Chapter 82: Luring the Tiger into the Cave
Before long, three streaks of light flashed, quickly landing in the Thunder Crystal Mine.
Murong Yue went straight to Shen Mo's room.
The beautiful master's face was filled with joy.
"Mo'er, I'm proud of you as your teacher!"
She stared at Shen Mo, growing happier the more she looked.
Taking him as her disciple was undoubtedly the wisest decision of her life.
This "Crystal Refining Art" would definitely propel the Qingxuan Sect toward revival!
Shen Mo understood Murong Yue's excitement well. He smiled and asked, "What does Master plan to do?"
Murong Yue decisively said, "Immediately arrange for personnel to start mass-producing refined crystal spiritual tools! With this Crystal Refining Art, our products will definitely be better than those of the Heavy Weapon Sect."
"However... the Feishuang Sect and Lingxi Sect often purchase refined crystal spiritual tools from the Heavy Weapon Sect. It will be difficult for the Qingxuan Sect to sell our items to them."
Shen Mo smiled, "Master, don't forget, there are more than four sects near the Azure Blue Mountains, including those that don't even qualify as second-rate sects."
Murong Yue's eyes lit up.
Indeed!
There were many small sects established by just three or five cultivators at the Foundation Establishment stage.
But they didn't qualify to participate in the Grand Assembly of a Hundred Sects.
Some even formed today and closed tomorrow.
If Shen Mo hadn't reminded her, Murong Yue might have overlooked these sects.
Shen Mo continued, "Master can sell refined crystal spiritual tools to these small sects. Even if they can't pay in spirit stones, they can trade other resources like ores, the more the better."
"Additionally, Master can use them to reach out to more distant second-rate and first-rate sects to sell our refined crystal spiritual tools."
"Over time, we can form a large network, surrounding and eventually taking over the Heavy Weapon Sect's business."
Murong Yue's eyes lit up again, "Great!"
"I'll handle the specifics. Mo'er, focus on your cultivation. I look forward to the day you step into the Foundation Establishment stage."
Shen Mo nodded.
He had no intention of getting involved in such matters himself.
Strategizing was enough. If he had to carry out the implementation, it would mean the entire Qingxuan Sect was useless.
...
Three days later, at night.
Outside the Thunder Crystal Mine.
At this moment, two people were hiding in the woods.
One had a young face, a calm expression, as if nothing could make him lose composure.
The other looked older but showed great respect for the young man.
They were Wu Leng, the son of the Heavy Weapon Sect's master, and Shi Fei, an inner sect elder of the Heavy Weapon Sect.
Shi Fei whispered, "Young Master, are you sure that the Crystal Refining Art stolen by that traitor five years ago is in the Thunder Crystal Mine?"
"Now that the mine is guarded by formations, it's much harder for me to get in."
Wu Leng nodded slightly, "I've reviewed the old records. The traitor was caught near the woods by the Thunder Crystal Mine. The mine was searched back then, but nothing was found."
"Then how do you..." Shi Fei scratched his head.
Wu Leng whispered, "Back then, the Thunder Fire Sect dispatched few people, so they borrowed our Heavy Weapon Sect members as overseers. He was one of them. I'm certain he was familiar with the complex tunnels here."
"We didn't find anything in the tunnels initially, but this time, I found a treasure in the deepest part of the sect's treasury!"
He took out a blank metal page.
Shi Fei was stunned, "This is..."
"The Crystal Refining Art is made of metal. Elder Shi should know this."
"I know. Could it be... this is one of the pages? But why is it blank?"
Wu Leng rolled his eyes, "It's an extra page, without any inscription."
"I see." Shi Fei scratched his head awkwardly.
Wu Leng continued, "These metal pages are made from the same piece of ore. Elder Shi, hold it and infuse it with spiritual energy, and you'll be able to sense the other pages!"
He sighed, "This item has been in the deepest part of the sect's treasury all this time, but no one ever found it."
"If we had this five years ago, we would have discovered the sect's secret art long ago, and the standard of our crystal refining art wouldn't have declined."
Shi Fei was thrilled but also troubled, "But I can't break through the formation."
Wu Leng smiled faintly, "Money can make the devil push the millstone. I already know the exact time the mine's protective formation changes its spirit stones—it's precisely at midnight every night."
"Additionally, I know there's a flaw in the formation at the southeast corner. If things go wrong, Elder Shi can escape from there."
Shi Fei was full of admiration, "Young Master, you are truly foresighted!"
"If we can bring back the Crystal Refining Art today, it will be a great achievement."
"I can replace the Third Elder, and you will surely be promoted to Young Sect Master! Those old guys won't dare to utter a single word against it!"
Hearing the words "Young Sect Master," even the usually calm Wu Leng's breathing quickened.
Though he was the son of Wu Gangfei, his potential was slightly inferior, being only of lower-grade Earth rank constitution.
Even though he had improved the crystal refining art multiple times, helping the Heavy Weapon Sect earn a lot of money and save costs.
Even though he proposed many plans that helped the Heavy Weapon Sect annex several nearby small sects.
Whenever Wu Gangfei wanted to establish him as the Young Sect Master, the other elders always opposed it.
Those elders all wanted to install their own people as the Young Sect Master.
However, if he could achieve such a great merit today, no elder would dare to oppose it.
The position of Young Sect Master would surely be his!
Wu Leng suddenly said, "By the way, I also got information that the Qingxuan Sect's Young Sect Master, Shen Mo, is also in this mine."
Shi Fei raised an eyebrow, "Is that the Shen Mo who took first place in the Grand Assembly of a Hundred Sects?"
"Yes, that's him! If Elder Shi can capture or kill him, it will be another great achievement for both of us." Wu Leng smiled slightly, "Killing such a genius will surely be recorded in the annals of Xuanjiang Prefecture!"
Shi Fei's breathing quickened.
Of course.
After the Grand Assembly of a Hundred Sects, the name Yan Junzi Shen Mo spread throughout Xuanjiang Prefecture.
Killing him would be equivalent to destroying the Qingxuan Sect's future!
"Alright, I'll kill him and take the Crystal Refining Art!" Shi Fei laughed sinisterly.
He could almost see himself becoming the Third Elder, holding high authority.
Soon, midnight arrived.
The faint light covering the mine disappeared.
Shi Fei used his body technique and immediately moved like a ghost into the mine.
Thanks to the detailed information provided by Wu Leng, Shi Fei encountered almost no obstacles.
He knew the patrol routes of the night watch team clearly.
"Wait... why does the metal page sense the book not in the mine, but over there?"
"Over there, it seems to be Shen Mo's room!"
Shi Fei paused for a moment.
He discovered that the metal page was guiding him to a room high up in the mine.
That room was the one Wu Leng had told him about, Shen Mo's room.
After a brief moment of surprise, Shi Fei sneered.
"Perfect! Saves me an extra trip! This really fell into my lap!"
Shi Fei silently approached Shen Mo's door and gently pushed it open.
He saw Shen Mo sitting cross-legged on the bed, eyes closed in meditation.
With a sinister smile, Shi Fei lunged at Shen Mo's throat with a clawed hand.
However, Shi Fei suddenly saw Shen Mo open his eyes and smile faintly, as if he had known Shi Fei would come.
Alarm bells went off in Shi Fei's mind.
At that moment, four figures suddenly appeared from four directions, surrounding Shi Fei in an instant.
They were Elder Li and three other inner sect elders.
Elder Li casually blocked Shi Fei's claw.
Elder Li and the others all wore cold smiles.
Shi Fei was furious.
Even if he were stupid, he could now tell he had walked into a trap!
He let out a blood-curdling scream, "Damn it! It's a trap!"
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