Leaving the Mine

"Um, did you need something from me?"

Lu Jiuyuan fidgeted uneasily, and the sight made Ling Qingping cover her mouth and chuckle.

"You needn't worry, young man. My County Princess Manor is short of servants. You seem promising, so I wish to recruit you as a servant in my manor. The compensation will certainly be far better than in this mine."

Hearing Ling Qingping's words, Lu Jiuyuan's eyes lit up. The system's functions were truly impressive. Could he escape this sea of suffering so quickly?

Seeing Lu Jiuyuan standing there in a daze, Xiao Qing assumed he could not believe such good fortune had fallen into his lap. She looked at him smugly.

"Hey, brat, my lady asked you a question. Are you accepting or not?"

"Xiao Qing, do not be rash."

Ling Qingping stopped her, and only then did Xiao Qing fall silent. Lu Jiuyuan also came back to his senses. If he did not leave the mine now, who knew when the next opportunity would come.

"Thank you for your favor, County Princess. Since you have spoken, I naturally will not refuse. I am Lu Jiuyuan. Greetings, County Princess."

Lu Jiuyuan immediately dropped to one knee and cupped his hands respectfully. A wise man submitted to circumstances; leaving this place was what mattered most right now.

After taking Lu Jiuyuan under her wing, Ling Qingping immediately sensed that strange feeling within her vanish. This further convinced her that Lu Jiuyuan was the person capable of changing her fate.

"If it is convenient for you, then come with me and leave now."

After saying that, Ling Qingping rose to her feet and prepared to leave the mine. Lu Jiuyuan, however, scratched his head awkwardly.

"County Princess, may I bring one more person with me? Don't worry, he is very capable. Leaving him in this mine would be burying a pearl in the dust."

Lu Jiuyuan hurriedly explained. The person he wanted to take away was naturally Xiao Tie. He had promised him that once he rose to glory, he would not forget him.

Now that he had the chance to leave this mine, he naturally had to bring Xiao Tie along.

Since it was no great matter, Ling Qingping readily agreed.

"Go on, then. We will wait here for you, but you only have one hour."

As soon as Ling Qingping finished speaking, Lu Jiuyuan thanked her repeatedly before turning and racing toward the mine.

After Lu Jiuyuan left, Xiao Qing moved closer to Ling Qingping.

"County Princess, isn't he just a little handsome and capable of comprehending a Yellow-grade Low-rank Martial Skill? No matter how I look at him, he doesn't seem particularly useful to you."

Ling Qingping merely smiled and shook her head. "Xiao Qing, you do not understand. I sensed an extremely dense aura of fortune upon him. This man will surely soar into the sky one day. All we can do now is build a good relationship with him in advance."

Xiao Qing snorted disdainfully. He had already been sold into a mine, so how could Lu Jiuyuan possibly possess abundant fortune?

Meanwhile, Lu Jiuyuan had no idea what Xiao Qing and Ling Qingping thought of him. After comprehending a Yellow-grade Low-rank Martial Skill, he could feel that his physical constitution had improved considerably.

After jogging for a while, Lu Jiuyuan quickly found Xiao Tie working amid the crowd. He came up behind him and patted him on the back.

"Brother Lu, don't you have work to do? What did you come find me for?"

Seeing that the overseer had not attacked Lu Jiuyuan, Xiao Tie asked curiously.

"Hehe, your Brother Lu caught the County Princess's eye and became a member of the County Princess Manor. I got a spot from her and wanted to take you away with me."

"I haven't forgotten my promise from back then."

Lu Jiuyuan said this with his head held high. His smile warmed Xiao Tie's heart, but then Xiao Tie seemed to remember something and grew somewhat embarrassed.

"Brother Lu, won't this make things too difficult for you? After all, she is the County Princess."

Though Xiao Tie knew little about the outside world, he knew that the County Princess Manor was a true colossus. Thinking that Brother Lu had humbled himself before the County Princess to secure a place for him, Xiao Tie felt deeply embarrassed.

"Don't worry, it's nothing. I only had to ask."

Lu Jiuyuan said it casually. Only then did Xiao Tie set down his things and head back to the dormitory to pack up and leave with Lu Jiuyuan. The overseer had long since received Xiao Qing's Divine Sense Transmission and did not stop them.

Before long, Xiao Tie packed his belongings and left with Lu Jiuyuan. Lu Jiuyuan himself had nothing at all. He had brought nothing when he came to the mine, and now that he was leaving, he went with sleeves fluttering in the breeze.

"Have you both packed everything? Let's go."

Li Qingping spoke and headed toward the mine's exit. Xiao Qing followed at her side, while Lu Jiuyuan and Xiao Tie hurried after them.

When they arrived at the mine's entrance, Elder Xu noticed Lu Jiuyuan following behind Li Qingping. Surprise flashed through his eyes, but he did not stop them. He was only a mine slave. If the Princess wanted him, she could simply take him away.

After Li Qingping's group departed, Elder Xu shook his head and laughed.

"Who would have thought that boy from the Lu Family would be taken away by the Princess? I wonder what the Chen Family will do once they learn of this."

The Lineage that had destroyed the Lu Family was precisely the Chen Family. Back then, it had been Chen Feng, the Chen Family's Young Master, who brought Lu Jiuyuan to the mine. He had even given Elder Xu a small gift, asking him not to let Lu Jiuyuan leave.

Out of consideration for Chen Lei, the Chen Family head and a Golden Core Stage expert, Elder Xu had agreed. But now it was the Princess who had taken Lu Jiuyuan away. How could he possibly stop her?

All he could say was that the Chen Family was likely in for a world of pain.

Lu Jiuyuan did not think so much about it. Once outside the mine, a dazzling beam of light made him squint involuntarily. Xiao Tie beside him was no different.

Li Qingping merely shook her head at the sight. The mine below was dark as night, and mine slaves were forbidden from leaving. After going so long without seeing light, they naturally could not adapt immediately.

After roughly three minutes, Lu Jiuyuan and Xiao Tie finally adjusted. They cupped their hands toward Li Qingping and said, "Thank you, Princess!"

"There is no need for so many thanks. Come, let us return to the Princess's Mansion first."

With that, she headed back toward the Princess's Mansion, while Lu Jiuyuan and Xiao Tie hurried after her.

Even Xiao Qing did not notice that, hidden in the shadows, a cultivator wearing a black cloak was observing everything.

"Li Qingping's location has been confirmed. Next, I only need to take her away!"

The Mysterious Cultivator muttered to himself, but another voice sounded behind him.

"Oh? Which faction do you belong to, that you dare set your sights on Princess Li Qingping?"

Hearing that voice, the Mysterious Cultivator's expression changed drastically. He was a Nascent Soul Stage cultivator. How had someone approached silently behind him?

When he turned around, he saw a Young Man leaning against the wall, a blade of grass dangling from his mouth as he looked at him casually.

This person was surely very powerful. Without hesitation, strange black smoke rose from the Mysterious Cultivator's body as he prepared to vanish. But how could the other cultivator possibly allow him to leave?

"You should stay. I will hand you over to my lord for judgment!"

Grasping Heaven Hand!

The Young Man manifested a massive hand and directly imprisoned the Mysterious Cultivator in place. Feeling the pressure emanating from the other party, the Mysterious Cultivator could not believe it.

"What? How could there be a Void Refining Stage powerhouse in such a remote place?"

But he quickly understood. This Young Man was likely sent by King Li to secretly protect Li Qingping. Realizing this, the Mysterious Cultivator decisively triggered his own power.

In an instant, terrifying power erupted from within the Mysterious Cultivator's body. The Young Man frowned slightly at the sight.

"Playing at self-destruction? So be it. I will only be missing a piece of information."

At first, he had not expected the Mysterious Cultivator to self-destruct. By the time he wanted to stop him, it was already too late, so he could only allow the Mysterious Cultivator to explode.

However, with his Void Refining Stage cultivation, he could still completely block the energy from an early Spirit Transformation Stage cultivator's self-destruction.

On the way back, Xiao Qing frowned slightly and looked toward a distant alley, but she saw nothing. Li Qingping noticed her reaction.

"Did something happen?"

"Nothing. Perhaps it was just my imagination."

Xiao Qing shook her head.

In another alley, the Young Man was secretly observing Li Qingping's group. However, his attention was drawn to Xiao Tie.

"This boy has fine potential for body cultivation. If there is a chance, I could recommend him to the Overlord Sect."

After observing Xiao Tie, the Young Man finally noticed Lu Jiuyuan. A hint of surprise appeared in his eyes.

"This boy is so handsome, and he has not even stepped onto the Path to Immortality. If he does, wouldn't he be unstoppable?"