"Young Master Jiang Wei."
Once they entered the Luo Family's main hall, Luo Qingying, as one of those in charge, naturally spoke first, his tone grave. "The old patriarch woke yesterday. The Jiang Family's divine physician possesses extraordinary skills and has stabilized his life origin."
"However, the ominous aura he contracted in the Ancient Mine is far too bizarre. Though it has been suppressed for now, the old patriarch remains exhausted in spirit and cannot receive visitors yet. Please forgive us." As he spoke, Third Uncle Luo bowed slightly to Jiang Wei.
At the mention of the Luo Family's old patriarch, even Jiang Wei, a noble scion of a Desolate Ancient Family, dared not put on airs.
After all, the old patriarch was a mighty figure in the Northern Region, one of those who stood at its very pinnacle, and could be considered a peer of the Jiang Family Sacred Lord.
Jiang Wei, on the other hand, was merely a small fry in the Four Extremes Realm. Though he was the eldest legitimate grandson of the Jiang Family's Sacred Lord, he did not possess such enormous standing. How could he demand that the patriarch lower himself to receive a junior like him?
Clad in his cloud-patterned robe, Jiang Wei said solemnly:
"The old patriarch has been a hero all his life. I had long admired his reputation before coming here. His health comes first. I came for two reasons: first, to escort the divine maiden, and second, under the Sacred Lord's orders, to learn the details of the Divine Source Ancient Mine."
"Before I left, the Sacred Lord made it clear that, since our divine maiden's paternal family is facing trouble, we must spare no effort to help," Jiang Wei said.
"The Luo Family will remember the Jiang Family's kindness."
Luo Qingying thanked him solemnly, then changed the subject, worry gathering between his brows once more. "But right now, that Divine Source Ancient Mine has become a scalding potato in our hands, with packs of wolves circling around it."
"Ever since the accident in the Ancient Mine, we have been unable to keep the discovery of divine source a secret. The news swept through the Northern Region like a storm," Luo Qingying continued, his voice carrying a trace of hoarse exhaustion.
"First came the bandits and marauders nearby, drawn by the scent of blood. They gathered several bands of men and prowled around the mining grounds like hyenas, hoping to fish in troubled waters. Those bastards are ruthless. They have harassed us constantly and ambushed and killed many Luo Family disciples patrolling the perimeter in Qingyun Province."
By this point, his tone carried a trace of seething fury and bitter hatred.
"And that was only the beginning."
Luo Qingying continued with a bitter smile:
"The truly difficult ones are the holy lands, great families, and major sects that came after hearing the news."
"Some of the forces supported by the Yaoguang Holy Land in the Northern Region have already paid us visits. Their words were courteous, but every sentence revolved around joint development. Their intentions could not have been clearer."
"A supreme elder of the Wanchu Holy Land also sent an envoy to express concern, saying the Ancient Mine was ominous and might bring a great calamity, while hinting that they had experience dealing with such things."
"There is also the Great Evolution Holy Land. Though they have not sent anyone directly to Luo City, another of their important bases in the Northern Region is not far from Qingyun Province. Large numbers of disciples have already been transferred there, and their intentions remain unknown."
"The Feng Clan, the Ji Clan, and several other Desolate Ancient Families are also said to have sent people who are already on their way. This time, our Luo Family has truly been thrust onto the crest of the storm. Even the old patriarch found it a tremendous headache after waking."
"Alas, with pressure bearing down from every side, our Luo Family is almost ready to give up that Divine Source Ancient Mine..."
Third Uncle Luo abruptly changed tack again, speaking with a hint of regret.
Afterward, he did not forget to glance at Jiang Wei.
Hearing this, even Jiang Wei, who had maintained a reserved air until now, could no longer sit still.
What kind of joke was this? If the Luo Family stopped guarding the Ancient Mine, what was the Jiang Family supposed to do?
They couldn't face all those powers alone...
After all, whatever else might be said, the Ancient Mine still belonged to the Luo Family in name. Even nominal ownership gave them the initiative, the moral high ground, and an inherent advantage in claiming rights to the Ancient Mine.
Thus, though jackals and wolves already crowded around them, no one had acted rashly.
Pull one hair, and the entire body would move. Once fighting broke out, there would be no room left for compromise or cooperation.
If the Luo Family refused to let go, their destruction would be as certain as a nail driven into iron. Once the Ancient Mine lost its nominal owner, the other holy lands and great families would inevitably fight until they beat one another's brains out. No one could say who would ultimately claim the Divine Source Ancient Mine, but devastating losses on every side were certain.
"Rest assured, Third Uncle Luo. This time, our Jiang Family will stand firmly behind the Luo Family to the very end!" Jiang Wei declared decisively.
His gaze then swept over the somewhat dispirited faces of the Luo Family's core members. "How could an ordinary power be allowed to lay its hands on a vein containing divine source, one that might even be connected to ancient secrets?"
"Since it appeared in Qingyun Province, on Luo Family territory, and has such deep ties to Divine Maiden Jiang Yue, it is a matter our Jiang Family should handle."
"The Divine Source Ancient Mine is a matter of great importance. Several of our supreme elders have already arrived. Before long, I expect our Sacred Lord will also come to Luo City in person."
Joy flashed in the eyes of Luo Qingying and the other Luo Family uncles upon hearing this.
The name of the Desolate Ancient Jiang Family was a sea-steadying divine pillar in the Northern Region of the Eastern Wilderness!
With the Jiang Family explicitly declaring its support, and the old patriarch awake as well, they now had the confidence to maneuver even against other holy lands and Desolate Ancient Families. They no longer had to spend every day in a state of panic, thinking only of retreat and surrender.
"The Desolate Ancient Jiang Family truly acts with great righteousness. Every member of the Luo Family will remember this kindness to the end of their days," Luo Qingying said with a chuckle, solemnly cupping his fists again.
The other Luo Family elders chimed in, much of the gloom lifting from their faces.
Watching Third Uncle Luo and the elders play off one another in the main hall, then looking at Jiang Wei, the Cloud-Robed Young Man making sweeping promises in their midst, Luo Yue felt rather speechless.
He really was still too young...
From the moment he entered until now, Third Uncle Luo and that pack of crafty old Luo Family elders had led him by the nose the entire time.
The Jiang Family's real decision-maker hadn't even arrived, yet this junior had already started calling the shots.
Still, Luo Yue did not want to get too involved in the division of interests. She remained silent throughout, maintaining the original owner's persona as a somewhat expressionless, icy little princess.
"The immediate priority is to ascertain the true nature of that Ancient Mine. The Sacred Lord has ordered me to uncover both the source of the ominous presence within and the precise circumstances of the divine source."
"Patriarch Luo witnessed it firsthand and is one of the few who ventured deep into the heart of the vein and emerged alive. His observations are crucial. Since he cannot receive visitors right now, could I ask Third Uncle Luo to recount what he saw in detail?"
As Jiang Wei began asking about the Ancient Mine and the old patriarch, Luo Qingying's expression grew solemn again. He drew a deep breath, seemingly arranging his words.
"Although the old patriarch has awakened, that ominous aura clings to him like maggots burrowing into bone. The Jiang Family's divine physician suppressed it with special methods, but also stated plainly that it was an exceedingly strange and sinister primordial curse. It can corrupt a person's soul and is extremely difficult to eradicate."
Everyone's gaze focused on Luo Qingying. Even Luo Yue, who had been listening quietly all along, pricked up her ears.
At this point, Luo Qingying did not keep them in suspense. He lowered his voice, as though afraid of disturbing something, and continued.
"The depths of that vein are nothing like an ordinary source mine. The farther down they dug, the more ancient it became. They could even see carvings on the stone walls that did not belong to this era, filled with the aura of a savage wilderness."
"The old patriarch and his companions reached the place where the divine source was first discovered, inside an enormous underground cavern. The piece of divine source at its center was a full nine zhang across, dazzlingly brilliant, embedded in the center of the cavern wall. It radiated an aura of life origin that made their hearts tremble."
"Nine zhang of divine source?!"
Jiang Wei's pupils contracted slightly. Even he was startled by that sheer quantity.
A fist-sized piece of divine source was already a rare treasure. A piece nine zhang across...
Its value was enough to drive any holy land or Desolate Ancient Family in the Eastern Wasteland mad!
Everyone present began breathing much more heavily.
Luo Yue, however, felt a chill run down her back. Unlike the others, upon hearing that the divine source measured nine zhang, her first reaction was not joy, but a sense of horror...
Fuck, had they dug into a Primordial Race lair?!
Because that era was so distant, the holy lands and Desolate Ancient Families of the Eastern Wasteland had no real understanding at this point of what the Primordial Race actually was. Only scattered descriptions remained in ancient texts.
But Luo Yue, who had read the original novel thoroughly, understood the habits of the Primordial Race all too well.
Could a sleeping member of the Primordial Race be buried beneath Qingyun Province? Or... was it a sealed site or tomb left behind by some primordial deity?
She could not imagine what sort of thing would require a full nine zhang of divine source to seal it away...
The thought made her scalp prickle.
Luo Yue was already beginning to regret returning to Luo City...
If the Luo Family and Jiang Family kept digging, the dark turmoil two hundred years from now wouldn't even have arrived before everything blew up on her own doorstep!