Chương 18: Shadows Lurk

"Dinner's ready!" With the eldest sister-in-law's command, all the children picked up their bowls and chopsticks and began to eat.

All that could be heard from then on was the clattering of bowls and chopsticks.

Xiao Yao also ate a hearty meal in peace. After the meal, he was suddenly seized by the adorable children and started playing with them.

"Okay! Okay!"

"Children! It's time for bed!"

"Young man, you should get some rest too."

"Yes! Sister-in-law!"

The children dispersed and went inside to rest.

Xiao Yao was arranged to sleep in the same room as the boys.

Soon the little ones fell asleep, looking like a row of human-shaped dolls on the bed, which was very cute.

"When will I be able to have a child...?"

"We've gone off on a tangent... hehe."

"Leave your sister-in-law some extra money tomorrow, so they can have an easier time. Hey! Let's see what's in Ghost Cry Three Kills's storage ring first."

Thinking of this, Xiao Yao realized that he hadn't had time to examine the storage ring he had casually stolen.

With a slight movement of his soul power, two rings appeared in his palm. After removing the other party's soul imprint, he bit his finger and dripped two drops of blood onto it.

hum!

A soul connection is established instantly.

There was quite a lot inside. Besides several thousand gold coins, there were healing powders, energy-restoring powders, wound ointments, all sorts of low-level medicinal herbs, and even parts from magical beasts.

"Diamond Fist: Intermediate Yellow Rank Combat Skill"

"Earth Flow Technique: Intermediate Yellow Rank Technique"

"High-level fighting techniques really do have a huge advantage. If I used the same fighting technique as Gui Da, I might be the one who dies."

Xiao Yao was grateful for his luck, but at the same time, he desperately needed the "Burning Technique" to devour and evolve.

The outside world is even more cruel. Yellow-rank low-level cultivation techniques are obviously the lowest level, and the strength they can exert is also the worst.

"Huh? What's this?"

A green-skinned fruit caught Xiao Yao's attention. It had small white spots scattered on its green skin, which looked quite pretty.

Xiao Yao immediately picked it up with his fingertips and smelled it.

"It has a fragrance; it's definitely not an ordinary product."

Unbeknownst to Xiao Yao, a pair of small eyes were secretly watching him as he held the fruit.

That night passed very quickly in his sleep, and Xiao Yao slept exceptionally soundly.

And another place—the Ten Thousand Bones Poison Ice Cave!

The third group of people arrived quietly.

"Where is the Ten Thousand Bones Poison Ice? Where is the Snake-Man Queen?" A man in black robes completely covered his body, leaving no gaps, and could only be identified as a middle-aged man from his voice.

"Looks like we've failed. These useless fools! We've wasted so much time dragging things out of the Serpent Realm and lost so many people," another figure, also dressed in black robes, said angrily.

"You'd better think about how to explain this to the cult leader!"

"Hmph! The mission failed, and you're partly responsible. Don't try to absolve yourself of any blame."

"That's natural... I should accept the punishment, but... I have collected three hundred copies of the 'Burning Technique,' so I have finally completed a task and may be able to escape punishment."

"When did you do this? Sigh... I don't know why the sect leader wants this 'Burning Technique' and that snake-woman queen. We are all ice-type powerhouses."

"You know the cult leader's temper, so it's best to avoid saying things like that in the future. Let's go."

"This time we really lost both our wife and our army... Not only did we fail to cause chaos among the snake people, we also lost the Ten Thousand Bone Poison Ice."

"Forget it, now that the Ten Thousand Bone Poison Ice is gone, let's find another target. If it weren't for the Xiao Clan, we wouldn't have gone through all this trouble!"

"Let's take these two good-for-nothings back first. Hopefully, the cult leader's punishment will be lighter this time..."

The man in black robes didn't want to discuss the topic anymore. Instead, he took out a jade bottle and then waved his sleeve.

Two illusory white dots appeared out of thin air and entered the jade bottle.

The man in black robes vanished without a trace, leaving only a spatial rift slowly healing...

As dawn broke, Xiao Yao got out of bed, quietly placed a bag of gold coins next to Gou Dan'er's pillow, and then quietly left. This money was enough for the family to live a wealthy life.

Xiao Yao's figure gradually disappeared into the morning mist.

"The Ten Thousand Bones Poison Ice, I didn't expect him to get it. Well, it's good that he's still a menace."

"The little Bodhi seed has appeared! The outside world is going to be in turmoil again... Sigh..."

"How much longer are you going to stay here? I've been eating grass for years, let me go back."

"Eat your grass, I haven't had any snacks in ages, just hold it in! I'm so sleepy... I'm going back to sleep..."

In the small farmhouse, a boy scolded the cow that had spoken, then went back inside to continue sleeping.

Xiao Yao continued south until the sun was high in the sky before he finally arrived at his destination—the ancient imperial city!

Legend has it that several Douhuang powerhouses once emerged from this place, hence the name. It is also the largest town within a radius of a hundred miles.

Looking at the shops lining the city, the crisscrossing streets stretched as far as the eye could see, with a constant stream of people coming and going, you had to give way every few steps.

"Come, come, come! Fresh beast milk from a Tier 3 magical beast, come and have a taste!"

"These are top-quality medicinal herbs, take a look!"

"Fresh purple clay grapes, cheap! One gold coin per pound!"

Xiao Yao was also drawn in by the atmosphere: "They even have purple clay teapots and grapes. This is truly a big city, so lively."

He continued walking forward, stopping to look at any shops or stalls that interested him as he passed by. He bought a few maps and also picked out a few sets of clothes and dry food, which he secretly stored in his storage ring for future use.

"Give me a pound of Zisha grapes, I want to try some too."

"Alright, here's a pound for you."

Having experienced hardship in the past, he now has money and is not about to miss out; a gold coin is just a drop in the ocean for him.

He immediately picked one and put it in his mouth. Not only did it taste sweet, but it also had a refreshing sensation that rushed to his heart.

"Mmm! It tastes really good. I've heard it can also refresh the mind."

Grapes are delicious, but they don't keep you full. He plans to find a place to eat, fill his stomach, and also inquire about the city's transportation stations.

Just as he was about to turn around, a little girl, mimicking his tone, stood in front of the stall buying grapes.

"Give me a pound of Zisha grapes, I want to try some too."

"Go away! You little brat, what are you buying?"

"That's what he said too, so why did you sell it to him?"

"They paid you, do you have any money? You stole one of my grapes this morning and I didn't even bother with you, and now you're doing it again? Go away, don't interrupt my business."

"snort!"

Xiao Yao turned his head and found that it was a little girl of about ten years old.

His face was covered in mud, he was wearing a simple light blue robe, his hair was a little messy and tied in a bun, held in place by a light green hairpin, and he stood there straight in front of the stall, at a loss.

This pitiful appearance, Seeing that the boss was about to drive him away again, Xiao Yao felt a pang of pity and casually tossed out a gold coin.

"Hey boss, give her a pound of grapes, I'll pay for it."

"Oh... sir! I'll get it for you right away, hehe!"

After doing all that, he continued his search for a restaurant.

"Here you go! You're lucky. Take it and go home. Don't come back again, or no one will pity you next time!"

The little girl fell into deep thought after hearing the boss's words. She looked at the grapes in her hand, then at Xiao Yao's back, and quickly ran away, disappearing into the crowded throng.