Back to Work, Old Trade

The supervisor's booming voice rang out, and Xu Yuan hurried forward. The scrawny man beside him had initially thought he was being called; he had only just raised his head when he immediately lowered it again and shuffled away unsteadily.

"This body's bones and muscles aren't bad."

The supervisor sized Xu Yuan up, then asked, "What's your cultivation?"

"Just entered Qi Refining," Xu Yuan answered truthfully.

"Fuck, why's your cultivation so lousy?" Scratching his head, the supervisor remembered this quarter's quota and could only ask again, "Ever mined before? Know how to identify ore veins?"

"Reporting to Immortal Master, I came from a mining area. I've already mined for a year."

"A mining area?" The supervisor's brows rose, and he suddenly said in surprise, "That old dog Tu Fang actually let you go—"

"Ahem, ahem, ahem." After several awkward coughs, the supervisor seemed to realize something and hastily cut himself off, then changed the subject.

"Did you learn the rules before coming?"

Xu Yuan naturally pretended he had heard nothing. He then took a spirit stone from his sleeve. "Of course I know them."

One spirit stone served as a deposit; only then could one receive the equipment needed for mining. This rule had been written in Chen Shouguang's survival handbook.

As for why one had to pay money to work, the other party could only tell you: this was the Hidden Moon Sect.

"Fine. Give him a set of clothes and a mining pick." After signaling someone with his eyes, the supervisor warned, "No storage artifacts of any kind. No smuggling ore out. Those who disobey will be killed!"

Following an underling to collect his equipment, Xu Yuan received a mining pick and a set of very heavy clothing.

The mine here was cold as well. The clothes were meant to keep miners warm. Perhaps one of the Hidden Moon Sect's few remaining scraps of conscience was that they had actually inscribed a small warming formation on them.

Draping on the clothes and carrying the mining pick, he descended into the mine. The winding, looping tunnels before him and the clanging sounds echoing all around left him somewhat dazed, making him wonder whether he had truly left that mining area.

"The only good thing is that the exploitation here probably isn't as vicious."

Muttering inwardly, Xu Yuan began walking deeper inside. Along the way, he saw quite a few people mining.

There were both men and women among them. Most had low cultivation, around the second level of Qi Refining. None paid any attention to Xu Yuan as he passed, focusing solely on mining their own ore.

Some of them, however, had their hands pressed against the rock walls, seemingly sensing something.

Xu Yuan knew this was likely a spell for detecting ore. Chen Shouguang's survival handbook had mentioned it; it required five low-grade spirit stones to purchase, and Biyou Market even had spell halls that specialized in teaching it.

But he clearly had something better.

He walked straight to the depths. Here, the sounds of picks striking rock had gradually faded, and there was no sign of anyone else. He first looked at the cold-proof coat on his body.

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[Item: Crudely Made Cold-Proof Dharma Robe]

[Status: Barely Usable]

[Current Traits: None]

[Traits That Can Be Added: 0/1]

[Selectable Traits:
Cold Resistance (White): This dharma robe is made with somewhat better materials, granting it a longer lifespan and improved warmth. Cost: thirty taels of gold.

Cold Dispelling (Green): The formation on this dharma robe seems to have been crafted with greater care, making the entire robe more effective, though its lifespan is shorter. Cost: ten spirit crystals.]

After thinking for a moment and sensing the threat posed by the surrounding chill, Xu Yuan ultimately decided to save those ten spirit crystals. He then looked at the mining pick.

text
[Item: Crudely Made Dharma Artifact Mining Pick]

[Status: Barely Usable]

[Current Traits: None]

[Traits That Can Be Added: 0/1]

[Selectable Traits:
Refined in the Furnace (Green): This dharma artifact has far too poor a foundation and can only be urgently reforged. After adding a small amount of quality ore, the entire mining pick has risen to a new level. Sharpness increased, durability increased, sensitivity to spiritual energy increased. It can be used against enemies. Cost: one low-grade spirit stone.

Mineral Perception (Intermediate) (Green): Each time you swing the mining pick, you can sense minerals within three zhang of earth and stone. Cost: one low-grade spirit stone.]

"Just as expected."

Xu Yuan's heart skipped a beat, and he took out the other low-grade spirit stone he had brought with him.

The mining pick and coat could both be taken away, so he was not worried about anyone discovering anything unusual. Without hesitation, Xu Yuan held the spirit stone and mining pick together, then added the trait.

An instant later, Xu Yuan picked up the strengthened mining pick and casually struck the ground. Every mineral within three zhang of earth and stone immediately came into view.

"Success."

Exhaling a breath of stale air, Xu Yuan gripped the mining pick tightly in his hand, just as he had done in the previous days.

With this thing, he had ample confidence. Sooner or later, he would carve out a world of his own.

Around five hours later, Xu Yuan emerged from a stretch of rubble. The basket on his back was already filled to the brim with ore.

This mine contained quite a bit of low-grade mystic iron ore. Besides that, there was a very small amount of refined mystic iron ore, as well as the most important ore: white crystal ore.

It was a crystal-like mineral whose main use was as the primary ingredient for refining Calm Spirit Pills. It was also added when refining certain dharma artifacts, making it one of the mainstream minerals.

Most of the basket on Xu Yuan's back was filled with this stuff.

He was not afraid of attracting attention. After all, plenty of people in Biyou Market possessed secret arts. With fellow disciples strictly forbidden from killing one another, no one could force him to reveal anything if he refused to speak.

Moreover, after entering Qi Refining, he discovered that he could remove the traits he had added at any time. However, that did not work on himself, and once a trait was removed, the item could no longer have another trait added.

When he walked out of the mine, dusk had already given way to night outside. The supervisor was drinking at a desk.

At the sight of the kid from this morning, he first froze, then broke into delight. "Kid, you've really got some skills."

Seeing Xu Yuan set down the basket, he had the two men step forward to count it, then even handed Xu Yuan a cup of wine. "Here, warm yourself up."

Xu Yuan hesitated for a moment, but still reached out and accepted it. After drinking it, he immediately felt as though a ball of fire had fallen from his throat into his stomach, burning him clean through.

Driven by that ball of fire, the chill Xu Yuan had picked up in the cave vanished in an instant. Only then did the person in charge say with a beaming smile:

"If you made it out of Tu Fang's place, you must have some ability. But I don't care what secrets you've got. Now that you're under me, I'll tell you just one thing: mine properly, and there'll be no shortage of spirit stones."

"Thank you, sir."

Xu Yuan gave a slight bow. Looking at the man's vicious face and the profanity that rolled so easily off his tongue, he instead found the man rather interesting.

After all, compared to the demons and monsters of Biyou Market, this sort of ferocity was truly not worth mentioning.

The ore was worth a total of forty spirit crystals. After deducting three spirit crystals as a fee for honoring one's elders, three spirit crystals for the venue fee, and four spirit crystals for the sect's mining-area construction fee, the amount that reached Xu Yuan's hands had shrunk to thirty spirit crystals.

Looking at the faces of the three men, Xu Yuan took a deep breath and swallowed the words he had nearly spoken.

Fuck, there really weren't any good people in the Hidden Moon Sect!