps. He then slightly bent his hand and struck the stone box with a powerful force, lifting the lid.
Seeing that nothing happened after the lid was lifted, Xiao Yan sighed with relief and shrugged at the Little Healer Immortal, who was staring at him coldly, “It’s better to be cautious.”
“If you were left in the Magical Beast Mountains, I’m sure you’d live more happily than here. Even the magical beasts wouldn’t be as cautious as you,” the Little Healer Immortal said with a pout.
“I agree with that,” Xiao Yan said, smiling and rubbing his nose.
Glaring at the thick-skinned Xiao Yan, the Little Healer Immortal walked to the stone table and looked into the opened stone box. She paused for a moment, then with a joyful expression, she reached in and took out a colorful, ancient scroll.
“What is this?” Curiously, Xiao Yan asked, leaning in.
“It’s a Poison Manual, detailing how to prepare poisons,” the Little Healer Immortal explained, turning the colorful scroll over and smiling.
“A Poison Manual?” Raising an eyebrow, Xiao Yan took the scroll from her and flipped through it. He read the small letters on the side of the seven-colored scroll and said in surprise, “The Seven-Colored Poison Manual? There really is such a specialized manual for preparing poisons. Could the person who left this also be a pharmacist?”
In the Dou Qi Continent, only pharmacists usually prepared poisons for self-defense. Such people were generally called poison masters, though their status was much lower than alchemists.
“Maybe, but you can’t take this from me. Because of my innate attributes, I can’t become an alchemist, so I have to rely on things like this,” the Little Healer Immortal said, her face showing a hint of sadness. Clearly, what she desired most was to become an alchemist, not a feared and despised poison master.
Seeing her dejected expression, Xiao Yan smiled and handed the seven-colored scroll back, saying, “This is a good thing, but mastering it requires a lot of effort. Just refining Dou Qi already exhausts me. I won’t be foolish enough to dabble in this, greed can be overwhelming.”
“Thank you,” the Little Healer Immortal said, relieved, nodding gratefully.
“You should put that away. I may not be a gentleman, but we are companions now, and I won’t take everything for myself,” Xiao Yan said, smiling as he saw the Little Healer Immortal put away the seven-colored scroll.
Her face showed a moment of surprise, followed by embarrassment. She spread her hands, revealing a small bag of green powder.
“I…,” the Little Healer Immortal blushed, stammering, caught off guard by Xiao Yan.
“Forget it. You’re a woman, and coming alone to find treasure, it’s natural to have some precautions,” Xiao Yan shrugged, smiling nonchalantly.
“Thank you,” the Little Healer Immortal said, grateful, and quickly put away the green powder.
Xiao Yan rubbed his face and directed his gaze to the second stone box, inserting the key and slowly exploring.
“What’s that green powder for?” As he inserted the key, Xiao Yan asked casually.
“It’s made from Drunken Dragon Grass and a few other sleep-inducing herbs. If inhaled, it can make someone fall asleep for half a day. But it’s just a simple poison; anyone a bit stronger can suppress or even expel the toxicity with their Dou Qi,” the Little Healer Immortal explained, a bit embarrassed.
“Good, it’s not a deadly poison. That means you’re not as heartless as all that,” Xiao Yan said, his mouth curling. His hand paused, and he grinned, “It’s open.”
With Xiao Yan’s words, the tightly closed stone box slowly opened.
Under the moonlight stone’s glow, the contents of the box were revealed to Xiao Yan and the Little Healer Immortal.
“Another scroll?” Seeing the black scroll inside the box, Xiao Yan raised an eyebrow. He reached in and took the black scroll, examining it carefully. His eyes finally rested on the small letters on the side: “Advanced Xuan Level Flying Combat Skill: Eagle’s Wings?”
“Flying Combat Skill?” Repeating the unfamiliar term, Xiao Yan’s eyes widened in shock, “Is this the rarest flying combat skill?”
“Flying Combat Skill? What is it?” Hearing this term for the first time, the Little Healer Immortal blinked, puzzled. She had heard of attack, defense, and movement combat skills, but never of flying ones.
“As the name suggests, this combat skill allows one to fly in the sky,” Xiao Yan explained, marveling.
“Fly? Isn’t that a talent that at least a Dou Ling needs to have?” Surprised, the Little Healer Immortal was still confused.
In the Dou Qi Continent, only those at the Dou Ling level or above could fly short distances. Once they reached Dou Wang or Battle Emperor, they could condense energy wings behind them using their externalized Dou Qi, allowing them to leave the ground and soar into the skies.
This so-called flying combat skill was a rather strange secret technique. It allowed the user to extend two small branches in the back’s meridians. With these branches, even if the user’s strength wasn’t at the Dou Wang level, they could still form wings and fly.
Flying was a great temptation for many, and to achieve this, many strong practitioners worked tirelessly to reach the lofty Dou Wang level. In such a context, a shortcut like a flying combat skill was naturally precious.
Holding the somewhat heavy black scroll, Xiao Yan took a deep breath and forced down his excitement, waving the scroll at the Little Healer Immortal.
“I know, this is yours, right?” Understanding his gesture, the Little Healer Immortal nodded, a bit helpless.
“Hehe, each gets what they need,” Xiao Yan grinned, his face radiant from the night’s bounty.
“There’s one more, let’s hurry up and finish. We’ll go back after that,” the Little Healer Immortal urged, looking at the last stone box.
“Okay.” With the rewards from the previous two boxes, Xiao Yan was brimming with energy. He grasped the last unused key and prepared to open the remaining stone box.
The empty stone room fell silent again. Bending slightly, Xiao Yan was about to open the box when his body suddenly stiffened. He turned quickly, looking towards the stone door, his face darkening.
“Someone’s coming?!”
“What?” The Little Healer Immortal was equally startled, then shook her head, “Impossible, only we two know about this place!”
“I didn’t hear wrong, there are quite a few of them!” Xiao Yan’s face turned grim as he stared at the Little Healer Immortal, a cold glint in his eyes.
“Do you suspect I called them?” Furious, the Little Healer Immortal snapped, “If I wanted to harm you, you would have been dead several times over!”
Seeing her genuine anger, Xiao Yan frowned and turned back, trying to insert the key into the lock, but his nervousness prevented him from doing so.
“Damn it!” Swearing, Xiao Yan tried to lift the stone box but found it stuck to the stone table.
“Damn,” he cursed again, taking a deep breath and saying, “They’re inside!”
Hearing this, the Little Healer Immortal hurriedly looked towards the stone door, indeed hearing the footsteps getting louder.
“Little Healer Immortal, thank you for leading the way. It seems the information I got is true!” Several figures emerged from the darkness outside, and a familiar, smug laugh filled the stone room.
“Mu Li!” Hearing the voice, the Little Healer Immortal gritted her teeth.
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