Chapter 35. Four Phases Array Plate
Cui Xiangming was secretly surprised. This young man in front of him could actually produce five thousand spirit stones in a flash, which was even stronger than him, the master of the Treasure Light Pavilion!
Who was this disciple, and which sect did he belong to? With such substantial wealth during the Qi Refining phase, it was truly unimaginable!
Cui Xiangming gave a bitter smile and said, "It's beyond my expectations that you can take out so many spirit stones, my friend. We the Treasure Light Pavilion would really like to do this business with you, but the method to make the Purple Thunder Pearl is not in our possession. I'm really sorry but I can't provide it for you."
Shu Han scrutinized Cui Xiangming's expression and felt that he was not lying, so he could only regret it a little in his heart.
"However, seeing that you are not short of spirit stones, I happen to have a treasure here that you might be interested in!"
Cui Xiangming took out a compass the size of a face basin from his storage bag.
"This is the Four Phases Array Plate, not a magic tool, but a formation treasure!"
Shu Han raised an eyebrow. He had read many things about magic tools and magic treasures in the "Bai Family Artifact Refining Manual", but this was the first time he had heard of formation treasures. He couldn't help asking, "I beg your pardon for my shallow knowledge, but what is a formation treasure?"
Cui Xiangming explained, "It's no wonder you don't know, these formation treasures are rarely heard of in our cultivation world. They are the pattern transformation of a magic treasure belonging to a Foundation Establishment stage cultivator by a formation master and are called formation treasures. With a formation treasure, users do not need the cultivation level of the Foundation Establishment stage to exert the original power of the magic treasure!"
To have the power of a magic treasure!
Shu Han was greatly surprised. The biggest difference between the Foundation Establishment stage and the Qi Refining stage was the magic treasure itself.
Foundation Establishment stage cultivators could use powerful magic treasures, while Qi Refining stage cultivators could only use magic tools.
Back in the day when he fought against the old ghost Mystical Dragon, he was almost killed by the old ghost's life-bound magic treasure, the Blood Soul Sword, despite having exhausted all his means.
"Why are such good things rarely seen in the cultivation world?"
Cui Xiangming laughed, "The creation of a formation treasure requires the consumption of a magic treasure and its power is slightly reduced. Furthermore, it has a limit on the number of uses. In addition, the operation of a formation treasure must be paid for with a large amount of spirit stones, which is like chicken ribs for a Foundation Establishment stage cultivator. Only disciples of large sects will make such things for future generations to defend themselves."
Looking at the Four Phases Array Plate, Shu Han was itching inside. However, he still asked calmly, "Such a rare treasure must be very expensive. I would like to have it, but I may have to go back to the sect and ask my master."
Cui Xiangming shook his head, "I won't hide it from you, if it were a complete Four Phases Array Plate, your five thousand spirit stones wouldn't be enough. However, this one has been used multiple times and the remaining number of activations is not many, so if you are willing, I will part with it reluctantly, along with these top-grade magic tools to you."
Looking at Cui Xiangming's expression, there wasn't the slightest sign of reluctance, instead, he seemed eager to sell.
Shu Han asked, "Senior has not told me the effect of this formation treasure yet, and... that is, how many spirit stones it would consume?"
Hearing Shu Han's last question, Cui Xiangming chuckled awkwardly.
"The Four Phases Array Plate, when fully activated, can summon the four phases array pattern, overwhelming, heavy as a mountain! But because it consumes a number of uses and spirit stones, we at the Treasure Light Pavilion have never tested it, so the specific power is unknown. Moreover, the consumption of spirit stones by this Four Phases Array Plate is quite substantial. Activating all its power requires the consumption of four medium-grade spirit stones at once."
Four medium-grade spirit stones?
"Deal! Five thousand spirit stones, I'll take these five treasures!"
Seeing that Shu Han didn't hesitate and directly took it, Cui Xiangming couldn't help but be surprised, "Are you sure, my friend?"
Whoosh!
Shu Han waved his hand, and more than a dozen bags of spirit stones flew out from the storage bag, immediately filling the entire secret room with spiritual energy.
Shu Han tapped on the table and said, "Would you like to count the spirit stones, senior?"
Cui Xiangming was overjoyed, "No need! I trust you, my friend. Please take these five treasures!"
Shu Han didn't stand on ceremony, directly taking the five treasures on the table.
"Senior, I don't have many medium-grade spirit stones left, I still have more than a thousand low-grade spirit stones, can I ask Senior to exchange them for medium-grade spirit stones for me?"
More than a thousand spirit stones left?
Cui Xiangming laughed, "Sure! On the market, two hundred low-grade spirit stones are usually exchanged for one medium-grade. One thousand low-grade should be five medium-grade. But since you're so generous, I, as your senior, can't be stingy. I'll round it up to two usage amounts, eight medium-grade for you!"
"Thank you very much, senior!" Shu Han thanked him with a bow, then said, "Actually, I have two more requests!"
"Please tell me, my friend!"
Shu Han said, "Have you heard of Blood Sea Ginseng and Evil Light Flower, senior? If the Treasure Light Pavilion has them, I would like to purchase one or two for research."
Cui Xiangming pondered for a moment, "These two spirit medicines are indeed rare, I don't recall the Treasure Light Pavilion having them in stock. But since you are interested, I will arrange for someone to search the market. We should be able to gather them for you within a month."
"Thank you very much, senior. There is one more thing, I was targeted by someone with ill intentions at the Green Stone Gathering. They might take action after I leave the gathering. I'm not afraid of them, but I don't want to unnecessarily consume the treasures I have because of them. Could senior..."
Cui Xiangming huffed in anger, "Someone dares to despise the rules of the Green Stone Gathering, it must be those Qi Refining period insignificance! Don't worry, you are a distinguished guest of my Treasure Light Pavilion, I won't stand by and watch!"
....
After Shu Han left the Treasure Light Pavilion, the feeling of being watched by others still existed. He casually strolled around the market and came to the exit of the Green Stone Gathering.
At this moment, an Eight Trigrams pattern was spinning in front of him, and in the blur, Shu Han chose the Qian trigram.
At the corner of the Qing Shi gathering, Chen Yuehua's eyes glowed green, and her gaze pierced through the mist.
"Qian trigram!"
Chen Yuehua laughed, "Wait a moment, I'll go out first to follow him. When he gets to a deserted place, I'll send out a signal, and Brother Wang, you bring people to follow immediately! By then, we will all attack at once, this person is rich and bold, surely he has many magic treasures on him. Don't give him a chance to fight back."
The bald man laughed, "What's there to be afraid of, with more than ten of us, a spit from each of us could drown him! Little lady, remember our deal, I get seventy percent, you get thirty. Don't try any tricks!"
"Brother Wang is joking, how dare I play tricks on you guys?"
Having said that, Chen Yuehua walked into the array. When she came to the exit of the Qian trigram, she immediately took out a red bird from her sleeve.
"Good bird, go!"
After releasing the bird, she activated the Clear Bright Spiritual Eye, easily spotting the traces of Shu Han's passage. She followed these traces, eventually reaching a deep forest following Shu Han's footprints.
She looked carefully but found Shu Han sitting in a clearing in the forest, seeming to be meditating and adjusting his breath. She wondered, "Why is this kid meditating here? After revealing a huge amount of spirit stones at the Green Stone Gathering, he dares to stay nearby, he must be tired of living!"
But then Shu Han lazily called out, "Miss Chen, stop hiding and peeking from afar. If you have anything to say, let's talk face-to-face!"
Chen Yuehua's body shuddered, and she immediately felt that something was wrong. She formed a seal with her left hand, and a fireball shot into the sky. Then she felt a strange wind blowing through the forest, and when she turned her head back in surprise, she found that Shu Han had disappeared from his original spot!
"Miss Chen seems graceful and pretty, but her heart is so wicked, it's really a pity!"
A chill ran down Chen Yuehua's back.
Chapter 36. The Real Orioles
With the martial arts move "Cloud Walking Step" and the top-grade magic tool "Flowing Boots" he just put on, Shu Han didn't need to use any magic, and in the blink of an eye, he circled behind Chen Yuehua.
Chen Yuehua felt someone behind her, and her entire body was covered in goosebumps. However, she still suppressed her shock and calmly said, "Fellow Daoist, please don't misunderstand. I just happened to pass by here, and what harm could I, a weak woman, do?"
Shu Han laughed, "You've been following me since the Green Stone gathering, and you say you have no ill intentions?"
Chen Yuehua's phoenix eyes raised, her voice turning cold, "How do you know? My Clear Bright Spiritual Eye technique can't possibly be detected by a twelfth level!"
"Since I was a child, my master taught me the art of alchemy and tool making, my spiritual sense is far beyond ordinary people."
"Heh, fellow Daoist, you really are extraordinary! We don't know each other until we fight. How about we make friends? I'll give you the Clear Bright Spiritual Eye technique for free. What do you think?"
Shu Han shook his head and sighed, "Stop wasting time. Your backup won't come!"
Chen Yuehua was chilled by Shu Han's confident words and couldn't help but ask, "Why are you so sure that my backup won't come?"
Shu Han shushed her, "Don't talk, listen!"
Chen Yuehua strained her ears to listen, and at this moment, a fast-breaking sound came from afar, followed by a loud laugh.
"Young friend, those who came to assassinate you have been stopped by me. However, after some questioning, they were just being used, not deserving of death. Considering their hard-earned cultivation, I gave them some lessons and let them go. Are you satisfied with this arrangement?"
Chen Yuehua looked at the cultivator who was flying in and her heart sank.
"Cui Xiangming of Treasure Light Pavilion!"
She turned her unbelieving gaze to the smiling Shu Han.
"You can even invite a Foundation Establishment cultivator!"
Cui Xiangming flew over Shu Han, and seeing Chen Yuehua, he huffed in anger, "Witch, I knew you were no good! Step aside, young friend, and let me bring her to justice here and now!"
However, Shu Han was politely dissuading him, "Thank you for your help, senior. But there's no need for you to take action against this woman, I'll handle her myself."
Cui Xiangming looked at Shu Han with a somewhat strange gaze.
"Young friend, if you have this intention, I don't want to spoil your mood. However, I must warn you, this witch is not ordinary. Be careful not to be backfired by her."
After saying that, Cui Xiangming turned into a streak of light and left the forest.
Seeing Cui Xiangming leave, Chen Yuehua couldn't help but let out a sigh of relief. Instead, she smiled, her Clear Bright Spiritual Eye looking affectionately at Shu Han. She directly wrapped her jade arm around his neck and leaned towards Shu Han, her mouth emitting an orchid fragrance.
Shu Han immediately circulated his magical power to expel the scent.
"Since the gentleman was willing to save me from Cui Xiangming, I have no way to repay you. How about letting me repay you with passionate nights?" After saying this, her eyes filled with seduction, she opened her red lips and was about to kiss Shu Han. But in an instant, a golden light flashed beside Shu Han, and the sharp blade of the Heavenly Quadrant Sword pointed at Chen Yuehua's temple from the side.
The sharp sword light caused a severe headache for Chen Yuehua.
"I advise you to stay a little further from me. My flying swords have no eyes!"
Chen Yuehua slowly moved away from Shu Han's body, still smiling seductively, "You are too serious, sir. If you don't want me, why did you save me?"
"I want something, you know."
"You're still obsessed with the formula for my potion, aren't you?" Chen Yuehua pondered for a moment, "How about this? It's been a long time since I've had any fun, and seeing you makes my heart itch. If you're willing to spend a passionate moment with me in this secluded forest, I will hand over the formula to you intact. What do you think, sir?" After saying that, she took off her clothes, and her half-naked body was directly exposed to Shu Han.
Even though Shu Han's heart was as cold as iron, the sudden sight of Chen Yuehua's fair and delicate body and the charming scent in his nostrils made his mind go blank. After all, he was only twenty this year, and his blood was full of vigor.
Shu Han's breath became chaotic, "You... you really have no shame, to make such a lascivious request..." But suddenly, Shu Han realized that something was wrong. Chen Yuehua's shameless behavior must have a purpose. Immediately afterward, his spiritual sense was in severe pain, feeling deadly threats from both sides.
Honey-trap!
Eight-Color Divine Light!
Without a second thought, he poured his magic power into the Eight Treasures Kirin Armor he was wearing, and the eight-color divine light came out from his body.
Boom!
Even with the protection of the Eight-Color Divine Light, Shu Han felt a tightness in his chest, as if the pressure of the mountains and the sea was coming from both sides. He looked to the left and right.
A giant axe was chopping from the left, and a long spear was stabbing from the right. Both were top-grade magic tools!
The giant axe was wrapped in lightning, and with a thunderous sound, an explosion burst open on Shu Han's left.
The Eight-Color Divine Light was shattered. Shu Han felt a sweetness in his throat and was sent flying backward, breaking several big trees before stopping. However, he was not given any time to react, the long spear was tearing through the air, transforming into a green dragon, irresistibly sharp.
Immediately, Shu Han fully stimulated the Eight Treasures Kirin Armor, and the divine light shone brightly!
The green dragon transformed by the long spear swayed its head and tail and burrowed into the Eight-Color Divine Light, like drilling into a mud pit, slowly piercing towards Shu Han's chest!
Shu Han was shocked. This Eight Treasures Kirin Armor was fully capable of blocking the general attack of a Foundation Establishment early-stage cultivator, yet this green dragon spear was slowly breaking the Eight-Color Divine Light!
Indeed, it was a top-grade magic tool!
At this time, the giant axe was not idle either, and it chopped horizontally toward Shu Han, seemingly intending to break the divine light together with the long spear.
There was no other way!
Shu Han took out the Extreme Cold Mystical Iron Shield for self-protection from his storage bag. This shield rapidly enlarged in front of him to meet the onslaught of the giant axe and the long spear.
Boom!
Shu Han's body vibrated with magical power, and he was sent flying together with the shield. However, he seized this opportunity, and the cold light reflected from the Extreme Cold Mystical Iron Shield, attacking towards the enemy.
With the divine light protecting him and holding the Extreme Cold Xuan Iron Shield, Shu Han finally found an opening to stabilize his footing. He looked coldly, at this moment Chen Yuehua had already dressed, and a fiery red bird landed on her shoulder. Then, two men, one left and one right, walked towards her. Their strong spiritual pressure made Shu Han frown. Both of these men were at the peak of the 12th layer of Qi Refining!
"Brother Qiu, Brother Qiao! How come you didn't kill this kid in one shot?"
Chen Yuehua was quite dissatisfied.
Qiu Changchun held the long spear, his gaze sharp as a drill, warningly said, "Yuehua, don't underestimate this person! Two top-grade defensive magic tools protect him. Brother Qiao and I were all blocked by him. But don't worry, Cui Xiangming is far away. He can't possibly survive today!"
Looking at the two men's stance, Shu Han instantly understood. It was the mantis stalking the cicada, unaware of the oriole behind. He was seen as the cicada, and those who were first attracted by Chen Yuehua to help were the mantis. The real orioles were these two Qi Refining twelfth layer experts!
Chen Yuehua wanted to eat him and that group of people all in one bite! Such a vicious woman!
Shu Han finally saw it clearly, in the cultivation world, both men and women were not easy to provoke.
Qiao Xiangrong shouted, "Yuehua, you should also take action later, let's three take him down together quickly! With the two top-grade defensive magic tools, we all have a chance of reaching Foundation Establishment in the future!"
Chen Yuehua sneered, "Alright then, I'll make an exception this time. I want to personally slay this stubborn kid."
Shu Han took a deep breath, released his tight nerves, and laughed, "Three against one, it's not fair! Let me find two helpers as well."
Chen Yuehua was startled, "You have helpers too?"
Shu Han formed seals with both hands, and his profound magical power began to divide!
"Triple Rotation Avatar Technique! Out!"
He swung his arm, and two avatars manifested from the main body.
Chapter 37. Hard to Get Off Once Riding a Tiger
Seeing Shu Han split into three with his avatar technique, Chen Yuehua showed a contemptuous look and sneered, "You're really foolish to think you can make up for the difference in numbers with the Avatar Technique. Don't you know that using the Avatar Technique will dissipate your magical power and decrease your cultivation base? If you didn't use the Avatar Technique, you might still be able to fight with us for a while... Brother Qiu, why are you pushing me?"
Qiu Changchun swallowed, pointed at Shu Han, and said in shock, "No, Yuehua, look, this kid's cultivation base hasn't dropped!"
"What?!"
Chen Yuehua didn't believe it, so she used her Clear Bright Spiritual Eye to check. She found that all three Shu Hans were indeed at the 12th layer of Qi Refining!
"How is that possible? How can he not decrease his cultivation base when he splits into three?"
One of Shu Han's avatars held the Extreme Cold Mystical Mystical Shield, while the other wore the Eight Treasures Kirin Armor and held a blood-red crooked little sword.
The main body was forming seals with his hands. The Heavenly Quadrant Sword Formation came out from his storage bag one after another, shining brightly and circling around him.
Chen Yuehua stared at the Heavenly Quadrant Sword Formation, her Clear Bright Spiritual Eyes almost popping out.
"A sword formation made up of four top-grade magic tools! Plus the two defensive magic tools from before, that's a total of six top-grade magic tools! What kind of background does this kid have?!"
Qiao Xiangrong was having second thoughts, and suggested, "This kid seems to be a tough nut to crack. Should we give up this time? He must be a disciple of some big sect."
Chen Yuehua immediately rebutted.
"What's there to be afraid of? Even if he has many top-grade magic tools, the three bodies share the same stream of magical power. Fighting the three of us and activating a bunch of top-grade magic tools, he'll surely run out of magical power quickly! After all the work we've done, are we going to be afraid of this one brat?"
Qiu retorted, "Didn't you say he has at least a thousand spirit stones? How could he run out of magical power?"
Chen Yuehua: ...
Shu Han looked at the three of them with fear and couldn't help but sneer, "Do you think you've seen all my cards and can still walk out of this dense forest unscathed? Don't be ridiculous, I like your top-grade magic tools, I won't be polite and take them!"
This is going too far! They have already decided not to rob him, but now he wants to rob them!?
Qiu Changchun and Qiao Xiangrong exchanged a glance. After many years of working together, they understood each other's intentions and attacked Shu Han from left and right.
The Green Dragon Spear plunged directly into the ground, the roaring green dragon detached from the spear, aiming at the Shu Han's avatar who held the Extreme Cold Mystical Iron Shield. The Thunderbolt Giant Axe on the side was thrown fiercely, and a thunderbolt fell from the sky. These two top-grade magic tools, one above and one below attacked Shu Han's avatar from tricky angles, aiming specifically at the gaps in the Extreme Cold Mystical Iron Shield.
Shu Han, using all his attention on his three bodies, defended against the Thunderbolt Giant Axe falling from the sky with his Extreme Cold Mystical Iron Shield avatar. Meanwhile, his other hand pulled out two Armor Protection Talismans to block the green dragon coming out from the ground.
His main body, holding the Heavenly Quadrant Sword Formation, charged directly toward Chen Yuehua.
Having witnessed Shu Han's incredible speed, Chen Yuehua urgently shouted, "Come back and protect me!"
The two men quickly retracted their power. Just as Shu Han's Heavenly Quadrant Sword Formation was about to reach Chen Yuehua, a green light suddenly appeared. Qiu Changchun threw his Green Dragon Spear directly in front of Chen Yuehua. Chen Yuehua seized this chance to breathe and released her magical power, surprisingly she was also at the 12th layer of Qi Refining.
She took out a long whip with a snake's head at one end. The snake's eyes were full of spiritual light, accurately tracking Shu Han's rapid movements.
The whip made a crisp sound as it cut through the air. This woman was no pushover; every lash was extremely accurate, and the power was astonishing.
The Heavenly Quadrant Sword Formation kept entangling with the Green Dragon Spear, which soon fell at a disadvantage.
"Old Qiao! Come and help, his sword formation is too powerful!"
Upon hearing this, Qiao Xiangrong stopped chasing Shu Han's avatar wearing the Eight Treasures Kirin Armor.
These three stood in a triangular formation, the Green Dragon Spear and Thunderbolt Giant Axe constantly swinging, emitting thunderbolts and reverberating green dragons, fighting evenly with Shu Han's Heavenly Quadrant Sword Formation.
Meanwhile, Chen Yuehua stood in the middle of the two, constantly lashing out with her whip. Luckily, Shu Han's two avatars blocked the attacks, forming a tight defensive wall, otherwise, he would be running around the forest.
It was clear that these three were not new to this kind of job; their cooperation was extremely tacit.
Divided they attacked with order, united they were unbreakable.
Suddenly, while Shu Han was searching for their weaknesses, he inadvertently caught sight of Chen Yuehua's eyes.
Chen Yuehua seized the opportunity, and her eyes suddenly emitted a brilliant light.
Seeing this light was like staring directly at the sun, Shu Han was instantly dazzled.
"Now!"
Qiao Xiangrong and Qiu Changchun understood each other, their two top-grade magic tools violently collided together. The mighty magical power radiated waves through the forest, and a thunder dragon emerged, its magical power far exceeding the level of their separate attacks!
In a rush, Shu Han immediately threw out ten Fire God Talismans, which collided with the thunder dragon.
Boom!
An astonishing explosion echoed through the forest.
The ten Fire God Talismans formed a hundred-foot-wide fireball. The dazzling flame made the sun in the sky seem dim. However, a thunder dragon tore through the fireball and charged directly at Shu Han.
Shu Han frowned, the ten Fire God Talismans couldn't stop this combined thunder dragon?
Though the thunder dragon's momentum was weakened, Shu Han didn't dare to be careless. His avatar worked hard to activate the Extreme Cold Mystical Iron Shield and blocked in front of him in an instant.
The thunder dragon slammed into the Extreme Cold Mystical Iron Shield, and Shu Han's avatar was blown away. However, when Shu Han thought this attack had been dissolved, a snake's head darted out from the dissipating figure of the thunder dragon.
It was Chen Yuehua's snake-headed whip!
"Triple Rotation Protective Shield!"
A dense shield covered his whole body, and the snake-headed whip struck it, surprisingly causing cracks to form in the shield. But at least it blocked the unavoidable whip.
However, the situation reversed; the snake's head suddenly opened, and a spiritual light shot out from its mouth. It was a venomous snake's fang! The snake fang stabbed through the broken part of the protective shield, heading straight for Shu Han's brow.
At this point, Shu Han had to admire the tacit cooperation between the three. A mix of reality and illusion, their deception was apparent. No wonder Chen Yuehua had the guts to set them up.
Just as the snake fang was about to pierce Shu Han's brow, Shu Han's body suddenly burst into a colorful treasured light, which directly froze the snake fang in place.
Seeing this, Chen Yuehua couldn't help but exclaim in disappointment, "How is it possible? Isn't the magic tool that emits the treasured light on his avatar?"
However, when she turned her head, that avatar had already dissipated and returned to the main body.
Shu Han's body trembled, and the avatar wearing the Eight Treasures Kirin Armor separated from the main body again.
All three of them were greatly taken aback.
"What kind of avatar technique is this?! He can actually divide it at will!"
Upon hearing their exclamations, Shu Han couldn't help but feel proud.
This Triple Rotation Avatar Technique is one of the top auxiliary spells in the Mystical Dragon Triple Rotation Divine Art. Not only does it maintain the same level of cultivation, but it also allows the avatar to enter and leave the body at will, changing endlessly and wonderfully. Ever since he got the full version years ago, he had been practicing every day, and this spell was already perfected.
"This kid is really not easy to deal with, look at him divide into three, also controlling six top-grade magic tools, and he still doesn't seem winded. We probably aren't a match for him, we better find a chance to retreat. While there are hills, we don't worry about firewood!"
Chen Yuehua also breathed a sigh of relief. Just now, she created an opportunity with her Clear Bright Spiritual Eye, and the three of them perfectly executed a combined attack, but they still couldn't shake Shu Han in the slightest.
"But it's not easy to retreat either. Once we scatter, he will surely break through each of us! By then, it will be difficult for even one of us to escape!"
Chapter 38. The Victor Is Justice
Shu Han watched as the trio whispered among themselves, unfazed by whatever stratagem they might be plotting. The current stalemate of their battle had been deliberately engineered by Shu Han himself. He sought to gauge his proficiency with the Triple Rotation Avatar Technique and to test his own combat prowess. Indeed, since his life-or-death duel with Master Mystical Dragon, he had not truly sparred with any other cultivators. If he had desired to swiftly end their lives, he could have summoned the Purple Thunder Pearl and the Four Phases Array Plate, against which their abilities would have been utterly ineffectual.
At this moment, Chen Yuehua seemed to have made her decision and stepped forward.
Shu Han had initially thought that they intended to shift their formation. However, he then heard Chen Yuehua loudly declare, "Fellow Daoist, if we continue this battle, it will only end in mutual defeat. We bear no life-or-death grudges against each other. Why not transform hostility into amity?"
Shu Han, perplexed, countered, "Mutual defeat? It appears you three haven't grasped the state of this battle. You are but trapped turtles in a jar. You have already exerted your utmost, whereas I have not even begun to exert myself! Spare me your nonsense. If you have any techniques, feel free to unleash them, and don't say I didn't give you a chance."
Chen Yuehua bit her lip, knowing that Shu Han's words were far from baseless. "What if I said I would give you the Clear Bright Spiritual Eye technique and its formula free of charge? Didn't you intervene in Cui Xiangming's attempt to save me just for this technique and its formula?"
"You're right. However, I dare not touch what you have given me. It is safer to take it from your corpse!"
At his words, both Qiu Changchun and Qiao Xiangrong were incensed, ready to fight to the death. Yet Chen Yuehua stopped them.
"The Daoist friend is jesting. This formula is the lifeblood of me. How could it possibly be in written form? Unless you can extract it from my memory, which, given your cultivation level, is surely impossible. Why not be straightforward? I won't resort to deceit, and you shouldn't harbor murderous intent. Cooperation benefits both, while struggle harms both."
Shu Han pondered, seemingly in deep thought.
Chen Yuehua internally chuckled, thinking men were always easy to appease. She could hand him a redacted formula and he wouldn't notice any discrepancies on the spot.
However, Shu Han's next words sent a chill down her spine.
"If anyone else had said that, I might have agreed. But a formula obtained from you? I would never trust it! However, if you are willing to give me those three magic tools you have and accompany me to verify the formula, I might consider sparing your lives."
"What! You're pushing too far!"
"Yuehua, why waste words on him? Let's fight to the end!"
However, Chen Yuehua's eyes revealed her inner struggle. She turned to the two men behind her and barked, "Enough! Shut up!"
Seeing Chen Yuehua enraged, the two men remained silent.
Chen Yuehua stepped forward, her eyes filled with sorrow.
"Can you make one more concession, Daoist friend?" Chen Yuehua implored. "I am willing to surrender myself to your disposal. However, you absolutely cannot take my brothers' magic tools. We siblings have made numerous enemies in the cultivation world. Without these superior magic tools, their lives hang by a thread. I beg for your magnanimity!"
Is this venomous woman truly willing to sacrifice herself for her brothers?
A glint of admiration flashed in Shu Han's eyes. However, this glimmer was subtly caught by Chen Yuehua, who had been looking down.
There's hope!
"The affection between you siblings is indeed praiseworthy," Shu Han conceded.
Chen Yuehua smiled bitterly, "When I was just a farm girl and entered a declining sect to cultivate, my two brothers took care of me. However, our master was a true devil, who took advantage of my youth and beauty, violating me night after night, to the point where I wished for death. Thankfully, my brothers pitied me, secretly eliminating that beast, giving me the courage to continue living. If today, my life can ensure their safe departure, I will be forever grateful! I will be your servant and hold no resentment."
"Yuehua! You…"
Chen Yuehua waved her hand to silence them. Tear-filled eyes pleadingly gazed at Shu Han, the very image of vulnerability.
Shu Han found himself moved by her heartfelt words, a struggle in his gaze. Eventually, he sighed, "Since Miss Yuehua has shared her story, allow me to share mine."
"As I journeyed to Great Cloud, I passed through a desolate desert. I was running out of magic power and water, ready to die in the sand, but fortunately, a young girl saved me. I was so grateful! After spending some time together, I learned she lived alone on the edge of the Great Cloud, gathering herbs, and often washing her face with tears. I later found out she had a talented brother who had gone to a gathering in Green Mountain Town and never returned. I heard that her brother was coveted for his treasures and murdered for them. The girl knew I was a powerful cultivator, so she begged me to find the murderer."
At this point, Chen Yuehua trembled.
"After coming to this vicinity of Green Mountain Town and making several inquiries, I found an eyewitness. The description of the murderer from the witness bears a striking resemblance to your two brothers! Presumably, they brutally killed the victim after stalking him?"
Shu Han challenged, "While I admire the love between you siblings and am inclined to let you go, how can I face that girl who saved my life?"
Chen Yuehua, panicked, blurted out, "Where is this girl? I am willing to use all my wealth to compensate her! I just beg you to spare me and my brothers!"
"Hahaha!" Shu Han burst into laughter, "I was kidding, none of this is true! I made it up!"
Chen Yuehua's face fell immediately.
"What do you mean by this, Daoist friend?"
Shu Han put away his smile and said seriously, "My point is, every word said here is just one side of the story. There is no truth or falsehood! You can tell a story to appeal to my compassion, and I can fabricate a plot to justify my actions! But the only truth here is that I hold your lives in my hand! In this world, the victor is justice! Either give me the three magic tools and you in exchange for their lives! Or you all can die!"
Qiu Changchun was the first to lose patience, "I told you not to waste words with this guy! Let's fight him! At worst, the three of us siblings will die together!"
Qiao Xiangrong agreed, "Yes, what goes around comes around!"
Chen Yuehua also gave up resistance. She realized that although the young man in front of her seemed immature, his mindset was mature and her words couldn't sway him.
"Kill!"
Shu Han watched as the three charged at him, shaking his head in resignation.
....
The woods on the east side of the Green Stone gathering place was bathed in the glow of spiritual light for a while before it permanently extinguished.
Shu Han's two avatars returned to him, and he felt depleted of his magic power.
Looking at the bodies of the three, Shu Han couldn't help but sigh, "These three were really tough, it took almost all my magic power to take them down." He quickly took out a mid-level spirit stone and absorbed the spiritual energy to replenish his magic power, rummaging through their bodies for storage bags.
The Green Dragon Spear and the Thunderbolt Giant Axe were now his, allowing his avatars to wield them. With the offensive and defensive capabilities of his main body and the two avatars, his combat power would significantly increase.
However, when he reached for Chen Yuehua's body, he discovered something strange. Chen Yuehua's storage bag was still in its recognition state!
How could this be possible?
Shu Han checked Chen Yuehua's body several times, quite sure she was dead.
Strange!
....
In a small village graveyard near Green Mountain Town, a group was preparing to burn paper offerings when suddenly intricate array patterns lit up the gravesite. The weed-filled gravesite burst open, revealing the coffin that had been hidden beneath the patterns. The coffin was brand new and had not rotted. The people who gathered around watched the blood-red coffin, trembling with fear. Suddenly, the coffin moved.
"The corpse is coming back to life!"
The villagers scattered in fright, wetting themselves in terror.
However, the coffin lid was pushed open from the inside by a fair hand. A stunningly beautiful woman in a single garment crawled out of the coffin, her eyes full of confusion. After a moment of disorientation, her face filled with sorrow. Tears welled up in her eyes as she clutched the coffin tightly.
"You bastard... I'll remember you... I'll make you pay!"
Chapter 39. External Incarnation
Concerning the strange phenomenon of Chen Yuehua's storage bag, Shu Han didn't dare to take it lightly.
To eradicate a problem, you have to uproot it. This was the first lesson he learned when he entered the world of cultivation.
Master Mystical Dragon, who had been controlling the Mystical Dragon Sect for more than twenty years, ended in defeat in the forbidden land.
Easily erasing the imprint on the storage bag, Shu Han began to inventory Chen Yuehua's collection.
Unlike the storage bags of Qiu Changchun and Qiao Xiangrong, Chen Yuehua's collection was extremely rich. There were eight hundred spirit stones alone, as well as various rare medicinal herbs. Among them was the Blood Sea Ginseng, which Shu Han wanted to use to make the Seven Poisons Water!
Seeing these rich collections, he couldn't help but sigh. The three siblings must have taken many lives to acquire these. However, Shu Han felt that the siblings' feelings for each other were sincere. At least Chen Yuehua did want to exchange herself for the safety of the other two at first.
Maybe the story Chen Yuehua told was true. But it didn't matter.
During more than a year of heading to the Great Cloud, Shu Han saw many landscapes and heard many stories. He also thought about morality and justice. He realized later that there was no absolute standard of good and evil in the world.
A matter viewed from different perspectives will yield different results. For instance, a hungry wolf eating a sheep is absolutely evil from the sheep's perspective. But from the wolf's point of view, eating sheep is natural. Good and evil are illusions. Only interest and perspective are truth.
Today, he and Chen Yuehua stood on opposite sides. Even if she said a lot, it had nothing to do with Shu Han. Simply because their positions were different.
Recalling the recent dispute, Shu Han still thought he was naive. Because of seeing the siblings' bond, he felt compassion. The story he fabricated just now was more accurate to say it was for him to hear, reminding him not to believe in others' one-sided words! If he made a completely rational judgment, Shu Han wouldn't have talked so much with them, he would have simply eradicated them!
"I can't be like this in the future!"
After a wake-up call, he continued to rummage through the storage bag. Shu Han found a golden foil among a pile of miscellaneous items. This golden foil felt very strange. It seemed soft, yet it was indestructible. Thin as it was, it was like a tough steel sheet.
Shu Han felt it strange, so he gathered his mana in his hand. But the golden foil drew Shu Han's magic power the moment it sensed it.
With the infusion of magic power, small characters began to appear on the golden foil.
"It's the cultivation method of the Clear Bright Spiritual Eye and the list for making the elixir!"
Shu Han couldn't help but laugh out loud. It turned out that what Chen Yuehua said about not having any written records was all a trick to fool him.
This golden foil looks like a page from a book, precious in value. How could she possibly bear to destroy it?
He looked at the back of the golden page, where a different spell was recorded.
External Incarnation Technique!
After reading about the External Incarnation Technique, Shu Han's expression was both excited and worried.
Now he understood why the storage bag still retained Chen Yuehua's imprint after she died. That's because Chen Yuehua didn't actually die!
Learning the External Incarnation Technique can form another incarnation. This is different from an avatar, it is a bona fide second body. When the original body is unharmed, the external incarnation sleeps and doesn't affect the original body. But once the original body is injured or dies, the consciousness of the original body can immediately transfer to the external incarnation. Of course, one can also use the external incarnation to act outside, while the original body hides in a safe place.
This is like having an extra life!
But when Shu Han read about the conditions required to cultivate an external incarnation, his eyebrows furrowed.
The cultivation level of the external incarnation is based on the level of the original body when it is cultivated, and it will not grow after being cultivated. Moreover, an external incarnation of a certain cultivation level requires the corpse of a cultivator from a higher realm as a base.
For example, if Shu Han now wanted to cultivate an external incarnation in the Qi Refining Stage, he must use the body of a Foundation Establishment Stage cultivator as a base.
This condition is really too difficult.
Shu Han had killed Foundation Establishment Stage cultivators, but he also deeply understood the terror of Foundation Establishment Stage cultivators.
Getting the complete body of a Foundation Establishment Stage cultivator is as difficult as reaching for the sky!
He muttered, "I wonder how Chen Yuehua cultivated her external incarnation..."
...
As the sun set, at this time, Kang Guangwen and the others left the Green Stone Gathering.
Shu Han had been waiting here for a long time.
Kang Guangwen clasped his fist and said, "Brother Shu Han, I kept you waiting. The storage bag is not easy to sell now, it took so long to sell it out. Did Brother Shu Han manage to exchange for any treasures you liked at the fair?"
"I don't have many spirit stones on hand. I was just opening my eyes at this fair, and I didn't have the spirit stones to buy any treasures."
Xie Ming said, "That's how it is when you first enter the world of cultivation. After you and us two go down to the mine, you can get a reward of ten spirit stones from the White Feathers Sect."
Shu Han followed them and asked, "I'm actually a bit puzzled. Isn't the White Feathers Sect afraid of loose cultivators embezzling spirit stones after they mine them?"
Kang Guangwen laughed, "The big sects dare to hire loose cultivators because they naturally have a solution. Over the years, almost no one has been able to smuggle spirit stones out of the spirit mine."
"Oh, how do they manage that? They don't check the storage bags, do they?"
Kang Guangwen explained, "Can a cultivator's storage bag be casually checked by others? If that's the case, they would have a hard time recruiting loose cultivators for mining. In fact, before mining, we have to pass through a spirit recording array. This array records the spirit energy information of both your body and your storage bag. After mining and handing over the spirit stones, we have to go through the array again. If the two checks match, you can pass. Otherwise, you will have to thoroughly search your body and storage bag to verify whether you have stolen any spirit stones."
Shu Han asked again, "What if I don't bring out the spirit stones and use the mined spirit stones to cultivate in the mine?"
Kang Guangwen laughed, "The spirit recording array will also record the spirit energy of the cultivator's body. If the spirit energy after mining is much different from before, it will be considered as stealing spirit stones for cultivation. However, few people do this because spirit stones are mainly used to replenish magic power. Their effect on accelerating cultivation is far less than that of elixirs. Moreover, life in the mines is tough and dangerous, few people are willing to stay for a long time."
"I see, everything is arranged properly."
Shu Han pondered and asked, "Older brothers, I have a question. Mining once can get a reward of ten spirit stones. Isn't this reward too generous?"
Kang Guangwen and Shu Han looked at each other.
"Brother Shu Han is indeed more alert than others. Although mining may mean not seeing the light of day for several months and is very hard, these are insignificant compared to ten spirit stones. The root cause is that mining has a certain degree of danger. Every year, a batch of Qi Refining cultivators die in the mines."
Shu Han's eyelids jumped, they finally got to the point.
"The first risk is that the veins in the mine are complex. If one is not careful, it may cause the veins to collapse. Even if not directly killed, they will be trapped alive. This is the greatest danger faced by miners."
"The second one is more mysterious. Because the underground spirit veins accumulate a huge amount of spirit energy for a long time. When there is a lot of spirit energy, various strange and paranormal things happen. This kind of situation is rare, but once it happens, Qi Refining cultivators have no way to survive. Xie and I have been mining for more than ten years, we have encountered several collapses, but we have never encountered any paranormal events."
One is a danger zone, the other is a death zone.
Indeed, earning ten spirit stones is not that easy.
Chapter 40. Officially Going Down to Mine
Xie Ming saw Shu Han hesitating and couldn't help but persuade, "Brother Shu Han, you don't have to worry so much, the two incidents mentioned above rarely happen. If unfortunately, there is a collapse, the three of us together still have a great chance of survival, trust in me and Kang's years of mining experience."
Shu Han thought for a while and nodded, "Then I will have to rely on the guidance of you two brothers!"
"Haha, good, we will rest in Green Mountain Town tonight, and go to the Heaven-grade vein of White Feathers Sect tomorrow. By the way, we have another young friend waiting!"
Shu Han asked in surprise, "There are others coming with us?"
"That young friend's name is Lin Wenguang, a Qi Refining seventh-level cultivator. His cultivation has been stagnant recently, so he also wants to become a freelance miner and earn some spirit stones. Kang and I saw that he lacked experience, and mining could be dangerous, so we invited him to join us. After all, the more people, the greater the power, and the more likely we are to find traces of top-grade spirit stones!"
Shu Han saluted, "You two brothers are truly kind!"
That night, Lin Wenguang arrived at the inn as promised. He was a few years older than Shu Han but still showed some restraint. According to him, he specially brought spirit tea, a local specialty of his hometown, to gift Kang Guangwen and Xie Ming on his way back home. He said that he came to the cultivation world of Great Cloud alone, thanked the guidance of the two older brothers, he had avoided many detours, and greatly praised their kindness.
The four had a good time talking in the tavern, and Shu Han and Lin Wenguang, both newcomers to the cultivation world, quickly became familiar due to their similar experiences.
The next day, the four of them left Green Mountain Town early in the morning.
The White Feathers Sect was not far from Green Mountain Town, located in the White Water Mountain Range about a hundred miles away, and the heaven-grade vein they controlled was also at the head of the White Water Dragon Vein.
When the four of them arrived here, the mine entrance was already crowded. More than a hundred people were squeezed into the narrow registration area. The line was long, and cultivators were coming from all directions.
Kang Guangwen urgently said, "It's not good, it seems that the news of the top-grade spirit stones has spread, otherwise there wouldn't be so many freelance cultivators coming to register! Let's hurry up and queue to secure a place!"
The four hurriedly rushed into the queue, Shu Han was even quicker, rushing to the front. In front of him was a girl in a white gauze dress. As soon as he approached her, Shu Han's spiritual sense sent out waves of warning.
This person is not easy to provoke! Better keep my distance!
Just as Shu Han was about to retreat, the three people behind him rushed over. At that moment, he couldn't stop and directly knocked Shu Han flying. Coincidentally, he bumped into the girl. Suddenly, he felt his arms were filled with a soft and fragrant jade.
"If you don't want to die, let go of me!"
The icy words made Shu Han shiver. He quickly let go, full of apologies, "I'm sorry, it was an accident just now, I didn't mean to touch you, please forgive me."
The girl turned her head, she was wearing a light veil, only revealing a pair of deep, unhappy eyes.
"I'll let it go this time, but if you dare to do it again, I'll kill you!"
This cold tone made Shu Han feel a chill. He couldn't see the girl's specific cultivation level, but it was definitely not lower than his, otherwise his spiritual sense wouldn't have given a warning.
"Understood! Understood!"
At this time, Lin Wenguang came over with a smirk and said, "Brother Shu Han, did you enjoy that hug just now? It looked like you did!"
Hiss!
Shu Han quickly turned around and glared to stop him. This guy really didn't know fear. If the girl heard him, the apology he just gave would be wasted!
The people in front registered one by one, and all entered an array pattern. Once the pattern lit up, they could jump into the mine. As time went by, it was finally Shu Han's turn. Shu Han could see clearly that the old man guarding the array pattern had a very deep level of cultivation, even scarier than Cui Xiangming from Treasure Light Pavilion.
"Old brother, what's the cultivation level of this old man?"
Kang Guangwen said, "You mustn't offend him. This is Elder Luo from the White Feathers Sect, a super powerhouse in the late Foundation Establishment stage!"
Late Foundation Establishment Stage!
Shu Han felt fear in his heart.
Entering the Foundation Establishment stage, each realm was a world apart. His Qi-concealing technique definitely couldn't fool his eyes.
Finally, the girl in front of Shu Han came to Elder Luo's table and wrote down her beautiful name.
"Chu Ruolin."
Then it was Shu Han's turn to come in front of Elder Luo. He held his breath and wrote down his name. However, Elder Luo didn't seem to have any objections to his Qi-concealing technique. He just mechanically said, "Okay, go to the Spirit Memory Array."
Shu Han couldn't help but break out in a cold sweat. He didn't believe that his Qi-concealing technique could fool a late Foundation Establishment stage powerhouse, so why didn't Elder Luo expose him on the spot?
Shu Han thought about it and felt that maybe it was unnecessary. After all, in the eyes of others, he was just like a worm crawling on the ground. A worm pretending to be a smaller worm, what's the point? He went to the Spirit Memory Array, a cluster of spirit light welled up under his feet and covered him. Then he was urged to jump into the mine.
The mine shaft was eighty feet wide, and the surrounding rock walls were smooth, it didn't look like it was man-made, but more like it was made by some magic tool.
Shu Han leaped down, dropping more than a thousand hundred feet before finally landing at the bottom of the mine. The bottom of the mine was a bit hotter than the top. Looking up from below, the eighty feet wide mine entrance became a small white dot. Inside the mine, there were many glowing stones providing light, it wasn't dark at all.
A voice shouted, "What are you standing there for? Come here, be careful of getting hit by other falling cultivators!"
Shu Han looked in the direction of the voice and saw a stall set up next to the mine. The person guarding the stall was a cultivator in the early Foundation Establishment stage.
Shu Han hurriedly went over, "Greetings, senior!"
The man mechanically said, "There are 163 mine tunnels here, and countless branches further down, interweaving into a whole. Take this map and don't get lost in it, no one will come to save you. No matter how long you stay down there if you want to get paid, you have to dig up a hundred spirit stones and hand them in with this map. Do you understand?"
Shu Han took the jade slip, puzzled, "How do I use this map…"
"You… haven't used a jade slip before?"
"Sorry, senior, he's new here and doesn't know the rules. I'll teach him."
At this time, Kang Guangwen and the others came down too, took the map, and took Shu Han away.
Xie Ming took out the jade slip and said, "Pour your magic power into it, and the map will naturally appear."
Shu Han and Lin Wenguang did as instructed, and sure enough, a clear map appeared above the jade slip.
Only then did Shu Han realize how dense these mine tunnels were below, they were like the fine roots of garlic in the ground, dense and crisscrossed, each one interconnected, like a giant underground labyrinth.
Without this map, if one were trapped in the labyrinth-like tunnels below, he might never find the exit in his lifetime.
Kang Guangwen said, "If you want to dig up ore, you have to go to the bottom branches of the mine tunnels. Those are newly dug and most likely to have spirit stones. The other mine tunnels have been cleaned out long ago. You two follow closely behind me and Xie. Don't get lost!"
Chapter 41. The Bloody Mine
The four randomly chose a mine tunnel and went down. It was initially narrow enough for one person, but after descending dozens of meters, it suddenly opened up. A huge mine shone with gleaming treasure light in front of the four. It was like a natural treasure palace.
Kang Guangwen said, "It seems that this place used to be a gathering place for spirit stones, which attracted everyone to drill for them. Over time, this place was dug into such a large mine."
Shu Han nodded and asked his most concerning question, "Brother Kang, you once said that there are traces of top-grade spirit stones in this vein. How do we distinguish them?"
Kang Guangwen said, "It's actually easy to distinguish. Spirit stones are divided into five elements. The wood element spirit stones are green, and the fire element spirit stones are red. But top-grade spirit stones are different, they contain the complete power of the five elements, so the trace left behind is a five-color aura. As long as you find the five-color trace in the mine, it is left by the top-grade spirit stones!"
So that's how it is.
Kang Guangwen continued, "Let's not talk about this for now, let's first dig up the spirit stones for each of us, and then talk about finding top-grade spirit stones."
Shu Han was nonchalant. What he was most concerned about was the trace of the top-grade spirit stone. As for the lower-grade spirit stones, he could have as many as he wanted, why would he bother to dig them himself? But in order to conceal his intentions, he still followed Kang Guangwen and the others to the deepest mine tunnel.
There were narrow and wide mine tunnels here, countless large mines were distributed in them, and there were crossroads everywhere. Every time the four of them came to a place, they had to check the map and distinguish the route. After a full day of shuttling in the mine tunnel, they finally arrived at the bottom of the mine tunnel.
This place was rarely trodden, and the spiritual energy was a bit richer, but the visibility began to plunge into darkness. Except for the occasional faint light in the stone walls, it was pitch black at all other times. It has to be said that walking in the vein was indeed suffering.
Half of the time, Shu Han was crouching. If it weren't for searching for the spiritual energy left by the top-grade spirit stone, he wouldn't want to stay in this mine for long.
The four came to a fork, and Kang Guangwen suggested, "The undeveloped mine tunnel is ahead, which is even narrower. It is not conducive for us four to collect spirit stones together. So, I'll take Shu Han, Xie, you take Lin, and we'll dig separately."
So, Shu Han followed Kang Guangwen into a narrow mine tunnel. The two of them held moonlight stones and groped forward. After about a few hundred steps, they came to the end of the mine tunnel.
Kang Guangwen took out a pickaxe from his storage bag and said, "Brother Shu Han, this spirit stone ore is very hard, and we need to constantly drive the pickaxe with magic power to effectively drill it. But this pickaxe consumes a lot of magic power, so let's take turns drilling. In case of any problem, we won't be completely drained of spiritual power."
"Alright, we'll go with Brother Kang's plan."
So the two of them began to work in turns. The pickaxe indeed consumed a lot of magic power, but in front of Shu Han, this consumption was not worth mentioning. The two of them worked extremely quickly by alternating.
In less than a day, they had drilled hundreds of meters and mined forty-eight lower-grade spirit stones.
Kang Guangwen couldn't help but laugh with joy, "Brother Shu Han, it seems we really made the right choice with this mine tunnel! To actually produce so many spirit stones, it far exceeds my imagination!"
Shu Han laughed along, but Kang Guangwen didn't know that more than half of the spirit stones were secretly taken out from Shu Han's storage bag.
Shu Han thought about quickly completing this spirit stone drilling task so that Kang Guangwen could lead him to find the traces of top-grade spirit stones.
On the other hand, Xie Ming's drilling was also going smoothly, and they managed to obtain twenty-nine spirit stones.
In this way, the seven days passed slowly.
Shu Han had already collected more than two hundred spirit stones, but Kang Guangwen felt that they had hit a major vein, and he was unwilling to leave the mine, seemingly forgetting about finding top-grade spirit stones.
This stunned Shu Han, and he regretted he had thrown out too many spirit stones. He didn't understand why Kang Guangwen cared so much about stones that were going to be handed over and weren't even his.
He urged Kang Guangwen from time to time. Kang Guangwen helplessly said, "We're almost done on this side, but Xie hasn't responded yet. If you can't stand the mining life, go help them. Once they've collected enough, come and find me."
So, Shu Han retraced his steps back to Xie Ming's side. Their progress wasn't as smooth as Shu Han's side, and Lin Wenguang, with his seventh-level Qi Refining, was extremely tired. With Shu Han's "help", they also miraculously drilled many spirit stones in a short time. Within three days, they had collected their share.
Shu Han brought the news back to Kang Guangwen's mine and saw Kang Guangwen, dirty and displeased. It turned out that after Shu Han left, the spirit mine didn't produce many spirit stones. He had been drilling alone for three days and had gained nothing!
"Brother Shu Han, you might have better luck than me. You drill again. After this round, we'll leave, okay?"
Shu Han, reluctantly, picked up the pickaxe and began to drill, while Kang Guangwen began to regain his spiritual energy.
...…
On Xie Ming's side, Lin Wenguang was very obedient to Xie Ming's words and continued to drill diligently.
Xie Ming finished restoring his energy and waved his hand, "Alright, brother, take a break. We're almost there."
Lin Wenguang wiped the sweat bead from his forehead and smiled at Xie Ming under the dim light, "It's okay, Brother Xie, I'm not tired!"
Xie Ming laughed heartily, "Who's not tired? Mining is the most exhausting work. It's not only tiring but also dangerous. For these few spirit stones, it's simply sucking our blood!"
Lin Wenguang laughed, "I would be satisfied with ten spirit stones."
Xie Ming joked, "If you're so keen to earn spirit stones, what are you going to do with them once you get them?"
Lin Guangwen scratched his gray head and chuckled awkwardly, "Not to hide from you, Brother, I have a cultivation partner back home. I plan to earn some spirit stones and give half to her for cultivation."
Xie Ming couldn't help but laugh, "Ah, a romantic! Tell me, did you cultivate together?"
Lin Guangwen's face turned red, "When I return, we will..."
Under the dim light, Xie Ming's face broke into a sly smile, "Miss her?"
"Yes... How can I not..."
Xie Ming's voice was faint, "How about I send you home to see your wife today?"
Lin Wenguang blushed and gave a shy smile, "Brother, stop kidding! My home is at least half a month's journey from here."
"What joke? Look who's behind you!"
Lin Guangwen followed the sound and looked, then suddenly felt a chill at the back of his head, and fell heavily into the mine tunnel.
Xie Ming's smile turned grim as he took out a bunch of azure space crystals from his storage bag.
"Sorry, Brother. When I meet your cultivation partner, I will take good care of her."
After saying that, he slammed the space crystals into Lin Guangwen's corpse. The faint blue light flickered in the dark mine.
After about half a day, Xie Ming wiped the sweat off his forehead and emptied all the spirit stones they had mined in these days from his storage bag. He took one and placed it on the Dantian of Lin Guangwen's corpse.
Swish!
The spirit stone actually directly entered Lin Guangwen's Dantian, and his body seemed like a storage bag.
Xie Ming began methodically to insert the spirit stones, one by one, into Lin Guangwen's corpse.
Chapter 42. Special Storage Bag
"Alright, Brother Shu Han, you're almost out of magical power. Come rest for a bit, and let's go."
Shu Han rolled his eyes, thinking he finally didn't have to dig anymore. He pretended to be exhausted and sat down next to Kang Guangwen.
Kang Guangwen laughed and said, "What's wrong, Brother Shu Han? It feels like you want to leave just a few days after you've started mining. Do you miss home?"
Shu Han laughed it off, "Everyone at home is a mortal. I had arranged everything before I left. But sometimes I can't help but worry."
Kang Guangwen smiled mysteriously, "Brother, tell me, have you cultivated with a female cultivator?"
"What?"
Shu Han awkwardly said, "That... hasn't happened yet."
Kang Guangwen's eyes flashed with pity, "Ah, that's a shame, you've never tasted that pleasure. If you had tasted it once at your young age, I bet you'd be thinking about it every day!"
Shu Han stuttered, "Isn't that an exaggeration? Cultivators should prioritize their cultivation."
"Dumbhead!"
Suddenly Kang Guangwen's eyes bulged and he pointed behind Shu Han, anxiously saying, "Brother, look quickly five-color trace!"
Five-color trace? Top-grade spirit stone?!
Shu Han quickly turned to look, but the stone wall behind him was empty, and there was no so-called five-color trace at all. At the same time, he suddenly felt a great danger behind him. His subconscious immediately activated his Eight Treasure Kirin Armor, and the eight-color treasure light immediately bloomed in the dark mine tunnel.
Boom!
Kang Guangwen was blasted off along with the magical pickaxe in his hand, creating a large crack in the stone wall.
Shu Han was immediately on alert, and his four Heavenly Swords flew out. He turned around, confused and angry, looking at Kang Guangwen, and shouted, "What are you doing?"
Kang Guangwen's eyes almost bulged out of his sockets.
"Top-grade magic tool, Qi Refining twelfth level! You hid your cultivation level!"
His situation just now was extremely dangerous, and if not for his strong spiritual sense and the protection of the Eight Treasure Kirin Armor, Shu Han's life might have been hanging by a thread.
He didn't hesitate, and the four Heavenly Swords flew out directly, pinning Kang Guangwen to the stone wall!
"Ah!"
The mine tunnel echoed with Kang Guangwen's heart-wrenching scream.
"I thought I had met two kind-hearted people when I first entered the world of cultivation, but it turns out you are both a pair of wolves! Tell me! Your purpose for tricking me into the mine can't be just some top-grade spirit stone, what is your real purpose? I can make your death quick!"
Kang Guangwen was unable to fight back, and immediately begged for mercy, "Brother Shu Han, spare my life, I was just joking with you."
"A joke?"
Shu Han waved his sword and cut off his legs directly.
"Do you think I'm joking with you now?"
Suddenly, his mind went blank, and he thought of Lin Wenguang in the other tunnel.
"Damn it!"
He stepped forward and directly smashed Kang Guangwen's Dantian with his palm, then grabbed him like a dead dog and ran towards the other tunnel.
However, at the intersection of the dark tunnels, Shu Han bumped head-on into Xie Ming, who was carrying Lin Wenguang's corpse.
Because it was pitch-black, Xie Ming felt the aura of the twelfth layer of Qi Refining from the person opposite him and mistook him for Kang Guangwen, complaining, "Kang, what's the rush? I succeeded here. I've successfully transformed that naive youngster into a storage corpse. How about you?"
Upon hearing these words, Shu Han was instantly enraged. His four Heavenly Swords shot out, their brilliant golden light illuminating the mining tunnel as if it were daytime.
Only then did Xie Ming see the furious Shu Han, dragging Kang Guangwen like a dead dog. He wanted to pull out his magic tool to fight back, but he was far too slow compared to Shu Han.
Four sharp Heavenly Swords whirled, directly severing Xie Ming's hands and feet.
The screams of these two echoed, and Shu Han directly pierced Kang Guangwen's throat with a sword, making him unable to make a sound. He turned and had the four Heavenly Swords hover above Xie Ming's head, saying harshly, "Answer me, why did you trick us into the mine? Otherwise, I'll make you wish you were dead!"
Xie Ming was scared out of his wits. He never thought that the simple-minded Shu Han would transform into a killing god!
"This...This is a special method of making a storage bag by refining a person's Dantian. In this way... the Spiritual Memory Array can't detect it... they also would not do a thorough check on the corpses..."
Refining living people into storage bags?
Shu Han enraged beyond control, silenced him forever with a swift sword stroke to the throat. Looking at Lin Wenguang's bewildered face in death, he couldn't help but feel a lump in his chest and sorrow welling up within him.
Although they had only known each other for a day, seeing such a hopeful newcomer meet such an end, he couldn't help but feel heartbroken. It was like when he and Erdan Goudan joined the Mystical Dragon Sect together, thinking they had arrived in a paradise, but never expecting it to be a hell.
The Dao of immortality is merciless, treating human lives like nothing.
"My master's dying advice was right, I really can't easily trust others in the cultivation world!"
Collecting himself, Shu Han gathered up the storage bags of Kang Guangwen and Xie Ming. Inside were a considerable amount of spirit stones, and a myriad of miscellaneous magic tools and pills. Who knew how many naive newcomers they had harmed to get these?
Then he opened Lin Wenguang's storage bag. His storage bag was extremely shabby, empty, and bare, with only a few bottles of pills scattered within. What drifted most in the storage bag were letters.
Shu Han casually read a few and found that they were all written by Lin Wenguang, expressing his love for a certain woman.
The most recent one was filled with excitement about soon being able to return home with a large number of spirit stones. The wording was slightly exaggerated, but every word revealed genuine emotion.
With Lin Wenguang's cultivation level, he was just an insignificant ant in this cultivation world, bustling about and struggling to survive. However, even such an insignificant ant had genuine feelings from the heart and had truly lived.
Shu Han carefully arranged the letters and body, thinking that he would definitely visit Lin Wenguang's hometown after he left, and deliver the letters he had saved to the woman in the letters. Then two fireballs flew out of his hands, turning the corpses of Kang Guangwen and Xie Ming into ashes.
Now Shu Han thought that the so-called trace of the top-grade spirit stone might have been Kang Guangwen's excuse to lure him into the mine. It's better to leave this mine first and look for other opportunities for the Foundation Establishment.
With this idea in mind, Shu Han walked up to the mine according to the map. Soon, he arrived at the surface mine tunnel, and the number of other cultivators he could encounter gradually increased. Just as he was about to move on, he suddenly bumped his head into something in front.
Shu Han held his head, opened his eyes, and suddenly saw a five-colored barrier blocking the way out of the mine.
Five-colored brilliance? Could it really be a top-grade spirit stone?!
Shu Han's heart couldn't help beating violently. Then, a five-colored torrent started to flow on the stone wall. Shu Han hurriedly followed the torrent, only to see it rushing into the nearest mine tunnel and hovering in the air motionlessly.
Shu Han arrived in the mine tunnel, feeling overjoyed.
Could this be the spiritual energy left by the so-called top-grade spirit stone? Foundation Establishment is hopeful!
However, to his surprise, this cluster of five-colored light began to change and actually transformed into a human face.
"Ants who have come to the mine, seeing so many of you eager to find traces of the top-grade spirit stone, I am very pleased. Therefore, I will mercifully give you a chance to obtain a top-grade spirit stone. But please note, only one person can obtain the top-grade spirit stone, and only this person can walk out of this mine alive."
Chapter 43. Extremely Bad Luck
Shu Han's heart suddenly constricted as he looked around, noticing that several others had also been attracted to this mine. He immediately had a bad feeling in his heart and wanted to flee!
Kang Guangwen had once said that strange incidents often occurred in underground mines, and once they happened, death was certain!
However, he wanted to rush out immediately, to get away from this troublesome place, but the human face transformed from spiritual energy suddenly said: "I can see that many of you want to run. Since you are here, you should stay. Now the whole mine is under my control. You can escape, but first, show me your Golden Core."
After hearing this, Shu Han trembled all over.
The Golden Core! Does it mean that only cultivators at the Golden Core stage could escape from here?
"Some of you might ask, how can I survive? It's simple. Let me tell you a secret, that is to kill all the other 231 people in this mine and survive till the end. This way, not only can you save your life, but I will also give you an opportunity!"
Suddenly, the face in the center of the mine exploded, and the spiritual energy recombined to form a map of the underground mine. Every person in the underground mine turned into a bright spot on the map. The entire map was wrapped in a colorful sphere, which was visibly shrinking at a rapid speed.
"So, enjoy this massacre, let me see what you can do! The destined person, I will be waiting for you in the center of the mine!"
With that, the cluster of spiritual energy exploded and disappeared into thin air.
Immediately, Shu Han fully extended his spiritual sense. He stuck to the wall, his eyes sweeping over the other people in the mine. The other five people in the mine were also looking at each other, spreading out and maintaining vigilance.
One person suggested, "Haha, isn't it too trivial for us to be so wary of each other? How can we fall into the old man's trap? Why don't we unite and break the colorful barrier to escape?"
"I don't think that's feasible. Why don't we form an alliance with all the people in this mine? At least we're not fighting alone!"
But while he was shouting for an alliance, his eyes were full of vigilance.
Shu Han felt that he needed to think about it. He didn't want to fight with over two hundred cultivators in the underground mine. Although forming an alliance was a good suggestion, the old man had also said that only one person could survive. There was bound to be suspicion among allies, and this loose relationship was even more uncertain and dangerous. He didn't want to be attacked by his own people while fighting the enemy.
With that, Shu Han slowly moved out of everyone's sight and hid in a mine tunnel. The situation was unclear. It was better to hide and watch and make decisions after understanding the situation.
However, one person quickly noticed that Shu Han wanted to slip away and immediately shouted, "Stop him! This kid wants to slip away alone!"
"If he doesn't want to form an alliance with us, we can't let him fall into other people's alliances! Let's kill this kid first!"
Shu Han was speechless. What the heck?! He turned around and ran, with the five people behind him chasing him immediately.
As Shu Han ran, he assessed the cultivation levels of the five people behind him. One was at the eleventh level of Qi Refining, three were at the tenth level, and one was at the ninth.
Such weak opponents. If Shu Han hadn't been worried about attracting others into the mine, he would have fought back already.
After running for a while, he reached a fork in the road. Shu Han quickly used the Triple Rotation Avatar Technique and his avatar quietly hid in another mine tunnel. He continued to run along the mine, and when he led the group past the fork in the road, his avatar quietly followed.
At this point, they had no idea that Shu Han's avatar was trailing them.
Suddenly, Shu Han turned around and swung out an explosive thunderbolt with his Thunderbolt Giant Axe. The three people closest to him immediately cast spells to defend themselves.
In the chaos, Shu Han's avatar aimed at the person in the third position of the group, and the Green Dragon Spear immediately shot out a green light. The green light hit the person's back of the head directly, causing him to stumble.
This person, a cultivator at the eleventh level of Qi Refining, was instantly furious. He clutched the back of his head and glared behind him. However, at this time, Shu Han's avatar had already dissipated and returned to his body as a concealed streak of light from the top of the mine tunnel.
The man roared, "I saw it early on, you two are up to no good! Fortunately, my head is hard, otherwise, I would have fallen into your trap!"
The two men immediately waved their hands and said in unison, "It wasn't me!"
"One of you must have done it! There's no one else around! Dammit, sneak attacks from behind, we can't ally with such people. Let's kill him first!"
With that, the three at the back started fighting amongst themselves.
The two who were still chasing Shu Han saw the chaos behind them, thought there was an attack from someone else, and jumped into the battle. In an instant, the newly established alliance was thrown into disarray by Shu Han's avatar.
Having shaken off the five men, Shu Han looked at the map and made his way toward the nearest edge of the barrier. He felt that under the current circumstances, it was better not to approach the center of the mine. If not, he might be attacked from both front and back, and no matter how powerful he was, he wouldn't be able to withstand a group attack. He held his breath, tiptoed along the way, and finally reached the colorful barrier.
Shu Han saw that the barrier was indeed slowly moving toward the center. He couldn't help but sigh, thinking about how wave after wave of trouble had hit him since he arrived here. How was he going to survive in this situation? Shu Han's mind quickly spun, and he soon came up with three points.
"Conserve resources for fighting. Use magic tools for battles, and absolutely do not use consumables! Hide yourself, wander outside the main battlefield, and let others wear themselves out first! Release your cultivation level to deter those with ill intentions and avoid fights. You absolutely cannot hide your aura as you usually do. Otherwise, you would easily become a soft target and increase your consumption."
Yes!
Shu Han silently agreed and curled up next to the five-color barrier. He let others form alliances and fight against each other first. Just as he had this thought, a head suddenly popped out from below the mine tunnel, the man looked bewildered as if he was also looking for the edge of the battlefield. However, when he saw Shu Han, he was terrified by the formidable aura.
Shu Han was also not polite, he roared loudly: "Get lost!!"
Seeing Shu Han's powerful twelfth-level Qi Refining cultivation level and his overwhelming aura far beyond that of ordinary cultivators, the man was so scared that he immediately turned around and fled.
However, in the next moment, the man's head flew out from below the mine tunnel and shattered against the five-color barrier.
A faint voice came from the dark tunnel below.
"Little friend, you have such formidable power, no wonder you could scare away a cultivator of the tenth level Qi Refining with just a shout. Since we've encountered each other, if we don't fight now, we'll definitely meet on the central battlefield later. Why don't we decide the outcome now, to save trouble later."
A terrifying aura surged from the dark mine tunnel below like a tide.
Goosebumps covered Shu Han's entire body. He suddenly realized that the most important thing to survive in this melee wasn't the three points he thought of earlier, but a crucial one.
That is, luck!
He was just the kind of person with extremely bad luck, encountering a Foundation Establishment stage cultivator as soon as he got here!
Chapter 44. Divert Misfortune
Shu Han quickly pleaded, "Senior, please spare this junior. This junior has shallow cultivation, and it's quite possible that I will die at the hands of other cultivators later on. Senior doesn't need to worry about me at all!"
"Your aura is three times that of an ordinary twelfth-level Qi Refining cultivator, I think other cultivators will have a hard time threatening you!"
Shu Han steadied his breath. He figured showing weakness was no use against this man; it would only fuel his arrogance. He scoffed, "Since the senior has seen through everything, I won't say much. But before you make a move, I hope the senior understands that I once killed a Foundation Establishment stage cultivator. If senior insists on making a move, I won't be as easy to deal with as you imagine!"
"Hahaha! A mere Qi Refining stage cultivator dares to talk about killing a Foundation Establishment stage cultivator! Boy, you're still spouting nonsense when you're at death's door!"
Nonsense?
Shu Han threw out the damaged Blood Soul Sword.
"Take a good look, this is his life magic treasure, now it has become a piece of scrap metal."
Shu Han used the Triple Rotation Avatar Technique to divide into three, holding three top-notch magic tools, ready for battle.
At this moment, an old man walked out from the darkness below.
He was dressed in a plain grey robe, his gloomy gaze fixated on Shu Han's avatars. Then, he looked at the broken Blood Soul Sword in his hand and said, "You split into three without reducing your cultivation level! Boy, no matter what you say today, I must kill you! Give me your name, I don't kill nameless people!"
"Can you spare me if I don't tell you?"
"Hmph! No matter what you say, you're going to die!"
Suddenly, the old man in the gray robe stretched out a claw, and a black claw enveloped in dark energy rushed toward him.
Shu Han had chosen to stay near the edge of the five-color barrier to avoid being attacked from both sides. Now, he had been cornered into a dead end by this Foundation Establishment stage cultivator. In front of him was the terrifying Foundation Establishment stage cultivator, and behind him was the impassable five-color barrier. He had come to a dead end!
Shu Han calmed down. Since this battle was unavoidable, he decided to give it his all! One of his avatars used all its strength to stimulate the Extreme Cold Mysterious Iron Shield, while another avatar used all its strength to stimulate the Eight Treasure Kirin Armor. The two defensive treasures echoed each other and confronted the old man's black claw.
Boom!
The mine shook, and all three of Shu Han's bodies retreated two steps.
The two defensive magic tools perfectly blocked the old man's attack. Shu Han immediately put away the defensive magic tools, and the two avatars each picked up the Green Dragon Spear and Thunderbolt Giant Axe. The remaining magic power was poured into these two magic tools.
In an instant, the green dragon roared, and the thunder rolled. The two magic tools collided in the air, and a Thunderbolt-infused Green Dragon swirled out.
Shu Han was not idle. He fused the four swords of the Heavenly Quadrant Sword Formation into one giant sword. With his feet on the Flowing Boots, he followed the Thunderbolt Green Dragon, charging at the old man in the grey robe like a breaking bamboo.
Seeing the tumultuous onslaught, the old man's brow furrowed deeply. He gathered dark energy in his withered palm and slammed it ruthlessly toward the dragon's head.
A dazzling light split from his black claw. The surrounding stone walls crumbled in response. He quickly shattered the Thunderbolt Azure Dragon from the center, and the thick dark energy on his hand dissipated quickly.
"What a terrifying combined attack, its power is comparable to the full-strength attack of an early-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator."
However, when the dazzling Thunderbolt Green Dragon was completely shattered, under the dazzling light, a giant sword of sharp golden light slashed down.
The old man in the gray robe was shocked, he spat out a small black sword directly to meet Shu Han's giant Heavenly Sword.
The black small sword was invincible, and under the mighty force, Shu Han even felt that the indestructible giant sword began to show small cracks! He immediately stopped exerting force, continuing would only increase the consumption of the Heavenly Sword.
Once Shu Han ceased his efforts, the old man pressed down with great force.
Shu Han flipped over with the momentum, stepping on the mine ceiling with his Flowing Boots, changing positions with the old man in the gray robe.
The old man turned around and stretched out a claw, but Shu Han, having jumped over the old man and now having a way out, no longer dared to linger. He immediately fled, running towards the lower mine.
The old man was surprised. The boy had just been raging, showing a die-hard intention, and in the blink of an eye, he took the opportunity to escape.
He was quite crafty!
Just as he was about to chase, a burst of intense firelight exploded above.
Shu Han, seeing the firelight behind him, couldn't help but laugh heartily. When he used the momentum to jump over the old man's head earlier, he quickly pasted four Fire God talismans on the top of the mine. He knew the Fire God talismans wouldn't be able to deal with the old man in the gray robe, but the mine ceiling couldn't withstand them.
Boom!
The power of the Fire God talismans explosion directly destroyed that section of the mine, burying the old man in it.
"You little rascal! If I don't kill you today, how can I face to walk out of the mine vein!"
From the collapsed mine, a dark light suddenly erupted. The old man in the gray robe stretched out a claw and directly dug out a small hole the size of a person. Then, the old man plunged into a mass of dark energy. Many black palms stretched out from the dark energy, these palms grabbed and clawed at the four walls of the mine, instantly closing the distance with Shu Han.
"Holy shit! What kind of spell is this!"
Shu Han didn't dare to be careless, he spurred the Flowing Boots to their full power and raced through the mine. Fortunately, the mine was complex with twists and turns, which kept the old man from further closing the distance.
As he ran, he shouted, "Help! This Foundation Establishment old ghost says he's going to kill all the Qi Refining cultivators in the mine vein! Help! Qi Refining cultivators should unite against the common enemy, against the Foundation Establishment stage! Otherwise, he will defeat us one by one, and none of us will survive! Damn it! Is there nobody else around here?"
The grey-robed old man chasing behind was exasperated upon hearing Shu Han's words, the youngster was trying to get other Qi Refining cultivators to gang up on him. But in this mine, everyone was out for themselves, and no one would risk going against a Foundation Establishment stage cultivator. However, this boy was too fast, and his speed was almost on par with his own!
Suddenly, Shu Han was the first to charge into a large cavern from the mine. A fierce battle was also erupting in the cavern. Five Qi Refining cultivators at the twelfth level were besieging one person. When Shu Han looked carefully, he was shocked to find that the person was Chu Ruolin in white!
Upon seeing this woman here, Shu Han immediately hatched a plan!
The grey-robed old man was already close behind him.
Shu Han, moving at an astonishing speed, came around from behind the group of people attacking Chu Ruolin. He shouted, "Who dares to bully my wife!"
In an instant, one became three. The Heavenly Quadrant Sword Formation, the Thunderbolt Giant Axe, and the Green Dragon Spear all struck simultaneously.
Those who were attacking Chu Ruolin were startled and quickly turned around, but Shu Han was already attacking them with full force.
In a flash, three of these five people were killed on the spot by Shu Han's surprise attack. The other two were severely injured by the Green Dragon Spear and the Thunderbolt Giant Axe.
Shu Han stepped forward, turning around directly to Chu Ruolin's side. He pulled her waist and raised his sword, staring at the grey-robed old man who was chasing him. He shouted, "Old ghost, I alone am no match for you, but if my wife and I join forces, even if you are at the Foundation Establishment stage, you have to retreat !"
Chu Ruolin: ...
Seeing this, the grey-robed old man had to be careful. He sensed a dangerous aura from this woman in white.
"Couples fighting together? You are both only in the Qi Refining stage, I will send you both on your way!"
Chu Ruolin was about to say something, but Shu Han interrupted her immediately.
"What? Dear, you want me to go get help while you hold off this old ghost for a moment? Alright, you hold him off for a moment, and I will come back to assist you immediately!" With that, he left Chu Ruolin's side and immediately slipped into another mine tunnel in the cavern, leaving Chu Ruolin alone to face the grey-robed old man's claw.