Finding Connections

"Senior Sister, did Deacon Huang say when it starts?"

"She said we gather in a month. These next few days, she wants you to make preparations."

Li Jun nodded. A month was enough time to prepare.

"Junior Brother, this mining assignment is heavy, and they need a lot of people. You'd best prepare more medicine, just in case."

Yin Caiwei said with concern.

"Don't worry, Senior Sister. In a few days, I'll go out and look for more medicinal herbs. It's just that the Spirit Ox will probably have to trouble you, Senior Sister."

"That's a small matter. Though it's mining, you mustn't try to show off. In past years, news of people dying in the mines has spread every year."

Li Jun nodded and agreed.

After the two of them ate a simple meal, they each returned to their rooms to rest.

"Outer sect disciples plus some inner sect disciples—a force of several thousand people. Could Yao Yuzhi be planning to catch them all in one net?"

Li Jun sank into thought, considering all kinds of possibilities.

Black Rock Mine was a resource the Azure Cloud Sect valued highly.

Every winter, the cold tide in the Hundred Thousand Mountains could last for several months.

Black Rock Mine could both keep the Azure Cloud Sect's Spirit Herb Garden warm and ensure the earthfire supply for alchemy furnaces. It was an indispensable and important resource.

In the past, mining had mainly been handled by Artifact Peak, and normally did not require disciples from the other peaks to participate.

But this time, Artifact Peak had requested the Elder Council to conscript disciples from every peak. In name, it was to cope with extreme weather, but Li Jun knew in his heart that, putting aside for now whether the weather was real or not, behind this matter, Yao Yuzhi's hand was surely pushing it along.

"If I were her, I'd spread a little false information. In any case, the spies would definitely pass the information out. When the time came, she could catch them all in one net."

Li Jun speculated, but this was not certain either.

It was possible the other side had already obtained an accurate list, and only needed people to enter. When the time came, they could secretly deal with them.

But no matter which situation it was, he would inevitably be targeted. To him, that was no good thing.

If he went to Shen Xiyue and said he was not going, the other party would inevitably become suspicious.

Even if he told the truth, Shen Xiyue most likely would not believe him.

After all, mining Black Rock Mine was something carried out every year.

Besides disciples taking part, sect elders would also be stationed there to guard it when the time came.

No matter who it was, it would be very hard to believe that someone would dare tamper with Black Rock Mine, which involved the sect's core interests.

"No matter what, I need to make more preparations. The more pills, talismans, and the like, the better."

Li Jun made up his mind to properly equip himself.

Therefore, he planned to make a trip to the city closest to the Azure Cloud Sect—Fire Cloud City.

Firstly, it was to avoid drawing unnecessary attention, and secondly, he also wanted to go take a look at that Dark Fragrance Hall.

Li Jun very much wanted to know who exactly had given her the scented sachet that day, and who wanted to kill with a borrowed knife.

News of the Black Rock Mine excavation quickly spread throughout the entire Azure Cloud Sect.

Especially that they were going to conscript outer sect disciples from the Four Peaks, along with some inner sect disciples.

As soon as this decision came out, it sparked widespread discussion among the disciples of every peak.

According to the meaning of the Azure Cloud Sect's higher-ups, this Black Rock Mine excavation would send out two thousand outer sect disciples, plus eighty inner sect disciples.

A scale like this was practically sending out half of all the Azure Cloud Sect's disciples.

Such a large scale was unheard of.

And as for some of the old hands in the sect, they smelled a different scent in the air.

With so many people mining Black Rock Mine, if the information was true, then this year's winter would likely be very hard to endure.

Azure Cloud Peak, Registration Hall.

"Deacon Xia, this is a small token of this disciple's regard. Please accept it."

Li Jun took out fifty Spirit Stones and placed them in front of Xia Qiugeng.

"Haha, Junior Brother Li, you're too polite. Back then, I felt you were definitely destined to stand out from the crowd. Two days ago, I heard Eldest Senior Sister specially had your cowshed renovated. Junior Brother, your future is boundless!"

Xia Qiugeng took a sip of tea and said with a smile.

"Deacon Xia overpraises me. If not for Deacon Xia's guidance, this disciple likely would not have been able to comprehend these things."

Li Jun was neither servile nor overbearing, and took out another fifty Spirit Stones.

Looking at the Spirit Stones before him, Xia Qiugeng's eyes lit up.

He hurriedly put them away, and even sat up straighter.

"Junior Brother, after three days apart, one must truly look at you with new eyes. Speak. What do you want my help with?"

Li Jun clasped his fists in both hands and bowed. "Deacon Xia, now that the Black Rock Mine excavation is imminent, this disciple's strength is still meager. May Deacon Xia please help this disciple switch to a good assignment."

"Oh? A better assignment? And why is that?" Xia Qiugeng's eyes flickered as he asked curiously.

"Replying to Deacon Xia, this disciple fears death and does not wish to die in the mine tunnels."

Xia Qiugeng froze for a moment, then smiled and shook his head. "Heh, you're quite direct, unlike the others with all their posturing."

Li Jun cupped his fists in both hands, maintaining a respectful posture.

Seeing this, Xia Qiugeng smiled and waved a hand. "Very well. Since you're so sensible, once you enter the mine this time, you can help transport the ore. You won't need to go down into the mine yourself."

"Many thanks, Deacon Xia. If this disciple does anything wrong in the future, I hope Deacon Xia will offer guidance."

As he spoke, Li Jun took another wine flask from his robes and placed it on Xia Qiugeng's desk.

"Mm? Junior Brother Li, what is the meaning of this?"

"Deacon Xia, this is a specialty wine this disciple brewed with cow's milk. I wanted to invite Deacon Xia to have a taste."

"Oh? Don't tell me it was made with milk from a supreme-grade cow?"

Xia Qiugeng picked it up and sniffed it, and his eyes instantly went straight.

This was good wine!

"Go on, then. What else do you want me to help with?"

Xia Qiugeng set it down for the moment. The wine was good wine, but he still had to see what the other party had come for.

"Deacon Xia, this disciple wants nothing else. I only want Deacon Xia to give this disciple a piece of advice—a piece of advice that will let me survive while mining," Li Jun said.

"Oh? You little fellow really are interesting." Xia Qiugeng was stunned for a moment, then opened the wine flask and poured himself a cup. "Let's put it this way. If you want to stay alive in the mine, then don't be greedy. Taking a loss is a blessing, understand?"

After returning from Xia Qiugeng's place, Li Jun had "benefited greatly."

Not only had he obtained quite a bit of information from the man, he had also spent money to get himself a different position, though that spot was a little pricey.

"Yin Caiwei was right. This Xia Qiugeng really isn't simple. He can even settle something like this."

The reason Li Jun had gone to find Xia Qiugeng was because Yin Caiwei had told him that Xia Qiugeng had connections within the sect.

There were some matters he could help with, as long as the money was in place.

Li Jun had gone in with the mindset of giving it a try. He had originally thought the other party would refuse, but to his surprise, Xia Qiugeng had agreed very readily.

All one could say was, a man could not be judged by his looks, nor the sea measured with a dipper.

Apart from that, there was another piece of news that left him somewhat surprised.

The matter of Oak Garden had reached a conclusion. Several people, including Zhao Wenjie, had been dealt with directly.

From now on, Oak Garden would actually be managed by Beast Peak, which surprised Li Jun greatly.

Zhao Wenjie had been killed by his own hand. As for the others, they had either died at the hands of the Ghost-Faced Crab or at Zhao Wenjie's hands. For such news to appear, it was probably due to Yao Yuzhi's maneuvering; she had simply made those dead men shoulder the blame for Oak Garden.

But the operation of Oak Garden had actually fallen into Beast Peak's lap.

"Artifact Peak and Medicine Peak fought over it for so long, only for Beast Peak to pick up the bargain in the end."

Li Jun stopped thinking about it. The struggles and exchanges of interest between the Four Peaks were not something an outer sect disciple like him could participate in.

In any case, he had already gotten rid of Zhao Wenjie. In Yao Yuzhi's eyes, he was only an ordinary outer sect disciple too.

As long as he did not draw her attention, he could continue draping himself in Shen Xiyue's tiger skin and scrape by in Azure Cloud Sect while cultivating.

"The time's about right. It's time to make a trip to Fire Cloud City."