Chapter 208: Spirit Stone Mine

However, soon, several Qi Refinement cultivators burrowed into the ground and disappeared.

Wang Changsheng and the two others exchanged glances and quickly walked towards the cave.

The cave was large, with rough, pitted walls on both sides showing clear signs of excavation.

They walked quickly, and soon Wang Changsheng stopped. Dozens of passages appeared before them. Wang Changsheng sensed the presence of dozens of Qi Refinement cultivators and hundreds of mortals.

The rough walls on both sides of the passages faintly revealed colorful spiritual light, as if from some kind of ore.

"Let's split up and be careful."

Wang Changsheng quickly walked down one of the passages. Soon, a large grotto, dozens of zhang wide, appeared before him. Colorful ores were embedded in its walls. Three Qi Refinement cultivators stood hand in hand, their bodies emitting a dazzling yellow light.

The spiritual energy in the grotto was much richer than outside, though it was unclear if this was related to the ores they were mining.

Seeing Wang Changsheng, the three were filled with terror. A tall middle-aged man shouted, "You two, go quickly! I'll hold him off."

He reached for his storage pouch at his waist and pulled out a shimmering silver talisman. However, before he could deploy it, a Blue Moon Needle pierced his wrist. In agony, his grip loosened, and the silver talisman fell to the ground.

Another Blue Moon Needle pierced a man in a yellow robe, who was radiating bright yellow light. As the yellow-robed man died, the yellow light around the other blue-robed youth dissipated.

Clearly, they could not use earth-burrowing techniques, nor did they possess any escape talismans.

"Who are you? What are you doing here?" Wang Changsheng asked coldly. These people were likely mining, but their origin was unknown to him.

The middle-aged man did not answer Wang Changsheng's question but charged at him with a desperate resolve.

Wang Changsheng summoned a Golden Light Sword, effortlessly beheading the man. The blue-robed youth then summoned two green short swords and slashed them at Wang Changsheng.

The outcome was obvious: the Golden Light Sword easily severed both green short swords and, incidentally, the blue-robed youth's left arm.

The blue-robed youth let out a pained shriek, his face turning pale.

"Speak, who are you?" Wang Changsheng's voice grew heavier, with the Golden Light Sword hovering above the blue-robed youth's head.

Without a word, the blue-robed youth charged at Wang Changsheng again, seemingly seeking death.

Wang Changsheng frowned slightly, flicked a finger, and a Blue Moon Needle shot out, piercing the blue-robed youth's head. The youth collapsed to the ground.

Wang Changsheng quickly approached the rock wall and used his Golden Light Sword to cleave off a piece of blue ore.

"This is raw spirit stone ore!"

Wang Changsheng was stunned at first, his breathing quickening.

He carefully examined it and confirmed that the stones embedded in the wall were indeed raw spirit stone ore. There was actually a spirit stone mine here; only the reserves were unknown.

Just then, a huge explosion echoed.

Wang Changsheng's heart jolted. He quickly picked up the silver talisman from the ground, took the storage pouches from the three men, and hurried out.

Not long after, Wang Changsheng arrived at a grotto over a hundred zhang wide. Wang Mingjiang was speaking with Wang Changxue. Several Qi Refinement cultivators lay on the ground, two were bound by golden ropes, and more than a dozen mortals huddled in a corner, their faces filled with terror.

Wang Mingjiang cast a sound-insulating barrier, enclosing the three of them.

"Changsheng, there's actually a spirit stone mine here! Unfortunately, several Qi Refinement cultivators and some mortals escaped."

"Uncle Twenty-One, who are these people? Did you find out? I encountered three Qi Refinement cultivators, but they were unafraid of death."

"Yes, I did. They are disciples of the Li family from Poison Scorpion Mountain in Shu. They've been mining here for over half a year."

Wang Changsheng frowned slightly. If no one had escaped, the Wang family would certainly have secretly occupied and mined this spirit stone mine. However, with multiple people escaping and being disciples of a cultivation family from Shu, the Wang family alone could not monopolize this spirit stone mine.

After some thought, he asked Wang Changxue, "Second Sister, do you know Elder Guang's whereabouts? Is there any way to meet him?"

"Martial Uncle Guang's movements are erratic; I don't know his whereabouts. However, I can return to the Hundred Spirits Sect and ask Senior Brother Sect Master. Why? Ninth Brother, are you planning to offer this spirit stone mine to the sect?"

"Yes, there's no other way. The news has leaked. One Foundation Establishment cultivator and several Qi Refinement cultivators escaped. Even if no one had escaped, the Li family knows about this spirit stone mine's existence. If they can't defeat us, they can seek help from a cultivation sect in Shu, and we are no match for a cultivation sect."

Wang Changsheng also wanted to occupy this spirit stone mine, but it was discovered by the Li family, a cultivation family from Shu. The Wang family couldn't contend with the Li family. The best course of action was to present this spirit stone mine to the Hundred Spirits Sect in exchange for cultivation resources.

The Li family had set up defensive formations precisely because they feared the news leaking. If Wang Changsheng were the Li family patriarch and learned that outsiders had discovered the spirit stone mine, his first action would undoubtedly be to inform a cultivation sect in Shu. After all, the spirit stone mine was located at the border of three states, and if the news spread, a mere cultivation family could not monopolize it.

"Changsheng is right," Wang Mingjiang affirmed. "If the Li family learns that outsiders discovered the spirit stone mine, they will surely notify a cultivation sect in Shu. We shouldn't delay; let's head to the Hundred Spirits Sect immediately. Changxue, you should report this. It will also benefit your future development."

Outside the mine, Wang Changsheng summoned his Azure Lotus Boat, carrying the two Qi Refinement cultivators and more than a dozen mortals, and headed directly for the Hundred Spirits Sect.

***

Shu State, Poison Scorpion Mountain.

Poison Scorpion Mountain was the Li family's ancestral home, known for its expertise in taming various poisonous scorpions.

Li Zhiyuan was the most powerful cultivator in the Li family, with a cultivation base at the fifth level of Foundation Establishment.

As the guardian of the Li family, no one dared to disturb his cultivation on ordinary days.

One day, Li Hengshan, the Li family patriarch, frantically knocked on the door of Li Zhiyuan's closed-door cultivation chamber, shouting in a panic, "Seventh Uncle, something terrible has happened! Something's wrong at the spirit stone mine! Aunt Six and Uncle Eight are both dead, and only Third Uncle managed to escape."

Soon, the door opened, and Li Zhiyuan stepped out, his gaze dark.

Li Hengshan was filled with panic. Beside him stood a dignified-looking old man in a white robe.

"What happened? Didn't we set up two sets of high-grade Tier 2 formations at the spirit stone mine? How could something go wrong?"

"Seventh Brother, this is what happened: three Foundation Establishment cultivators accidentally discovered and attacked the formations. Aunt Six, Uncle Eight, and I operated the formations to eliminate them. Who knew they possessed talisman treasures? They broke through our formations. If I hadn't run fast enough, I would have been left there too."

The white-robed elder's face was filled with sorrow. The situation at the time was extremely perilous, and he couldn't even attend to his two clansmen.

Li Zhiyuan's brows furrowed. After a long moment of contemplation, he let out a sigh and ordered, "Since the news has leaked, report it to the Poison Gu Sect. Tell them we discovered a medium-sized spirit stone mine. By presenting them with a medium-sized spirit stone mine, we should at least receive two Foundation Establishment Pills."

"Report to the Poison Gu Sect? But this is a medium-sized spirit stone mine, Seventh Brother. Why don't we gather our forces and go back? We can reclaim that spirit stone mine." The white-robed elder hesitated. A medium-sized spirit stone mine was incredibly valuable; they could even cultivate a Core Formation cultivator with it. Giving it to the Poison Gu Sect made him feel somewhat reluctant.

"Go back and fight? What if the other party is a disciple of a cultivation sect? No matter how strong our Li family is, we can't contend with a cultivation sect. Besides, we've already mined for over half a year and earned a considerable amount. It's just a shame that Aunt Six and Uncle Eight died. We mustn't delay; let's depart immediately and report to the Poison Gu Sect. We must strive to minimize our losses. Aunt Six and Uncle Eight must not have died in vain."