37: Chapter 37: The Mining Conquest

But now, perhaps because his cultivation had risen to the Peak of Qi Refining Level 9, reaching the maximum limit of the Qi Refining stage.

The effect of the perfect marrow cleansing pill had obviously been greatly discounted.

Even if he finished taking the remaining nearly one thousand perfect marrow cleansing pills, it would probably be difficult to push all of the Five Elements Cultivation Techniques to the 10th layer of Qi Refining.

It seemed that if he wanted to elevate his Cultivation, he had to look for other Medicinal Pills. The Medicinal Pills usable in the Qi Refining stage probably had little effect on him anymore, and taking them would just be a waste.

Only Medicinal Pills that elevated Cultivation in the Foundation Establishment Stage might be effective.

But in this mineral vein, where was he going to find Medicinal Pills for Foundation Establishment Stage Cultivation?

Of course, there was another way, which was to find female cultivators to replenish the energy of the yin-yang creation cauldron, but in this mineral vein, who could he find?

Forget it, even if he couldn't elevate his Cultivation, with his current strength, even if he ran into Early Foundation Establishment, he would still have the strength for a fight.

After all, his spiritual power was more than five times that of the Qi Condensation 9th Layer, and it was even denser.

Even though the strength of a Foundation Establishment expert could instantly kill the Qi Condensation 9th Layer, was he an ordinary Qi Condensation 9th Layer?!

Not to mention, he had a formidable Physical Body that could withstand a blow from a Half-step Foundation Establishment, as well as the numerous Spiritual Artifacts and attack talismans on his person.

He calculated the time—he had entered the mineral vein for a full year.

It was time to pay the "protection fee."

Although he hid in the Thunder Pond Valley, it was extremely safe.

But this mineral vein was easy to enter and hard to leave, sealed by a grand Formation, unless you wanted to cower and live out your life in this mineral vein.

Otherwise, you could only obediently go out to hand over Spirit Stones, and then, when the time came, leave from here.

"Go out first and hand over the Spirit Stones." He certainly didn't want to cower for three years and then go out to pay several times the Spirit Stones.

According to the standard stated by that manager, cowering for three years before going out would require paying eight thousand Spirit Stones. If paid year by year, three years would only require three thousand!

Xiao Yuan stood up and stretched his muscles. Feeling the surging Five Elements spiritual power and tyrannical Physical Body within his body, a smile curled at the corner of his lips.

"It is also time to give certain people... a pleasant surprise."

Those sixteen people who hunted him down had better not let him run into them; otherwise, Xiao Yuan wouldn't mind wiping them all out!

---

At the exit of the mineral vein, under a temporarily erected shed.

Manager Wang crossed his legs, with an account book placed in front of him.

Today was the annual "rent-paying day," and the miners lined up in a long queue, each with a long face as they handed over their Storage Pouches.

"Short by three hundred? Not enough! Mining time increased by three hundred days!"

"Short by five hundred? Short by half! Your mining time will be increased by another five hundred days!"

"Yo, this amount is enough, pass through."

At the end of the line, two out-of-place figures squatted in a corner, scanning every passing person with gloomy gazes.

Li Sha and Tie Tu.

These two partners in misfortune had wandered around the mineral vein for a full year!

Their hair had grown long, their beards were messy, their clothes were torn, and their eyes were bloodshot from exhaustion—yet they hadn't found Xiao Yuan. This kid was simply like he had vanished.

"Could that kid have died inside?" Li Sha gnashed his teeth.

"Even in death, we must see his corpse!" Tie Tu said in a muffled voice, "The foundation establishment pill is still in Senior Brother Chen's hands!"

The two looked at each other, both seeing the grievance in each other's eyes. They had run into each other several times, and because they were partners in misfortune, they had now become close comrades.

Never had the two of them imagined that they, dignified Qi Condensation 9th Layer outer sect elites, would act like headless flies in the mineral vein for a year just for a foundation establishment pill!

If word got out, they would lose all their face.

However, as long as they could kill Xiao Yuan, report back to their respective employers, obtain the foundation establishment pill to achieve Foundation Establishment, no matter how bitter or tiring it was, it would be worth it!

"Today is rent-paying day. As long as he is still alive, he will definitely come out." Li Sha stared at the exit, "Waiting for him to walk right into our trap!"

Tie Tu nodded, his hand resting on the hilt of his blade.

The two of them were like two temple guardian gods, one on the left and one on the right, staring intently at everyone walking out of the mine cave.

In the distance, Manager Wang glanced at the two of them and shook his head.

"Two fools... If that Xiao Yuan were still alive, could he hide from you for a year? He would have long since turned into fertilizer."

He couldn't be bothered to care and continued collecting rent.

The queue slowly moved forward.

After about two hours, most of the miners had finished paying.

Just as Li Sha and Tie Tu were beginning to doubt life!

Deep within the mine cave, a figure leisurely walked out.

His green robe was tattered, but washed clean. His hair was simply tied up, and a faint smile hung on his face.

Aura... Qi Condensation 4th Layer?

Li Sha and Tie Tu simultaneously jolted!

"Xiao Yuan!" The two exclaimed in their hearts almost simultaneously.

The target they had squatted for a year had appeared!

Xiao Yuan was lowering his head thinking about things when he suddenly sensed two scorching gazes.

It wasn't ordinary sizing up, but rather the kind of gaze... hunters seeing their prey, starving wolves seeing fatty meat, wishing they could swallow him alive.

He slightly turned his head, sweeping across with the corner of his eye.

In the corner of the shed, two people were squatting.

One was as lean as a bamboo pole, with sunken eye sockets and bloodshot eyes. The other was as stout as a bear, with a face full of fierce flesh, staring fixedly at him.

Both of their auras were at the Qi Condensation 9th Layer, but that fierce momentum was completely different from the numb miners around them.

Xiao Yuan's heart skipped a beat.

He didn't recognize these two people, but these gazes... were definitely not coming with good intentions.

Were they two of the sixteen pursuers from before? Or... assassins sent by Chen Yin or Zhao Tianlei?

On the surface, he remained expressionless, continuing to shuffle forward with the queue while beginning to calculate in his heart.

---

Over in the corner, Li Sha and Tie Tu were so excited their hands were shaking.

"It's him! Xiao Yuan!" Li Sha lowered his voice, his teeth grinding click-clack, "This grandson hid for a year and finally came out!"

Tie Tu licked his dry, cracked lips: "The foundation establishment pill... half of it is in our hands."

The two looked at each other, tacitly shrinking further into the shadows.

They couldn't make a move now.

The mineral vein exit had Formation monitoring. Although Manager Wang didn't care about private fights, murdering people blatantly—the mineral vein enforcement team was not to be trifled with.

"Wait for him to return to the mine cave," Li Sha said viciously, "Follow him in and slaughter him in some secluded place."

Tie Tu nodded: "How should we split the corpse? Senior Brother Chen and Senior Brother Zhao both want to see the person alive or the corpse dead."

Li Sha's eyes rolled: "Half for each! You take the head, I take the body, and we each go report back!"

"Deal!"

Reaching an agreement, the two continued to stare at Xiao Yuan like vipers.

---

It was Xiao Yuan's turn in the queue.

"Name." Manager Wang didn't even raise his head.

"Xiao Yuan."

Manager Wang's pen tip paused, and he raised his head.

He looked Xiao Yuan up and down, a trace of surprise flashing in his eyes—this kid was actually still alive?

Hunted down by two factions and missing for a year, Manager Wang had long since classified him into the "death list." He hadn't expected him to come out completely unscathed, and moreover...

"Thanks to Manager Wang's blessing." Xiao Yuan smiled and handed over a Storage Pouch.

Manager Wang took it and swept it with his Divine Sense.

Neatly arranged one thousand Low-Grade Spirit Stones, not a single one more, not a single one less.

He raised an eyebrow.

Miners who could hand over the Spirit Stones in full were not few, but definitely not many either. Let alone a bottom-tier Disciple at the "Qi Condensation 4th Layer."

This kid... was not simple.