The Spirit Mine Runs Dry

In the Haotian Grand Hall of the Haotian Palace.

Sect Master Gu Mingchao, the Great Elder, and the heads of the various palaces had all gathered.

Qin Xiangqian, Chu Xinghe's lucky general, had brought some rather bad news on this visit to the Vast Heaven Sect.

The Vast Heaven Sect's No. 1 Spirit Mine had exhausted its resources. For more than half a month straight, it had not produced a single spirit stone.

The No. 1 Spirit Mine was a supreme-grade vein that the Vast Heaven Sect had acquired several hundred years ago.

It could be said that the No. 1 Spirit Mine had contributed enormously to the rise of the Vast Heaven Sect.

Even today, the spirit stones it produced still accounted for roughly a tenth of the Vast Heaven Sect's total output.

Now that the No. 1 Spirit Mine had been exhausted, this was indeed very bad news.

Gu Mingchao's purpose in summoning the palace heads was simple: to discuss how they should choose a new spirit mine.

After all, spirit mines were an extremely important source of spirit stones for any sect. The Vast Heaven Sect had a vast establishment and consumed vast quantities of resources, so the most important thing now was finding a vein that could replace the No. 1 Spirit Mine.

"Qin Xiangqian, does the merchant association have any leads?"

The Great Elder spoke slowly.

Qin Xiangqian replied respectfully, "Great Elder, the No. 1 Spirit Mine is the best of the best among supreme-grade veins. There are very few in the world that can compare to it. Finding a vein to replace it in a short time would be extremely difficult..."

The elders nodded. Qin Xiangqian was right.

The No. 1 Spirit Mine was a supreme vein among supreme veins. It would be no easy task to replace it.

"Now that the spirit mine has run dry, finding a replacement is our highest priority. Which of you elders would be willing to make a trip to Spirit Vein Mountain in person and select a new spirit mine?"

Gu Mingchao spoke from the center of the hall.

But when the sect master finished, every elder, including the Great Elder, fell silent.

It was not that the elders were unwilling to do their part for the sect.

The main issue was that selecting a spirit mine was no small matter.

Buying a new spirit mine cost an astronomical sum.

Buying one comparable to the No. 1 Spirit Mine would be even harder than ascending to heaven.

Under these circumstances, a wrong choice would surely bring unimaginable losses to the sect. With a matter this significant, even the Great Elder dared not speak up lightly.

Qin Xiangqian looked at the silent elders and opened his mouth, but hesitated to speak.

"Qin Xiangqian, rest at the sect for now. We'll discuss the matter before making a decision." Gu Mingchao also knew the matter would not be easily resolved, so he could only set it aside for the time being.

"Yes!"

Qin Xiangqian bowed to the sect master and all the elders, then left the Haotian Grand Hall.

As soon as he stepped through the doors, he saw Chu Xinghe standing some distance away in the Haotian Palace, waving at him.

Although Chu Xinghe no longer had the Haotian Token, he could still come and go freely in the Haotian Palace.

Setting aside how often Chu Xinghe came to the Haotian Palace to seek the sect master's guidance on Haotian Battle Intent, his popularity in the Vast Heaven Sect alone meant that the senior brothers and sisters guarding the palace would not make things difficult for him.

Qin Xiangqian's eyes lit up when he saw Chu Xinghe waving, and he hurried over to him.

Although it had not been long since he had last parted from Chu Xinghe, Qin Xiangqian was well aware of everything that had happened in the meantime.

Chu Xinghe had single-handedly trampled Martial Emperor City's younger generation underfoot, defeating even Zheng Yu and his Seven-Colored Glazed Body. Then, in the alchemy competition against the Heavenly Medicine Palace, he had become the first fifth-grade alchemist in the world to refine a divine pill.

It had shaken the world in all directions.

First in combat strength among the younger generation, first in alchemy among the younger generation...

In such a short time, Qin Xiangqian had lost count of how many times he had heard Chu Xinghe's name.

Whenever he thought of Chu Xinghe, Qin Xiangqian felt deep admiration. Not only was Senior Brother Xinghe a man of noble character, but his strength was also unfathomable.

More importantly, while he had come to the sect to report the news about the No. 1 mine, he also had a bold idea. It was so bold that he had hesitated to voice it in the Haotian Grand Hall.

That bold idea had to do with Chu Xinghe.

Last time, Senior Brother Xinghe had needed only one glance to tell that something was wrong with the raw stones. Qin Xiangqian had dealt with raw stones for half his life and had never seen anyone with such mastery over spirit stones.

This had to be an ability granted by the legendary Medicine Saint Inheritance.

So Qin Xiangqian thought that if Senior Brother Xinghe could go to Spirit Vein Mountain and personally choose a spirit mine, success would surely be all but guaranteed.

But the Vast Heaven Sect had its own rules.

Ordinarily, even elders did not dare interfere in the selection of spirit mines. After all, the consequences of a failed choice were too severe.

That was why the elders had fallen silent after the sect master spoke.

Even the palace heads and the Great Elder did not dare take on the task lightly. Although Senior Brother Xinghe held an extraordinary position in the sect, surely the sect could not entrust him with a matter this important.

Qin Xiangqian hid nothing from Chu Xinghe, telling him outright why he had come and everything he was thinking.

After hearing Qin Xiangqian out, Chu Xinghe fell silent for a full ten seconds!

What did it mean when someone handed you a pillow just as you were getting sleepy?

What did it mean to bring charcoal in the snow?

What did it mean to delight in helping others?

What was a lucky general?

From today onward, there was only one lucky general in the world, and that was you, Lucky General Qin!

Last time I met Lucky General Qin, he brought me peak third-rank cultivation. I'd barely started fretting over my defeats at both Martial Emperor City and the Heavenly Medicine Palace, and Lucky General Qin has brought me such a huge opportunity!

That was a spirit mine!

How much did one spirit mine mean to the sect?

And what an astronomical sum it cost to buy one!

Good heavens!

If I bought the sect a great big pit, what a terrifying loss that would be!

Heaven never failed those who worked hard; beyond the dark willows and bright flowers lay another village!

Chu Xinghe was almost in tears. Was this not the opportunity he had been waiting so desperately for?

What pleased Chu Xinghe even more was that he had not needed to prompt him. The lucky general's first thought had been him.

Lucky General Qin, oh, Lucky General Qin, I don't know a damn thing about raw stones...

Although the Medicine Saint Inheritance really did contain information on judging raw stones, I'd count it as my loss if I'd so much as glanced at it!

Suppressing the surge of emotion within him, Chu Xinghe looked at Lucky General Qin and said, "Lucky General Qin... President Qin, did you tell the sect master about this?"

"Senior Brother Xinghe, I didn't dare. This matter is too important, and I was afraid I'd get you into trouble."

This is how you're getting me into trouble!

Chu Xinghe was truly anxious this time. If he missed such a good opportunity, would he not regret it for the rest of his life?

Choosing a spirit mine to screw over the sect was a heaven-sent opportunity.

If he made the wrong choice, the sect would suffer losses and he would grow stronger.

If the sect suffered a loss, someone would have to take the blame. For a loss that great, Chu Xinghe figured that even if he was not demoted to the outer sect, he would surely lose his status as a personal disciple.

Then he could reap another windfall from being punished.

Where else could he find an opportunity like this?

"President Qin, how could you be so muddleheaded? This is such an important matter. If it's really entrusted to an elder who isn't skilled at it, what enormous losses would the sect suffer if something went wrong? Come on, let's go to the Haotian Grand Hall right now!"

Chu Xinghe grabbed Qin Xiangqian and rushed all the way to the Haotian Grand Hall.

Qin Xiangqian wore a wry smile. He did not actually doubt Chu Xinghe's motives or his ability with raw stones.

The main issue was his status.

Choosing a spirit mine was so important that only someone of a palace head's standing was qualified. Chu Xinghe was still only a disciple, and even if he was a personal disciple, would the sect really entrust him with such an important task?

The group of bigwigs discussing matters in the Haotian Grand Hall paused in surprise as they watched Chu Xinghe pull Qin Xiangqian inside.

"You brat, the sect is discussing important matters! How dare you barge in? Get out of here!" The Great Elder stood and scolded Chu Xinghe angrily.

At the Great Elder's words, the other elders merely chuckled and said nothing.

Even Sect Master Gu Mingchao smiled without speaking.

But Qin Xiangqian froze.

Senior Brother Xinghe had dragged him in so quickly that he had forgotten: when the sect master and elders were discussing matters, no one was permitted to barge in.

Qin Xiangqian knew the Vast Heaven Sect's rules were strict. Once, a core disciple had accidentally trespassed in the Haotian Palace and had been stripped of his core disciple status and demoted to the outer sect.

Yet today Chu Xinghe had dragged him into the Haotian Grand Hall, and all the Great Elder did was tell him to get out?

Senior Brother Xinghe was the Great Elder's disciple, so it was understandable that the Great Elder would shield him. But none of the other elders or even the sect master had any objection. That was too shocking!

When others trespassed in the Haotian Palace, they were sent straight to the outer sect. When Senior Brother Xinghe trespassed in the Haotian Palace, he was just told to get out?

Qin Xiangqian grabbed Senior Brother Xinghe and prepared to leave, but Senior Brother Xinghe shook him off, stood his ground, and spoke.

"Great Elder, don't be in such a hurry. I have an important matter to report."

He talked back to the Great Elder on the spot?

Qin Xiangqian was dumbfounded. Senior Brother Xinghe, the Great Elder told us to get out, so let's just get out! Talking back to him like this will earn you a severe punishment!

Qin Xiangqian was so frightened he could barely keep from wetting himself.

In the Vast Heaven Sect, talking back to the Great Elder was a grave offense!

"Oh... since you have something to report, go ahead."

Qin Xiangqian: "???"

What the hell was this?

Others were sent to the outer sect for barging into the Haotian Grand Hall, but Senior Brother Xinghe had barged in and talked back to the Great Elder, and the Great Elder was not angry in the least. He even told Chu Xinghe to speak?

At that moment, Qin Xiangqian realized he had been wrong... utterly wrong.

Senior Brother Xinghe's standing in the Vast Heaven Sect had reached a level he could not even imagine.

Had it been any other disciple today, there was no way he would have walked out of the Haotian Grand Hall on his own two feet.

"I just asked President Qin, and it seems the sect's No. 1 Spirit Mine has run dry, hasn't it?" Chu Xinghe said calmly.

But the moment he said it, Qin Xiangqian went pale with fright.

Senior Brother Xinghe! You really dare say anything!

The matter of the No. 1 Spirit Mine is a sect secret. I told you because I trusted you, Senior Brother Xinghe!

But now you've said it in front of all these elders and the sect master. Have you gone mad?!

Prying into sect secrets without authorization is a capital offense! The Great Elder will surely fly into a rage now!

We're dead. We're dead today.

Qin Xiangqian was almost in tears, but just as he waited for the Great Elder's thunderous fury, the Great Elder spoke.

"You're right."

Qin Xiangqian: "???"

What the hell? "You're right"? Seriously?