"Yang Ling, after today, I, Zhang Wei, won't owe you anything anymore."
Zhang Wei smiled, waved, and turned to leave.
Yang Ling watched him go.
"You set me up twice. The benefits I got from you only make up for one time. You still owe me once."
Zhang Wei stopped for a moment, then hurried off without answering Yang Ling.
Back at the wooden hut,
Yang Ling continued practicing Collapse Mountain Fist and Vajra Mingwang Technique.
The next day,
his Collapse Mountain Fist Proficiency had increased by another twenty or so points.
His Vajra Mingwang Technique Experience Points had also reached 40.
He was now close to reaching First Glimpse of the Door at 100 points.
He left the hut and headed for the mine entrance to see whether it had been unsealed.
But before he'd even made it halfway, he ran into Zhang Wei again.
"Why haven't you left yet?"
Yang Ling smiled. "Can't bear to part with the Fire Crystal Rock Ore? Want to Level Up here?"
"You think I don't want to leave?"
Zhang Wei looked grim. He glanced toward the mine entrance, his eyes full of solemn concern.
"A steward from the Mountain River Sect has arrived. He outranks Supervisor Wu and Steward Niu."
Zhang Wei lowered his voice. "The steward gave the order: no miner is allowed to leave."
"What happened?"
Yang Ling's thoughts stirred. He knew the answer, but asked anyway.
"Who knows?" Zhang Wei replied absentmindedly.
Yang Ling guessed Zhang Wei was worried his connection to Zhang Hao would be exposed.
Just then, a Mine Guard walked over.
Zhang Wei felt guilty and immediately moved away.
"Yang Ling? Supervisor Wu wants to see you. Come with me."
The Mine Guard called out to him.
"Me? What for?"
Yang Ling was slightly taken aback.
"Why ask so many questions? Just come with me," the Mine Guard said impatiently.
"Of course, of course."
Yang Ling nodded repeatedly and followed him toward the mine entrance.
Zhang Wei saw what was happening and looked surprised.
"They're looking for Yang Ling? What does Supervisor Wu want with him?"
He couldn't figure it out, but still felt relieved.
As long as they weren't looking for him, that was all that mattered.
He was sure Yang Ling wouldn't be stupid enough to expose Collapse Mountain Fist.
At the mine, in front of Mine Tunnel No. 1,
the bodies of Fifth Brother and the others had been dug up and laid out beside the entrance.
They had been dead for many days, and their bodies had already begun to rot, giving off a foul stench.
Yang Ling spotted them from a distance and couldn't help taking a deep breath.
Had Supervisor Wu called him over because he'd discovered something?
"My Strength is 11. Using Collapse Mountain Fist can add another 3, but then I can't hold the Steel Pickaxe. So my Strength limit is only 14."
"Vajra Mingwang Technique hasn't reached First Glimpse of the Door yet. I'm still nowhere near a match for Supervisor Wu."
Yang Ling's thoughts raced, and a bead of cold sweat slowly appeared in his palm.
But when he got closer, he saw that Wu Que and Steward Niu were there—not to mention Captain Lin and Master Huìnéng.
A young man dressed in white, with a Mountain River pattern embroidered on his clothes, was chatting and laughing with Huìnéng, though his expression was somewhat ingratiating.
"Supervisor Wu, I've brought Yang Ling," the Mine Guard said respectfully.
Supervisor Wu nodded slightly and looked at Yang Ling.
"Yang Ling, do you know who the bodies on the ground belong to?"
A trace of fear appeared in Yang Ling's eyes. He glanced at the bodies, then quickly shook his head.
"I can't tell."
They were so badly decomposed. How could he recognize them easily?
"It's Fifth Brother," Supervisor Wu said calmly. "As far as I know, he's only had a grudge against you lately."
"What!? It's Fifth Brother!?"
Yang Ling retreated several steps in terror.
Huìnéng and the young man, who had been watching him the whole time, nodded thoughtfully at his reaction.
"Master Huìnéng, it seems these miners were all killed by Prisoner Butcher," the young man said gravely.
"Prisoner Butcher may have hidden Gui Bao Temple's Buddhist Sutra in Mine Tunnel No. 1. I'll have my men dig three feet into the ground if that's what it takes to find it."
"Finding it would be best. Benefactor Wang, I'll be counting on you to see this through."
Huìnéng pressed his palms together.
"You're too kind, Master."
The young man smiled. "What concerns Ku Jue Temple concerns my Mountain River Sect too!"
With that, he turned to Supervisor Wu.
"Send your most experienced miners to Mine Tunnel No. 1. Have them dig hard for half a month. If they find the Buddhist Sutra lost by Ku Jue Temple, you'll be rewarded for your service!"
"Yes, Senior Brother Wang."
Supervisor Wu immediately cupped his fists in salute.
"Master Huìnéng, when Supervisor Wu and the others discovered this anomaly, they sealed off the mine and took the matter very seriously. He'll handle it properly.
"We can stay in Qingshan City for a while and wait for news."
The young man smiled.
Yang Ling now knew he was in no danger, so he quietly checked the young man's attributes.
Person: Wang Jing Profession: Martial Artist Strength: 19 Agility: 10 Spirit: 5 Martial Arts: Mountain River Drawing Sword Technique (Entering the Hall and Room), Black Tiger Fist (Entering the Hall and Room), Iron Skin Technique (Mastery Through Practice) Faction: Mountain River Sect
Three martial arts! Two at Entering the Hall and Room!
So this is the difference between a Mountain River Sect Disciple and Wu Que. He really is much stronger than Wu Que—probably just a little weaker than Huìnéng.
Yang Ling thought to himself.
"Benefactor Wang Jing, we can simply wait for news here in Miner's Village. Qingshan City is thirty li away, so traveling back and forth would be inconvenient."
Huìnéng smiled.
"Miner's Village... That'll do, I suppose."
Wang Jing seemed to look down on the conditions in Miner's Village, but since Huìnéng had suggested it, he naturally couldn't object.
He gave Wu Que an instruction, then personally led Huìnéng, Captain Lin, and the others away.
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