Recruiting Cannon Fodder

For a time, Rogue Cultivators from several surrounding Immortal Markets set out for the Red Spirit Gold Mine to dig.

Thirty Spirit Stones a month.

That came to three hundred and sixty Spirit Stones a year.

The income was far higher than that of ordinary internal cultivators in an Immortal Market.

Compared to a Spirit Plant Farmer like He Song, who earned only one hundred and fifty Spirit Stones a year, it was more than double.

Most ordinary Rogue Cultivators lived lives of licking blood from the edge of a blade.

Now that mining work had appeared that was neither dangerous nor poorly paid, naturally they would not let it pass them by.

As a result, far fewer Rogue Cultivators came and went within Bamboo Mountain Immortal Market.

The once-bustling Bamboo Mountain Immortal Market had seemed somewhat empty these past few days.

"Fellow Daoist He, have you heard the news about the Red Spirit Gold Mine?" Sitting at the same table as He Song, Lin Cong naturally heard the same news He Song did.

For a moment, Lin Cong's gaze turned fervent, as though he had developed an intense interest in mining.

In his view,

mining was certainly safer than hunting demon beasts out in the wilderness.

Moreover, the returns from mining were no lower than those from risking one's life to hunt demon beasts.

Looking at it that way, if possible, he wanted to give it a try as well.

If one could earn Spirit Stones safely,

who would want to live a life of licking blood from the edge of a blade?

"The Red Spirit Gold Mine." Meng Guan's appearance flashed through He Song's mind.

He wondered how Meng Guan was doing at the Red Spirit Gold Mine.

Come to think of it,

it had been half a month since Meng Guan left Bamboo Mountain Immortal Market to mine at the Red Spirit Gold Mine, hadn't it? No news had returned even now, leaving He Song faintly worried.

Yet, faced with Lin Cong's question, He Song recalled what Lin Cong had just told him.

After considering it, he quickly made a decision.

Fine, he would speak up and persuade him once more, lest this friend of his rush toward that mining region without a second thought.

"Fellow Daoist Lin, let these words leave my mouth and enter only your ears. Do not spread them around." He first spoke quietly to Lin Cong.

Only then, beneath Lin Cong's suddenly brightened gaze, did He Song casually take a sheet of paper from his sleeve.

This paper had originally been meant for folding paper cranes to use the Sound Transmission Technique.

But there were too many people here and too many loose tongues; it would be easy for someone to overhear their conversation.

Thus, He Song could only resort to this inferior method.

Spiritual power surged between his fingers.

Strands of spiritual power flowed out, swiftly carving a line of writing into the paper.

"The Red Spirit Gold Mine recruits only Rogue Cultivators, not internal cultivators of Immortal Markets."

Once he finished carving the words, He Song casually handed the paper to Lin Cong, then continued savoring the food.

However, after handing the paper to Lin Cong, a weight in He Song's heart was lifted.

Lin Cong had previously told him the secret to breaking through from the Qi Refining Early Stage to the Qi Refining Middle Stage. That was a favor.

He Song had intended to repay it with information about books in the Spirit Skill Pavilion concerning common knowledge of the cultivation world, but unfortunately, Lin Cong did not seem to have taken it in.

He had been worrying over how to repay this favor.

Now, it was all right.

This sheet of paper was enough for He Song to repay it.

At this moment, even if Lin Cong never went to the Spirit Skill Pavilion to browse those miscellaneous books, He Song had already returned the favor.

"Th-this..." Beside him, Lin Cong's eyes widened as he took the paper.

Yet no matter how shocked he was, after reading the words, a flicker of spiritual power immediately flashed across Lin Cong's hand.

By the time the spiritual power faded, the paper in Lin Cong's hand had already turned to powder, drifting away swiftly on the wind.

The paper vanished.

As though it had never existed.

But at this moment, stormy waves surged within Lin Cong's heart.

With merely a hurried glance, he understood what kind of horrifying matter had been recorded on the paper He Song handed him.

Under what circumstances would mining operations recruit only Rogue Cultivators?

Under what circumstances would Rogue Cultivators be recruited to mine?

Under what circumstances would a small ore vein dispatch several Foundation Establishment cultivators to guard it?

He knew none of this.

But he knew one thing.

The tighter the defenses of a place, the more likely it was to contain some treasure—and the greater the hidden danger within.

The moment he understood this, Lin Cong broke out in a cold sweat.

Earlier, he had been thinking that, if possible, mining would be more comfortable than going out to hunt demon beasts.

But now he understood.

Such high wages were not recruiting miners. They were recruiting cannon fodder!

Perhaps unknown dangers still awaited that cannon fodder within the Red Spirit Gold Mine.

Under the suppression of several Foundation Establishment cultivators,

even if the cannon fodder revolted as one, they likely would not be able to stir up the slightest wave.

As for what exactly lay within, that was beyond what he could know.

As cold sweat emerged, Lin Cong's gaze toward He Song also filled with profound gratitude.

"Thank you for saving my life, Fellow Daoist!" Lin Cong cupped his hands and bowed deeply to He Song. In his heart, he felt that deliberately befriending He Song had been the most correct thing he had ever done in his life!

If he had not deliberately begun building ties with He Song five years ago,

he would likely have already headed eagerly for the Red Spirit Gold Mine.

And by then, his fate...

Thinking of this, Lin Cong became even more grateful to He Song, and felt immensely exhilarated that he had become He Song's friend.

Befriending He Song might truly save one's life!

He Song did not know what Lin Cong was thinking.

But the fact that the note he casually handed over had caused Lin Cong's expression to change drastically was exactly what He Song had expected.

This was information that had come half a month ago from Wei Fan, a Qi Refining Late Stage cultivator.

Although news of the Red Spirit Gold Mine had now spread throughout the entire Immortal Market, there were likely very few who knew its secrets as He Song did.

Thus, it was more than enough to intimidate a Rogue Cultivator like Lin Cong.

The channels through which Rogue Cultivators could obtain information were simply far too scarce.

"Just do not spread it around, Fellow Daoist. This matter is secretive; if someone investigates..." After five years, He Song naturally had a clear grasp of Lin Cong's character, but the necessary warning still had to be given.

This matter was not forbidden from being spread.

Wei Fan had casually told He Song and Meng Guan about it.

But even if it spread to the ears of Rogue Cultivators, few would believe it.

On the contrary, they might even think it was a lie fabricated by someone who did not want them earning Spirit Stones.

But He Song deliberately made the matter sound more serious, so as to stop Lin Cong from wanting to continue asking questions.

After all, that was all He Song knew.

If Lin Cong kept asking, He Song himself would be the one left embarrassed.

"Fellow Daoist He worries too much. My mouth is tight indeed. Come, drink! We will not return until we are drunk!" Faced with He Song's warning, Lin Cong became more vigilant, while a trace of lingering fear also arose in his heart.

As a Rogue Cultivator, he did not know what He Song was truly thinking at this moment. Instead, He Song's deliberate reminder only made Lin Cong think even more highly of him.