chsdbacks Chapter 23: I've got the fragmented map, what brings you here?
Chapter 23: I've got the fragmented map, what brings you here?
With Xiao Jin by their side, Xiao Chen and his companion arrived at the cave entrance below without any obstacles.
The rock snake did not appear either.
Walking through the quiet and dark cave, a faint chill lingered around Xiao Yan.
In the quiet corridor, only the faint sound of their footsteps could be heard.
Finally, the two arrived at the stone gate that emitted a faint yellow light.
"Ancestor, there's no way out," Xiao Yan said, scratching his head.
Upon hearing this, Xiao Chen shook his head and said, "Our destination is beyond the stone gate."
Xiao Yan stepped forward, touched the stone door with his palm to test its thickness, and hesitated before saying, "The stone door is very thick. Should we force our way through?"
"No need, this is a mechanism. As long as you are careful, it is not difficult to open." Xiao Chen stepped forward, reached out and touched the stone door, and then slowly moved it.
"Mechanical arts?" Upon hearing this, Xiao Yan looked over curiously.
"It's this one."
Xiao Chen reached out and touched a small protrusion under the stone door. He pressed down slightly with his finger, and a creaking sound slowly echoed through the cave.
Looking at the stone gate that was gradually moving upwards, Xiao Yan's face showed a look of novelty.
Looking at the brightly lit interior of the stone gate, Xiao Chen smiled slightly and stepped inside.
He had watched the plot more than a dozen times and knew it by heart.
Experiencing it firsthand was truly a unique experience.
Seeing the patriarch take a step forward, Xiao Yan followed closely behind.
As the two stepped through the stone gate, their view suddenly widened.
Inside the stone gate was a huge stone chamber.
The stone chamber looked somewhat simple and empty.
Moonstones for lighting are embedded in the walls.
In the center of the stone chamber, there is a seat.
A skeleton sat atop the chair.
The sunken skull fell onto the pale thigh bone.
In this quiet atmosphere, its appearance has a somewhat eerie feel.
Xiao Chen's gaze immediately fell on the seat in front of him.
It was a wide and long bluestone platform.
On the bluestone platform, there are three locked stone boxes.
Xiao Yan's gaze shifted to the three corners of the stone chamber.
There were piles of gleaming gold coins and other rare treasures there.
At least several hundred thousand!
Of course, Xiao Yan had no shortage of treasures and money.
So he shifted his gaze from the glittering gold to the last corner.
It was a small flower bed.
The flower bed is planted with all kinds of flowers and plants.
A unique fragrance wafted slowly in.
"Ice Spirit Flame Grass!"
Xiao Yan saw directly the thing he had been longing for.
The grass has white and red leaves, and its white stems are covered with tiny, ice-crystal-like objects.
On that fiery red canopy of grass, it was as if a ball of flame was burning.
A light mist swirled around the plant, giving it the appearance of being surrounded by clouds and mist.
With excitement radiating from his eyes, Xiao Yan stared intently at the herb, his face beaming with a look of exhilaration.
"Pack up all these herbs and take them with you," Xiao Chen instructed.
After saying that, he walked toward the skeletons behind the stone table.
Three black keys were hanging from the skull's palm.
Rubbing his hands together, Xiao Chen grabbed the three keys and then put the skeleton and the chair into the purple-gold bracelet.
Incomplete map obtained!
Xiao Chen tossed the black key in his hand, grinned, and turned to walk toward the three stone boxes on the stone table.
Soon, the first stone box was opened.
Inside was a colorful, antique-style scroll.
"Ancestor, what is this?" Xiao Yan asked, leaning closer curiously.
"A book on poisons that records how to concoct poisons," Xiao Chen said with a faint smile.
"The Poison Sutra?"
Xiao Yan raised an eyebrow in surprise, looking at the few small characters written on the side of the seven-colored scroll, and said, "The Seven-Colored Poison Scripture? There really is such a thing as a special tool for preparing poisons. Could it be that the person who left these things was also a physician?"
In the Dou Qi Continent, generally only physicians would prepare poisons for self-defense.
In mainland China, such people are generally referred to as "poison masters".
"Perhaps."
As they spoke, the second stone box was opened.
"Another scroll?" Xiao Yan raised an eyebrow as he looked at the black scroll.
Reaching out, Xiao Chen took the black scroll from the box, glanced at it, and then tossed it to Xiao Yan, saying, "Congratulations, kid, you can fly now."
"Advanced Mystic-Rank Flight Combat Skill: Eagle Wings?"
Xiao Yan's eyes widened slowly, and he exclaimed in astonishment, "It's actually the rarest flying combat technique?"
As everyone knows, on the Dou Qi Continent, the weakest level required to take off and fly is Dou Ling cultivation.
However, even a Douling expert can only fly short distances.
Only those who are powerful enough to become Battle Kings or Battle Emperors can condense energy wings on their backs and soar freely in the sky.
This is what is known as "battle qi transforming into wings".
Flying is an irresistible temptation that can make many people's hearts flutter.
Holding the somewhat heavy black scroll in his hand, Xiao Yan slowly exhaled.
At this moment, Xiao Chen opened the last box.
His gaze sharpened when he saw what was inside.
Unlike the fire-attribute scroll he had imagined, there were actually two crimson scrolls inside!
Xiao Chen picked up one of the documents and opened it.
"Advanced Xuan-rank Battle Skill: Roar of the Mad Lion".
It is an attack technique enhanced by sound waves.
"Take it and practice."
Xiao Chen was not surprised by this.
After tossing it to Xiao Yan, he looked at another scroll.
"Earth-Rank Beginner Cultivation Technique: Purple Extreme Blazing Sun Technique!"
Upon seeing that it was a low-level Earth-rank cultivation technique, Xiao Chen nodded thoughtfully.
According to the book, the third box was stolen by the Wolf Head Mercenary Group of Qingshan Town.
Later, Mu She, the leader of the Wolf Head Mercenary Group, unleashed the high-level Xuan-rank combat skill, Mad Lion's Roar.
Everyone assumed that the box contained only that one high-level Xuan-rank combat technique.
It now appears that this person did not only leave behind fighting techniques, but also passed down the cultivation methods he practiced.
It's just a low-level Earth-rank cultivation technique...
Nowadays, neither Xiao Chen nor Xiao Yan look up to them much.
At this moment, Xiao Yan suddenly paused, then quickly turned around, looking at the stone gate with a slight frown.
"Ancestor, it seems someone is coming."
"Someone's here?" Xiao Chen turned around calmly.
"Who could it be?" he wondered.
Logically speaking, no one should have discovered this place by now.
The two waited quietly.
Soon, the footsteps outside grew louder and louder.
"Hehe, I heard some noise over here, what a hidden gem!"
The next instant, more than a dozen figures slowly walked in from the darkness outside the door.
A faint, smug laugh echoed in the stone chamber.
"You are... Muli?"
With his eyes slightly narrowed, Xiao Chen's gaze swept over the leading youth, finally settling on a badge on his chest.
The badge features an engraved one-eyed wolf's head.
"Not bad, it seems you know me."
As he spoke, Mu Li's gaze swept over the piles of glittering gold coins inside the stone chamber, a hint of greed flashing in his eyes.
He then licked his lips, glanced at the stone box that Xiao Chen had already opened, and couldn't help but smile and say, "Sorry to bother you."
"No, what brings you here?"
Xiao Chen looked at the young man in front of him with a strange expression.