Chapter 2: Calculation

Lu Ye suddenly felt a strong force grab him, pulling him forward involuntarily. Enduring the pain in his chest, he asked, "Steward Yang, where are we going?"

"Enough talk!" Steward Yang snapped fiercely. After a few steps, he looked at the mining basket behind Lu Ye. "Discard it."

Lu Ye dared not disobey. He untied the basket and dropped it to the ground, but he kept his pickaxe. Steward Yang merely glanced at it and said nothing further.

As they went deeper, the light behind them faded.

The deeper parts of the mine shafts were very dim, with only torches placed every few dozen yards providing some light. The passages within the entire mine complex were a tangled maze, and the terrain was extremely complicated. Not every shaft was lit by torches; most were perpetually shrouded in darkness, and no one knew where they led.

Therefore, mining here meant easily getting lost if one didn't follow the torches.

For the mortal miners, getting lost in such a place inevitably led to a grim fate.

Among the miners, shafts lit by torches were called "bright paths," while those perpetually covered in darkness were "dark paths."

It was common for torches to burn out, turning a bright path into a dark one, causing miners to lose their way and starve to death.

As they proceeded, Lu Ye noticed something strange: Steward Yang frequently looked back, his expression tense.

It was as if some danger lurked behind them.

Steward Yang's behavior made Lu Ye feel increasingly anxious.

"Lu Ye, do you know any dark paths?" Steward Yang suddenly asked.

"Yes," Lu Ye nodded. Denying it to Steward Yang would be pointless. In fact, not only did Lu Ye know a few dark paths, but several other powerful miners in the mine also had their own.

While bright paths were safer, there wasn't much left to mine there. Dangerous dark paths, however, often yielded valuable finds.

It was precisely by utilizing these resource-rich dark paths that Lu Ye managed to gather abundant findings daily; otherwise, he wouldn't have enough contribution points to exchange for Blood Qi Pills.

This was also why Steward Yang took Lu Ye with him after recognizing him.

"Are you going to those dark paths, Steward Yang?" Lu Ye asked. Steward Yang's sudden question about the dark paths made him suspicious.

Steward Yang replied, "Lead me. Find the most secluded dark path."

"Alright!" Lu Ye nodded in agreement. After only a few steps, he suddenly grunted and clutched his chest.

The bones in his chest were somewhat displaced from the beating. Walking rapidly with Steward Yang without proper rest aggravated his injuries. The pain forced him to stop, and fine beads of sweat appeared on his forehead.

Steward Yang gave him an annoyed look. After a moment's hesitation, he reached into a fabric pouch at his waist and quickly pulled out a round, soybean-sized pill. He handed it to Lu Ye, saying, "Eat this!"

Lu Ye took it, unable to identify the pill. In the past year, he had only encountered Blood Qi Pills, and this one was clearly different.

However, since Steward Yang needed him now, he likely wouldn't harm him. The pill was probably for healing.

He popped the pill into his mouth and chewed a few times, immediately regretting it. The medicine was incredibly bitter.

"Why are you chewing it? Just swallow it. It's a healing pill," Steward Yang said irritably.

It was indeed a healing pill. Lu Ye, with a grimace, still expressed his gratitude. "Thank you, Steward Yang."

"If you really want to thank me, then move it," Steward Yang pushed him.

Lu Ye had no choice but to brace himself and lead the way.

Though the pill was incredibly bitter, its effect was surprisingly good. Moments after swallowing it, Lu Ye felt a warm current surge in his lower abdomen, and the pain in his chest subsided, replaced by a tingling sensation.

This made him sigh, realizing the truth in the saying, "Good medicine tastes bitter."

Under Lu Ye's guidance, they continued through the crisscrossing mine shafts. Occasionally, they encountered returning miners, whom Steward Yang killed with a single palm strike.

Lu Ye's eyelids twitched. His suspicions grew clearer.

About an hour later, they stopped before a dark path. Lu Ye, now holding a torch he had taken from nearby, began, "Steward Yang, this is the most secluded dark path. After you enter, take the first left, then the second..."

Before he could finish, Steward Yang kicked him inside. "Lead the way!"

Lu Ye's heart sank. He didn't want to lead the way. Given Steward Yang's actions throughout their journey, if he truly led him to the desired location, Lu Ye likely wouldn't have a good outcome.

But his last attempt had failed. Steward Yang clearly didn't intend to venture into the dark path alone; having Lu Ye, who knew the terrain, was far better than fumbling around by himself.

With no other choice, Lu Ye continued onward.

They twisted and turned through the passages, so much so that even Steward Yang, a cultivator, began to forget the way back. After another hour, the path ahead was completely blocked, with no further passage.

Lu Ye placed the torch on a hidden stake in the rock wall.

Steward Yang let out a long breath, sat on the ground, panting. He turned to glance at Lu Ye and couldn't help but chuckle. "You're truly capable to find a place like this."

Lu Ye smiled. "Just lucky."

Steward Yang nodded, saying nothing more.

Lu Ye said, "Steward Yang, I'll head back now."

Steward Yang slightly raised his eyelids and said indifferently, "Lu Ye, you're a smart person. Smart people should do smart things."

As he spoke, he stood up and slowly walked toward Lu Ye. The flickering torchlight cast his shadow, making it dance like a phantom.

Lu Ye's face showed panic. "What do you mean?"

Steward Yang sighed. "Let me be frank with you. The people from the Vast Sky Alliance have arrived. This mine might not be safe for long. I'm here to take refuge. Although I'm grateful you brought me here, I can't let you leave."

Lu Ye retreated step by step, thinking, "Just as I suspected." He had had a vague suspicion when Steward Yang killed the other miners. Steward Yang naturally feared that news of his presence in the mine would leak, so he had to kill everyone who saw him.

The reason he was surprised to see Lu Ye at the mine entrance was because he knew Lu Ye could lead him to a hidden place to hide.

Hiding in a place like this meant that even if the Vast Sky Alliance seized the mine, they wouldn't easily find him, greatly increasing his chances of escape.

Aware of his predicament, Lu Ye had constantly sought an escape, but with Steward Yang unwilling to let him go, how could he leave?

"Then I'll stay with you. I won't leave," Lu Ye said, his back pressed against the rock wall, with nowhere left to retreat.

Steward Yang paused, seeming to consider it seriously, but quickly shook his head. "I don't have much food, and I don't know how long I'll need to hide here. While the Vast Sky Alliance won't stay long, it could still be a month or two. You'd starve to death long before then. So, as a thank you, I'll send you on your way!"

They were only about ten yards apart. As he finished speaking, Steward Yang struck out with a palm toward Lu Ye.

Although his cultivation level wasn't high, killing a mere mortal like Lu Ye would be effortless for him.

But to his utter surprise, the moment he made his move, Lu Ye charged forward with his pickaxe, bringing it down fiercely towards his head.

Lu Ye's ferocity and decisiveness surprised Steward Yang, but only for a moment...

However, what happened next terrified him to his core.

He suddenly found that the spiritual energy in his Spirit Apertures circulated sluggishly, as if some unknown force was binding it, allowing him to exert only a negligible trace.

The pickaxe swung down at him. It was too late for Steward Yang to retreat, so he could only raise the palm he had aimed at Lu Ye to block.

With a sharp crack, the pickaxe struck Steward Yang's arm squarely, breaking it.

Steward Yang couldn't help but shriek in pain and stumbled backward repeatedly.

With a successful blow, Lu Ye's tense heart relaxed. It seemed the rumors he had heard were true, and there was still a way out.

Pressing his advantage, he advanced relentlessly, his pickaxe swinging continuously, leaving Steward Yang almost no chance to retaliate.

Although Steward Yang was a cultivator from the Evil Moon Valley, his cultivation was not high, which was why he was assigned the minor post of managing the mine. He had rarely engaged in fierce combat throughout his life; when dealing with miners, he could easily overpower them with his cultivation. However, with his cultivation severely suppressed, he was only marginally stronger than an ordinary mortal. Facing someone as ruthless as Lu Ye, he was immediately overwhelmed and disoriented.

Dodging Lu Ye's fierce attacks, he reached into the fabric pouch at his waist. Then, with a flick of his wrist, a cold glint appeared.

Lu Ye was startled and quickly halted his advance, raising his pickaxe to block.

The cold glint sliced through the tip of his pickaxe, cutting the finely forged iron tool in half.

Lu Ye stared intently at Steward Yang's hand, realizing that he had, at some point, drawn a long sword! He had pulled it from his waist pouch.

Steward Yang fiercely swung the sword in his hand, deterring Lu Ye from approaching carelessly.

The situation immediately became a stalemate. In the deepest part of the mine, a mortal and a cultivator faced off. The former had a resolute expression, while the latter looked disheveled, his face contorted in severe pain.

"Magneto-force field?" Steward Yang gritted his teeth and muttered. In just a short while, he had figured out why his spiritual energy was suppressed.

This place was rich in magnetostatic ore!

Magnetostatic ore was a very rare mineral. In terms of value, it was unparalleled in this mine. This ore was highly useful to some cultivators.

However, magnetostatic ore had a unique property: it emitted an invisible, intangible force field that restricted the flow of all spiritual energy within its range.

Once a cultivator was within this force field, their strength would be greatly diminished.

Steward Yang's cultivation was limited. Enveloped by this magneto-force field, his spiritual energy was almost completely suppressed, instantly transforming him from a superior cultivator into an ordinary mortal.

He suddenly remembered that throughout the past year, Lu Ye had indeed occasionally mined some magnetostatic ore. However, others also mined it, albeit in small quantities, so he hadn't paid much attention, as the mine contained various minerals.

But now, it seemed Lu Ye had always known the locations of large quantities of magnetostatic ore, yet he hadn't extensively mined them for contribution points. He had only occasionally extracted a few pieces to avoid attracting attention, truly a deeply cunning individual.

"You schemed against me?" Steward Yang was almost mad. By this point, he fully understood that Lu Ye had deliberately led him here.

The mortal, whom he had assumed he held absolute power over, had now bared his fangs. Steward Yang was furious, but with one arm broken and multiple injuries, and in an environment where he couldn't use his cultivation, he truly was no match for Lu Ye.

So, he made a decisive move and turned to flee.

Seeing this, Lu Ye immediately felt a sense of dread.

He only had a partial understanding of the magneto-force field. When he first handed in magnetostatic ore, he had heard a cultivator from Evil Moon Valley mention its properties, so he kept it in mind.

Having personally witnessed Steward Yang brutally kill the miners they encountered on the way, he knew this journey would likely end badly, which was why he brought Steward Yang here. Before he broke Steward Yang's arm, he wasn't certain if the magneto-force field here could indeed limit Steward Yang's strength.

Fortunately, providence was on his side; the magneto-force field indeed severely hampered Steward Yang.

However, the range of the magneto-force field was limited. If Steward Yang managed to escape its confines, Lu Ye would surely die.

Steward Yang absolutely could not be allowed to escape!

Lu Ye's resolve hardened. He bent down, picked up a fist-sized stone, and hurled it fiercely at Steward Yang.

Steward Yang, fleeing in disarray, had not anticipated such a sneaky move from Lu Ye. Struck in the back of the head, he stumbled and fell to the ground.

Before he could even get up, the whistling sound of air reached his ears. Steward Yang hastily rolled over, just as Lu Ye rushed closer, swinging the remaining half of his pickaxe.

There was no way to dodge this time!

Between life and death, Steward Yang yelled, "Let's die together!"

He thrust the long sword in his hand forward fiercely!

The next moment, his head was smashed by the pickaxe. Still uneasy, Lu Ye struck a few more times. Watching the twitching figure before him, he finally confirmed that the man was beyond saving.

Intense pain shot from his thigh. He looked down to see a long sword embedded in his leg—it was Steward Yang's weapon.

He had been stabbed without even realizing it! He hadn't felt a thing until now.

Dropping the pickaxe, Lu Ye slumped onto the ground, panting heavily, savoring the preciousness of life.