Nalan Yanran was the first to unroll a scroll slowly, her eyes brightening as she read.
"This is the Soul Sea Essence Pill formula the senior mentioned! It's designed to enhance a person's cultivation aptitude!"
Nalan Yanran was quite intrigued by this. No one would dislike having improved cultivation aptitude, and she was no exception. If her aptitude could be raised even slightly, she'd truly become invincible within the Jia Ma Empire.
Xiao Yi Xian also breathed a bit more rapidly. Although she didn't yet know about her curse body's ability to continually enhance her power through poison, she was still very interested in this formula.
"You're not an alchemist, so this formula belongs to me. If I can refine it into a pill, I'll share it with you."
Gu Changqing took the formula without hesitation.
Nalan Yanran and Xiao Yi Xian had no objections. However, Nalan Yanran contemplated whether she should suggest to Gu Changqing that if he couldn't refine it himself, she could hire a high-level alchemist to help.
Next, the three of them opened the second scroll.
"Method to refine the Flying Combat Skill!"
Seeing the ancient characters on the scroll, both Xiao Yi Xian and Nalan Yanran were delighted. Compared to the Soul Sea Essence Pill, the Flying Combat Skill was more practical and would be extremely useful to them now.
"Leave this to me; I can also refine it."
Gu Changqing, without any reservations, claimed this scroll as well.
Nalan Yanran and Xiao Yi Xian exchanged glances, clearly displeased, but did not argue. They simply reminded him that once the wings were completed, they expected to receive theirs.
With that, Gu Changqing had taken the three items from the stone coffin. All that remained were a spatial ring and a jade box.
According to the instructions in He Qianqiu's will, the spatial ring contained the techniques and combat skills He Qianqiu had collected over his lifetime, as well as the rare medicinal herbs he had painstakingly gathered. While it did not hold much gold, the wealth was substantial enough to support a Dou Wang family.
The jade box contained a Sixth-Rank Low-Level Pill, the Breaking Emperor Pill, which He Qianqiu had managed to acquire with great difficulty. At the time, he had reached Dou Wang Six-Star and believed he would eventually need the pill as a precaution.
Unfortunately, due to an incomplete treasure map of heavenly materials, He Qianqiu had met a tragic end without the chance to continue his cultivation.
"I don't need this Breaking Emperor Pill. You can keep it."
Xiao Yi Xian promptly declined the pill. Although valuable, it wasn't useful to her at the moment and wasn't her own possession.
Nalan Yanran glanced at Gu Changqing, hesitated, but said nothing. She wanted to take it back for her grandfather, Nalan Jie, who was close to reaching Dou King Nine-Star. With the pill, even if her grandfather was angry, he would have a hard time scolding her.
Gu Changqing reached out and took the jade box, inspecting it carefully before looking at Nalan Yanran and smiling.
"Do you want it?"
"I don't want it!"
Nalan Yanran blushed and turned her face away, clearly uncomfortable.
If it were a common item, she would have asked for it long ago. However, the Breaking Emperor Pill was too valuable for her to ask for openly.
"Come on, give me a kiss on the cheek, and I'll give it to you."
Gu Changqing pointed to his cheek with a grin.
"Really?"
Nalan Yanran's eyes lit up, but she soon shook her head and said, "Forget it. It's too valuable. I'll find another gift for Grandpa. You keep it."
Nalan Yanran felt that given their current relationship, accepting such a valuable item was too greedy. It was better not to take it.
"Really don't want it?"
Gu Changqing was somewhat surprised.
If he were in the company of other people, they would likely be fighting over the treasures inside this place.
He didn't expect that Nalan Yanran and Xiao Yi Xian could resist their greed and leave the items they couldn't use to him.
"Just take it or leave it. Are you annoying?"
Nalan Yanran glared at Gu Changqing, turning her head away and ignoring him, though she was clearly distressed inside.
"Stubborn. Since that's the case, I'll keep the pill for now. When someone stops being stubborn, I'll give it to her."
Gu Changqing took the pill without hesitation.
Nalan Yanran pouted and ignored him. However, hearing that he would keep it for her until she was ready made her feel a bit better.
As for the last spatial ring, Gu Changqing let Xiao Yi Xian keep it, but he moved the alchemical herbs into his own spatial ring.
With that, the trio had divided all the treasures from the cave.
All three had gained significantly. After Xiao Yi Xian and Nalan Yanran collected He Qianqiu's body, Gu Changqing led them out of the cave.
Nalan Yanran wanted to immediately refine the Flying Combat Skill, but Gu Changqing advised her to first improve her strength. It was safer, considering that the Eagle Wings technique still contained the remnants of a Fifth-Rank magical beast, which could affect a person's mentality.
When Gu Changqing and the others returned to the herbal collection team's camp, they heard shouts and cries of battle from ahead.
"Damn it, do these iron-eating rats have a grudge against us? Why are they attacking us relentlessly, charging into the camp?"
"Could it be that someone disturbed their nest? Aren't these iron-eating rats usually hiding from people?"
"Why haven't Xiao Yi Xian and Young Master Gu returned? Did something happen to them?"
"Damn, what nonsense are you talking? Kill these iron-eating rats!"
The iron-eating rat, a First-Rank low-level metal attribute magical beast, was small and sharp-toothed, feeding on iron and metal, including discarded weapons from the magical beast mountains.
Although they were pack animals, they rarely attacked humans and would usually flee when discovered.
However, now they were attacking the herbal collection team's people aggressively. The team, though bewildered, quickly began to fight back.
The iron-eating rats had sharp teeth but were not very strong in battle. As long as they weren't bitten in a vital spot, they could be quickly dispatched.
With four or five dozen mercenaries fighting, the iron-eating rats were being quickly eliminated.
Just when the team thought they could catch their breath, even more iron-eating rats poured out of the dense forest in droves.
"We're screwed. Did we really disturb the iron-eating rats' nest?!"
"There are too many of them; we can't kill them all. Should we retreat first?"
"What about Xiao Yi Xian when she returns? Continue fighting, and be careful not to get bitten on the neck!"
"."
The mercenaries fought desperately.