The excavation of the Cloudy Mountain Swamp's Flame Gold Mine was still ongoing. The Golden Sun Sect was still recruiting cultivators. Although the benefits offered did not increase, the conditions were facilitated. As long as they signed a contract, they could pay additional spirit stones in advance for several years. However, they would need half a year to collect them from the market's Deacon Hall.
This was extremely tempting for cultivators who were in dire need of spirit stones.
Although Shen Ping did not pay attention to it, he had occasionally heard Shopkeeper Chen mention it. It was said that many of the lower levels in the vicinity of Red Willow Alley, and even the middle-stage Qi Refinement realm, had signed up.
Mining was very tiring. However, it was much more stable than the precarious days of fighting. More importantly, they had a reliable income. If he had not activated the golden finger, he might very well be a member of the flying ship now.
"Life isn't easy." The flying ship stopped at the edge, and a large number of cultivators filed out. Looking at these exhausted cultivators, whose eyes gradually revealed a hint of numbness, Shen Ping could not help but sigh softly.
No matter what kind of bottom-level person it was, without special encounters, it was very difficult to have a chance to make a comeback.
"Fellow Daoist, do you want some pills?" The vendor took the opportunity to say.
Shen Ping threw out spirit stones. "Give me a bottle of Spirit Concentration Pills."
"Sure."
After the transaction was done, just as he was about to turn around and return to Yunhe Alley, he suddenly saw a familiar figure from the corner of his eye. It was mixed in with a large number of mining cultivators. His heart skipped a beat as he seemed to understand.
He took a deep breath. He turned and walked away quickly. When he returned to the small courtyard, the sky darkened. His wife and concubine had prepared a sumptuous meal and were waiting. They quickly finished their meal.
Shen Ping went to the quiet room to meditate until midnight. Then, he went straight downstairs and stood at the door of the room with his eyes closed, waiting. As time passed, his thoughts gradually fluctuated.
Previously, he had felt that something was wrong with Fellow Daoist Yu. Now, it seemed that there was indeed a problem. Otherwise, with her strength, how could she have gone to mine?
Although mining was stable, once too much time passed and the energy of the ore vein seeped into one's meridians, they would no longer have any hope of building their foundation in this life. It was normal for low-level cultivators to choose to mine if they didn't see any hope.
However, Yu Yan was at the fifth level of Qi Refinement and her cultivation was solid. If she continued to improve, she might have a chance in the future.
As these thoughts flew through his mind, footsteps sounded outside. Then, the door was gently pushed open.
When she saw Shen Ping, Yu Yan's eyes under the mask trembled slightly. She turned around and closed the door. She chuckled and said, "Fellow Daoist Shen, don't tell me you're waiting for me again. Qi Refinement Level-5. Tsk tsk, you're indeed bold." As she spoke, she walked towards the main room.
Unexpectedly, Shen Ping stopped Yu Yan. He did not ask why she was mining. Instead, he stretched out his hand and prepared to remove the mask on her face.
"Fellow Daoist Shen, please respect yourself!" Yu Yan stepped aside a step in advance. Her voice turned slightly cold as she quickly walked into the room.
Just as the door was about to close, Shen Ping slowly said, "Fellow Daoist Yu, you're preparing to leave Yunhe Alley after returning the spirit stones, right?"
Yu Yan's body trembled slightly. She glanced at Shen Ping. "It doesn't seem to be Fellow Daoist Shen's place to worry about what I do. If you have the time, you should accompany your wife and concubine."
"Mining in the Cloud Mountain Swamp is cutting yourself from building a foundation!"
Hearing this, Yu Yan was stunned on the spot. After a long while, she sighed faintly. "I don't have any hope of building my foundation anymore. Fellow Daoist Shen, don't waste your time on me."
As she spoke, she took off her mask. Black spider web-like veins appeared on half of her face. These veins seemed to be alive and were slowly squirming.
Shen Ping's expression changed drastically. "This, this is…"
"Black-striped Venomous Worm. Any cultivator who comes into contact with it will gradually be devoured of blood essence and spiritual energy. With my cultivation and the degree of contamination, I can last at most half a year."
Yu Yan put on her mask again and walked up to Shen Ping with a smile. "Fellow Daoist Shen, are you sure you still want to take me as your concubine? If the Black-striped Venomous Worm enters your body, the stable life you've worked so hard for will be ruined. Without protection, your wife and concubine might end up in a more miserable state than you and I. Do you want to enjoy a night of pleasure, or do you want to build a foundation and live forever?"
Towards the end, Yu Yan was as cold as ice. She turned around without hesitation and closed the door. "Fellow Daoist Shen, don't choose. You can stay up a little longer tonight." The voice from behind the door echoed in the building.
Shen Ping was silent.
Black-striped Venomous Worm. It was a very special demonic beast in Cloud Mountain Swamp. Its toxicity was not strong, but it was very difficult to deal with. The high-rank Level 1 Poison Dispelling Pill could only suppress it, but it could not completely eliminate it.
He thought of the auction at the True Treasure Pavilion. Every month, there would be rare treasures in the auction.
And there were many poisonous demonic beasts in the Cloud Mountain Swamp. No one could guarantee that no accidents would happen to them. Therefore, just like the high-ranked Poison Dispelling Pill, as long as it was an item used to dispel poison in the auction, regardless of whether it was a medicinal pill or anything else, it would be fought over the moment it appeared.
"Purple Jade Blood Vine Root, White Whisker Tree Ginseng." Any one of them could eliminate the Black-striped Venomous Worm in Yu Yan's body.
In Yu Yan's eyes, it was a situation of certain death. However, when one's status and connections were raised to a certain level, the so-called certain death was only because they did not have enough spirit stones.
He didn't say anything else. Shen Ping took out a bottle of high-rank Poison Dispelling Pills from his storage bag and placed it at the door.
Once bitten, twice shy.
He had enjoyed the taste of suppressing the venom day and night. So he had always kept this Poison Dispelling Pill as a backup. As for whether it was worth auctioning the more expensive Purple Jade Blood Vine Root and White Whisker Tree Ginseng for Yu Yan, he did not consider it.
If he encountered it at an auction and had abundant spirit stones, he would definitely buy it. Even if it was not for Yu Yan, he could keep it as a backup. If he could not buy it before Yu Yan could completely suppress the poison, he could only let nature take its course.
Just like in Red Willow Alley, if he encountered a high-level robber cultivator, Yu Yan would not risk her life for her old neighbor. This had nothing to do with indifference.
It's just a kind of life.
…
The next day, the wooden building was filled with the fragrance of flower petals. After Yu Yan finished bathing comfortably, she recalled what happened last night and could not help but laugh at herself.
She looked up at the wooden planks of the roof. There were no static notes stuck on them. "I wonder how much longer I can listen."
She put on her mask and opened the door. She immediately noticed the bottle of Poison Dispelling Pills that Shen Ping had placed at the door. She picked it up and sniffed it. "High-ranked Poison Dispelling Pill."
Yu Yan was stunned and stood rooted to the ground for a long time. Until she heard footsteps upstairs she smiled and shook the jade bottle. "Fellow Daoist Shen, thank you. However, I can't afford it this time. Don't expect me to dig for a few more days. I'm exhausted."
Shen Ping looked at Yu Yan's departing figure and couldn't help but laugh. He turned around, had his meal, made his talismans, and cultivated. Life became dull again. However, in the following month, he resumed his plan to go to the True Treasure Pavilion's auction. In the blink of an eye, it was the end of March.
On this day, dozens of large flying ships sailed over from the sky and floated in the air above the market.
Whoosh.
For the first time in more than 20 years, the city square's array formation restriction was activated.