Road Encounter (Climbing the Rankings)

Taking Qi and Blood Pills could strengthen Qi and Blood Power. Then, by using the Spiritual Power within one's Spiritual Aperture to refine the qi and blood, one could obtain more Spiritual Power.

Thanks to Steward Yang's belongings, this was the only cultivation method Lu Ye could make use of at present.

He had counted them before. There were two hundred and fifty-three Qi and Blood Pills in total—not a small number.

Lu Ye had thought that so many Qi and Blood Pills would be enough for him, but once he truly began cultivating, he discovered that they probably would not last long.

During his first cultivation session, he refined the medicinal effects of only two Qi and Blood Pills. He had never done this before, and it took him a long time of fumbling around before he gained some understanding of how to refine essence into qi.

By the second session, he could refine four Qi and Blood Pills. He was beginning to get the hang of it.

Six pills on the third...

Ten pills on the fourth...

The more he cultivated, the faster he consumed Qi and Blood Pills. This was because the Spiritual Power in his Spiritual Aperture was increasing every day.

The more Spiritual Power he had, the more efficient his Refining Essence into Qi became. Naturally, his consumption of Qi and Blood Pills also grew greater.

Lu Ye came to understand something: these Qi and Blood Pills truly were not particularly good things. Otherwise, there was no reason for a cultivator who had only just opened his apertures to consume so much.

True cultivators most likely used Spiritual Pills specifically meant for cultivation. Unfortunately, he did not recognize them and did not dare try them at random.

The Mine Cave was dark and without light. Lu Ye had no idea how much time had passed, but when he used up every last Qi and Blood Pill, he knew it was time to leave.

It was not because he had run out of cultivation resources, but because he had run out of food.

After he began Refining Essence into Qi, his appetite had greatly increased. Steward Yang had brought plenty of provisions. If rationed carefully, they would have lasted for two months, since he had intended to hide here for a long time. How could he possibly have failed to prepare thoroughly?

Though he had no way to calculate the time precisely, Lu Ye estimated that only a dozen or so days had passed since he began cultivating.

His cultivation over this period had not yielded a great deal, but neither had it yielded little.

The Spiritual Power in his Source Spirit Aperture was already full. In other words, he was qualified to open the next Spiritual Aperture and cultivate the Golden Cicada Free and Unfettered Art.

However, when he followed the guidance in the Golden Cicada Free and Unfettered Art to open his second Spiritual Aperture, he could not find its location. Not only did he fail to cultivate it, he also wasted a great deal of Spiritual Power for nothing.

No wonder he had heard before that cultivation required the guidance of one's elders. If he continued fumbling about on his own, who knew how many detours he would take?

Thus, although he had used up all his Qi and Blood Pills, he was still only a One-Orifice Cultivator.

The injuries on his body had already healed and no longer hindered his movements.

What troubled Lu Ye somewhat was how he should deal with Steward Yang's Storage Bag. If he left it here, he could not bring himself to accept it.

This was Steward Yang's life savings, and there were many valuable things inside. Leaving everything else aside, those rare minerals alone were worth a fortune. He had no family or elders in this world to look after him. Cultivation would certainly consume vast resources in the future, and with Steward Yang's belongings, at the very least he would not need to worry about cultivation resources in the early stages.

But carrying it on him was not entirely appropriate either. This was a world of cultivation; there would be no shortage of people who saw wealth and conceived evil intentions, killing others to seize their lives. As a One-Orifice Cultivator carrying such a precious Storage Bag, he could not be sure that others would not harbor ill intent upon seeing it.

After pondering for a long time, Lu Ye still decided to take the Storage Bag with him. Wealth and honor were always sought amid danger. If he missed this chance, he might never get another opportunity to make such a windfall.

Having made up his mind, Lu Ye returned to the place where he had killed Steward Yang and picked up his Mining Pickaxe, whose end had been cut off.

Since he had decided to take the Storage Bag, he naturally could not leave behind the Primordial Magnetic Ore here. This ore was quite valuable as well.

Swinging his Mining Pickaxe, Lu Ye worked until sweat poured down like rain.

He had mined for an entire year and was already thoroughly familiar with the work. Moreover, now that he had Spiritual Power to support him, his efficiency was incomparably greater than before.

Piece after piece of Primordial Magnetic Ore was mined out and placed into the Storage Bag.

Only after he had mined away every last piece of Primordial Magnetic Ore did Lu Ye toss aside the Mining Pickaxe.

If everything went smoothly, he would have no more use for this thing in the future!

He took off his clothes, kept the Storage Bag close against his body, and tied it in place with strips of cloth. This way, unless someone stripped him naked and searched him, the Storage Bag would not be exposed.

However, he took out Steward Yang's longsword beforehand. The journey ahead might not be safe, and having a weapon in hand would help in an emergency.

Once everything was ready, Lu Ye took a deep breath and followed his memories toward the exit.

He proceeded with the utmost caution, afraid that an Evil Moon Valley cultivator might suddenly leap out from the darkness. He did not dare move too quickly, lest he expose his tracks.

Yet the more one feared something, the more it came to pass. When he turned a corner in the darkness and entered a Mine Tunnel, his body suddenly stiffened.

Not far ahead, a figure leaned against the rock wall of the Mine Tunnel, breathing softly.

A faint smell of blood still lingered in the air...

Lu Ye wanted to retreat, but it was already too late. The man turned to look at him, then cried out in surprise the next moment, "Lu Ye?"

Lu Ye's heart immediately tightened. In such darkness, this man could still see his face clearly, which meant he was a cultivator. And anyone who knew him was undoubtedly a cultivator from Evil Moon Valley.

Sure enough, Steward Yang had thought of entering the Mine Tunnel to take refuge, and the other Evil Moon Valley cultivators could think of the same thing. Who knew how many people from Evil Moon Valley were now hiding within these mineral veins?

His thoughts raced as Lu Ye gathered Spiritual Power over his eyes. At last, he saw the other man's features clearly.

It was a cultivator at the mine named Zhou Cheng. He had been under Steward Yang's jurisdiction, held a lower position than Steward Yang, and his cultivation should have been weaker as well.

Zhou Cheng seemed to be injured. The scent of blood was coming from him.

"Come over here!" Zhou Cheng called to him in a low voice.

"Alright!" Lu Ye answered at once and started walking toward Zhou Cheng, moving faster and faster.

Zhou Cheng immediately sensed that something was wrong. Most notably, Lu Ye was actually carrying a sword in his hand. He could not help frowning. "Where did you get that sword?"

At a glance, the sword was clearly the weapon of an Evil Moon Valley cultivator. There was something very wrong with Lu Ye holding it.

Lu Ye did not answer. He was now only three zhang from Zhou Cheng.

Zhou Cheng finally felt Lu Ye's killing intent. He hurriedly rose to his feet and gritted his teeth as he snarled, "I'll kill you, you little beast!"

As he spoke, he thrust his sword at Lu Ye. Spiritual Power flooded into the blade, and a faint Radiant Light bloomed in the darkness.

There was nothing particularly sophisticated about this strike. Zhou Cheng had merely poured Spiritual Power into his longsword to increase its killing power. Facing Lu Ye, a mere mortal, he naturally believed he could decide his life or death at will.

The last person who had thought that way was Steward Yang, whose corpse was already beginning to rot.

The sword light rapidly enlarged in Lu Ye's vision. He urged all his Spiritual Power and gathered it over his eyes, and the entire world seemed to slow considerably.

Unlike when he had ambushed Steward Yang with the Primordial Magnetic Field, this was Lu Ye's first direct battle against a cultivator. There was no room for even the slightest hesitation or retreat.

Fortunately, this cultivator's cultivation was not high, and he was seriously wounded. That was why Lu Ye had dared to harbor killing intent.

Just as the longsword was about to strike him, Lu Ye slid sideways and narrowly avoided it. Then he swept his own longsword upward. At the same time, an abstruse and intricate pattern flashed across the blade.

Sharpness Enhancement!

This was the first time my new book had entered the rankings. Since it had been so long since I last started a new book, I did not know what the rules for the new book rankings were now. I can only ask all of you, brothers and sisters, to fire away at me—throw whatever you have at it.

For a new book, the new book rankings are the most important list, so I am counting on everyone. I would be endlessly grateful. Let us do our best to earn a good rank and let more people see this new book.