Chapter 138: Xiao Yan's Treasure Hunt A Fool's Luck
That's right. Yao Chen hadn't lost his memory like Xiao Yan he was just pretending. The amnesia Xiao Yan experienced was a result of the pill Yao Chen had secretly refined. Only by making Xiao Yan forget that person's identity could he continue his cultivation without psychological barriers. This way, Xiao Yan would be easier to control, more willing to cultivate the Flame Mantra, and eventually help him reconstruct his body. When that time came…
Xiao Yan stared at the wall, where Wu Tian had left behind the pinyin characters, lost in deep thought. However, he wasn't too concerned with the message meant to guide him. Renounce the secular world? Impossible. Entering a monastery? Maybe, but only if it was a monastery where one could come and go freely…
After staring for a while, Xiao Yan simply continued deeper into the cave, much to Yao Chen's surprise. Seeing this, Yao Chen realized that Xiao Yan hadn't grasped any profound truths from the inscriptions. Otherwise, there would have been some sort of reaction.
As they walked in silence for about ten minutes, the oppressive atmosphere of the cave was starting to weigh on Xiao Yan when, finally, they arrived at a stone door the last barrier within the cave. It was thick, ancient looking, and appeared completely untouched.
"Teacher? This door requires at least a Dou Shi's strength to break through. How am I supposed to open it?" Xiao Yan asked Yao Chen.
Yao Chen shook his head and replied, "This is an earth elemental mechanism. You just need to find the right trigger."
"A mechanism?"
Xiao Yan was baffled. He had never encountered such a thing before.
"Look at that tiny, bean shaped protrusion at the bottom. Press it lightly, and the door should open," Yao Chen said, materializing in his spirit form and pointing at the mechanism.
Following Yao Chen's guidance, Xiao Yan shifted his gaze downward and, sure enough, noticed a small, round bump barely a centimeter in size. Had Yao Chen not pointed it out, he would never have seen it.
Pressing it gently, a creaking sound echoed through the cave, and the stone door began to rise.
A smile appeared on Xiao Yan's face. As expected, having an old master was like possessing a priceless treasure. His teacher even knew about ancient mechanisms!
However, his smile quickly vanished.
The moment the stone door fully opened, a cloud of dust rained down from above.
Caught off guard, Xiao Yan, who had been grinning, ended up swallowing a mouthful of dirt. Dust covered his head, face, and entire body.
"Puah!" Xiao Yan spat, grimacing.
Meanwhile, Yao Chen smirked but was glad he had reacted quickly enough to avoid the same fate.
"Why is there so much dust?" Xiao Yan muttered resentfully.
"It must be due to the cave's age. The dust had accumulated on top of the stone door, and when it moved, the vibrations knocked it loose. Xiao Yan, this is actually a good thing!"
Hearing Yao Chen's words, Xiao Yan's sour mood lifted. Yao Chen was right more dust meant greater age, and greater age meant that the treasures inside would be even more valuable!
Excited by the thought, Xiao Yan turned his gaze toward the cave's interior. A faint glow emanated from within, illuminating the scene before them.
Cautiously, he picked up a few small stones and threw them into the chamber, scattering them in various directions. After confirming that there were no traps, he let out a small sigh of relief and smiled.
Yao Chen, watching from the side, nodded approvingly. This kind of cautiousness would help Xiao Yan survive longer long enough to achieve Yao Chen's own goals.
Stepping inside, their vision expanded.
The large stone chamber was plain, its walls embedded with moonlight stones. At its center was a stone chair, upon which a withered skeleton sat motionless. In front of the skeleton stood a stone table, holding three locked stone boxes.
Xiao Yan's eyes gleamed. No doubt those boxes contained the real treasure!
However, he did not rush toward them. Instead, he scanned his surroundings carefully.
In the corners of the chamber, patches of lush green grass sprouted from the stone floor. That was it just ordinary grass.
Both Xiao Yan and Yao Chen frowned. Shouldn't this have been where valuable medicinal herbs grew? Why was there nothing but regular grass? And why was it so unnaturally green?
Disappointed, Xiao Yan shook his head. It seemed that the real treasures were indeed inside the stone boxes.
Just then, a glimmer of gold caught his eye in one of the corners.
Golden light? That meant treasure! Xiao Yan's eyes lit up as he rushed toward the glowing object. However, when he saw what it really was, his expression twisted into one of sheer frustration.
It wasn't some legendary artifact it was just a few scattered gold coins.
Gold was still valuable, but what infuriated Xiao Yan was how the coins had been arranged. They formed the number "2."
A "2"? What did that mean?
Were ancient experts on Dou Qi Continent really this trendy? Leaving behind numbers in their treasure chambers?
Wait… maybe this was a hint!
Perhaps it was telling him that the second stone box contained the real treasure!
A sly grin spread across Xiao Yan's face. A real treasure hunter needed to use their brain!
Ignoring the coins, he decided to contribute a few of his own, arranging them to form the character for "货" (goods). (Chinese things)
Now the display read "二货" (which means "fool" in modern slang).
Admiring his handiwork, Xiao Yan chuckled to himself before heading toward the central stone table. His sharp eyes immediately noticed a key hanging from the skeleton's bony fingers.
This senior was truly generous!
Not only had they left no obstacles at the entrance, but they had even prepared the keys in advance. What a kind and considerate predecessor!
Under Yao Chen's watchful gaze, Xiao Yan quickly retrieved the key and unlocked one of the stone boxes.
As soon as he did
Boom!
The stone door behind them slammed shut!
Xiao Yan glanced back, unfazed. With his teacher around, what was there to fear? A door that even a mere Dou Shi could break? That was nothing more than a flimsy barrier.
He turned his attention back to the box, carefully lifting the lid.
The moment he saw what was inside, his smile widened into an ecstatic grin.
"A High Grade Xuan Class Flying Dou Technique: Eagle Wings!"
"Xuan Class High Level Flying Dou Technique?! Xiao Yan, you're incredibly lucky! Such techniques are as rare as phoenix feathers and unicorn horns!" Yao Chen's voice trembled with excitement.
"A flying technique, huh?" Xiao Yan whispered, his heart pounding in anticipation.
(End of Chapter)
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