Desperate Saburo

Cheng Buzheng looked at the big man digging for ore and noticed many irregular Spirit Stone Raw Ore pieces embedded in the rocks, faintly glowing.

Seeing this, he didn't immediately start mining. Instead, he observed how the big man was digging.

The big man raised his Mining Pick high, his waist and shoulders, shoulders and wrists moving in unison, gripping the pick and forcefully striking the rock face, excavating an irregular Spirit Stone Raw Ore from the stone wall.

After observing for a moment, he realized the big man was just repeating the same few actions without anything special. He then turned and left.

He had no intention of mining alongside the big man.

Firstly, there was the question of whether the big man would even agree. If more people were present, the Spirit Stone Raw Ore would surely not be enough to go around. It wasn't as if the entire Mine Cave was filled with Spirit Stone Raw Ore for anyone to dig up freely.

Some areas were rich in Spirit Stone Raw Ore, while others were relatively barren. Most places didn't even have a single piece of Spirit Stone Raw Ore.

Secondly, he wasn't here to truly mine. He was here for quiet cultivation and to replenish the Small Plate's Spiritual Power Value. He needed to find a secluded spot with no one around.

Cheng Buzheng glanced back at the big man mining from a distance and then turned away.

He continued down the path. Before long, he sensed spiritual energy fluctuations in the distance.

"Boom boom."

An angry shout came from afar, "Wang Daba, didn't you already send people to collect Spirit Stones once?"

"My elder brother consumed a bit more this month, and the Spirit Stone Raw Ore isn't enough. This time counts as next month!"

A young, arrogant voice sounded from a distance.

"No... my Spirit Stone Raw Ore is just enough for this month's quota. Otherwise, the reward will be halved, and then the White Cloud Sect cultivators will come to investigate!"

"No... it has to be yes. You must hand it over today."

Immediately, another burst of intense clashing sounds followed.

"You dare to rob me, I'll fight you to the death!"

Hearing this, Cheng Buzheng frowned and secretly thought:

"Do the patrolling cultivators of the White Cloud Sect not care about situations like this?"

He decided to go and see who this Wang Daba was. It wasn't to help anyone, but to discreetly gather information, so he couldn't appear openly. He needed to be cautious in everything he did.

With a thought, a yellow Spirit Light enveloped him, and in the blink of an eye, he burrowed beneath the hard rock ground.

Three zhang beneath the rock layer, cultivators below Qi Refining Level 7 would not be able to discover him unless they deliberately searched.

After all, the rock layer was denser than Mud, making it harder for Divine Sense to penetrate. His warning range, which was originally two zhang underground, was now limited.

At this moment, the warning range could barely reach a foot underground.

Of course, if a Foundation Establishment Realm cultivator descended here, they could easily detect someone spying. After all, the higher the cultivation, the stronger the Divine Sense, and the wider the warning range.

Cheng Buzheng, beneath the rocks, moved like a swimming fish, silently heading towards them.

A short while later.

Six feet away from the two, at a bend, Cheng Buzheng extended his Divine Sense and looked at the two figures in the distance.

A middle-aged man with a weather-beaten face exuded a Spirit Pressure that indicated he was a Qi Refining Level 2 cultivator. He was currently looking angrily at another young cultivator.

At this moment, the other young cultivator, with an arrogant expression, was looking at the middle-aged man. His Spirit Pressure indicated that he was also a Qi Refining Level 2 cultivator.

The two had not stopped their actions. They each cast a Spell Technique, and a shining golden greatsword was colliding with a fireball the size of a head.

Like two light sources, they illuminated the mine tunnel as if it were daylight.

In less than a breath.

"Boom!"

The air exploded, and the fireball and golden sword turned into countless golden and red light spots, disappearing into the mine tunnel.

Seeing this.

The middle-aged man did not hesitate. His expression hardened, and disregarding his own safety, he cast a Spell Technique with his right hand, instantly forming a dark red fireball the size of a head.

The arrogant youth did not dare to show weakness. Similarly, a shining golden greatsword took shape, carrying sharp Sword Qi, and slashed towards the middle-aged man.

The middle-aged man seemed to not see the Sword Qi carrying a sharp aura. The dark red fireball emitted astonishing heat, making even the air feel like fire.

He controlled the fireball the size of a head, like a nimble snake, bypassing the Sword Qi carrying a sharp aura, and then, as if suddenly accelerating, shot directly towards the arrogant youth.

The arrogant youth, who had expected another clash of spells, felt a jolt of "Not good!" in his heart when he saw the dark red fireball bypass his sword energy.

Without hesitation, he changed the Spell Technique in his right hand, and the shining golden Sword Qi directly turned around, pursuing the dark red fireball.

He did not want to perish together with the middle-aged man.

At the same time, he quickly dodged to the right, stomped his foot, and leaped onto the rock wall of the mine tunnel like an ape.

Feeling the scorching heat from behind, he was greatly terrified. He continuously dodged, and in the blink of an eye, many afterimages of him appeared in the mine tunnel, constantly evading the fireball that closely followed.

Under the middle-aged man's precise control, the dark red fireball did not collide with the rock walls but instead continued to pursue Huang Li.

In less than a breath of time.

The shining golden Sword Qi appeared before the arrogant youth. With a thought, the shining golden Sword Qi, carrying a sharp aura, collided with the dark red fireball flying towards him.

Just now, the Fireball chasing him left him with lingering fear. Seeing the Middle-aged Man casting a Spell Technique, he quickly spoke.

"Wait. Wait until I'm done speaking. If you still think it's not good enough, then you can make your move!

Besides, I'm only responsible for collecting the Spirit Stone Raw Ore. If you don't give it today, that's fine too. I'll leave the Spirit Stone Raw Ore here, and I can leave right now.

But you need to think clearly. If I can't collect it today, the next person to come will definitely be Wang Daba. He's a Qi Refining Level 4 cultivator. If you still dare to fight to the death then, I'll admire you!

At that time, if you die by his hand, don't blame me for not warning you!

Anyway, as long as you hand over the Spirit Stone Raw Ore in full and aren't seen by the patrolling cultivators, it's not a White Cloud Sect cultivator who dies. They don't care about us miners' lives!"

Seeing that the Middle-aged Man made no move for a long time, Huang Li said kindly at this moment.

"What have you decided? If you don't agree now, I'll turn around and leave immediately. I won't stay a moment longer."

After hearing this, the Middle-aged Man's face was full of struggle. The desperate look from before was gone. He sighed faintly and said unwillingly.

"Take it!"

Upon hearing this.

The Arrogant Youth's expression changed. He grinned cheekily and looked at the Middle-aged Man, teasing him.

"If you're not willing, I don't have to take it!"

At this moment, he no longer looked like he had lingering fear.

"Scram... If you don't scram... I'll risk my life to take you down with me!"

"Alright... I'm leaving now~"

Cheng Buzheng, who was watching the commotion, was silently assessing the strength of the two.

If he were to unleash his ultimate weapon, the two would definitely not be his match for even a single move. But without his ultimate weapon, he could only escape by burrowing into the ground, as he only knew one offensive spell.