In his previous life, Chen Xiao had often come to the Mingyu Mountain mines to cause trouble in order to get back at the Nangong Family. But back then, he couldn't afford to let anyone know who he was. If his identity were exposed, the Nangong Family would hunt him down, so all he ever did was stir up trouble.
Of course, even if someone recognized him this time, it wouldn't matter. He was the third young master of the Moon-Gazing City Lord. The Mingyu Mountain mines all belonged to Moon-Gazing City, so what was wrong with him coming here to mine?
Mingyu Mountain had more than fifty mines, large and small. The largest was an upper-grade Heavenly Mystery Stone mine, which produced thousands of upper-grade Heavenly Mystery Stones each year. They kept the formations throughout Moon-Gazing City running, along with its various basic facilities.
At the heart of Mingyu Mountain lay its largest Spirit Vein. It was the mountain's main vein, and every mine in the area had formed because of it.
Of course, no one would dare lay a hand on this Spirit Vein. When Moon-Gazing City was first established, a peerless immortal from the Glazed Heaven Palace had driven it deep into the mountain range, making it the foundation of the city's existence.
It could be said that outside every major city in Glazed Heaven lay a Spirit Vein established by the Glazed Heaven Palace. With such a vein, the city was directly under the Glazed Heaven Palace and held in high regard by it.
Of course, Moon-Gazing City was only a small city in Glazed Heaven, and the Spirit Vein outside it was merely a low-grade one.
Moon-Gazing City had existed for ten thousand years. Over that time, the ruling family had changed countless times. The Chen Family itself had only become the city's rulers three hundred years ago, after ousting the previous ruling family in a contest for the position.
It was only by becoming the Lord of Moon-Gazing City that one became a vassal of the Glazed Heaven Palace.
Of course, the Glazed Heaven Palace never interfered when ruling families changed. If a family was driven from power, it meant they had grown weak and no longer had the strength to rule a city. Their expulsion was only natural.
But there was one exception: an appointment by the Glazed Heaven Palace. Once a family received the Palace's appointment, they became the true rulers of a city. Anyone who dared attack an appointed family would be challenging the Glazed Heaven Palace's authority and would be hunted across all of Glazed Heaven.
Outside Mingyu Mountain's central area, several sizable mines were occupied by some of the great families of Moon-Gazing City.
Besides the Chen Family and the Nangong Family, Moon-Gazing City also had three powerful families: the Beiyu Family, the Canghai Family, and the Li Family. Of course, all three were a notch below the Chen and Nangong Families.
With the help of a God-Speed Talisman and a Heaven-Concealing Talisman, the three of them slipped into a large mine belonging to the Nangong Family without a sound.
"Young Master, what should we do now?"
Watching the miners coming and going, clanging away at the stone around them as they dug for Heavenly Mystery Stones, Mengmeng couldn't help asking through voice transmission.
They had made it to the mine, but they had no plan. They couldn't exactly dig for ore themselves, could they? Chen Xiao had said they were coming to mine, but this was such a huge vein that they'd be exhausted to death if they tried to dig it themselves.
Besides, though it was called a mine, Heavenly Mystery Stones weren't scattered everywhere. With good luck, you could dig up several hundred at once; with bad luck, you might not find even one in a whole year.
"Use your head. Who do you think I am? I'm the young city lord of Moon-Gazing City. Do I need to dig for Heavenly Mystery Stones myself? We'll just get some from the mine's steward."
Chen Xiao curled his lip and spoke through voice transmission.
"Come on, let's go."
With that, Chen Xiao led Mengmeng and Cai Di toward the end of the passage. There stood an extremely lavish chamber. Inside were a table and a chair, and the table was laden with all sorts of exquisite food. A man who looked to be in his early thirties was lounging in the chair, while a pretty young woman massaged his shoulders from behind.
This man was the mine overseer assigned here by the Nangong Family. Every Heavenly Mystery Stone dug up in the mine was entrusted to him, and he periodically turned them over to the family.
The mine overseer's post was a real cushy job. Anyone entrusted with it was bound to be a core member of the Nangong Family.
This man was Nangong Shenyao, the younger brother of the Nangong Family head, Nangong Shenhe. His cultivation had reached the Late Stage of Soul-Division Realm, and he was also the strongest person stationed here to guard all the Nangong Family's mines on Mingyu Mountain.
Of course, this was Mingyu Mountain. Though it was nominally part of Moon-Gazing City, in truth it came directly under the Glazed Heaven Palace. Cultivators could make a play for Moon-Gazing City, but anyone stupid enough to cause trouble on Mingyu Mountain was asking for a world of hurt.
In truth, Nangong Shenyao was here to enjoy himself. It was both a lucrative post and an easy one.
"Cai Di, you're up."
Chen Xiao took a bowl-thick iron rod out of his Storage Ring and handed it to Cai Di.
Although they were protected by the Heaven-Concealing Talisman, the three talismans had been made from the same source, so they could still see one another.
"What for?"
Cai Di took the rod, momentarily stunned.
"To knock them out from behind. You're the only one here who can handle Nangong Shenyao. Surely you don't expect me to do it myself?"
Chen Xiao nodded toward Nangong Shenyao's direction, indicating that Cai Di should take the heavy rod and deal with him.
"Uh... I'm the Poison Immortal, a mighty expert at the Body Integration Realm, and you want me to knock someone out from behind?!"
Cai Di's face turned beet red. But when he looked at Chen Xiao, he knew there was no arguing with him. He could only take the heavy rod and walk toward Nangong Shenyao and the young woman.
"Leave them alive."
Cai Di's mood seemed off, and Chen Xiao was afraid he might lose control and smash their heads in.
In truth, Chen Xiao had a thousand ways to deal with Nangong Shenyao. But he'd specifically put Cai Di in charge of the ambush because he wanted to see just how loyal Cai Di really was.
The Heavenly Tribulation Oath meant Cai Di wouldn't betray him, but Chen Xiao didn't want him to merely refrain from betrayal. There were many things Chen Xiao needed Cai Di to do.
That was why he'd come up with this ridiculous clubbing operation. If Cai Di refused Chen Xiao's order this time, then even if he never betrayed him, he would lose Chen Xiao's trust forever.
Fortunately, though Cai Di's emotions were running high, he didn't disobey Chen Xiao.
Thud! Thud!
After two muffled blows, Nangong Shenyao and the pretty young woman rolled their eyes and collapsed unconscious.
A blow from an expert at the Body Integration Realm was more than a cultivator at the Soul-Division Realm could withstand.