Chapter 1753: Mine Cave

Miaozhantian continued, "Even I would find it difficult to defeat him in his illusion. When we finally hunt Qianhuan, we must completely separate him from this world."

During the ancient war against Qianhuan, she had Mitian's support; now, however, she had to rely on her own team and abilities.

As Luo Xie was about to return to the village, a voice suddenly echoed in his ear, making him pause in surprise. He then turned on his heel and ran directly to the mid-slope of the mountain.

The hillside was empty. Where could anyone be?

Luo Xie was looking around when a gust of mountain wind blew diagonally, carrying pollen that made him sneeze. When he opened his eyes again, he saw several people standing ahead. The ones leading them wore wide robes and tall crowns, exuding an imposing aura, and looked somewhat familiar.

He recognized one face: the Purple Jade Immortal, whose surname was Liu!

"Lord Liu! Lord Liu!" Luo Xie's eyes widened in astonishment, and his voice stammered, "You, you..."

It was so sudden—an immortal had deigned to visit their small village. Had he come because of the barrier on Companion Mound?

It seemed his decision to order the Yu Village residents to evacuate quickly had been correct.

He glanced at the village below before remembering to bow. His grandfather had always taught him to show sincere respect to immortals. However, Elder Liu seemed unconcerned, stating directly, "The Sky Demon wants to seize the mine. You know the area best. Lead the way for us."

Luo Xie did not want to abandon the villagers at such a critical moment, but he could not disobey an immortal's command.

He hesitated. "My grandfather's behavior just now was a bit strange. I'm worried about my younger brother. Could you perhaps..."

Madam Zhu transmitted a message to the other two, "This kid is good at seizing opportunities to bargain."

Elder Liu was quick to agree, pointing to a Phantom Sect disciple. "Go to his home and look after things. Make sure to find the child."

"Yes."

Luo Xie was relieved. Given Elder Liu's status as an immortal, when he said "make sure," the Phantom Sect disciples would not be perfunctory. "My house is on a low hill about a mile southeast of Yu Village. Morning glories are twining around the yard fence. It's the only house there, very easy to recognize."

He Lingchuan and the others immediately summoned the Vast Origin Golden Mirror, specified their destination, and then stepped inside with Luo Xie.

The Profound Crystal Mine was located in the mountains three and a half miles northwest of Yu Village. The path was rugged with many treacherous cliffs, and outsiders often encountered dead ends.

Luo Xie, an introductory disciple of the Phantom Sect, was stunned when he arrived, as it was his first time traveling through the Vast Origin Golden Mirror.

He Lingchuan and the others were already standing at the entrance of the Profound Crystal Mine.

The entrance was small and hidden, concealed behind several rows of lush, giant banyan trees. Both the entrance and the small path for transporting ore were completely obscured by the surrounding woods.

There was an open space at the cave entrance, with a few simple wooden huts built against the cliff face. Mine guards worked night shifts here, and during the day, miners screened and washed ore here.

Silver Pearl Island had nearly been turned upside down tonight, yet this place remained quiet, as if isolated from the world.

Madam Zhu looked around. "They haven't arrived yet, as expected."

Therefore, they still had a slight first-strike advantage.

They appeared silently, but a flock of bats suddenly took flight from a tree with a flutter. The wooden hut door opened, and two men rushed out, gripping weapons, their faces filled with shock and uncertainty.

These were the guards on duty at the mine, whose nerves were already on edge tonight, so they came out to investigate at the slightest disturbance.

Luo Xie was about to step forward and order the two to leave, but Elder Liu reached out and stopped him.

The two men scanned the open space as if they couldn't see anyone, then turned and went back inside the hut.

Only then did He Lingchuan whisper to Luo Xie, "We are all invisible. Outsiders and Sky Demons cannot see us."

So Luo Xie led everyone to the mine entrance. Madam Zhu quietly placed two eyeball spiders on a tree outside the cave.

These small creatures could now shapeshift. They shrunk their bodies, changed color, and then assumed a motionless appearance, resembling two tender green leaves.

Hiding a leaf in a forest—this was the ultimate invisibility technique.

Madam Zhu had also coated them with a layer of mirage dust beforehand, which had an effect equivalent to an invisibility spell. This was a treasured item given by Xiao Wencheng, whose magical power came from Qianhuan. It was said that not even Miaozhantian's True Sight could penetrate it.

The restriction at the mine entrance recognized people. Luo Xie breathed on the restriction, and a gust of cold wind emerged from the mine.

"Alright, we can go in now." Luo Xie wasted no time and led the way. "There are four or five more mechanisms just inside the entrance that are activated at night. I'll guide you through them first!"

He couldn't help but glance down at himself. Was this what invisibility felt like? He didn't seem to feel anything special.

The mine was deep, and the Vast Origin Golden Mirror couldn't accurately pinpoint locations, so everyone had to descend on foot.

The mine tunnels here were no different from those He Lingchuan had traversed before: winding and complex, narrow passages, frequent water seepage, and artificial supports at regular intervals.

The ground here was relatively humid, and the mine tunnels often featured water-eroded holes—cavities formed by long-term seepage of groundwater. The smallest were only big enough to poke a finger into, while the largest could fit over a dozen people.

He Lingchuan and Dong Rui were entering the Profound Crystal Mine for the first time and found it quite novel. They passed several rock holes that bore marks of carving and chiseling, indicating that ore had originally been there and was dug out by miners. However, small green or pale yellow crystal clusters, ranging from the size of a fingernail to a pigeon's egg, had now re-formed within the holes.

Three years ago, in the outside world, even this small amount of profound crystal would have caused a fierce scramble. But here, they were completely ignored, not even deemed worthy of a glance by the miners.

Luo Xie pointed to them and said, "The finished profound crystals from these holes were harvested three years ago. By now, they've only grown back as small sprouts."

He led the group through the mine tunnels with the familiarity of someone navigating their own kitchen. Pointing to several spots, he told He Lingchuan, "I think these places would be good for an ambush."

This coincided with He Lingchuan's own thoughts.

He signaled to the Spider Queen, and Madam Zhu immediately leaped over.

Dong Rui immediately asked, "How familiar are you with the Pangqi your grandfather raises? Does it usually acknowledge you?"

There was a nuance to his question; he wasn't asking if Luo Xie was familiar with the Pangqi, but rather if the Pangqi paid attention to Luo Xie.

"Very familiar," Luo Xie replied. "It watched me grow up. My grandfather wouldn't let me near it, but I actually touched it since I was a child."

"Can you call it out?"

Luo Xie instinctively glanced at Elder Liu.

The Pangqi was a mobile treasure trove, and the Phantom Sect had strict feeding regulations: no one other than Old Man Luo was allowed to feed or approach it.

Elder Liu's expression was benevolent. "Speak freely. I will not hold it against you."

At such a critical time, how could the Phantom Sect possibly cling to old rules?

Luo Xie then said, "When I was little, I was playing on the mountain and accidentally fell into the valley floor, unable to move. It was Pangqi who carried me back to the edge of the village. When my grandfather wasn't around, I would occasionally play with it."

He quickly added, "But that was all before I turned ten. Once I understood the rules, I stopped getting close to it."

"So you're not sure if you can summon it?"

"That's right."

He Lingchuan had been observing Luo Xie. At this moment, he suddenly asked, "You're also a Phantom Sect disciple? How do you have a hint of demonic energy about you?"

Luo Xie's expression subtly changed. He had concealed it so well; how had this person seen it at first glance? "When I was young, I was frail and was supposed to die young. But I accidentally swallowed a demon core, and my health improved, and my strength became much greater than average. When I was five, the Phantom Sect came to the village for selection and immediately chose me."

Dong Rui immediately stated, "Then what you swallowed wasn't a demon core. That wouldn't transfer demonic energy to you."

He Lingchuan took out a Soul-Capturing Mirror and shone it on him twice. Dong Rui and the Ghost Ape immediately leaned in to look, both falling silent at what they saw.

Elder Liu also looked, a slight frown on his brow.

Luo Xie wanted to look too, but He Lingchuan immediately asked him, "Who gave you the demon core?"

"My mother only said she bought it from a pharmacy."

"Did you learn all your skills from the Phantom Sect?" He Lingchuan scrutinized him. "It doesn't look like you've only practiced for a little over ten years."

The young man was full of spirit and vitality. He Lingchuan had led countless troops and promoted many generals, and a single look at Luo Xie's eyes, physique, and demeanor told him this was a resolute and ruthless individual.

Luo Xie glanced at Elder Liu. "I'm from Elder Xu's peak, but I've only heard him give one public lecture. He looked at me then and said my murderous intent was too strong and that I'd easily be troubled by inner demons in the future. However, my master-uncle who taught the skills was very good and didn't hold anything back."

He then led them around a fork in the path. "Five years ago, when the Storm Wall disappeared, the lake yasha started emerging in groups to cause trouble, making their way near Yu Village. I personally stabbed several of them to death. Afterwards, my master-uncle who taught the skills reported my achievements to the sect, and Sect Master Xiao rewarded me with this set of twin blades. They're said to be ancient artifacts that killed many powerful beings a very long time ago."

"So your master-uncle who taught the skills wanted your cultivation method to be peaceful and to dispel your murderous intent?"

Luo Xie thought for a moment. "The exact words weren't that, but the meaning is correct."

Dong Rui chuckled. "I, on the other hand, think you should try 'proving the Dao through killing'."

Luo Xie was startled. "Proving the Dao... through killing?"

"Some dispositions are innate," He Lingchuan interjected. "Forcibly suppressing them is like damming a flood; it will breach the embankment sooner or later. You have too much sharpness and youthful vigor. You should go to the battlefield to display your talents. One of humanity's great terrors is the blood-soaked battlefield, battles involving thousands and tens of thousands of people. I believe that's the kind of trial you should endure. Life on Silver Pearl Island is too comfortable."

He wasn't trying to deceive the inexperienced young man; Qiu Hu had followed this very path.

In fact, after the Middle Ages, many cultivators joined the military, developing in this direction. What worldly tempering could be more direct and impactful than war?

"A battlefield of thousands and tens of thousands," Luo Xie indeed felt a certain longing.

As a novice, he had fought yasha but never killed a human. Upon hearing the word "battlefield," his heart was filled only with longing and aspiration.

Just then, Xiao Wencheng's voice suddenly sounded in He Lingchuan's and Elder Liu's ears: "Two lives have been lost at Luo Xie's home. Old Man Luo and his grandson are dead, and their bodies are still warm."

He Lingchuan did not pause. Old Man Luo's abnormal behavior earlier already indicated that something terrible had happened to him and the others.