Calculations

Lu Ye immediately felt a tremendous force seize him, dragging his body forward against his will. Enduring the pain in his chest, he asked, "Steward Yang, where are we going?"

"Cut the nonsense!" Steward Yang snarled. After walking a few steps, he glanced at the mining basket on Lu Ye's back. "Throw it away."

Lu Ye did not dare disobey. He untied the mining basket and tossed it to the ground, though he did not discard his Mining Pickaxe. Steward Yang merely glanced at it and said nothing more.

As they went deeper inside, the light behind them grew ever more distant.

The depths of the Mine Tunnel were dim. Only torches spaced every few dozen zhang provided a little light. The passages throughout the mine vein crisscrossed like jagged teeth, and the terrain was exceedingly complex. Not every Mine Tunnel had torches for illumination; most lay shrouded in darkness year-round, and no one knew where they led.

Thus, when mining here, it was easy to lose one's way without following the trail of torches.

If Mine Slaves with mortal bodies lost their direction in such a place, their fate was easy to imagine.

Among the Mine Slaves, Mine Tunnels lit by torches were called Bright Paths, while those blanketed in darkness all year were called Dark Paths.

There were often cases where a torch burned out, turning a Bright Path into a Dark Path, leaving Mine Slaves lost and starving to death alive.

As he followed Steward Yang onward, Lu Ye noticed something strange: Steward Yang would turn back to look from time to time, his expression tense.

It was as though some danger lurked behind them.

Steward Yang's behavior made Lu Ye tense as well.

"Lu Ye, do you know of any Dark Paths?" Steward Yang suddenly asked.

"Yes." Lu Ye nodded. There was no point denying it before Steward Yang. In truth, Lu Ye was not the only one who knew several Dark Paths. Every one of the few powerful Mine Slaves in the mine had several Dark Paths in hand.

Though Bright Paths were safe, there were not many places left to mine there. On the contrary, Dark Paths, though fraught with danger, often yielded good finds.

It was precisely by relying on these resource-rich Dark Paths that Lu Ye could return with full harvests every day. Otherwise, where would he have found the extra contributions to exchange for Qi and Blood Pills?

That was also why Steward Yang had brought him along after recognizing him.

"Does Steward Yang want to go to those Dark Paths?" Lu Ye asked. Steward Yang's sudden question about Dark Paths gave him an inkling.

Steward Yang said, "Take me there. Find the most hidden Dark Path."

"Alright!" Lu Ye nodded in agreement. After only a few steps, he suddenly let out a muffled groan and clutched his chest.

The bones in his chest had been knocked somewhat out of place. He had been hurrying along with Steward Yang this whole way, unable to rest properly. Now his injury had been aggravated, and the pain halted him in his tracks as fine beads of sweat seeped from his forehead.

Steward Yang cast him a displeased look. After hesitating for a moment, he reached into a Cloth Pouch at his waist and soon took out a round pill the size of a soybean. He handed it to Lu Ye. "Eat it!"

Lu Ye took it, but could not identify what kind of pill it was. Over the past year, he had only come into contact with Qi and Blood Pills. The pill in his hand was clearly different.

But Steward Yang had use for him right now, so he probably would not harm him. This was most likely for treating injuries.

He stuffed the pill into his mouth and chewed it a few times, instantly regretting it until his guts turned green, because the medicine was bitter beyond belief.

"Why are you chewing it? Just swallow it. It's a Healing Pill." Steward Yang said irritably.

It really was a pill for treating injuries. Wearing a face as bitter as a bitter melon, Lu Ye still had to express deep gratitude. "Thank you, Steward Yang."

"If you really want to thank me, get moving." Steward Yang shoved him.

Lu Ye could only force himself to keep going and lead the way ahead.

Though the pill was bitter beyond measure, its effects were astonishing. Before long after taking it, Lu Ye felt a warm current stirring in his lower abdomen. The pain in his chest soon lessened, replaced by a numb, itchy sensation.

He could not help but sigh inwardly. Good medicine indeed tasted bitter.

Led by Lu Ye, the two continued through the crisscrossing Mine Tunnels. Whenever they occasionally encountered Mine Slaves returning from work, Steward Yang would simply raise his hand and kill them with a palm strike.

Lu Ye's eyelids twitched wildly at the sight, and the suspicions in his heart grew ever clearer.

About an hour later, the two stopped before a Dark Path. Lu Ye now held a torch, which he had taken down from nearby. He said, "Steward Yang, this is the most hidden Dark Path. After you enter, turn left at the first fork, then at the second fork..."

Before he could finish, Steward Yang kicked him inside. "Lead the way!"

Lu Ye's heart sank to the bottom. He did not want to lead the way. From Steward Yang's actions along the way, if he truly led him to the place, he would likely meet no good end.

But his last attempt had failed. Steward Yang clearly did not intend to venture deep into the Dark Path alone. Having Lu Ye, who knew the terrain, guide him was far better than feeling his way through it himself.

With no other choice, Lu Ye could only continue onward.

They twisted and turned through the tunnels. Even Steward Yang, a cultivator, had begun to lose track of the way back. More than an hour later, the Mine Tunnel ahead was blocked off, leaving no path forward.

Lu Ye set the torch into a concealed notch in the rock wall.

Steward Yang let out a long breath and sat on the ground, panting. He glanced sideways at Lu Ye and could not help laughing. "You really are capable, finding a place like this."

Lu Ye smiled. "Just lucky."

Steward Yang nodded and said no more.

"Steward Yang, then I'll head back first," Lu Ye said.

Steward Yang slightly raised his eyelids. "Lu Ye, you're a smart man. Smart men should do smart things."

As he spoke, he rose to his feet and strolled toward Lu Ye. The flickering firelight cast his shadow like a dancing ghost.

Panic filled Lu Ye's face. "What do you mean?"

Steward Yang sighed. "I might as well tell you plainly. The Vast Sky Alliance has arrived. This mine vein probably cannot be held for now. I came here to avoid disaster. Though I'm grateful that you brought me here, I can't let you go back."

Lu Ye retreated step by step, thinking inwardly, Just as I thought. When he had seen Steward Yang slaughter the Mine Slaves they encountered earlier, he had already vaguely guessed. Steward Yang feared word of his entering the Mine Tunnel would get out, so naturally he had to kill everyone who saw him.

And the reason he had been so delighted upon seeing Lu Ye at the mine entrance was because he knew Lu Ye could lead him to a hidden place to hide.

If he hid in a place like this, even if the Vast Sky Alliance captured the mine vein, they would not easily find him. There was a great chance he could escape this calamity.

It was precisely because Lu Ye understood his predicament that he had kept trying to get away. But with Steward Yang refusing to let him go, how could he possibly leave?

"Then I'll stay with you. I won't leave." Lu Ye's back pressed against the rock wall. There was nowhere left to retreat.

Steward Yang stopped, seemingly giving it serious thought, but quickly shook his head. "I didn't bring much food, and I don't know how long I'll have to hide here. The Vast Sky Alliance may not stay long, but it will surely be one or two months. After such a long time, you'd starve to death. How could you keep me company? So, as thanks, I'll send you on your way!"

Only three zhang separated them. As soon as the words fell, Steward Yang struck at Lu Ye with his palm.

Though his cultivation was not high, killing a mere mortal like Lu Ye was still as easy as turning over his hand.

Yet he never expected that at the instant he attacked, Lu Ye would charge straight at him with his Mining Pickaxe raised, smashing it viciously toward his head.

Lu Ye's ruthlessness and decisiveness surprised Steward Yang, but only for a moment...

What happened next, however, made his soul nearly leave his body.

He suddenly discovered that the Spiritual Power in his Spiritual Aperture was moving sluggishly, as though some invisible force had shackled it. He could only summon a negligible wisp of it.

The Mining Pickaxe came crashing down. It was too late for Steward Yang to retreat, so he could only raise the palm aimed at Lu Ye to block before him.

With a crisp crack, the Mining Pickaxe struck Steward Yang's arm squarely and broke it.

Steward Yang could not help screaming as he staggered backward.

Having landed the blow, the tension in Lu Ye's heart immediately eased. It seemed the rumors he had heard before were true. There was still a way to live.

He pressed his advantage without mercy, advancing step by step as the Mining Pickaxe in his hand swung down again and again, battering Steward Yang until he could barely fight back.

Though Steward Yang was a cultivator of Evil Moon Valley, his cultivation was low. That was why he had ended up with the idle post of managing a mine vein. He had rarely fought fiercely with anyone in his life. When dealing with Mine Slaves, he could knead them flat or round at will with his cultivation. But after his cultivation was severely suppressed, he was only somewhat stronger than an ordinary mortal. Facing someone as ruthless as Lu Ye, he was immediately beaten into a dizzy, disoriented state.

While dodging Lu Ye's fierce attacks, he reached into the Cloth Pouch at his waist. Then, with a flick of his hand, cold light flashed.

Lu Ye was startled and hurriedly stopped, raising his pickaxe to block.

The cold gleam sliced across the front of the Mining Pickaxe, cutting the pickaxe forged from refined iron cleanly in half.

Lu Ye fixed his eyes on Steward Yang's hand and discovered that, at some point, he had grasped a longsword! He had taken it from the Cloth Pouch at his waist.

Steward Yang viciously swung the sword in his hand, intimidating Lu Ye into not daring to advance carelessly.

The situation suddenly reached a deadlock. In the deepest part of the Mine Tunnel, a mortal and a cultivator faced each other. The former wore a cold, resolute expression, while the latter looked disheveled, his face twisted by intense pain.

"Primordial Magnetic Field?" Steward Yang gritted his teeth and growled. In that brief time, he had already figured out why his Spiritual Power had been sealed.

This place was actually rich in Primordial Magnetic Ore!

Primordial Magnetic Ore was an extremely rare mineral. In terms of value, among all the minerals in this mine vein, Primordial Magnetic Ore stood first without rival. This ore was immensely useful to certain cultivators.

However, Primordial Magnetic Ore had one characteristic: it released an invisible, formless field. This field restricted the flow of all Spiritual Power within its range.

Once cultivators entered such a field, their strength would inevitably be greatly reduced.

Steward Yang's cultivation was limited. Enveloped by this Primordial Magnetic Field, nearly all of his Spiritual Power had been completely sealed away. In an instant, he had fallen from an exalted cultivator into an ordinary mortal.

He suddenly recalled that over the past year, Lu Ye had indeed occasionally mined some Primordial Magnetic Ore. But others had mined some as well, only in small quantities, so he had not paid much attention. After all, this mine vein contained all kinds of minerals.

But now it seemed Lu Ye had always known the location of a large quantity of Primordial Magnetic Ore. Yet he had not mined it extensively to exchange for contributions, only occasionally extracting a few pieces so as not to invite covetous eyes. His scheming ran truly deep.

"You plotted against me?" Steward Yang was nearly driven mad. At this point, how could he not understand that Lu Ye had deliberately brought him here?

A mortal he had believed he could kill or spare at will had bared his fangs at him. Steward Yang was furious beyond measure. Yet one of his arms had been smashed broken, and he had injuries all over his body. In this environment where he could not wield his cultivation, he truly was no match for Lu Ye.

Thus, he made a swift decision, turned, and ran.

Seeing this, Lu Ye immediately sensed something was wrong.

He only had a superficial understanding of the Primordial Magnetic Field. When he had first handed over Primordial Magnetic Ore, he had heard cultivators from Evil Moon Valley mention the properties of this ore, so he had kept it in mind.

After personally witnessing Steward Yang brutally murder the Mine Slaves they encountered halfway through, he knew this journey bode ill. That was why he had brought Steward Yang here. Before he broke one of Steward Yang's arms, he had not been certain whether the Primordial Magnetic Field here could suppress Steward Yang's strength.

Fortunately, heaven favored the good. The Primordial Magnetic Field had indeed left Steward Yang bound hand and foot.

But the range covered by the Primordial Magnetic Field was limited. Once Steward Yang escaped its reach, Lu Ye would be as good as dead.

He absolutely could not let Steward Yang escape!

Lu Ye hardened his heart, bent down to pick up a fist-sized stone, and hurled it viciously at Steward Yang.

How could the fleeing Steward Yang have expected Lu Ye to have such a sinister trick up his sleeve? The stone struck the back of his head, and he stumbled to the ground.

Before he could rise, a whistling rush of wind reached his ears. Steward Yang hastily rolled over and saw Lu Ye charging close, swinging the half of the Mining Pickaxe still in his hand.

There was no way to dodge this!

At the brink of life and death, Steward Yang shouted, "Then we die together!"

The longsword in his hand thrust out fiercely!

The next moment, his head was smashed to pulp by the Mining Pickaxe. Still not at ease, Lu Ye struck him several more times. Only after watching the figure before him twitch continuously did he confirm that the man could not survive.

Intense pain came from his thigh. Looking down, he saw a longsword embedded in his leg—the very sword Steward Yang had held.

He had actually been stabbed without knowing when! He had felt nothing at all just now.

Lu Ye dropped the Mining Pickaxe and collapsed onto the ground, gulping for breath as he savored the beauty of being alive.

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