As the stone door rose, a gentle radiance emanated from within, banishing the nearby darkness.
Observing the illuminated interior of the stone door, Xiao Yi Xian smiled faintly, took two steps back, and nodded towards Gu He, lifting her snowy chin. She chuckled, "Master, shall we enter?"
"Of course," Gu He smiled faintly and walked towards the stone door. Watching Gu He step inside, Xiao Yi Xian followed closely with a playful smile.
Entering the stone door, the view expanded. Inside lay a spacious stone chamber, appearing somewhat plain and empty. Moonlight stones were embedded in the walls, providing illumination in the center of the chamber.
There was a seat with a skeletal figure seated upon it, the skull deeply embedded in the thigh bone, exuding a sinister air in the quiet atmosphere.
In front of the seat was a wide stone table with three locked stone boxes neatly arranged upon it. In the corners of the chamber, numerous golden coins and precious items were piled, their value likely surpassing tens of thousands.
Gu He was not lacking in riches, and the former owner of these treasures didn't seem to attach much importance to them.
Shifting gaze from the gleaming gold, attention settled on the skeletal remains. Was the fragment of the Pure Lotus Demonic Fire map on this skeleton?
Meanwhile, Xiao Yi Xian remained in a corner of the cave, a faint delight on her face. In another corner, a small flower bed had been created with various plants emitting a captivating fragrance.
Looking at these flowers, Xiao Yi Xian's face lit up with excitement. To others, these may seem ordinary, but she knew the true value—greater than the piles of gold coins.
"Purple-Blue Leaves, White Spirit Fruit, Snow Lotus Seed..." Excited, she muttered names of rare herbs as she approached the flower bed.
"Ice Spirit Flame Grass!" Suddenly, her eyes fixated on a white and red alternating leaf on the flower bed. Its white branches bore crystalline structures resembling ice, while the fiery red crown blazed like flames. It was a miraculous coexistence of opposing colors and attributes.
A faint mist surrounded this plant, giving it an ethereal feel. This plant, the Ice Spirit Flame Grass, was exceptionally rare outside.
Having gained insights as a Sixth Grade Alchemist under Gu He's tutelage, Xiao Yi Xian could easily recognize it.
Among the flowers, this herb was the most valuable. "You can dig them all up if you like," Gu He grinned, seeing her excitement.
"Okay," she replied, eager, and swiftly began excavating the herbs. As Xiao Yi Xian dug, Gu He's gaze shifted once more, this time to the three locked stone boxes on the stone table. He approached and touched the metal lock, feeling its slight warmth. This was no ordinary metal; brute force wouldn't open it.
"Where's the key?" Gu He muttered, his shifting gaze settling on the skeletal remains behind the stone table. His eyes lowered, and he brightened upon seeing three black keys suspended from the skeleton's hand.
Rubbing his hands together, Gu He approached, looking at the bones and giving a gentle tug.
"A snap..." Due to the passage of time, the skeletal arm was snapped off by this slight force. Gazing at the broken bone, Gu He chuckled awkwardly, then picked up the arm from the ground, attempting to reattach it.
Holding the bone in his hand, Gu He's eyebrows suddenly raised; he sensed that the weight of the skeletal arm was off somehow.
Gu He's gaze turned to the bone in his hand and through the fracture above, he faintly spotted what seemed like a small scroll nestled within the skeletal crevice.
Seeing the elusive, ancient-looking scroll, Gu He felt a surge of joy; this should be the remnant map of the Pure Lotus Demonic Fire.
Gu He carefully examined the scroll. It was crafted from a material he couldn't identify, with random patterns that seemed devoid of any order, sketched on the slightly yellowed parchment.
He pointed at a pattern with his finger and traced it slowly, but it continued outside the parchment without revealing anything else.
Gu He then unfolded the parchment completely, inspecting it closely. Suddenly, his gaze fell on a blurred object resembling a lotus flower in the corner of the parchment.
His expression shifted slightly, and he bent down again to closely examine this lotus-like mysterious object. This lotus-shaped object, perhaps due to the passage of time, appeared somewhat yellowed and blurry, yet its general form was discernible.
The lotus was black, seemingly adorned with a thin layer of black flames. Upon careful observation, the entire lotus exuded an eerie, otherworldly aura. As he stared at this uncanny lotus, Gu He's pupils contracted slightly.
"It's indeed the Pure Lotus Demonic Fire!" Suppressing his excitement, Gu He directly stored the remnants of the Pure Lotus Demonic Fire map into his storage ring.
After completing these actions, Gu He gently wiped the dust off the skeletal arm, then carefully reattached it to its owner.
Discarding the black key from his hand, Gu He smiled slightly and walked towards the three stone boxes on the stone table.
Approaching the stone table with the key in hand, Gu He once again touched the slightly warm metal lock, then inserted the key into the empty slot.
With a slight click, the metallic latch slowly opened. Gu He opened the box directly, revealing a colorful scroll inside. Picking up the scroll, Gu He opened it, and immediately four words appeared before his eyes.
"The Myriad Poison Scripture!"