Equipping the Mountain Ridge Demon Core! A Three-Pattern Mystic Core! Still Room to Grow!
The dust kicked up by the fallen Stone Ape settled, Cheng Su was still standing in the same spot.
According to the usual practice in Zhenshan Commandery, handling the aftermath was always the job of the lower-ranking officials.
Lord Yang has resolved such a major crisis for Zhenshan Commandery; in principle, he shouldn't need to worry about the remaining matters.
But before he could say anything, he saw Yang Xiao standing on the edge of the collapse again.
"Lord Yang?"
Yang Xiao turned around, his tone indifferent. "Save them first."
Chu Qingtian entrusted Zhenshan Commandery to his care. Although he had done a commendable job by killing a Demon King, he could not stand idly by and watch the remaining lives be buried underground in the ore.
Cheng Su was taken aback, then realized that this official had never intended to leave from the beginning.
He clasped his hands in a fist and answered decisively, "Yes!"
Yang Xiao walked step by step along the edge of the pit, his right hand hanging at his side, a wisp of pale blue water vapor seeping into the ground along the crack.
"Two people are trapped under the Bluestone on the west side, one dead and one alive."
"Six steps further north, five people crammed together are beyond saving."
"Don't step on that patch of newly turned black soil in the southeast corner; the soil underneath is loose, and you'll fall in if you step on it."
Cheng Su had previously held some reservations about this new official, but now his eyes were full of admiration.
He silently followed half a step behind. When Yang Xiao pointed to a spot, he immediately led his men to rush over. Yang Xiao told him which section to clear first, and he didn't say a word of nonsense.
Until one of the mine entrances was completely blocked by three huge rocks.
Crowbars bent, hammers broke, and even several Demon Horses, but it remained unmoved.
Yang Xiao didn't let anyone try again. He raised his left hand, and the water vapor beside him condensed into a semi-transparent blue giant hand, which entered the crevice in the rock, supported the bottom of the boulder, and lifted it upwards.
Click--
The massive boulder, weighing thousands of kilograms, was forcibly lifted off the ground, and the mine entrance was revealed again.
The Demon Suppression Guard all froze.
Cheng Su was also stunned. He had rarely seen Pill Pattern techniques before, and this was the first time he had ever seen someone twist scattered water vapor into a giant hand. The exquisite control involved was simply too high.
"What are you all standing there for? Go in and save them," Yang Xiao said in a low voice.
Cheng Su then realized what was happening, stammered a reply, and led the way, rushing inside.
The rescue operation only stopped after the sun had set.
Cheng Su held the notebook and read aloud, but his voice lowered halfway through. "Three hundred and forty-seven people were carried out from the entire mining area... only thirteen survived."
"Treat the living first, and register the deceased clearly."
Finally, arrange for someone to slowly clear the rubble from the mining area.
Perhaps having seen it many times before, Yang Xiao found this scene rather ordinary and gave the instructions with practiced ease.
It's late at night.
Yang Xiao returned to the side courtyard of the General's Residence to rest.
He took out the Earth-Pattern Demon Core from the Mountain Ridge Demon King, and gently stroked the rough shell with his fingertip, causing the thick mountain patterns to light up.
"Equipment."
The Demon Core fell into the fifth Equipment Slot.
The next instant, a heavy, earthy-yellow light burst forth.
Yang Xiao's consciousness was dragged into a vast, desolate mountain wilderness.
The mountain ranges stretch endlessly, and massive boulders lie across the landscape.
Deep within the mountain, a Stone Ape holds up the mountain with its arms and roars to the sky.
With each step it takes, the earth trembles; with each punch it throws, it has the power to Mountain-Shattering and split rocks.
It swallowed countless rocks, which were then refined by its hardened bones and muscles into power that strengthened its physique.
As time passed, that profound and concentrated power gradually sank into the Demon Core, finally condensing into an earth-yellow Pill Pattern.
The furnace core suddenly appeared in the fifth Equipment Slot.
Inside the black and gold furnace, a sudden burst of charcoal-red flames erupted.
An invisible force enveloped the Stone Ape's phantom, pulling it and the surrounding mountains into the furnace.
The rocks crumbled, Mountain Ridge Demon King released the Pill-Pattern Power runes, surging and struggling, constantly bombarding the pill furnace, but was refined layer by layer by the furnace fire.
Boom!
As the phantom of the Mountain Ridge Demon King was continuously refined and shrunk, a yellowish-brown mountain pattern finally emerged.
It transformed into a heavy force and crashed into Yang Xiao's Mystic Core.
The Mystic Core trembled slightly, and the two Pill Pattern that had been coiled on it lit up at the same time.
The Canglan Water Pattern spread out in layers of light, and the Sky-Rending Wind Pattern flashed with a sharp blue light. The newly formed earth-yellow Pill Pattern did not forcibly occupy the position of the Mystic Core, but slowly landed in a gap below, and settled steadily.
A few breaths later, a new prompt appeared before them.
[Successfully acquired the Pill Pattern: Mountain Suppression Earth Pattern.]
[Effect: The power of the Mountain Suppression suppresses the user, enhancing their physique and suppressing the target.]
Yang Xiao opened his eyes and looked down at his body.
The moment the Mountain Suppression Earth Pattern fell into the Mystic Core, Yang Xiao's first feeling was that his body became extremely heavy.
A profound and powerful force seemed to have emerged between his fists and palms. This was not merely a simple increase in brute strength, but rather a tempering of his entire body into something as solid as a mountain, giving him the foundation to withstand immense pressure.
His bones seemed to have been infused with the essence of mountains, and his fascia, flesh, internal organs, and meridians became even more resilient.
The physical body, which had already reached the Pill-Pattern Perfection (a type of internal energy cultivation technique), gained an additional layer of profound power under the blessing of the Mountain Suppression Earth Pattern.
His whole being was like a mountain rooted to the earth, unshakable by any external force.
If he were only facing the Pill-Pattern Demon King, he was already confident that he could kill him with his bare hands.
Yang Xiao slowly clenched his fist.
As the five fingers came together, the air produced a muffled popping sound. The power surging in the arm was no longer just simple strength, but became solid, heavy, and even carried a faint sense of suppression.
He took a step forward.
The ground beneath my feet suddenly sank, and several fine cracks appeared on the surface.
Yang Xiao glanced down, then withdrew his power.
The Mountain Suppression Earth Pattern did not allow him to conjure rock armor or earth spears out of thin air, nor could it manipulate the earth at will. What it truly enhanced was its own bearing capacity and suppressive power.
He closed his eyes and sensed the three Pill Pattern within the Mystic Core.
The Canglan Water Pattern flow like a river, adept at perception and restraint.
The Sky-Rending Wind Pattern are like sharp blades, adept at acceleration and hovering.
The Mountain Suppression Earth Pattern resembles a mountain suppressing the enemy, excelling at empowering oneself and suppressing adversaries.
Yang Xiao silently observed for a moment, his eyes flickering slightly.
He could sense that his Mystic Core's capacity to absorb energy hadn't reached its limit. Did this mean he could continue to Plunder the Pill Pattern?
Ordinary martial artists often only seek a pure and perfect Pill Pattern in their cultivation, so as to illuminate the Core Illumination Light.
But his path didn't seem to have to be this way.
By embellishing oneself with various Pill Pattern, as long as they do not compete for dominance, they can each perform their respective functions in battle and complement each other.
He reached out and pressed his hand on the location of the Mystic Core, feeling the three Pill Pattern flowing calmly.
My body can be improved once more!